Computer Support Blog

In the first blog in this series, we discussed how tablets came to be what they are now. In the second, we talked about the release of the iPad. Now, we should focus on the last two years and the forward leaps tablets have made in that time. Since Apple released the iPad, the market has seen dozens of other models come around and, in some cases, go away again.

The same year Apple released the iPad, the Samsung released the Galaxy Tab and Dell released the Streak. Less than a year later, Apple upgraded to the iPad2. During that time, various companies released over 80 other tablets. However, many of those tablets have not sold as well as the manufacturers might like. Apple’s iPad2 is still the tablet of choice for many consumers.

Most recently, Amazon.com released its own tablet. The Kindle Fire sells for only $199, a third of the price of most other tablets, including the iPad2. The Kindle Fire has a large shopping base in its maker, Amazon, and looks to be a good option for those on a budget. Many people were impressed by the Kindle Fire’s lack of mobile computer support issues at its release. A large number of other tablets required updates as soon as they were purchased because the companies hurried to release a product that was not entirely ready, in the wake of the iPad release.

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In the previous blog in this series, we discussed that although the concept of tablets had existed for decades, self-contained portable computers were never possible until advances in technology caught up to the idea. Manufacturers tried their best to give consumers what they wanted, but the technology and the market were simply not ready yet. In the early 2000s, however, the market began to see an upsurge in tablets.

This upsurge was driven by Microsoft’s rededication to the tablet concept. The computer giant released a set of guidelines for manufacturers to build tablets using a tablet-specific version of Windows called Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. These newer tablets more closely resembled the tablets currently on the market than the previous generation of tablets.

These devices featured touch screens, video playing capabilities, Internet connectivity, and lighter designs. With the new technology came more complete mobile computer support as well. They were not quite up to the abilities tablets would have in only a few years, but it was a great start.

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The idea for tablet computers began much earlier than most people realize. The iPad was by no means the first tablet computer; there have been tablets widely available for sale since 1989. They have ranged widely in functionality and design, but tablets are not a new thing.

As the first in a series of three blogs centering on the history of tablet computers, this blog will focus mainly on the first tablet-like devices that relied on computers for their functionality. The second and third blogs will focus on the self-contained tablets of the last few decades and the rise in popularity they are currently experiencing.

The first tablet-like computer device was created in 1964 and it was called the RAND tablet. The RAND tablet was basically a square sensor in the middle of a wooden board. It came with an attached stylus and cost $18,000. The stylus and sensor system replaced the keyboard for the computer it was attached to and software was developed to make the RAND tablet recognize handwriting.

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Not too long ago, Apple and Adobe (the software company that publishes Flash and Photoshop software) were in conflict because Apple’s iOS would not run Adobe programs. This failure of functionality was be design, though; Adobe and Apple’s Quicktime video formats have long been in conflict and Apple hoped to force programmers and websites to use their coding as opposed to Adobe’s. So, for some time, you could not play most YouTube videos on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. But then, Apple and Adobe settled their differences and now Adobe is writing programs specifically for the iOS operating system. One of the first truly meaningful Adobe programs to be recoded for iOS functioning is Adobe Photoshop Touch for iPad.

As one of its flagship software programs, Photoshop is a big moneymaker for Adobe. Adobe Photoshop Touch is the pared-down program for mobile computing devices; already there is an Android-based Photoshop Touch that has made Photoshop tools available to the wealth of Android customers. Adobe Photoshop Touch for iPad allows Apple iOS users using an iPad to create, alter, and publish images based on Adobe programming. This gives visual artists and photographers a huge opportunity to continue their art. No longer do Apple Computer fans have to choose between their preferred mobile computing device and the opportunity to become more proficient at their visual art.

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What is the one major problem with tablets? If you answered with something similar to “They do not have keyboards,” then you are among the majority of frustrated tablet and touch screen smartphone owners. Tablets are great; they are portable, lightweight, easy to use, and great for working outside the home or office. Tablets are the hot new item over the last two years and many people would love to be able to discard their laptop in favor of their new tablet.

There is just one problem with replacing laptops with tablets and it is a huge problem for users. The lack of an actual keyboard makes typing on a tablet a hassle. Typing on the virtual, onscreen keyboard is slow, imprecise, and awkward. The angle for holding your wrists and arms is completely wrong, and there is also the problem of trying to hold the tablet and type with both hands at the same time.

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What is the release date for the iPad 3? What will it look like? What new capabilities will it feature? These speculations have been floating around for a while on the Internet and it seems that everyone has something to say about the topic except for Apple.

There has been no official word from Apple about the possibility of an upcoming iPad 3 release, but the rumors are flying about when that might happen. All over the Internet, people are guessing about the official announcement of the iPad 3 and the consensus is that the release will be in March.

An article on Bloomberg states that production of the iPad 3 is already in progress and will reach maximum output in February. There will be a break for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year holiday for the factory workers, but production will begin again immediately afterwards. The article does not name any direct sources, but the information is consistent with the rumors and speculation.

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Puzzle games are exceptionally popular among casual computer game players.  The rise of smartphones has made video games accessible to a much larger audience. Puzzle games like Hexic and Angry Birds have effectively captivated smartphone users and opened entirely new markets up in the video game industry.  But while Angry Birds has remained comparatively static – Rovio has effectively merchandised Angry Birds beyond the popular game, but not released any new expansions for some time – a new game has come to dominate the puzzle game niche.  That game is Cut The Rope.

Cut The Rope is a physics-based puzzle game similar in several ways to Angry Birds, which might be why it so easily took over the same niche.  Developed by Chillingo, Cut The Rope features bright colors and simple animation that makes it ideal for playing on a smartphone or tablet computer, where one does not need the most advanced monitor to get the most out of the game.  When Chillingo released Cut The Rope to the Apple App Store during the fourth quarter of 2010, it sold three million downloads before the end of that year!  Since its initial release, Chillingo has continued to release Cut The Rope for different video game platforms, as well as a new expansion, Cut The Rope: Experiments.

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With all of the rapidly-changing aspects of computer technology, it can be very hard to keep up.  Indeed, for those who are casual computer users without real investment in the computer hardware industry, it was not so long ago that the USB port became the dominant interface port.  Suddenly, when you upgraded your computer and wanted to use your favorite old keyboard or mouse, you discovered there were no ports in the back of your new computer for it!  Like compact discs to records, the USB port has pretty much eliminated most specialized ports on computers.  In the world of USB ports, USB 3.0 is slowly creeping up in popularity.

But, you might be wondering, just what is USB 3.0?

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Have you had enough with portable technology devices?  If you said ”yes,” it can hardly be considered a surprise.  More than any other time in history, the consumer electronics market is overflowing with options . . . so many that it is easy to fail to see what the point of it all is.  Media players alone have become a market where the options seem to be designed more for competition between products than actually filing a niche that is desperately yearning to be filled.

For small-screen devices, you have your smartphones.  While many of the smartphones have screens that are less than 2” for the diagonal screen measurement, the iPod Touch changed the nature of such devices when Apple released it with a 3.5” screen.  This created a niche of handheld devices that could surf the Internet and perform all sorts of media functions, including playing movies and music.  The Apple iPhone added telephone communication to that and with that, Apple firmly entered the smartphone wars.

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With the iPad dominating the tablet computer market, it is very hard for Apple Computers to claim fiercely individual people as their key demographic any longer.  Such is the price of fame; if you market to the outsiders and your product becomes mainstream, it is virtually impossible to win back the demographic that built or revitalized your company.  As those who value their sense of individuality depart from the Apple brand, they are left to figure out what company’s product will fill the same niche.  The best choice for tablet computers may come from Sony, which is ironic considering how massive a company Sony is.

The Sony Tablet S is the best option for those who want a tablet computer that offers a lot of the computing power and style of an Apple iPad without the expense or issues that accompany the iPad.  Sony Tablet S tablet computers start at the same price as the equivalent iPad, though Sony puts them on sale with greater frequency than Apple discounts the iPad.  The Sony Tablet S is about the same size and weight as an iPad.  The Tablet S features a bright 9.4” (diagonal measurement) touchscreen.

Sony’s Tablet S has a 16 GB storage capacity, though the higher-end Tablet S has 32 GB available storage space.  The Tablet S has an innovative design as it almost appears like a magazine rolled back on itself.  Thus, the thin screen rests on a thin platform.  This design serves two very cool functions.  When the Tablet S is oriented in a landscape orientation for watching movies, surfing the web or composing written works, the rounded, raised top helps reduce neck strain.  When using the touchscreen keyboard in this configuration, the design also reduces finger stress like an ergonomic keyboard would!  When oriented in portrait orientation, the design of the Tablet S makes it very easy to use as an e-reader.  The rounded side is comfortable to the grip, especially when you are holding it that way for long periods of time.

Perhaps the key selling point of the Tablet S is its compatibility with Android smartphones.  As the Android OS has become exceptionally popular, many programmers are using the OS for their new apps.  As an Android-compatible device, the Sony Tablet S has a wide array of apps currently available and many, many more in development.  Because of the stability and popularity of the Android platform, the Tablet S will remain a relevant tablet computer for years to come!

The Tablet S is able to stream movies and music from the Cloud, offering you an incredible selection of available media works.

The Sony Tablet S allows anyone who already has an Android-powered smartphone to synergize their tablet for a powerful computing and communication’s tool.  For those looking to get away from Apple, Sony and Android present great options, with the Tablet S as the tablet computer cornerstone.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com