General Tablets Discussion

[meStevo]

I'd like to start a general tablets topic to discuss some of the really nice products coming out, since I'm not one to start a new thread on a bunch of random products I've only just heard of.

I am looking forward to owning a nice tablet PC at some point, but I think the price has a little bit to be desired for this first round of devices (ipad included).

Take http://www.enso-now.com/ for example, the zenpad is smaller than the picture on the screen, im not sure I want a 5" device as nice as the Dell Streak looks. I think at some point these devices are going to be a $75-99 type deal once this type of device has penetrated the market.

Those who have wet their appetite with these starter devices (or with their android mobile phones) will graduate if you will up to tablets like the Neofonie WePad... http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/20/neofonie-announces-wepad-11-6-inch-android-slate/

That thing is a little more like what I'd want out of a netbook/laptop hybrid, and outclasses the ipad by a bit of a margin in horsepower, resolution, screen size, etc. If devices like the WePad can be priced much lower than the ipad, I think Apple will legitimately have a problem with the non-early adopter crowd.

Anyways, there are new tables announced what seems like every day, thought I'd start a running thread to discuss them, and if anything significant comes about spin that out into it's own thread to concentrate the discussion.

 

[lparsons21]

The bane of the touchscreen market has always been the software. Doing touch is not difficult and is supported directly in Windows 7 and obviously on these smaller touch devices. But what has been missing is the software to make the touchscreen PCs be a success in a broad market.

I have a touchscreen HP desktop that I use for presenting sheet music with software written with touch in mind, it also come with a slick recipe program. But other than those two things, none of the rest of the touch apps included would make me want one.

So many keep talking about what the iPad is missing in hardware, but it isn't the hardware that will decide this market, it is touch software and I don't mean some software that will work with touch, but software with touch being the way it is designed to interface with the user. That is what will make the iPad a bigger success than the others, imo.

 

[harshness]

The problem with pads as computer replacements is that they are generally lousy for those who need to generate data. Tablets really come into their own for those who strictly consume data.

The lack of a proper keyboard and a high resolution pointing device will always hobble tablets as creative tools.

 

[meStevo]

The bane of the touchscreen market has always been the software. Doing touch is not difficult and is supported directly in Windows 7 and obviously on these smaller touch devices. But what has been missing is the software to make the touchscreen PCs be a success in a broad market.

I have a touchscreen HP desktop that I use for presenting sheet music with software written with touch in mind, it also come with a slick recipe program. But other than those two things, none of the rest of the touch apps included would make me want one.

So many keep talking about what the iPad is missing in hardware, but it isn't the hardware that will decide this market, it is touch software and I don't mean some software that will work with touch, but software with touch being the way it is designed to interface with the user. That is what will make the iPad a bigger success than the others, imo.

I like your argument, but I think the one thing that trumps software is cost. $649 for the lowest end 3G ipad. It will have the benefit of being first to market, but if it were released just a year later I think we'd see a PS3 effect where it has good initial sales and then they completely dry up while competitors succeed. With it coming out now and lacks some good tangible competition, I think it will be interesting to watch.

 

[meStevo]

Engadget has a little writeup on ipad alternatives, both current and future

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/02/ipass-the-best-present-and-future-alternatives-to-the-apple-ipa/

 

[diogen]

The bane of the touchscreen market has always been the software.

I agree with this, software as OS+Apps.

I believe iPhone's success is firstly, due to the OS and secondly, due to the AppStore.
Only time will tell whether a smartphone OS can do it for a tablet as well. I'm not sure.

IMHO iPad-like devices can neither replace notebooks/netbooks nor are they targeting that market.
Just like with the iPhone, Jobs wants to create a new market with new ways of doing old things, e.g. reading books, news online...

During the first phase iPad competition will try to re-purpose Android to do tablet chores.
But the real fight will start in 6-9 months when rational thinking is back, the market is better defined an most importantly - Chrome OS is released.

I believe the last CGI generated Google tablet in the Engadget link will play a big role. If the tablet market actually gets established...

Diogen.

 

[lparsons21]

I like your argument, but I think the one thing that trumps software is cost. $649 for the lowest end 3G ipad. It will have the benefit of being first to market, but if it were released just a year later I think we'd see a PS3 effect where it has good initial sales and then they completely dry up while competitors succeed. With it coming out now and lacks some good tangible competition, I think it will be interesting to watch.

I'm not sure that the 3G iPad is going to be the big seller at all. I think people will love the wifi version just fine and buy them by the boatloads. Look at the iPod Touch for an example, because for all the hulla-balloo (sp?), the iPad is just a bigger, glorified iPod Touch.

And the pricing, well people will spend $300 for an iPhone and $100/month to use it, so I don't think pricing will make the difference.

 

[lparsons21]

I agree with this, software as OS+Apps.

I believe iPhone's success is firstly, due to the OS and secondly, due to the AppStore.
Only time will tell whether a smartphone OS can do it for a tablet as well. I'm not sure.

During the first phase iPad competition will try to re-purpose Android to do tablet chores.
But the real fight will start in 6-9 months when rational thinking is back, the market is better defined an most importantly - Chrome OS is released.

I believe the last CGI generated Google tablet in the Engadget link will play a big role. If the tablet market actually gets established...

Diogen.

IMO, I think the Chrome OS based stuff is the only product that really stands a chance of being an iPad killer, and even that is a wild guess based on all the speculation about it.

At one time I thought the Android based stuff was a real contender, but the wide disparity in hardware makes me think that will end up being a dud when the dust settles.

MS is now trying to take the Apple approach with an app store. It will be interesting to see how that develops although I don't think MS will end up a major player in this market.

 

[diogen]

The best description of why I am not interested in an iPad
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/04/02/why-i-wont-buy-an-ipad-and-think-you-shouldnt-either.html

But a product related to iPad as NexusOne is related to iPhone - no lock-in! - would make me think twice...

Diogen.

 

[meStevo]

I hadn't looked into it much before reading that article, but I didn't realize Marvel was selling 45 y/o comics for $2/each while at the same time selling them buffet style to anyone using a platform with flash support for $60/year (as little as $40 i think with promo codes).

Wall Street Journal finally confirmed it's going to be $18/mo for iPad subscribers.

 

[TheForce]

meStevo- Good thread! I will certainly follow this since the entire industry has my interest.

I started an iPAD Owners thread for those who wish to share experiences with hands on owners of the iPAD.

I like the comment about the pads best suited for those who consume content. I think that is an excellent statement but also feel it is a good device for those who want to move clip board information entry to the 21st century database management.

Until data plans get very low price I don't see the point of a 3G Pad and the wifi model s quite satisfactory.

 

[meStevo]

I think the most revolutionary thing about the ipad actually is it's 3G model, it must have taken a lot of arm twisting to the point of about breaking the thing off to get that kind of on demand/month to month type of service from ATT. I love the concept, but just not the upfront price to enjoy it (WIFI+3G cost).

 

[harshness]

I think that is an excellent statement but also feel it is a good device for those who want to move clip board information entry to the 21st century database management.

Absent a proper keyboard or stylus, I'm not sure that I would class the iPad as a "clipboard" type device that would lend itself well to that mode of data entry.

I tried filling out a multiple guess test HTML form (radio buttons) today with an iPad and it was excruciating.

 

[TheForce]

Were the questions too hard, or was it your lack of skill and know-how using the ipad?

I feel the ipad keyboard is similar to learning to play a musical instrument. Some things come naturally while others have to be taught and practiced. e.g. I caught on rather quickly and came up to speed of my notebook typing within an hour typing stuff on the forum, yet, there were some issues I had with it. It took a friend to show me a few tricks to speed up the typing and now, I can actually type faster on the ipad than on my desktop standard commercial keyboard! The reason is the automatic spell checker and auto completion of special words like hyphenated and contractions. Plus the AI features in the keypad that allows it to learn your special words automatically as you correct spellings. For example, typing a name that is not common the first time it is not capitalized and you correct it once, after that it remembers and auto capitalizes the name. It takes a bit of practice to get used to not typing the apostrophe and let the keypad do it automatically in a word like haven't If you do it the conventional way, it requires you to jump to the second numeric symbol keyboard to find the apostrophe but just typing havent will make the word auto correct to haven't. ( note I am not responding with the ipad now so typing the incorrect versions here at the desktop is accomplished.

Navigating a form is also much easier on the ipad after learning the skill of touch and hold plus touch and drag.

Like a musical instrument you can't walk into a music store, pick up a new instrument and be a virtuoso in 10 minutes.

I'm still learning this ipad but with each session I get faster and faster with the basics. It will be interesting to see if other tablets by other mfg's have as slick and tightly integrated feature set.

At this point I have no comment on the handwriting data entry ( stylus) as I haven't tried that yet. I use that all the time on my htc TP2, however. I take notes to my phone and use drawings etc while shopping so this application is of interest but probably not as much for me on the ipad as it is on what I carry with me while shopping.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Don - are you using the iPad naked, i.e., without a screen protector, or are you using something like an invisible shield to protect it?

and yes, I clarified that question on purpose, lest you think I'm asking if you are sitting outside in the florida sun buck naked with your ipad.

 

[TheForce]

I have the case that doubles as a way to make it a wedge for better position when using it on your lap or like right now, I have it upright standing to watch a podcast. You can stand it up any of 4 ways and the screen rotates 4 positions.

I have not purchased the anti glare screen yet. I may soon. My friend showed me his on the iphone and it is much better than those I tried for my TP2.

 

[meStevo]

WePad video out today shows some mouse support, general functionality - [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO0XHMoylZ4&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - WePad Produktvideo ungeschnitten.m4v[/ame]

 

[TheForce]

I see only one case where this has advantage over touch screen input. If I use the remote desktop or gotomypc and try to work like at home using the tablet. I believe the mouse would be better in this application.

 

[harshness]

I believe the mouse would be better in this application.

Imagine trying to fill out any kind of web form with radio buttons and check boxes. If you make a boo boo, you can't easily go back and edit as there are no cursor movements.

People said these things would be great for census takers and the like but I can't imagine the suffering.

 

[meStevo]

I'd expect the option of a mouse would allow for many traditional games and apps without the requirement of redoing them completely for touch (or allowing those apps to provide the option for the more precise input method)