Color me surprised. I am 90 percent post-PC

I had an epiphany this morning that frankly has taken me by surprise. I realize I am fully 90 percent post-PC, without making a special effort to get there. A lot has been said about the "post-PC" era and what exactly that means. For me, it means that I now can do at least 90 percent of my work and play on a mobile OS-running device. The Windows PC/Mac has largely been kicked to the curb.

I have been using mobile devices to do a bigger part of my work for a while. This didn't start out as a concerted effort on my part to make do, it just happened as I grabbed the mobile device first and found it to be more enjoyable to get stuff done. The more I used a "non-computer" for working, the more I realized that not only was I able to do so, in many ways it was better than sitting at the old PC chugging away.

Related:

• iPad 2 as a serious writing machine (how-to)
• Typical day in the life of the iPad 2
• ThinkPad Tablet vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 as laptop replacement
• Post-PC era or not, we are firmly in the mobile era

I realize that my situation is unique, and I am by no means suggesting that anyone can shelf the PC. My work is almost entirely conducted online, and that makes it a good case for using a connected mobile device. My mobile device of choice to work with is the iPad 2 and external keyboard, but I also use a Galaxy Tab 10.1 with keyboard just as efficiently. I prefer the iPad, but the Android tablet works just as well for my work.

I have long been platform agnostic on the computer side, working with both Windows PCs and Macs for years. Neither had an advantage over the other for the things I do, and both platforms are just fine. I do think this ability to move back and forth between the two computer platforms made it easier for me to do the same with the mobile device, or post-PC device. Most of my work is online and mobile web browsers, iOS and Android in particular, now make it possible to do the lion's share of that work just as easily as on "real" PCs.

The realization that I am mostly post-PC came about as I was planning for an upcoming business trip. The trip will last most of a week, and I am agonizing over whether I need to take a "real" laptop or not. I know bringing a tablet/keyboard combo will suffice for nearly everything, and it aggravates me to bring a clunky laptop too for that measly 10 percent of the work that would require it.

Truth be told, I have developed work-arounds for the 10 percent of what I do that is easier on a real PC. I can do these remaining tasks on the tablet, it's just a real kluge and is a pain in the lower region. What it comes down to for the upcoming trip is am I willing to put up with the PITA for those tasks for which a laptop would be easier? Maybe it would be worth it just having to carry the little tablet/keyboard and suck it up for the 10 percent.

Whatever I eventually decide about the trip, the fact is the lowly tablet, post-PC device that it is, will soon be capable enough to easily handle all of my needs, including that pesky 10 percent. When that day arrives, and I suspect it will this year, I will have no real need for a computer. I will be able to do absolutely everything for both my work and personal needs on the post-PC device. Should I desire I could retire the laptops I have now and go pure slate with keyboard.

How about you? Are you getting close to being post-PC, and if so, how close? What exactly is preventing you from hanging up the old computer and going pure post-PC device?

See also:

• Why I bought an iPad 2
• HP TouchPad: Everything you want to know
• Review: Motorola XOOM, brimming with unrealized potential
• Hands-on review: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
• Hands on with first 7-inch Honeycomb tablet: Acer A100
• Lenovo IdeaPad K1 tablet: First impressions
• ThinkPad Tablet: Ready for the boardroom
• ThinkPad Tablet vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 as laptop replacement