Comments on: Thoughts on the iPad http://alex.golub.name/log/2010/01/27/thoughts-on-the-ipad/ Just. One. Column. Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:04:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: thm http://alex.golub.name/log/2010/01/27/thoughts-on-the-ipad/comment-page-1/#comment-225231 thm Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:04:03 +0000 http://alex.golub.name/log/?p=984#comment-225231 It strikes me that this is the beginning of the end of the computer as a universal household fixture. I'd guess that 90% of personal computer use is of a browser, 95% if one is using webmail. Even word processing is rare, because instead of typing up and printing out a letter, you use email or fill out a web form. How many people need the extra capability of a laptop in a portable configuration? With "cloud" based storage on the rise, a laptop's hard drive is less necessary. At any rate, this could mark the decline of the laptop share of the traditional computer market, because if you really need the extra capability, then go for it all, with a super-large screen to boot. On #5--bandwidth and servers and switches and routers don't pay for themselves, and I wonder if this could be the beginning of a sort of micropayment alternative to the advertising revenue model that some people have occasionally opined would be a superior way of paying the bills. It strikes me that this is the beginning of the end of the computer as a universal household fixture. I’d guess that 90% of personal computer use is of a browser, 95% if one is using webmail. Even word processing is rare, because instead of typing up and printing out a letter, you use email or fill out a web form. How many people need the extra capability of a laptop in a portable configuration? With “cloud” based storage on the rise, a laptop’s hard drive is less necessary. At any rate, this could mark the decline of the laptop share of the traditional computer market, because if you really need the extra capability, then go for it all, with a super-large screen to boot.

On #5–bandwidth and servers and switches and routers don’t pay for themselves, and I wonder if this could be the beginning of a sort of micropayment alternative to the advertising revenue model that some people have occasionally opined would be a superior way of paying the bills.

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