The Development of the Tablet PC

I. The Early Era (1989-2000): The Awkward Birth of the Concept PC

As early as 1989, Apple engineers were already tinkering with tablet prototypes. However, these "tablets" were a joke—heavy as a brick, lasted only 20 minutes on a charge, and cost $2,000! When Gates first unveiled the "tablet PC" concept in 1992, the media mocked it as "Microsoft's sci-fi toy." Products during this period were either used by hospital nurses to keep medical records or as electronic manuals in industrial applications; ordinary consumers simply ignored them.

II. The Exploration Period (2001-2009): The Struggles of Nokia and Fujitsu

When Nokia launched the N770 in 2005, it thought it could break through with its stylus, but consumers simply didn't buy in. Fujitsu's Stylistic series persisted for over a decade, but remained a niche product. Tablets during this period were like premature babies—the hardware wasn't up to par, and the software ecosystem was even more bleak. Microsoft's Tablet PC system, launched in 2002, required users to poke and click on the screen with a stylus, an experience even more awkward than eating noodles with a toothpick.

III. Revolutionary Period (2010-2014): The iPad's Nuclear Blast

When Steve Jobs pulled the iPad from a brown paper bag in 2010, the tech world went ballistic. The first-generation iPad certainly wasn't perfect—it lacked a camera and couldn't multitask—but it achieved ultimate ease of use. Samsung scrambled to catch up with the Galaxy Tab in 2011, and the Android camp began piling on specs. Only then did tablets truly enter households, becoming the go-to device for watching TV shows and browsing the web. However, developers quickly discovered that the software experience on Android tablets was a mess—the app ratio was skewed, and many developers simply copied mobile apps for extended use.

IV. Differentiation Period (2015-2019): The Clash of Large-Screen Phones and 2-in-1 Devices

With phone screens getting bigger and bigger (even 6 inches was considered small), tablets suddenly found themselves in a difficult position. Microsoft's Surface series emerged at this time, ushering in the "laptop + tablet" two-in-one concept. Apple's 2018 iPad Pro, directly equipped with the Apple Pencil and keyboard, began its transformation into a productivity tool. The most remarkable thing about this period was that Android tablets were essentially extinct, with Huawei the only one still holding on. However, supply was cut off in 2019, and even the Huawei MatePad Pro became a swan song.

V. New Track (2020-Present): The Dimensionality of Foldable Screens and AI

In 2020, the Samsung Fold series debuted, introducing new possibilities for the two-in-one phone and tablet. Apple's Vision Pro, released this year, completely eliminated tablets—who needs a screen? Just project it in the air! The latest trend is AI-powered tablets: capable of real-time translation, automatic note-taking, and even homework assistance. Lenovo's recently released Yoga Pad Pro is even more dramatic, featuring a projector on the back, allowing you to project content directly onto a whiteboard during meetings. Tablets today are no longer the "oversized phones" of the past; they've become true digital Swiss Army knives.

Advice for digital novices

When buying a tablet, don't just look at the specs; ecosystem compatibility is king.

Only Samsung and Lenovo are still competitive in the Android tablet market these days.

The iPad Pro is the best deal with its educational discounts; students should buy it without hesitation.

The irony is that those who once mocked the impracticality of tablets are probably now wielding an iPad Pro in Starbucks, working on a PowerPoint presentation! The beauty of technological development lies in the fact that you never know what the next disruptor will look like.

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