Comments on: It’s Mobile’s World Now and PC Just Has to Get Over It

By: baron210

baron210 — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 07:37:53 +0000

At the slow pace that my industry moves at, I think (ay least I hope) my job is safe. i work as a systems integrator in the Defence industry, which involves total sollotion planning and system design, building and software configuration for such things from control systems for carrier grade servers to Aircraft flight simulation (not your average “Beige” boxes). But I love PC used as a hobby, thats where my direction is changing also, I am lucky enough to have four PC’s networked (all different server functions) – my main one a Core I7 – spetty nippy witha good SSD. I have moved onto using the wifes I-Pad lately, and it is pretty modern and useable. The change in the domestic market is where it’s going to happen fastest. I’m loving the DNLA functionality, who knows whats around the corner though in Tech we dont want to all be stuck in the past driving Morris Minors do we? My linkedin profile btw. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/martin-schwanke/11/15a/bb8

By: anthonymaw

anthonymaw — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 06:33:29 +0000

I predict corporate work mainstream task-oriented worker PC’s will be replaced by VDI VM terminals within the next decade. Laptops will take up the rest of the PC market. The desktop workstation box machines will be relegated to those users who absolutely require maximum performance specs and add-on card expandability.

By: Ron Miller

Ron Miller — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:47:39 +0000

Ben, Thanks for sharing those comments. I think I make it clear in my concluding paragraph that the PC isn’t going away. I fully acknowledge that there are people who will continue to use them, but overall the trend is clear and mobile is becoming the dominant device. That said, we will continue to see people use PCs, just as some businesses continue to use mainframes, but on a more limited basis.

By: Ben Rubenstein

Ben Rubenstein — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:39:40 +0000

A couple of contrary perspectives from the forums: (http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/itanswers/is-this-really-the-end-for-the-pc/):

- “I don’t think a tablet can handle all the processing that I would normally do on a daily basis”

- “I don’t think [the PC] will regain its former glory, but I don’t think we are watching its death either”

By: Ron Miller

Ron Miller — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:50:43 +0000

Michael:He’s not completely wrong. I suspect that traditional PCs and laptops will continue to be around for quite some time, but in a much more reduced role than we’ve been used to seeing in the past.

By: Ron Miller

Ron Miller — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:47:54 +0000

Everydaylinuxuser:There will always be users who prefer a desktop or laptop, but I think you’re way off base dismissing them as simply toys. You see them increasingly at work and Apple, Google and Microsoft are selling them to enterprises at a brisk clip, who are creating solutions to help users protect and work with enterprise content and applications.

By: Michael Tidmarsh

Michael Tidmarsh — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:44:30 +0000

Did you see Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang say PCs won't be disappearing anytime soon? I think he might be in denial.

By: everydaylinuxuser

everydaylinuxuser — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:09:41 +0000

I think the rise of the tablet can be determined by two clear principles. 1. It is very portable and 2. you don't need any computing expertise to use one.

The humble desktop or laptop running Windows would inevitably end up with (for average users who just want to look at facebook, youtube etc) the owner having to ask their pal's son who knows a bit about computing to fix the damn thing because data has gone missing or there are popups everywhere or it has slowed down or it won't boot properly etc. With a tablet you don't really get this. You go online and it works, you watch a youtube video and it works. Updates aren't so intensive and can be done at your own leisure.

With a tablet you aren't hassled about needing firewalls, anti-virus software, downloading new versions of flash, adobe reader and all other manner of things that make your PC take an age to boot up. There are no messages telling you that your PC is going to reboot to install a bunch of updates (and not when you want it to, now or in 10 minutes).

Linux gets rid of some of the problems above but for the web using generation still doesn't make using a laptop or netbook as appealing as a tablet.

For the power user though the laptop is still king. Tablets are fun toys but they don't allow you to do all the things a power user wants to do.