What kind of computer device do you prefer using? — Scope | Disability forum
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What kind of computer device do you prefer using?

66Mustang
66Mustang Community member Posts: 13,368 Disability Gamechanger
I used to prefer a "proper" computer with a traditional operating system, as applications seemed to have more functionality and customisation and you could more easily adjust and modify how programs ran as needed.

However these days I'm really enjoying using my tablet. It's so simple. I especially like using my fingerprint instead of passwords. Also, I am quite clumsy and am always dropping my devices; I have had my laptop repaired 3 times in the last 2 years but my iPad seems to survive everything.

There are a few programs I still have to use the PCs for but the tablet seems to cover about 80% of my screen time now.

I still only use a smartphone as a last resort when I'm out. I'm not too keen on the small screen for typing. I never got the hang of "texting".

I don't have a smart watch as I like mechanical watches too much.

I guess if I had to rank my devices now it would be tablet > laptop > desktop > phone.

What about you?
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Comments

  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 46,788 Disability Gamechanger
    I use my tablet for 90% use, my phone rarely, if I'm out, but don't like using small screen. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,357 Disability Gamechanger
    My desktop computer is my main one that i use probably 80% of the time. Then my phone, if i have my feet up or i'm out but the small screen makes it more difficult. I have an apple watch that i use for voice texting if my daughter messages me.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
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  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    I've used my MacBook for 5 years now, wasn't cheap but a great laptop, never use my phone for anything but calls and text.
    I bought SM  new windows10 pro laptop for Xmas, and i'm really chuffed with it for less than £200 it does everything she needs.
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  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    I've used phone as a watch for years now, as I suspect do many people.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    My son has been building desktop computers since he was 17 or 18, so builds one to the specs I need. I became fairly good with software, & my daughter-in-law is good with phones (unlike me), so between us we can usually help each other.
    I've never subsequently had a laptop. The only downside of my desktop PC is that my cat likes to jump on my desktop table, & sit in front of the monitor, arching her back if I try to look around her. Thankfully this only happens if she thinks I'm not paying her enough attention, or she decides she needs feeding!
    I prefer my desktop, as I find it easier to use a keyboard rather than a fiddly smartphone, which is why I'm probably rubbish at texting.
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Community member Posts: 2,586 Disability Gamechanger
    I prefer a laptop myself.  I like physical keys, a large wide screen and the fact that it can rest on my lap at any chosen angle without needing to be held.

    Tried a few other people's tablets but never really understood the point.  I don't like touchscreens and they seem awkward to hold. 

    I was a very slow convert to smartphone apps but now use them regularly for things like banking and utilities.  The ease of immediate access without waiting for a laptop to boot up, portability (one hand/pocket size) and the fingerprint security are fantastic imo.  I also pass time in the bathroom using my phone to read forums!  :D
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
    I wouldn't say I have a preference, because it will depend on what I'm doing as to what device is most suitable. For typing I always prefer having a physical keyboard so the laptop is much better, although voice typing on a tablet or phone has come a long way.

    I like the comfort that using a tablet or phone brings, especially for doing things like watching YouTube or other media, but doing searches and shopping are usually much quicker on a laptop device.
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  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger

    I am intrigued by the idea that you can’t do everything on a tablet. That was absolutely true 5 years ago maybe but nowadays there is nothing you can do on a desktop that you can’t do on a tablet or indeed a smartphone. 
    I think the gap is certainly narrowing, but if of course will depend on the task you want to perform on the tablet, video editing for example could require greater power that a tablet might not provide. I find as well that while doing certain things like note taking or document editing is much easier these days, you don't always have the same amount of features on a tablet version of an application and it is instead reduced to the essentials, which isn't always a bad thing to be honest.

    Gaming used to present a massive disparity too but with the emergence of cloud gaming that has made it much more accessible on a phone or tablet. 

    Pricing probably comes into it too for many people, for the price of a high end tablet you can get a decent laptop, which would represent better value in many cases. I say this as somebody who would prefer a tablet if carrying out daily tasks was able to be done quickly enough on them.
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  • rish
    rish Community member Posts: 62 Courageous
    I don't like using the laptop much, I much prefer using my desktop computer. 
  • alexis39
    alexis39 Community member Posts: 67 Connected
    My iPhone I use for everything rarely use my laptop as my fingers don’t work very well 
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 13,368 Disability Gamechanger
    For me it is often down to bugs or the fact that some programs I use are just old and the developers haven’t redesigned them for the mobile age. The stocks and shares provider my family uses is one example which is on quite an old platform. I was trying to do something on it using my tablet yesterday and it kept playing up, switched to the laptop and it worked fine.

    Of course the same thing can happen the other way round, too - not working on the laptop or desktop but fine on the tablet. I guess I like having different devices as backups.

    Before I got my current iPad I had just a basic one, not a Pro, and it did me for 4 years and was still running apps smoothly - I only replaced it because I’d physically damaged it. I can well believe a Pro would last so long.
  • Durhamjaide
    Durhamjaide Scope Member Posts: 428 Courageous
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    Laptop, though 98% plus of the time it is used like a desktop, plugged into a hub and connected to everything else. My own laptop has been upgraded to windows 11 and so now have three screens and with 3 different 'desktops' I can move quickly between different tasks without cluttering up the current desktop. 

    Between the benefit of upgrading a desktop to the portability of the laptop the portability aspect wins for me.

    Smart phone, though this is usually reserved as, alarm clock, accessing a code when making an online billing, team whatsap, or whats up as I prefer to call it and making calls, probably in that order of usage.

    Tablet, rarely used since working from home, but was mainly used for reading books, listening to music. I find it easier to rotate one of my screens and change the orientation when reading books or documents. Using bluetooth to listen to music on my own laptop while working on the company laptop helps to keep me sane at times.

    Biggest bonus, at the end of the day take the usb plug out of my work laptop and into my own laptop and its all set up to go.

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  • Poppy_
    Poppy_ Community Volunteer Host Posts: 192 Pioneering
    I tend to stick to my phone and IPad for most things, but I do use my laptop for work and I do have a Fitbit, which I use everyday. 
    Poppy_
    Community Volunteer Host with a passion for reading.

  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
    Blimey @mikehughescq, that's huge, 49 inches?
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  • ladybugabloom
    ladybugabloom Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    edited January 2022
    It all depends. Since I work from home and if I have a complex task I work over the desktop and if not then a laptop :) 

  • Libby_Alumni
    Libby_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 1,251 Pioneering
    I would say I use my laptop more for work purposes and watching films/programmes (as I don't have a TV) but then use my phone more for socialising and listening to music/podcasts :)
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  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    @mikehughescq, no I haven't to be honest. Personally I would be reluctant to buy one at such a size considering I would be stuck in front of it for many hours each day. Though looking at some of the specs it would seem with the right features they may offer less stress to the eyes?

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    Thanks for the feedback. At the moment the two screens I have are slightly different in size. The smaller one I use for reading and creating documents. It is easier to rotate depending on what I am doing. The larger one I mainly use for spreadsheets. 

    I know many of my colleagues just use the work laptop on its own, which would drive me nuts as it is a much smaller screen, and hate the keyboard and pad. Even the headphones I have changed for something I can work with.

    Work did provide funding for some equipment, but only the most basic stuff. Drove my manager mad that I would not use it. Though I was allowed to work from home before the pandemic due to my sciatica, so it just made sense to me to use my own money to make the office area I use at home as comfortable as possible for me. Plus when I leave the company I still have a set up which works for me. 

    I stopped smoking this week as found in the last couple of months I have been smoking much more. I am planning to save the money I save to treat myself in November, so I might take a closer look at what the larger monitors have to offer.  

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • alex72
    alex72 Community member Posts: 16 Connected
    95 percent i use my lap top only use my mobile for text and face time saying that my mobile is connected to my laptop

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