The Awkward technological trend

There is an awkward technological trend we are seeing today. Earlier the mobile phones were shrinking in size but now the trend is backwards. The mobile phones are getting bigger and they are as big as 7 or 9 inches? Err.. They are called tablets. But such big phone? Okay, I am sounding so old school.

To admit the reality, yes, the phones are no more just phones and no less than computers. But it is also true, they are not computers yet. The growing functionalities in a mobile phone are making the phones not anymore phones but a device to use your other stuff. And thanks to apple for the sexy touch technology which initiated the touch phones and then touch tablets.

Recently I was planning to buy such a device. I consulted so many people who are using such devices on shall I buy a tablet or shall I go for a good smart phone. In true form what they answered me was not at all conclusive and decisive and because of that I still am in dilemma. The reason of dilemma is, that people do not find them too greatly useful in nature.

Tablets are still limited in functionalities

The functionalities of tablets if you compare to smart phones are not any great. They possess similar camera, same email/chat/interent capabilities. They both give you video calling. Then why shall I spend more to buy a device which is bulkier in looks, not at all sexy as a cool mobile phone looks and are superbly difficult to carry. Moreover, the tablets (I would not call them PCs) do not surely give you the entier functionality a laptop can. If you are a software developer or do a creative design work, tablets are of no use. Also, if I anyway have to buy a bag to carry my tablet, why I would not buy a laptop which is today cheaper than this cool sexy pocket sucking tablets and gives much more in terms of functionality.

Tablets are limited in terms of peripherals as well. Biggest example memory. A tablet can at max have a memory of 64GB. For a laptop it can be upto 500GB-1TB.  External memory devices? There are very limited tablets which have this capability of entertaining external memory drives such as thumb drives or external HDD’s. But with laptops there is no compromise. For gaming you can use any number of devices and for creative works use any number of devices present like joy sticks, pens etc but no such capability is there with tablets.

Smart phones are truly smart

I am a software engineer myself and belong to an industry where the tiny little parts, the actualy processing units, of these super sexy devices are made.  What we dream of today being in this industry is that we will keep making more powerful devices with more computing power than ever in the same or lesser size. I would love to see a mobile phone acting like a computer. A little bigger size say 4-4.5 inches looks more than enough to me for such a use.

The phones such as Samsung Galaxy SII or Sony Ericsson Xperia series I am too much fond of. They give you a big enough screen size to read books easily, good gaming experience and a true support for all business needs with email and everything you can think of.

Today’s Tablets are defeating the technological trend by giving no signficant gain over smart phones and to me are totally useless devices until you have a specific need of only reading and checking your emails with limited replies you have to do and you are truly in need of a bigger screen with no functionality of a true computer.

Moreover, you are not going to put the tablet on your cheek and talk like you do on phone. You can not keep tablet in your pocket. So, phone functionality is of least use with a tab.

If I have to suggest someone who is going to buy a new device I would strongly be in favor of a good screen size mobile phone and a strict no for a tablet. However, it is everyone personal choice in terms of functionality requirements and money you can or want to spend.

Please leave your comments and tell what you think of the percieved notion I have.

-Aerosum

About Author

Sumit Arora (aerosum) is a software engineer in Cadence Design Systems which makes Electronic Design Automation softwares used for microchip designing.

He is owner of www.indianupside.com (facebook page for Indian Upside) which is a website talking about the brighter side of India.
You can also visit his personal blog aerosum.tumblr.com

Catch him on Social Media: Sumit’s Facebook profile, Sumit’s Twitter