Small Screen Tablets Might Have To Succumb To The Almighty Phablet

Today, when you think about mobile technology, you more than likely think about tablets and smartphones. Gone are the days that you attribute laptops to the term "mobile technology". Tablets have been at the forefront of mobile devices now, for quite some time it feels. The companies that design these tablets have become smarter and done their best to make sure that they deliver products that we want. Because of that, we now have devices that come with all sorts of new features. Our tablets come in different colors, contain different processors, and can be used for just about anything that we need. Then again, our smartphones can do just about the same thing now. Tablets are getting smaller and thinner, and our smartphones are getting smarter and bigger. The line between the two has almost gotten to the point that it's become blurred.

The Small Screen Issue
When the iPad first came out, it literally changed everything about how we look at and operate mobile technology. Fast forward a bit to the iPad Mini. This is where things got a bit redundant to some users. "It's just a smaller iPad and a bigger iPod Touch." Oddly enough, many people took to this smaller screen as it made the device more "mobile". On top of that, it helped Apple figure out what people wanted in terms of size and mobility along with their functionality. Naturally many of the competitor companies saw this a chance to jump into the small screen tablet market after seeing the success of the mini. Now fast forward again to today, where the iPad Mini 3 just came out and left a lot of people wanting a bit more. There was no updated processor. The only real update was the camera and the screen resolution. Not only has that hurt the small screen tablets, but the larger smartphones are what's really pushing this category out of the market.

What's a Phablet?
The phablets are here, and it looks like they might be taking over the small screen tablets spot. What even is a phablet though? It's essentially a large screened smartphone that ranges around 5 to 6 inches in screen size. It's like a fun-sized tablet, because again, our smartphones basically do everything that our tablets do. Apple's iPhone 6 has completely overshadowed the release of the new iPad Mini 3. The small screen tablets are being overtaken by the new phablets, and the iPhone 6 isn't the one to start it. Look at the Galaxy Note 3 from Samsung. This too was a phablet and they know that were doing something that was eventually going to change the way that we use our devices. You're performing all of the same features and functions of your tablet on your smartphone, and you have a stylus for extra precision. Many people took to using their phones to perform their mobile technology needs, instead of the tablet.

Is There A Shift Happening?
I, for one, personally feel that we are indeed seeing a shift in what the next big thing in mobile technology will be. Small screen tablets are going to fall too short since phablets are becoming more and more relevant. Now that Apple has stepped into this market, everyone else will start to follow suit if they haven't already. Why? Simple really. Since Apple still remains on top of the the consumer electronics market, they're allowed to make the rules of the game essentially. Should someone else step up and overthrow them, then they'd be able to "make the rules so to speak". That being said, Apple kind of stuck their metaphorical foot into their own mouths with the creation of their phablet, as now their Mini sales have started to dwindle. If this isn't a sign of a shift, I don't know what is.

I love Apple. I love Samsung. I generally love mobile technology. The fact that small screen tablets were even an idea in the first place seem so redundant and unnecessary now that phablets have become a thing. I still feel that large screen tablets such as the Google Nexus series and the iPad Air series will remain going strong. The smaller screen tablets will soon see their downfall though. Remember you read it here first. It was a good run small screen tablets, but it's time to step down.

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The Rufus Cuff Makes The Claim That It Is The Smartwatch Successor

Have you ever sat and looked at all of the ways we communicate with each other? Remember the days of the landline? A few of us might, but the younger generation has no clue, mainly due to the fact that there are now 9-year-olds running around with iPhone 5s. We used to send letters. We used to use the "home phone". That age has passed and now we are in an age where communication and technology may as well be next to each other in the dictionary. We text. We tweet. We message each other. We post statuses. We post pictures. The point being that recent technology has given us a much more networked way to communicate with others. Around 20 years ago the idea of being able to connect and become friends with someone on the opposite side of the world was impossible. Now, as long as you have a Facebook, you can talk to anyone you want.

Some of the tech that has helped us with this extended level of communication is still on its way up. Take the smartwatch for example. The thought of the device is a brilliant one, however, there are some drawbacks as most of us are aware. Most smartwatches have screens that are roughly an inch or so in display size. This alone is enough to push some of its possible customers away. There is a new device that aims to offer more than most smartwatches can even begin to offer however.

The Rufus Cuff is what the makers would call a full on "wrist communicator". I know that sounds a lot like what you would hear on those Saturday mornings when you would get up early to watch Power Rangers, but they don't seem to be joking. As of right now, the company Rufus Labs is funding the project with an IndieGoGo campaign that has all of the information on the device in depth.

Upon further inspection of the device, it does seem to offer quite a bit more than its more well known competitors. Take the Galaxy Gear models, the Pebble Smartwatch, and even Google's smartwatch. All of these big names have put a lot of effort into ensuring that their products are available and offer a good sense of practicality. The Rufus Cuff does a bit more than these though. A 3-inch display, coupled with full on apps, video calling, texting, regular phone calls, web browsing, and more. Already the Rufus Cuff is ahead of the game by maintaining what all of its competitors are offering but with a larger, easier to manage screen. It works by tethering directly to your phone and works with both Android and iOS devices.

The claim that they are making that this is the "next step" in smartwatches is a pretty big one. Having said that, they are putting a lot of effort into making this a promise and not just an empty statement. Upon time of writing this, the company is already at $122k of their $200k goal with 13 days left to go. It's safe to say that people are definitely interested, but the bad part is that it seems a bit to hard to mass manufacture such a device to the point that it gains notoriety. It's a sad truth, but the devices that are more readily available will remain on top, especially with the big brand names backing them. Unfortunately it may not matter how good the device is, it may be another gem swept under the rug by the big name competitors. Hopefully that won't be the case, as it looks quite promising.

Smartwatches are getting hotter and hotter as the days go by, but they are still in the early stages. If  you're not sure if they may be right for you, renting tech like that may be better than just walking into the nearest electronics storing and buying one outright. Renting, to be sure, is always the best option.

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