Stephen Sinofsky says users want “sealed case” computers

[Wyndru]

Most large companies are moving to all laptops for people with assigned computers. The PC is used still for computer lab type situations.

I find this hard to believe. So they purchase laptops at a higher cost, and then what, give everyone a docking station with a mouse, keyboard and monitor to make it similar to the same comfort as a desktop? A financial company I worked for tried this and everyone bitched that the screens were too small, not ergonomically correct, then people wanted to bring them home, etc.... It was just a waste of money, and the rollout was scrapped after a few departments tried it.

For schools its the opposite. We get desktops for the teacher station, since it's plugged directly into an interactive board, and the labs have gone mobile, so the carts can be brought into each classroom and each kid can get a laptop at their desk.

 

[IronWing]

I find this hard to believe. So they purchase laptops at a higher cost, and then what, give everyone a docking station with a mouse, keyboard and monitor to make it similar to the same comfort as a desktop? A financial company I worked for tried this and everyone bitched that the screens were too small, not ergonomically correct, then people wanted to bring them home, etc.... It was just a waste of money, and the rollout was scrapped after a few departments tried it.

For schools its the opposite. We get desktops for the teacher station, since it's plugged directly into an interactive board, and the labs have gone mobile, so the carts can be brought into each classroom and each kid can get a laptop at their desk.

My employer has gone to all laptops, exactly as you've described: docking stations, external monitors, mice, and keyboards. The only exceptions are for the GIS folks who get towers.

 

[herm0016]

My employer has gone to all laptops, exactly as you've described: docking stations, external monitors, mice, and keyboards. The only exceptions are for the GIS folks who get towers.

yea. we have too, and we have ~ 50,000 people all over the globe. laptops, mice, docking stations and keyboards for office people, laptops for field people and a few mini towers for the crews to use for training and such.

the company my girlfriend works for also does it, one of the largest consulting companies in the world.

 

[Wyndru]

Wow I'm surprised companies are throwing money away buying laptops and all of these extra accessories to make them desktops, what a waste of money, guess it explains why nobody gets decent raises anymore...

 

[herm0016]

Wow I'm surprised companies are throwing money away buying laptops and all of these extra accessories to make them desktops, what a waste of money, guess it explains why nobody gets decent raises anymore...

meh. It is probably not that much of a difference in the long run, when you buy millions of dollars worth of computers every year. Plus, that makes your workforce much more mobile.

 

[sdifox]

Wow I'm surprised companies are throwing money away buying laptops and all of these extra accessories to make them desktops, what a waste of money, guess it explains why nobody gets decent raises anymore...

Ms consulting operates office/cubicle farms. When you come in you sign out an office. You plug your laptop into the docking station. Makes sense for them since most folks are out at client site most of the time.

On the other end of the spectrum is the place I am at now with win7 computer being downgraded to xp, office 2003 and netware... shudder. And 4:3 lcd monitor with vga cable.. I guess I should be greatful there is internet access.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Yeah, lube up the (m)asses, here it comes.

I didn't realize it but my Droid Razr doesn't even allow me to access the battery, so once it's dead it's dead. They don't want you replacing a battery, they want that device leeching heavy metals into a landfill while you lay down some more Benjamins for the new model every 2 years.

You want that. At least that's what S.S wants. Hey. SS. Schutzstaffel anyone?

 

[Wyndru]

meh. It is probably not that much of a difference in the long run, when you buy millions of dollars worth of computers every year. Plus, that makes your workforce much more mobile.

Not only the cost difference (which I'm sure there is a difference, especially if you need to buy everyone a monitor, kb and mouse just to make it into a desktop)...I'm just considering how much of a support and inventory nightmare it must be. Laptops are more difficult and expensive to repair, and when you have all of your staff transporting their computers back and forth to work, accidents (and theft) are bound to happen.

Just yesterday I called Lenovo for the cost of a screen repair on a mini laptop we have (we don't pay for accidental coverage and someone dropped it), and they told me it would be a minimum of $750-900 for the repair. So I called IBM parts since the screen is really easy to replace, and they quoted me $390 for that. We bought the laptops for around $600. And of course where I work we have to buy from a list of approved vendors, so I can't just go to a random LCD place (many of which sell the panel for ~$90).

Plus people keep breaking the keys off, how the fuck do so many people do this? Ugh, I just hate laptops from a support standpoint.

 

[CPA]

They don't want you replacing a battery, they want that device leeching heavy metals into a landfill while you lay down some more Benjamins for the new model every 2 years.

I know this is probably nitpicking, but there's something called single stream recycling that remedies this issue more than you think. Most people don't realize it, but their trash doesn't immediately hit a landfill after it's picked up. It doesn't happen all over the country, but most large cities and the process is continuously being expanded.

 

[dawp]

It isn't that users want it, it's the companies do it and no one complains until after the fact.

 

[Rhezuss]

They aren't going far enough with sealing. My phone should be waterproof.

Yes they should start with that.

 

[Kaido]

I find this hard to believe. So they purchase laptops at a higher cost, and then what, give everyone a docking station with a mouse, keyboard and monitor to make it similar to the same comfort as a desktop? A financial company I worked for tried this and everyone bitched that the screens were too small, not ergonomically correct, then people wanted to bring them home, etc.... It was just a waste of money, and the rollout was scrapped after a few departments tried it.

I'm definitely seeing it more. Computers are cheap enough now that it's not super-expensive to get a laptop anymore. The new Dell Eport-Plus-whatever docks have support for dual giant monitors, a scad of ports, and you don't have to dock it right under your monitor anymore, so that cleans up your desk (and they have some nice new WiGig stuff for wireless docking). Throw an SSD in there and you're set - take it on the road or home for VPN work, dock it at your desk or in a training room for a meeting, voila. Easy.

I'm also seeing stuff like Citrix HDX rolled out a lot more. One company I work with sends their people out with iPads & keyboard cases, then they use 4G to remote into their workstations in their cloud. Not the best interface imo, but the batteries last all day & it lets them work anywhere using full desktop applications, so that's pretty cool.

 

[TwiceOver]

Laptops and docks are great and all, but unfortunately you can't get a super sleek slim lightweight laptop with an integrated docking connector. They are all fat chunky heavy ass 5+ pound 1.5" thick monstrosities. When I think mobility, I don't think of <1" thick 3 pound laptops, and so do my users. When I get them a Latituded E#### laptop and set it in front of them I get the "What the fuck is this shit? I have to carry this on trips?" speech.

 

[ElFenix]

uh, phones and tablets are sealed computers.

 

[yinan]

Laptops and docks are great and all, but unfortunately you can't get a super sleek slim lightweight laptop with an integrated docking connector. They are all fat chunky heavy ass 5+ pound 1.5" thick monstrosities. When I think mobility, I don't think of <1" thick 3 pound laptops, and so do my users. When I get them a Latituded E#### laptop and set it in front of them I get the "What the fuck is this shit? I have to carry this on trips?" speech.

http://www.belkin.com/us/F4U055-Belkin/p/P-F4U055

 

[TwiceOver]

http://www.belkin.com/us/F4U055-Belkin/p/P-F4U055

This may work when laptops start coming with Thunderbolt native. I have used the Targus USB3 version of this, it was a disaster of a device. Plus both of these work arounds require a second power where-as an integrated dock is all in one grab your laptop and go.

 

[darkewaffle]

I'd rather just use a laptop with an external mouse than put it on a dock personally.

 

[Gunbuster]

Hell, Anandtech wont even take the screws out of a laptop and take a picture of internals for a review these days. The guy is right.

 

[BUTCH1]

Can't clean the fan = disposable computer after 1 year worth of cat hair sticks to it.

Good point, I do blow-outs of my CPU and GPU HSF every 3 months, they will have to come up with a system case that's totally sealed except for a dedicated intake port with a replaceable (or cleanable) air filter..

 

[moonbogg]

ATX from my cold dead hands, bitchesssssssss.

 

[Ricochet]

Wow I'm surprised companies are throwing money away buying laptops and all of these extra accessories to make them desktops, what a waste of money, guess it explains why nobody gets decent raises anymore...

When I was working for Boeing, a lot of departments were transitioning over to laptops + cellphones and the people that were on desktops + landlines were extremely eager for them.

Boeing has a contract with Dell. I remember one time when a coworker of mine with a desktop called IT support (Enterprise) because his 120gb hard drive died. They had an onsite Dell technician replace the drive with another 120gb drive (not a larger current one). He told me that Boeing was billed about $1000 for parts+labor. Keep in mind this was around the same time when you could purchase a 1TB drive for $50.

Considering how much large companies pay for IT services the price difference between laptop and desktop is very miniscule.

 

[Fritzo]

I'm going to be chastised for this, but he's kind of right. Users want thin styled designs now. The only way to do that is with sealed cases.

Laptops are already like this, and desktops are going away, so...he has a point.

 

[KeithP]

He is an idiot. So some devices that are popular, iOS devices, are sealed so this means people want sealed computers?

What people want are easy to use devices that are reliable and secure. "Sealed" or "not sealed" doesn't matter to them. Apple has managed to convince a lot of people that the only way you can get reliable and secure is to have these locked up designs but that is B.S. They do it to fatten their own pocketbooks.

Everything else being equal, having hardware that is easy to service will always be preferred over something that is not. Do consumers really want to replace their entire system because a part can't be replaced? Would they prefer to send their computer to a repair center and wait 5-10 days to get it back simply because the design precludes having it serviced locally?

I will say it again for emphasis, he is an idiot.

-KeithP

 

[IronWing]

I'm going to be chastised for this, but he's kind of right. Users want thin styled designs now. The only way to do that is with sealed cases.

Laptops are already like this, and desktops are going away, so...he has a point.

I agree with you that thin is where the market currently is. I don't really get it though. Once you put that thin laptop in a shoulder bag it's as thick as ever. So heat handling or performance get compromised to deliver thinness that doesn't really gain much benefit to the user.

 

[Wyndru]

I agree with you that thin is where the market currently is. I don't really get it though. Once you put that thin laptop in a shoulder bag it's as thick as ever. So heat handling or performance get compromised to deliver thinness that doesn't really gain much benefit to the user.

But it looks cool and sleek, and displays that you have money to waste...and that's what matters in a materialistic society.