Old Fashioned Convertibles

It seems like there's been a sudden push to get us to by convertible laptops, or tablets with keyboards. It's like they're saying, you know that new thing that you want? Well instead, why not get something that's sort of like the new thing and sort of like the old thing it's replacing.

I notice that the companies getting rich in the current tech environment, like Apple and Samsung, are not the ones trying to sell them. It's mostly coming from companies trying to play catch up, like Microsoft and HP.  That makes me think that this is a desperate bid to stay relevant.

Did that happen in previous tech revolutions?  Did they try selling...

• A personal computer that also has a slot for you to feed in your typewriter paper?
• A car that also has a place to attach a harness so your horse can pull it?
• A television that also acts as a radio?

I'm not saying that laptops are going to disappear - I am typing this on one right now. But I'm not sure why it's so very important to have a device that is both - especially when you can buy a cheap laptop and tablet for the price of many of these convertibles. Or at least, a tablet and a keyboard.  Really, these manufacturers are banking on the old does-it-run-Word paranoia.  I think they'll find we've gotten over it.