Why gadget convergence doesn't happen

Given that I travel a fair bit, I'm personally interested in the evolution of the devices that we carry with us on the road.

On the one hand, I don't want to be a parody of Dilbert, carrying a bag full of gadgets that have to be charged, synchronized, and corralled. On the other hand, I'm inclined to agree with this statement from a column by travel writer Joe Brancatelli:

And where, I wonder, is my convergence machine, the one that makes calls flawlessly around the world, doubles as my music play, triples as a fully functioning portable computer, and fits in my pocket?

Forget it, says (Phil) Baker, (columnist, author, and inventor of the folding travel keyboard).

"One device will not be sufficient," he says. "We will continue to carry both a pocketable smartphone and a lightweight notebook for serious computing. Trying to combine both in a single device is like combining a toaster and microwave."

I suspect that many of us still carry biases from the computing days of yore, when the base components of computers were expensive. As a result, we tend to bias our thinking toward a few general-purpose devices rather than a few specialized ones.

One such specialization is clearly pocketability. There are many functional compromises, once you drop below a more or less full-size keyboard and screen. On the other hand, there's a major mobility step function between something that fits in a pocket and something that fits in a backpack or briefcase.

And even this divide isn't the whole story. Specialized devices will continue to be better at doing specialized things. They may not do them better enough for the casual user, but if you're really dedicated to gaming, reading, or photography, a Nintendo DS, a Kindle 2, or a digital SLR, respectively, may well be worth the extra cash and the extra clutter.

[jruspm]

Full convergence won't happen, at least for many of us. Such devices already exist. I have an HTC touch/smart phone with MS office capabilities, games, storage for MP3 songs/videos/pictures, internet access and all. But, the touch screen is really too small for my eyes or fingers and any larger becomes too big for the pocket. The future, for me, is two or three devices, only one (phone) or two (mp3) will be in my pocket. The other will be large enough to see.

I am a believer, but until the LCD is my glasses and my input is voice or fits my fingers, it won't happen. There are signs on the horizon (the glasses are on sale through vending machines in airports but not for my HTC or PSP), but I expect it to be 10 years (3 or more tech generations) out at least, if ever.

[loose_screw]

It really is a shame. I believe it will happen someday, but not within the next few years.

[joe3x]

A few updates for the iphone, should pretty much solve all these "problems"

[ghaff]

I've no doubt that smartphones (whether from Apple or others) will continue to improve. But there are a lot of pretty fundamental issues of physics (e.g. optics in the case of camera) or user interaction models and abilities that it will be very hard to get around. Also, remember, the more specialized or bigger devices will get better too.

[cm15]

The REAL reason there will never be full convergence between phones, music players, book readers, cameras, GPS, games, TV, and PDA is simple--manufacturers need to sell you more than one product to sustain their business models!

[docparkny]

I had hi hopes for the palm Foleo, as I owned a Treo 755p at that time. They did what Psion did which was roll over in the face of pressure. Hopefully they recover with their new Web OS and the Pre. I have created a list of what I would want in a perfect portable device:

http://golfism.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/top-12-features-not-yet-found-on-any-one-netbook/

[c|net Reader]

I still carry a Palm T|X because of its larger screen. I wouldn't want to lose the resolution or size like a smartphone would require. Besides, there have been many occasions in which I've be on the phone while using the PDA. Why would I want those converged? (Palm, of course, abandoned the likes of me long ago.) The same reasoning applies to any convergence. Until input and display technologies change dramatically from today's, they will deny complete convergence.

Another often overlooked problem with convergence is that of failures. If a converged device fails, all functions are lost during repair or until a replacement is found. With separate devices, only a subset of functionality is lost in such cases (barring a catastrophic event that affects all devices).

[Inconnux]

I'm with you, I love my T|X and use it daily for a wide range of things.

[Waisyshah]

I couldn't have said it any better than the author himself.

My cousin thinks that he Portable Personal Computer (PPC) running Windows Mobile 6 is everything that he wants in a computer: a music player, camera, internet, docs, apps etc etc. He uses it for surfing and using multiple sites especially facebook. All I had to say to him was: I'd rather comfortably use facebook than pick my nose with the stylus.

[sanjayb]

I got frustrated now with the amount of gagets I have to carry with me. I am either forgetting one of them, or have to grab each one while getting out of the car, etc, etc. But I don't think we will ever have an all in device.

[ecotopian--2008]

In the mainframe days, they said nobody would ever want a computer in their home. Sorry, but it's only a matter of time until one device does it all, although not perhaps at a pro level, as the article suggests.

[libertyforall1776]

A jail-broken iPhone pretty much fits the bill (thereby allowing that which Apple doesn't currently support or allow in the AppStore)...

[jean.luc.picard]

The only thing I couldn't do with my iPhone is write anything longer than a sentence or two. I've pretty much smushed everything else into it and find myself rarely needing to carry my laptop around most of the time. Before I got the iPhone I always had my laptop with me.

With a decent external blue-tooth keyboard, I could do pretty much anything. Now, even with out a keyboard, as a web designer, I can still make modifications to html or CSS on the go even without my laptop. Some day soon I will be able to do anything.

[ca128]

Frequent traveller here. iPhone and Panasonic laptop does it for me. I still need the PC to run my company's product software.

But at least I don't need an iPhone charger since it gets power from the laptop's usb port.

If the destination is photogenic - I am also tempted to bring a real digicam... and it's charger.

... oh and I bring a mouse too.

Darn, this article was right.

[CyR00k]

Actually, there is a very simple way to do what you say cannot be done. It is called building a decent PDA. I am still wondering why (nearly ten years later) it is that I can go out and buy an iPod with 80GB of larger drive but I can't buy a PDA (in the US anyway) that wasn't designed 5 years ago that only has a 1-4GB drive and an outdated OS. A PDA with a decent OS, a good size HDD, which can use a BT headset and Skype and a twenty dollar a month data only access plan from a cell phone company is all I need for my daily communication/data entry needs.

I am not claiming that a well built PDA will replace a desktop workstation or a laptop quite honestly a great many tasks require more powerful features then anything pocket sized can current accomplish. But, for the everyday communication/data entry and web surfing needs it can do all of that better then any device that is first and foremost a phone.