Into computers but not gadgets?

Caporegime
Joined
17 Feb 2006
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Everyone in work (with a few exceptions), loves their iPhone, iPad, Android smartphone, smart TV, etc, etc.

I'm one of the few who follows PC tech, but really can't get excited about phones or other smart devices. I can't understand why anyone would want to browse the 'net on their phone unless there was literally no other device around and it was urgent.

I have a work-issued Blackberry and I hate it! So fiddly and painful to use. It has a "camera", barely good enough to take grainy photos of my ass, let alone any serious photography.

Now I like useful electronic devices as much as the next guy. A quality set of headphones or a good LED torch. But smartphones and tablets just seem like a waste of time to me.

I guess I should be thankful it doesn't appeal, those bloomin' things aren't cheap! But there's no doubt I'm being left behind, as everything is moving towards tablets and phones these days.

Any other luddites here want to confess their ignorance?
 
I'm the same. The only gadget I have is a smartphone after I was given one. And the only app I use on it is the web browser and email.

Computer = tool
gadget = toy

Toys are for children.
 
Same here. A smartphone just doesn't seem much good to me. It's a phone...but usually not very well suited to that purpose, which nowadays is usually a secondary function anyway. It's a computer...that's too small for convenient general-purpose use. It's a games console...that's too small and lacks versatile input. It's jack of all trades and master of none. A tablet is a small low-power laptop without a keyboard. Too big to be very convenient, too limited to be very useful.

Both are useful and/or entertaining in some circumstances, but I'm not excited about them and don't want them.
 
Blackberry

That is the first problem right there.

Once you've actually been using a proper smartphone for a few days for routine things (appointment/calendar, emails, cross platform messaging, media etc) you will see why people are so into them. As for web browsing on them, unless it's a tiny screen then almost all modern non Blackberry smartphones offer computer like browsing experiences in terms of how stuff displays and how fast you can browse.
 
I'm the same. The only gadget I have is a smartphone after I was given one. And the only app I use on it is the web browser and email.

Computer = tool
gadget = toy

Toys are for children.

Amen to that.

I've got a note 2, great phone, glad I got it. But if there is a computer easily accessible I'd still rather use that to browse the internet.

I also for some reason feel 10x more comfortable purchasing online when on a Laptop/PC over a smartphone/tablet. Not sure why.
 
Amen to that.

I've got a note 2, great phone, glad I got it. But if there is a computer easily accessible I'd still rather use that to browse the internet.

I also for some reason feel 10x more comfortable purchasing online when on a Laptop/PC over a smartphone/tablet. Not sure why.

The irony is that your PC is more likely to have malware than your phone :p

I have a Note II as well and if it means the difference between lying on a comfy sofa and browsing on it as opposed to at a desk on my computer then I'll always choose the Note II + sofa option.

I've been using a smartphone to do PC things for years though so I find little speed difference doing the same things on either.
 
Ease of use.

Its easier to browse Facebook and Twitter on the iPad / iPhone app than it is a PC (not sure about other apps, but I can check my hotmail account, facebook and twitter on my phone in less than 10 seconds)

I used to be exactly the same as the OP until I bought an iPhone. Its much easier to look quickly search for something, check email, check updates on an iPhone than it is to find a PC and login to it.

Plus I need to support these types of devices for my work or I wouldn't be able to do my job - including using a Mac and supporting people that use them "because they look nice"

OP - Have you ever used or owned a smartphone or tablet?
 
The irony is that your PC is more likely to have malware than your phone :p

I have a Note II as well and if it means the difference between lying on a comfy sofa and browsing on it as opposed to at a desk on my computer then I'll always choose the Note II + sofa option.

I've been using a smartphone to do PC things for years though so I find little speed difference doing the same things on either.

That's more than likely the case, with my internet history! :eek:
 
I love my iPad, and my HTC.

I rarely reply to emails from a computer now a days, as I get them on one device or the other, and then send them from them.

Unlike my computer, which is no downstairs, I can take my iPad downstairs, post on the forums, browse Facebook, and just generally use the Internet. I can also read, and do light editing of documents on it without too much hassle.

The only thing I really miss is that I can't use LR on it, but apart from that it has completely replaced laptops for me. In fact, I haven't turned my laptop on in a good few years.

kd
 
I wouldn’t worry about it but there will be plenty of geeks trying to impress and tell you otherwise. One man's toy is another man's treasure.........
 
I find my Galaxy Note useful for web browsing if not at a pc, or watching youtube vids, listening to music. It's the only phone I've ever been able to comfortably use in this way, all others have been too small/fiddly. Also use an amazon Kindle for reading, I've often thought I wouldn't mind a 7 or 10 inch tablet, but can't really justify it as my G.Note can perform pretty much all of the functions I'd use in a tablet.
 
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