Tablets, computers, chronebooks, etc.

[TPMB12]

Which do you have and what uses do you have for them?

I'm on a tablet for Internet use and banking apps. I use laptop for office software use. I used to like the idea of chromebooks but after learning about end of support / lifetime date I kind of got put off.

Whilst I've probably switched tablet and laptops within that chromebook support but off date I just don't like he idea of that date being the os developer / manufacturer's decision to make. I mean you can run pc on old windows after support ends as you can run AV aftermarket products without support. Or switch to Linux if that's your choice.

Recently I've used my laptop for Internet surfing recently and liked it. First off sites look different and some have better function on pc version of their sites.  Plus typing is more reliably quick than swyping on a tablet. I am thinking I might use computers more for casual use.

What's your thoughts on tech use like these devices?

[Mrs Pingu]

I have a tablet, but if I didn't invariably have a cat on my lap of an evening, I'd probably use a laptop for preference.

[Hot Flatus]

I have a chrome book for work, because it's a Google environment (although a Windows laptop would be fine, if not better), a tablet for surfing, and a laptop currently used purely for djing.

[fd3]

I prefer something with a proper keyboard.
If I had the space I would use a desktop and if I had the money I would have a regular screen and an e ink one.
As it is I have a ~10 year old laptop that I need to buy an upgrade for.

[Jurek]

I've never owned a tablet, but I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't like to be without a proper keyboard.
Also, there's all the fingertip smears on the screen....... is that a good look?

[Hot Flatus]

I've never owned a tablet, but I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't like to be without a proper keyboard.
Also, there's all the smears on the screen....... is that a good look?

Can always wipe it down after you've finished off

[Kim]

Desktop computer with a couple of monitors and proper input devices, because portable computing devices - while useful and sometimes necessary - aren't conducive to getting real work done, you just end up swapping state in and out of your brain's short-term memory as you switch between applications that don't fit on the screen at the same time.

Laptops are just expensive computers with bad keyboards and restrictively small screens.  Useful if you spend all your time travelling, or can't afford a proper house.

Tablets are great for reading (and perhaps drawing), but horrid for typing.

Phones are bad for everything, but fit in your pocket.  (If you have pockets.)

OSes are another consideration.  A device that runs a mobile-type OS is likely to become functionally useless due to bloatware or lack of updates within the lifetime of the hardware.  General-purpose architectures can at least run a lightweight Linux distribution to do *something* useful in their old age.  But if you need an OS to run a specific application (eg. Microsoft Excel), that overrides other considerations.


When I was a PSO, I spent a year sofa-surfing with a Psion 5mx as my main computing device.  Never again.   

[barakta]

Similar to Kim desktop setup wise, with ergo chair, mice, height adjustable desk which really helps reduce my shoulder issues.

I don't like tablets for reading or writing due to the neck-crick ergonomics - for that effort I can use a phone which is also annoying and hard to read. Laptops are OK for reading and basics but difficult for tasks involving memory.

A well selected desktop build lasted me 8 years from new this time, and last winter I managed a partial upgrade swap round from server parts and will expect to get 2-3 years more out of it before it slows down to painful with Internet BloatTM

[Jurek]

Desktop computer with a couple of monitors and proper input devices, because portable computing devices - while useful and sometimes necessary - aren't conducive to getting real work done, you just end up swapping state in and out of your brain's short-term memory as you switch between applications that don't fit on the screen at the same time.

Laptops are just expensive computers with bad keyboards and restrictively small screens.  Useful if you spend all your time travelling, or can't afford a proper house.

Tablets are great for reading (and perhaps drawing), but horrid for typing.

Phones are bad for everything, but fit in your pocket.

OSes are another consideration.  A device that runs a mobile-type OS is likely to become functionally useless due to bloatware or lack of updates within the lifetime of the hardware.  General-purpose architectures can at least run a lightweight Linux distribution to do *something* useful in their old age.  But if you need an OS to run a specific application (eg. Microsoft Excel), that overrides other considerations.


When I was a PSO, I spent a year sofa-surfing with a Psion 5mx as my main computing device.  Never again.   

That's fairly succinct and I'd struggle to argue with any of it.

[Kim]

The corollary to that is that if you *don't* need to run a specific application, pretty much anything can run a web-browser and SSH client.  This explains the enduring popularity of Chromebooks.

[chrisbainbridge]

Personally, mac at home, iPad in kitchen, phone in pocket, laptop for travel
2 windows machines simultaneously in office, one just for reading pdfs with portrait touch screen.
Hospital - windows.

[drossall]

My desktop, for most serious computing, is an ancient PC now on Windows 10. Not suitable for Windows 11.

I have two Android tablets. Among other things, I've got them with Zwift in mind. I prefer a smaller one, 7" screen or so, because of being easier to handle for reading. I was fine with a small screen on Zwift. However, I struggled with having enough storage to do the repeated Zwift updates, which need up to 1.5GB of free space. So I got a second, with larger screen essentially because that's how you get a more powerful device with more resources. It came with a free keyboard/case, and I use it like that all the time.

So the older, smaller one is my go-to handheld for reading, Web browsing and so on, and the larger one does word processing on the go, acts as a "laptop" for meetings, and so on, as well as Zwift.

And an Android phone of course.

[Mr Larrington]

Fondleslab for casual web-golfing and P@nd3m1c Pr0duckt10nz™^® typing.

Windows laptop for doing thee Automatic Diary while travelling in ABROAD.

Other Windows laptop (pensioned off from above job) for media Stuffs in the Grand Bedchamber – connected to a TV and amp/squeakers.

Fanless Windows desktop for media Stuffs in the Great Hall – connected to the tellybox and AV receiver.

GBFO Windows desktop for driving, game modding, most printing (coz the printer is in the same room), video craunching and innovative ways of using the command line to break thousands of files at once.

Plus a cupboard full of assorted NAS drives for backups and a FruitCo Airport Express to pipe tunes from any of the PCs to the amp/squeakers in the kitchen.  And a phone for swearing at when it can’t find a network to talk to in a city with a population > 100,000.

[rr]

Work: souped up surfacepro to run dragon on top of the normal Microsoft 365 and crap, clapped out stuff, linked to surface hub running two large monitors, split keyboad, vertical mouse, stereo headset.
Own pc, windoze desktop using the same peripherals via a usb switch
Networked printer/scanner.
Android phone
Lenovo duet Chromebook (10" detachable keyboard, pen compatible) for reading, maps, travel and bookface (FB purity browser addin makes it just about usable), dead cheap and more software updates than a tablet.
Laptop that has died of software bloat and old age.
Wife has a Chromebook, a work laptop, a phone and a user account on the desktop.
Ms R the elder, work surfacepro, laptop and phone
Ms R the younger, laptop, phone and another duet.
Google 1 cloud
100/100 fibre to premises (which we have just started to pay for after 7 months.

[Pingu]

...real work...

 

[Kim]

...real work...

 

You know, the sort of thing that involves antisocially staring at the computer for hours on end, but because it involes fiddling with semicolons, spreadsheets or PDF files somehow doesn't count as Screen Time™.

[Pingu]

Lapdog for general browsing, email, spreadsheets, Basecamp, gratuitous cat pics wrangling at home or in a suitable holiday environment.

Mrs P's old tablet for web browsing in the pub.

Err, that's it.

[Feanor]

Stuff I'm Interested in, like planning routes for adventures on maps: A proper PC with big dual monitors.

Reading the news in the morning whilst lounging on the sofa and drinking coffee and waking up: Tablet.

On the road with no other option: Phone.

[cycleman]

Android phone 

[MikeFromLFE]

We've not had a desktop computer for years.
I use a Chromebook for most of my needs and the Linux shell within that.
I'm seriously considering a dual boot Windows / Linux laptop to mostly replace the Chromebook as the Linux system is occasionally very very slow* (VLC and KMyMoney mostly).
I use my phone for general scrolling (news, weather, Mastodon) and it's an essential travel companion (Interrail pass in particular).
I've tried to get used to a tablet, but it seems the worst of all worlds.
Mrs Mike does everything on her phone - much to my frustration when a site renders too small to be usable and I have to sort her out!
*I have a dedicated Linux laptop but I need USB-c
*I need Windows for Amateur Radio reasons where Linux is half-baked.

[chrisbainbridge]

My single greatest improvement recently has been my new desktop microphone for dragon. works at 18inches away, same or greater accuracy than any over the ear mic have used.  Just lovely.  Even facing 45 degrees away from the microphone gives great recognition accuract.

[Auntie Helen]

I have an iPad mini that I use for most casual browsing. I am typing this on it.

iPad Pro for watching streaming services (much bigger screen)

Phone for general use, but never watching videos. The iPad mini is always to hand.

MacBook Air for proper typing. However, I can connect the Magic Keyboard to the iPad and type away effectively with that - took the keyboard on holiday last week as it is lightweight and used it to type up my blog daily. I use the MacBook about 5 minutes per day, an iPad is probably in my hand for 4 hours or so (internet, streaming etc).

If I had to do without one item, it would be the iPad Pro as I use the Mini 80% of the time.

The Pro is 4 years old, the Mini is new but the previous one was 4 years old (gave it to my landlady), my old MacBook was 5 years old and I sold it for 150€. Had no issues with running up to date software on any of the gadgets.

[ScumOfTheRoad]

For personal use I have a high end HP Spectre laptop, which dual boots Windows and Linux.
I tried to get Mrs Scum to use the Windows boot but she really could not cope with it.
Bought her a 250 quid chromebook, and she never looked back. Chromebook is tough as old boots, and does exacttly what she wants - web, webmail via Google and Zoom conferencing.
She now just laughs off those calls which pretend there is a problem detected with your Windows laptop.

For work I have a Windows laptop , plus an 25inch external monitor connected by USB-C. I have standardised on USB-C for all devices,
and the facility to plug in one cable to get power and external monitor is excellent.
The monitor in this case supplies to power. Should I want a more complicated setup, work sent me a nice USB-C docking station.

For out and about I have an Android phone with works apps onboard using Microsoft Intune SO I can join Teams meetings when out of home/office

[fd3]

Laptops are just expensive computers with bad keyboards and restrictively small screens.  Useful if you spend all your time travelling, or can't afford a proper house.

"can't afford a proper house" can do some heavy lifting - e.g. space prioritising.  But it is the main reason why my kids are more likely to have a Desktop than I am

[Jaded]

Computer is a MacBook Pro, with mouse and wireless keyboard and 27” screen, so in normal use i don't use the laptop keyboard, and the screen is an extension of the desktop. The laptop goes with me to meetings and on trips, and when doing the awards ceremonies.

Tablet too, iPad, used for casual browsing and emails, and playing games. I so hve a keyboard case for it, with a trackpad, so (like on this trip) it can so some not too taxing computer things.