Parliament selects iPad – says no to Windows

OK – that's not exactly what's happened, but with the UK's House of Lords choosing tablets and rejecting the introduction of netbooks and notebooks, it seems that Parliament will become iPad central. KitGuru considers the situation.

Prime Minister's question time has a certain cut and thrust, even though both sides always seem remarkably well prepared for each other's comments and retorts.
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Yesterday, a vote went in favour of allowing the old folk that occupy the House of Lords to use tablet PCs (for Lords read ‘US Senate‘ if you are from across the pond).

With Apple owning around 80% of the market and no shortage of money in Parliament, that should translate to 100% Apple iPad occupancy soon enough. But we all saw this coming, right?

Following the decision by various governments to allow Apple iPads as a business expense, it was only a matter of time before those same governments decided that addition to tablets was not such a bad thing – and no one should be without their supply for too long.

While Microsoft's Windows 7 powered tablets are not specifically banned, it's unlikely that anyone would actually turn up with one (even if they could find it for sale and put up with the reduced battery life and snickers behind their backs).

Roll the clock back 30 years, and people would sit in meetings scribbling on pads – focused (largely) on what was being said. Since then, we've evolved an ability to process simultaneous data streams and multi-task like a pro. Meetings among the directors and VPs in a modern corporation involve one person talking around a PowerPoint slide, while their colleagues (mostly in polo shirts and chinos) intersperse laptop/tablet/Blackberry use with nodding and the occasional comment.

It seems only reasonable that the old folk in the House of Lords should be allowed to send and receive important documents while in session, like their colleagues abroad.

KitGuru says: Web connections give you a chance to access (dis)information from across the globe, surely it can't matter whether people see it inside the chamber?

Comments below or in the KitGuru forum.

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