Do some people honestly prefer surfing the net with a phone/tablet, rather than a lap

[VirtualLarry]

I just got a smartphone a few days ago, and one of the advertised features was "real web browsing". It's pretty nice, I don't quite know how it does it, with only 512MB of RAM, but it manages to display most web pages, INCLUDING FLASH ADS AND VIDEOS, like this forum for example.

It scales things down to fit on-screen, and I can "reverse pinch" to zoom in on the page, to get a better view and make it easier to tap on links that are normally very tiny text.

But I notice it's slower than a desktop computer or laptop by far, and it eats battery like no tomorrow. (Which might be remedied slightly if I could block the flash ads.)

So, does anyone, given the choice, prefer to surf on a phone? Sure, it's great in a pinch, when you need to check something while on the road, but I would pick the laptop/desktop every time, given a choice.

 

[zerocool84]

Of course people would choose a real computer over a smart phone to surf the web. What you should be asking is how many people prefer a tablet over a computer.

 

[ControlD]

I just got a smartphone a few days ago, and one of the advertised features was "real web browsing". It's pretty nice, I don't quite know how it does it, with only 512MB of RAM, but it manages to display most web pages, INCLUDING FLASH ADS AND VIDEOS, like this forum for example.

It scales things down to fit on-screen, and I can "reverse pinch" to zoom in on the page, to get a better view and make it easier to tap on links that are normally very tiny text.

But I notice it's slower than a desktop computer or laptop by far, and it eats battery like no tomorrow. (Which might be remedied slightly if I could block the flash ads.)

So, does anyone, given the choice, prefer to surf on a phone? Sure, it's great in a pinch, when you need to check something while on the road, but I would pick the laptop/desktop every time, given a choice.

I can't say I prefer surfing on a phone but it sure is handy at times. If I had to rank surfing experience for my devices I would go something like this (out of 10):

- Desktop Windows machine (22" screen) : 10
- iPad (3rd gen) : 8
- MacBook Pro 13" - 5
- iPhone - 4

Surfing on a tablet is surprisingly good, especially when lounging on the couch. My only other choice for such activity is a Macbook Pro and it just gets so damned hot and uncomfortable to use that I rarely break it out anymore. Nothing beats a large high resolution screen with 100% format support though so the desktop is still my weapon of choice.

 

[TheStu]

I just got a smartphone a few days ago, and one of the advertised features was "real web browsing". It's pretty nice, I don't quite know how it does it, with only 512MB of RAM, but it manages to display most web pages, INCLUDING FLASH ADS AND VIDEOS, like this forum for example.

It scales things down to fit on-screen, and I can "reverse pinch" to zoom in on the page, to get a better view and make it easier to tap on links that are normally very tiny text.

But I notice it's slower than a desktop computer or laptop by far, and it eats battery like no tomorrow. (Which might be remedied slightly if I could block the flash ads.)

So, does anyone, given the choice, prefer to surf on a phone? Sure, it's great in a pinch, when you need to check something while on the road, but I would pick the laptop/desktop every time, given a choice.

Well, there is a difference between surfing the web on even a 4.5" phone or a 10" tablet like the iPad or the Nexus 10. Even comparing something the Nexus 4 and the iPad Mini and the Nexus 7. The larger display makes a huge difference, and being able to just prop up a tablet is very nice when just surfing the web compared to using a laptop.

Plus the battery life on tablets is INSANE. I charge my iPad maybe once a week.

 

[ponyo]

Decent laptop/desktop is faster but top tier phone/tablet can be more convenient and offer similar experience. Your 512mb Android phone won't offer good experience. Try browsing on something like iPhone5/iPad/SGS3/Note2/N4, etc and you'll see what you're missing.

 

[s44]

Let me ask you this...

Would you prefer to browse the web/AT only when you can sit still in front of your PC? Or do you want access when you're on the couch during commercial breaks, on the can, in bed before/after sleeping, and in a bus/train/car?

And yeah, you should have at least 1gb and 4.5"+ of screen. And Tapatalk!

 

[notposting]

Well, disable the flash plugin for starters. And take the phone back and get a better one

And otherwise...no. A real computer is preferable to me, but the convenience for looking things up at anytime is where the phone wins. But for having 20 tabs open and getting stuck in a wikipedia/youtube/tvtropes/anandtech/etc linking spiral of doom and time-wasting? PC for sure.

 

[bearxor]

The following are estimates. In a given month this is where my wife and I do our web browsing.

Me
iPhone 5 - 20%
iPad 3 - 70%
Laptop (either MacBook Pro or cheap HP) - 10% and typically only when something needs to be done that can't be done on an iPad and even then I do 90% of that through a VNC/RDP client on the iPad. Very rarely do I actually sit at a computer.

Wife
iPhone 4S - 80%
iPad 1 - 18%
Laptop (Dell XPS 17) - 2%

Seriously, I see her on her phone ALL THE TIME. Sometimes I'll just be sitting there and my iPad will be there and ill ask her of she wants to use it and she says no constantly. The woman spends nearly all her time on an iPhone. The only time she's usd her computer in the last three months was to download a Halloween style font and print out large letters for her to cut out. Otherwise it sits on a desk shelf collecting dust.

Again they're estimates.

 

[bigrash]

I'd rather surf of my desktop but I mostly use my iPhone because its more convenient.

 

[vi edit]

For quick glancing a phone is fine and a tablet is even better, but I loathe replying on a touch screen. For any heavy forum use the Macbook Air is employed.

 

[Zivic]

for me
desktop > tablet > phone/laptop

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Desktop > Laptop > Tablet/Phone

There are some things that are nice on a tablet though such as accessibility. Flipboard makes accessing your information very easy. On a computer you have to open all those different pages of articles and go back and forth. So in some cases tablet wins, but surfing the web? Hell no. I can't even type on a tablet very well. All Android tablet keyboards suck. And before you point me to Swiftkey, let's count the # of keyboards and the # that have the backspace button at the upper right. Most still have it on the bottom right because it's how phone keyboards are.

 

[RockinZ28]

I prefer phone over a laptop for sure. Laptops are just so awkward to hold, and the touchpad is teh suck. Haven't tried a touch screen laptop though.

I would prefer tablet over both, but my TF101 is really starting to show its age. I can't find anything to replace it that fully meets my demands though, and I'm not spending another $400+ until I do.

Desktop of course is the fastest, both in terms of productivity and performance, but I can't bring that to work or into the shitter.

 

[openwheel]

you can't beat a 22-24" screen (or two of them) when you are doing some serious research.

Desktop for the win!!!

However, I can't take my monitors to the lounge at the airport, so I must use a 7 inch ish tablet. Forget surfing on a phone, that's for emergency only. The phone is used to tether and answer calls!!! LOL

 

[kyrax12]

Definitely I would prefer surfing on my laptop over my iphone.

 

[Yuriman]

Posting from my phone.

I prefer my desktop of course, but it's close to 50-50 as far as time spent on each device. With my phone I can lay in bed next to my wife and read the CPU section, or browse in class when a lecture is particularly boring. I'm basically online on my phone whenever I'm away from home and waiting on something.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

I can't say I prefer surfing on a phone but it sure is handy at times. If I had to rank surfing experience for my devices I would go something like this (out of 10):

- Desktop Windows machine (22" screen) : 10
- iPad (3rd gen) : 8
- MacBook Pro 13" - 5
- iPhone - 4

Surfing on a tablet is surprisingly good, especially when lounging on the couch. My only other choice for such activity is a Macbook Pro and it just gets so damned hot and uncomfortable to use that I rarely break it out anymore. Nothing beats a large high resolution screen with 100% format support though so the desktop is still my weapon of choice.

tablet performance is quite a bit worse than lappy but i think the portrait view on a tablet makes it more comfortable, it means you have to do less scrolling. also touchscreen is more comfortable than a laptop touchpad, even an apple one

 

[Aikouka]

You sound a bit like a guy that would go up to an Amish man, and tell him, "I think a chainsaw would cut that faster." Well, no duh, Sherlock. A smartphone, tablet, laptop and desktop are all tools. We gauge our use of tools based on the task at hand and the availability. If I want to do some simple browsing, a tablet works fine. If I want to deal with keeping an eye on Amazon's Lightning Deals while making Thanksgiving dinner, I'm going to get my laptop and set it downstairs, 'cause frankly, my tablet wasn't cutting the mustard... while I was cutting the turkey.

 

[lopri]

Bathrooms?
Bedroom?
Dentist's office?
..

Starbucks?

 

[dirksquarejaw]

Ipad2 for surfing the web when I get home. I'll do it on my razr but if I have the option I feel my tablet is made for browsing.

 

[Zodiark1593]

I really don't like touchscreens, so it's my trusty DV7 for me.

 

[akugami]

I like browsing from my desktop, laptop, tablet, then phone. In that order. However, it's not always possible/convenient and that's when a smartphone makes it great. Yes, the web browsing experience is sub-optimal but it beats the heck out of nothing...and if needed I can tether my laptop to my phone but that eats up data at a faster rate.

 

[aaksheytalwar]

For casual browsing my preference amongst the three is in this order

Tablet >>> Laptop >>> Smartphone

 

[KentState]

I only use my phone if necessary, but typically avoid using it.

Laptop next to couch > desktop > laptop > tablet > phone > iPod touch > word of mouth > news paper > book > people

 

[Red Storm]

For casual browsing my preference amongst the three is in this order

Tablet >>> Laptop >>> Smartphone

Same.