Wednesday, June 06, 2012

A phabnomenon? Is the “phablet” a real new device form factor?

In a world that has brought us “stagflagation,” “brunch” and “Brangelina,” comes the latest portmanteau. It’s the “phablet.” It’s too big to be a phone, too small to be a tablet. And now we have to wonder if phablets are a real phabnomenon?

Suddenly I've been coming across the hybrid word “phablet” very often. I suppose it’s an obvious combo addition to the lexicon. But what the heck is a phablet? One definition I’ve found is it’s a touch device with a screen size between 4.6 and 5.5 inches. Any smaller, it’s a phone. Any larger, it’s a tablet.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note is the device that probably started the species. The Note has a 5.3-inch touch display and even comes with a stylus (so it’s a “stouch” device... or a “stablet”). And Samsung’s new Galaxy SIII could very well become the best-selling phablet in history. With a 4.8-inch display, please don’t confuse it with being a smartphone.

Other vendors such as HTC, LG, and Huawei either have or will soon be shipping phablets as well.

Is it time for all device vendors to get their phabet acts together? Phobviously it is, so make a note of it and don’t phall behind.

Part lion, part tiger, it’s a liger.


Part phone, part tablet, it’s a phablet.




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