New RedBoard series: ‘Talking tablets with…’

By: Rogers_Richard

November 25th, 2010 a 9:32am

If you were sent to a desert island and could only bring one device, would it be a tablet?

Today, we’re kicking off a new RedBoard series about how tablets are changing the way we live, work and play. We’ve asked technology, business and marketing experts how they use their tablets and what’s next for the device.

Up first is Duncan Stewart, Director of Deloitte Canada Research. He calls tablets the “Swiss Army knife” of electronic devices.

1. How do you use your tablet?

Web browser – 50%. Email device – 25%. Reader of online newspapers, magazines and eBooks 25%. Video – almost nothing, to my surprise.

2. What has surprised you most about the device?

I was expecting it to be a good device. I was expecting that some of the time it would be as good as my PC. I am surprised how often it is BETTER than my PC.

3. What are your predictions for tablets in 2011?

I am in the Predictions biz! Deloitte has two for 2011: tablets in the enterprise go to 40% of sales, and tablets (and smartphones) do NOT see a monopoly OS provider emerge. OS monopolies are so last century…

4. If you were sent to a desert island and could take one device, would it be a tablet or another device? Which one and why?

I would take a water purifier, but that’s just my survival side! Assuming those kinds of necessities are taken care of, tablet (plus wifi router). It’s the Swiss Army knife of electronic devices.

5. What’s your one must-have app?

Don’t have one. Every app I use a lot is for content that I could otherwise access through a browser. Apps just make it easier, and sometimes richer.

Stewart will be giving a keynote at Rogers TabLife TO entitled “What’s Next for Tablets?”

You can learn more about the event at tablife.ca. We’ll have full coverage of Rogers TabLife TO here on RedBoard on December 3rd and shortly after the event.

Want to talk tablets with us at Rogers TabLife TO?

At 11 a.m. ET tomorrow (Friday, Nov 26), we’ll open up a limited number of free tickets for the event on a first-come, first-served basis at tablife.ca. Your ticket includes admission to Rogers TabLife TO only, and you will be responsible for your own transportation to Toronto.

Richard Bloom is a regular contributor to RedBoard.

UPDATE (November 26, 11:00 AM): We have opened up a block of tickets for TabLife TO. You can register right now at tablife.ca.

UPDATE (November 26, 12:40 PM): The block of tickets made available this morning are now gone. Should we be able to open up more tickets, we’ll post an update to RedBoard and via our @RogersBuzz Twitter account.

Rating: 3.6/5 (7 votes cast)

Categories:

Internet, Wireless

Tags:

conference, Dell Streak, Duncan Stewart, event, iPad, keynote, online content, productivity, Samsung Galaxy Tab, tablet, TabLife TO, tickets, Toronto, touchscreen, Video

3 Comments

Ray says: November 25th, 2010 a 4:08pm

no one cares. Tablets are a novelty. dual screen laptops are the future.. waste of time money and precious materials used to make touch screens.
- doug says: November 26th, 2010 a 12:24pm
  
  “Tablets are a novelty,…waste of time money” doesn’t add up i.m.o. given the success of compact mobile patforms..but who can accurately predict the future? Some have tried:
  
  “Television won’t last because people will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night.” Darryl Zanuck, 20th Century Fox, 1946.
  
  “There is no reason for any individual to have a personal computer in their home.” Ken Olsen, President, Digital Equipment Corp., 1980.
  
  “This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.”
  Western Union, 1878.
  
  source: http://www.joesherlock.com/nwsltr1.html
Donovan says: November 30th, 2010 a 10:23pm

Damn Doug … you killed that silly remark with no waste of time. Good show.

I think the theme here is that too many of these speakers, or the questions poised to them, are focusing on the tablet alone. There is an ecosystem – content, delivery, accessibility of them both, accessories etc. THESE alone are the reason Apple’s iPod, iPhone, and iTunes have done so well … take out the content and easy delivery and those products loose their worth and appeal.

Duncan Stewarts interview seems to be the best thus far.
quote:
1. How do you use your tablet?

Web browser – 50%. Email device – 25%. Reader of online newspapers, magazines and eBooks 25%. Video – almost nothing, to my surprise.

2. What has surprised you most about the device?

I was expecting it to be a good device. I was expecting that some of the time it would be as good as my PC. I am surprised how often it is BETTER than my PC.

That unfortunately sounds like a commercial – better at everything accept Video/ or no use for video yet its better than your PC … the PC that plays more formats and can be upgraded as more/newer video formats become prevailent? hmm.