Comments on: Smartphones as laptop replacements: can you see the trend?

By: Gerry

Gerry — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:16:49 +0000

The issue here is the notebook and the smartphone are different devices with different uses. When we all no longer have notebooks at home or in the office, then they are a replaccement. What we are really saying is that laptops are a hassle to carry and people would rather have the convenience of carrying only a smartphone since they can accomplish most of what they want. As the nature of the task becomes more complex, larger devices are required whch is why we do noto throw out our laptops at work.

By: caunt

caunt — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:01:15 +0000

While I really like my smartphone for many things, it will NOT replace larger computers for older folks (until fold-out screens are common). The simple, inescapable truth is that the older you get, the harder it is to see those little screens.

By: Jan

Jan — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:05:44 +0000

Those Netbooks really appeal to me I must say. I just spent another week lugging around my d620, no fun. If I could do the same on a netbook, I’d be there! But that means the netbook should for example be able to run Profiler to chew through an Oracle trace file, and run Golden32 and Putty. Maybe we’re getting there (I’d need the windows version, speed?)…
Like mentioned before, I still can’t see a smartphone as more than a great communications and web device. As for RedFly, I wonder how they are impacted by the netbooks. I’d rather pay a bit more for the netbook…

By: SeamusCl

SeamusCl — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:36:44 +0000

The problem I see is in trying to make all-or-nothing statements like “The Smartphone will replace the laptop”. You don’t need to.

Where they allow me access to the same content or apps, I’d see the 2 devices just as alternative channels to get to that content. Which one I use depends on where I am and what I’m doing, e.g. can I be bothered or is it convenient to open up my laptop? Or does it really make sense to do that bit of work on my iPhone, or would I end up just struggling through it. I wouldn’t think of my laptop or my iPhone being a replacement for the other.

It’s certainly true that smartphones are becoming able to do more and more of the things we do on normal PCs etc. But it will be interesting to see when people really start to use the smartphone to buy things online.

By: BBusyB

BBusyB — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:22:42 +0000

I can’t really see Smartphones completely replacing the computer any time soon.

I’ve been using a WM Phone for a number of years, and have found it a perfect companion device to go with my Notebook.

I can easily use it for Content consumption as you said when I am out and about, Checking my eMail, surfing a few sites, Using Calender and Notes But I cant depend completely on it for more then a couple of days, and even then its a bit of a stretch.

Even with the Keyboard, the Small screen and slow speed don’t help with productivity. And for multitasking, forget it. Most of the Smartphones don’t allow or don’t do it very well.

What I have found is that with a Smartphone, I’m much more plugged in, Checking and answering my Mail more frequently, checking my favourite sites more often, More organised as my data is combined in one outlook database, so that I don’t have to worry about forgetting something important. I.e I’m much more dependent on online sources then I was in the past. On the flip side, my information is usually much more up to date.

By: StudioGuy

StudioGuy — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:23:42 +0000

I’ve been doing this for the past year at least since I got my Windows Mobile 6 Pro phone. Of course, you can only do “so much”, but many trips are now taken with the laptop at home, and it stays in work a lot more during regular days.

Not ready to give it up for a desktop-only, but phones are sure getting good.

By: Luscious

Luscious — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:12:11 +0000

I don’t see smartphones replacing notebooks. As others have mentioned here, smartphones are primarily a communications device – voice calls, text mesaging, e-mail and web. Even with the latter two, a 8.9″ netbook will be far superior. Notebooks have always been the workhorse for getting tasks done, office docs, content creation, and with mobile broadband access to corporate web applications.

Think about what you would use your full-featured 15″ laptop for, now take away the big screen, keyboard, mouse/trackball and that 2.8 core 2 duo. Suddenly things you were accustomed to doing have hit a wall and you’ve become somewhat paralyzed. I’ve been using pocket pc phones since 2004, and while they are indeed very capable, they WON’T replace notebooks ever.

But as someone else here already mentioned, I see a viable alternative in having a pocket pc phone paired with a small netbook. I can pair my always-on HTC TyTN with my 2133 mininote and be able to comfortably work on word docs, spreadsheets, ppt and pdf files. A full keyboard lets me type documents/blogs/emails much more effectively, and the 1280 screen lets me easily view full-screen web pages without having to scroll like on a ppc. I keep full use of my desktop trackball and still have access to USB, pc cards, and enjoy a roomy 2.5″ notebook drive for 720p movies and music. When it’s time to split, the ppc goes back on my belt and the netbook hides under arm, keeping both hands free for coffee and handshakes.

@Weylund
You might want to take the HP mininote for a spin, it’s keyboard is pretty quick.

By: maceyr (of Palmdiscovery.com)

maceyr (of Palmdiscovery.com) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:05:08 +0000

The N810 was great with the built-in Wi-Fi. I really liked it except that the Maemo OS2008 has very limited selection of apps. Had it been equipped with Windows Mobile, it would have been much better. Plus having a phone, plus if the keys were better laid out and stuck out like keyboard keys.

The Xperia X1 looks great. The T-mobile G1 if they didn’t have that obstruction on the right would have been okay too. Again, the OS is a big deal.

By: Marin

Marin — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:57:15 +0000

Battery life. Once they can crack that nutshell, it’ll be there. But as it is today I can’t get through a normal day on a single charge with the iPhone or G1. BBs a little better, but we still need that quantum leap

By: Weylund

Weylund — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:40:16 +0000

The irony is that I really have been doing desk jockey stuff on tiny machines for a long time. (I began by spending about six months doing weekend coding on a Libretto 100CT way back when, for example). So I’m well and truly aware of the magical portability property, and smartphones are incredibly attractive all-in-one tools in that vein even if they won’t solve my normal day’s work.

I really just need a great keyboard, and I could at least code. Not write too much, I guess, but code. Manufacturers don’t seem too interested in squaring the input circle, though, as Corrupted Mind puts it. Sharp got it right with the Zaurus clamshells, and Blackberries are pretty darned good as well, but I have seen few small keyboards that are actually built for fast and comfortable typing.

Oh, well.

@GoodThings2Life: I’ve sold my wife on T-mobile, as it’s got the cheapest (free) tethering plans. For some reason I’m not seeing any of the Touches in their offerings. Know if that’s going to change?