What computing device is right for you?

You could be forgiven for thinking technology is moving along faster than you can keep up - iPhones, iPads, lap tops, desk tops, tablets, phablets.  Sometimes it can be hard to know what you should own and it can be hard to know what device is right for you.  In this blog my intention is to offer you some advice and opinions on what device is right for you.

Desktop
A desktop computer is probably most suitable for those of you who don't need to take your computer out and who don't need portability.  Despite lap tops and tablets or iPads selling higher quantities than desktops which have steadily declined in the last few years dew to the availability of new technology.  Figures are hard to find but data and research shows that PC sales are down more than 10%. 

However, just because PC sales are down doesn't mean you shouldn't have one.  It depends on your needs.  If you work in an office environment then a desktop could be right for you because they offer more storage and functionality than lap tops or iPads and other tablets.  The biggest tablet only had 128GB worth of data and costs approximately the same as a desktop computer.  If you write a lot of documents or use design suites like Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Pro then a desktop may be best for you.

Lap top
A lap top is highly portable and Apple's new MacBook Air and MacBook Pros are lighter than other other lap tops on the market.  This makes portability much easier.  The only downside to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro is that they do not come with a pre-installed DVD drive but you can purchase one of these for $99AUD from the Apple store.  Apple removed the DVD drive as people move away from disks to digital data and presumably to cut down on weight and make the device lighter.  A lap top is good for those who don't have a fixed office location and for those who want to take their lap top with them on trips or to meetings.  The lap top is good if you write a lot.  Writing is possible on tablets and iPads however it becomes tough after a while and these devices have limited functionality.

A lap top is also suitable for someone who does a lot of web browsing and requires more storage than what tablets and iPads do, and unlike iPads you can upgrade your data storage from the "off the rack" pre determined about by paying approximately $200AUD in the case of Apple.  You may not need to upgrade your storage though because of the Apple and Windows clouds which you can pay an annual subscription to use.  In many ways this is better than if you were to store files on your computer because when you upgrade you don't have to worry about losing the data and transferring it over is much simpler.

iPad/Other tablets
It appears as if everyone has been sucked into the hype surrounding tablets and believes they need one,  The reality is much different.  As I've previously mentioned, tablets have limited functionality and while you can type for a short amount of time, its not practical to type for extended periods and this is where a PC/Mac Desktop or lap top will always win out.

Tablets are good for editing photos and movies and can be good for browsing the internet on a short term basis however anything longer and you're best to get a lap top.  The other advantage of a tablet is that they are significantly more portable than a lap top and lighter so easier to carry.  Tablets have longer lasting batteries but they have limited storage as previously highlighted.

Smartphone/iPhone
The latest iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is more of a cross between a phone and a tablet, a phablet, due to its bigger screen and increased data storage capabilities.  The lastest iPhone is very easy to use and has excellent battery life.  I'm a high user and it's so nice to only need to charge it once or twice a day or an hour if I'm out and about and cant charge it for longer than that

The new iPhone has been designed to rival tablets and computers.  It's been designed in such a way that watching videos, recording videos and taking photographs, doing your banking, email and other tasks is much more enjoyable.  If you have a new iPhone it actually removes the need for a tablet because the functions are similar however you have the added bonus of being able to make phone calls, which you can't do on an iPad unless you use FaceTime, but that is only compatible with other Apple iPhone users.

The bottom line is, there are so many technological options and it can be hard to know which is right for you.  If you are out and about and have an iPhone then chances are you don't actually need an iPad.  Given the performance and functionality of lap tops and desktops, if you have a smartphone you're best sticking with the older technology rather than having an additional device.  It doesn't make sense to have a traditional Mac or PC computer, a tablet and a smart phone.  If you want portability and own a smartphone then a lap top is your best option.

As a random aside, IBM actually invested the first touch screen smartphone, but that was back in 1994.  It was called the IBM Simon and was effectively the first version of what we know as a smartphone today, however due to poor internet and low market adoption it was only on the market for six months before being discontinued after 50,000 sales.  It was black and white and a brick compared to the phones and tablets we see today.