It is convinience - once everything is streamed, you will have the same quality whether you're home or on the go. This is one of the reasons why I see streaming hitting hard in some not so distant future.

But it's not just that - I'm fairly certain that future streaming platform holders will use the same trick that's been used throughout the history of gaming to reel in the audience - flashy visuals not possible on previous platforms. It's just that this time they can sell you different visual packages depending on how much you pay, cause you'll be paying for server proccessing time, not for actual hardware itself.

This will provide you with the choice of having something that no standalone consumer hardware would be able to pull off, if you go with, let's say, Elite package, or you can go with some other more modest package suited to your needs and budget.

I can't say I'm too happy with this future, but given how much control this gives to platform and content holders, I'd say they'll do whatever it takes to persuade audience to convert to that.

So what do you feel this could mean for the future of hardware's form factor?

I remember seeing first concepts for phones with roll-out screens some 7-8 years ago - still waiting for them to actually show up, since the tech is still not quite there yet.

So I imagine something more or less like Switch (not that it's by any means the first tablet with controllers, but for the sake of discussion it's easier to refer to it since everyone knows how it looks), but without any actual processing hardware inside (other then for WiFi and similar stuff) and with roll-out screen tech - when you're home, you roll the screen in, when you're on the go and want to play, you roll it out.

I agree, technology has innovated and then merged many tools into one, over and over, year after year.

Convenience is a huge part of that. A few devices can now competently cover the utility of what used to take more than a dozen devices. It saves production costs, storage space, use time, etc.

Nowadays, I use a phone for way more than calling a friend, its a boom box, a camera, a calculator, a clock, a calendar, a grocery list, a map, a voice recorder, a timer, a text messenger, a web browser, etc. all-in-one device.

I save money by only having to buy 1 thing that does many things competently, and it is so easy to have regularly at hand (or in pocket) since it is so small.

Convenience, Convenience, Convenience.

That said, I do not use my phone for all things, because it is NOT proficient enough for certain tasks. i.e. I use my laptop for photo editing, video editing, text editing, etc. because all of that is easier to do on a laptop, thanks to the interface, file management, user inputs, etc. that are all better tailored to those kinds of tasks.

I also use the laptop to watch movies with my roommate since we can watch it in any room, and it is large enough for both of us to view while lounging comfortably.

And that is another thing, COMFORT.

Laying around while using a phone is fairly comfortable, laying around while using a laptop can get uncomfortable after a short while because of how the laptop has to sit on something while in use, and how the hands must be to use they keyboard and trackpad.

The Nintendo Switch however has a magical accessory cherished by a pantheon of adorable snuggle goddesses…



Comfort extraordinaire!!!

And, it is still fairly comfy using in handheld or docked mode.

If they ever invent a more comfortable laptop, I will be so so extra happy! :D

I have that exact tablet arm. Is that a photo you took?