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is a smartphone suitable as a laptop alternative?

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  • 26-02-2009 12:26am
    #1
    ceoexec2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭


    I am considering buying a laptop but am wondering would a smartphone be a better choice and provide better value overall. what are peoples opinions on boards. if you had to make a choice between them which would you go for?


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    #2
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    ceoexec2 wrote: »
    I am considering buying a laptop but am wondering would a smartphone be a better choice and provide better value overall. what are peoples opinions on boards. if you had to make a choice between them which would you go for?
    Unless you intend wearing glasses a smart phone would do your block in. They are fine for the occasional email or browse if you are stuck but no substitute for any sort of laptop, I'm beginning to find the EEEPC's to tedious to use.


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    #3
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    Back to the old question - what do you want to do with the device?


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    #4
    ceoexec2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭ceoexec2


    Le Piat d'Or wrote: »
    Back to the old question - what do you want to do with the device?

    Everything:)


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    #5
    matrim
    Registered Users Posts: 7,517 ✭✭✭matrim


    No. Smartphones are good for making phone calls, and doing some light web browsing \ email when on the move.

    They aren't a laptop alternative.


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    #6
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    ceoexec2 wrote: »
    Everything:)

    Define everything.

    On my laptop, I run virtual machines, I use LogMeIn, VPN, Citrix. I certainly wouldn't try that on a smartphone.

    I also edit/create Word/Excel/Powerpoint documents, I wouldn't do that on a smartphone.

    I manage databases/application servers, I wouldn't do that on a smartphone.

    :)


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    #7
    ceoexec2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭ceoexec2


    i thought it would be at least possible to edit word/excel with a smartphone. what exactly can be done with one, is it just suitable for email/browsing on the move. there quite pricey as well. are they overhyped


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    #8
    Alanstrainor
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Smart phones are not laptops. They can edit word and excel docs, but it's by no means practical, the screens are too small, as are the keyboards. Some browsing/email on the go, with the ability to read word/excel docs is about as far as smart phones go. Yes they have other entertainment capabilities but they by no means compare to a laptop.
    Without you narrowing your uses down OP we're not gonig to be able to help. "everything" isnt narrowing it down at all, a smart phone wont play crysis!
    *typed using a Nokia E62!*


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    #9
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    ceoexec2 wrote: »
    i thought it would be at least possible to edit word/excel with a smartphone. what exactly can be done with one, is it just suitable for email/browsing on the move. there quite pricey as well. are they overhyped

    You can edit Word/Excel files, but I believe it is only a cut-down version of both applications. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe you can edit Powerpoint slides on a smartphone (I think you can view them, though).

    You can also use VPN connections to access your corporate network, you can use LogMeIn, VNC and Remote Desktop (yes, nerdy that I am, I have done them all :o). But they aren't really practical for day-to-day work.

    They are really information devices - you can view stuff, listen to stuff, store stuff, but not really create stuff (apart from, say, e-mails and text messages).


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    #10
    stevenmu
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,689 Mod ✭✭✭✭stevenmu


    ceoexec2 wrote: »
    i thought it would be at least possible to edit word/excel with a smartphone. what exactly can be done with one, is it just suitable for email/browsing on the move. there quite pricey as well. are they overhyped

    The editing on smart phones is really aimed at only making very minor changes. The typical usage scenario is that you would receive an email with a word or excel attachment, open it, update a few lines or columns and forward it on again. Think about writing a text message, then imagine doing that for an entire business document :) It's very useful to have the ability to make small changes like that on the go when you won't have a laptop, but it's definitely not a laptop replacement.

    Smartphones are pretty common place now though anyway, they're not something hugely above and beyond any other regular phone, so if you're thinking of changing phones anyway there's no reason not to go smartphone, just don't expect to completely ditch the laptop if you do.


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