What makes you think laptops are dead?

Oh, the industry talkers love to ring the death tolls. They relish in new products that don’t measure up to the nosebleed excitement we’ve been spoiled to expect. Now, they’re all waving flags saying the cell phone is replacing the laptop! If this is true, I better buy two more MacBook Pros before they are discontinued.

Here’s my 2012 MacBook Pro — it doesn’t need nosebleed features. It works well beyond expectations for everything I do on a computer. The only problem is, it’s wearing out. Many of the letters have worn off the keys and about five of the keys no longer work without multiple taps. I’m now using a USB keyboard. She still cranks out the work though. Let’s see your cell phone point to a folder with a single click and generate a web gallery with 50 photos. Then open all 50 photos, do an adjustment layer, and drag-n-drop that layer to each photo. No, there is not an app for that. Let’s see you compile and export ten web-ready html pages from your FileMaker Pro or HyperCard database, built from the press releases you received in a month. Of course you know cell phones won’t do that either.

Just ‘add this or that’ is becoming the mantra. It’s kind of funny, once you start adding docks and extra devices like keyboards and monitors which use your phone as the CPU — what have you got? A laptop.

My son got the most recent iPad Pro, fully loaded with the case and keyboard to go along. It’s pretty impressive since you get laptop usability with touch screen capability. I’m loving that pencil. But it’s not set up for serious productivity. It doesn’t have enough ram or storage for serious work, and won’t work out side of the grid. The laptop still produces serious work while traveling to places off the grid. Try that with your cell phone.

Apple now has a new patent that just might bridge that gap between work and play. It’s a bendable, foldable iPhone. Seriously? How many years do we have to wait for that one? Then Apple has also secured a patent for a device that acts as a recipient for an iPhone. You insert the iPhone into the space provided and not only is it the CPU but acts as the trackpad. It’s an awesome idea, and one unique enough it can be patented! But somehow, when all is said and done, you end up with a laptop.

I don’t know. It all sounds a little fishy to me. Too many of the talking heads are saying there’s no more innovation in the laptop world. Okay, so the latest MacBook Pros didn’t make us wet ourselves. But just how thick can the steak get? The best innovation they could possibly come up with is one that doesn’t wear out! When they come up with that one, let me know — that’s the one I want.

… and thanks for reading