During the iPad introduction, Steve Jobs emphasized that Apple is a “Mobile Devices Company.” Apple’s laptops and iPhones far outsell their desktop computers. Apple bought LaLa, and new rumors predict iTunes’ streaming movies and content over the network.
Jumping on the bandwagon, Google’s John Herlihy says that desktops will be irrelevant in three years. Everyone is jockeying for position in the new mobile cloud-based world order.
Gartner predicts that Notebooks and iPad like tablets will make up 70% of computers in just 2 years.
When companies like Apple and Google re-brand themselves as Mobile Devices Companies the prospects for desktops dim a bit.
Having just given up one of the all time best desktop systems available, I tend to agree. The combination of a fast Mac Pro and the 30 inch Apple Cinema Display were awesome. But now, I’m using the MacBook Air exclusively and couldn’t be happier. I’ll grant you that it’s hard to beat Aperture on the 30 inch monitor. But, 90% of the time the laptop works as well or even better than a big honking desktop.
So, where does the iPad fit in if you already have a notebook and an iPhone?
The iPhone is my constant companion, it’s never more than a few feet away. It’s all about communication, about staying in touch with voice, text, email, Skype, Twitter and Facebook.
I see the iPad as a content consuming device. It will be great for browsing the web, E-mail, reading a book, a newspaper, or a magazine. Potentially even better than the best notebook or desktop. I can’t see carrying the iPad everywhere with me. It’s what I’ll pick up to read the paper, or a book. It will be my iTunes controller on the sofa. I can see sharing it with my wife. It is the computer for the living room or kitchen.
The notebook will be a better content creation device. With a built in physical keyboard it should be much better at word processing than the iPad. With more onboard storage , a higher res screen, and a multitouch trackpad the notebook rocks at photo editing.
Remember, it’s not about features. It’s about how well the tool you have does the job you need to do.
These are exciting times. It’s a chance to remake the human-computer interface. A chance to do away with the desktop metaphor and the mouse. Getting the operating system out of the way and below the surface.. A chance to pick the right tool for the job from a wide variety of devices.
