The plural of anecdote is not data but The Tech Report does make some good points about how the tablet may push the notebook out of the market, or at least reduce its market share significantly. Unless you are buying a gaming laptop, in its self a niche market, there are many qualities about tablets that make them an attractive alternative, ranging from the lack of crumbs accumulating in the keyboard to all day battery life. If you do not game or have programs you use which actually need the processing power of a full x86 processor then you will never even notice the reduction in processing power that comes from moving to an ARM or other low powered processor. There is still no way that it is going to replace desktops whose users actually need real processing power … or triple monitors.
"Earlier this week, Gartner reported that PC shipments shrank by almost 5% last quarter. The firm pinned the blame on users relinquishing their PCs for daily use. As enthusiasts, we may find it hard to imagine folks ditching their computers for comparatively limited tablets. However, I have some pretty convincing anecdotal evidence that lends weight to Gartner's thesis."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- Latest BB 10 leak confirms Z10 branding and Verizon support @ Engadget
- Intel's fourth quarter a bummer, as expected @ The Register
- New slicker Shylock Trojan hooks into Skype @ The Register
- Do Video Games Make You Violent? An In-Depth Analysis @ Techspot
- TechwareLabs CES 2013 Coverage: EvuTec
- CES 2013: CoolerMaster Cases, Coolers & Accessories @ Funky Kit
- NikKTech And Antec Joint Giveaway @ NikKTech
I really don’t get this.
I really don’t get this. Desktops were popular because they were the cheapest way to get computing done until notebooks became cheaper and powerful enough to take over ‘normal’ workloads. I would say it is a natural transformation of the market where the majority of the consumers would be satisfied in having a tablet type device for their needs. There will be a period of consolidation where the notebook share becomes dependent on the workload. Desktops are still needed for certain purposes, laptops for the general public and the tablet as the companion device (for the majority), at least for now. This will definitely change. There is no progress without change.
And people aren’t stupid. There are many who would wait until the turbulent period is over. There are a lot of changes taking place in the way things get done. Transitions take time. People have bought enough to sit back and watch as things change. I am typing this on a 4 year old X200. I am not in the market for a new computer and I am willing to wait for a couple more years to see where things are headed.
Only my opinion.
I respect your opinion, but
I respect your opinion, but this site is tailor to people that like cutting edge computer devices. Me and the wife do have out dated laptops because we only use them web surfing and bill paying. How ever we both have Ipads, and use them on the couch and bed. The laptops now just sit at the desk. I went Android first with my tablet but was soon burned because the device was no long supported after just 6 months. I would have to hack the device to get the next android OS. So basically android is dead to me and I will never return. Desktops aren’t going anywhere. Devs need them to create the software to run on the tablets, office environments need the to edit documents and run business class applications. As for me Desktop is 90% of my computing, Work, Games (real games), Video work (mostly Bluray rips for storage on the homeserver)…
^^
^^ image
http://postimage.org/image/iextrtf6z/
I don’t see them killing off
I don’t see them killing off laptops but they make a small dent long term. Fact is laptops are still a lot easier to do stuff on, even simple surfing and email is easier with a real keyboard. I think convertibles are more likely to replace mid and upper range notebooks, with cheap 300-450 dollar machines remaining traditional laptops for a few more years. A lot of people like tablets for simple tasks but typing for more than a few minutes is frustrating. I do think a lot of early sales were just a fad for some people.
BTW that’s one crusty keyboard.
Traditional Desktops aren’t
Traditional Desktops aren’t going away any time soon. Ever tried coding on a tablet? What about graphics rendering. When was your last intense gaming session on a tiny tablet, or even laptop? While desktops may just become a much more niche market/segment – we will need real desktop performance for at least the next couple decades I believe. Not to mention, the rising cost of consumer bandwidth.