THE FUTURE OF LAPTOP AND TABLET

Computer

A PROJECT REPORT

Submitted by

Chethan J A (PGDM-IB/05/11/04)

Neeraj Sharma (PGDM-IB/05/11/09)

Prasanna Venkatesh (PGDM-IB/05/11/13)

Submitted to

Prof. Rupesh Kumar SinhaB.Sc. (Bot Hons), GNIIT, MCP, PGDCA, M.Sc. (comp. Sc.)

Electronic City

Bangalore

Sl # Contents

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Introduction to Laptop

History of Laptop

Introduction to Tablet Computer

History of Tablet Computer

Technical features of Tablet Computer

Laptop vs. Tablet Computer

Conclusion

Reference

Laptop

Introduction:

A laptop also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most

of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing

device (a touchpad, also known as a track pad, and/or a pointing stick) and speakers into a single

unit. A laptop is powered by mains electricity via an AC adapter, and can be used away from an

outlet using a rechargeable battery.

Portable computers, originally monochrome CRT-based and developed into the modern laptops,

and were originally considered to be a small niche market, mostly for specialized field

applications such as the military, accountants and sales representatives. As portable computers

became smaller, lighter, cheaper, more powerful and as screens became larger and of better

quality, laptops became very widely used for all sorts of purposes.

History:

As the personal computer became feasible in the early 1970s, the idea of a portable personal

computer followed. A "personal, portable information manipulator" was imagined by Alan

Kay at Xerox PARC in 1968, and described in his 1972 paper as the "Dynabook".

The IBM SCAMP project (Special Computer APL Machine Portable), was demonstrated in

1973. This prototype was based on the PALM processor (Put All Logic In Microcode).

The IBM 5100, the first commercially available portable computer, appeared in September 1975,

and was based on the SCAMP prototype. As 8-bit CPU machines became widely accepted, the

number of portables increased rapidly. The Osborne 1, released in 1981, used the Zilog Z80 and

weighed 23.6 pounds (10.7 kg). It had no battery, a 5 in (13 cm) CRT screen, and dual 5.25 in

(13.3 cm) single-density floppy drives. In the same year the first laptop-sized portable computer,

the Epson HX-20, was announced. The Epson had a LCD screen, a rechargeable battery, and a

calculator-size printer in a 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) chassis. Both Tandy/RadioShack and HP also

produced portable computers of varying designs during this period.

The first laptops using the flip form factor appeared in the early 1980s. The Dulmont

Magnum was released in Australia in 1981–82, but was not marketed internationally until 1984–

85. The $8,150 ($18,540 today) GRiD Compass 1100, released in 1982, was used at NASA and

by the military among others. TheGavilan SC, released in 1983, was the first computer described

as a "laptop" by its manufacturer. From 1983 onward, several new input techniques were

developed and included in laptops, including the touchpad (Gavilan SC, 1983), the pointing

stick (IBM ThinkPad 700, 1992) and handwriting recognition (Linus Write-Top, 1987). Some

CPUs, such as the 1990 Intel i386SL, were designed to use minimum power to increase battery

life of portable computers, and were supported by dynamic power management features such as

Intel SpeedStep and AMD Power Now! in some designs.

Displays reached VGA resolution by 1988 (Compaq SLT/286), and colour screens started

becoming a common upgrade in 1991 with increases in resolution and screen size occurring

frequently until the introduction of 17"-screen laptops in 2003. Hard drives started to be used in

portables, encouraged by the introduction of 3.5" drives in the late 1980s, and became common

in laptops starting with the introduction of 2.5" and smaller drives around 1990; capacities have

typically lagged behind physically larger desktop drives. Optical storage, read-only CD-

ROM followed by writeable CD and later read-only or writeable DVD and Blu-Ray, became

common in laptops soon in the 2000s.

Tablet Computer

Introduction:

A tablet computer, or a tablet, is a mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal

digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen

rather than using a physical keyboard. It often uses an onscreen virtual keyboard, a

passive stylus pen, or a digital pen.

Tablet PC is a portable computing device which looks much like a detached screen from a

conventional notebook computer, or perhaps a hand-held computer that's been scaled up.    

History:

The tablet computer and the associated special operating software is an example of pen

computing technology, and thus the development of tablets has deep historical roots.

Electrical devices with data input and output on a flat information display have existed as early

as 1888. Throughout the 20th century many devices with these characteristics have been ideated

and created whether as blueprints, prototypes or commercial products, with

the Dynabook concept in 1968 being a spiritual precursor of tablets and laptops. In addition to

many academic and research systems, there were several companies with commercial products

in the 1980s

During the 2000s Microsoft attempted to define with the Microsoft Tablet PC the tablet personal

computer product concept as a mobile computer for field work in business, though their devices

failed to achieve widespread usage mainly due to price and usability problems that made them

unsuitable outside of their limited intended purpose.

In April 2010 Apple Inc. released the iPad, a tablet computer with an emphasis on media

consumption. The shift in purpose, together with increased usability, battery life, simplicity,

lower weight and cost, and overall quality with respect to previous tablets, was perceived as

defining a new class of consumer device and shaped the commercial market for tablets in the

following year.

As a result, two distinctly different types of tablet computing devices exist as of 2011, the Tablet

PC and the Post-PC tablet, whose operating systems are of different origin.

Traditional tablet PCs

A tablet personal computer (tablet PC) is a portable personal computer equipped with a touch

screen as a primary input device, and running a (modified) classic desktop OS. designed to be

operated and owned by an individual. The term was made popular as a concept presented by

Microsoft in 2000 and 2001 but tablet PCs now refer to any tablet-sized personal computer

regardless of the (desktop) operating system

Tablet personal computers are mainly based on the x86 IBM-PC architecture and are fully

functional personal computers employing a slightly modified personal computer OS (such

as Windows orUbuntu Linux) supporting their touch-screen, instead of a traditional display,

mouse and keyboard. A typical tablet personal computer needs to be stylus driven, because

operating the typical desktop based OS requires a high precision to select GUI widgets, such as a

the close window button.

"Post-PC" tablets

Since mid-2010, new tablet computers have been introduced with mobile operating systems that

forgo the Wintel paradigm, have a different interface instead of the traditional desktop OS, and

represent a new type of computing device. These "post-PC" mobile OS tablet computer devices

are normally finger driven and most frequently use capacitive touch screens with multi-touch

capabilities instead of the simple resistive touch screens of typical stylus driven systems.

The most successful of these was the Apple iPad using the iOS operating

system. Samsung's Galaxy Tab and others followed, continuing the now common trends towards

multi-touch and other natural features, as well as flash memory solid-state storage drives and

"instant on" warm-boot times; in addition, standard external USB and Bluetooth keyboards can

often be used. Most frequently the operating system running a tablet computer that's not based

on the traditional PC architecture is based on a Unix-like OS, such as Darwin, Linux or QNX.

Some have 3G mobile telephony capabilities.

In forgoing the x86 precondition (a requisite of Windows compatibility), most tablet computers

released since mid-2010 use a version of an ARM architecture processor for longer battery life

versus battery weight, heretofore used in portable equipment such as MP3 players and cell

phones. Especially with the introduction of the ARM Cortex family, this architecture is now

powerful enough for tasks such as internet browsing, light production work and gaming.

A significant trait of tablet computers not based on the traditional PC architecture is that the

main source of 3rd party software for these devices tends to be through online distribution, rather

than more traditional methods of boxed software or direct sales from software vendors. These

sources, known as "app stores," provide centralized catalogues of software from both 1st and 3rd

parties and allow simple "one click" on-device software purchasing, installation, and updates.

Technical features

 As a quasi-hybrid of laptop and palmtop computers, the Tablet PC owes much to those earlier

technologies. One of the key advances that made the Tablet PC possible is the development of

ultra-low power microprocessor chips by companies such as Transmeta and Intel.

Another standard feature of the Tablet PC, handwriting recognition, first made its appearance in

the Apple Newton palmtop computer. 

The moderately high resolution colours screen is suited for use with a video projector, and the

large amount of on-board storage (20-60 GB or more) means that even a complicated

multimedia presentation can be loaded into a Tablet without the risk of running out of space. 

Tablet PCs mostly work with graphical images ("ink" in Tablet jargon) rather than ASCII text.

This is very convenient for creating with a stylus, but could pose problems if (e.g.) an "ink"

document were emailed to someone on a slow dialup connection. 

Almost all Tablet PCs either come with wireless networking built in, or can be upgraded to have

that capability.  Standard ports, such as USB and/or Firewire, are available on most models.

Tablet PCs are priced similarly to high-end notebook computers. The machines are typically in

the $2,000 to $3,000 price range, although there are a few low-end models around $1000.

One Tablet PC manufacturer, RM, has announced models aimed specifically at the academic

market. An interesting feature of RM's "instructor" model is built-in fingerprint identification.

This might be useful for an instructor who needs to carry confidental information (grades,

exams, research data, etc.) on the Tablets.

    Many Tablet PCs use the Transmeta Crusoe chip. This processor, while not as fast as those in

a high-end desktop machine, offers the advantage of greatly extended battery life. A Crusoe chip

uses only 1 to 2 watts of power maximum, compared to 75 watts or more for a desktop CPU, and

around 10 watts for a notebook CPU.  Intel has also produced a line of low power consumption

chips, the Mobile Pentium series. These are used in several Tablet PCs. Direct comparison of

power consumption between the Transmeta and Intel offerings is difficult, since Intel quotes

average power consumption figures, while the Transmeta figures are for peak consumption. 

Some advantages of a longer battery life are obvious. A less-obvious factor is that batteries are

both heavy and expensive. By making it possible to use a smaller battery for the same working

time, the Transmeta-style chips help lower both the weight and the cost of the Tablet PC. 

   The Intel chips are essentially low-powered versions of their standard CPUs.  The Transmeta

Crusoe chip offers several technological advantages, some of which may play an important role

in future Tablet PC software. Though most current Tablet PCs run a  variant of the Microsoft

Windows operating system (written for Intel 80x86-compatible microprocessors) the Crusoe is

not an 80x86 chip at all. The Crusoe uses a technology called Code Morphing to translate the

80x86 instructions into its own instruction set. Emulators, as such, have been around for  a long

time (most Mac users are familiar with Virtual PC, a software package that allows them to run

Windows on the Macintosh) but the Crusoe takes this idea one step further. Rather than

translating each 80x 86 instructions every time it is encountered, as in a conventional emulator,

the Code Morphing technology can take entire groups of instructions and translate them into

Crusoe native instructions the first time they're encountered, then save the result. The next time

that section of code is run it executes at the full native speed of the Crusoe processor without

needing to be translated a second time. 

Future Technology

    It's reasonable to assume that Tablet PCs will become lighter, more powerful, and less

expensive as time goes on. It may be, however, that the real usability gains come through

integration. The integrated features that are now available in cell phones (such as digital

cameras) would seem to be ideal for adding into the Tablet PC, since they operate under similar

constraints of size and power consumption.  Perhaps the cell phone itself could be integrated.  

    Though Tablet PCs are much more compact than a desktop machine, or even a laptop, the

constraint of screen size would seem to pose a limit on miniaturization. However, several

research groups (both academic and corporate)  are working on flexible, "roll-up" displays.  If

these become available, the Tablet PC could become as convenient to carry as a paperback book.

Laptop Vs Tablet Computer

When laptops entered the computer market, everyone wanted one of these small devices for

computing on the go. Laptops received a lot of hype because of their portability and their ease of

use. This new technology took the computing world by storm and dominated the portable

computer scene until a new device entered the market: the TABLET. This device offers several

of the same features as laptops but with added portability. Some individuals may feel this is the

new way to compute and they can’t live without their tablet, whereas others say laptops can

never be replaced.

A look at the advantages and disadvantages of each device to help you decide which will best fit

you and your needs.

Advantages of laptops over tablets

Laptops are more robust

It cannot be denied that laptops are far more robust than tablets. Sure, tablets are portable and

can be protected in a protective case, but even so, tablets (especially the screen) are more

vulnerable to damages.

Tablets can easily be lost

With its small size, tablets can be easily lost, and if stolen, the owner may not even be aware.

Losing a laptop will immediately be known.

Storage, Processor

Users using the iPad2 have noticed that the storage capacity is quickly filled up, and there don’t

seem to have any announcement for having SD card for extra storage. Laptops have more

storage capacity. When it comes to processors, it is too obvious. The processors available on

laptops are far better than those of laptops. And it is known that the number of simultaneous

tasks that can be done is REALLY one or two.

Less privacy with tablets

Privacy is a very important issue for most people, and that’s quite a problem with the tablet.

When reading anything on tablets, anyone behind you can easily take a peek at what you are

doing. This problem can be prevented with a laptop with the back of the screen to prevent other

people from the front to look at what you are doing.

More supports on laptops

Laptops have far more supports and connections than tablets. You may find HDMI, Bluetooth,

and wireless support on tablets, and some tablets do not even support USB 2.0 ports. Laptops, in

addition to supporting the above features, even have USB 3.0 ports (this is far faster than USB

2.0), eSATA for adding solid-state drives, DVI or VGA for external displays, and many more

Touch screens also have many limitations and drain battery life more rapidly. Tablets lack many

features like optical drives, built-in surround sounds, a well-positioned webcam, keyboard, and

others.

Bugs and problems

The best operating system for tablets right now is undoubtedly Android Honeycomb, which is

still version 1, unlike Windows and other operating systems like Mac, which are debugged and

improved. Honeycomb has a long way for these processes. Now with laptops, choice is smaller

and normally between Windows and Mac.Tablets also work wonders only when on online, and

is of very little news offline. So, even if they are more portable, they still require the internet

connections for the proper use.

Edit media options, applications

Laptops have more editing options for media, with the proper program installed, than tablets

which are restricted to a very few options that do not even match those available on laptops. This

is not limited to media software only. Though Apple has many applications, Windows and other

operating systems are no different, but in fact, provide a far wider range of applications. There’s

also more programs like Excel and others, with full compatibility, which is not the case for

tablets. Tablets cannot support the full media rich content of the internet and web pages, but

have a restricted view, and sometimes, do not even support some features. It seems that IPad do

not support some flash content too, thus, limiting content display.

Laptops are cheaper and can be upgraded

Tablets are much more expensive than laptops for the good features. Additionally, most laptops

can be easily upgraded for better performance. If your laptop is lagging, RAM can be purchased

to increase speed. This also applies to storage capacity and other laptop parts such as batteries

Few reasons to buy a tablet and a few reasons not to.

Tablets make great e-readers.

Although many would complain that the reading experience isn’t nearly as focused as single-

purpose e-ink devices, and the text isn’t as legible, these drawbacks haven’t stopped users from

cracking open PDF, comics, long web articles, and so on tablets. Plus kids books are fun in full

color, something Kindle can’t yet beat.

Tablets are portable productivity stations.

There’s nothing like a calendar and an email window on a big screen. Although many of our

phones now run PIM applications, the real estate afforded by a tablet makes for a far superior

experience.

Tablets are better than older laptops.

If we don’t need to type a lot, tablets will handle more content than a two-year-old laptop and

there are more modern apps and games.

Tablets are great for meetings.

While you should probably paying attention during meetings, tablets are a great way to take

notes unobtrusively and, when things get boring, play Angry Birds on mute.

Tablets are great for sharing photos and 1-on-1 presentations .

Tablets are excellent for a communal photo sharing experience and are a boon for insurance

adjusters, real estate folks, and salespeople. Having everything in front of you in cool little

device sure beats firing up a laptop and running a presentation.

Tablets don’t crash.

Or at least when they do crash it’s not a big deal. A quick restart is is all it takes to get them

back on track.

Tablets are good for travel .

Tablets usually work with Wi-Fi and 3G networks and the large screen and storage space is great

for maps, guides, and dictionaries.

And now Reasons Tablets Aren’t Ready

Are tablets as portable as the phone you already have?

We can stick your phone in your pocket and never know it’s there, but can we do the same with

an iPad or Touchpad? It’s as portable as my handy little Android (or whatever) phone when it’s

patently not.

How much work can you do on one of these things?

Do we run Photoshop? How long will it take to render video? My guess is that my desktop PC,

with its over clocked (to 4.0GHz) quad-core processor and hundreds of gigabytes of free space,

will be able to render a video 800 times in succession before a tablet can render a video just

once.

Something better will come along in a few months.

Remember when net books were all the rage a couple of years ago? The future of computing,

and so forth. You barely see them mentioned anymore, and that’s because tablets are the new

soup du jour. In four years we’ll all be writing “Remember tablets?” articles, lamenting having

spent all that money on a silly piece of transitionary technology.

Conclusion

Tablet PCs offer some unique abilities for instructional use. The portability, pen-based input,

low power consumption, and optional portrait screen format may make it possible to present

material in new ways. As always, these new capabilities come at a price: the Tablets are

expensive. Tablets are generally more expensive than laptops. Usually, a tablet is 100-200

dollars more expensive than a decent laptop.

This is why the decision of buying a laptop or a tablet should not be made because of the price

Gadget that can be transported very easily, which can be booted right away to browse the

internet or to play elementary games like Angry Birds, then a tablet is ideal . A tablet is mostly

use for entertainment and relaxation.

Still, for day to day activity, which involves the use of professional programs, including office

applications, you will need the processing power of a laptop. Furthermore, a laptop allows you to

watch HD movies on a bigger screen.

References

Wikipedia.org

Mediastory.com

Apple.com

Dell.com