Is The PC Dead in The Water?

For the last few years, arguments have been going back and forth as to whether the personal computer was going the same way as the eight-track tape player. You will find strong advocates on both side of the debate.

The End of the PC

For those who are ready to pull the plug on the PC, they use statistics to back their point of view. Sales for PCs are down while sales for mobile devices like smart phones and tablets keep increasing and at a faster rate. New technology keeps developing to allow more things to be done on smaller devices. This is why website design companies are increasing their focus on mobile websites instead of just the traditional ones. These experts say that one day the PC will be like the dinosaur – extinct.

Their argument is that people today want technology that will go with them and being portable is essential to being relevant.  Many manufacturers have reduced the number of computers they are producing as they watch sales drop.  Hewlett Packard, the number one seller of PCs saw shipments drop by 16%.

Down But Not Out

Those who are die-hard fans of the personal computer are not envisioning an ancient machine that takes up half a room like the early computers. What they see is a PC that continues to evolve to keep up with people’s changing needs. The PC of today may not be the same as the PC of tomorrow, but it will be here. That is their claim.

These experts back their opinions with facts. The PC has faster performance, more storage, and better image resolution. They go on to say that no mobile device can provide the same level of gaming that a PC does. For work tasks and viewing videos or other media, the larger screens provide a more pleasurable experience.

Part of the debate centers around what is considered a personal computer.  Many experts see tablets and smart phones as PCs the same as laptops and notebooks, just a newer, smaller version.  Others separate the two because they are so different with their functions and operating systems.

In the end, the decision to breathe new life back into the personal computer or let it die will be up to the designers who make it, the companies that sell it, and the people who buy it. As long as someone keeps buying it, the PC will still be alive.

[Image via technomediafan & oregonlive]