Are we entering the tablet revolution? May 28th '10

Apple have now officially released the iPad in the UK and around the World. The iPad has been described as a tablet and it is hinted that this is the start of a series of tablets being released in the next few months. What is a tablet and do with need yet another device in our lives?

What is a tablet?

A tablet has been described as a ‘netbook killer’. They are designed to replace the traditional netbook (a low powered, cheaper laptop). Tablets aren’t new, Apple released a graphics tablet back in 1979 and many tablets have been released since. Only now, with ubiquitous Internet access and App Stores available where we can download the latest and greatest application, are tablets able to show their full potential.

Do we need another device?

Some of you may be thinking that we don’t need yet another device when our modern phones already do a load of things already. I do agree with you to an extent, the tablet idea isn’t new and it doesn’t directly bring anything new to the table in terms of functionality. What it does though is provide a new platform for application and web developers to work on. This may not sound exciting however it is, trust me. A tablet may eventually replace (for most people) the daily newspaper. Your tablet will automatically have the daily news on it when you wake up in the morning, no fuss. The tablet allows people to consume media even quicker than before, reading books, listening to music, watching films and catching up on news all from one device.

The alternatives

As touched on previously, the alternatives are netbooks and modern mobile phones. I will be honest, I was tempted by a netbook some months ago however now with the launch of the modern tablets there is now only one choice. For you, however, it may be different. It all depends on what you need it for. If you want to do a lot of word processing than maybe the current crop of tablets aren’t for you.

Every morning when I wake up I always check my phone, checking up on any latest news and also my Twitter feed. This works well and means I only have to carry around one device which is small enough to fit in my pocket.

In conclusion

With the recent rise of the Internet and the power it now has I can’t see that tablets WON’T be a huge part of daily life in the future. The ability to replace a lot of ‘old technology’ with modern technology is just too good an offer to pass up. How do you see tablets in the future?

Written by Oliver Culverhouse

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