The Atrix

What is the difference between an iPhone and an iPad? Size. Anything else? Well... really not that much. The same processor, the same communication interfaces, similar storage space. So why we have the two? Because one is small and on is not so small. Sounds funny. But yes. An iPhone is just more comfortable to carry. Can go with us everywhere we go. In a pocket or a small purse. On the other hand an iPad is more comfortable to use. Bigger screen. Bigger keyboard. Only the physical factor differing the two. But how important one, that it created a whole new market of tablet computers.

So now when we have the two devices - a smartphone and a tablet. The pros are clear, mentioned above. But there are cons. Many of them, but probably the most important are the two separate identities. Two sets of storage. Each holding different data. Imposing on us the burden of synchronization. And sharing, which by the way is a disaster by Apple (take some pictures with an iPhone and try to display them on an iPad, without a PC and cables in the middle). It is even worse. Two separate contexts. Of course you cannot start browsing the Internet on one of the devices and continue on the other. Sooo 90's (every time I see this white iPhone cable the LapLink memories surface)!

So why not have just one - the small one - with an option to attach bigger, more comfortable screen and keyboard? The concept has been for ages with us using laptops with docking stations. A laptop is portable. At home or at work we have docking stations, or just big monitors and keyboards. There was a problem with such setup some ten years ago. The laptops were not powerful enough, so the desktop experience was not really on par with regular desktop machines. Ditto smartphones. But today? Every smartphone AD 2011 has the same processor and memory as its tablet counterpart. Screen and keyboard being the only difference.

Motorola's Atrix is the first approach to the philosophy of one mobile device. It looks like a laptop. But consists only of a screen, keyboard and docking connector. Plug the phone in and you can work more comfortable. Disconnect an take all the content and context with you. Brilliant.

The Atrix is the first, but there will be more. In various form factors. Laptop - like and tablets. And even virtual ones. BlackBerry is readying something special for the PlayBook, which will be able to set up a wireless bridge between the two devices and the phone will be storage and connectivity gateway, while the tablet will execute the applications.

I am looking forward to more followers to Motorola and RIM. It is time to ease our entanglement in too many mobile devices.