On Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:30:05 -0400, Casper wrote:

21 pounds! Crypes, that's a desktop! My 15" is only 7 pounds, and it's a
"full featured" laptop. They make them significantly lighter than that, too.
I carry mine to work every day.

I got caught up in the pretty 17-inch screen. Even has a remote.

21lbs. is ridiculous even for a 17-inch laptop. That's in the IBM "luggable"
range. ;-)

With the advent of cloud connectivity and storage, there really isn't
the same need for a USB port. As long as I can stream my videos, etc,
then why bother with more acessories?

Not buying that at all.

Depends on your needs. I'm not saying it's going away anytime soon,
just that some people have rearranged things to do without them.

Certainly. I don't see the need for USB going anywhere, rather the opposite,
actually. If it* doesn't have an RJ45 on it, it'll have a micro-USB port on
it.
[*] For a very wide range of "its".

I have a friend who constantly loses things. Even lost his first iPad.
He will put down a USB stick and forget it existed. I'd go wireless.

USB sticks make great sneakernets. There are all sorts of appliances that
have standardized on USB. Wireless isn't going to cut it.

I have a friend who uses his iPad while on vacation to view, sort and
upload his photos to his home machine. He also loves the GPS ability.

The lack of a keyboard must really suck. When we go on vacation, we bring
*both* laptops, a netbook, and a tablet (Nook color) with us.

Now that is one thing he and I don't see eye-to-eye on. He purchased
the Zagg case with the bluetooth keyboard. He loves it, except that to
charge it you have to remove it from the case (got me).

Another widget to carry.

I suppose if I felt I could not live without one, I'd get one, but so
far I have managed just fine. Time will tell for sure.

A friend has a Samsung and only uses it to read. She hates that she
cannot delete apps or even re-arrange them to suit her needs. Now she
has an iPad for everything else.

So far, I would not want to be without the familiar things like a mouse,
etc. But... I've never used any of the pad devices, so who's to say?

I was skeptical, but I hate being that way, so I bought it. I did not,
however, buy in right away. Often the first ones off the assembly line
harbour the flaws and bugs.

I just can't see it. I looked through the tablet apps and everything I need
also runs on my phone. Applications, I use, where that there aren't direct
substitutes on the phone really need a keyboard and mouse (at minimum).

It's hard for many people to adjust to new ways of doing things.
Except for kids. I will say I found somethings a challenge, but I like
a good challenge. I still have a desktop and will for some time due to
the work I do, but I will certainly make use of any new and better
tools if they make my job and life easier.

I can certainly see the purpose of tablets but haven't convinced myself that
carrying a tablet around gets me anything over a laptop and Droid phone. The
phone I can keep in my pocket.

A laptop is certainly more powerful and capable, for now. I just hate
carrying one. I'm getting older and they were getting heavier. I guess
I just admire technology that shrinks in size but not in ability. lol

My eyes and fingers aren't shrinking. I carry my laptop and phone (+ lunch
and drinks) to work every day. No big deal.