# So what happened to tablets (electronic devices)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 28, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925 "2017-11-28T03:34:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/61 "2017-11-28T19:53:45Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Computers have to balance power with portability. Tablets have neither. A rather pessimistic description; a hard-core optimist would say they have both. A realist acknowledges that any computing device is a bundle of compromises that renders it well (or poorly) suited to specific tasks. > [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > They are too big to carry in your pocket so you have to keep them at home or carry them in a case, but if you are going to carry a case why not just take a laptop. Also if you are at home, just use a laptop instead. Our iPad Pro isn’t in a “case”; it’s just got a silicone backshell for grip. it’s a 1/4" thick, and If I need to travel with it, it slips into a backpack just like a magazine. For casual browsing on the couch, a tablet is awfully convenient to use while sitting/laying in a variety of postures. If I open up a laptop with comparable screen size, now I’ve got a 3-dimensional unwieldy thing that requires an actual lap to place it on. And of course there’s the instant-on feature of tablets: press the home button, and it’s ready to do your bidding immediately, versus the unfolding/bootup/wakeup time for a laptop. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/62 "2017-11-28T19:56:50Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I’d settle for a TB of storage (thumb drives can do that nowadays) and the processing power of a single 1 GHz G4 chip or equivalent in “mobile mode”, as long as when cradled it accesses auxiliary drives and additional processing power. You’re sort of describing a Nintendo Switch. The hardware portion of this is not far off. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/63 "2017-11-28T20:33:10Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > ETA: I never even heard of the “long press” before. The “long press” is a user interface hack rather like the “double click”, in that it compensates for the inability of the input device to understand more than one user intention. In mitigation, unlike the double click, it addresses a real limitation of the hardware, rather than one that was deliberately chosen for aesthetic reasons. OTOH, I personally find the double click easier to do consistently than the long press, because you get no tactile feedback in the latter case. When it doesn’t work, as it sometimes doesn’t, is that because you pressed too long, or because it thinks you didn’t press at all? You can’t really know. The lack of tactile feedback in so-called touch interfaces is one of their big flaws, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/64 "2017-11-28T20:51:13Z")
I think I’m the only person I’ve heard of that hates the onscreen keyboard of the iPad. But — I have several small wireless keyboards that are as easy to tote around as the iPad (I carry large purses) so I’ve got the problem solved. But I just cannot get the hang of typing on top of the screen. I’m even bad at texting on the phone and pair one of my keyboards with my iPhone most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/65 "2017-11-28T21:30:57Z")
I don’t buy the argument that people aren’t buying new tablets because they’re happy with their existing ones. It flies against the experience in all other product areas. Cars, phones, kitchens… people are buying newer versions of these products just as rapaciously as ever, despite the fact that the ones they already have are perfectly adequate. But the same people are no longer buying tablets very much. No, it must be because it has become apparent that tablets are not actually very useful. Or at least, tablets at three-digit price levels. If they’re just to be used as child pacifiers or glorified clocks, then sure, people will spring 80 currency units or whatever for them. But premium prices? No thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/66 "2017-11-28T21:31:00Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > A rather pessimistic description; a hard-core optimist would say they have both. A realist acknowledges that any computing device is a bundle of compromises that renders it well (or poorly) suited to specific tasks. Yeah, I don’t want to type long form stuff on my tablet but I also don’t want a keyboard/touchpad/etc in the way when I’m laying on the couch or in bed just consuming content. Also, the screen size I find comfortable for that sort of thing (~10") would be seen as a liability on a laptop. But my wife doesn’t need me shining a 15" screen light in the room while she’s trying to sleep and I’m reading. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/67 "2017-11-28T21:54:41Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > No, it must be because it has become apparent that tablets are not actually very useful. Or at least, tablets at three-digit price levels. If they’re just to be used as child pacifiers or glorified clocks, then sure, people will spring 80 currency units or whatever for them. But premium prices? No thanks. Honestly, that’s not my observation at all. I have not noticed tablets not being popular. I see tablets more and more, if anything. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/68 "2017-11-28T22:41:33Z")
Agree with **pulykamell**. Although I think **Ximenean** ’s comments are the skeleton of an interesting observation he \*almost \*got to. Cars, kitchens, and phones are perceived as status symbols. So folks get new ones for non-functional reasons and are prone to being sold on the hype. The fact these things are also sold via a loan and a monthly payment helps drop the barrier to entry to the price of a monthly payment, not the sticker price. Washing machines and microwave ovens aren’t seen as status symbols. And you pay full price at once (ignoring just carrying a credit card balance). Setting aside tablets issued by businesses or bought by workers for business, I conclude tablets are not currently thought of as status symbols. They went through a brief phase of being status symbols back when the cool kids had one and the plain-belly sneeches did not. But now that nearly everybody who has a use for one already owns one, there’s not the race for newer or better to keep up with the Joneses. And at least right now, there’s nobody much offering to sell you one for the low, low price of $20 a month. It’s full sticker or nothing. (Again net of carrying a credit card balance, which IMO falls into a different mental bucket for most consumers). The primary use of them is e-book reading, net surfing, and game playing. All of which are tasks that have low CPU demand and low storage demand. Which means that until you drop it and break it, or until the OS is so old you can’t install the latest upgrade of your favorite e-reader, it works just fine. Bottom line: IMO like your microwave, your tablet is a seen as a utilitarian tool, not a \*keeping up with the Joneses \*fashion accessory. Why that is so may be an interesting question. But not one I’m equipped to answer. In my circles they have nearly 100% market penetration. I’m sure there are other demographics that approach 0% penetration. What each of us sees depends on which of the elephants’ appendages we’ve got hold of. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/69 "2017-11-28T23:18:43Z")
Typing about 10" screens reminded me now… tablets DID have a direct competition in the laptop field. Remember netbooks? The small laptops designed for easy travel and all that? They only existed for a couple years before tablets became a thing and killed that sector of the laptop industry dead. Partially because netbooks were low powered devices and didn’t do “real” laptop stuff well but tablets, with the same or even less processor umph, did very well as media consumption devices. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/70 "2017-11-28T23:19:44Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I’d settle for a TB of storage (thumb drives can do that nowadays) and the processing power of a single 1 GHz G4 chip or equivalent in “mobile mode”, as long as when cradled it accesses auxiliary drives and additional processing power. The reality is that Apple’s own ARM CPUs are approaching the capability of Xeon, Intel’s top-end design. The SoCs used in the current iPads offer performance well beyond that of a 1Ghz PPC G4 and are probably superior to the Quad 2.5Ghz G5. There is no lack of processing power in Apple’s tablets (or phones). The problem with the iPad is that Apple designed its UI for optimal power usage and maximum internet security, not differentiating from phone iOS by very much. It could easily handle windowing multiple apps the way macOS can, but they chose to keep it simple. They could implement a practical file system UI, but mostly they want you addicted to the cloud. They could offer nerd tools like Bash and XCode, but those might end up on grandma’s iPad where they would be more troublesome than useful. But the power potential is definitely there. I have one of the last G5s. The biggest problem with it for me is the noise. It has 324 different fans (along with a liquid cooling system) that ramp up and down for seemingly no apparent reason. The iPad has 0 fans, which makes it hugely more pleasant to use. And, unlike a laptop, all its shit is behind the screen: if I read a hilarious post that makes me spew coffee, it will not go into the keyboard and leak down where it might fry the motherboard. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/71 "2017-11-30T01:45:00Z")
I appreciate the variety of opinions that have been expressed. Thank you. It’s not that I have understood the utility of tablets. I’ve been playing Toy Blast on an old iPad with shitty battery life and a cracked screen for the past 6 months or so. (That really is a great game, and I don’t play many.) A tablet is the perfect way to play it. My original point was that tablets just don’t feel like anything _premium_ or oh wow any more. And one commenter’s stat about Apple yapping about iOS features for the iPad notwithstanding, I don’t see Apple appearing to _believe_ that the iPad is a big deal any more. I say this not as someone who studies Apple events and their content but as someone who follows the tech press passively and catches what’s a “big deal” from that. To me, it’s sad in a way. Smartphones have reached more or less their limit of performance, and laptops and tablets are passe. I do think the future lies in the direction the SurfacePro has been going and wish that Apple would outdo _that_ instead of putting all its eggs in the iPhone basket. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/72 "2017-11-30T03:15:39Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > And one commenter’s stat about Apple yapping about iOS features for the iPad notwithstanding, I don’t see Apple appearing to _believe_ that the iPad is a big deal any more. I say this not as someone who studies Apple events and their content but as someone who follows the tech press passively and catches what’s a “big deal” from that. The fact that you dismiss a developer’s conference as “yapping” shows just how out of touch with the situation you truly are. Apple spending that much time at a developer conference is proof positive how big a deal the iPad is to them, regardless if you personally don’t believe it. Apple knows that the people in that audience spent thousands of dollars to be there and base their livelihoods on what they put up on that stage. It’s their job to point developers in the right direction and the iPad is clearly smack in the middle of that road. > [@Aeschines](#): > > I do think the future lies in the direction the SurfacePro has been going and wish that Apple would outdo _that_ instead of putting all its eggs in the iPhone basket. Why do you think that? Did you reach that conclusion by, as you say you do, passively reading the thoughts of others? ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/73 "2017-11-30T03:35:07Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > The fact that you dismiss a developer’s conference as “yapping” shows just how out of touch with the situation you truly are. Apple spending that much time at a developer conference is proof positive how big a deal the iPad is to them, regardless if you personally don’t believe it. Apple knows that the people in that audience spent thousands of dollars to be there and base their livelihoods on what they put up on that stage. It’s their job to point developers in the right direction and the iPad is clearly smack in the middle of that road. I just don’t find the cite all that convincing. And I say that while appreciating your knowledge of the Apple, which is no doubt superior to mine. Did they say anything strategic or forward-looking about the iPad? I would find such statements more convincing about intentions. > [@](#): > > Why do you think that? Did you reach that conclusion by, as you say you do, passively reading the thoughts of others? I _am_ interesting in your thoughts and observations as to what Apple has said about, say, gaining share in the tablet market, etc. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/74 "2017-11-30T04:06:41Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > They are too big to carry in your pocket so you have to keep them at home or carry them in a case, but if you are going to carry a case why not just take a laptop. Also if you are at home, just use a laptop instead. Basically, they are inferior to both laptops and smartphones. They have the negatives of each (not very portable, hard to type, small screen) and lack the positives of each (portability, able to use with one hand). Because my tablet fits comfortably in my messenger bag, and my laptop doesn’t? I always have my messenger bag with me, not a backpack or other laptop carrying case. My phone fits in a pocket, and I can tether my tablet to it if I absolutely need to go online with the tablet. And for what it is worth, I read on my tablet at home all the time and don’t find holding it an issue. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/75 "2017-11-30T04:34:54Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > I just don’t find the cite all that convincing. And I say that while appreciating your knowledge of the Apple, which is no doubt superior to mine. Did they say anything strategic or forward-looking about the iPad? I would find such statements more convincing about intentions. Are you embarrassed in even the slightest that you are arguing against a cite that you haven’t even watched yourself? ---
**Author:** ![Lickety\_Split\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@Lickety\_Split\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lickety_Split_1)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/76 "2017-11-30T04:41:23Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > The iPad launched in 2010. It was made out to be a BFD. Tablets have arrived, ohmyjesus!!! People commenced to play Angry Birds on a bigger screen than that of an iPhone. > > Fast forward to 2017. The iPhone X comes out, and it’s a BFD. I was at the Fashion Mall in Indy on the day it became available, and there was a long line and a security presence. I myself bought an iPhone in February of this year (an 8, and I’m happy with it). > > Meanwhile–and this is perhaps just my perception–no one cares about the iPad… or any other tablets for that matter. Samsung something or other, zzz. Kindle Fire–floparoo. Barnes & Noble Nook–do they still even make that? > > But the iPad itself… Apple seems about as excited about it as it does its MacBooks. I.e., not at all. I can’t remember the iPad being a topic of an Apple event in forever. The Apple Watch, yeah. > > The one exception seems to me to be the MS SurfacePro, which is a full PC in tablet form. My guess is that this has outshone all others and is the future of, well, both tablets and computers. However, it’s not really a tablet but the evolution of the computer itself. IOW, give me a goddamn MacBook Pro that works like a Surface, mmkay?! > > Conclusion: Tablets were initially welcomed because they were like smartphones but bigger and less burdensome than full-on 'puters, but now they are in many ways obsolete. Smartphones and computers like the SurfacePro will probably rule the day going forward, but even so the sizzle is still mostly going to the smartphones. > > Thoughts? I still have my beloved 6X8 Acer/Android tablet. For a phone I carry an old school flip phone. I guess I am a holdout. I detest the way so many people walk around like zombies staring at their smart phones. And drive doing this as well. I simply refuse to become one of the Lost Sheeple. Those people look ridiculous. And it’s ridiculous to how dependent they have become on them. I love to laugh at the twits I see who, when walking around, will reach for their phone are even pretend to be talking on it when they approach some stranger. God forbid one should have to make eye contact or interact socially, right?! LOL. So…I will. not. go. there. Never. Besides, flip phones look cooler. Make no mistake…I am fully computer literate. I built my own PC. I have created websites. I spend several hours a week on a PC. I am A+ Certified. So I have PC’s a work and one at home and my tablet. And for my cell I have a flipper. It’s all I need. Then again…I’m cooler than the average Bear. LOL ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/77 "2017-11-30T04:53:48Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > Are you embarrassed in even the slightest that you are arguing against a cite that you haven’t even watched yourself? Why would that be a source of embarrassment? On this board, there are many of us who reject videos for various reasons, asking for a transcript or summary. At least with text, one can skim over the stuff we already know or is blatantly biased. Fuck videos. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/78 "2017-11-30T09:50:25Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Why would that be a source of embarrassment? On this board, there are many of us who reject videos for various reasons, asking for a transcript or summary. At least with text, one can skim over the stuff we already know or is blatantly biased. Fuck videos. I guess you missed it, but post 72 has the summary you’re looking for-- that WWDC is a forward-looking event for Apple (China, ARKit, new hardware capabilities, new software capabilities, if you need more examples) and it therefore speaks volumes that they spent so much time on the iPad. By any account, that is a reasonable interpretation. So not only has he rejected a reasonable interpretation of WWDC vis-a-vis iPad with nothing more than a hand wave, he also feels comfortable hand waving it away without having even seen it for himself. Yes, he should be embarrassed. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/79 "2017-11-30T11:49:44Z")
Add me to the list of folks who likes his tablet. I mostly use it to surf the net during TV commercials or when travelling. A laptop would be too heavy / bulky / overkill for what I use my tablet for. Though I agree that new tablets don’t excite me much (they are faster/more powerful, but don’t do new things I need to do) Brian ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925/80 "2017-11-30T14:57:21Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Because my tablet fits comfortably in my messenger bag, and my laptop doesn’t? I always have my messenger bag with me, not a backpack or other laptop carrying case. My phone fits in a pocket, and I can tether my tablet to it if I absolutely need to go online with the tablet. > > And for what it is worth, I read on my tablet at home all the time and don’t find holding it an issue. I’m similar - my Kindle 7 is about perfect; it fits in the inner pocket of sport coats and motorcycle jackets, is fairly light, and much more comfortable to consume media/play games on than my smartphone. The chief reasons I have a smart phone are for work (we use an app that requires Android or iOS for notifications) and taking pictures. That said, I can see the tablet market dwindling. At home I use a convertible laptop, so for reading or watching Youtube/Netflix/Hulu I’ve got a bigger screen and a similar touch interface. I wouldn’t want to carry something bigger than my Kindle on the go, but I wouldn’t want to use just that around the house so it’s my tablet is a niche product. With phone screens getting bigger with better resolution, it could get squeezed out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-happened-to-tablets-electronic-devices/802925.md?page=5)