One of the great things about the way technology keeps evolving is that there are no hard and fast rules. The speed at which things are moving nowadays goes far beyond customer driven demand and seems to hinge more on how each manufacturer can bring out the next game changing device.
Obviously since the year 2000 there have been more upheavals than ever before in terms of the sheer number of different electronic devices on the market. Digital cameras changed the face of the photographic industry, the explosion of MP3 players foreshadowed the smartphone revolution and now tablets have been added to the mix.
While all this was going on the humble laptop kept pace, becoming more powerful and more compact with each new generation. So, as things stand today, which device is the right one for you and your mobile computing needs?
Smartphone
There is no getting away from the fact that smartphones have changed the way we interact with each other and with other technology in a fundamental way. Essentially a powerful pocket computer, the range of devices now on the market seem to have a model for everyone; whether you want a large display, touchscreen, full qwerty keypad, high spec camera or powerful processor.
Although smartphones are highly capable devices, there is a limitation to their screen sizes. As various models introduce even larger screens, the lines between what is a phone and what is actually a small tablet continue to blur – with the development of the aptly named phablet.
Laptop
The clamshell form of the laptop has been around for quite a while now and remains basically unchanged. Although there are various models which feature detachable or rotating screens, some with touch capabilities, the basic idea is one that has been tried and tested for years.
The presence of a full size physical keyboard is what separates a laptop from the other devices here, and as manufacturers such as Toshiba continue to up the ante with specifications and the quality of components there really seems to be plenty of life left in them.
Tablet
The newest kid on the block is the tablet, cruelly described by some as an oversized smartphone but loved by others for the additional functionality that a bigger touchscreen brings.
Once you take away the ‘newness’ appeal factor, tablets are still somewhat lacking in areas such as storage and even connectivity options on some of the lower end models. Ultimately deciding on which one of the three is right for you comes down to personal preference and the type of use you intend to put the device through.
