Re:iPad, Surface, Ultrabook: Are we there yet?
by harshreality on Saturday January 05, 2013 @09:23AM
(#5012685)
I agree about information density, and lousy options for keyboards also makes me avoid tablets for serious work.
However, less tech-savvy people -- you know, the type who get confused when there's more than one application window on screen at a time, or who gets confused when there's a tabbed web UI inside a tabbed browser -- are probably more productive with less information density, because it also means simpler and less-layered interfaces.
I've tried the 11" macbook air and simply couldn't get over the fact that the screen is too dense/ small. The ipad, or even the mini, are fine, but that's because apps are designed for low information density / large font sizes. Desktop OS's simply don't fit well on screens below 13" unless you have excellent vision, which I don't. Windows 8's solution of lowering information densities to cope with small screens is a non-solution, because the reason to use a proper laptop is to be productive, and productivity requires information density. I expect the tide to turn and screens to become larger again. 13" is the bare minimum for me.
> The touch keyboard on the iPad is excellent, really
Again, not for me. I can't type properly on it. I'm using it right now and not liking the experience. I agree that it is as good as touch keyboards are going to get, but that simply is not good enough. I'm glad the tide is shifting and people are realizing that a proper keyboard attached to a tablet makes sense.