I don't foresee a time when phones will replace laptops for all applications and for all people. But when you consider how people already use their phones -- read, compose and reply to e-mail; open, read and edit documents; browse the Web, enter social networking status updates, access corporate servers, etc. -- you realize that phones already are even replacing laptops for certain functions. It's no long necessary to carry a laptop if you need to do just those sorts of things.
However, I certainly agree that for a variety of tasks, phones aren't going to replace laptops.
The problem with phone + external keyboard is the weight and awkwardness of carrying a peripheral. I haven't found a rubber roll-up keyboard that's very good and I use one of the biggest external iPad keyboards (Logitech) because the typing experience is superior to more portable keyboards or keyboards with cases.
Although I've used PDAs and phones for writing, I'm basically resigned to carrying a laptop (including a Chromebook) or tablet + keyboard. I have used the BlackBerry keyboards for writing hundreds of words, which is why I still love BlackBerrys for text entry.
By the way, I, too, like external keyboards with their cursor keys and ability to use other navigational commands (PageUp/Down, Home, etc.).
A variety of Microsoft Office-type programs for iOS and Android work with the phones and tablets. And, of course, Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 will work with Office.
In a pinch, a phone + external keyboard will work, especially if you've got one of the larger phones (which I prefer), with screens of 4.5-inches and larger. However, the problem is having to carry an external keyboard.
An external keyboard + phone isn't heavy, but a keyboard + tablet or a lightweight notebook computer (MacBook Air, Chromebook, etc.) are so much more functional.
When you consider that phones have screens with 4.5-inches, 4.7-inches, 5-inches, 5.3-inches and even 5.5-inches, using them with an external keyboard (if the phone supports the keyboard) isn't entirely ridiculous.
I do a lot of writing, too, and a keyboard and good screen is essential for me. But in a pinch, using one of the new cellular phones with large screens, such as 4.5-inches and larger, plus an external Bluetooth keyboard (if the phone supports it), could work for some writing.
Using a tablet, with its even larger screen, and an external keyboard is much better, though. I've used my iPad to write a variety of articles, but I still prefer a laptop or desktop because of its larger screen and real multitasking.
That seems counter-intuitive. The device I expect to see the market demand is a small tablet, with cellphone capability. That seems to be the point of convergence.
I understand the potential of technological advancement, but I am finding it difficult to understand that we can totally replace laptops with smart phones. But I guess time will tell.
Haha...the pull down trays on airplanes's do not have room for much. I don't fly often, on my last trip I thought it would be nice to bring my laptop with me and do some homework while in flight...needless to say it wasn't even worth pulling it out, I couldn't even comfortably sit it on my lap to work...The blue tooth keyboard sounds like a great investment too...I could certainly put that to use...
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Social media has been with us for a decade -- but employer policies and the law are anything but firm about the most appropriate usage of this powerful tool.
Businesses often struggle to decide which domain to use. When it comes to purchasing a domain name, you have plenty of extensions to choose from, ranging from .com and .net, to .me, and even .mobi. But which one should you pick?
I've been writing about how the next evolution of the Internet might just be an advertising revolution, and how corporate IT can stay involved as the enablers and providers of the technologies that make this possible.
In the 1970 science fiction thriller Colossus: The Forbin Project, two giant supercomputers from the United States and Soviet Union secretly join forces to take control of the collective nuclear might of the two countries. In the film, the two machines discover each other's existence, communicate back-and-forth, share their collective data, and cut their human creators out of the process. It is the ultimate example of machine-to-machine communications, or M2M.
New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority is conducting a pilot test of digital kiosks to guide subway users to where they want to go more efficiently and at lower cost.
The whole Amazon.reader debate is a double-stupid. It's stupid to think that there's any e-book buyer who doesn't know Amazon's URL, and it was stupider to let ICANN launch the whole free-form TLD initiative to start with.
While NFC's original goal was to enhance mobile commerce applications, it is finding its way into a number of other uses, which is creating both opportunity as well as challenges for IT departments.
Enterprises would like to move to cloud computing but are hesitant because they are concerned about providers’ ability to secure company data. Here are some tips that help to ensure that if breaches occur, the business is not left holding the bag.
Edmunds separates customers into segments based on the info it collects on its site and from partners, and uses that to push out custom content, said Brian Baron, director of business analytics for Edmunds.com, at Predictive Analytics Innovation Summit.
The automotive website uses propensity modeling to target ads and customer registration forms, said Brian Baron, director of business analytics for Edmunds.com, at Predictive Analytics Innovation Summit.
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M2M: Rise of the Machines? Not Yet David Weldon In the 1970 science fiction thriller Colossus: The Forbin Project, two giant supercomputers from the United States and Soviet Union secretly join forces to take control of the collective nuclear might of the two countries. In the film, the two machines discover each other's existence, communicate back-and-forth, share their collective data, and cut their human creators out of the process. It is the ultimate example of machine-to-machine communications, or M2M. CLICK FOR MORE
M2M: Rise of the Machines? Not Yet David Weldon In the 1970 science fiction thriller Colossus: The Forbin Project, two giant supercomputers from the United States and Soviet Union secretly join forces to take control of the collective nuclear might of the two countries. In the film, the two machines discover each other's existence, communicate back-and-forth, share their collective data, and cut their human creators out of the process. It is the ultimate example of machine-to-machine communications, or M2M. CLICK FOR MORE
