Unfortunately, today’s technology is built for what’s called planned obsolescence. That essentially means the hardware and software that debuts this week may easily be replaced within a matter of months, putting consumers in a position of feeling behind the curve even though their current hardware works perfectly fine.
There’s no stopping this rate of innovation and change in the online world, since potential improvements and ‘bug fixes’ seem to manifest with each app update. It’s good for software, but can cost consumers cash when trying to keep up with the arms race for new models, specialized products, and featured add-ons or existing technologies.
Among the college crowd, it’s obvious Apple has cornered the market for education and creatives. Though business schools across the country continue to run Microsoft Excel workshops on Dell PCs with Windows operating systems, students continue to buy the Mac versions of these programs to fit in with their personal ‘OS’ lifestyle. But, the popular 13’ MacBook Pro, though ultraportable, may not be the best out there for the common consumer or small business owner. After all, it rings in at a whopping $1299 retail price despite being overshadowed by new models within a year of its debut.
One fantastic, portable PC device is the Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 320 (Retail $299). The IdeaPad is to the $1400 Lenovo ThinkPad PC (both run Windows 10) as the iPad is to the MacBook Pro. It’s small, portable, convertible, and has the brainpower to run multiple programs, and fast. According to PC Magazine’s Best Laptops of 2017, critics give the IdeaPad a 4 out of 5 for its similar screen size resolution, and processor speed to the iPad. It’s a great competitor in the tablet marketspace (despite only 4GB of RAM), what with Apple’s recent advertising push for iPad sales – remember the ‘who needs a computer’ campaign? We sure do.
Elsewhere in the hardware arms race lies new faces on the market – from the Google Pixel phone to the ChromeBook, Google seems to be asserting itself into a market already conquered, with enough success to offer a budget-friendly solution to those looking for adequate computing power for everyday browsing and streaming, without paying the price for Apple products.
If you’re looking for local residential and commercial IT assistance in the Denver Area, look no further. Rocky Mountain Computer Specialists have years of training and experience to keep your home or business’ system running smoothly for peak productivity.