NEWS:Microsoft Surface Could Totally Change the Tablet and PC Markets

[tientzu1968]

The Surface tablet unveiled by Microsoft at its mysterious event in Los Angeles this week looked very impressive. It obviously faces very stiff competition from the Apple iPad?which dominates the tablet market. But, there?s a very good chance that businesses will flock to the Surface (or other Windows 8 tablets) if Microsoft delivers something close to what it presented to the media.

I am a huge fan of the iPad, so I don?t make that claim lightly. I have owned all three iterations of the iPad thus far, and I?m not prepared to abandon the New iPad any time soon. That said, I also love Windows, and I appreciate that businesses that rely on Windows PCs and Windows-based applications would love to have something like an iPad that also happens to be Windows.

Microsoft Surface Could Totally Change the Tablet and PC Markets | PCWorld Business Center

[Canker_Canison]

The end of the tablet has already been forseen. Give it 3 years & mobile phones will cripple the tablets.

How can I make such a claim?

Willow glass.

Samsung will be the first to work with this flexible, capacitive digitizer compatible glass. These are the same people who made the processors for Apple & HTC before releasing some of the best phones ever made onto the market.

If you're not already aware, OLED displays are flexible before the glass is added.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU2nG9qy6vs"]Samsung Flexible OLED display Hands-on - YouTube[/ame]

Now add to that a piece of touch sensitive glass 0.05mm thick that can flex & be rolled up...



What you end up with is a cylindrical device that could be 13cm in height & maybe 3cm to 4cm in diameter. Encompassing all the technology of a mobile phone, but that also opens out a 9" (23cm) touch sensitive HD display.

Why would you carry around a large chunky tablet when you have a mobile phone that fits in your pocket & beats a tablet in every way?


This is what LG have been working on....



It uses E-Ink like the Kindle. But it should give you an idea as to where they think things are going.

Let's not forget that a tablet is basically a smartphone with a big screen & no phone.

[Canker_Canison]

I don't know why, but the pics I added are not showing up on the post... But they are in the edit box.

First there's a pic of willow glass..




And then there's the display LG have been working on...

[TheCoder]

The end of the tablet has already been forseen. Give it 3 years & mobile phones will cripple the tablets....

Isn't that to all intents and purposes just another tablet ?

Granted its an increment in technology that allows the tablet to be much lighter and probably gives it greater application but it still seems to be recognisable as, well, a tablet !

The actual dividing line between mobile phones and tablets is somewhat blurry anyway. My tablet has integrated mobile phone capability but its still marketed as a tablet rather than a mobile. The line seems to be size rather than functionality as, in terms of function, mobile phones and tablets are now effectively one and the same thing.

Still a nice looking device but I suspect its merely a generational update of the tablet rather than a tablet killer !

[Canker_Canison]

The chances are that the Ipad will continue no matter what. There's always going to ba a herd of Isheep that will buy anything apple release.

But, you're right. A tablet is basically an oversized phone. Without the phone in most cases.

Have you tried to put a tablet in your pocket? Even Samsungs Galaxy Note is a little on the large size for a phone. And that's where the size comes into it. If it won't go in your pocket, it has to be a tablet.

But if you can make a tablet fit your pocket, doesn't that then revert back to a phone?

Here's a crazy idea for a phone by a chinese company for Nokia...



The crazy buggers made it to be powered by Coca-Cola.

But the size would suit a pull out wide screen display. And it's still pocket friendly.