What for whom

As we are going ahead in this fast moving gadget world, we are almost getting one new gadget per month. Every time any new gadget gets launched, we feel that it is perfect for my use and I should buy it. If you don’t feel this then there’s definitely something wrong with the marketing of that gadget. So I thought of writing this article so that it can help you in your decision making for the new gadget that you buy. In this article I will not talk about any particular brand or device but I have grouped the devices in more generic terms like smart phones, tablet, laptop, etc and I’ve categorized users, based on the requirements for gadget. So while you continue reading this article, try to recollect your requirements.


In the following sections I have discussed about the categories of devices available in the market and the types of users. Those interested in getting a quick idea can look at the matrix at the end of the article which summarizes my ideas and makes buying decision easier.

Brief on device group

1. Small Smart Phone:
These are the phones which run smart OS like iOS, android, blackberry OS, etc but screen size is up to 4 inch. In these phones you can install various apps like email clients, social networking apps as per your needs and wish. They can be connected in various ways like 2G, 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc. few gadgets that fall under this group are iPhone, Sony Xperia series, etc

2. Big Smart Phone:

This is nothing but the same as above the only difference being the screen size. These are typically the devices that have more than 4.5 inch screen but less then 7 inches. Rest of the features and functions are the same as above. Samsung S2 / S3, Samsung Note / Note2, Dell Streak are a few example of these type of phones.

3. Mini Tablet:
After launch of iPad mini I call this group as mini tablets. Tablets having screen sizes varying between 7 to 8 inches fall under this category. Few of these come with SIM card connection and others come with only Wi-Fi connectivity. This is currently a popular category in the tablet market. Other than iPad mini; Google Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 are some of the other popular models in this category.



4. Tablet:

Since the launch of iPad in 2010, the whole game n mobile computing has changed. Currently more 100 models of tablets of different companies are available in market and many new are coming every day. These are typically 10 inch display devices. Initially people thought this will be a replacement of mobile and laptop since it can work as a phone and having 10 inch screen will be helpful in replacing laptop. But as the time progressed people started carrying mobile + laptop + tablet. Apple iPad leads this category by a far higher margin but Samsung Galaxy Tab, Micromax Funbook Pro, Sony Tablet S are also some popular tablets falling in this group.

5. Mini Laptop (Netpad):
This category is also fairly new, but little older than tablet. These are regular laptops but the screen size of these laptops varies between 11 and 13 inches. To make it lighter so that it can be easily carried. Other than reducing size, typically mini laptops don’t have CD-DVD drive. Sony Vaio Y series, HP Mini 110, Asus Eee are few examples of mini laptops.

6. Laptop:

I guess no detailing is required for this group of devices. We all know what come with laptop and what you can do with it. In fact people have tried comparing all other devices with laptop and it functionality. For example when tablets first came in market, many people were asking whether the complete touch keyboard that tablets came with were equally efficient as laptop keyboard. Or can MS Office be installed on tablet or smart phone? So we all think laptop is the ultimate home computer where you can do each and everything possible in computer world. To a certain extend it is true. I don’t think I need to provide examples of laptops here.

7. Desktop:

This is the last category in the world of computing devices. I will not include servers since I am yet to see a lay user using server at home. This is the only device which is stationery in this list, rest all you can carry along with you. Still I included in here since it is the most important device or computer when you talk about personal use.



Now little on usage of these devices or you can call it groups of users of these devices.

1. Chit chatters:
These are typically those who believe that typing each any every moment of their life means social networking. After Whatsapp, this group has changed the definition of messaging. If someone had told me 5 year back that I will be receiving a message of 50 lines I would not have believed him, but Whatsapp has done that. Government tried to control these chit chatters by putting limit on number of SMS that can be sent in a day, but applications like BBM & Whatsapp have come to their rescue. So people in this category need only one facility from their device and that is messaging. A device that facilitates typing whatever is going on in their minds and sending it to their friends using 10 different social networking apps.

2. Quick n Fast:

This group comprises of the people who travel a lot for business, keep meeting people; want to give quick reply to queries, mainly of client or prospects. Need of this category is quick surfing while travelling mostly, using searches about person or company they are going to meet or visit next. Or while having lunch replying to mail that they’ve just received. They also need very comprehensive scheduling assistance from their device so that they don’t miss out on any promises that they have made. Make small and quick presentations or papers for their meeting is also their requirement from the gadget. People who work as consultant or work in business association domain are the ones who come in this group.

3. Causal Gamer:
This group has made Solitaire as one of largely played game in the world. Main requirement of this group is play light games mainly card games and make video calls to their children leaving aboard. This group of user is crowded by senior citizens mostly.

4. Gamer:

You can call these as heavy gamer too. Racing and war games are developed for these kinds of people. They need real processing display capabilities to run their games. Also many of these like to play game online so that they can compete with other online gamers from some other corner of the world.


5. Read Or Write / Read & Write:
Wikipedia, how stuff works or most of the how to searches is done by these people. They feel that you can practically get any information or knowledge about anything that is available on net and if they don’t read it then it will go waste. Some of them also believe in sharing the information or knowledge that they have. So they also start writing their own blogs or write on some other sites like Wikipedia. Hey, why are you putting me in this category? Simply because I am writing my own blog! There are exceptions to everything. I am one of them ;)

6. We Build the Information World types

These are the ones who put all bugs sorry sorry! The one’s who create all applications that can be used on various devices for various purposes. They use C, JAVA, .net, OOP (not oops, it is Object Orientated Programming) as their secret code. For them platform means Microsoft, Linux, etc and not railway or bus platform. They generally feel they are the creators of this IT world. Bug excites them and they fear going live. I think now enough of developing this climax, in simple words, developer category is one that I am talking about.

7. Gadget freaks

Yaa, this time you got it right. You can put me in this group. These are typically the ones who feel each and every gadget that comes in the market is just right for their requirement. They love to make a big collection of devices. After collecting lots of such devices they’re not able to decide what to do with them, so they start writing reviews about them, like me.

	Small Smart Phone	Big Smart Phone	Mini Tablet	Tablet	Mini Laptop	Laptop	Desktop
Chit chatters	Best Fit	Luxury	Luxury	Not Worth	Not Worth	Not Worth	Not Worth
Quick n Fast	Best Fit	Luxury	Not Worth	Can Work	Best Fit	Not Worth	Not Worth
Causal Gamer	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Can work	Best Fit	Luxury	Not Worth	Not Worth
Gamer	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Can Work	Best Fit
Read Or Write	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Can work	Best Fit	Luxury	Not Worth
We Build Information World	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Not Suitable	Can Work	Best Fit
Gadget freaks	Best Fit / Can work / Not Suitable	Best Fit / Can work / Not Suitable	Best Fit / Can work / Not Suitable	Best Fit / Can work / Not Suitable	Best Fit / Can work / Not Suitable	Best Fit / Can work / Not Suitable	Best Fit / Can work / Not Suitable

Other than ‘Quick n Fast’ group I have mentioned only one ‘Best Fit’ in all other categories which best suits that group. Only ‘Quick n Fast’ people need to have two devices together to complete their need. If you think you fall in more than one group then go for right most ‘Best Fit’ in the matrix for that group. i.e. if you think you belong to ‘Chit Chatter’ and ‘We Build Information World’ group then you should go for desktop which will fulfil both of your requirements.