Tablet personal computers refer to devices with similar process capabilities as personal computers but having only a single screen, most commonly a touchscreen, which acts as the primary input device. Early adoption of these devices was few and far between, but as touchscreen technology became more refined, the prevalence of tablets increased. With the introduction of the iPad in 2010, tablet technology sparked excitement amongst consumers; however, there was no true competitor to Apple's iPad. As we move into 2011, "we’re poised to see nearly 100 new tablets coming to the market running new mobile operating systems, sporting hardware that rivals the most powerful home PCs hitting store shelves and priced at a level that will enable this category of device to go mainstream. With 2011 being informally dubbed the “Year of the Tablet,” adoption is set to hit critical mass, ushering in an entirely new wave of mobile computing in the process."1 Perhaps the attention to the tablet market is simply a fad; however, at least for now, tablets are indubitably transforming the way we do business and the way we interact with content.
History
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the concept of the tablet computer was first thought of by Alan Kay. The conceptualization of the tablet took the form of the DynaBook, which included a stylus as well as the idea of a multi-touch display.2 Seen below is an image of the DynaBook concept.
Since the concept of a tablet was first proposed, numerous examples were attempted along the way including the Apple Graphic Tablet (1979), the GridPad (1989), the NCR System 3125 (1991), the AT&T EO PC (1993), Newton Message Pad (1993), Zenith CruisePad (1995), Compaq Tablet (2001), Microsoft Smart Display (2002), Motion Computing LS800 (2005), and the Axiotron ModBook (2007); however, not until the issuance of the iPad and 2010 did the modern implementation of tablet computers take form.3 The iPad, hailed as "revolutionary device" was the first of a wave of tablets created. Since then, tablets with operation systems designed specifically for tablets, such as the Motorola Xoom, have been developed. Motorola cleverly took the literal meaning of the word tablet in their ad seen below.
Changing the way we do business
Bridging the gap between smartphone and personal computer, tablets offer portability packed with power. From a marketing standpoint, advertises must learn to address these transformative devices. The attention span of the tablet user is longer than a smartphone user but shorter than the laptop user, thus marketers need to tweak the way in which they render advertisements in order to appeal to these new group of users.4
Furthermore, these group of advertisers must learn to innovate. They are still learning how to properly advertise on old platforms given the fact that consumers are constantly able to evolve their methods of consuming content and ignoring the petulance of advertisements and spammers. These creates a new and unique challenge for marketers to stay ahead of the game and create ways in which marketing can target these individuals. 4
Regarding our personal business (i.e. everyday tasks), "when you think of the app landscape, the tablet spells new potential for applications focused on the home that just need a bit more space – family calendars, grocery lists, recipes, note taking - all of these make more sense on a tablet than a phone." 5
Finally, from a professional point of view, companies such as JPMorgan are already dispersing iPads to employees. The company gave its "investment bankers iPads, according to an e-mail unearthed by Bloomberg. The move continues the iPad's march into enterprises as a replacement for traditional mobile email devices, particularly the Blackberry, as well as mobile PCs running Windows."6
Changing the way interact we with content
Not only are tablets changing the way the we do our personal and professional business, but now we are interacting with contact in completely different ways. As a fusion between smartphone touchscreen interaction and laptop content, tablets are being used to interact with old material in new ways.
In a survey of over 1,400 tablet users, the results found the following7:
- 68% of tablet users spend at least 1 hour a day on their tablet
- 77% of respondents report that their desktop/laptop usage decreased after they started using a tablet
- 82% of respondents said they primarily use their tablet at home
- More than 1 in 3 respondents uses their tablet more than they watch TV
Clearly, our trends in how we manage our time is changing. Tablet users are using less and less of other forms of media, which has strong implications for content creators. They must tailor their apps and sites to appeal to this interactive platform. Further evidence is shown through a Morgan Stanley report on the tablet market, which suggests that consumer PC usage has droped by 20%. The Silicon Alley Insider suggests the people will as services on tablets become more like PC services, consumers will gravitate to these devices because of the quicker turnover on consumption.8
From a user-experience standpoint, "The combination of ease-of-use of the device itself, its awareness of location, and its ability to serve rich content anywhere makes it a ubiquitous access point to the always-on network. This montage is having a profound effect on user behavior." 9
Furthermore, in an app-based platform, users don't need to navigate to find the content they want-it is just one tap away. The layout of these apps are then designed in a way that involves tactile engagement with the content, which cannot be replicated on a PC. Thus, the layout must be formated in a way that reflects the new user behavior.
No longer are we stuck on a webpage. Rather, we are in an entirely new ecosystem of apps, mobility, location-based services, and communication.
Product Comparison
Currently, there are four primary players in the tablet market: the Apple iPad, Motorola Xoom, HP TouchPad, and Blackberry Playbook. Below is a comparison of the various products.10
Conclusion
Although the tablet industry is trending at the time, little evidence shows stagnation in this market. The fact of the matter is that technology is finally catching up with concept--a concept that has been around for over 40 years. This year, 2011, proves to be a propitious time for tablets. Ultimately, like the smartphone, these devices are undoubtedly impacting and transformation business, as well as the way in which we interact with content.
References
1.http://www.mobilestorm.com/resources/digital-marketing-blog/mobile-technology-adoption-in-2011/
2.http://www.osnews.com/story/22739/A_Short_History_of_the_Tablet_Computer
3.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/15/history-tablet-pc-photos_n_538806.html#s77838&title=Apple_iPad_2010
4.http://the1stmovement.posterous.com/how-tablets-are-changing-business
5.http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/01/26/tablets-will-change-everything-including-mobile-video/
6.http://ht.ly/3ikZG
7.http://googlemobileads.blogspot.com/2011/04/tablets-are-changing-way-consumers.html
8.http://cscape.wordpress.com/2011/02/15/smartphones-and-tablets-changing-our-pc-habits/
9.http://usefularts.us/2011/03/10/tablets-change-user-experience-ux/
10. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2380049,00.asp
No comments:
Post a Comment