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Author Topic: Tablet PC's  (Read 25655 times)

BJL

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touch-screen mobile device + auxiliary keyboard, case = convertible?
« Reply #20 on: February 23, 2012, 08:51:11 am »

I think Asus and some others have a realistic concept with their convertibles. ... And I'd like to see the two halves sold separately ...

But anyone who thinks a consumption device with piss poor UI's is going to be a do all machine ...
"the two halves sold separately" also sounds like a touch-screen device with optional auxiliary bluetooth keyboard,maybe built into a case that also holds the screen at a convenient viewing angle. These we already see for iPads and Android devices and will surely see for Window 8 touch-screen devices.

"device with piss poor UI" is a good description of all efforts so far to run traditional Windows desktop software on a device with no physical keyboard or external pointing device (mouse, trackpad, Wacom-style tablet). Once it is acknowledged that some tasks need more than touch-screen input, and instead need some of that traditional input hardware, the main question is how well the various OS's will support such accessories. With Apple now getting the great majority of its revenues and profits from iOS devices, I would not assume that Apple will sit by complacently not adding such support to iOS when the market demands it. Bear in mind that iOS is essentially the core of Mac OS X with some API's and device drivers removed, others added, so adding in support for additional external hardware support would be easy enough. Tim Cook has already dismissed the silly argument against cannibalism, saying that he is happy for a new Apple product like the iPad  to take sales from older ones like MacBooks, rather that see competitors products take those sales instead.
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Steve Weldon

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #21 on: February 23, 2012, 08:56:06 am »

You've apparently never used one. While the Kindle Fire is just a consumption device, the iPad is a very useful one. If it were merely a consumption device, companies wouldn't be buying them by the thousands, and sometimes, by the tens of thousands.

I find mine to be quite useful, will apps available for almost everything.
A snarky unnecessary assumption.   A wrong one as well.

Yes, corporate has put ipads and even lesser tablets like the Kindle Fire to use with custom aps from scanning incoming shipments to dispensing medications.. the context of this discussion is their use to a photographer or perhaps extrapolated to the average user where for both it's still basically a consumption device.  And while it might have some productivity uses, it's a subset of capabilities of which a laptop or ultrabook has a much larger subset making them much less of a compromise.

Let's face it, we could make an argument the 3" LCD on the back of your camera is a productivity device and is all you need on the road, or the small screens on the portable hard drives.  But I find someone satisfied with such a low level of function is more an exception than the rule.  A tablet is a step up.  An Ultrabook is a bigger step up.  A complete workstation in hard cases even bigger.  The question is where will the majority of photographers find their comfort spot and overall will tablets have the cultural effect of doing away with books and the like.  I don't think they will and my comfort spot is an ultrabook like device.
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Steve Weldon

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Re: touch-screen mobile device + auxiliary keyboard, case = convertible?
« Reply #22 on: February 23, 2012, 09:00:41 am »

"the two halves sold separately" also sounds like a touch-screen device with optional auxiliary bluetooth keyboard,maybe built into a case that also holds the screen at a convenient viewing angle. These we already see for iPads and Android devices and will surely see for Window 8 touch-screen devices.

Right, these keyboards and stands are the latest marketing push.  A fair number are now available.  But an ipad with one of these devices starts to approach or even exceeds the size/weight/cost of an ultrabook without the full function of an established operating system like Osx or Win and the library of software written for them.   Will a user want to spend that amount and carry that weight/bulk for a few aps.. or for the entire library of Osx or Win software?
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bobtowery

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #23 on: February 23, 2012, 09:28:35 am »

My iPad has become an indispensable accessory to my laptop:

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MarkL

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #24 on: February 23, 2012, 10:35:38 am »

The list of 'Reasons You Need A Tablet PC' were not exactly compelling from a photographic point of view with perhaps the best being the dubious claim of "our photos will look better and weigh less when you show them off on your tablet". Rather than a CNET-esque table of features I'd rather have read about how photographers were using these on location, in the studio and on the road to make their lives easier and shoots go better.
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jjj

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #25 on: February 23, 2012, 11:15:04 am »

My iPad has become an indispensable accessory to my laptop:


Ha, ha!  ;D
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BJL

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Re: touch-screen mobile device + auxiliary keyboard, case = convertible?
« Reply #26 on: February 23, 2012, 11:20:46 am »

Will a user want to spend that amount and carry that weight/bulk for a few aps.. or for the entire library of Osx or Win software?
If the keyboard is only needed sometimes, and/or most computational heavy lifting can be done back at the office on more powerful desktop computer or over the internet to a server-based solution, then the ability to carry just the touch-screen device when they physical keyboard is not needed can be clear win on size, weight, and portability. On the other hand, if money is no object, iPad + lightweight laptop + powerful desktop has clear advantages too.

On software: let us see in a few years what array of software has been developed for or ported to ARM-based mobile devices, be they iPad, Android, or Windows on ARM [WARM]. With Apple, Google, and Microsoft (with Metro) all pushing development for these ARM-based mobile platforms, I expect the choice to become quite good, quite fast. And I suspect that a large proportion of even professional usage would be met by a selection of items from a list of "the top 100 apps used on laptops to do real work". I wonder what people have to add to this minimal wish list:
- web browser
- email client
- document/eBook reader
- document editor (Word, Pages, GoogleDocs connection)
- spreadsheet editor (Excel, Numbers, Google stuff)
- presentation editor (Powerpoint, Keynote, Google stuff)
- note taking, scheduling, project planning, organizers (many options)
- image manipulation software (Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture) [which by some dogmas, no photojournalist should be using anyway!]
- VPN client (the catch-all for almost everything else when you have a good internet connection)

Meanwhile, I will cling to my laptop too!
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Chuck at work

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #27 on: February 23, 2012, 11:30:29 am »

I do the cardreader-laptop-external HD-DVD workflow.  For tablets I've also got an IPad1 and 2 Kindles (a B/W reader and the color Fire).

Guess what I found?  First you need a Data Plan and then ... There are places where there is no cell coverage and no wifi. (duh)

So if I don't pre-load a manual or other document I certainly can't download it "in the field".

cvt
« Last Edit: February 23, 2012, 11:45:47 am by Chuck at work »
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Alan Goldhammer

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #28 on: February 23, 2012, 11:40:52 am »

I don't have a tablet (home office and a desktop PC is all I really need) but this New York Times column really was interesting (you may need to register to access).  More is here.  Looks interesting and pretty cheap but you have to have a 4g connection to make it work.
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JimU

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #29 on: February 23, 2012, 11:52:03 am »

When will tablets start offering HDMI-IN so that you use them as field monitors as well??  Seems like such a simple feature but no one's offering it.
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bobtowery

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #30 on: February 23, 2012, 11:56:18 am »

I do the cardreader-laptop-external HD-DVD workflow.


DVD? If I used that strategy I would have needed 40 DVD's on my last trip. Not very practical. Maybe you have blu-ray? Or you don't need to take a lot of pics to get the winners?  ;D
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Chuck at work

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #31 on: February 23, 2012, 12:32:34 pm »

DVDs are still relatively cheap

Haven't graduated to BL yet ...
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Alan Smallbone

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #32 on: February 23, 2012, 04:13:12 pm »

DVD's are too slow and they are not very durable, one scratch and they are pretty much done. I would much rather have a couple of travel hard drives. But this is all personal preferences.....
and what one's preferences are for a workflow.....

Alan
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bobtowery

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #33 on: February 23, 2012, 05:24:06 pm »

DVD's are too slow and they are not very durable, one scratch and they are pretty much done. I would much rather have a couple of travel hard drives. But this is all personal preferences.....
and what one's preferences are for a workflow.....

Alan

Agreed! Chuck at Work respectfully suggest you check out travel hard drives. USB powered. You can get 250, or 340, or 500 gb that is a fraction of the size of all those dvd's. About 100x faster to use.

Back to the tablet discussion... My dream tablet would let me import my images, and copy them to an external HD or Cloud service if I have wifi. My laptop is nice and small but for a photo trip I'd like an even smaller tablet.
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Adam L

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #34 on: February 23, 2012, 06:00:00 pm »

While I think tablets are important I believe 'cloud enablement' will provide many more benefits.  The real value of a tablet is the hardware form factor and portability.  The rest of a tablet is not much different than a standard computer.   The benefit of moving files to the cloud and using software services will be flexibility in workflow at lower operating cost and time commitment for photographers.   The technologies are almost all in place, including upgrades in wifi upload speeds.  Companies should be investing heavily in cloud, I see so many $$$ opportunities in this space.

In 10 years time tablets will be the equivalent of the razor and the cloud will be the razor blade.
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Steve Weldon

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #35 on: February 23, 2012, 10:37:56 pm »

When will tablets start offering HDMI-IN so that you use them as field monitors as well??  Seems like such a simple feature but no one's offering it.
HDMI-IN for such a device would endeavor to support HD video as well.. which would need more processing power and memory.  Not to mention the sound channels.  Really I'm not sure on this, but I think this is an issue with a tablets limited power.
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spqr

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #36 on: February 23, 2012, 11:15:54 pm »

Hi have an ASUS tablet (amongst about 14 other computers, including servers) and an iPad. My ASUS tablet is a little bulky compared to the iPad, but has a Wacom pressure-sensitive stylus and runs Windows 7 with a full Photoshop CS 5 install. The device also has 2 built-in SD readers and 2 USB ports.  For photo editing on the road, it's pretty hard to beat when you have a full environment, can hook up small USB drives, etc. Not to mention, some photo editing tasks are really nice and easy with a stylus right on the display. Sure, it doesn't compete with my tricked-out desktop at home for performance, but I'm not carting that beast with me when I travel.

Net effect, I might consider my iPad (or a Droid device) for portfolio display, if I was a pro and needed to show the images to clients, but not for photo editing and processing. These devices aren't ready for that and may not be for some time to come.
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douglasf13

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #37 on: February 24, 2012, 01:24:34 am »

I have an iPad (1) which I didn't bother to update to an iPad 2, and I rarely use it at all anymore. Many of its functions I now use on an iPhone, and the photo-oriented functions go to my Mac Air. It's quite possible that the tablets will become as important as Miles says they will, but I also think it possible that further evolution of Air-like computers will slow that advance. When I'm traveling, I need the input functions of a real laptop (the keyboard etc.) You can do that with an iPad, but then you've got all these pieces floating around. Eventually, I think, Airs (or Air-like computers) will have touch screens and, if you wish, phone links. You'll then have a package that includes a keyboard, a variety of ports, compatibility with mainline software packages, etc., in a one-piece package that weighs not much more than an iPad. And when you're out walking around, you carry an intelligent cell phone (You're going to need the phone whether or not you carry an iPad.)

  Agreed.  The tablet that I bought a few months ago sits next to my bed solely for ebook and internet reading, and I rarely use it.  If I need apps on the go, I use my iPhone, and, if I need more, I use my Macbook Air, which runs Lightroom well, can still exhibit photos nicely, and is marginally larger than my tablet.  It's the best computer I've ever purchased.  Tablets just don't add much to my daily life, and I'll probably skip the iPad 3.
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dreed

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #38 on: February 24, 2012, 01:27:41 am »

  Agreed.  The tablet that I bought a few months ago sits next to my bed solely for ebook and internet reading, and I rarely use it.  If I need apps on the go, I use my iPhone, and, if I need more, I use my Macbook Air, which runs Lightroom well, can still exhibit photos nicely, and is marginally larger than my tablet.  It's the best computer I've ever purchased.  Tablets just don't add much to my daily life, and I'll probably skip the iPad 3.

The increase in resolution, to over 3MP on screen, makes the next batch very tempting because that's more megapixels than any of the current laptops that you can buy today. The downside is that because the screens are smaller, there will be more megapixels and smaller megapixels - just like new cameras :)
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OldRoy

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Re: Tablet PC's
« Reply #39 on: February 24, 2012, 04:52:54 am »

"Paper books are history"
Well, maybe.

Back in the early 80s I used to make corporate films for a computer company called "Wang". At the time this company was rated (by "Fortune" as best I recall) to be one of only three computer manufacturers likely to survive in the market. IBM was another. One of Wang's key slogans and central marketing proposition was "The Paperless Office". I don't recall anyone questioning the underlying assumption.

Been in an office recently?
Roy
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