Unravelling PC form factors
In the laptop arena there are now many form factors available, capable of running a variety of operating systems. Deciding which form factor is appropriate can be difficult because every form factor has a trade-off. A 17 inch screen, which is easy on the eyes, can barely fit in most laptop cases for example; and a machine optimized to run graphics is likely to have poor battery life. No one portable machine can suit all the needs of a user nor can it be customized like a desktop, meaning IT must think quite carefully about what is needed and acceptable.
Accepting that needs vary from user to user can help make purchasing decisions easier. In our research we run across a number of different kinds of users, which map onto the following broad categories:
Vertical specific
These users, often found in health care, the plant floor, delivery specialists, retail inventory and so forth, may not use many of the traditional computing applications of the typical user, but need both specific hardware and software, customized to the job. In such situations, tablet-like PCs can make sense for example. (Source: IdaRose Sylvester, Freeform Dynamics , The Register)
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Chris De Herrera
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