Is the PC on it's way out?

[ledboots]

My son tells me that the Debbie version of linux has been used on phones successfully for a few years. He apparently offered to put it on one of my previous android phones, and I didn't want to void my warranty, so I said no. I still say no, I like my phone.

 

[Second Summer]

That depends on how graphic-intense games will be in the future.

If small computers like laptops and tablets will be powerful, just imagine the stuff that you can do with the increased space inside a desktop computer.

If people thought like that, computers would still take up a whole room

But even assuming phones get as powerful as PC, why would you want to play a game (the type that's traditionally played on a PC) on a tiny screen?

You wouldn't. You'd connect it to a fat-*** TV or your VR helmet or some such device.

 

[beancounter]

You wouldn't. You'd connect it to a fat-*** TV or your VR helmet or some such device.

Then you might as well stick with a laptop. Far more versitile and portable too.

 

[Envy]

If people thought like that, computers would still take up a whole room

And yet personal computers are as large as , if not more, than they were 15 or 20 years ago.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

Then you might as well stick with a laptop. Far more versitile and portable too.

YOU might be better off with a laptop, but I'm not.

 

[ledboots]

And yet personal computers are as large as , if not more, than they were 15 or 20 years ago.

Because of the huge FANS you gamers need...

 

[beancounter]

YOU might be better off with a laptop, but I'm not.

My response was specific to gaming.

 

[yakherder]

Way back (okay only like 10 years ago, I guess I'm not as old as I feel) when I did crypto in the Navy, we had plenty of computers that took up entire rooms. Despite advances in miniaturization, even to this day the larger the computer the more power you can jam into it.

 

[FortyTwo]

Out with the PC, in with the interstellar transhumanistic collective consciousness!

 

[Lord Snot]

Not in business, there are so many reasons that a PC is better than even a laptop. I use a netbook for meetings since it's impractical to carry my PC in there but it drives me mad with the small keys, small screen, small mouse pad and I'm always happy to get back to my desk.

At home I have a laptop which is fine, since all I use it for is internet browsing and single player games. I still miss a proper mouse sometimes though.

I hate doing anything on a smartphone, I find it really slow and frustrating. I doubt I will adapt to it and I'll always prefer a much bigger screen.

 

[beancounter]

Out with the PC, in with the interstellar transhumanistic collective consciousness!

Resistance is futile. you will be assimilated.

 

[PTree15]

I can't imagine doing my job on an iPad. I need a keyboard and a good-size monitor, so I think for business, the PC isn't going away any time soon. That said, at home I use a laptop and my iPad. I haven't had a desktop PC in years because it took up too much room. I also like the portability of a laptop, though now I mostly take my iPad everywhere. I can watch movies on a plane and such and still could do work on it if I needed to. I prefer a full keyboard, though, for anything work-related.

 

[Second Summer]

You may have a point there that remains valid at least for a while yet. However, just a few days ago I heard about the Steam Box:

http://www.polygon.com/2013/1/7/3849284/piston-valve-steam-box-xi3
As you can see from the picture, it really is quite small. (And it runs Linux!) So if this is a sign of things to come, it's not inconceivable that even real gaming computers will one day shrink to the size of a mobile phone.

Just came across a video with Nixie Pixel at the CES interviewing the Xi3 chief marketing officer David Politis (same guy as in the article above):

 

[SummerRain]

At the moment I only have a PC, but I think if I could pick I'd have either a PC or laptop and a smart phone. For me tablets are an in-between that just wouldn't be useful to me. Laptops are great, but I'm pretty clumsy and I think I tend to break laptops quicker than your average user.

I think in a work environment, in the near future at least, PC's are going to stay. You need either a PC or laptop for things already mentioned, and PCs are cheaper/easier to fix plus you can have wide and also multiple screens which can be really useful. Most offices I've been in many people have two or three screens for their computer. Plus in an office environment portability isn't really an issue, and it's not too expensive to also have a laptop/tablet/smart phone to check emails and do work on the go.

I think the in home environment they will start to disappear though, your average user can do everything they want on a tablet/laptop.

 

[das_nut]

PC's are going to stay. You need either a PC or laptop for things already mentioned, and PCs are cheaper/easier to fix plus you can have wide and also multiple screens which can be really useful.

Laptops in a dock can have multiple screens very easily.

 

[beancounter]

Laptops in a dock can have multiple screens very easily.

Laptops fall under the broad category of PC's. The arguement is essentially desktop/laptop vs. phone/tablet.

 

[Second Summer]

Laptops fall under the broad category of PC's. The arguement is essentially desktop/laptop vs. phone/tablet.

Tablets and phones can dock as well.

 

[beancounter]

Tablets and phones can dock as well.

But where going full circle with the arguement because if you dock them and add a keyboard and monitor, you are reinventing the laptop.

 

[Second Summer]

But where going full circle with the arguement because if you dock them and add a keyboard and monitor, you are reinventing the laptop.

No, because
1) Tablets and smartphones are in themselves smaller and easier to travel with than laptops.
2) You don't need the peripheral devices (keyboard, monitor(s)) when you're on the go. What you want to bring with you is your data, software, and OS. In the brave new world you can dock your tablet or smartphone in your car, on the back of the seat in front of you on an airplane, or on the train, or in your hotel room, or at your friend's house and so on.

 

[beancounter]

No, because
1) Tablets and smartphones are in themselves smaller and easier to travel with than laptops.
2) You don't need the peripheral devices (keyboard, monitor(s)) when you're on the go. What you want to bring with you is your data, software, and OS. In the brave new world you can dock your tablet or smartphone in your car, on the back of the seat in front of you on an airplane, or on the train, or in your hotel room, or at your friend's house and so on.

If you can carry a pocketbook or a backpack, the weight of a laptop is a non issue. Besides you can carry extra stuff in the laptop case like a smart phone, a tablet, or even paper docs. It may be a brave new world, but we're not paperless yet.

And besides "Brave new world" was a dystopia, so it's strange you would want to associate that book with something you view as positive.

Also you're assuming that any and all locations you need to visit will have spare peripherals just waiting for you to use them. I don't think we're there yet...