Tablet Thickness and You!

[Lucradia]

You know, I've always wondered why they want tablets to be so thin, I mean, you could make them a little thicker (Like, a couple millimeters) than an Ethernet port, and that means you can make it have many more super powers. And a fallback in case the wireless device fails :V

What do you people think?

[ubupirate]

Don't know, don't care.

Tablets are a useless technology to me.

[Lucradia]

Don't know, don't care.

Tablets are a useless technology to me.

I think they're better off than netbooks and ultraportables/books to be honest.

[johnnybgoode83]

Don't know, don't care.

Tablets are a useless technology to me.

Agreed. Do we really need a device between smartphones and netbooks?

[Lucradia]

Agreed. Do we really need a device between smartphones and netbooks?

Did we really need netbooks?

[johnnybgoode83]

Did we really need netbooks?

That's another point I wasn't going to go into here but, in my opinion, no we don't.

[ubupirate]

Did we really need netbooks?

Not really. If on the move, my laptop works perfectly fine. Just put it in the carrying case, sling the strap over my shoulder and good to go.

It's not even heavy at all.

[LowSky]

You know, I've always wondered why they want tablets to be so thin, I mean, you could make them a little thicker (Like, a couple millimeters) than an Ethernet port, and that means you can make it have many more super powers. And a fallback in case the wireless device fails :V

What do you people think?

Thin and light is the name of the game. too heavy and you can't use it to read a book. make as thick as a ethernet port and you have a device that might be too cumbersome to hold.

[cortman]

The only advantage I can see (and I do think it's an advantage) is the fast boot-up. Swipe an unlock button and you're ready to go, rather than wait for my laptop to laboriously boot up, even if you do have it trimmed down to be good and speedy.

[Mikeb85]

I think this exists, Lenovo and Toshiba make tablets with full sized ports. There are also full sized, x86 powered convertible laptop/tablets made by various manufacturers (Lenovo, Dell, Panasonic, etc...). Different strokes...

For me personally, a 4.5 to 5 inch smartphone and a real computer (running Ubuntu) is ideal, a tablet doesn't really offer any additional functionality.

[Lucradia]

I think this exists, Lenovo and Toshiba make tablets with full sized ports. There are also full sized, x86 powered convertible laptop/tablets made by various manufacturers (Lenovo, Dell, Panasonic, etc...). Different strokes...

For me personally, a 4.5 to 5 inch smartphone and a real computer (running Ubuntu) is ideal, a tablet doesn't really offer any additional functionality.

The thinkpad tablets don't have full-sized ports, nor the toshiba ones. I agree on the smartphone, but I don't need more than 250 Minutes a month, so I probably would have to go prepaid or something.

[forrestcupp]

Don't know, don't care.

Tablets are a useless technology to me.Lol. Then why did you even waste your time opening this thread?


Thin and light is the name of the game. too heavy and you can't use it to read a book. make as thick as a ethernet port and you have a device that might be too cumbersome to hold.That is the main reason for thin and light. people want to use them for ebook readers, and weight and bulk really does make a difference on your wrists.


The thinkpad tablets don't have full-sized ports, nor the toshiba ones. I agree on the smartphone, but I don't need more than 250 Minutes a month, so I probably would have to go prepaid or something.Actually, the Toshiba Thrive has full sized USB, HDMI, and SD Card ports. Why would anyone want ethernet on a tablet? That's counterproductive to the whole point of a tablet.

[KiwiNZ]

I one purchased a Tablet to the only "PC" one has then an Ethernet port would be prudent.

If one purchased a Tablet to be ones only device then well enough said ( note to me always remember the COC)

[forrestcupp]

I one purchased a Tablet to the only "PC" one has then an Ethernet port would be prudent.

If one purchased a Tablet to be ones only device then well enough said ( note to me always remember the COC)

I don't use an ethernet port on any of my PCs; I sure won't want to use one and be tied down to a wire on a tablet that is meant to be ultra portable.

[IWantFroyo]

The reason people like their tablets thin is so that they're light and comfortable to hold. Tablets are meant to be held, and if you hold a thick tablet for a long time, it's going to make your hand hurt.

I have a HP TouchPad, and I always set it down while using it. It's just too uncomfortable to hold up for long periods of time.

[Atamisk]

y'know, why would these full-sized ports have to be on the side of a device? an eternet port is less deep than tall, so it might be able to happily live on the back of a tablet?

[whatthefunk]

y'know, why would these full-sized ports have to be on the side of a device? an eternet port is less deep than tall, so it might be able to happily live on the back of a tablet?

But then th device wouldnt lay flat on a surface. Youd have this cord coming out the back at a 90 degree angle.

Anyway, Im firmly on the "tablets are stupid" side of the debate.

[JDShu]

I don't think tablets are stupid, I just think that their purpose is still unknown. I believe that we'll find the answer to that in the next couple of years.

Also, I have a netbook and I can't live without it.

[Nyromith]

Tablets are not very useful devices. They existed even before the iPad and served their specific purpose. I remember that even when Apple presented the iPad most of the people said this device is useless and going to fail. But when Apple washed the brains of the stupid crowds, more and more people wanted those gadgets, so more and more companies began producing them.

In my opinion, a small computer is far more useful than a huge smartphone.

[kerry_s]

I wouldn't mind thicker if it was for a bigger battery.
I'm always running out of time & have to plug in.
I mainly watch movies which really hits up the battery, I use a dock so holding wieght is not a issue for me.
I've had laptops & netbooks, the tablet is just so much more useful for me.

[forrestcupp]

Wow. Just because you think tablets are useless and you don't know their purpose doesn't mean that they're useless and without purpose to everyone.

I'll repeat something I said in another thread. Tampons are useless to me.

[BrokenKingpin]

You know, I've always wondered why they want tablets to be so thin, I mean, you could make them a little thicker (Like, a couple millimeters) than an Ethernet port, and that means you can make it have many more super powers. And a fallback in case the wireless device fails :V

What do you people think?
As long as it has a mini-usb port I don't think the thickness matters because you could just use a small cable from mini-usb from the tablet into the device you need (i.e a network adapter or whatever).

I also personally don't care for tablets. I like netbooks because I like a physical keyboard and a full operating system (Xubuntu).

[gutterslob]

You know, I've always wondered why they want tablets to be so thin, I mean, you could make them a little thicker ....
What do you people think? There was a small tech show/event here recently where I got to compare a few 7" tablets. Oddly enough, the one that felt the most comfy in my hand was the Toshiba Thrive 7", which is a bit thicker than the popular Samsung Galaxy Tab 7. I don't have super-big hands or anything, fyi. The thrive just felt better balanced. So I guess thinner isn't always better, for me at least.



Did we really need netbooks?
I've always considered laptops to be neither here nor there. Not as powerful or as modular as a desktop for the same money, and not really that portable in terms of battery life or size (up until maybe a couple of years ago) Sure, I've owned a few ThinkPads and Tecras, but they were always secondary machines, never completely replacing my desktops. Netbooks are perfect for me since they have long battery life (mine still gives more hours unplugged even compared to todays latest ultrabooks) and do basic stuff while I'm on the move. All I did was swap the included HDD for a SSD. Haven't touched a laptop since I got my netbook.

[ARooster]

I don't think tablets are stupid, I just think that their purpose is still unknown. I believe that we'll find the answer to that in the next couple of years.

Also, I have a netbook and I can't live without it.

So, essentially what you're saying a tool has been built, now we need to find uses for it? I think tablets have already come to the limits of their usefulness. They are, in short, good for anything that doesn't require a big screen, a sensible input peripheral, or the ability to see things clearly (because of the whole fingerprints on the screen thing). They are a toy, and as some people already said, something between a netbook and a smartphone. Unfortunately, while a smartphone does have its uses (in spite of all its smartness, 99% its use is still talking to people either via calling or via text messages), the netbook is a portable PC with a small screen which is practical if you need an actual computer on the go, there is no "real" use for the tablet. What I think a lot of people, including key people in the IT industry, are forgetting, is that in spite of the large growth of tablet sales, it is still a toy and once the hype is over with, they will no longer be that popular as there are serious limitations to what it can do (I think Unity and GNOME 3 are proof of that). They can equip tablets faster processors, better graphics cards, more memory, improve battery life until the cows come home, but the tablet will never be anything but a device with a small fingerprint-covered screen and an impractical input method.

[JDShu]

So, essentially what you're saying a tool has been built, now we need to find uses for it?

I think that the tablet medium has become viable. There might not be a specific use for it besides as a toy right now, but it is a platform that people can now build useful applications upon. I think what we will see in the near future is people creating "killer tablet apps" that make use of the form factor perfectly to do things that are really cool and/or useful.

Essentially I think that it's a wide open front right now, but when the market matures and clears up, we will have a better idea about why tablets are useful.

[Copper Bezel]

Almost everything I do on my netbook has to do with documents. For a student or educator, I really think netbooks are bloody perfect. I don't know what I'd do with more computing power, so I don't see it as a fair trade to have to lug any more around.

A tablet with an optional keyboard fills the same role, and less bulk is always better. With a tablet, the goal in my mind is to have something as convenient as a paper document and be able to forget about the technology entirely. So, yeah, a thinner tablet is better, unless, as KiwiNZ is saying, you intend to use it as your only device.


I don't use an ethernet port on any of my PCs; I sure won't want to use one and be tied down to a wire on a tablet that is meant to be ultra portable.
It's a failsafe. I used the ethernet port on my netbook to configure my wireless router a couple of days ago. (Very difficult to configure my wireless settings, on either end, while using them.)

[vehemoth]

I think what we need is mainstream arm netbooks, then you get your usefullness and lightness. I think tablets are usefull for showing people things so from a business point of view it may help get clients as it is easy to carry and pass around but has a big enough screen to show things unlike a smart phone. Anyway I've never owned a tablet so I'm just speculating, though my netbook is great as it's light with a long battery life and if I need serious computing power (relatively) then I use my desktop.

[forrestcupp]

As long as it has a mini-usb port I don't think the thickness matters because you could just use a small cable from mini-usb from the tablet into the device you need (i.e a network adapter or whatever).It has to be a USB host port, though. Unfortunately, a lot of the tablets that have a mini-USB port aren't hosts, and they're only used for charging and hooking it up to your computer as an external drive for transferring files.


there is no "real" use for the tablet.


There might not be a specific use for it besides as a toy right now, but it is a platform that people can now build useful applications upon.
How many times do I have to tell people that just because your limited minds can't think of a use for tablets doesn't mean that there aren't any viable uses out there? I am about to buy a tablet this week to supplement my laptop because there are some things I will be using it for that a laptop, netbook, and desktop won't work as efficiently. At least JDShu recognizes that it's possible for tablets to be useful, even if he doesn't recognize their current usefulness.

If you don't have any use for a tablet, that's fine, and I'm not going to try to argue that. But don't try to tell me that I am not going to get any use out of one. I know better than you do what my personal needs are.

[mips]

I find thicker/bigger tablets a bit hard to swallow, gag reflex usually kicks in.