Tablet computers not set in stone

By Rick Castellini Special to PRIME Apple released the iPad to a tremendous amount of fanfare and press coverage this spring. Have you seen one yet? Do you own one? Do you know what it is? Simply, the iPad is Apple's re-invention of a tablet computer. Tablet computers traditionally have no keyboards and rely instead on a stylus touched to the screen to create the input. Apple used their success in developing the touch interface using just the human finger to come up with the iPad. I see it primarily as a consumption device, but let's break it down together as to what tablets and the iPad really do and what it means to the future of computing. If you think about your own use of the computer and Internet today, I'm willing to bet many computer users have settled into a comfortable pattern of some combination of email, banking/bill paying, social networking (Facebook), photo management and sharing, light gaming, web surfing and searching, and some word processing. Think about that for second... those are functions not computing needs. So why do we need a full blown computer to perform them? The answer: We don't need a full blown computer. Apple realized that we use computers more and more for functions and tasks than actual computing, so they came up with their own vision of a tablet that performs many of these functions admirably. Notice I said many, not all. The iPad is not perfect, but talking to iPad users (of which I am not) and you can't help but to notice their enthusiasm for these extremely portable and easy to use devices. They can email, Facebook, look at photos, browse the web, pay bills and more with instant on and off speed and no security issues. The biggest problem, I see, with the iPad at this early juncture is the price. The least expensive iPad will set you back $500. Next, the iPad requires a computer to get the thing working. Two strikes. This fall and holiday season, however, you will start to see a small avalanche of new tablets on the market. The first one comes from electronic giant, Samsung. In fact, it's probably on the market right now. These new tablets will not run Apple software, but instead run one of Google's operating systems: either the Android system developed for smartphones or the soon to be released Chrome operating system. Because Google does not require a licensing fee for either of these systems, many manufacturers will jump on the bandwagon to give Apple and the iPad some competition. In terms of functionality, they will be able to handle all the same functions as the iPad and more as they learn from the ommissions of the Apple product. After almost 20 years of desktop computing where we are forced to sit in front of a screen and type and interact via a mouse and keyboard, the future of voice recognition and data entry and touch control is here. If you use your computer as a task driven device rather than a computing power house, you may be better served with the freedom, security, and utility of a tablet computer. Take some time and see what else is being released. Competition improves products, and with the new tablet scene just getting started, so take your time. Rick Castellini is an author, computer consultant, and hosts a computer radio show from Colorado. Visit his web site at www.HelpMeRick.com for new tips every week and sign up for his free weekly email newsletter. You can also follow Rick on Twitter at twitter.com/helpmerick.