Phablets: The next Best Thing To a Smart-phone or Tablet

It’s not a tablet or a phone, it’s both. It’s called a Phablet and Samsung definitely built one. Take a peak for yourself:

Phablets – now there’s a word; as ridiculous as it sounds they may just be the next be thing following smart-phones and tablets. What exactly is a Phablet and why would anyone buy one?

Simply put, a Phablet is the love-child of the smart-phone and tablet. Almost as big as an iPad Mini, the most recent example, the Samsung Galaxy Note sold out in record numbers;10 million units during last summer alone. Analysts predict Phablets will outsell every other mobile device segment this year.

Samsung heads the call with the newly released Galaxy Note II, which has sold nearly 5 million within a few months. As popular as they may seem Phablets could easily flop (think Net-books) as soon as the buzz around them settles.

Phablet Appeal in Emerging Markets

Some folks already think Phablets look ridiculous (a look to match its name) but people in developing countries might find the beauty when they discover that form follows function. Think about it; why pay good money for a smart-phone and also buy a tablet? Why wouldn’t you just save money and buy one device that can do it all? That’s exactly what Samsung bets on – that people around the world will see the value in something like a Phablet.

On the high-end of the spectrum, the Phablet seeks to improve upon the retina display found on so many average mobile devices. Sharp is crafting high-resolution screens with nearly 450 pixels per inch, about a hundred or so higher than those found on an iPhone 5.

Taken a step further high-end Phabelts promise to deliver enough processing power that will match or exceed todays low-end laptops. That doesn’t sound too bad for a goofy looking mobile device.

Would You Buy A Phablet?

Certainly it’s larger size might prevent some from pulling the trigger on a new Phablet. Then again, you wouldn’t have to haul both your iPad and iPhone around. Others claim that using one device on-the-go would cut down on mobile bandwidth charges, but how many of us attempt to surf the web on our tablet when we’re out and about?

No one I know. In fact, I think people look goofy when they haul around a full-size tablet (I saw one guy using an iPad as a camera during a hike to the Hollywood sign). Maybe they’d be better off with a Phablet instead. What do you think? Would you replace your old smart-phone and tablet with a all-inclusive Phablet? Leave a comment below. As per usual, thanks for stopping by and enjoy your gadgetry until something cooler comes along.