Portable Computing – Which Option is Best For You?

Over the last year or so developments in portable computing technology have lead to the creation of a plethora of new and exciting gadgets. No longer are we confined to static desktop computers or left trawling clunky laptops around in order to browse the internet, read emails, create spreadsheets or of course update our social network profiles. Although this array of different devices offers a world of exciting new possibilities, the vast choice does also make it hard to decide precisely what piece of equipment is best to fulfil your needs. With this in mind here's a brief look at some of the options available in the super-portable computing market:

Smartphones

There's no denying that mobile phones have come an incredibly long way in recent times, the current breed of smartphones such as the iPhone, HTC Desire HD, Samsung Galaxy S and Nokia N8 amongst others offer increasing power and features in small and chic packages. As well as allowing users to perform the more obvious tasks such as making and receiving calls, sending text messages and facilitating rudimentary digital photography – courtesy of advances in processing technology and development of miniature components cutting edge smartphones are now capable of so much more. With Wi-Fi connectivity and 3G mobile internet capacity these handsets allow the user to perform a wide range of tasks online whilst increasingly accomplished operating systems in conjunction with full qwerty keyboards and touchscreens make navigation and data input easy. The only major downfall of these mobile phones is also one of their strongest advantages: their compact size. Their pocket-friendly proportions make smartphones incredibly portable but also mean that typing for any length of time or viewing media can be a potentially frustrating or underwhelming experience.

Media Tablets

Media tablets hit the headlines initially with Apple's unveiling of the iPad – an incredible piece of technology which resembles an oversized iPhone. Whilst the size of the iPad makes it a little less portable than the iPhone: the larger display opens up new possibilities and in many ways makes the iPad and other more recently released media tablets a preferred option to the smartphone for many fans of portable computing. The market created by the iPad has opened the door to a wide range of media tablets from the drawing boards of Apple's competitor's. Media technology giants Archos have embraced the opportunity with the Archos 7, Samsung entered the fray with the Galaxy Tab and even BlackBerry are set to join in with their forthcoming tablet. The tablet format is great for watching videos, reading emails, playing games and an army of other tasks and applications – with the larger screen making for a more immersive media experience and improved data input ease compared to smartphones. Counting against tablets include potential pitfalls such as limited software compared to a conventional PC, potential transportation issues in comparison to smartphones and awkwardness of use for those who aren't familiar with touchscreens.

Netbooks

Netbooks are essentially scaled down laptops which pack a punch yet can fit in a handbag or massively oversized pocket. By providing the functionality and features you'd expect from a laptop but in a considerably more compact package, netbooks are more on a par with media tablets than smartphones. Although less convienant than tablets in terms of use on the move, there is no doubting the practicality of a netbook and if you aren't a natural with a touchscreen they could be the ideal solution. Furthermore, with many netbooks using familiar Windows Operating Systems, compatibility with other devices is likely to be better than with media tablets or smartphones.