There are more ways to access the internet today than ever before. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, a bulky desktop PC was the only way to get online. Even then, connection speeds were slow and the experience was pretty basic.
Fast-forward 30 years or so and the reality is very different. The internet is now available not only on traditional desktop PCs but also on laptops, phones and tablets. And unlike early adaptations, the experience on the smaller screen is just as immersive as it is on a laptop or desktop.
And it’s perhaps been the emergence of the tablet in recent years that has threatened to change the status quo again. With bigger screens, more powerful processors and better accessories, could the modern tablet condemn the trusty laptop to the history books?
Early efforts
The first tablets actually date back to the early 1990s, with monochromatic screens and unresponsive styluses the order of the day. The devices were aimed predominantly at businesspeople, offering email and address book functionality on the go.
Though the innovation failed to break into the mainstream straight away, brands like Palm, Apple, Nokia and Fujitsu saw their products become mainstays of the office environment. What’s more, these devices would ultimately evolve to become the modern tablets we use today.
Colour screens arrived around the turn of the century, and 2G and 3G would eventually make direct internet connectivity a reality. But battery life was still pretty poor and the devices themselves featured low-resolution screens and were pretty bulky to carry around.
Source: Pexels
Apple changes the game
Just like in the smartphone game, with the launch of the iPhone in 2007, Apple’s release of the iPad in 2010 transformed the tablet sector forever and helped take the concept to a larger audience than previously thought possible.
The original iPad was sleek, modern and very desirable, and it lit the touchpaper for other brands to invest in the marketplace. Today, mobile manufacturers like Samsung, Motorola, Lenovo and Google all have their own tablet lines, offering high-definition displays and vivid sound.
What’s more, the introduction of bolt-on accessories, including keyboards and stands, have helped further blur the lines between tablet and laptop. With processing power reaching 8GB of RAM in high-end devices, the modern tablet is well-equipped to compete with the laptop in terms of functionality.
Source: Pexels
‘Tablet first’ experiences
The speedy evolution of the tablet during the last decade has forced the hand of many online operators, who’ve invested big money in delivering an experience to users of their device that matches or even out-strips laptop and mobile.
In the thriving online casino sector, optimization for tablet is essential and providers work hard to ensure their experience is great across every device. In particular, platforms like Casushi offer an experience that appears ready-made for enjoyment on tablet, with its range of traditional staples and new games adapted seamlessly for touchscreen play.
Meanwhile, apps like Spotify, YouTube and Netflix can also be enjoyed on this type of device, with visual platforms like the latter two particularly at home here.
And while the laptop and the mobile remain favored machines for many, the appeal of the tablet appears to be growing by the year. Offering a large screen experience, equipped with accessories, and with the portability that bigger devices lack, the modern tablet could indeed be on track to replace the laptop.
