Could smartphones or tablets replace everything else?

[celebrityskin]

It's already getting there. Kids and teenagers don't even 'hang out' anymore. When walking my dog, one of my routes is near a playground and through a few parks and they've been deserted, we'd be hanging out in those places all summer long when we were growing up.

 

[ArnoldPalmer]

Tablets and Smartphones, and I've talked about this before in the Technology subforum, is an inherently flawed and limited design, compared to something like a laptop or desktop computer, and can NEVER replace everything.

Here are some reasons:

- You will never have the level of precision from using a mouse, or even a motion control device (Wii Remote, Valve Index, LG/Samsung Magic Remotes), with a touch interface. You're touching glass. You have no feedback from glass, and if you were to invent an interface method with the express purpose of not giving the user any affirmation that the interface works without looking directly at it, you'd go with glass. Try doing CAD with just a touch screen. Try programming. Try just about any useful skill. You can add a keyboard and mouse, or a game controller, but at that point, why don't you just buy a laptop if you want to look at a tiny screen all day? At least then you can use big boy software.

- For that same reason, text input is INCREDIBLY slow, even with Swype. Software cannot always accurately guess what idea you're trying to put to words, and the time penalty incurred from fucking up with a touch interface is a million times worse than fixing a mistake with a single keystroke. This is my primary reason for hating the tech trend of having only a screen, and then iteratively limiting even the things you can do on that for the sake of a "clean interface". Fuck you!

- The hardware smartphones and tablets use, is designed explicitly for power efficiency. As such, it will always be the worst option for anything computationally intensive, unless you were to use a tablet to send a job out to a full-sized computer, server, or render farm. That doesn't solve the problem of having a one device solution, though, does it?

- The way the OSs are designed, the way the UI is designed, the rights and privileges of the end user, and the way that everything revolves on an external service, serves not only as proof that Tablets and Phones are currently NOT a single-device solution, but that reliance, and lack of general user access to the filesystem, root, and permissions structure, means that you can never take full advantage of the already limited hardware you have. There's a reason we've had 13 years of these devices, but the games on them still look like they're in Flash. Every app you make, especially in the Android world, must be tailor-made for that version of the OS, which includes every hardware tier, from the $30 Big Lots special, to a $2000 commercial-spec device. It doesn't matter if you have the nice and powerful one, you'll never be able to fully utilize its capabilities. Tablet-style devices are an input device, first, output device, third. You're meant to consume with one, not produce.

Now if we're talking about replacing all forms of entertainment? Well, that only works for as long as people are willing to derive enjoyment from a screen. That doesn't sate all needs.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole]

No, there will always be a central system. It's like asking if hands can replace the heart.

 

[Billy Beer]

They've already replaced; peoples brains, social skills, critical thinking ability and real-life conversation, so yeah, they could replace everything.

 

[Retired Junta Member]

I don’t think smartphones and the like will replace everything but I can very well see a reality where virtual reality gets heavily implemented into daily real life. As others have already pointed out, it’s already happening (not everywhere in the same way).

 

[totallyrandomusername]

No. Typing on them is shit. Plus, if you stick a keyboard on a tablet, it's just a shitty version of a laptop. Also, older people are blind and need bigger screens, so tablets are hard for them to use. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to help an older person use a tablet and wanted to sudoku myself.

"Okay, press the green button with your finger"

"...what green button?"

"The big green button that is the only green object on the screen"

"I just don't see it..."

"It's the large green thing right in the middle of the screen *Internally I am REEEEEEEEEEEE*"

"I'm sorry, I just don't see it"

"How about I press it for you?"

"Nono, I have to learn how to do it"

"Okay... *Internal REEEEEEing gets louder*"

"Oh, you mean the green box in the middle of the screen?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, okay" Why didn't you just say that?"

"*Smiles, while willing, once again, for the power to kill people with my mind!!!*"


My mother is also a good example of the "screen isn't big enough".

*10 Years Ago* "Damn screen is too small! I can't see shit!" (Jesus's mom swears like a sailor)

"Okay, we can move you up to a 15" screen, a 13" screen can be hard to use sometimes"

*5 Years Ago* "Damn screen is too small! I still can't see shit! I thought we got a bigger screen!"

"Yes, we did, you have just apparently gotten older, and thus more blind with time."

"WTF did you say, you little bastard?"

"Nothing. We'll move you up to a 17" screen on the next laptop" (This never takes long, my mother is a prolific computer killer)

*Last Year* "Damn screen is too small! I thought we got a bigger screen! Worthless piece of shit!"

"Yes, we have gotten you a bigger screen, twice now. Laptops don't generally come with screens larger than 17". There are a few, but you'd have to pay quite a bit more to get one since they are seen as specialty systems"

"Pay more? WTF? Don't that blood sucking assholes in silicon valley get enough of my money already?! I'm not paying more!"

"Then you have to stick with a 17" screen."

"Fuck that! Figure something out!! Prove you aren't as worthless as you seem to be!"

"Sigh. Okay. I'll try"

I end up sticking a magnifying overlay on the screen. That seems to bought me some time. However, it's just a delay tactic. Apparently it will eventually come down to her turning into a vegetable from dementia, so the size of the laptop is irrelevant. Or she gives me enough crap I end up bashing her skull in with said laptop. Either way I guess the problem will be solved...

 

[ProtonMailManTheSequel]

They've already replaced; peoples brains, social skills, critical thinking ability and real-life conversation, so yeah, they could replace everything.

A month or so back I went over to my sister's house for a big family gathering. She's got four kids, three of whom have significant others (all seven were there). We're sitting in her living room--five adults and seven "kids" (ages 17-25--some of whom I had not seen in years or ever) and every single kid--within five minutes--had their "smart phone" out and was staring into it and playing with it the rest of the evening. They were even texting each other--sitting right there in the same living room. So there I (no smart phone, thank you!) was left basically just sitting there being "odd man out" with nothing to do (aside from dinner) for four hours.

I was invited back a couple of days ago for a reprise and declined citing a "prior commitment." You can guess why. If I do come again I am going to bring Shakespeare's complete plays (quite the thick tome as you can imagine) and as soon as the first phone comes out, I'm just going to crack it open and start reading and not put it down or take my face out of it until I'm ready to leave.

 

[XANA]

Honestly, I think that while smartphones and tablets can replace just about a lot of things given globalization and how on-the-go we are (not to mention that society now expects us to be glued to one of those things at least 24/7), the pandemic has shown that people tend to get mentally fucked up if they can't go outside or socialize with friends. The happy chemicals in your brain doesn't fire correctly if you're just seeing your friend behind a screen (even if you and your friend text/call everyday), and huge amounts of them get released when you know, you see each other in person. It's kind of like how people get depressed when they can't chew their food, even if the nutrition blend gives them all the nutrients they want and their stomach gets filled all the same.

Human brains crave physical contact. It's evolutionarily hardwired given that humans were (and are) a tribalistic species.

 

[Thiletonomics]

Given how infotainment has been becoming higher in priorities in cars these days, yes. Teslas are the biggest offender to this, with almost all of the car's functionality being controlled by a single gigantic touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard.

 

[The Curmudgeon]

I hope not. I'll adapt to using them, but I would never abandon my PC, laptop, books, or other traditional technology. I own a smartphone, but I use it sparely and only for emergencies or important calls. I don't want a tablet.

 

[ProtonMailManTheSequel]

Given how infotainment has been becoming higher in priorities in cars these days, yes. Teslas are the biggest offender to this, with almost all of the car's functionality being controlled by a single gigantic touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard.

Which reminds me: "And another thing. Touch-screens are gross."

The Curmudgeon said:
I hope not. I'll adapt to using them, but I would never abandon my PC, laptop, books, or other traditional technology. I own a smartphone, but I use it sparely and only for emergencies or important calls. I don't want a tablet.

If you're smart you'll pop the battery and only insert it when you need to use the phone. Otherwise, while you might not be using it, it will be using you.

 

[SSj_Ness (Yiffed)]

There's certain things a phone or tablet aren't good for. Gaming requires a good controller, and nobody is going to lug around a dedicated controller to clip to their phone, that's why portable gaming won't ever die.

Same for TV, some people enjoy elaborate setups a phone obviously won't provide.

 

[ToroidalBoat]

If you're smart you'll pop the battery and only insert it when you need to use the phone.

Which is why new smartphones have batteries one can't easily remove?



(that and faster obsolescence to consume more product)

 

[Deep Th0ts]

You will take my traditional art supplies over my cold dead body. Digital is convienent and time saving, I totally get why pros use it: less time, no mess, no dry time for paints, undo button, photobashing to construct compositions, easy color correction, no extra physical space taken up by paper/canvas/supplies but when you have not been trained traditionally, its all just sketching and tracing and you're in for a very rude awakening when you use paper and can't just ctrl+z mistakes. The muscle memory and motor control of a stylus is different (and typically wrist based, hello carpel tunnel, because the screens/tablets are so small--unless you can fork over 2k for one of the giant Wacoms) than using brushes, charcoal, pens/pencils where you can use your shoulder to create expressive lines and shapes then move down to wrist based movements for details. A lot of digital artists joke about how they're "bad digital artists because there's nothing like the feeling of drawing on paper" and being forced to make decisions because of the limits of erasing/surface integrity. Limits breed creativity. Also drawing on an ipad to do life studies or landscape/urban sketching on a sunny day is a nightmare with the screen brightness, no thanks.

I don't think smartphones and tablets will replace everything if people can choose between the analog and digital experiences. Even if the digital is more convienent, there will be a niche market for traditional supplies/experiences that digital (especially touch screens) just cannot replicate.

 

[MembersSchoolPizza]

No one reads physical books anymore because books can be read on smartphones or tablets?

God, no. Now, E-ink readers, maybe... Probably not, but at least they're okay to read, and convenient. My eyes start to hurt if I read on a smartphone or table too long. It's just not relaxing. Plus, my book shouldn't run out of battery after a six hour reading session.

I can see a future (Well, we're there) where tablets and smartphones largely replace magazines and newspapers, but not books.

No one draws or paints traditionally anymore because art can be made on a smartphone or tablet?

No. I can see tablets being a good supplement to it, but not a replacement for it.

No one takes pictures with cameras because of smartphone or tablet cameras (kinda already there IRL)?

No. Much like some of the other fields, I can see a future (Again, we're kind of there ) where the ubiquity of surprisingly good cameras in smartphones makes "consumer" cameras pretty much obsolete, yes. But not for high-end applications, professional photography and cinematography and the like.

No one watches TV or plays videos from physical media like DVDs anymore because smartphone or tablet?

Has bugfuck all to do with tablets and phones, more to do with streaming media. A smartphone will never replace a TV for watching pleasure. it's okay if you're on a plane or something, but that's about it.

No one plays vidya on a console because of gaming on smartphone or tablet?

Same problem with TV - the tiny screen is just not a good form factor. Neither is the lack of good controls.

No one gathers IRL anymore unless it can't be done with a smartphone or tablet?

Those people will darwin themselves out of existence, solving the problem.

 

[The Curmudgeon]

If you're smart you'll pop the battery and only insert it when you need to use the phone. Otherwise, while you might not be using it, it will be using you.

I only turn my smartphone on when I leave the house. I have it turned off 99% of the time. With me, it's either email or nothing.

 

[ToroidalBoat]

I heard China wants to restrict internet use to 30 minute sessions, with at least 30 minutes inbetween.

Sounds like they may take an authoritarian approach to any smartphone zombies over there.

 

[Mr. ShadowCreek]

I actually read physical books whenever I'm on my breaks at work. I'm one of the few to do so.

I've read that many students today have a harder time going though textbooks than tablets. Granted, my generation was a part of that. I graduated in 2010 and a lot of students myself included often preferred using computers to look stuff up than books.

It's kind of amazing to look at pictures and videos of kids in the mall back in the 80s. They're all chatting and walking. Today. when kids hang out it seems they're all on their phones. Whenever I'm out I see some people always holding onto their phone as if it's their baby.

If there were ever to be a total worldwide blackout many people would be doomed.

 

[1 Guy 1 Taco]

I don't think they could fully replace most of these things but rather provide an alternative for some people. I definitely prefer physical books. Reading on a tablet just feels weird. And I'd never replace a gaming PC with a phone or tablet. It will be a while before they can pack enough power into something so small without it melting. Though, maybe in a few generations, the people will care less for physical media and the transition will be more apparent.

 

[woodfromwell]

earlier today i was thinking about how in the near future having a PC or visiting websites instead of social media accounts/pages could be considered a from of "toxic masculinity" or "whiteness".