[PencilBreath]

Is it likely in your opinion that manufacturers will stop producing laptops eventually & just make tablets?

[JeffG1]

People still like proper keyboards for serious work, so maybe a hybrid system like the Asus Transformer is the way things will go.

[Quackers]

Nope, it will kill off netbooks.

[Lee-Mc]

I agree that it'll kill off netbooks but definitely not laptops. There are still a lot of stuff you can't do on a tablet so laptops are pretty much safe for the foreseeable future.

I think desktops will become more for gamers and professionals as more and more 'standard' users are opting for laptops or tablets.

[cnbcwatcher]

Definitely not. Until a device like an iPad has USB, can multitask, uses Windows, OSX or Linux rather than a phone OS, runs desktop software, has keyboard and mouse, is able to support several monitors (useful for video editors and photographers), have big hard drives, have decent file systems and can run high end software, then no. There's still a market for laptops and that's not likely to go away in the next few years. The one big change in laptops that's likely to happen is that Macbook Air-type laptops and laptop/tablet hybrids will be more common in the consumer market. High end laptops will probably still have optical drives.

[barky99]

tablets replace laptops? only in the dreams of some marketing people .... I'm sure likes of apple intend to sell macbooks for years yet .... yes tablets, especially ones like the asus eepad transformer will kill off the netbooks .... a best of both product that you can still use a mouse & sd cards if you wish as well.
Another one that caught my eye, also from Asus is their PadFone 2 .... if that also came with keyboard bit like the transformer i'd be interested

[whoever,hey]

Originally Posted by cnbcwatcher

Definitely not. Until a device like an iPad has USB, can multitask, uses Windows, OSX or Linux rather than a phone OS, runs desktop software, has keyboard and mouse, is able to support several monitors (useful for video editors and photographers), have big hard drives, have decent file systems and can run high end software, then no. There's still a market for laptops and that's not likely to go away in the next few years. The one big change in laptops that's likely to happen is that Macbook Air-type laptops and laptop/tablet hybrids will be more common in the consumer market. High end laptops will probably still have optical drives.

A surface tablet does all that.

[Stuart_h]

Originally Posted by whoever,hey

A surface tablet does all that.

no

the surface PRO might do all that but the standard 'surface' doesn't.

[whoever,hey]

Originally Posted by Stuart_h

no

the surface PRO might do all that but the standard 'surface' doesn't.

The Pro will yes. I never said the RT version.

[PencilBreath]

Originally Posted by cnbcwatcher

Definitely not. Until a device like an iPad has USB, can multitask, uses Windows, OSX or Linux rather than a phone OS, runs desktop software, has keyboard and mouse, is able to support several monitors (useful for video editors and photographers), have big hard drives, have decent file systems and can run high end software, then no. There's still a market for laptops and that's not likely to go away in the next few years. The one big change in laptops that's likely to happen is that Macbook Air-type laptops and laptop/tablet hybrids will be more common in the consumer market. High end laptops will probably still have optical drives.

Kinda destroys my idea lol.

[Stuart_h]

Originally Posted by whoever,hey

The Pro will yes. I never said the RT version.

well if im being picky you stated a 'Surface tablet does all that' and the only surface tablet available at the mo is the RT

but I think we are in agreement

The Surface Pro .... or probably the surface Pro version 2 or 3 ... could really be a game changer if it really is full Windows functionality with tablet convenience.

[whoever,hey]

Originally Posted by Stuart_h

well if im being picky you stated a 'Surface tablet does all that' and the only surface tablet available at the mo is the RT

but I think we are in agreement

The Surface Pro .... or probably the surface Pro version 2 or 3 ... could really be a game changer if it really is full Windows functionality with tablet convenience.

Aye that is a very good point in bold actually

[Helbore]

Originally Posted by cnbcwatcher

Definitely not. Until a device like an iPad has USB, can multitask, uses Windows, OSX or Linux rather than a phone OS, runs desktop software, has keyboard and mouse, is able to support several monitors (useful for video editors and photographers), have big hard drives, have decent file systems and can run high end software, then no. There's still a market for laptops and that's not likely to go away in the next few years. The one big change in laptops that's likely to happen is that Macbook Air-type laptops and laptop/tablet hybrids will be more common in the consumer market. High end laptops will probably still have optical drives.

You just described Windows 8 convertibles.

[cnbcwatcher]

Originally Posted by barky99

tablets replace laptops? only in the dreams of some marketing people .... I'm sure likes of apple intend to sell macbooks for years yet .... yes tablets, especially ones like the asus eepad transformer will kill off the netbooks .... a best of both product that you can still use a mouse & sd cards if you wish as well.
Another one that caught my eye, also from Asus is their PadFone 2 .... if that also came with keyboard bit like the transformer i'd be interested

I should hope so, for my sanity's and reputation's sake Otherwise what will I replace my current Macbooks with when they give up the ghost?

Originally Posted by PencilBreath

Kinda destroys my idea lol.

What idea?

Originally Posted by Helbore

You just described Windows 8 convertibles.

I have? It was meant to be a rant!

[noise747]

Originally Posted by Stuart_h

no

the surface PRO might do all that but the standard 'surface' doesn't.

How will people be able to put linux on the surface pro as Ms will make sure that can't happen.

[noise747]

Even netbook keyboards are okish to type on, I am nto a typer, but I know someone who is and they can go nineteen to a dozen on their netbook, they tried a surface with both keyboard and they was a lot slower.

When they got the netbook at home they connect it up to a large monitor and a cherry keyboard.

but yes i think netbooks will go eventually, but larger laptops will stay and so will desktops as some people need something a bit more powerful than a snapdragon CPU and a couple of gigabyte of ram.

[John259]

IMHO a laptop is far more convenient than a tablet with a separate proper keyboard. A laptop has various other advantages, such as probably having more computational power, a larger hard disc, probably a CD/DVD drive, and not being restricted to the programs available on app stores.

A reasonable laptop will probably be considerably less expensive than a Surface Pro tablet, although Microsoft might drop the price after the poor initial sales of the Surface RT.
"With prices of $899 and $999, we think the sterling price for the Surface Pro in the UK could well be between £749 and £799 for the 64GB model. Microsoft will want the price jump to the 128GB model to be small enough to tempt buyers to spend a bit more. We predict another £100 placing the 128GB Surface Pro between £849 and £899." - http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features/...ro-price-in-uk 30-Nov-12

[neo_wales]

Netbooks will go really but laptops are here to stay as are desktops. I've a 17" display on my Vaio laptop so really its more a portable computer and sometimes say when on holiday I'd like something smaller but with power and thats where the newer tablets will find a market, lightweight, compact yet powerful devices; I'm waiting for the Pro to launch (that said, on my recent extended break to Gran Canaria I took a Cheap 10" android tablet which has a plug in keyboard and as a little web browser/watch a film/mp3's it did a cracking job and all for about £110 but thats all its good for really).

I'll not scrap my desktops, I need the storage and love a big monitor for extended use.

[noise747]

The surface RT is too light for desk use, when I used one I noticed it kept slipping around the table, no doubt it is fine when it is flat, but it can't really be used flat with the keyboard.

The only problem I have with my desktop is the fan is a bit loud, I got to sort it out, once I find out what fan it is,

Talking about monitors, I got to get a second one at some point.

[Anika Hanson]

I think there is some scope for chromebooks as time progresses. They have good keyboards (better than most netbooks) and are more productive than most tablets. At present you can create and edit documents offline and carry out other functions. As time goes on I expect more things will work offline.

[John259]

Originally Posted by Anika Hanson

I think there is some scope for chromebooks as time progresses.

The technology is very clever, but IMHO at the moment their prices are too close to those of conventional laptops to make them widely attractive.

[Anika Hanson]

Originally Posted by John259

The technology is very clever, but IMHO at the moment their prices are too close to those of conventional laptops to make them widely attractive.

Well you can pick up a chromebook for £199. A laptop would cost at least £100 more. At netbook could be had for a similar price but would most likely have an awful keyboard and track pad and the ram would be insufficient. I think Chromebooks could replace netbooks.

[cnbcwatcher]

Originally Posted by Anika Hanson

Well you can pick up a chromebook for £199. A laptop would cost at least £100 more. At netbook could be had for a similar price but would most likely have an awful keyboard and track pad and the ram would be insufficient. I think Chromebooks could replace netbooks.

I like the idea of Chromebooks. They'd make great computers to have in the house for visitors to use. If I was running a hotel/B&B I'd buy a few and allow guests to rent them out during their stay.

[c4rv]

Originally Posted by cnbcwatcher

I like the idea of Chromebooks. They'd make great computers to have in the house for visitors to use. If I was running a hotel/B&B I'd buy a few and allow guests to rent them out during their stay.

they are very limited, they are basically just a browser and to make it worse it doesn't even work with load of sites.

[R410]

No. They might kill off Notebooks. The extra capability of a laptop compared to a tablet will save them.