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"Game Over", PCs As We Have Known & Used Them Are Dead Or Dying.

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BRJR

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Though, it was nice having personal computers around for the short time we did, change/progress is inevitable, and we are now entering yet another technological era, that will continue to affect photography and everything else, we are involved with. The info at the link below, addresses this very issue: ;)

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/apple-pc-is-dead-1378/
--
BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)

 
BRJR said:
Though, it was nice having personal computers around for the short time we did, change/progress is inevitable, and we are now entering yet another technological era, that will continue to affect photography and everything else, we are involved with. The info at the link below, addresses this very issue: ;)

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/apple-pc-is-dead-1378/
Click to expand...
Here's hoping we can all afford the data charges we're going to be racking up in this new age.

Pay for home internet for your nice, reliable WiFi
Pay for wireless 3G for your iPhone
Pay for 3G on your iPad
Pay Netflix and Hulu to stream tv/movies
Pay Apple to keep your music in the cloud
Pay Dropbox if you want to keep more than 2gigs of documents with them
Pay HBO if you want thier programming
Pay the studios because they dont like Netflix
Pay for cable TV anyway if you watch any sort of sports

Now your whole life is in the cloud and must be constantly accessed. Better hope your 3G isn't spotty where you live. Also, you better be prepared to pay for the data overages you're going to incur now that the providers are adding caps even to home service.

The PC may be dead, but it's death will give rise to a much more expensive future.
 
I haven't bought a new desktop in a long time, but I just bought two new laptops, and I still use two laptops at work.

I have a hard time understanding what people see in these tablets. I type around 100 words a minute on a keyboard, and something closer to five words a minute on a touch screen. Useless for actual work.

Do people just not know how to type and thus don't care that they can't type on a tablet or smart phone? Do people just not write, communicate or do actual work anymore? Does everyone just communicate with that pseudo-language called texting and that's it?

At least the Dell Duo and the Intel "Ultrabooks" have a keyboard built in, but really my 13" laptop is about as small as I'd want them to go. It's got full-size power (regular laptop processor, regular laptop memory, 64-bit OS, two hard drives, etc.) and it's light and easy to carry, but any smaller and the keyboard would be to smaller than full-size, and thus much harder to use - like these "mirrorless" compact cameras that are also too small to use comfortably.

My hands aren't getting any smaller. Why make my technology smaller than the minimum size to fit my hands comfortably?
--
Lee Jay
(see profile for equipment)
 
ljfinger said:
I have a hard time understanding what people see in these tablets. I type around 100 words a minute on a keyboard, and something closer to five words a minute on a touch screen. Useless for actual work.
Click to expand...
There are applications where a tablet makes a great deal of sense for "actual work"; especially applications that involve going around on one's feet while making intermittent use of the computer. E.g., a doctor making the rounds, or someone in a warehouse taking inventory. A touch-operated tablet and a Web-type UI are better suited (ergonomically) to this than a laptop with a hinge and a lid.

Then there's the other shoe: that most tablets are purchased not for work use, but for assorted entertainment and informational purposes, with any heavy-duty "work type" stuff being at most an afterthought.
Lee Jay said:
Do people just not know how to type and thus don't care that they can't type on a tablet or smart phone?
Click to expand...
They care that the phone is with them all the time (well, not with me all the time; I don't like to be chained to a cell phone), and the laptop isn't.
 
Tom_N said:
ljfinger said:
I have a hard time understanding what people see in these tablets. I type around 100 words a minute on a keyboard, and something closer to five words a minute on a touch screen. Useless for actual work.
Click to expand...
There are applications where a tablet makes a great deal of sense for "actual work"; especially applications that involve going around on one's feet while making intermittent use of the computer. E.g., a doctor making the rounds, or someone in a warehouse taking inventory. A touch-operated tablet and a Web-type UI are better suited (ergonomically) to this than a laptop with a hinge and a lid.
Click to expand...
I guess...I've never been in a situation where a tablet would be useful.
Tom_N said:
Then there's the other shoe: that most tablets are purchased not for work use, but for assorted entertainment and informational purposes, with any heavy-duty "work type" stuff being at most an afterthought.
Click to expand...
Yeah...and it shows.
Tom_N said:
Tom_N said:
Do people just not know how to type and thus don't care that they can't type on a tablet or smart phone?
Click to expand...
They care that the phone is with them all the time (well, not with me all the time; I don't like to be chained to a cell phone), and the laptop isn't.
Click to expand...
I have a smartphone, and they're nice since they're with you all the time, and they're certainly better than nothing at all. But this thread is largely about the elimination of a proper computer, implying that it's not available at all when you are in a good location and do have real work to do. That's nuts to me.

A friend of mine has been saying for three decades that he needs a computer that's a thousand times faster than what he has. And he still does. Tablets are computationally like computers of ten years ago, but without a user interface. I can't see what use that is for anything other than "it's better than nothing", just like a smart phone.

--
Lee Jay
(see profile for equipment)
 
"Game Over", PCs As We Have Known & Used Them Are Dead Or Dying. ?????

Not really. Some computing is shifting to smart phones and tablets.

Just as the first personal computers (Apple II, Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I, etc.) could not match the minicomputers of the time on their own terms, the smart phones and tablets of today cannot match the personal computers of today. But they will evolve. In 20 years' time, the iPhones and Droids of today may seem as quaint as the first Newton Messagepad. Their descendants will be doing jobs that would fall to a desktop or laptop today.

That doesn't mean that personal computers will disappear, or become unprofitable for those who adapt to the changing environment. But vendors who ignore (or try to strangle) smart phone and tablet technology because they don't want it to cannibalize their precious personal computer sales may find themselves in the same position as most of the former minicomputer vendors. You know, the ones who either went bankrupt, or got bought out by other vendors.
 
There's a place for tablets, but it's not for replacing a PC, not even a basic laptop. It won't happen in your and my lifetimes. I can't even come close to doing video editing that one of my PCs is dedicated to.

Steve Jobs himself said, "The iPad is not a computer".

--mamallama
 
ljfinger said:
I haven't bought a new desktop in a long time, but I just bought two new laptops, and I still use two laptops at work.

I have a hard time understanding what people see in these tablets. I type around 100 words a minute on a keyboard, and something closer to five words a minute on a touch screen. Useless for actual work.

Do people just not know how to type and thus don't care that they can't type on a tablet or smart phone? Do people just not write, communicate or do actual work anymore? Does everyone just communicate with that pseudo-language called texting and that's it?

At least the Dell Duo and the Intel "Ultrabooks" have a keyboard built in, but really my 13" laptop is about as small as I'd want them to go. It's got full-size power (regular laptop processor, regular laptop memory, 64-bit OS, two hard drives, etc.) and it's light and easy to carry, but any smaller and the keyboard would be to smaller than full-size, and thus much harder to use - like these "mirrorless" compact cameras that are also too small to use comfortably.

My hands aren't getting any smaller. Why make my technology smaller than the minimum size to fit my hands comfortably?
Click to expand...
PC sales steeply down... :)

http://news.cnet.com/PC-sales-still-down,-but-not-by-much/2100-1040_3-886632.html

Of course the above article is from 2001... :(

Could it be that economic factors have anything to do with PC sales?

Hmm?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2011/jun/06/idc-pc-sales-growth-warns

Others (How naive) predict dramatic growth once the recession is over. (Did you notice that the OP's link didn't mention Corporate sales? Their up, even if a modest growth)

Dave
 
As powerful and useful as "cloud computing" and mobile devices can be, I see more self-interest on the part of manufacturers and software vendors. Rather than have you "buy" your computer and software, and use it as long as it's not functionally obsolete, the push will be to rent hardware and software, and make it technologically obsolete every 6 months. Thus to get a continuing revenue stream, and to push you into continuous costly upgrades by obsoleting "old" stuff -- even though you many not need or want the "new" interfaces and "features".
 
ljfinger said:
I haven't bought a new desktop in a long time, but I just bought two new laptops, and I still use two laptops at work.

I have a hard time understanding what people see in these tablets. I type around 100 words a minute on a keyboard, and something closer to five words a minute on a touch screen. Useless for actual work.

Do people just not know how to type and thus don't care that they can't type on a tablet or smart phone? Do people just not write, communicate or do actual work anymore? Does everyone just communicate with that pseudo-language called texting and that's it?

At least the Dell Duo and the Intel "Ultrabooks" have a keyboard built in, but really my 13" laptop is about as small as I'd want them to go. It's got full-size power (regular laptop processor, regular laptop memory, 64-bit OS, two hard drives, etc.) and it's light and easy to carry, but any smaller and the keyboard would be to smaller than full-size, and thus much harder to use - like these "mirrorless" compact cameras that are also too small to use comfortably.

My hands aren't getting any smaller. Why make my technology smaller than the minimum size to fit my hands comfortably?
Click to expand...
Thought you might enjoy this:

http://www.theonion.com/video/apple-introduces-revolutionary-new-laptop-with-no,14299/
 
Random observations...

On the one hand, tablets are making significant gains. My doctor used to carry around a laptop from examining room to examining room. Everyone in the office is now using iPads synced to one server.

My friend is a private pilot. He switched to an iPad for all his maps and airplane stuff (can you tell I'm not a pilot?). Totally legal and encouraged.

The factory floor at one of my sister's clients switched from kiosk-type computers to iPads. They keep information about the various machines as well as carry lots of training materials.

None of these people miss or need a physical keyboard. None of these people need a full-blown laptop.

On the other hand, the VCP video department at the local college use Mac Pro desktops. I have Lightroom on a laptop. Materials for my own work uses Word and Powerpoint. Laptops rule.

We have people in this thread making up silly long lists of what people "need" to run tablets. We have people making both good and bad arguments for the use of a physical keyboard. We have "I hate Apple" and "I love Apple" types. The real truth is that their are various types of devices for different needs. There will be all of these types for a long time into the future. The pie is being split up in different ways, but no one solution better than the other for all applications.

FWIW, I own a desktop, laptop, and an iPad 2. Love and use them all for what each is best at.
 
1. Quite true, but times have/are changing and the iPad no longer has to be. Even with iOS5, next month, neither the iPad or any other of our mobile devices need any pc support at all. My biggest problem with my iPad was that printing from it was not up to my standards; however, within 5 minutes of un-boxing an HP Air Print capable WIFI printer, printing from either my iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch is even easier and quicker as with printing with a computer, and the print quality and appearance is exceptionally good. And, yes, I am using my iPad this very moment to type this reply and browse dpreview and surf the web, as I have been doing in lieu of using one of my computers, since nearly a year now. ;)

2. I am not saying that PCs haven't served us well, as they have; in fact, they have served us so well, that it is most befitting that they are now dying the same death they enabled for so many other technologies/jobs/industries and people. A fine warrior, that deserves a special coverage in our history and museums, so that future generations will know of them and the role they played. But, come on, both you and I know that life has to go on, and that we are now entering the "Post PC Age", though quicker than most of us would have thought, just a few weeks/months ago. One thing we can assume, is that future such change will take place in months to just a few years, rather than the decades it has taken for the final technological demise of our PCs. :|

--
BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)


mamallama said:
There's a place for tablets, but it's not for replacing a PC, not even a basic laptop. It won't happen in your and my lifetimes. I can't even come close to doing video editing that one of my PCs is dedicated to.

Steve Jobs himself said, "The iPad is not a computer".

--mamallama
Click to expand...
 
BRJR said:
My biggest problem with my iPad was that printing from it was not up to my standards;
Click to expand...
I have 1.25TB of data (and growing) on my laptop (internally). How would you put that on your iPad?

--
Lee Jay
(see profile for equipment)
 
BRJR said:
1. Quite true, but times have/are changing and the iPad no longer has to be. Even with iOS5, next month, neither the iPad or any other of our mobile devices need any pc support at all. My biggest problem with my iPad was that printing from it was not up to my standards; however, within 5 minutes of un-boxing an HP Air Print capable WIFI printer, printing from either my iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch is even easier and quicker as with printing with a computer, and the print quality and appearance is exceptionally good. And, yes, I am using my iPad this very moment to type this reply and browse dpreview and surf the web, as I have been doing in lieu of using one of my computers, since nearly a year now. ;)

2. I am not saying that PCs haven't served us well, as they have; in fact, they have served us so well, that it is most befitting that they are now dying the same death they enabled for so many other technologies/jobs/industries and people. A fine warrior, that deserves a special coverage in our history and museums, so that future generations will know of them and the role they played. But, come on, both you and I know that life has to go on, and that we are now entering the "Post PC Age", though quicker than most of us would have thought, just a few weeks/months ago. One thing we can assume, is that future such change will take place in months to just a few years, rather than the decades it has taken for the final technological demise of our PCs. :|
Click to expand...
Like Steve Jobs and I say, it's only good for limited things. Mostly simple tasks or acting like a dumb terminal (remember those?) tied to a real computer.

--mamallama
 
PCs had their place in time and now mankind is soaring to new and even better heights, as we are destined to do. Using newer technologies and concepts, we'll actually be able to do more and have more enjoyment in the process; have, a little patience, everything is already starting to fall into place.

--
BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)


ljfinger said:
BRJR said:
My biggest problem with my iPad was that printing from it was not up to my standards;
Click to expand...
I have 1.25TB of data (and growing) on my laptop (internally). How would you put that on your iPad?

--
Lee Jay
(see profile for equipment)
Click to expand...
 
BRJR said:
PCs had their place in time and now mankind is soaring to new and even better heights, as we are destined to do. Using newer technologies and concepts, we'll actually be able to do more and have more enjoyment in the process; have, a little patience, everything is already starting to fall into place.
Click to expand...
Perhaps you forgot the question:
BRJR said:
ljfinger said:
I have 1.25TB of data (and growing) on my laptop (internally). How would you put that on your iPad?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Do you have an answer? How about an answer for the problem of not having a keyboard?

--
Lee Jay
(see profile for equipment)
 
Yeah . . . just like film! :D



--
J. D.
Colorado
  • "If your insurance company tells you that you don't need a lawyer . . . hire a lawyer!"
 
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