Handheld computing, once limited to the realm of fiction or failure, is finally catching up with the times.

Persistence in the face of recurring failure characterises both the history of handheld computing and the desire to realise it. Handheld computing has made repeated appearances in so much of our popular media, from the original Star Trek television series in 1966 to contemporary spy thrillers and science-fiction books and films. It is now undergoing a reboot, leaping hurdles where before it would trip and fall flat on its face, its four chunky AA batteries spilling out onto the floor.

The fascination behind handheld computing is not difficult to understand. Though its record has been turbulent, marked primarily by disappointments, momentum has been rekindled primarily by the Apple iPad and, to a lesser extent, e-readers (such as the Amazon Kindle) and large smartphones that blur the sharp distinction that used to exist between mobile telephone and mobile computer. A renewed focus on both the hardware and software fronts is whetting the appetite of gadgeteers and the casual consumer alike. The iPad made quite a splash, but the computer trade show Computex 2010, which ran through the month of June, has made greater waves.

Computex, held annually in Taipei, has not failed to make an impression on anybody looking out for progress in the mobile computing marathon, with devices falling firmly into three categories: Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), pads and tablet computers . MIDs tend to be smaller (with screens under 10 inches) and usually have a stylus for handwritten input. While Computex is usually associated with the unveiling of new desktop technology, this year’s show turned that expectation on its head and became the vehicle for a renewed mobile computing craze, with big name companies’ prize showcase items being the portable systems due to hit shelves shortly.

It has been said that the vast array of tablets and MIDs on display at Computex merely constituted as catch-up and that wouldn’t be far off the mark. Handheld computing stalled horribly until Apple announced their iPad. It seems that this road has been worn in before with MP3 and MP4 (video capable) players. MP3 players existed for half a decade before the iPod trotted onto the scene and hoisted its victory flag, but only since then have we seen real innovation in portable media players, with many now being able to play full HD video on tiny 4-inch screens (these are predominantly popular in China). The iPad might have done the very same to the handheld computing industry: giving it that sense of competitive urgency which is so often the cause of innovation and advancement.

So, it all seems swell and soon we’ll be ditching our desktops for good, right? Well, not quite. While the general outlook is undoubtedly positive there still remain obstacles that need to be hurdled, the most vital being battery life. While portable computing, from notebooks to netbooks and now tablets, pads and MIDs have charged ahead, packing in greater levels of power into increasingly cramped spaces, battery technology has fallen miserably behind. Most devices will use lithium-ion polymer technology, which first appeared in consumer electronics in 1996. While efficiency has increased, it’s still dismally limited. We’re waiting for the next big battery breakthrough. The price hurdle has been all but cleared, but less can be said about performance. While tablets and MIDs today are usually good for simple tasks like web browsing, emailing and reading e-books, multitasking will almost certainly bring your handheld computer to its knees. Software also poses another challenge, with desktop computing simply having all the important and necessary software. Tablets – and especially MIDs – are dragging their feet in that department. While legions of enthusiastic people have coded applications for the iPad iOS and Google’s Android mobile OS, we have yet to see the kind of professional expertise comparable to desktop software giants enter the fray with quality programs written primarily for mobile computing needs.

But at least now we are able to hold a functional tablet computer and not feel so distant from the future technology envisioned by Star Trek. At least now we can hold a handheld computer, do stuff on it and feel like Captain Kirk, or some high-tech spec-ops spy or any other tablet-wielding character out of the vast archives of popular fiction.

What’s even better is that it’s only going to get better.

Words: Hugo Stanford

Tags: computer
Posted in Features