Yes, I want a tablet. No, actually it doesn’t have to be an iPad, though that would certainly be wonderful, but an Internet-enabled tablet is what I think would best suit the things I’d like to do with something not a laptop/netbook and more than a smartphone. Sure I’d love an e-reader, but I know that I’m going to want to do more than just read a book or two on it. I’m going to want to jot some notes, probably sift through my RSS feeds, send a quick email. These are things that I’m not going to be able to do with a Kindle or Sony eReader (which are the only ones I could get my hands on at the moment if I wanted one ASAP). I seems that I’m not the only one who feels this way:
This may come as a surprise to you (although probably not, you smart devil), but it turns out that plenty of people are dissatisfied with their current e-reader options — according to a recent study conducted at the University of Georgia.
link: Study finds people want more from their Kindles, less from their newspapers — Engadget
If you read on, you’ll find the younger crowd (that would be me I hope), want a touch screen and other apps. Older readers missed the comics and crosswords. Okay while I can do without the crossword (I’ve never liked doing them), comics are key. Regardless, the fact of the matter is that a straight eReader using e-ink might be great for reading, but it’s a one-trick-pony in a tech world filled with … multi-trick-multitasking-ponys. That’s just not going to fly, then is it.
There is a barrier to the tablet, however, and that is Internet access. Oh WiFi is easy. A tablet with WiFi is great. The problem is that we haven’t been able to secure the free-ubiquitous WiFi thing yet. Now 3G Internet, that’s almost everywhere. Here in Vancouver the new Canada Line was built with 3G repeaters all along the underground section. I can surf and take calls pretty much without issue. We know, though, that 3G isn’t free.
What this means is that to have a tablet do what we really want it to do, we need to be online all the time. To do that we need 3G to connect to and that will mean another contract and bill. Yeah, that’s not going to go over well.
Maybe what we’ll just have to learn to enjoy are more things that are great offline as well as online while using are really cool and awesome tablets.
Or I should just be happy with my netbook.
I’d like something like a kindle, though maybe not from Amazon! That I could read newspapers papers and the web on, but cannot display animations.
Maybe no animations, but video would be very helpful. We’ll have to see what comes out then.
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