SmartPhone as Tablet Replacement - 10 of 14 is Not Bad

SmartPhone as Tablet Replacement

Brooke Crothers relays interesting survey results in "How many devices can a smartphone, tablet replace?"

• Alarm clock: 61.1 percent
• GPS: 52.3 percent
• Digital camera: 44.3 percent
• Personal planner: 41.6 percent
• Landline phone: 40.3 percent
• MP3 player: 37.6 percent
• Video camera: 34.2 percent
• Newspaper: 28.2 percent
• Radio: 27.5 percent
• Desktop/Laptop computer: 24.2 percent
• Gaming device: 20.8 percent
• Books: 20.1 percent
• Internet service at home: 19.5 percent
• DVD player: 14.1 percent

Of course, the question becomes, how WELL can it replace those items? I have used my iPhone for many of these tasks, but have to rate the following as poor:

• GPS – have you ever gone outside of cell coverage and needed a map
• Newspaper - news in snippets only, I still get a Sunday paper
• Desktop/laptop -  nope, still own and use both types
• DVD player - not yet, but soon. Netflix is trying to kill the DVD and streaming might be the only way to see movies

I would not surprised if:

• Apple discontinues the smaller iPods after this winter (the iTouch will remain)
• GPS devices all add wi-fi and browsers to avoid extinction (Garmin is nearly there with their newest models)
• More Smartphone docks start appearing for regular charging and syncing
• Hotspots finally gain traction for instant network tethering

~Xolo