RIM says tablets will relegate smartphones to 'pure communications'

I just saw this article posted on techradar and wanted to share it with everybody, and hear your opinions. I have to disagree with Bates, due to the fact that I can't remember the last time technology has taken a step back from where it is currently. I understand his terminology is referencing the phones of just text and calls, but I feel that phones and devices are only going to get more interactive. I kind of have to opposite feeling toward tablets. I feel like they are something that is nice to have and enjoy, but phone technology will only advance, and one day make tablets obsolete. I currently own a BB and an ipad, and my ipad is fun and enjoyable but I don't see myself using it above my BB for everyday use. My BB is easier and quicker to access than carrying my ipad around on a daily basis. I just feel wit all of the advances in the past 2 years, people are just going to want more and more. Where does everyone else stand on the latest statements?

RIM says tablets will relegate smartphones to 'pure communications' | News | TechRadar UK

I don't see myself with a playbook in my pocket.

I posted something similar to this about a week ago. The way I currently am I use my phone constantly for email, phone calls, sms and bbm. I don't live with a charger plugged into my phone. So I never waste battery life on games. And honestly rarely browse when I am away from a power source.

Once I get my PlayBook I will have a secondary device which doesn't really matter if its battery dies before I make it to a plug. I can definetly see myself keeping the Bold touch on 6.1 for a very long time and using it just for communication. When I'm bored I'll have the PlayBook for enterainment.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

They make some good points there, particularly that tablets will be better suited as media devices than phones. But then, I never did think that anything that can fit in your pants pocket is all that well suited as media a device anyway. As Joe suggests above, most people will not be carrying tablets around in their pockets, and there will always be some kind of a need for truly mobile 'smart' features beyond communications. That may very well reduce the reliance on phones for media and browsing, but I don't see that need ever going away entirely.

Interesting claims about BB users and social networking sites in this article as well. I'd be really curious to see how accurate they are.

I think RIM may be right. For phone calls, watching my email, and messaging, I want something small and light that can fit into my shirt pocket. That's why I carry a 9700. I've had three Androids (and have one still that I use mostly as one would use a tablet). The high end Androids are just too big for me to carry around, and too small for real work or comfortable media. I end up going back to my netbook for a lot of things. I can see tablets, once they mature, replacing my netbook. I can see using my phone for my regular on-the-go communications, and pulling out a mature tablet for other things. It will be interesting to see how tablets mature as software for them gets more sophisticated. Will people stick with their tiny screens when some killer apps are available only on tablet sized devices? We'll see.

I agree with the previous few posts, that media such as movies and shows will be better viewed on tablets. I have never used my phone to try to view many videos, and the size of the tablet is definately better suited toward this application, but I still prefer the ease of access to the web on my BB. I like that I can just pull my phone out at any time and get the information that I need. I guess my original point should of stated, that I believe RIM is half right. Tablets will be better in viewing media and more than likely games, but I have never been one for games and watching a lot of movies anyway. My phone will always be my quick access to the web, but I do see the advantage of tablets in other markets.

A tablet will NEVER become my media device. My smartphone comes with me everywhere. I have absolutely no interest in a tablet.

Originally Posted by avt123

A tablet will NEVER become my media device. My smartphone comes with me everywhere. I have absolutely no interest in a tablet.

Same here. I've been reading all about tablets trying to understand the draw in them. I just don't see the need. If there is something I cannot do on my BlackBerry, I have my laptop. And my Laptop was cheaper than a tablet.

Originally Posted by valorian

Same here. I've been reading all about tablets trying to understand the draw in them. I just don't see the need. If there is something I cannot do on my BlackBerry, I have my laptop. And my Laptop was cheaper than a tablet.

And it can do a **** of a lot more.

I can see the interest in tablets, but I think it will only target certain types of people and people who can really get great use out of them. I highly doubt we will see tons of people walking down the street with a tablet in their hands any time soon.

Originally Posted by avt123

And it can do a **** of a lot more.

I can see the interest in tablets, but I think it will only target certain types of people and people who can really get great use out of them. I highly doubt we will see tons of people walking down the street with a tablet in their hands any time soon.

:D It's bad enough they're walking down the street with their phones and BT headsets permanently affixed to their ears as it is!

I think a lot of people are going to get tablets because they're the latest fad, and some portion of them that remains to be seen will actually get some productive use out of them. But, just like do-everything, bleeding-edge-tech cell phones, they're not for everybody.

I do not have a laptop, but I'm thinking of several uses for myself for which a tablet would be better suited than a laptop. I already have a Mac desktop, I don't want a laptop as my primary computer, and don't want to pay that kind of $$$ for what would basically be a redundant device in a MacBook. I've also come to loathe Windows, so I don't want a netbook. I've used my wife's iPad, and for the most part I really don't like it (I actually prefer browsing on my Torch, if you can believe that). So all that being considered, I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the PlayBook, and I can see it taking at least some browsing duties away from my phone while adding a few new activities to my mobile repertoire that I just don't find a phone suitable for.

no tablets are just part of the natural evolution over the last 15 years.

heavy laptops--> light laptops --> netbooks --> air books -->iPad -->Android , QNX, Windows tablets --> nothing

some day we won't need to carry around anything other than a smartphone. it will project a hologram that we can interface to or we will dock our smartphone into a ubiquitous 'terminal'

Originally Posted by 18to12fitty

:D It's bad enough they're walking down the street with their phones and BT headsets permanently affixed to their ears as it is!

I think a lot of people are going to get tablets because they're the latest fad, and some portion of them that remains to be seen will actually get some productive use out of them. But, just like do-everything, bleeding-edge-tech cell phones, they're not for everybody.

I do not have a laptop, but I'm thinking of several uses for myself for which a tablet would be better suited than a laptop. I already have a Mac desktop, I don't want a laptop as my primary computer, and don't want to pay that kind of $$$ for what would basically be a redundant device in a MacBook. I've also come to loathe Windows, so I don't want a netbook. I've used my wife's iPad, and for the most part I really don't like it (I actually prefer browsing on my Torch, if you can believe that). So all that being considered, I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the PlayBook, and I can see it taking at least some browsing duties away from my phone while adding a few new activities to my mobile repertoire that I just don't find a phone suitable for.

Yea people walking around looking like they are talking to themselves is weird enough. lol :)

That is understandable. I really just do not see tablets becoming that huge for the general consumer population any time soon. Everyone I know with an iPad leaves it at home. Only 2 people I know have the 3G version, and they are business users.

I think the tablets are a niche product (data versions at least). I really can not picture people walking around with tablets in their hands when their smartphones can do the exact same thing (not BBs for now). I can see people pulling out tablets for their jobs or for personal use at the house.

I don't understand the tablet thing. They are more expensive than better equiped lap tops and do far less. I bought an Asus with a core I3, 4 gigs ram (upgradeable to 8) and a 120 gig HD (which I can always swap in a SSD), a DVD player, and a 15.6 inch screen for $400. It's fast has WIN7 64 Home Premium, Office 2010, and can easily tether to any device I want/have or free wifi.

What does $400 worth of tablet get me? Nothing. I would have to spend 2X that and be locked to a carrier with monthly payments and far less specs and ability. NO DEAL. Sorry - I don't get it. If tablets were $2-300, and not carrier locked (sort of an alternative to a netbook) I might understand, touch interface is nice, a thin slab vs. scaled down net book.... But for what the manufacturers are offering, vs what they are delivering - - well it just seems like there are a whole lot of mindless zombies consuming.

they arent locked to carriers, they dont weigh 5 lbs i think is a big reason. i didnt want one at first either but i have traveled a bit more for work/pleasure this year and sometimes i dont want to have to take my 15" laptop with charger when i got on a short 1-3 day trip somewhere. especially when i basically just want it for some email or webrowsing. Maybe some picture editing and facebook. this is where i really see having the tab would be nice. its small and lightweight and easy to grap to take with me even without a charger sometimes if i can get 8+ hours of straight use

Originally Posted by howarmat

they arent locked to carriers, they dont weigh 5 lbs i think is a big reason. i didnt want one at first either but i have traveled a bit more for work/pleasure this year and sometimes i dont want to have to take my 15" laptop with charger when i got on a short 1-3 day trip somewhere. especially when i basically just want it for some email or webrowsing. Maybe some picture editing and facebook. this is where i really see having the tab would be nice. its small and lightweight and easy to grap to take with me even without a charger sometimes if i can get 8+ hours of straight use

I agree with this. I have my laptop through work that I use for personal and work. I don't want to buy another laptop for just personal use and I want something very light and easy to use when traveling. I agree with the arguments against it but the portability is important to me which is also why I am only interested in the 7 inch tablets. But that being said I still expect to be able to use my phone for many of the same things and I have no interest in going back to a less capable phone.

Originally Posted by howarmat

they arent locked to carriers, they dont weigh 5 lbs i think is a big reason. i didnt want one at first either but i have traveled a bit more for work/pleasure this year and sometimes i dont want to have to take my 15" laptop with charger when i got on a short 1-3 day trip somewhere. especially when i basically just want it for some email or webrowsing. Maybe some picture editing and facebook. this is where i really see having the tab would be nice. its small and lightweight and easy to grap to take with me even without a charger sometimes if i can get 8+ hours of straight use

I agree. This is niche use though. The way RIM makes it sound every time they talk about how the tablet is the future and the smartphone is just communication, is that everyone will be walking down the street browsing the web on their tablet, listening to music from their tablet and other media capabilities. I just do not see this. Who the **** wants to walk around the street with a 7-10 inch screen and then carry a case/ hope they have pockets big enough to conceal it, unless they plan on holding it in their hands the whole time.

IMO tablets will NEVER replace the smartphone when it comes to day to day mobile media capabilities. Smartphones are WAY more convenient.

Originally Posted by avt123

I agree. This is niche use though. The way RIM makes it sound every time they talk about how the tablet is the future and the smartphone is just communication, is that everyone will be walking down the street browsing the web on their tablet, listening to music from their tablet and other media capabilities. I just do not see this. Who the **** wants to walk around the street with a 7-10 inch screen and then carry a case/ hope they have pockets big enough to conceal it, unless they plan on holding it in their hands the whole time.

IMO tablets will NEVER replace the smartphone when it comes to day to day mobile media capabilities. Smartphones are WAY more convenient.

exactly...that is kinda what i have gotten from RIM too. Instead of making a phone that can stack up to the competition they, for now, are offloading these tasks to a tablet to "enhance" the experience and selling the phone/tab package as the better option. I want my smartphone to handle as much as it can. In a year, RIMs BB will hopefully be at that level.

Originally Posted by howarmat

exactly...that is kinda what i have gotten from RIM too. Instead of making a phone that can stack up to the competition they, for now, are offloading these tasks to a tablet to "enhance" the experience and selling the phone/tab package as the better option. I want my smartphone to handle as much as it can. In a year, RIMs BB will hopefully be at that level.

Yea it is kind of odd. It makes me wonder what they are going to say when they put QNX on smartphones. Are they going to say "hey, now it's ok for you to use your smartphone for everything again", or are they going to halfass the smartphone features. I highly doubt they will do the latter, but then they will have to change their marketing up a little bit and their CEOs will most likely have to change their stance once again.

"Hey, buy our smartphones which have the exact same capabilities as our PlayBook, but buy the PlayBook as well because you want a better media experience."

When it comes to media, a bigger screen doesn't change the way you listen to music, it is only beneficial to playing games, watching movies and reading/browsing the web. All of which will most likely be done when you are stationary because the screen and device is that much bigger.

I've seen a few people walking down the street using their iPad, Gtabs. Everyone passing buy them looked at them like they were insane. Smartphones are the true mobile machines IMO.

What would be awesome, would be the ability to have a thin, seamless, folding touch screen on a pc about the size of a current phone. Best of all worlds :D Anybody working on that?

I kinda like the idea of a tablet linked to a BB. If you could use the tablet like big BB and just keep the phone in our pocket/bag, that would give you choices as to how you want ot use it on the go. Take the phone only, tablet only or both tethered together. Or sometimes take the laptop instead.

Originally Posted by timberdc

What would be awesome, would be the ability to have a thin, seamless, folding touch screen on a pc about the size of a current phone. Best of all worlds :D Anybody working on that?

I believe Sony and Samsung have already developed rollable/foldable LED screens. It wont be long because you can fold up your screen into a phone sized device and then unfold it into a tablet. :D

Originally Posted by avt123

I believe Sony and Samsung have already developed rollable/foldable LED screens. It wont be long because you can fold up your screen into a phone sized device and then unfold it into a tablet. :D

That's what I'm talking about! If this can be achieved in some way, I would be all over it!

Originally Posted by howarmat

exactly...that is kinda what i have gotten from RIM too. Instead of making a phone that can stack up to the competition they, for now, are offloading these tasks to a tablet to "enhance" the experience and selling the phone/tab package as the better option. I want my smartphone to handle as much as it can. In a year, RIMs BB will hopefully be at that level.

I think this is where folks like you and folks like me differ so vastly. There are some things I just don't want to even bother trying to do on my phone. Browsing full web sites (I'm quite content with the mobile-optimized versions), reading ebooks, watching a whole 2-hour movie in hi-def, or indulging in epic, full-immersion 3D games are among the top of that list. For me, no mobile phone form factor can make these things worthwhile, so why even try (or perhaps more to the point, why desire a device that can do things I have no intention of doing with it). For me, once a device gets to a size where it does comfortably accommodate those activities, you're into tablet territory.

For folks like you, there are other devices that are better suited to those activities. I do understand how you'd be disappointed if you're a BB fan and want that capability. Maybe future BB's will have those capabilities, or maybe you'll have to concede the fact that a BB just isn't the right device for all the things you demand out of your cell phone. (By the same token, if some other manufacturer comes out with a landscape-oriented slider that's as reliable, functional and user-friendly as my BB's have been, I'd jump ship in a heartbeat, because that device would be preferable to me given how I use my phone. But that hasn't happened yet, so I'll just patiently wait until RIM comes around to my way of thinking. ;) )

I am not trying in any way to suggest that either camp is correct, or that there are more and less appropriate uses of these devices. I mean, some manufacturers are designing this functionality into phones because they obviously understand that there are people who will use it. It's just that it illustrates how opinions can vary so much on the same significantly successful devices designed for use by the same bi-ped, opposing-thumbed, carbon-based life forms.

The only people I envision replacing a smartphone with a tablet would be people who would normally carry a laptop around all the time but just do it for the bigger screen. Those who can do without the full power/capability of the laptop but want the bigger screen are candidates for ditching the smartphone.

I, for one, would never carry tablet around. I just see no need for it when my smartphone can do everything a tablet can do, except have a big screen. If I want something to take with me, it'll be my laptop since that's entirely more capable than a tablet