Abstract
Personal computers were introduced in the 1970s, but they have been improving in terms of specifications over the years. Students use laptops for academic and non-academic purposes, which require diverse computing abilities of computers. This study focused on using a survey to determine the common brands of laptops among students in the UAE. A sample size of 1000 students was used. The survey data were analysed using SPSS version 16.0. It was established that the MacBook brand was being used by the highest number of students (P>0.05). Marketing executives of other brands would be advised to adopt the marketing approaches that are being used by Apple and focus on providing excellent features on their personal computers.
Introduction
Allan Kay can be remembered as the pioneer of the idea of laptops in 1968. However, it was not until 1971 when specialists in the field of computer science executed the novel idea. In 1973, the IBM started producing and selling laptops on a large scale. However, the products were limited to the US, preventing other parts of the world from using the new technology. In1984, technology companies commenced large-scale production of laptops, which could be distributed to global markets. Maxwell (2006) argues that people were amazed that the new computing devices could be used anywhere with a lot of ease, unlike workstations.
Purpose of the study
The study aimed at determining the preferred laptops among students in the UAE.
Significance of the study
The study findings would be important in the laptop industry because they would help firms to produce laptops that would attract many customers who would be students in various institutions of learning in the UAE. It would be critical for marketing executives to redesign their marketing approaches so that they would capture the market. In fact, students have computing needs that are different from those of other users of computing devices. Another important aspect of the study is that students would benefit from improved laptops that would be produced and sold by players in the telecommunications industry because they would be competing against each other. The competition would be on the premises of offering consumers with computing machines, which would have excellent features.
Literature Review
Since the concept of personal computers was developed and made practical in the 1960s and 1970s respectively, there have been rapid improvements that have resulted in better laptops across the world (Fert, 2008). Research has shown that the first PC that was characterised by the flip form factor was manufactured in the early years of the 1980s. In fact, the firm involved in the production initially marketed the product in Australia before it was distributed to other parts of the world in mid 1980s. However, when trying to trace the term “laptop”, it is worth noting that it was the Gavilan SC that produced personal computing devices and called them laptops.
Most of the techniques that were included in laptops were mainly those involved in data input such as the touchpad, the pointing stick and handwriting recognition features, among others. Over the years, computer technology has focused on making laptops lighter and more powerful with regard to the ease of performing various operations. For example, some CPUs produced in the 1990s were designed with a better ability to use minimum power than those marketed in the 1980s. The power saving attribute was on the platforms of dynamic power usage features such as those adopted by Intel and AMD (Fert, 2008).
It is no doubt that students contribute to a significant market of laptops in the UAE. Students have diverse tastes with regard to the models of personal computers that they purchase, which are influenced by many factors (Noorali, Karampour & Razmavar, 2014). In a survey conducted among students in 2010, it was established that a significant number of students purchased and used MacBook (Elmer-DeWitt, 2010).
Methodology
The study used a survey to identify the brands that were being used by students in different institutions of learning in the UAE.
The expected study findings
It was anticipated that the study could yield similar results to those published by Elmer-DeWitt (2010), which indicated that the majority of students preferred using MacBook personal computers.
Research findings
The survey was conducted using a sample size of 1000 students who were selected randomly from the population on the premises of owning laptops. Six brands were studied. The survey data were analysed using SPSS version 16.0. The following diagrams represent the results of the study.
Figure 1. A summary of the survey data.
Figure 2. A diagram showing the results of descriptive statistics using SPSS table.
Figure 3. A diagram displaying the SPSS results of correlations.
Discussion
The results imply that college students in the UAE have unique preferences with regard to different brands of laptops. The leading type of personal computers among the students was found to be MacBook, which was being used by 450 respondents in the study. Among the brands studied, Zenbook (by Asus) was found to have the least number of users. The results established that a significant number of students were using MacBook PCs. In fact, the correlation test that analysed the brands showed that there was a significant correlation (P>0.05) with regard to the adoption of MacBook. Thus, the findings are similar to those established about four years ago (Elmer-DeWitt, 2010).
The MacBook has maintained the lead among brands of personal computers in the recent past (Wright & Yoshida, 2014). It would be important to conclude that the brand has the best sales in the region. This could be true even in other groups of users apart from the students. Thus, it is important to assess the features that make the product the preferred brand among students. The brand is characterised features that support the educational requirements of students. It has a high level of serviceability that make students buy it because it could be repaired easily. In addition, it is relatively light and easy to carry. Finally, it adopts the current attributes of the computing technology.
Recommendations
Based on the study findings, several recommendations would be made.
- Other companies should improve the computing features of their laptops.
- Personal computers manufactured to be used by students should have a high level of usability and maintainability.
- The competitors of Apple’s MacBook should adopt marketing approaches that are successful in the UAE.
References
Elmer-DeWitt, P. (2010). Big Macs on campus. Web.
Fert, A. (2008). Nobel lecture: Origin, development, and future of spintronics. Reviews of Modern Physics, 80(4), 1517. Web.
Maxwell, J. W. (2006). Tracing the Dynabook. Web.
Noorali, M. R., Karampour, A. H., & Razmavar, T. (2014). Product Rating Based on Marketing Mix Elements According to Customers’ Preference Using ANP Technique (Case Study: Market of Laptops ASUS, DELL, HP and SONY in Tehran). Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 10(3). 345-359. Web.
Wright, G. D., & Yoshida, M. (2014). Winners of the 2013 JA Medals for excellence. The Journal of antibiotics, 67(5), 351-352. Web.