One-screen wonder

A decade ago,everyone connected with technology was talking about convergence.

A decade ago,everyone connected with technology was talking about convergence. But since then we have found ourselves caught in a web of multiple devices,none indispensable,but all getting increasingly hard to get away from. So,when someone talks of a single device for all your computing,connectivity and entertainment needs,though you might dismiss it,at the back of your mind,you might wonder if we could reach such a state in the near future.

But look at whats been happening in the tech world. The computer has been trying to become smaller,while assimilating and making redundant devices like the TV,the DVD player and the music system. The phone,meanwhile,has been getting a bigger heart,which can take on hardcore computing tasks and functions. In between is the tablet,which achieves the best of the computer and phone serious connectivity,high-definition entertainment and light computing.

As a result,we now have three genres of devices,which can claim to be converged devices or one-stop-shops for all your computing needs. If ET landed on earth from Mars today and had to pick up a device,it could pick up any one and not miss out on anything. Its just our prejudiced mindset that makes us pick up many devices,when the one unit that we already have is capable of doing all that we want,excluding some advanced tasks.

By advanced tasks most of us mean number-crunching,video- and photo-editing,which traditionally force smaller devices to call it quits. The latest breed of tablets,and even some smartphones,dont break a sweat with these tasks. But many of us prefer not to stretch our precious handsets,often keeping them more for bling value than actual utility. And we have ready excuses If only my tablet had a mouse; if only my PC had a touchscreen,if only my phone had a larger screen.

Meanwhile,some of the gadget makers are taking things to another level. For instance,the recently announced Samsung Galaxy Note tries to merge the smartphone with a tablet. A little too large to be a phone,a little too small to be a tablet,but the 5-inch Note is good enough to do the job of both,making it unnecessary to carry two devices. Then you have the added advantage of a stylus. Some might call it retro,but the pressure-sensitive pen lets you get rid of the scribbling pad.

Experts have termed the Note the dawn of a new segment in computing,but none of them will admit that its good enough to kill two other product segments. So,the quest for the elusive converged device continues,even though we have at least three that fit the bill.

There is,however,no ambiguity about the environment these devices work in. You might not have noticed it,but despite the multiple devices you ultimately end up in a single environment,all thanks to cloud computing. Once again,most of us prefer not to think about it,fearing that downloading stuff from a cloud could lead to a cloud-burst in our home or office. But the virtual digital locker gives access to your files,no matter what device you use and wherever you might be.

Story continues below this ad

If you know how to exploit your devices,you can access your phone contacts from your PC at home,use your tablet to play the favourite songs in your PC and read a Webpage saved on your tablet using your phone. Cloud unites three,or more,devices at a virtual level.

So,put down the map and stop searching. The converged device that you have been looking for is not under some S-shaped coconut tree,but in your hand.