When people ask me what is the difference between a portable device and a desktop, I tell them there are 2 things that make them different. Size and Size.
The first size is the screen size of the devices. On a portable, screen sizes range from 4 inches to 10 inches wide. (Imagine the size of a normal cell phone screen to a larger size of a Kindle tablet.) With a desktop, the screen sizes range from a 17 inch screen to a 24 inch screen. (This would be the size of a computer monitor or a small TV back in the day.)
The second size is the actual size of the device. A portable would allow you to take on the go with you, whether you want to put it in your purse or your pocket, to a restaurant for reading a menu or just out and about running errands. A desktop allows you to accomplish day to day reading in the home, whether it’s your daily mail, newspaper or even a recipe you have wanted to try.
With the sizes of the devices there are advantages and disadvantages to both and again these have to do with size. The advantage to a portable is you can take it with you and have access to magnification anytime you need it. The disadvantage is depending on how large your magnification needs to be, you won’t see a lot of words at a time on the screen. The advantages and disadvantages of a desktop are the opposite. You can’t take it on the go but you will be able to see much more on the screen because of its size.
So to sum it all up, I always ask my clients what they are needing help with first and this allows us to decide what device will benefit them the most. In a lot of cases, it’s both.
As always, you can call or email me to talk further about your needs and set up a time to see our devices in person and how they might help you accomplish your goals.