Mac Spectrum

Can Smart Phones Replace Laptops?

- 2008.09.16 - Tip Jar

Popularity:

Everyone seems to want portable computing, but are laptops now considered "too big"? Could a smartphone be a suitable replacement for a laptop?

I'm not sure. I love keeping in touch wherever I am, and as mobile phones progressed I found myself wanting more and more features - to the point of now owning a Symbian based Nokia E71.

It's a narrow and ultra-thin device with a full QWERTY keyboard, WiFi, hi-speed 3G, Bluetooth, an email client, a web browser, a still and video camera, and a whole bunch of other goodies - and you can make calls on it.

While I'm out I can check my email, browse the Web, and can even read and write Microsoft Office documents with the QuickOffice suite that comes standard. In fact, I am writing this article on it.

The small, thumb-sized QWERTY keyboard takes very little time to get used to. While it's not as quick as typing on a full-size keyboard, it is by no means slow. (If that bothers you, you can also use a Bluetooth keyboard.)

Apple's smallest laptop was the 12" PowerBook G4, and while it was small and compact, you still know you're carrying it with you. I love my Apple laptops and just bought a "Pismo" PowerBook G3, but I can't take it to the supermarket and check my email while mulling over which pizza to pick up.

The iPhone has brought proper Internet access to a mobile device, and others will follow.

Computer manufacturers know that people's need for small portables is growing. In the early 90s, Toshiba brought out the Libretto range of "laptop" computers the size of video cassettes. More recently, Asus introduced the Eee PC, and Carphone Warehouse brought out the WebBook, but none of these run Mac OS X (officially anyway).

Small portables are definitely the way forward, but we're not there just yet. My Nokia E71 is fantastic, but it isn't quite there as a full-fledged portable replacement.

There are loads of Symbian, iPhone, Windows Mobile, RIM, Palm, and Linux devices. They feature 300 MHz to 600 MHz ARM and Intel processors, and with minimal OS footprints and enough RAM these are pretty nippy devices.

We need an Apple laptop capable of running Leopard that's half the size of today's 13.3" MacBook, without a built in optical drive, and with a 9" to 11" screen.

Join us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.

Links for the Day

Mac of the Day: Outbound Laptop and Notebook, introduced 1989.09. The best known among the early Mac clones.
February 11 in LEM history: 98: Disposable modems - 00: Setting up a Mac web server - Small network backup solutions - 02: Flea market Mac Plus - I love this Quadra! - 03: Jaguar revisited - Beige G3 upgrades - 05: The key to Apple's success - Which iPod is best for you? - 08: Could a wireless dock be in the MacBook Air's future? - 2 of Apple's best notebooks ever
Support Low End Mac

Recent Deals

About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact

Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2012 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iPad iPhone, iMac, iPod, MacBook, MagSafe, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.
Advice is presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
Email may be published at our discretion unless marked "not for publication"; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.

Custom Search

Follow Low End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Mac on Facebook

Low End Mac Reader Specials

TypeStyler 11 is now in the Mac App Store!! -- Special Introductory Price of $59.95!! -- To Buy From The Mac App Store Click Here Now!! Or buy direct from Strider Software.

Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Poker Mac will show you how to download and install a native Mac poker and Mac Casino applications in minutes.

Affiliates

Amazon.com
The Apple Store
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
GainSaver
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay

Mac Spectrum

Can Smart Phones Replace Laptops?

Recent articles by Simon Royal

Links for the Day

Recent Content on Low End Mac

Recent Deals

About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact

Low End Mac Reader Specials

Favorite Sites

Affiliates

Advertise