The Steve Rubel Lifestream

Flattered...

@Zee you always post good stuff.

I would have to agree, Steve. My laptop is still my travel companion, but my Blackberry definitely gets more use these days. Never going to replace my laptop in my opinion. Netbooks are definitely changing the conversation and I am firm believer that we will never truly get to a world of a single device model. I wish we could.

Can a Phone replace a laptop now, tomorrow or in the future? Can a Phone replace a laptop in what use: all, some or just one? Depending on how you put the question you might get clearer answers. My pick: a phone will replace a laptop in most of its uses.

While we continue to use tools designed to be used on a computer such as powerpoint then the phone can't compete. But when people start to design tools with the latest mobile phone in mind (and the alternative functions it presents) then it might be the laptop which can't compete with the mobile phone.

@Steve not always... :/ http://friendfeed.com/zee/d0af2f20/disgusting-butt-funny

In a few years, the cell phone may be close to a laptop. Even now, it's highly useful. We're vacationing in Yosemite now. Weak cell and wi-fi. Sometimes the iPhone wi-fi works when the laptop w-ifi doesn.t. And vice versa. And when the wi-fi here chokes, the cell phone might still work.

So, it's always good to have a backup device.

I don't know who said it, but the idea of "the iphone is your client, the mac is your server" rings true with me

Interesting question... I'm using my iPhone more and more these days instead of lugging a laptop around. Would love to be able to edit PPT and Word files via QuickOffice on the iPhone then send them rather than just read them, but maybe that feature will come sooner rather than later.

I don't think it can. When I want to write something longer than a few paragraphs, or post pictures taken with me non-phone camera, the laptop is needed. I carry my EEE PC with me for just that reason. While my phone is great for e-mail and accessing various social networks the laptop is still an essential part of computing in general.

I am trying to take my laptop less & less - moving from a snail to a nomad, unless away for a week or more. I agree that at the moment the iphone is better for reading than creating but I want to present ppt from my iphone when I am not using multimedia. I figure if I take my iphone & livescribe pen I can have most bases covered sort term. The iphone doesn't quite replace the laptop but it can do things better than a laptop in some cases. It will continue to develop in sophistication in ways we can't yet imagine -maybe we need to think about thinking differently.

There are too aspects of laptop that are diifficult to compromise on
1) Keyboard formfactor and to some extent mouse
2) Display.

This is my wish list on phone that will allow me to leave my laptop at home.
1) foldable -plastic keyboard connected over secured wifi/mini usb/bluetooth with my mobile phone
2) Optional regular OS on phone with output over projector (www.physorg.com/news3505.html ) or HDMI output to a laptop

please read "HDMI output to a laptop" as "or HDMI output to a LCD TV/monitor"

Thought-provoking post. Do you think Apple would ever create a keyword and extension kit to connect iPhone to a monitor? It could totally be used as a laptop replacement for business traveler -- however, it'll potentially cannibalize Apple macbook sales. :-)