How many, many days have passed! Well, such is life. So what has Apple wrought! Indeed, Apple has given us the iPad 2. It's 2011 – I'm sure you knew that – and here we are in what is supposed to be the year of the PC tablet. Apple's iPad is way ahead of the competition. But there is competition. Android systems and even Windows systems are available. And many companies are jumping on the bandwagon.
Steve Jobs of Apple made a fascinating claim. He says that there's been three blockbusters the last decade and Apple introduced them all. The first was the iPod and it revolutionized the way we hear music. The second was the iPhone which revolutionized the notion of the cell phone and transformed it into truly a smart phone. And the third was the iPad which he says revolutionizes the notion of the personal computer. Jobs goes on to state that the PC is and will be a thing of the past and the personal computer's transformation and next step will find itself in the form of a tablet.
So yes, many people are jumping onto the tablet bandwagon. But here's the question: What for? There are so many homes today in the consumer market that have a desktop computer though slightly antiquated, and a laptop that are working just fine, thank you. And they've gotten a smart phone because who can do without it. And now go out and buy a tablet?
The business world will find a tablet an excellent little tool for people on the go. But not everyone in the business world is on the go. Lots of people sit by their desks and do their work there. A tablet is not yet really ready for heavy duty labor. It's good for amusement, watching videos, exploring new apps, and for so many in the periphery, playing games. Games, games, games. A great market, but not hardly a significant computer replacement.
Having said that, I'm fascinated by the tablet PC. I think it's a great next step. I just don't think we're there yet. There are lots more steps to go. Meanwhile, I'm going to hold on to my laptop. It's doing me just fine.
