Anyone else here in the post-PC era?

The main ease-of-use edge that Apple has is in the integration of devices. By retaining sole control over development and manufacture, they can ensure seamless expansion of one's system through the use of Apple parts, the only option open to Apple's customers. Thus, when a Mac user buys an extra device to hook up to his Mac, the Mac can take care of everything completely automatically. That is the true ease of the Mac interface; the rest is just a GUI no easier than any other GUI and not any more "intuitive".With independent developers and manufacturers, the PC user traditionally had to know something about the hardware or settings or be able to tell the computer something about the device he was installing. A lot of that had been resolved by the plug-and-play standards and Microsoft has its WinQual program for ensuring hardware and software compatibility with its operating systems (when you encounter an error and send a report to Microsoft, it travels through the WinQual system which reports it to the manufacturer whose products was involved in that error).On the opposite end of the spectrum was Linux. When I installed Red Hat 7, I had to go through a long series of questions about my system's hardware, even down to the operating frequencies and refresh rates of my monitor. Other Linuxes and more recent versions have been able to automate most of that process now, making installation much easier.Of course, Mac expansion is not completely seamless. When you hook up a printer, it still needs the drivers for that printer. My brother-in-law's problem was that he loaded into his iMac the drivers that came with his hP printer, which were for OS9 instead of OSX, so I had to download the correct drivers and install them for him. Same problem as one could get into on a Windows box.So there are trade-offs. Tight control vs innovation and broad adoption of your product.And correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it the iPod that bailed Apple out financially?

Guess there's that too.Though why is a PC needed to operate a tablet? I thought they were mainly overweight smartphones. I don't need a PC to operate my Android and I doubt that anyone needs a PC/Mac to operate their iPhones.For that matter, it was reported on NPR that smartphones have found a niche among the poorer segments of society, providing connectivity to those who cannot afford a PC and internet service.

They do. For the simple reason that if you start up your iPhone or iPad (don't know about iPod touch), it tells you to hook it up to a PC with iTunes installed on it. If you don't do this, you can't use them.Yes, it's pretty stupid, and with IOS 5, it should no longer be necessary to do this.

The phrase "Post-PC era" is not a claim that PC's have been replaced by equally capable tablets. That obviously isn't true. It only means that smart phones, tablets and other alternatives are causing the PC's role to evolve away from its position of dominance as the main provider of computer power and web access. Naturally for the type of work people like you and me do the PC will continue to dominate, but our kind of work is done by a relatively small proportion of people.--Percy

It seems to me that the tablets, smartphones, and such are an evolution into a niche that the so-called portable PC laptops were once dominant. I used to lug my laptop around when traveling usually for work e-mail access, but found I like putting my web access device into my pocket (ipod). Certainly laptops can be necessary at times, especially when presenting at conferences or meetings, but for strictly web access needs, the smartphones, and tablets/ipods certainly, imho, are much more convenient.

It wasn't that clear to start with and the testimonials were leaning toward total replacement. I endeavored to make it clear that total replacement was not the case. Without my efforts, I doubt that it would have become clear.You're welcome.

Be glad that you didn't live through the era of the first "portable PCs". At one job we used a Compaq "portable" that was the size and weight of a suitcase. The top contained the full-size keyboard and lifted off to expose the CRT screen and floppy drives.Yes, these tablets, etc, are much more ideal for light work and web access during travel. Back in 2003 during an extended family trip in Mexico, I used my Palm Pilot III to not only take notes of expenses, etc, and having it preloaded with hotel reservation info, but I also was able to do a far amount of writing on it for my website. And that was with zero connectivity.Of course, all of that, like similar things we would be doing on tablets and smartphones, would then go back on a PC for its final use. Barring Facebook-ish type stuff.

My first experience with "portability" was a typewriter with a word processor, of sorts, built in. No internet connectivity and a floppy drive (was a a heavy bugger) but great for traveling and typing up papers that could be saved on floppy for later.

I just ordered an iPod Touch for $40 to make my first ever Apple device. Hope it lives up to the hype.

Jesus fucking christ, I never said I've replaced my pc with my transformer. I said I replaced my laptop with my transformer. I even said several times very specifically that for heavy duty work like editing autocad files and programming I still use my pc.Talking about grumpy old man using strawman...Post-PC era means we're not so reliant on the PC for our everyday work and needs. It doesn't mean the PC is completely replaced.Added by edit.Most people carry their big-ass laptop around for a combo of work and fun, particularly on their commutes. Ipad users would carry both their big-ass laptop and ipad/ipad 2 for work and fun. I carry one thing, a laptop-tablet hybrid for work and fun. And my device lasts me 16 hours without the need for recharge.Ok, I get it that you're a grumpy old man who is too set in your ways. But please stop strawmaning what I said. Every time a strawman iis used, baby jesus cries.Edited by Taz, : No reason given.

Correction. Only the ipads need to be plugged into the PC to work.The only times I have plugged my transformer into my PC are when I need to transfer movies for trips.Apple spends about a quarter of a billion dollars a year in their ad campaign. This is why people like you don't know there's a bigger world out there.

If that's what you meant, then we've been there (post PC era) since at least the advent of the laptop computer.....

A laptop is still a PC. And as far as I know, no PC can last 16 hours of continuous use.

Well, when you are talking shop (tech talk), it is assumed that by "PC" you mean a desktop, else you would say laptop. While you may technically be correct, a laptop isn't always a PC....like when it's a Mac.

Don't get technical talk with me. Even Steve Jobs meant "all computers with a full operating system like linux, mac os, or windows) when he said PC.Instead of nitpicking my words and dodging the point, perhaps you might want to try to understand the totality of my content?It's like when I say "The nazis took antisemitism to a whole new level by specifically targeting jews for their extermination campaign." and then you would purposely miss my point by saying "but technically, the word "semite" refers to any number of people from the middle eastern region, so clearly your whole argument is bogus".Let me guess, you're going to now refer to godwin's law to further purposely distract from my main point.