IT and Media Laptop or Tablet? Buy a hybrid and get the best of both worlds
Sales of tablet computers have been increasing exponentially since Apple launched the iPad in 2010, partly at the expense of sales of the traditional laptop. A lot of people think that tablets and laptops are simply two versions of the same thing, but that is far from the truth.
Tablets are really overgrown smartphones without the ability to make phone calls. They are compact and very portable, immensely cool and they are great as a social and entertainment tool. You can play games on them and use the whole computer as a controller, use them as a satnav, take pictures, watch videos, send emails and, of course, go online. But try and use them as a work tool and they are hopeless. Most tablets use either the Apple iOS or the Google Android operating system so they can’t network to other computers and most business software is not compatible with them. Hard disc storage is typically 16GB whereas 320GB is the standard for laptops. There are no USB ports on a tablet so you can’t connect a mouse, printer or a memory stick and you can only back them up to the cloud or another computer. Also, the screen doubles up as the keyboard – like I said, hopeless!
By comparison, a laptop is really a lighter, more compact and portable version of a PC. As I’ve said before, 94% of PCs run some version of Windows and Windows is the default operating system for businesses all over the globe. Microsoft Office is far and away the most popular suite of office products and any business software you can think of is compatible with Windows. On the downside, laptops are bulkier and heavier than tablets, can only be used as a games console if you plug in a peripheral controller and don’t have satnav technology. The battery life is generally much shorter too, though at least they’re easy to work on when they are plugged into a power source. Oh, and laptops are definitely not cool; walk round with a laptop bag and people will think you are an accountant.
Now, however, you can have your cake and eat it with a hybrid computer. Many of the large manufacturers are launching new models ready for the Christmas rush. At first glance a hybrid looks very like a laptop, a clamshell design with a keyboard on the bottom half and a screen on the top. However, the screen half is actually a fully fledged tablet computer that does all the things that tablets are expected to do. Typically they have an 11 inch screen and a battery life of around 8 hours, similar to an iPad. The tablet can be detached from the bottom half via a hinged socket. The keyboard half is actually a docking station complete with USB ports, a mouse pad, a secondary hard drive and, usually, an additional battery that can double the battery life. The whole unit should weigh between 1 and 1.5 kilos, lighter and more compact than a typical laptop.
When the computer is in laptop mode it does all the things a standard laptop does, truly the best of both worlds. The whole thing is made possible by the introduction of Windows 8 which is designed to work with both keyboards and touch screens – effectively it is a hybrid operating system. Added to the fact that Windows is really an operating system designed for business use and anyone who has ever used a PC is familiar with it and you have a winning combination.
The manufacturers bringing models to market include Samsung, HP, Dell, Panasonic and many others. Prices are expected to start from about £500 for a basic Samsung Series 5 and rise to well over £1000 for a high end machine. I’ll certainly be putting one on my Christmas list.
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