It’s been almost a year since Apple released the “innovative” iPad. The months leading up to its release were shrouded in mystery and intrigue as only Apple can do. While techies and gadget freaks pondered the form and features of the mystery device, industry analysts raised eyebrows and questioned whether such a device would even sell. Many doubted the wisdom of Steve Jobs and Company on this crapshoot. In the 9 months since its release, Apple has sold 15 million iPads and garnered an estimated 95% of the tablet market worldwide. The likes of HP, Blackberry, Motorola, and other manufacturers are now racing to catch up. Wise, indeed.
The iPad’s “wow” factor has quieted and now people are beginning to see this device as more than a toy, or the newest high-tech gadget. Apple essentially changed the playing field in the creation of the iPad and in one bold move, ushered in the era of tablet computing. The iPad and similar lightweight, internet-ready tablet devices offer long battery life, quick performance and access to literally thousands of applications that do everything from checking email to watching full-length movies. Tablets are the new kids on the block, but they’re here to stay and will change the way we use computer technology.
The suggestions that a tablet is merely an over-sized smartphone or under-powered laptop overlook its capabilities. While it may not have all of the features of these other devices (you can’t put it in your pocket or store your entire video collection on it), the tablet in many ways is redefining and reshaping the use of technology in our day-to-day world.
My top 5 reasons why tablets will become our everyday “go to” computers.
Speed. Push the power button, the device goes on instantly, every time. For most people, composing and sending a short email on a tablet will take less time than turning on a computer and waiting for it to boot to the desktop screen.
Stability. Unlike the “once size fits all” model of the Microsoft Windows operating system, a tablet’s operating system is designed and coded from the ground up for the tablet itself. System and hardware failures are virtually nonexistent with tablet devices. Performance doesn’t degrade over time. No antivirus scans to run. No disk to defragment. Simple. ( A caveat and humble prediction – Several tablet manufacturers have attempted to “squeeze” the Windows 7 operating system onto their devices. Not a good call…these will likely disappear)
Portability. Whether you’re traveling from the kitchen to the bedroom, down to the local coffee shop, or jetting off to some foreign land, a tablet is easy on the shoulders (as in backpack, book bag or purse), requires no additional hardware and will stay charged for days in between uses.
Versatility. There are thousands of “apps” designed specifically for tablets and that number is increasing rapidly. These programs are priced at a fraction of their computer counterparts and often include features unavailable on the computer version. Managing information, playing games, sharing photos and music, tracking finances and business inventory…the list is quite literally, huge.
Simplicity. Put an iPad in front of a 5 year old and in minutes she’ll have figured out much of what is needed to operated the device. Now, I’m not suggesting running out and getting your kid an iPad. But what is missing here is the intimidation and fear factor that often accompanies trying out new technology.
A number of well-known manufacturers have stepped up to the plate in bringing their tablets to market – the Apple iPad, HP’s Touchpad, the Motorola Xoom, Blackberry’s Playbook and the Samsung Galaxy are leading the pack. Each brings its own flavor of operating system, features and style, yet all (except the iPad and Galaxy) are currently still in production. Expect to see each of these other devices by summer’s end, all likely to be in the same price range.
By the way, the notes, web clippings and thoughts for this article were created, stored and accessed over several days within the Evernote application on a tablet and a computer. The article itself was written in a word-processing application (again, tablet and computer) and the file was saved in the Dropbox application on these same two devices. All of this work was done from the comfort of my living room, my office and one favorite coffee shop. All content was synced seamlessly, nothing needed to be emailed, transferred or copied. Oh, and no children were forced to use an iPad at anytime during the writing of this article.

John can be reached at
info@roguevalleycomputing.com
or 541-944-5819.