Posted on 12/06/2011 7:02:49 AM PST by SeekAndFind
The latest comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR) data gives us another reason to believe that one day laptops will be obsolete.
It's not that we don't love our laptops. Sometimes they can be downright beautiful. But people really, really love the simplicity of those screen-swiping, finger-flicking devices known as tablets and smartphones. And according to comScore, an increasing number of consumers are using their mobile devices to shop online.
Based on data from comScore's own Mobile Retail Advisor report, the company says that 38% of smartphone owners have used their phone to make a purchase at least once in the course of their device ownership.
“The most popular products purchased on smartphones during the month of September included digital goods, clothing/accessories, tickets and daily deals,” comScore detailed in a company release. Those and other findings will be presented live during a webinar on Wednesday, December 7.
“Fueled by smartphone adoption, mobile is becoming a central part in the shopping funnel for many consumers,” Mark Donovan, comScore's Senior VP for mobile, said in today's company release. “In September we saw two-thirds of all smartphone owners perform shopping activities on their phones, including comparing products and prices, searching for coupons, taking product pictures or locating a retail store. Considering there are currently 90 million smartphone owners in the U.S., retailers without a well-developed mobile strategy are not only missing a tremendous opportunity with these customers but also risk becoming obsolete in the minds of these digital omnivores.”
Here are the full details:
And a few more:
How, you might wonder, does this mean the end for laptops? That's simple: every time consumers shift their everyday habits from one device to the next, the losing device gets closer and closer to the end of its lifespan. As recent as 15 years ago, most consumers performed their day-to-day online tasks with a clunky desktop PC. In the last five to 10 years, that trend has shifted toward laptops, thanks entirely to falling prices, increasing power, and the simple fact that laptops are portable and desktops are not.
Now that people are throwing smartphones into their pockets and tablets into their bags, it's becoming all the more difficult (if not all the more pointless) to carry a laptop. Consumers can bank online, shop online, and perform a zillion other laptop tasks using any one of the Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) or Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) devices available. Going forward, their capabilities are only expected to get stronger.
Long-term, I suspect that Apple or some other clever manufacturer will combine the best of both worlds and release the ultimate touch screen laptop. Until then, expect to see the tablet and smartphone usage data to go up, while desktop PC and laptop usage could continue to deteriorate.
OK, have downloaded both the Firefox extension and downloadhelper. Succesfully downloaded a YouTube vid. Also noticed the the VLC media player now appears to the the default video viewer. Is this correct? Not sure I want the VLC to be the default though. Any way to get back the Windows as my default? Thanks very much for your help. Have been concerned I might not be able to keep some vids if they were removed from the ‘Tube.
“View and edit your designs online or on your mobile device.”
With what? a Microscope? What about scale and actually viewing the entire CAD drawing? NOT likely
I use VLC as my default video player because Windows Media Player doesn’t necessarily recognize all the formats. But I doubt installing DownloadHelper had anything to do with making VLC a default player. If the video is an mp4, then that may be why it’s related to VLC instead of WMP.
Yes, you should be able to change the default program for files. How depends on your version of Windows. I use Windows 7 and it’s straightforward. Opening the Start menu gives an option of ‘Default Programs’ in the right vertical panel. Clicking on that, then selecting ‘Associate a file type or protocol with a program’ gets the job done.
Hope you enjoy DownloadHelper.
Thank you again. Much obliged.
Bfl
Thanks SeekAndFind.
If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.
Nailed it.
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I create maps for archaeological and historical research, and use them for things like mapping historic roads, trails and traces across the landscape. My maps typically consist of georeferenced layers of historic maps, modern topo maps, Google Earth images, and custom vector layers (including GPS waypoints) that I have created.
I'm sitting here, kicked back in my recliner with a lap desk suspended across the chair arms, and with my hands comfortably on the keyboard and trackpad. If I had to hold my arms up to touch the screen, I'd be exhausted inside of an hour. And, for obvious reasons, the screen needs to be vertical.
I haven't used a mouse in years, and I find the multi-touch trackpad to be ideal -- even for creating high-precision graphics. And, I don't need my fingers in front of the screen -- obscuring where I am drawing!
When I'm done, I'll load the maps onto a tablet (iPad), enable GPS tracking, and head out into the field to ground-truth the roads.
IOW, for folks doing real work, I see a need for both formats.
The only alternate that might work for me would to make the 17" display on my MacBook Pro detachable for use as a touchscreen tablet. BUT, the physical connection to the keyboard-trackpad-I/O half would have to be as robust is now available on my laptop.
I have no objection to having separate laptop and tablet; they "live in different worlds"...
My printer is plugged into my WiFi router (An Apple Time Capsule, which is also a terabyte wireless backup drive) -- and I print wirelessly -- exactly as if I were hard-wired to the printer. Same solution for tablets...
Haven't checked, but I'd be surprised if some enterprising printer company hasn't already made a printer with built-in Wi-Fi...
For that, you use .45 cal security... '-}
Yeah yeah yeah we’ve heard it all before the wonderful “CLOUD”....
Laptops are dead...
Desktops are dead...
The mainframe is dead....
How long before we can write “Ignorant delusional writers with no sense of history ARE DEAD!!”???...
;-)
I never trust anything wireless.To many people drive around to pick info.The net is bad enough let alone wireless.
Exactly. My employer is currently replacing towers with laptops but we keep our monitors, keyboards, and mouse to attach and use with the new laptops. I can’t even imagine trying to get the amount of work needed without these.
I have a laptop with plugged into a docking station at work, with dual screen 17” monitors and a full key board and mouse. I don’t even notice that it’s not a tower.
But when I have to travel or have a meeting in a conference room, or work from home, it’s great. At home I plug into my Wifi, and wireless mouse and wireless keyboard; it’s almost like stitting at my desk except for the 2nd monitor.
And I have a wireless, rollup keyboard and small wireless mouse that I keep in my laptop bag for travel.
Although tablets with enough power to replace a laptop may begin to push out the remaining laptop market, I don't think we are there yet. I think what we will see instead is a reworking of the laptop itself to make it a better home device. Less obsolete or outdated interfaces (VGA, S-Video, composite video, telephone modem, etc.), more efficient storage (SSHD), better multimedia network control capability, and touch/tablet features.
Tablets may become more laptopish, but notebooks will become more tablet like as well.
If I understand what you just wrote (and I guess I did) that’s scary, but probably true.
I remember thinking about something like that being a cool thing they could eventually do. (not that I had any idea how they might do it). But I like the feel of a keyboard). Then again, I never thought I would get used to the feel of my laptop and be able to type fast on it—I bet I’m still not quite as fast on it as I was on a real keyboard, I mean a typewriter).
Or if they watch reality tv....
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