multi-functional hand-held devices ready to displace PCs for personal use?

[1K3]

It seems that one country is ready to do so...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21624720/

It seems a good move at first glance, but I'm one of those people who would someday love to add/replace parts on portable devices like my PCs instead of discarding the whole device after 2-3 years of use.

I don't know about you all, but PCs to me won't disappear

[Tac]

I think the PC will dissapear from the common household soon enough. However it will not be until a long time from now that it dissapears completely because there are some things that hand-held devices cannot do that a PC can.

When you think about it... what do you use your PC for?

- communication (email/vmail,etc)
- web browsing
- data management (word processing, doing your taxes, spreadsheets, etc)

** playing games
** video editing / picture editing / sound editing
** high-end programming

I'd dare say 90% of the PC's in the US are used for the items marked with '-
'. All of these things a handheld can now perform just like a PC does. Its no t a new thing, the Palm systems and the like have been able to do this for decades but its not until recently that devices like the PDA and the I-phone that they have enough memory and enough video and sound capability that it makes them 'pocket' computers. They're just like a laptop really.

The common household today is better off buying one of those devices than a personal computer. Most are cheaper than the PC's as well...and most do connect to your TV so not even video screen is an issue any more.

For the items marked with ** ... those things we will be able to do I think in 5 to 10 years from now from the upcoming portable devices. Ive been drooling over some of the things I see the industry giants cook up 'on the werks' ..

I can easily imagine having something the size of my cellphone that does everything my current desktop PC can do (and have more memory and more of everything) that can be plugged to big screen TV's and other peripherals on the go... that costs about the same as a current I-phone.

Upgrading or changing its internal parts? Well... when I consider that every time I upgrade my damn video card its about $300 and my MOBO set upgrade costs around $500 (cpu and ram included) ..and I need to change those every 5 years or so...

why wouldnt I simply buy a brand new handheld gizmo that upgrades the whole thing at once for less than that?

not to mention that it'd make it easier for programmers to write stuff for these devices as standardization (hwr and swr wise) would be much easier.

[Tigeress]

Originally posted by 1K3
It seems that one country is ready to do so...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21624720/

It seems a good move at first glance, but I'm one of those people who would someday love to add/replace parts on portable devices like my PCs instead of discarding the whole device after 2-3 years of use.

I don't know about you all, but PCs to me won't disappear

I have an xv6700 with full bore everything... mobile broadband, the works, and it turned out I only rarely use it for anything cept cell phone calls. I am quite addicted to my laptops. One of them I have used so much some of the letters are worn off the keys... too funny when someone wants to use it!

http://www.utstar.com/pcd/view_phone_details.aspx?mcode=XV6700&sAct=0

Don't know if my handheld computer use-case is typical though.

TIGERESS

[texasmom]

Not impressed with hand helds. Heck, I'm not even impressed with a cell phone.

[Tigeress]

Originally posted by texasmom
Not impressed with hand helds. Heck, I'm not even impressed with a cell phone.

I
my cellphone



TIGERESS

[texasmom]

Don't get me wrong, I really really love to talk on the phone.  Cell phones are just annoying. You can't hold them up with your ear & do something else at the same time. You have to put an all-stop to everything you're doing to have the conversation.

Then... what's the first thing everyone says as soon as you answer a cell phone?

"Where you at?"


But I have found that they're useful when the kids go out to play... and the first thing I say to them when I call them.....

"Where you at?"

Basically, cell phones are not there for your own personal convenience. They're there for the convenience of those who are trying to contact you.

BOOOOOO!

[Maverick]

I think the critical item for in the home use will be screen size. For gaming and even looking at pictures you need a larger screen than something like a gameboy or a cell phone.

I think PC's will be around for a long time rather than a single use item like an xbox or other game cube.

My cell phone is my only phone, other than the wifes cell unit. It's ok but it's just a phone to me even though we can now do texting. I trade phones every 2 years more to keep a fresh battery and good electronics rather than any feature. I also don't bother with the newest and glitzy deal. If I want to play I use my computer. If I want music, I have a stereo.

[texasmom]

Originally posted by Maverick
I think the critical item for in the home use will be screen size. For gaming and even looking at pictures you need a larger screen than something like a gameboy or a cell phone.

I think PC's will be around for a long time rather than a single use item like an xbox or other game cube.

My cell phone is my only phone, other than the wifes cell unit. It's ok but it's just a phone to me even though we can now do texting. I trade phones every 2 years more to keep a fresh battery and good electronics rather than any feature. I also don't bother with the newest and glitzy deal. If I want to play I use my computer. If I want music, I have a stereo.

I'm in total agreement w/Maverick.

[Tigeress]

Originally posted by texasmom
Don't get me wrong, I really really love to talk on the phone.  Cell phones are just annoying. You can't hold them up with your ear & do something else at the same time. You have to put an all-stop to everything you're doing to have the conversation.

Then... what's the first thing everyone says as soon as you answer a cell phone?

"Where you at?"


But I have found that they're useful when the kids go out to play... and the first thing I say to them when I call them.....

"Where you at?"

Basically, cell phones are not there for your own personal convenience. They're there for the convenience of those who are trying to contact you.

BOOOOOO!

yeah... know what you mean. I got a bluetooth earphone/mic. which is a wireless hook-up to the cellphone... works great... hands free roaming round the house or office without that phone stuck in my ear. pretty cheap too. good in the car too.

http://www.1800mobiles.com/bluetoothtech.html

TIGERESS

[Maverick]

Originally posted by texasmom
I'm in total agreement w/Maverick.

I just knew you had great taste and intellect there Texasmom!

[ChickenHawk]

The demise of the PC has been predicted for years and all the predictions have been way off base.  If the predictions came true, we would all be using thin clients using push technology and browsing the net through huge corporate portals.

Cell phones can do some things a PC can, a PDA others and game consoles still others but none of them can do all a PC can.  Till that day, the PC will always be here and what ever replaces it will still be a PC, just in a different package.

[Tac]

Dunno chickenhawk...

the processing power they can pack into handhelds today is about the same of a 5 year old laptop (which does run most programs we use today).

The only downside is the screen size and places to plug peripherals.

But after I see that new film-thick (1mm) high resolution color screens that will come out in a few years (literally imagine a sheet of paper that is a screen.. you can bend it the whole way too) coupled with the new memory and cpu that are reported to be more than twice the capacity and half the size of current ones.... I see my PC going away if a pocket-pc is released in the market.

Heck.. its like if the current i-phone could have 6 USB ports and a video out port, a memory stick 'drive' slot and ran winxp... you could just hook it to any tv and separate keyboard and speakers if you need to use as a desktop computer.

and still work as a phone and camera.

mmmmm

[Vulcan]

Handhelds will never replace PC's/Laptops. The handheld grunt lags several years behind the PC, and there is a functional limit to ergonomics.

I've been using handhelds since Palm introduced the Palm 500 (what was that about 10 or 12 years ago?). Since then I've had a palm in one form or another, including treo's from the treo 180 onwards.

I love my treo's, but they will never replace the full blown functionality of a laptop.

[JB73]

Like Maverick said...

but a bit different. when just "hanging out" on my PC I have music playing, surf multiple web sites, play games, whatever.

I wouldn't do a single one on a tiny phone. I have a Palm Treo that work gave me, I hate using it. The tiny screen, and totally un-usable keyboard is a waste of equipment to me. The only think I do on it is get email and phone calls. If I get an email I need to respond to I fire up the laptop, VPN in and respond. Now granted I don't have a lifestyle where I am out and about and need to "work", and I hope to God I never do. If I am at the beach I am not working. there is a reason for that.

oh yeah, I need a new phone for myself. ALL I care it does is have great reception wherever I want it, a good alarm, a loud ringer, long battery life, as small as possible to fit in my pocket, and NOT a flip open thing. that's it. I do not / will not use it for any function other than making and receiving telephone calls. I don't know any kids I need to text, I don't need a camera to take pictures or videos of street fighting bums, I don't even need a color display. my old Nokia was the BEST phone ever, and did all listed above with a monochrome screen.


Another issue is the phone not being able to do the things I'd want. If I want to play a game it is going to be AH or something PC intensive.




I think there is going to be a separation of 2 different types of people, those
"on the go" and those not. Those on the go will have devices that do amazing things, and those people will use it for everything. Those not will do completely different activities on PC's and the PC culture will differentiate from the on the go's.

[Tac]

Check the I-phone on a local AT&T store and play with it.

Ive browsed this forum in an i-phone and while yeah, its not like my 21" monitor at home, you can still see it very well.


All im saying is that it will come the time when a handheld can BECOME a personal computer just by plugging the thing to the monitor and peripherals (keyb).. and still be able to carry it with you and use it on the go when you're not home.

A laptop... but truly portable.