Why Tablets Are the Future of Mobile Computing

We touch things when we have an idea, when we're curious about something, and even when we're feeling emotional. We love touching things, and this is why the tablet is going to defeat the netbook. You might be thinking about purchasing one of these items in the near future, and we've heard arguments for both sides. You want to keep up with the technological curve, so here's why you should buy a tablet and not a netbook.

Both tablets and netbooks provide us with a sense of mobility (although not quite as mobile as a smart phone), but the netbook still possesses a few critical pieces of hardware that we can't quite give up. Netbooks utilize the familiar full size QWERTY keyboard, and we still find a distinctive comfort in the tactile, clicky responsiveness they provide. That being said, Bluetooth technology has helped remedy this deficiency in tablets by allowing users to connect a wireless keyboard; and while this is useful, it adds yet another item to lug around. This seems to defeat the purpose of their innate mobile platform.

Netbooks also have the upper hand when it comes to storage, and most will house around 160GB. The most a tablet can offer at this point is around 64GB. With music, video, games and pictures files growing in size, we are becoming increasingly dependent on large storage banks.

The tablet is going to ultimately win, and I've already told you why: the power of touch. They are smaller, lighter, and within a short period of time, they will be able to harness the speed and storage of large netbooks and laptops. I'm not saying they are going to replace a full desktop, but with regards to mobile computing, there's no way a netbook can survive.

Whether it's Apple's iPad or Google's Android, you have options

Mobility is all about user experience, and it doesn't get better than a tablet. What we've come to learn and love from our smart phones is the joy of being able to control everything. We touch a word, a picture, a song, and just like that we have control over it. Our hands have all the power, and we create the action. This feeling has been renewed and scaled up in a tablet, providing us with an incredible user experience. For example, web browsing on a tablet is immensely satisfying - you have all the options to swipe, scroll and zoom on the page, and you can manipulate things in virtually any way possible. All of the detailed nuances we create with our hands are translated onto the screen, and it makes us giddy. It's the small things, they say.

Tablets wouldn't be what they are without apps, and let's be honest with ourselves: apps have changed the way we conduct our daily lives. We all rely on an application of some sort, whether it is for calendars, reminders, email, or even the occasional game. They fill the void so we don't have to.

The ability to reach into your bag or pocket and quickly make changes on the go is remarkable, and mobile user interfacing has given us this opportunity. We don't have to worry about booting up a computer and shutting it down; all we have to do is "wake" our device, do what we need to do, and put it aside. It's there when we need it and gone when we don't. Tablets are becoming an extension of our lives, and the millions of current users are a testament to that fact. If you want to keep up with the curve, and if you want to change the way you connect with the world, buy a tablet. You have plenty of options with Apple's new iPad 2 and Motorola's Xoom (and a handful of other Android tablets), all with specs that are on the verge of competing with today's standard laptops. So take your time, do your research, and find one that fits your lifestyle.