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Should I buy a tablet pc, ipad, netbook, or other?

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superboyac:
I don't buy the whole form factor argument for laptops and cell phones.  It's not that I don't agree that it's more difficult to create a customizable cell-phone because of the space.  it's just that I don't think that's the reason why it hasn't happened yet.  If the demand was there and vocal, it would happen.

It doesn't have to be exactly like our pc's today, where we can pick every little part.  If they started trying to do it, it would pick up and keep getting better.  But as someone said earlier in this thread or another one, people go to certain providers BECAUSE they want to use the cell phone exclusive to that provider.  The providers are the ones who are resisting this kind of thing.  And as long as people are quiet about it, it will be fine.  I imagine people are fine with it for the most part.  I see an opportunity, however, and if I were in the position to do something, I'm quite certain it would be a big success.  The reason why customized laptops don't exist is because nobody cares enough.  I'd love to learn how PC's became the way they are.  What happened in history that got people to start demanding that they be able to build their own pc's?  Something happened.  Now, everything is really nice.  All parts are standardized, even color coded and everything.

With a phone, all somebody needs to do is come up with a generic form factor for the various types: touchphones, slideout phones, flip phones, etc.  Then, just offer the user additional options.  What chip do you want?  How much internal memory?  basic stuff.  Then you figure out which OS you want running.  Then you choose a provider later.

If it catches and people like it, it will sell well and people will demand more things.  Eventually, the market will evolve.  Better form factors (cases) will develop.  Additional user-options will be added....what kind of keyboard do you want, what kind of auxiliary jacks do you want?  What kind of screens do you want?  I can see monitor manufacturers starting to offer standalone little screens that fit onto phone cases in some kind of standardized way.  Stuff like that.  It can happen, but people have to want it.

JavaJones:
I really think you're dramatically oversimplifying. Or at the least, not accounting for the sacrifices that are made when you take something that has extreme design requirements and try to make it very flexible. Remember the iPhone 4 antenna issue? Imagine the issues that would come up if people had the choice of whether or not a GPS, Wifi, whatever was in their phone, and how you'd have to change antenna design(s) to accomodate.

There are also semi-customizable laptops, see http://www.powernotebooks.com/ for example. And Dell allows some amount of customization even, on certain models. Are people clamoring for more? Not really. Even power users? Yep, even power users.

Hobby computer building was probably born out of the general hobby mindset of the 80s, where you could get e.g. a "theramin kit" or any other electronic gadget in a built-it-yourself kit. Now these things are still generally available, but back then it was like everyone wanted them, even your grandma. And hobby system building may have even somewhat predated the fixed system, at least in some sense. I don't know why really, but I do think the PC form factor and purpose is more suited to custom builds (and more needing of it). I just don't see a significant need with phones, and this is coming from someone who builds his own computers and has done for the past 15+ years. Do *you* see a need for this? Can you explain what *you* would do if you could "build your own phone"? I can all but guarantee that a phone exists that does pretty much what you want. The only difference might be that it's not on a carrier you want to use. Which brings us right back to the carrier lock-in issue, and says to me that *that's* the real issue.

- Oshyan

Target:
Do *you* see a need for this? Can you explain what *you* would do if you could "build your own phone"? I can all but guarantee that a phone exists that does pretty much what you want.
-JavaJones (August 09, 2010, 12:09 AM)
--- End quote ---

well, given the option, I'd build a phone that doesn't look like a crappy childs toy, and doesn't try and incorporate every damn gadget and/or function known to man (that I've never used and probably never will), ie no radio, or media player, or camera, or net access, etc, etc etc

JavaJones:
Yeah, there are zillions of those available Target. Is there something wrong with the ones we have? Or is it just the (aesthetic) design you don't like?

- Oshyan

Target:
here we don't have the choices you probably do - and yeah, I suppose it is largely aesthetics

There are handsets available that don't include all the extra gewgaws, but they generally look like something you'd give you're toddler when they're teething...

but we digress...

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