We seem to be falling in love with secondary devices all over again. As we edge closer to the year 2014, our desire to have more technology in our lives is being showcased by not only our newest and boldest devices yet, but by also the fact we need more technology connected to them, interacting with them. That may sound like a bad thing, but it isn't. I'm all for connecting our technology with other technology. However that may get done.
Just look at our newfound love for smartwatches. It was a category that most people would have laughed out of the room a few years ago, but now we're seeing a whole new focus on it. It started small enough, with smaller companies around the globe tossing their hat into the niche market, but now it's on the verge of blowing up. With Samsung's inclusion into the market, courtesy of the Galaxy Gear, we'll see other companies jump in head-first and try to one up one another. It'll be like the smartphone race, but it'll fit on our wrist.
It'll probably be just as exciting, too.
If you're into that sort of thing, I mean.
While we wait for the smartwatch market to expand and evolve, one market has definitely seen its fair share of evolution over the last few years. A quick, explosive expansion, made possible by just about every single manufacturer out there jumping on (and off) the bandwagon at one time or another.
The tablet market was another section that came out of nowhere, and then just avalanched out of control. We've seen so many different tablets since the original iPad kicked off the show, and it's not slowing down anytime soon. Indeed, just as I was writing this article, HP announced four new Android-based tablets.
And HP managed to handle it just like Samsung: covering the size spectrum. In those four new models, there are three distinct sizes: 7-inches, 8-inches and 10-inches. And that's just how it's done now. Even Apple has size options for you, though admittedly not as many.
Manufacturers know that they have to provide the market with options. It's not just about offering one size for everyone, because it's never been more clear than with today's consumer that people want different screen sizes. It all comes down to what you're using the device for.
I've asked you in the past if you thought an 8.9-inch tablet was the right size for you. Also, I've tossed around the idea that maybe, just maybe, a 20-inch tablet is too big. Since then, we've seen manufacturers bring to market tablets of varying sizes, and tablets that works as hybrids. Those hybrid devices, with their 11-inch or bigger displays, can be detached from the keyboard and used separately when you like.
I've had a couple options of the hybrid variety, and I quickly found that at around 11 inches or bigger, I just never wanted to detach it from the keyboard. Most of them were just heavy and uncomfortable to hold.
We're seeing an up-tick in tablets that find their way into the 7- to 8.x-inch range, so maybe the question is more obvious than I think, but I have to ask: what is the perfect tablet size for you? Whether you own a tablet or not, I want to know where you draw the line for size, and what you feel is comfortable, if not downright acceptable, to carry around and actually use. Let me know!
