IBM Declares the End of the PC Era

Speaking of apple's ios, they probably have to rethink the system with Windows 8 coming out soon. Unlike ios, it's a full blown, awesome operating system and not a dumbed, dumbed, dumbed down version of linux.

Coke Robot said:

Well, fortunately, Windows 8 will basically have the tablet interface built into it and will hopefully spill a bit over to the non-tablet devices.

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I f***en hate the tablet interface. I don't want my laptop and my desktop getting a tablet looking touch interface. WTF does everybody want to touch their screens with their greasy fingers...I just don't understand.

pparks1 said:

I heard some radio show yesterday saying that computers were defunct now and having an iPad2 would do everything you need.

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Obviously their idea of "do everything you need" and my idea of "do everything you need" differ.

I was contemplating getting a tablet but was unsure if I'd find a use for it, so I borrowed my sisters iPad for a few months. (Since she wasn't using it either...)

I used it a handful of times and when I did, it was only for light browsing whilst on the toilet. That's it. An $800 device whose sole purpose was relegated to providing an idle distraction whilst defecating.

"Do everything you need?" Hardly.

There's no denying that there is a sweeping change in computing. Yet at this stage it's still very uncertain what final form this change will become.

It's still an infant market at the moment. We are still very much PC reliant and will be for quite some time. Stating otherwise is as premature as George W Bush unfurling the "Mission Accomplished" flag.

I am honestly surprised the full computer-in-a-monitor thing hasn't kicked off like the apple devices have. Perhaps an ipad or iphone is just cheaper than a full on computer (MAC or PC)?

People are persuaded into 15$ a month over a flat rate of 500$+ I guess. Still, I prefer a PC to anything apple. Some love those fun little apps, I prefer a full on HD movie or game.

Got my TV, internet, blu ray/dvd player, games, and documets all on the same device, and i have a 15$ flat rate phone only for calling people. I don't need a phone that uses internet also, that would take way too much time (just in looking for keys to type, drive me crazy). I hate texting as it is.

smarteyeball said:

I was contemplating getting a tablet but was unsure if I'd find a use for it, so I borrowed my sisters iPad for a few months. (Since she wasn't using it either...)

I used it a handful of times and when I did, it was only for light browsing whilst on the toilet. That's it. An $800 device whose sole purpose was relegated to providing an idle distraction whilst defecating.

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+10000. I couldn't agree more. I've played with all of the tablets and I'll be honest...it's the only tech device I've found that had a shorter fun factor than the stupid ass Nintendo Wii that we purchased for the kids.

And the mere thought of wiping your butt and then touching the screen all at the same time makes using the touch screen even more appealing.

My point exactly...where Windows 8 Tablets stands is a spill over to Notebooks/PC, maxiPads is a spill over to mobile phones and Android as it is fits perfectly as a Tablet.

pparks1 said:

...it's the only tech device I've found that had a shorter fun factor than the stupid ass Nintendo Wii that we purchased for the kids.

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So true. Beside the Wii is where her iPad normally sits. Not surprising at all.

And the mere thought of wiping your butt and then touching the screen all at the same time makes using the touch screen even more appealing.

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I used Anti-Bacterial wipes for the screen. Couldn't abide the dirty aspect of the the device either.

I keep getting the distinct impression that this whole angle of saying " the PC is dead" is more marketing psychology that again has the manufacturers TELLING THE CUSTOMER WHAT THEY SUPPOSEDLY WANT! Or better known as leading the consumer by the nose.

It's too bad most consumers today are so incredibly malleable that they don't have the awareness to realize that THEY are not actually making the choices, the marketing hacks and manufacturers are.

I definitely see this trend of disguised marketing as reporting as "agendized", not actual neutral reporting. It's a scheme, a scam, a fraud to call it REAL reporting of the news.

One of the most interesting things to me is the FAILURE of the "all in one" marketing bull that was occuring several years ago. Essentially you paid more for less, just to look "more streamlined. But fortunately the customers saw through this and the PC tower prevailed solidly. I remember constantly the rattle of the press, manufacturers, and stores pushing these things to no end . Again more expensive with less performance! It failed!

I think ipads and tablets are neat gadgets but they don't do REAL quality work efficiently from what I have seen.

Sure the lap top is more functional but that too is not as powerful and still have a pretty small screen .

I AM SURE THE REASON WHY THE MANUFACTURING AND MARKETING PEOPLE ARE PUSHING THESE THINGS AS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING IS ONE REASON .....PROFIT MARGIN...AND YOU CAN'T PRACTICALLY UPGRADE THEM SO YOU MUST BUY NEW EVERYTIME!

I'm not falling for the BS sell at all....TPTB.

DustSailor said:

He's calling you singular-minded, blind, or stubborn-willed. Basically thinks you and others are blind to the "truth"

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Hahahaha. Really? No, PCs will be here for a looooong time. Portable device like ipads and smartphones can't do what my PC can do. Oh no they don't! Runckle_SP1, you've been blinded by the marketing aren't you?

pparks1 said:

Coke Robot said:

Well, fortunately, Windows 8 will basically have the tablet interface built into it and will hopefully spill a bit over to the non-tablet devices.

Click to expand...

I f***en hate the tablet interface. I don't want my laptop and my desktop getting a tablet looking touch interface. WTF does everybody want to touch their screens with their greasy fingers...I just don't understand.

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I wouldn't worry about hating the touch interface part because Windows 8 will still keep the Desktop. The only times you'll need to use the touch interface is when you hit the Start button and it'll launch the Start Screen. I personally think it could use some more UI tweaks so it looks less like a tablet interface.

smarteyeball said:

pparks1 said:

...it's the only tech device I've found that had a shorter fun factor than the stupid ass Nintendo Wii that we purchased for the kids.

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So true. Beside the Wii is where her iPad normally sits. Not surprising at all.

And the mere thought of wiping your butt and then touching the screen all at the same time makes using the touch screen even more appealing.

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I used Anti-Bacterial wipes for the screen. Couldn't abide the dirty aspect of the the device either.

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Half and half of rubbing alcohol and distilled water works frickin awesome on screens! Just a fun tid-bit...

Wait, isn't the average laptop a PC? PCs will be around for quite some time.

As was so eloquently presented by Max Peck (thanks, Max):

One other thing. Anybody else notice this constant back-and-forth thing between centralized and localized computing? I've seen it cycle back-and-forth at least a couple of times in my 35-year career as a developer. Now they're calling the central computing model the "cloud". Before that it was called the "web". Before that it was called "time sharing". Nothing new here!

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There will always be a need for a PC, in some shape or form and it won't dissolve into obscurity like how many people think. Tablets have introduced the public to light computing, let's face it not everyone needs a complete PC as in a desktop, laptop, heck even a Mac. They can email, text, stay connected to social media content, take/receive/share pictures, video chat, surf the internet, buy stuff online, watch movies and play music, play games.

Moderate to heavy computer users will find tablets cumbersome, at some point the convenience advantage of a tablet won't counter some of its obvious shortfalls. People who type moderately/heavily have already acknowledged the importance of using a real keyboard (bluetooth, etc.). You can't get the right experience with certain apps using a tablet (like how an online gamer won't find playing WorldofWarcraft very pleasurable), you still need a regular machine to transfer songs to your iPod or smartphone (unless you intend on acquiring everything online). Power Users that need more onboard memory for their needs, real drives to deal with media conversion projects or having the ability to use Virtual Machines to interact with other operating systems can't do that with a tablet.

I've said this in a different thread before and I'll say it again. People sometimes say stuff like "PC's are dead" or what not just to stir up ---- online.

Pffft!

Until a device comes along as versital as a PC, all the talk of it's demise is hot air.
I think what is closer to the truth is certain corporate interests want to keep selling gagdets that are dumb and rely heavily on the "Cloud" (a.k.a.-SaaS, Software as a Service or ASP, Aplication Service Providers)
This will ensure a constant revenue stream for these companies at the expense of security and access to your data and online applications you rent or lease from them.
rb:

It is understandable that Apple will push the Mobile Device / Tablet over the PC as that is their commercial reality - they are insignificant players in the PC market and, are at the moment, leading in the Portable device / tablet market.

It is in their interest to get as many people as possible to commit to purchase of their product before the newer products from the giants of the consumer market, take over. Apples lead in this market is already being challenged with android powered devices outselling Apple 2 to 1

Nemix77 said:

Who's talking about iPads, if anything Android and Windows 8 tablets will replace PC's.

Apple had a good 2 years head start and all they've done is made a bigger iPhone.

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Actually, it's not really even a bigger iPhone - it's a huge iPod Touch: and that's exactly what I said when I first saw one. No doubt, it's definitely a cool device. If all I wanted to do with a computer was do e-mail, read and respond to forums and read books over there in my easy chair then an iPad would do me fine. However, there's about 50 other things I do with a computer that would be pure pain to try and do on one.

-Max

Coke Robot said:

The only useful tablet is a Windows tablet and not an android or ios tablet that uses apps not actual programs.

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I wouldn't go that far. Though I don't find that an iPad fits my situation right now either, if I were still spending a lot of time in the cockpit I'd definitely have an iPad. There are some excellent pilot resources available for that platform and it would be way better than carrying a bunch of charts around. Windows tablets (I have one) are not there yet, though even they have uses that an iPad doesn't. I use my Windows tablet as a platform for touch-screen-based timeclock and Point-of-Sale screen applications.

And as for cloud computing, aw hell no! apple may release their next cheaper iphone to be more cloud based, I sure as hell wouldn't trust apple for one second with my data. Flippin' communists!

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The "cloud" is just centralized computing again. Just like the "web" and "time sharing". Some will, some won't, so what?

-Max

Nemix77 said:

However, I think the PC has a long way to go before total extinction.

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Ya think? Just take a ride down to your nearest "Best Buy" and walk around in there. If the PC is even approaching extinction it's doing a poor imitation of it!

Again ... the tablet PC is just another market segment. It's a new tool. It will replace PC's only where people used PC's where a tablet would do. The tablet is like a hammer ... when they came out with hammers I no longer needed to drive nails with my lawn mower, that's all.

-Max

pparks1 said:

Nemix77 said:

Microsoft's Windows 8 TE (Tablet Edition) entrance...to be continued.

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I'll be honest, I wouldn't give 2 seconds thought to a Microsoft based tablet. Just like i don't give 2 seconds thought to the Windows phone market.

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I gave 4 seconds thought to a Microsoft (Win7) based tablet as a special-use device. It makes an excellent platform as a programmable field device. For example, I developed an employee time clock application that runs on it. Instead of paying $2,000 for a "specialty" time clock I could sell one for $500 that is ultimately programmable and re-configurable. It would also make an excellent point-of-sale terminal when coupled with a cash drawer. No dedicated buttons ... totally programmable.

-Max

pparks1 said:

+10000. I couldn't agree more. I've played with all of the tablets and I'll be honest...it's the only tech device I've found that had a shorter fun factor than the stupid ass Nintendo Wii that we purchased for the kids.

And the mere thought of wiping your butt and then touching the screen all at the same time makes using the touch screen even more appealing.

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LOL! A little too much info there!

We have a Wii here ... also bought it for the kids. They had fun with it for a year or so until they moved out. All it does now is provide a platform for NetFlix that the wife and I use for watching movies.

-Max