Smart Tablet + Dumb Phone = Future of the Smartphone?

[digitalnirvana 646]

As the topic title says, I am asking if increasingly with the launch of bigger and bigger smartphones and "phablets", has the time come for us to switch to combination of a *smart tablet* and a *dumb phone* instead of carrying a smartphone AND a tablet?

• Cheaper
  
  • use your data plan only on your 3G + wifi 7" or 10" tablet, avoid double data bills on tablet and phone
    
  • dumb phones are cheap to buy and maintain
    

  [*]Easier

  • a tablet is easier to use than a smartphone - bigger screen, better hardware - better user experience
    
  • maintain all your data and use it on-the-go on one device (after all, convergence is the key!), no headache of keeping 2 (or more) devices synced
    
  • Our good old Nokia phones were rock solid as only phones! No need to charge everyday, no need to worry about touchscreens getting scratched, no worry about dropping them! They worked great without pampering - something we cannot imagine with smartphones
    

  [*]Any other benefits?

Already in developed countries like USA where wifi is everywhere and free, this trend is beginning to start. A quick google search shows many articles >> http://bit.ly/TQvfqU.

Opinions?!

[pasumark 51]

See, I had exactly tried this. I used my tablet for my Internet applications, gaming, etc, and started using an ordinary phone. Benefits have been clearly listed out by you.

But I faced the following problems:

1. It was difficult to carry my 10" tablet everywhere. So gradually I took my tablet to only very essential places and it in turn I could not be online whenever I required.

2. Dialling in dumb phone was not as easy as in smartphone, due to super smart dialling. It felt like going back to olden age.

3. Sending SMS was cumbersome in dumb phone .

4. The most important point to me was the call quality. The latest smartphones have superior voice clarity, which an ordinary phone can never offer.

The above points made me to switch over to smartphone again.

[commonman 228]

I use a slightly different version of this approach.

CDMA dumb phone for calls and sms. voice clarity of CDMA is wonderful even on a dumb phone.

7" tablet with GSM 3G for internet access. nothing can beat MTNL 3G plans.

[::: VA ::: 531]

i still prefer smartphone to tablet. i like the 4.3 screen size i have right now and i think its perfect in indian

hands. as i have handled phablets and they feel clumsy with my fingers. as i couldnt operate with single hand.

i can carry it all the time. but even after it being world phone i keep it on gsm.

for regular fast sms and long battery life i keep the basic cdma - samsung smooth. it runs for a week on single charge.

its sturdy. when i m out i use it as primary. in crowds i feel safer with such a phone.

in future if i d want to upgrade my smartphone then also the criteria would be power with backup - razr maxx or if something similar comes along.

just size and power isnt enough unless it can last for longer hours.

[cooladitya007 41]

its not easy to carry a 10" Tab every where but 7" is not that tough IMO.

[KanagaDeepan 1,084]

The main reason to check this combination (Tab + dumbphone) is the relatively SMALL battery life of modern smartphones... With my RazrMAXX, that issue is also gone...

I can NEVER go back to dumbphones...

[dr.faramroze 703]

i still prefer smartphone to tablet. i like the 4.3 screen size i have right now and i think its perfect in indian

hands. as i have handled phablets and they feel clumsy with my fingers. as i couldnt operate with single hand.

i can carry it all the time. but even after it being world phone i keep it on gsm.

for regular fast sms and long battery life i keep the basic cdma - samsung smooth. it runs for a week on single charge.

its sturdy. when i m out i use it as primary. in crowds i feel safer with such a phone.

in future if i d want to upgrade my smartphone then also the criteria would be power with backup - razr maxx or if something similar comes along.

just size and power isnt enough unless it can last for longer hours.

I support your view. For regular 3G internet use a 4.3 inch smartphone will suffice, but the juice gets ****ed in few hours not safe during long distance travels. The second handset (always kept) needs to have outstanding battery performance. CDMA call quality is good but not with entry level sets. After using a new gen phone, candy-bar phones seem to take us backwards in times. The reason why I don't consider swapping with newer smartphones is mainly the battery, phablets don't give active 3G use more than 3-4 hours mostly unusable for business trips. Larger smartphones are very difficult to manage, as mentioned here, just the pride of owning one. Manufacturers assume smartphone owners use their shirt pockets so no belt holsters for a 4-4.3 sized smartphone. Other plus of an average sized smartphone is we don't feel the urge for a laptop or pc because most of it is done in smartphone.

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[chitshar 25]

I use MTS dumb phone + airtel galaxy s3 + desktop for all my needs. MTS for calling, s3 for data and im, facebook. Desktop for full fledged experience. In my opinion tablet should go for people who have desktops at home. desktop+tablet+dumb phone. People who have a decent weight lappy or ultrabook should go for lappy+4inch^smartfone+dumbphone.

[Bablus 66]

Well I was considering something very similar... for all together different reasons namely

1. Always being available (gtalk/whatsapp/skype) is not a great idea... leads to considerable stress... I know we can signout/lock.. but practically very difficult to stay away if the device is in your hand

2. Similar the urge to check and reply emails in the middle of the night etc and so on

Have all this configured on the tab... which of course you can take everywhere...

which exactly is the question... do we need so much connectivity everywhere?

So have decided to take the plunge backwards very soon supported by tab and lead a lot stress-free life..

[rajanmehta 4,056]

In the indian context, tablets really are not media consumption devices as they are in US & elsewhere. With no music/books purchase, netflix/streaming et all, they are just larger screen smartphones without voice on most models.

As already mentioned by others for day to day use, it's not very convenient to carry & use as a 100% replacement of smartphone.

[::: VA ::: 531]

Now i have come across only two people with great use for tablets.

First a friend who is fashion academician and uses a dumb phone. I got him asus transformer with kb dock and he doesn't have any pc or lappy.

Now all his administrative work he does through wi-fi in college. Docs emails schedules. Eve at home he has music movies games. Perfect module for him as there is no data connection once he is home and he prefers not remaining connected post office hours.

Second my brother whom i am planning to get galaxy tab 10 inch. He is an artist full fledged and also fashion academician part time. He uses his laptop to research and develop his ideas.lots of Photoshop. But always carries sketch book with markers pens and pencils to scribble and draw. Note would be an ideal partner for him on the move and his studio.

P.s. those who are inclined towards visual art can Google nandan ghiya. He is famous for his age

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[city02 63]

i have an ipad2 which i mostly leave at home since i'm afraid of losing it!

i always want my phone to have qwerty and push mail and prices for such handset are dropping every quarter

maybe a 7" andriod would be more portable but i know i'll just be leaving it at work since i hate carrying stuff unless i'm going out of town

or i'll just wait for a 4g andriod tab when they launch

my main contradiction is that my fat fingers have trouble on a 7" but 10" is too big to lug around everywhere i go

it'll take a decade to have thin, light, foldable andriod tabs that are 10" for under rs. 10 k with 4g

ps: i do take my ipad when i fly since i have space in my carry on to begin with

but that's every couple of months

if i had to fly weekly, then i might reconsider...

[ami1 237]

I am myself fed up of carrying so many things. I am thinking maybe a phablet like Samsung Galaxy Note II will be sufficient for everything ?

It might be a little embarrassing to take out such a big thing for calls - but with a BT headset maybe that issue could be solved.

[kshah 452]

With similar line of thought I tried to use Ordinary phone along with QWERTY phone. But problem faced was updation of contact and calender. For small small updates referring smart phone become necessary hence cumbersome. So experiment did not lasted for few days.

[::: VA ::: 531]

Just found a deal on galaxy note 800 from a friend who is working for its promotion with an agency hired by Samsung.

The pieces used for promo for just 17k.

Seems like quite a steal.

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[dr.faramroze 703]

Gifted HCL me Y2 tablet to my BIL about a fortnight back, dilemma started as soon as a week. Problems: Sleep of death, Reset function does not work, screen irresponsive and some I no longer remember. I reinstalled stock firmware with and without GAPPS, this tab works till nothing is installed. As soon as something is installed, it does not boot. No known solution as of today.

There are hundreds of y2 owners lined up for replacements on HCL Banbook page.

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[Guru Gopal 589]

When I got my ipad mini and start using it, I feel that, carrying iphone5 unnecessary as ipad mini has personel hotspot also. So I switched to my old samsung metro 3g phone. (my sms usage is only 1 or 2 per day) I am happy now.

[dkaile 1,051]

I really fail to understand the OP's comparison where according to him a utterly 'dumb' phone like NOKIA can compare to the newer breeds of Smartphones like S2/S3/Note2.There is no comparison at all and the entire premise of this topic is 'flawed". And two devices in my pocket?? Not at all.

After handling a 'phablet' like Note II for a few weeks, I could never go back to a dumb phone.

Edited December 20, 2012 by dkaile

[digitalnirvana 646]

The premise of the topic is not 'flawed' with all due respect. It might not work in India but this is certainly a trend catching on in the US where people are reverting to one smart device instead of carrying two (a smartphone and a tablet). The rise of phablets is due to this precise reason. I had asked this question in a UK forum as well and got positive responses.

The question is not about using Nokia - it was just an example to illustrate the point. But many people are using 3g phones to tether data to their tablets thereby reducing the need for a real lte smartphone. The tablet provides greater processor power more screen real estate more productivity, thereby making carrying another smartphone redundant. It's all about convergence really, and ample examples can be found on xda or cto forums.

I know in the Indian context this will not catch on, but in developed countries it's already a trend, and that is why tech editors are writing about it.

Sent while mobile.

[dkaile 1,051]

^

With due respect Dipan, as you yourself said that the trend is of carrying one device which is smart enough to do all your functions and that is what the world is moving towards. That the size of that device should be bigger or smaller or foldable is the matter of a more comprehensive debate.

[astrokidvaibhav 37]

What are your comments on the Asus Padfone..?? I liked the idea very much.. Having the same processor and memory it offers seamless integration.. You can carry the tab when you want and carry the phone everywhere otherwise..

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