Comments on: Not Enough Devices? Here’s Why You Need More

By: Bob M

Bob M — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:36:00 +0000

E-ink provides better contrast than “even the sAMOLED+ screens”? Nonsense. E-ink technology (really, any of the electrophoretic displays) provide FAR poorer contrast than even the typical TN LCD monitor panel – for that matter, so does ordinary newsprint or “slick” magazines. These provide AT BEST maybe 20-30 to 1 contrast ratio (the E-Ink material currently in commercial products is actually somewhat worse than this). We don’t notice this lack of contrast because, well, basically human vision doesn’t NEED much more for readable text, and the real advantage of these types is not in their contrast but the fact that they’re reflective technologies – which means they always use ambient light, and therefore work just fine under direct sunlight, etc.. In other words, under those conditions that wash out LCDs or other emissive displays by overwhelming them with reflected light. (On the other hand, just try reading your Kindle in a low-light environment, like when I’m reading Nook in bed late and night and don’t want to wake up the wife by turning the lights on.)

The ideal is something more along the lines of a transflective LCD (such as the LCD technology from Pixel Qi) or some other type, like LiquiVista’s (now owned by Samsung) electrowetting display. These can offer both great color (in Pixel Qi’s case, only in the transmissive mode) and video-rate updating, while still being readable via both ambient light and using a backlight or “frontlight” within the display.

By: Bob M

Bob M — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:36:00 +0000

By: Johnnie

Johnnie — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:01:00 +0000

Hi Phillip. Yes, I disagree with your article. Even the title states “here’s why you need more”. I have not contradicted myself at all when I disagree and suggest that I don’t need more….

I have agreed with you that there are individual case uses where a dedicated device is better, but I disagreed with the conclusion that I therefore need more, because there are disadvantages associated with multiple devices that outweigh the advantages. Agreeing with the facts (i.e. a camera takes better photo’s than a phone), but disagreeing with the conclusions (i.e. that I therefore need more devices) is simply not a contradiction. I’m sorry that confuses you, but it’s really fairly simple.As for the travel point, I brought that up as context… not to “box” you in or insult you. I recognize from your tone that this bothered you for some reason,,. It’s actually a quite important point and I’m not sure why you’re responding negatively to that comment. I can only guess that you feel that you’re in some way being insulted because I could read in the subtext of the article that the “context” of your life doesn’t include full time travel. No insult was intended by this. I simply believe you would have written differently if you had participated in a different context of life (and after all… isn’t your specialty supposed to be the interplay of electronics and life?) I’d expect you to acknowledge this type of context as having massive importance… It’s a context in which your conclusion is flawed, and thus was quite pertinent to the discussion. When you travel full time, you REALLY want to minimize the number of devices you carry and “here’s why you need more” is not the mental approach a traveler takes to this question.As re: the accusation beyond the article, It so happens that you and I often hold opposite positions on things. While I appreciate that you haven’t lashed out with the temper this time, have you ever considered that maybe we just disagree on more than one issue? Maybe also take a moment to remember that people tend to comment on what they disagree with, but only on things they very strongly agree with.You’re trolling accusations are just bizarre though, let alone your statement that the fact that I disagreed with you was “stretching plausible logic simply to find a way to disagree” Sometimes it seems like anyone who doesn’t sit quite and nod sagely whenever you pause for breath, is just asking for the back of your hand. You clearly have difficulty with people disagreeing with you. If I really were trolling you, I would have posted on your article from several posts back where you were commenting on how you’d grown past making negative responses to people’s posts on your articles.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:15:00 +0000

i have the Samsung galaxy s 4g, its a great Phone, lots of features, lots of fun great for quick little things, I have my Samsung Laptop, i am going for my masters online and there is no way i could time papers on anything other than a PC or MAC desktop of laptop. as well as i need the power. nothing beats an actual computer.as well as i have a desktop which i use as my central media hub and file sharing and anything else. i have my Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, this is more for fun, quick things. still learning everything on it. I have 2 point and shoots, Samsung and Nikon as well as a Canon DSLR with a couple diff lenses. I do Photography as a hobby and nothing beats the quality and zoom. even when i go to party’s i bring a camera, i also have a JVC HD video camera. i have am 26 and i have 2 kids 3 years old and two months old. picture and video are important to me that a phone just can not replace. I still use a house phone it keeps the minutes down as well as all these feature drain your battery to fast on a phone. in my travel bag i also keep 2 external hard drives. I have my ipod touch which i use for music when working out and in my car because radio sucks, i also have a garmin GPS for road trips. I also have a e-reader it is much better on the eyes and better in sun light, the battery last forever.

now in mu living room i have a Wii, XBox 360 with kinect, 55inch led lcd samsung TV, samsung blu ray, Tivo Premier box, Netgear wireless display, surround sound hooked up to it all.. my wife says she hates i the gadgets i have yet she loves to use them all

By: Philip Berne

Philip Berne — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:15:00 +0000

Shut up! Let him speak! You have no idea what you’re talking about. Now go back to your room!

By: Philip Berne

Philip Berne — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:14:00 +0000

Hmm, I wonder what you didn’t like about it. Anything specific? I’m all ears.

By: Antimoron

Antimoron — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 07:15:00 +0000

What a crappy article this is…….the worst I have ever read, but what can you expect from a writer like this, just look at his pic, it clearly shows that he is suffering from multiple personality disorder, that’s all I can say, I hope you get it………

By: Philip Berne

Philip Berne — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 22:30:00 +0000

I’m confused. You “could not disagree more”? So when I said there “still might be a reason to stick with the multiple gadget plan,” you disagree that there “might” be a reason to stick with multiple gadgets?
Because, then you don’t really make any contrary arguments. You admit the camera phone doesn’t beat the point and shoot for image quality. Did you not read the part where I say the phone works for 90% of your use cases, but for a dedicated day of shooting, you need a real camera?
You suspect I don’t travel very much? Why, because I have different preferences and priorities than you? Because I don’t mind an extra 2-3 pounds in my bag? I travel plenty. I carry plenty of cords and cables.
You seem to miss my point entirely. I’m presenting use cases for each category of gadget where a specialized tool might be more useful and provide better functionality than an all-in-one. You “could not disagree more” with that? Then why contradict yourself. You “can’t imagine bothering to do” what I suggest, but I suggest reading a book on your tablet. I do that myself. Except when I’m outdoors, or I need to save on battery life, then I think an eBook reader is preferable.
Johnnie, this contrarian attitude is quite off-putting. In the nicest way possible, your purpose always seems to be to disagree with me for disagreement’s sake, and perhaps because you’re familiar with my fiery temper and you enjoy the trolling. If you have something to add to the discussion, I appreciate that. But you don’t need to stretch plausible logic simply to find a way to disagree.

By: Johnnie

Johnnie — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:41:00 +0000

Could not disagree more.

I happily dropped my MP3 player when my cell began to serve the function.

I happily dropped my Camera when my cell began to serve the function. I grant it’s not as good as a point and shoot… but the difference is that I actually have it handy and use it regularly, which was always problematic with my point and shoot. Sure the photo isn’t as good… but it sure beats not having gotten the photo at all!

I suspect that you don’t travel very much Phil… you’re definitely not a 40 hour per week on the road type… I spent 5 years doing that, and the utility from unified devices goes far FAR beyond just not having to carry the devices around…. the big utility is combined around fewer devices AND around not having to carry a bag soley devoted to paraphernalia… each device has to have it’s own individual power cable… (so many are aware of the profits involved in requiring a unique power cable)… as well as a unique method of transferring data. Some of them even had to have individual content carried as well. 2 cables per device across a phone, computer, tablet, portable game player, MP3, camera, etc.. is the real problem Even when you have enough space, the resulting tangle just makes it not worth bothering.

I was very sad when the smaller tablets came with their phone capabilities disabled. I was happily anticipating moving to a tablet/notebook combo to cover calls, pictures, content creation, and content consumption. When that was kiboshed by the carriers, I’ve simply stuck with my cell phone and notebook, and occasionally the PSP and they lost a sale.

In my own opinion, 2 devices is ideal… one with greater power and detail, one with less power and detail but but more ease. While I’m currently stuck at 3 devices, I ditched the approach you’re taking years ago, and have never been happier. I simply cant imagine bothering to do what you suggest… of owning an Ereader AND a tablet. In my opinion, that’s just a huge waste, both of my time and money, AND I can only imagine the environmental impacts if more people followed your advice, to purchase more unnecessary devices for an incremental improvement in one particular aspect, such as your preference for E-ink over a tablet reader. All those devices are headed for the landfill eventually…

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:48:00 +0000

Tablet to go with my desktop? PFFT! Yeah, why would I do that when I can get all the functionality of a proper operating system with an Ultraportable?

By: RupertDBear

RupertDBear — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:08:00 +0000

Jon and Philip are both right.
A small consolidated device will necessarily have some compromises (for now, at least), but at least you will have the functionality with you almost all the time. The key is to figure out what *you* want out of your devices. For me (just me):
1. Limited function phone, tiny, cheap, simple.2. E-ink ereader at the beach or backyard. Readable in bright light, long battery life, cheap, no mission critical stuff to lose.3. Dedicated high performance camera with 1080p video (also added a high performance digital recorder for the proper overkill), a complete luxury but one of my passions,4. Convertible touchscreen notebook as main device.5. Will add combo workstation / server when funds allow and demote notebook to toy.Serious / Pro photographers often carry several cameras with them. Some of the better point and shooters approach lower end DSLRs, something phones aren’t likely to match (its all about sensors and glass)
Cheers

By: Jon Pilon

Jon Pilon — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:08:00 +0000

Great response! I agree with you on quite a few things here too. I don’t think consolidation is always the best option (as my point about using a desktop as well as a tablet implies). My point there is that A desktop/tablet combo is more efficient than having all 3.

As well for the point about digital cameras I completely agree. For anyone who is concerned about high quality pictures, they shouldn’t be using only a phone. However, if they’re concerned with quality, chances are they’re going to be using an SLR as a point and shoot won’t have “that” much advantage over a phone.

Luckily technology isn’t a zero sum game and there is room for both strategies!

Cheers,

Jon