Hello! CS graduate and mobile technology objector finally gives in and buys a smartphone

[Nickolai]

I am following tech news and the development of mobile software and hardware, but other than that I've had zero experience with modern cell phones and tablets, because I was refusing to use them, until now. From my perspective, they are only good for spending your money, time and effort on distractions. For real work, one should use a real computer, at least for the kind of work that I care about. I have a MS in computer science and my work is scientific research, programming and system administration. I've had enough computers in my life, and I didn't need another one to manage and obsess over. And, knowing myself, manage and obsess over it I would.

This changed recently when I decided that I need to implement some time management or action management system in my life, to get more of the stuff done. Like David Allen's Getting things Done system, which emphasizes the need to move all planned tasks and projects out of the mind and onto external storage. Yes, looks like a to-do list, only a bit fancier. The system, and Allen himself, does it with paper-based notebooks, but I think that's already behind me: I store all my important information electronically and will continue to do so.

 

[kate]

Hi Nickolai, welcome to Android Forums

Depending on the task smartphones can be very convenient, but there are times where a computer works much better.

Feel free to explore the forums, ask any questions you have, and have fun!

 

[Nickolai]

Hi kate!

Depending on the task smartphones can be very convenient, but there are times where a computer works much better.

Certainly. That was my reason for not having one (smartphone, I mean) From my current perspective, though, I would say that there are times when the convenience of having one outweighs the downsides. Time will tell if I am right on this

Now, if something like Ubuntu Edge came to pass, maybe I wouldn't even have to choose, but it didn't.

 

[MacLinDroid]

Long live the computer, especially the ultrabook format. I cannot see how a smartphone can ever replace what we need: a 15" screen. full keyboard with numeric keypad and enough ports to stick devices into.

 

[Nickolai]

Long live the computer, especially the ultrabook format.

I have am uncertain about the ultrabook brand: on one hand, it represents much of what I like in notebooks, on the other hand, companies like IBM have been making computers like that (ThinkPad X series) way, way before the term has been coined (by Intel, to consolidate the PC forces, offering a PC alternative to MacBook Air). Plus, those computers offered expandability (RAM, HD, battery) that I like and that is absent in the ultrabook format.

On the other hand, if phones have managed to offer the ability to run desktop operating system and offer a convenient way to connect keyboard, mouse and monitor (through a docking station; say if Ubuntu Edge has happened), I would have switched to a smartphone in a heartbeat. Or, maybe actually after another generation or two, when smartphone hardware became more powerful. For now, I'm going to upgrade to Surface Pro 2 and run Ubuntu on that - it is a next step in portability from what ultrabooks or X series have to offer, have an artist-worthy Wacom digitizer and hopefully I'll be able to live with Type Cover 2.

 

[MacLinDroid]

Clevo ultrabooks are quite upgradeable and we can order them in my country without an OS, under the Mecer brand.

I want to see a smartphone handle the kind of graphics that my son uses as a VJ and also as Lighting Designer at a media company. And my iPhone 5 felt like melting when I took a video of a few minutes long. Thermal wear is going to be too much for those devices in the end. I know what it can do on paper, but what it can do out there when it is 45 degrees Celcius, is a different story altogether.

 

[Nickolai]

Like this? Clevo W311CZ

What kind of graphics hardware and software does your son use as a VJ? I have tried learning to use a VJ software (Veejay) on my laptop for a hobby project, but the learning curve was too steep and it wasn't suited for what I wanted it to do, so I quit.

 

[MacLinDroid]

He is asleep now, after many weeks of working without a single rest day, so I won't wake him up. I see he has Arena and Mad Mapper, if these are the ones he is using for VJ'ing.

Clevo: this is what we get here and divide the price by 10 to get to US$ for comparison. Mecer laptops South Africa - Mecer notebook sales to the Public in South Africa.

 

[MacLinDroid]

Hardware is a MacbookPro i5 dual core with 8GB RAM and HD4000 graphics, running Mountain Lion. I do not know what consoles he is using, all really big stuff but he also has a tiny little Korg Nanocontrol2 USB console.

 

[mikedt]

Cleco ultrabooks are quite upgradeable and we can order them in my country without an OS, under the Mecer brand.

I want to see a smartphone handle the kind of graphics that my son uses as a VJ and also as Lighting Designer at a media company.

I don't think your son would even try would he? You know, correct tool for the job. I wouldn't try and prepare lessons and teach English to a classroom full of students with a smartphone, I use a laptop.

BTW what's the electricity supply like in your country, and in Africa in general? Is it stable, or are there periodic outages, or places where there's just no mains supply at all? In my school, if the power is out, that's it got to use a blackboard and chalk. Never mind not having internet available. Although the laptop can run on battery for a few hours, the classroom DLP projectors are mains only. I should imagine a VJ or lighting engineer is going to find it rather difficult to do his job without electricity.

 

[MacLinDroid]

My comment "I want to see......" actually meant that I don't believe that it would last.

Mains power supply is erratic sometimes, we have had load shedding as of 2008 for a while, then it went well for a few years but we recently had yet more load shedding.

My son's company has mobile generators that could power a small town if need be!

 

[MLSS]

I have no need for a computer. My smartphone fits all of my needs perfectly.