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Blogs Is the iPad the future of computing?

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by arcticstoat, 31 Dec 2010.

  1. frontline

    frontline Punish Your Machine

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    Over-priced hardware and style over substance are the future of computing? We're screwed then.

    I really don't see the benefits of the ipad, the iphone and other smartphones can do a lot of the same tasks in a smaller form factor and the ipad doesn't meet the needs of those who need a 'proper' PC with mouse and keyboard.

    I was sceptical about netbooks when they first appeared, however i think 2011 will be the year that the netbook/ultra-portable laptop really takes off with AMD's fusion platform giving more powerful processing power and HD video playback in a small form factor, probably at a cheaper price point than ipad too.
     
  2. jrs77

    jrs77 Modder

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    We're not talking about the corporate-use of PC-systems, but we're talking about homePC-users.

    The vast majority of endconsumers (i.e. people at home) don't need a fully fledged OS' for the stuff they're doing with their PCs/tablets/smartphones etc... They only need a fast, easy to use, maintenance-free and reliable OS that supports office-suite, internet-applications and media-playback.

    Look at the currently developed ChromeOS and you'll see where the future is heading in the endconsumer-market.

    The question isn't about the iPad. The question is about a slim OS and the way software will be distributed in the future.
    Look at ChromeOS. It uses a netbook aswell, but the OS is only consisting of a browser basically and all software is installed online tied to your Google-account.

    And guess what. Most people won't have a problem with that kind of locked down system at all aslong as it's easy to use and does the three tasks its ment for: office, internet and media.
     
  3. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

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    I'd question that. What we are seeing is increasingly bloated desktop OS's. Windows 3.11 needed 14Mb of harddisk space, 3Mb RAM and could run on a 386. Windows 98 needed 195Mb and 24Mb RAM and struggled a bit on a 66Mhz 486. XP needs 1.5Gb HDD and 128Mb RAM. Windows 7 needs 16Gb HDD and 1Gb RAM, and a CPU that whizzes along at at least 1000Mhz. Most of this is not increased functionality for the end user (well, at least not since Windows 2000).

    Then there is anti-virus software, malware software, system backup software, system partitioning and maintenance software... it all gets a bit techy. Most home users don't want to have to bother with that. It would be nice if most employees wouldn't have to either. Sure: behind the scenes IT personnel need to have a whole lot of functionality, but the office drone does not. So wouldn't it be nice if they had a simple thin client device for the basic stuff, while the IT geeks manage the show from their full-fledged machines?

    You are looking too much at this from the OS-cut-down-to-the-simplified-hardware level. It is also an OS cut-down-to-the-simple-user level. It could be scaled up again to work on beefier hardware, but the simple functionality could be preserved --for those who want/need it.

    I agree on the first point, although that can be an elective issue. And in technology, price goes up as things get smaller. ;)

    It is where things will be going though, because that is what Microsoft wants. IT runs the Full Geek™ version on their servers and maintenance machines (at a price premium, of course), while office drones and home users have the Closed Garden Lite™ version on their thin clients, running internet-based Live applications and services.
     
  4. chrisb2e9

    chrisb2e9 Dont do that...

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    first problem. Pc's aren't that expensive. and if you look at it in terms of hardware per hardware. anything made by apple is overpriced. pc's are cheaper.
    You can easily lock down any windows based system.
    You just said that you want to lock out the app store and now you complain about workers being treated like children with locked down computers? .....
    And that's why most people don't buy a pc with that level of power. and again lets not forget that apple charges more for hardware than anyone else.

    Would you buy an alienware laptop for gaming? no? because its overpriced for a brand name? Same concept applies. I won't buy an apple for work or casual pc use because I can get the same thing for cheaper with a pc.

    A fool and his money are soon parted.
     
  5. jrs77

    jrs77 Modder

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    You still missed the point, that the discussion isn't about Apple, but about slim and easy to use OS' paired with lightweight hardware.

    It's amazing that people get all stirred up instantly as soon as someone mentions Apple and totally not get the point of the article or the discussion, bacause they don't even bother to read anything then "APPLE".
     
  6. Cthippo

    Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag

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    This.

    It really has nothing to do with Apple at all, nor their hardware. The author could have cited an Android smartphone as an example instead.

    This is really about software. Does everyone need a full featured, complex, and vulnerable OS, or would most people be happy with something simple that just works, even if it is limited in what it can do?

    I'd like to see someone put together a very minimal linux distro with the applications I mentioned earlier in the thread and a essentially closed architecture and we could try it our on our grandparents.
     
  7. frontline

    frontline Punish Your Machine

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    The crux of the article is about ipad or an ipad like device being the future of computing - whether made by Apple or not. Similar devices by Samsung and the like are equally useless in my eyes.

    " imagine a PC that doesn't fail, yet is cool, fun and easy to use. That's the iPad". That sentence is equally true of all the PC's and Windows laptops i've owned/built over the last few years.

    A slim and easy to use OS is what a smartphone should be all about, when it comes to versatile computing for the home, i want a more powerful option, that won't necessarily play complex games at high resolutions, but will do the majority of other stuff, including multi-tasking to a decent level of performance and HD 720p/1080p video playback at smooth framerates, plus the mouse/keyboard input that makes them easy to use.
     
    Last edited: 1 Jan 2011
  8. Snips

    Snips I can do dat, giz a job

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    I don't have an itch at all. Do you?

    Back on topic.

    You can't expect the many industries out there to change their operating system and hardware for something that is some cases would not manage the level of demand needed on the hardware and software.

    As an example, take any usual accountancy office. They are running Windows XP on a system installed 12 months ago. The server is running SBS2008. (Don't get me started on why this is the set up) The main applications on each PC is Outlook, occassional Excel, Word, Iris, Sage and a BT communication application linked to the phone system.

    Could any of these programs run smoothly on the iPad. You could probably say yes but only one at a time and in some cases would probably lag. In almost every case, everyone of those programs will be running at the same time and in cases more than one version with multiple client accounts open. An iPad couldn't cope with that.

    In order for this to be done "in the cloud" which I think the author was trying to get at and just using an iPad to access it. These offices with say 15 personnel would still have to fork at a hell of alot of cash for servers or cloud hosting costs that given this example, they wont need to change for a good few years anyway.
     
  9. Canon

    Canon Reformed

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    Center tags in the first image caption need fixing.
     
  10. M7ck

    M7ck Ⓜod Ⓜaster

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    FFS have you even read the article?

    and

    and

    We are NOT talking about the current iPads capabilities.
     
  11. sausages

    sausages What's a Dremel?

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    I would like to think that pads are the future of computing, but I find it hard to believe. I think they will be the future for most people, but I think enthusiasts and gamers are going to be using full size PC's for distant future. Graphics cards are so huge, and proper cooling comes as the cost of space too. Personally I don't mind that all. My PC is enormous but I wanted it to be like that. It's easy to fit stuff in, and once it's all set up, I leave it behind my desk and never look at it again. I have a long HDMI lead out to an HDTV so I can use it as comfortably as a console but it's far more powerful and can do anything.

    The only thing I personally would ever want, is a better way to control my PC from bed or from a couch. Think about lying in bed with movies or TV episodes playing on the PC, I need a way to click the next one in the folder, or to briefly alt tab to firefox to check my email. An iPad type device with no display would be perfect, just a pad that acts as a controller for my PC. That's what I want.

    As for OS's, I think Microsoft need to up their game once and for all. It's time they came up with a version of windows that puts to rest these contenders. If for example, with Windows 8, you could choose different installs - HTPC, Mobile device, office PC, home PC, gamer/enthusiast, or something along those lines, I think it would be a big deal. They could refine all the important functions of Windows down to several easily press-able touch screen buttons and that's that. People could install it on their tablet PC's and it would be as easy to use as an iPad, but without all the limitations.
     
  12. serial_

    serial_ What's a Dremel?

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    I sure as hell hope it isn't the future of computing. I'll have to get all emo and start cutting if that ever happens.

    I'm sorry, but the iPad innovated what, exactly? Finger painting? So far the guy in my office that has and actually uses his iPad only ever uses it to fingerpaint. He draws little cartoons during meetings depicting the company on fire and then tucks it back into his 3-ring and I never see it again until the next meeting.

    If that's the future of computing then please put me down.
     
  13. serial_

    serial_ What's a Dremel?

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    Besides, market research shows Android violating the iPhone like a bad prison rape scene from AHX. I'd be more ok with an Android future, but I don't think anything will be replacing our PCs and laptops anytime soon.
     
  14. M7ck

    M7ck Ⓜod Ⓜaster

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    Source for market research?
     
  15. Zombie

    Zombie What's a Dremel?

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    iPad... no. iPhone? maybe...

    With mobile processors catching up with those used in laptops & desktops it won't be long before the computing power within the humble smart phone will be enough for the vast majority of users, you then just drop it in a dock at home and you have your desktop, or a portable dock with integrated keyboard & monitor to replace a laptop.

    The big worry would be losing data, but cloud storage / sync will overcome that worry.

    Apple and Google are already headed down this road, MS will surely follow. I give it 3 years before the first device of this type is launched.
     
  16. Snips

    Snips I can do dat, giz a job

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    "We are NOT talking about the current iPads capabilities."

    Yes he started to say that but then went on to preach about the current iPad and then future possible Apple products.

    Can't we then say "Well what about this part of the huge whole he left in the costing and possible performance needed?"

    or "Why just Apple products?" and "Not every office environment has the budget of an American prime time TV series based in an office environment and hit a sweet sponsership deal with Apple and the cost of the Apple products and servers would probably cost one of the staff salary for the year and more so we wont hire them?"

    If you meant for this article to be a light hearted discussion point then fine, say so. If it's the authors personal opinion or the opinion of Bit-Tech, then also say so.
     
  17. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

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    Now you're talking. I think it will be closer to five years though. Then again, it could be a hybrid device, with the smartphone acting as personal storage and roaming profile and the base unit offering extra grunt.
     
  18. jrs77

    jrs77 Modder

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    I don't even think that it takes 3 or even 5 years.

    Google with it's ChromeOS and it's CR-48 is actually doing exactly this cloud-computing-thingy and it is pretty much ready to be produced for the market by the end of this year.

    The upcoming APUs from AMD and the ARM-15 will increase the number of slim low-power devices capable of HD-media etc.

    I'd say that we'll see this new era starting in 2012 allready based on ChromeOS and iOS. M$ will be struggeling imho to compete with Google and Apple as they woke up too late to see what people are asking for. They wasted a whole 5 years with Vista tbh.
     
  19. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

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    Probably. I was thinking of mobile devices powerful enough to function as the core of a desktop. Hybrids would be possible now. But thinking of the CR-48 I think you could be right.
     
  20. Gravemind123

    Gravemind123 avatar not found

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    On this subject one thing I've really wanted is a tablet that can attach itself as the screen in a laptop style shell. The shell would hold a battery of its own which can charge the tablet as it is hooked in, it would give you proper keyboard and mouse, better speakers, etc..

    The problem is that a tablet OS would not be optimal for keyboard and mouse, so the OS would likely want to have a slightly modified skin for docked mode. Sort of like an alternate launcher on android that makes things set up in a more optimal way for a mouse instead of touchscreen.

    Maybe I'm the only one who wants this, but it gives you the option of tablet use for watching video or web browsing on the couch and then as a laptop for when you need to type a long document, use spreadsheets or tasks that work better with mice. Then I could actually see a tablet replacing my laptop.
     
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