Comments on: Nearly 1 in 4 computers sold last quarter were tablets

By: Mr Mango

Mr Mango — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 03:04:20 +0000

Ah humans and their incessant desire for conflict. Can’t we all just get along?

By: Samir Shah

Samir Shah — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:44:43 +0000

This holiday season is death knell for PCs.

By: Lucian Armasu

Lucian Armasu — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 21:21:11 +0000

Depends on the market. In poorer countries, yes people buy smartphones instead of PC’s.

By: guest 4876

guest 4876 — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:32:45 +0000

To the points re: categorization – Completely Agree.

Tablets get lumped into either “PC” or “Mobile” depending on who wants to skew then numbers and fabricate a story or position.

The reality is that Tablets are an ancillary screen, rarely replacing either “mobile” or “PCs.” They are their own beast.

Most realistic numbers indicate that PC sales continue to climb, globally, just not as quickly as before (as market penetration/price kicks in). I’d also posit that some families may purchase Tablets for their kids, rather than a laptop/desktop (as we once did), which is a bit of a disservice to the kids, since they won’t learn as many basic computer skills in the process.

But, let’s end this “constant war” between devices or companies thing, OK It belittles the publication.

By: jjj

jjj — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:27:44 +0000

since i am posting as a guest i can’t really edit so got to post a reply instead

“but is pushing hard to wirelessly connect phones to the screen.”
that should have been -”but the industry is pushing hard to wirelessly connect phones to the screen”

By: ricdesan

ricdesan — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:25:48 +0000

I find that line of thinking highly problematical! To most of the market that would spend serious money on a luxury item like a tablet, ALREADY have in all likelyhood a PC and Laptop. I know I do and a tablet is an absolutely POOR complete replacement device for either!

Tablets will as they are today will not EVER replace true power computing devices, at best they will be appliances. So the truth in statistics is at best a compliment to devices already owned!

By: jjj

jjj — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:24:03 +0000

It”s all fine but you shouldn’t exclude phones and then you get to some 295 mil units and traditional PCs are 30 %. So called media players like ipod touch and samsung galaxy player should be included too and ofc then we have TVs,cars and so on.
What you should justify is why you are not including phones and media players in the math not why tablets should be included.
Phones do replace PCs for many that never had a PC and connecting a phone to a bigger screen +keyboard and mouse is getting easier.Samsung just launched a dock for the note 2 http://www.slashgear.com/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-smart-dock-turns-phablet-into-desktop-31255000/ .it’s true that such docks have minimal impact but is pushing hard to wirelessly connect phones to the screen. You also have small and cheap android powered sticks that ,if nothing else, point to the same trend.
Phones also make the PC upgrade cycles longer and steal a lot of internet time form traditional PCs,lowering the value of traditional PCs.
Processing power is getting closer to PCs too (you’ve seen it yourself in the ChromeBook) and longer term you have new display tech,first flexible screens ( think a phone with a continuous screen that covers both sides of the phone and can be flatten out to become a tablet like size) then ,hopefully, mid air projections.
In the end,to what degree one category cannibalizes the other,doesn’t matter at all. Phones are PCs,in fact they are the most personal computers of them all.The productivity software ecosystems for both phones and tablets are in their infancy but that’s not really a good reason to exclude them nowdays from the PC category.

By: Kevin C. Tofel

Kevin C. Tofel — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:59:15 +0000

Simon, I understand your point about them being separate categories, but here’s how I look at it. Would someone buy a smartphone to replace a PC? VERY unlikely. Would someone buy a tablet to replace a PC? Much more likely and more so as the products mature IMO. Thanks!

By: ricosuaveguapo

ricosuaveguapo — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:57:51 +0000

Agreed.

By: Simon Cohen

Simon Cohen — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:50:04 +0000

We have to stop counting tablets as “computers.” They’re clearly a separate category unto themselves. If not, then all smartphones should be included too as there is virtually no difference except for the ability to place calls over cellular.