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| Figure 1. Photo of a Nexus 7 with a keyboard case. Be honest: Would you want to type an entire research paper on this tiny thing? |
While the latter may be true, I'm going to go ahead and put this out there: A tablet is not a replacement for a laptop.
Think of it this way: Would you type an eight-page essay on a 7-inch tablet – even a tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard? Would you search Valdosta's databases and do other in-depth research projects on a tablet? And what about Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, and all your other favorite programs? Are you willing to let go of them – or use smaller app-store replacements with fewer features – forever?
I'm not the first person to notice that a tablet isn't the ultimate laptop killer. Consumer Reports (2011) points out that while the less-bulky tablet works great for reading magazines, watching movies, and playing games, a laptop excels when it comes to business activities, transferring data, and typing long documents. Check out the full (and cheesy) video here:
Additionally, Pew Research Center (2013) reports that 61% of American adults owned laptops as of April 2012, up from 57% in August 2011. Even though laptops aren't experiencing the swift, sharp boom in popularity that tablets have in recent years, laptops are still more common – for now.
At any rate, don't throw out your laptops just yet, librarians (and librarians-to-be). Trust me on this one.
References
Consumer Reports. (2011, October 31). Tablet vs. laptop: Advice from Consumer Reports [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvJZDel95WU
Pew Research Center. (2013). Device ownership. Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Trend-Data-%28Adults%29/Device-Ownership.aspx
Your blog post is interesting but at the same time it makes me feel abnormal.
ReplyDeleteI do a majority of my research and typing of papers on my...cell phone. I will admit it is awkward and I do switch to my laptop to work on Word, etc. So I see your point. But at the same time when doing my research, on my cell phone, I will wish that I had a tablet - just so the screen could be bigger. XD
Samantha
You are a braver woman than I! :)
DeleteI completely agree with you, Michelle. I can't imagine writing a paper on a tablet--the touch screen, the tiny screen (especially if you want to look at two documents at once). It makes the already unpleasant experience of writing a research paper even more unpleasant.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think that tablet designers know this about their products. Why else would they make tablet stands and keyboards if not to make a tablet look more like a traditional computer?
I don't see tablets taking over the world yet, either. Let's cross our fingers.
It finally happened. I was in a meeting at work a couple of months ago, and I was the only person to not pull out a tablet. I knew the day would come! My boyfriend then gave me a Kindle for my birthday and I have to say, I love it! It's great as an e-reader and for accessing data. The screen is large enough and I don't mind working with the touchscreen keyboard.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when it comes to creating documents (such as our beloved research papers) I actually prefer my desktop setup with two monitors. This is especially true when I'm trying to view multiple windows or do any cutting and pasting.
It also seems that many libraries do not offer e-books that are in a format compatible to the Kindle, which is disappointing. This has at least been the case for my local libraries.
My library experiences a lot of compatibility issues with e-books, as well. While most of ours are compatible with Kindles, sometimes patrons come in with off-brand e-readers whose devices don't support our e-book collection, which can be frustrating. I think e-reader sellers should be more upfront about which programs their devices will support so that people don't buy one thinking that they'll be able to access all the e-books that are out there.
DeleteMy library recently began using 3M as its e-book provider, and as of today, patrons wanting to check out those e-books have to check out a special 3M reader because no other device supports them. Kind of defeats the purpose of e-books, doesn't it?
I knew it....the tablet is just a toy! At least for now.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that really freaks me out about using tablets is how dirty the touch screen gets. One time I was in a class where the professor brought in her I-pad to show us a painting that had to do with our readings. She passed it around the table so everyone could have a chance to look at the painting in detail and by the time it got to me, the screen was just covered in fingerprints.
It'll be interesting to see how tablets evolve over time, though, and if they will ever become a viable substitute for laptops.
Haha. Now, don't get me wrong: I love my tablet! I just think of it as a supplement to a traditional laptop or desktop computer -- not a replacement. I do use my tablet at work at lot (for taking notes at meetings, keeping up with emails when I'm away from my computer, etc). Though it really is a lot of fun for movies and games... :P
DeleteAnd I agree about the fingerprint thing. I use a stylus most of the time for that very reason. We have a couple of "communal" iPads at work and they look like someone has covered them in Vaseline or something. Pretty gross! I use that microfiber cleaning cloth every chance I get!
I have NEVER thought about replacing my laptop with my tablet. I think of my tablet as something to just play around with such as watching Youtube videos, playing games or checking Facebook. I have never tried to do work on it. I will do a little research on it, especially if I'm watching tv and want to know more about something or someone.
ReplyDelete