Tablets, Slates and You
The computer has grown from replacing the typewriter into a productivity, entertainment and information powerhouse. Somehow, it is natural for the keyboard
to be considered standard to come with a computer. Even when cellphones grew to becoming computer-like, it is almost expected for the keyboard (or QWERTY keypad) to find its way into those little devices.
If we are so used to the idea that a computer should have a keyboard, how long would it take for the market to fully adopt a keyboard-less computer? Although touch screen devices are popular nowadays, the tablet
and slate (and pad
) form factor of the computer is still suffering a slow adoption from customers. Besides being more expensive -- which I think should change -- it is almost unimaginable for most people to use a keyboard-less computer. It's possible, but most people believe it's impossible to live without.
The tablet/slate/pad is perhaps the coolest form factor for a computer. It is mobile, flat and simple. How many times have we seen sci-fi movies showing scenes of people carrying crystal slates and interacting with the computer through it? Remember that transparent mobile device from Iron Man 2? How about those in Avatar? Didn't we all gasped in awe as Chief John Anderton in the Minority Report
swooped his way through the computer to search for clues from the saved visions of the "Pre-Cogs"? Everyone thinks they're awesome! And yet, when an almost near to those types of products come out in stores, people still lean towards getting a computer that's fully loaded with a keyboard.
The key phase here is the slow adoption. It's slow, but people are adopting. That's still a good sign really. It's not like the industry could change more than 70 years of the ubiquitous keyboard with a few keyboard-less computer launch. In a nutshell., we're talking about a 70 year old "habit" the industry is up against!
The tablet/slate/pad form factor has always been a future-delivered-today kind of technology. Time will tell when they become next to norm. The industry should keep counting on that "slow adoption" to motivate continuous development and delivery of tablets/slates/pads. As people get more and more exposed and familiarized to the keyboard-less experience, we should see more and more touchscreen computers in stores. It can happen in the next 10 or 20 or even 30 years. Slowly but surely. I'm sure it will. Just wait and see...
to be considered standard to come with a computer. Even when cellphones grew to becoming computer-like, it is almost expected for the keyboard (or QWERTY keypad) to find its way into those little devices.If we are so used to the idea that a computer should have a keyboard, how long would it take for the market to fully adopt a keyboard-less computer? Although touch screen devices are popular nowadays, the tablet
and slate (and pad) form factor of the computer is still suffering a slow adoption from customers. Besides being more expensive -- which I think should change -- it is almost unimaginable for most people to use a keyboard-less computer. It's possible, but most people believe it's impossible to live without.The tablet/slate/pad is perhaps the coolest form factor for a computer. It is mobile, flat and simple. How many times have we seen sci-fi movies showing scenes of people carrying crystal slates and interacting with the computer through it? Remember that transparent mobile device from Iron Man 2? How about those in Avatar? Didn't we all gasped in awe as Chief John Anderton in the Minority Report
swooped his way through the computer to search for clues from the saved visions of the "Pre-Cogs"? Everyone thinks they're awesome! And yet, when an almost near to those types of products come out in stores, people still lean towards getting a computer that's fully loaded with a keyboard.The key phase here is the slow adoption. It's slow, but people are adopting. That's still a good sign really. It's not like the industry could change more than 70 years of the ubiquitous keyboard with a few keyboard-less computer launch. In a nutshell., we're talking about a 70 year old "habit" the industry is up against!
The tablet/slate/pad form factor has always been a future-delivered-today kind of technology. Time will tell when they become next to norm. The industry should keep counting on that "slow adoption" to motivate continuous development and delivery of tablets/slates/pads. As people get more and more exposed and familiarized to the keyboard-less experience, we should see more and more touchscreen computers in stores. It can happen in the next 10 or 20 or even 30 years. Slowly but surely. I'm sure it will. Just wait and see...
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