Enough With the Smartphones

Is Personal Computing Getting Too Personal?

I've been reading the last few issues of PC Magazine, and it's really gotten ridiculous lately. They devote as much time to covering cell phones, no make that smart phones as they do to more traditional desktop and notebook computers.

Now I fully understand, and they keep making the argument that today's advanced cell phones are the personal computers of this generation. Granted, they do have a processor, a power source (the battery), a color screen, an input method and an operating system of some sort. According to some definition, then a smart phone is a personal computer.

However, I really don't think too many folks really use their cell phone as their personal computer, or even think of it as such. It's merely a voice communication device, that has some additional features. The only add on the I see people routinely using is the built in camera that takes lousy pictures, and most of them can't figure out how to get them off of the phone anyway. the cell phone companies should put as much effort into fixing the many deadspots in their cell networks as marketing fancy new phones to us.

So just because a device has a processor, uses power, and has a display and an operating system, than it is a personal computer? According to that definition, than my digital thermostat is a personal computer. It must have a processor, it runs off of a AA battery, it has a display, and a bunch of buttons to control the temperature and clock. In the end, I find the coverage of smart phones as personal computers as exciting as my thermostat which is not much in the end.

A cell phone, no matter how smart it gets, is just not going to replace my traditional computer. The apps are too limited, there are no upgrades, and the screens are too darn small. I really wish that PC Mag would go back to its roots, and spend more time covering real computing power, and not just shiny gadgets that happen to have any processor smooshed into it somewhere.

--Jonas