Diversity in mobile communicators is still the theme - but you don't need one of each
Assuming that we can’t address the single-device paradox, and we can’t, we’re all going to be using two or more mobile devices in our standard arsenal forever. The manufacturers of all these products, of course, hope that that number is much larger than two, but managing all of these increasingly-complex boxes is going to limit most people’s ability to buy well before their budget gives out – with the exception of gadget freaks and obsessive-compulsives who just need to keep their plastic money well-lubricated and their den full of barely-used late-model gear.But what to choose? Here is my latest taxonomy for mobile computing and communications devices:- Feature phones – These are simple flip phones and otherwise voice-oriented handsets that might also be useful for texting and very limited Web access or other information services. These will remain important in many markets – if all one needs is voice, perhaps with texting, then a cheap phone like this is likely perfect. There are also models, with corresponding services, for segmented audiences such as children and seniors. Regardless, these can be very tiny, and thus quite useful to those of use who do not carry a purse.- Smart phones – I define these as having a PDA form factor, with a physical or virtual (screen) keyboard. However, the smart phone, as I define it, cannot run third-party applications and is otherwise a closed system. This class of device is particularly important to consumers who can’t stand to be away from their tunes and thus seek a media-oriented handset, but who otherwise don’t care about apps.- Platform phones – These have the typical characteristics of smart phones, but run an OS designed to allow third-party apps, whether a fully-open model like a PC or closed like the iPhone. This class of handset is most important to sophisticated customers and business users.- MIDs and Smartbooks – These are small-form factor tablets or clamshells that do not have a Wintel architecture and which are typically sold as Web-oriented appliances. Qualcomm is the leading proponet here, and their Snapdragon product line is more than capable of a solid implementation. Lenovo’s Skylight is a good example of an available products in this space. This class of product has potential, but it’s swimming against the Wintel tide. Ultimately, it’s a question of price, and there’s no reason the believe that Wintel won’t get cheaper.- Notebooks – These have the familiar Wintel architecture, come in small (9/10/11-in screens; less than 9 is available but not very useful anymore, IMHO), medium (12/13/14/15-inch screen), and large (17-inch or greater) sizes, and can run Windows, the Mac OS, or Linux. Note that netbooks as separate category no longer exist, as essentially all small notebooks now come with Windows and otherwise behave just like a PC. The importance of Linux in this class of product, much to my dismay, is fading, but I still think it has potential especially for individuals as opposed to enterprises. You can’t beat the cost, and many distros, especially Ubuntu, are very reliable and very easy to use. And, in case you were wondering, the UMPC is seriously dead.-Tablets and Convertibles – Apple has revived this category with the iPad. Expect lots of competitors here, from all the major vendors and more, but I can’t help but thinking that the other guys are building the next Zune. Apple is really the only vendor today that be the leader in building a pure appliance. They have the marketing presence, the cachet, the distribution and support required, and, with the App Store, iBooks, and iTunes, they cover all the bases for users from total novices to the experienced computer user and developer. The other guys might be able to compete on price, but not on solution – at least not for the next few years.All of these devices can both compute and communicate, and one might assume that, given the performance and capabilities of a modern platform phone, such a handset is all one might need. That would be true if the screen and keyboard were bigger, which, of course, they cannot be. But with a little creativity, the utility of the platform phone might indeed grow over time. More on that shortly.
