There are numerous news that I have been hearing that we are in the post-PC era, since Steve Jobs prophesied.
Mmmmh … well among some of my qualities I am dedicated to the complete design of electronic systems based on microcontrollers, in my case lately I am designing systems based on implementations of ARM cores by NXP. These processors are called SoC, System on Chip, which means they have a lot of integrated peripherals.
In short, the designs I am currently implementing are in many ways more powerful and versatile than the origins of the PC. Where the PC was conceived about the 80s, a machine with a scientific vocation, based on standard components of the moment.
What I want to highlight is the stupidity of the message ¨the post-PC era “or the PC is dead. My point is this, there is a confusion between the PC concept and the interaction with the user. For my Personal Computer, an artifact for Performing computing oriented to an individual, is not simply based on the desktop or laptop, so are phones, tablets, some watches, MP3 reducer and many other devices.
It is true, in less abstract terms, that if we refer to the original architecture of the PC designing by IBM based on an Intel 8086, it is quite finished, it is not now, many years ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer
Therefore, deep down what I am seeing an Apple marketing saying you buy an iPad or your iPhone.
The classic PC of the 80s has little to do with the current ones, although it is true that they maintain some compatibility (because the engineers are great).
Let’s do a little analysis to understand what is happening in technological terms. A “normal” user, who wants to surf the Internet, Facebook, and other networks, videos on YouTube, listen to music, email, read a book, play 4 simple games and take four creams or even write a page are requirements ¨ soft¨ for the microcontrollers that are available today:
For example, let’s see what the latest ARM application processor is like:
https://arm.com/products/processors/cortex-a/cortex-a15.php
Well impressive, the Cortex-A15 arrives at 2.5GHz, double or quad core, and a lot of stories that now do not come to the story. Please, that the original PC with the 8086 was 16 bits at 5MHz. Not only has the performance and capacity increased, in turn the degree of integration is impressive in SoC systems. Moore’s laws have been valid for many years, another Intel Crack:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore%27s_law
With what you get to have very powerful machines in very small spaces.
The PC is still there but the appearance and the way of interacting has changed significantly.
The user interacts with the peripherals and the operating system, the peripherals have changed from keyboard, mouse and screen, to touch screen. But for me a big jump is the operating systems, ugh! We have that bony MS2 from Microsoft (I will not mention other better not so widespread in commercial terms like Unix), based on command lines compared to iOS, Android or Windows 7. Well I could talk hours, but that is what makes the difference.
For me all these are natural technological transformations.
Some news of interest such as the sale of Lenovo by IBM, in corporate fears seems a good decision and see how HP follows in its footsteps:
https://www.elpais.com/articulo/tecnologia/Adios/ordenadores/HP/elpeputec/20110819elpeputec_1/Tes
By the way turbulent comments about the continuity of the HP table, its 2 smartphones and the WebOS operating system that they bought from Palm:
https://www.elpais.com/articulo/tecnologia/Touchpad/tableta/sera/elpeputec/20110819elpeputec_2/Tes
A news saying that Apple is the first seller of laptops, of course considering tablets in the bag
Therefore, if PC sales fall by 19%, it is Europe, it seems debatable
https://www.elpais.com/articulo/tecnologia/venta/PC/cae/Europa/elpeputec/20110817elpeputec_3/Tes
