Once upon a time our phones were becoming more computer like. We deemed them “smart phones”, complete with drop down menus and pocket versions of your Office Apps. Blackberries and Windows mobile took off and then came the iPhone.
Today it seems that our computers are becoming more like our smart phones. Windows 8 will have the same interface as its Mobile Brother (Windows Mobile 8), and Mountain Lion will sync to the iCloud as if it were your iPad/iPhone. Furthermore, mobile applications such as iMessage and Game Center will be part of Mountain Lion.
Question: Will the line between computers and smart phones/tablets disappear?
I think eventually we will all be using tablet-like devices instead of the more traditional desktop models. Given that many lines are already being blurred, I imagine the mouse will be a thing of the past within the next 10 years. I think touch screen technology will soon be the norm, no matter the device.
I certainly believe the line between laptop/tablet and smartphone is fading and look forward to migrating to one high-powered tablet-style device for my business and personal needs.
I haven’t used a desktop in so long I couldn’t really tell you! However, I have seen the new Windows interface and its definitely going after the look and feel of Windows Phone 7. I don’t know if I’ll like it, I’m getting too old for drastic change.
Absolutely. In fact, I’ve heard someone suggest that it goes even further and that devices will more and more become….like paper! In other words, super thin and less expensive “screens” will be ubiquitous and able to be set up virtually everywhere. Amazing.
I think proprietary operating systems will become more and more similar across platforms simply because it makes sense in providing a more complete user experience, not to mention it costs significantly less money to develop one singular, responsive os than a whole bunch. So yes, it definitely seems things are headed that way. As for hardware though, while mobile devices might be enough for a significant chunk of the population, I really don’t think laptops or even the desktop are going away anytime soon. That’s not to say they won’t evolve, even significantly, but they’re not going to be replaced. I can see myself perhaps eating these words in the future, but smart phones and tablets will never be serious production machines. Don’t get me wrong, I have them all, love them, and use them for all types of stuff, but as long as there is a need to produce and create on a professional level, the world will need more than just a handheld device.
I think that the desktop and tablet/smart phones will converge into one platform.
More and more work related communication and collaboration will shift to mobile devices in order to take advantage of not just the portability but the unique interactive potential of mobile platforms. The new devices have the potential for becoming embedded in work in ways we are just beginning to understand. I think we shortchange the utility of mobile platforms if we don’t consider that they have the potential for significantly changing how work is done. I’m exploring this in a series of posts based on my own project management and collaboration experience, most recently here: “Ten Requirements for a Mobile Collaborative Project Management App” https://www.govloop.com/profiles/blogs/ten-requirements-for-a-mobile-collaborative-project-management
@ Dennis, I agree with you. The mobile platform will change the way we work
To Jeff’s comment – In thinking about the interactivity between devices, there are huge benefits to having cohesive operating systems across devices. If each device did not serve a unique function though, it would not be a savvy business strategy to move in this direction.
Taking it back to stone-age technology, it reminds me of the market for writing pads. You’ve got your legal pads, your tablets, your post-its… at the end of the day it’s all paper, but sometimes size does matter.