Rise of the Tablet PC

Of course the Tablet PCs are the hybrid device between tablets and PC’s and typically when one references a Tablet PC they almost immediately are talking about a Windows 8 Tablet PC device as most associate a desktop Operating system with a Tablet PC.

The Samsung ATIV TAB 7 for example has an 11.6 inch display and has an Intel Core i-5 processor clocked at 1.8ghz.  It has 4GB of memory, 128GB Flash Memory and boasts a 5.5 hour active use battery life (not great but sufficient for most operations).

It only has 1 USB 3.0 port and has the Intel HD 4000 graphics so will be able to play most casual stuff, but there is a high price tag for a Tablet PC and that extra feature of detaching the screen and using it as a touch screen device.  Is the extra convenience and functionality worth the extra price when you could spend the same amount and get a more powerful laptop with more storage and graphics power?

Plus the battery life on this tablet is lower than a high end Ultrabook by far, due to the smaller size and the hefty CPU it can’t have as large a battery.

Still I would love to get my hands on one of these little devices and see how it works in practice, even with a small screen can it actually replace both an iPad for tablet functionality and a laptop for your working/daily use?  Minus the fact that Windows still has a sparse store compared to Android or iOS if this device could run some of my favorite games it could be the best of both worlds.

The Acer Aspire P3 is a little cheaper but has a slightly smaller FLASH and lesser graphics display.  It boasts 6 hour battery life which is a little better but still on the low side considering it is an 11 inch Tablet PC.

Of course the Sony Vaio Duo is a 13.3 inch tablet pc that comes in a Intel core-i5 model or an Intel Core-i7 model with either 128GB or 256GB SSD storage.  It is the closest to the best of both worlds and with a 13.3″ screen is better screen size wise at replacing a typical laptop but it’s price tag is among the medium range for 17″ gaming laptops.

Do you see the Tablet PC as being the ultimate in mobility and functionality and do you see Windows being the operating system to do it, or do you think Android OS will catch up and become fully accepted as a Desktop OS not just a tablet OS?