How Long Will the Internet Remain on Computers?

The world is literally in your pocket today, what with your smartphones and tablets making it possible to stay connected wherever you are and whatever you’re doing and access information and data about just about anything in the world without having to move more than your fingers. With mobile Internet, push mail and a host of other applications and conveniences brought to your phone, do you still log on to the Internet using your computer? Social networks allow you to do pretty much everything through your smartphone and tiny tablet computers; email gets delivered to your mobile device like text messages, and you can type out a reply immediately if you wish to; browsers have been designed for mobile web applications and more and more websites are undergoing significant changes for optimal viewing on the mobile devices that have smaller screens and less navigational features; you can download attachments and read and even work on documents and spreadsheets, view photos, and do just about anything using your mobile device. So how long do you think the Internet is going to be used on computers?


There is no right or accurate answer to this question because the Internet and related technology are advancing at breakneck speeds – every innovation has many more breathing down its neck, and at some point, all the changes taking place seem to be in continuum rather than taking place at different points of time. This is the age of technology, a time when we’re hurtling ahead at a pace that’s both frightening and exhilarating at the same time. We have no idea where we’re going, we only know that we’re driven to do more.
We’re pushing for smaller gadgets that are more sophisticated, we’re gunning for more communication and more interaction online, we’re looking to connect all corners of the globe through one big network that’s always turned on, we want information at the click of a button, and we’re looking to do more in less time. So as technology gets smaller, the world shrinks figuratively and becomes a tighter circle.
So a mass migration to mobile Internet is pretty much on the cards, but there are certain impediments to this exodus:

• There are some tasks that are best done on a computer – the large screen and the ease of typing on a keyboard beat trying to do scrunch your fingers and squint your eyes to see and maneuver better. So people will always prefer to use their computers at home or when they’re stationary.
• If it comes to a tossup between owning a computer and a handheld device to use to browse the web, most people would prefer a computer, especially if they cannot afford to buy both gadgets.
• Internet charges on a mobile device are not yet as cost effective as those you incur when you use your computer to browse the web. Free WiFi spots are restricted to certain areas and not safe for all kinds of browsing.
• Connectivity becomes a problem when you’re on the move – signals could be weak and could drop suddenly, or you could move to an area with no coverage.
• Mobile Internet is very slow when compared to the blazing speeds that Broadband connectivity offers.
• Not all kinds of files can be viewed on mobile devices.
• And most important of all, it’s going to take a long time for all the sites on the Internet, even the most important ones, to be optimized for viewing on a handheld device with a smaller screen and more restrictions. So you need computers for a full-blown Internet experience, which means that they’re going to be around for some time to come.

This guest post is contributed by Cathy Thomas, she writes on the topic of online computer technician training . She welcomes your comments at her email id: cathy83.thomas<@>gmail<.>com.