Wait! Stop. Before you hand over Apple your credit card and pre-order the iPad, you may want to check out the other touchscreen options available now and in the near future. The iPad isn’t the only game in town. Sure, it might have a fancy-pants interface, but each of the follow seven tablets win the hardware fight, which is just as important to a lot of consumers.
Of course the hardware only tells part of the story. The iPad has a leg up on all of these options because of the user-friendly iPhone interface, but it’s not like you’re dropping $600+ on a tablet for your parents, right?
Currently available
ModBook
The ModBook is the original Apple Tablet — besides the Newton of course. Except it’s not made by Apple proper, but rather Axiotron who has been making them since 2007. Prices start out at $899, but customers have to provide a pre-polycarbonate unibody Macbook making the total price closer to $2,000.
Advantages over the iPad
- Full OS X
- Multitasking
- Flash support
- Built-in camera
- Built-in optical drive
- 13.3-inch screen
- 120GB hard drive
- Windows compatibility
Disadvantages
- No 3G modem
- No multitouch
- No access to the App Store
Viliv X70
Viliv came out of nowhere last year — South Korea actually — and introduced a round of sleek portables with the X70 heading up the tablets. This widescreen 7-inch tablet has nearly every piece of hardware missing from the iPad. Prices start out at $597.
Advantages over the iPad
- Windows
- Flash support
- Multitasking
- Unlocked 3G GSM modem
- GPS
- SD card slot
- Camera
- USB slot
- Haptic-feedback touchscreen
- Video out
- 128GB SSD
Disadvantages
- No multitouch
- No access to the App Store
- Only a 7-inch screen
Archos 9 PC tablet
Archos has been a major player in the MID market since it started. The Archos 9 PC Tablet is the company’s largest slate device to date. It also proves that Apple isn’t the only one to out beautiful looking devices. Prices start out at $549.
Advantages over the iPad
- Windows 7
- Flash Support
- Multitasking
- Two USB slots
- SD Card slot
- Webcam
- A kick stand
- Optical trackpad nub
Disadvantages
- No multitouch
- No access to the App Store
Upcoming
Viliv S10 Blade
The S10 Blade is Viliv’s first product of 2010, and it’s a looker. It has a 10-inch multitouch touchscreen in a convertible notebook setup that’s not much thicker than the iPad. The Viliv S10 is shipping soon at a starting price of $699. (We just got our review sample yesterday so look out for a hands-on shortly)
Advantages over the iPad
- Windows 7
- Multitasking
- Flash support
- Unlocked 3G modem
- Webcam
- 2 USB ports
- SD card slot
- Video out
Disadvantages
- No access to the App Store
Notion Ink Adam
News about the Notion Ink tablet broke late last year and many chalked it up to a fanboy dream. But it’s real and supposed to be coming this spring.
Advantages
- Android
- Multitasking
- Nvidia Tegra 2 platform
- 10-inch Dual-mode display (full color to ePaper)
- Rear-facing trackpad
- USB and HDMI ports
- Unlocked 3G modem
Tie
- Android Market to Apple’s App Store
- Multitouch
HP Slate
We joked that CES 2010 would be full of tablet computers. It wasn’t and only a few major players like HP and Dell showed off prototypes. Both take a totally different approach too as the HP Slate (the unofficial name, btw) opts for a Windows with full flash support. It should hit the market this year at a rumored price of between $500-$600.
Advantages
- Windows 7
- Multitasking
- Flash support
- Camera
- USB ports
Disadvantages
- No access to the App Store
- No 3G modem (at least not yet)
Dell Streak
While HP decided to go with Windows, the 5-inch Dell Streak uses Android. The 5-inch Streak is clearly meant for a different market than the 9.7-inch iPad, but it’s also possible that we’ll see a larger version sometime soon, too. At least we hope we do.
Advantages
- Android
- Multitasking
- Front and rear facing cameras
- USB ports
- Dual microSD slots
- Rumored unlocked 3G modem
Tie
- Android Market for the App Store
- Neither support Flash
Disadvantages
- Smaller screen
- No 3G modem
Hey…you forgot the JooJoo !!! Didn’t you created it as well?
Dude, it’s The CrunchPad, get your act together :-)
Woo Woo. More Windows based garbage.
Go ahead. Buy that shit. Spend all your time being sys-admin to MS and Symantec updates.
What a complete pile of stinking shit, Microsoft software is.
Bro windows 7 was made for touch too its great software don’t rule it out until you try it
Your post is a steaming pile of shit
> Your post is a steaming pile of shit
Word. It also had nothing to do with anything.
I can’t believe I’m taking this troll bait, but you’re just a shining example of why free speech shouldn’t be extended to everyone. And why abortion should not only be legal in the 3rd trimester, but mandatory for those possessing the unfortunately rampant “douche-tard” gene.
Nerf off you all you freeking numbtards. Spend your delusional future with Gates lame excuse of an OS. And while your at it, backslash this path up your demented folder. \upyoursbill\
wow only 3 posts in, i was expecting to have to at least scroll down.
Courier awesome….
If we were to rank all these devices, the iPad would rank last…
Notion Ink Adam probably the first..and I am going for it..
“Windows 7 was made for touch” Bull. I have a 12″ HP tablet with Windows 7, and it’s barely usable as a touch interface. The elements are all too small, and increasing their size makes essential controls fall off the screen.
If you sheep are going to buy these things simply because they’re not made by Apple, you deserve what you’ll get.
But then, hardware is the only thing that counts, isn’t it? Not in the real world.
I also have a 12″ HP tablet with Windows 7 and it is extremely usable as a touch interface. I have it in tablet mode as often as laptop mode. It was easy to increase elements so windows are simple to close and scroll. I have never seen an element fall off the screen so not sure what you’re referring to. I guess we are just having different experiences. Good luck with your Apple products.
Bad blood… bad blood…
Way to pick the scab, Vincent!
The FailPad would seem rather out of its league among these tablets though. Mike did the right thing bailing outta that idea & saving his tech cred under the cover of a “they stole it from me” story.
*Hehehe*
Quote: “Advantages over the iPad: Windows”
You serious about that?
It says that Windows is an advantage since it’s a full-featured operating system as opposed to the half-functional iPhone OS.
Of course he is serious.
Would you rather have a device hat can do full fledged windows ( and probably many flavours of linux then) or a capped computer with only “baby osx” to play with?
I’d rather have computer than an oversize iphone.
but do you really need windows for a tablet?!?
because a tablet like this is not for working, it’s for things like internet, videos or music.
so i think a “baby osx” is at least a good working OS for things like these.
’cause i’ve never seen a stabil internet explorer and also the windows media player is a piece of crap.
and if you really want to have a computer you should buy a notebook or a pc.
There’s an awesome catch-22 in your thinking.
Why would anyone spend $600-$1200 on a piece of hardware and not get a full OS? There are about 10,000,000 more things you can do with a full OS than the “baby OSX”. And “me”, your argument about you’ve never seen a “stabil internet explorer and also the windows media player is a piece of crap” is silly. This is why there are other browsers (Chrome, Opera, Firefox, etc) and media players (VLC, KMPlayer, etc) out there to use that are way better. If you want a little kid’s tablet but want to pay out the nose, then go for the iPad. If you want a feature rich device that can do so many more things, get the Viliv or HP. It’s not even fair to compare a device without a full OS to these ones anyway.
For me the appeal of a tablet is to have an instant on web device that has a larger screen than a phone. I could care less what the OS is, what is more important is that it is tuned for the type of device that it is so it feels speedy, turns on immediately, saves power when I set it down, and rugged enough so I can just toss it on the bed and not worry about it, but when I’m watching the tube and I see something interesting, I grab my tablet which is just on so I can google or wikipedia away. Just like a cellphone, its just on all the time waiting for my command, and it smartly manages its battery life.
Kudos to apple for creating the competitive environment for the tablet, but shame on them for just creating a larger iTouch. I’ll never buy an iPad because of their restrictions, proprietary connectors and political lameness of no flash support for reason’s that I don’t even care to understand.
At top of the list should be instant on. If other tablets running any flavor of linux or windows have to “boot” every time – that’s just lame.
I have little faith in winblows. I create my own xp install discs with no bloat, tuned registries and essential services only. 19 services running after boot and even though it’s a pretty fast boot, it still takes 20 seconds or so. With Vista/7 no less than 50-60 services are running no matter how much you try to slim it down. Vista/7 just seems like the wrong OS for a tablet especially using slower atom like processors. WinCE is the better choice and M$ had a product called the WinPad back in 1993.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Windows_CE
Hello M$ anybody home? Wake up, now is the time to blow the dust off the WinPad project. Apple is creating the market since you couldn’t figure out how to do it, jump in while you can. Whatever – M$ will probably screw the pooch on this one to.
So many devices we already use have highly tuned linux kernals that are essentially bulletproof. TiVo for example is a $99 5+ year old hardware technology that can stream video and users were hacking it to add usb ethernet, ssh servers for remote administration and more demonstrating that “apps” could be added.
Is it really that hard to create a specific hardware platform that can run the only thing I really need – a browser – with a solid state memory/storage configuration for speed and dependability, a couple of “standard” usb ports so I can charge it without a proprietary connector, attach a keyboard, ipod or other external storage, multicard reader, bluetooth and and an hdmi port? Use an “App store” like Mint Install if you really even need to. But to me the “App Store” is there because the screen is just to small on a phone even with a fully functional browser to enjoy. With a big screen why do I need an “App for that” On my desktop I’ve got “App for that” its called a big screen.
Well Richard, then you qualify as one of the mindless sheep consumers that the ipad is aimed at. The producers of the human race require more computing power and a full OS. We are not limited by our inteligence like you are.
Windows 7 by itself is not made for tablets unless it has some kind of finger friendly UI shell on top of it. Supporting multi-touch doesn’t mean it’s a good OS for tablets. How am I suppose to close the windows with those tiny little X in the corners, break out the stylus? Imagine how big those X are on 7-9 inch screen! Just check out al the reviews of Windows 7 tablets, they all say the same thing.
BTW, they also forgot the ExoPC which has a custom shell.
ne resolution on iPad
The JooJoo is vaporware in the US. It will never make it here in any quantity, if at all.
this is what I expect from techcrunch crowd but the joo joo pad specs are Intel Atom 270, with Nvidia Ion, that means HD and flash awesomeness. The better possibility will be its hackability.. to load up Android, Chrome os, and ubuntu.
The user-friendly interface is *the* selling point of such a device. Without it, it’s a clunky cumbersome piece of hardware that will be left unused by you – and your parents.
I believe in the Android competition if their interface is adapted to the screen size. But Windows … sorry, I tried it on a HP touchscreen model and it was a pain to use.
I’d rather have superior hardware, features and a full non-hindered OS than nothing more than a perfect interface.
The HP touchscreens are pretty cruddy. It can be fixed by using better touchscreens. Hopefully they realize that with the Slate.
You’d rather have superior hardware over superior software? Why? Hardware is obsolete in yearly cycles. Well software lasts a very long time.
I’m a big enough techno head I want both. I’m hoping the Dell Streak is my way to get and play with Android via wireless networks while keeping my iPhone.
Tap n Tap is a Cambridge MA company that is putting a windowing interface on top of Android, bringing the Android tablets closer to the iPad experience.
I was actually pondering this on my site, given the post iPad disappointment among people and the way people get excited about the MS Courier concept. I think in a tablet sized device people want something more work and productivity oriented and less recreational.
In which case Windows may seem clunky but after the last few decades we all know how to use it to get work done.
Also don’t forget the ExoPC Slate!
Due for early summer!
http://exopc.com/en/exopc-slate.php
Good call, that is a nice looking slate.
Also don’t forget the next-version iPad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgqnOqfehJE&feature=player_embedded
Four hours of battery life and weighs 2lbs vs. 10 hours and 1.5lbs. Something to consider.
What’s the name of the other one? The CrunchJoo?
Joopad is more funnier.
Notion Ink Adam all the way. A winning device.. Come Ipad seems 2009ish. Adam seems more 2011
Not really. iPad has softer and thiner edges compared to the Notion Ink Adams. Looking at the picture, I don’t think its comfortable holding a thick device in your hand.
The Notion Ink Adam is in fact thinner than the iPad, photos can be deceiving.
Ipad: 13.44mm, Adam: 13.00mm
0.44mm Thicker.
Exactly.
Don’t forget iPad’s 13.44mm actually exists. Adam is still only a demo model and virtual photos. And judging by the several different versions we’ve seen of the Adam so far, none of which could be handled without falling apart in real world usage, don’t get to excited about that thinness yet. And that rotating camera may sound fancy, but trust me it’s doomed for malfunctions. One thing Apple wins hands-down – fewer moving parts equals superior experience and reliability.
“And that rotating camera may sound fancy, but trust me it’s doomed for malfunctions. One thing Apple wins hands-down – fewer moving parts equals superior experience and reliability.”
I find this a bit funny when the Ipad doesn’t even have a camera.
Yes, less things means less things going wrong. But seriously, no camera? You don’t get bonus points for having the least number of functions possible.
And I like the design. The whole point is that it’s shaped as a spiral notebook which would be easier to hold up. Plus, it acts as a little slanted stand once in landscape mode. I can see me recording lectures without my professors knowing.
Yes, it’s foolish to praise a machine before it’s even released but it might also be foolish to say it’s “doomed to malfunctions.”
“No Acces to the App Store” shouldn’t be considered a “con”. Perhaps “no app store”.. but if the thing is running Windows 7, then “the world is the app store” (to exaggerate it a lil bit)..
A an Apple or Android device needs an appstore for obvious reasons, sure.. but something running windows doesn’t.. therefore the lack of it doesn’t make it a “con”.
Nice post, btw!
Actually what makes “Access to the App Store” an advantage is the simplification and ease of consumer access to installable programs. On a device with an “App Store” I don’t have to cast a wide net to find repositories of applications. Too much variety and inconsistency in my choice of where to look for apps is a time-waster.
so you’re saying the way people find and install applications today on most desktops is too hard for them, so they need an app store. hmm… makes sense
I agree. The way people buy and install apps on desktops is sub-optimal.
You have the following choices:
1. Get a boatload of crapware installed by the device manufacturer.
2. Get a a bloated hard-to-use Office suite installed on your machine by your corporate IT department, that devotes huge resources to supporting, training and patching.
3. Go to an office supply super-store where you get a choice of maybe 100 different titles (20 security products, 20 paint programs, 20 home remodeling programs, 20 greeting card programs, plus a couple of other choices). Oh, and you get to pick through a bin of decade-old PC games selling for $4.99.
4. Look online for obscure software, some non-negligible percentage of which is adware, spyware or crapware.
Yes, 90% of the apps on the Apple AppStore are crap, but at least you have a wider choice, the prices are low, the buying process is efficient, and you have a couple of consistent metrics of quality (i.e., user ratings and reviews). And there is no malware or spyware (Apple has the “killswitch” that can nuke out in the field any programs it wants to disable, for whatever valid or non-valid reason).
Not perfect, but a generation or two better than desktop software process.
The “App Store” concept has been around for years (since Linux Mint 5) with Linux Mint’s Mint Install application and software portal
http://linuxmint.com/software/
with the mint install app you go one place to find apps that have all been tested and are guaranteed to work. The apps are arranged by categories, with descriptions, screenshots and even have user comments and ratings. Alternatively you can go to the portal and with one click install the same apps.
Feels a lot like the “App Store”; but we should give credit to apple for inventing it?
the OS cant be an advantage. Its an option/preference — personally having windows on something is a disadvantage — ill stop there because im not being objective anymore.
If it runs Windows, it can run Linux. That’s a fact. :)
Linux is so 1980… Google Chrome OS is the future ^^
http://www.ubuntu.com/products/mobile
and chrome runs on linux.
Linux will run on “Windows” machines *if* you can find drivers. But then, Mac OS X would run on “Windows” machines if you could get the kernel extensions.
What is your point?
See a cool video of the HP slate here: http://h20435.www2.hp.com/t5/Voodoo-Blog/HP-s-Slate-Device-Runs-The-Complete-Internet-Including-Flash/ba-p/53838;jsessionid=1C28AD66C87994681968BC2403C11944
IT IS UPDATED and not the same one used at CES.
The iPad and iPhone were never really about the technology. Apple isn’t selling products or apps, it is seeling something far more important nowadays:
a life-style obsession.
And it’s hard to beat that, no matter how wide your touch-screen is.
They ALL suck, even the Hp copycat look.
“[...]win the hardware fight, which is just as important to a lot of consumers.”
First of all: you’re average consumer doe’s not care about the hardware. How should he? He has no frakin’ idea what alle the numbers mean.
Secondly what consumers DO crae about is performance. I dunno if you even touched one of the tablets in this list but i strongly recommend you to read the review about the Archos 9 on Wired. They found the touch interface to be unusable and the OS sluggish (up to one minute to start a programm).
I’ll stick to something that i can actually use. Thank you
Great! Where can I compare that to a review for the iPad?
Using that logic you might want to wait until there are some. And no, Uncle Walt doesn’t count.
Now you’re just trying to dismiss people without listening to them.
You’re waiting for a review of the iPad to see if it has an unusable touch interface and takes up to a minute to open programs? Do you think for even a minute that Apple would release such a product? They’re far from perfect, but this is exactly the kind of thing they always get right. You should pick your battles more carefully.
Notion Ink Adam and Dell Streak is the answer with Android. Or install other Linux Distro: Ubuntu or Fedora.
what about the various tablet versions of the thinkpad? they’ve been out there for quite a while. Lenovo’s/IBM’s X*T series are small, lightweight and sturdy. Why wouldnt they qualify? Also, i’d add the ‘real’ keyboard as a noteworthy advantage of the Blade(and the thinktablets) over the IPad, since it means you can get actual work done.. after watching the latest flash(!)-entertainment of course ;)
You are dead on. I think the lenovo concept (with the pull-out tablet screen) is pretty cool, but at the very least a tablet needs to have a decent digitizer to allow for SOME workflow. Without that, and preferably a keyboard, these tablets are nothing more than media consumption devices, and i would take my x200t over any one of them.
Now, add a nice slim portable keyboard, and a good digitizer with pen input, and you might actually get somewhere. That is the #1 reason the iPad is a worthless piece of shit to me – you can’t even take notes on it. I guess you could get a capacitive pen, but the resolution and screen size suck. Beyond that, there is nothing even close to onenote in the app store.
Now it became harder to choose ((
But 10x anyway for good material. Will wait for the tests and reviewes when all of them would be in stores )
Last time I checked the upcoming tablets, I thought the Adam was the clear winner. I didn’t know about the Viliv S10 then. That’s one sweeeet looking convertible, and the price isn’t bad. Though I still prefer the Adam (I already have a notebook, Adam has a pixel QI screen which is awesome, and Android apps are more touchscreen-friendly than Windows’), but if I wanted to upgrade my notebook and buy a tablet too, I’d buy that S10.
Funny how you list “no access to app store” as a disadvantage. For the iPad you have one place to get apps. For Windows 7 there are a million places to get apps. Limiting apps to one location only is actually a huge disadvantage, please update the article to reflect the reality of the situation.
Having a million places to look can be a huge disadvantage, too.
So call your 1 place google…
I’d recommend the ipad to my mother, and windows 7 slates to anyone computer literate. I don’t know enough about android apps to comment.
google and the internet behind it isn’t 1 place – it’s billions, with unorganized often out-of-date, contradictory, counterintuitive information which may or not even be related to what you’re looking for. A great tool for an expert who is familiar with their quirks
+1
I thought that bizarre as well. There’s a much bigger app store than the Apple store. It’s called the Internet. And with a big screen, you don;t need any native apps.
What about Lenovo’s IdeaPad U1!
I’m waiting for the IdeaPad U1 as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5DYuVN6nuY
Microsoft Courier? ….really?
As a creative, I would love a courier too, it would be perfect for me. But then I thought about it a little longer, and concluded that It will never ship. At least not in that form factor, and this is why: Microsoft would never go head on with Apple in the consumer tablet space with a product that isn’t designed to play movies. We are creatives, and that’s cool, but our slice of the pie is miniscule. Apple is aiming for the non-techies with this one. In my house, for instance, that market represents 80%… (yes, I ordered the max 2 iPad’s yesterday, for the wife and son.) I think it would be smart to partner with Wacom on the courier and pitch it strictly to the creative market, not as MS’s answer to the iPad. But that’s a pipe dream.
Furthermore, it would be irresponsible advice on the part of Crunch to recommend holding out for something that at this point is nothing more than motion based Concept art.
“No access to the app store” should not be considered a disadvantage on any device, especially those running Windows.
to quote myself earlier: Actually what makes “Access to the App Store” an advantage is the simplification and ease of consumer access to installable programs. On a device with an “App Store” I don’t have to cast a wide net to find repositories of applications. Too much variety and inconsistency in my choice of where to look for apps is a time-waster.
to quote @ceejayoz: Having a million places to look can be a huge disadvantage, too.
The app-store also requires quite a bit of searching, filtering, and sorting through reviews before you settle on the one cloned app that may work better for you. If I’m going to have to go through all that I might as well have the world to scan through.
Shouldn’t Windows be listed as a disadvantage?
no, windows should be listed as deal breaker
Awww… no JooJoo love… bad blood much?
As for the Courier, it is still a concept until they show one actually working in the “flesh”, but I am excited by it, even though I preordered an iPad 64GB 3G with keyboard dock at 5:30am PST.
Dude — there’s a pending lawsuit. No lawyer worth his salt would let a TechCrunch employee type the words JooJoo or CrunchPad right now.
Hi – I really want a good tablet I can hand-write on for taking notes in meetings with auditorium-style seating – what does the group recommend?
A pad of paper.
Well aren’t you hillarious, Matt. Other than that do you have anything to offer in the way of a good COMPUTER tablet?
Yet he’s right – you’re asking for two very different things: a neat tablet device and a good way to hand-write notes.
If a good marriage between the two was out there people would probably already raving about it all over…
This may be interesting in this context:
http://ignorethecode.net/blog/2009/08/07/virtual-keyboards-on-iphone-and-android/
Sorry, I actually meant to link this article:
http://www.gyford.com/phil/writing/2010/01/18/input.php
You would probably benefit more from this:
http://www.livescribe.com
Works brilliantly.
well at least you are consistent. That comment was as helpfull as your post. Thanks a lot.
@Susan: IF the Microsoft Courier ever becomes a reality that would be perfect for your use case.
The Courier will never ship in it’s current form.
Microsoft Courier.
…which I don’t understand why it didn’t make the list?
There isn’t any solid information about it yet.
That’s fair. I’ve only watched the video and I thought I heard it was finally going to be produced.
Well, here’s hoping!
Lenovo x200t.
Wacom digitizer, OneNote (and/or Blubeam pdf Revu).
Apps and Interface make the difference, add on top of it the ubiquity of iPod interface for the hardware (as much as it pisses me of it isn’t just mini USB) and the iPad will be the king of this space for a while. Look, I own a Motion Computing Tablet with Windows 7 and I can tell you the interface sucks, sucks bad. The hardware is a year old and still in line with the iPad and it still sucks compared to my iPhone 3G (no S even). It pisses me off but if the interface isn’t easy enough for my mom the competing devices will never be ubiquitous enough to over take the iPad. I preordered one with the hope that a jail break will be out soon there after to multitask Pandora while surfing.
iPad win/fail:
Win:
10 hour battery life
9.7” screen
Half inch thick
Multi-touch
Bluetooth
Wi-Fi
Accelerometer
Fail:
$130 for 3G radio
Border around screen too large
4:3 aspect ratio
No multi-tasking
No Flash support
Glossy screen instead of matte finish
Epic Fail:
No SDHC card reader built into device
No USB port built into device
Locked hardware – apps from their app store only
Tied to iTunes
Proprietary sync cable instead of mini USB
Pad win/fail:
Win:
10 hour battery life -agreed
9.7” screen – agreed
Half inch thick – agreed
Multi-touch – agreed
Bluetooth – mehh
Wi-Fi – expected
Accelerometer – agreed
Fail:
$130 for 3G radio – if you consider the no contract AT&T deal Apple worked out then not so much. Any contract plan with Verizon for example will run $60 a month. $15 month + $130 up front works out pretty well
Border around screen too large
4:3 aspect ratio – makes sense for eBook type stuff.
No multi-tasking – Agreed but likely fixed less than a year after launch
No Flash support – Screw flash. Read this. The guy makes a lot of sense http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2010/02/20/an-adobe-flash-developer-on-why-the-ipad-cant-use-flash/
Glossy screen instead of matte finish – gotten used to it.
Epic Fail:
No SDHC card reader built into device – Agreed. WTF is up with a media device w/o a SD reader
No USB port built into device – not sure if I care. What would I want to plug in.
Locked hardware – apps from their app store only – Will get hacked just like iPhone. For people here it’s not a problem. For the general public they don’t care.
Tied to iTunes – Not a problem as long as you like iTunes. You can use whatever you want, as long as it’s iTunes.
Proprietary sync cable instead of mini USB – Naw, don’t care. Apple now has such a large chunk of the market that their cables are as common as reg USB. Plus, iPad, iPhone, iTouch, ect all use the same cable so they are al least internally interchangeable. More than you can say for a lot of cell phone vendors.
Archos 9 PC tablet looks great and because has installed Windows 7 this is a plus for this table
Read this first:
http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/pr_archos_9
Wired are a bunch of apple/capacitive fanboys.
If you want Windows 7 tablet, there is no better value than the Archos 9 pctablet at the moment.
Hey there – nice post, thanks!
But I think in this kind of “new product category” we should also put in “new criteria” for tests and comparisons.
Nice things to know should/could be:
* how fast does the system boot?
* how long does it take, until I’m in the Internet?
* what’s the battery performance?
* how accurate is the touch screen?
* what is the average time for an average app for being ready to use?
* what’s the weights & heights?
…and so on.
Because, as one of the people said already, it’s not about the hardware specs at all or just the software – it’s about performance when it comes up to use this device in the way, the people want to use it. That’s why new criteria should be developed or at least added to that ones, we already know from tech-specs of computers, notebooks or smartphones.
So far…
Got to agree with AnthonyZ here. If/when I choose a tablet, I should have a sensible list of criteria, and things like boot time and battery life and key.
You can decide based on whatever you like of course, but the fact that you’re talking about boot time shows that you’re stuck in a desktop OS mindset. You might think twice about what you want a tablet for. Most people certainly aren’t going to put up with booting the thing up every time they use it.
modbook – that has to be a joke, its like 4x heavier
viliv – tablet with windows = fail (even more for XP)
archos 9 – superslow, again windows :(
another viliv – not a tablet, but with actual keyboard (and possibly touchpad) the windows at least makes sense
notion ink adam – not even release date, but the only one in same class
hp slate – not even release date, another joke with windows
dell streak – more like iPod Touch competitor
why ANYONE wants desktop OS on a tablet is beyond me :(
Agreed, companies (Microsoft for instance) have failed with its attempt of porting it’s OS to mobile devices (a tiny start menu on a mobile device, really?).
Agreed. I will never forget how hard I laughed the first time I saw a start menu on the tiny ass screen of a cell phone a few years ago. I couldn’t stop laughing for minutes. Learned everything I needed to know about windows phones in one sec.
Some of use use tablets with a full OS daily and wouldn’t want it any other way. $5 billion worth of tablets sold last year per Gartner, apparently a lot of people (who actually want to get work done on a tablet and not just watch low-def videos) want a full OS.
If they do it right, the Notion Ink Adam will be a winner ( that I’ll be buying)
I’m waiting with bated breath for the Notion Ink pad. It obliterated any anticipation I had for the iPad. If fact it has the one feature I hoped the iPad had, the Pixel Qi screen. I couldn’t believe the iPad didn’t have it.
It’s what I’ve been waiting for in a tablet, something to replace a piece of paper to jot down notes.
The best thing about Apple products is that they’re highly re-sellable.
I’ll probably get the iPad and trade it in for a Slate when it comes out.
Slate is looking good but the UI on the iPad will be difficult to match!
The stupid ipad pre-order form doesn’t work. It doesn’t recognize a chosen state. Lame
It was doing that it Chrome for me too… had to launch from Firefox to order.
You should be using Iron instead of Chrome anyway
http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_chrome_vs_iron.php
the Alex from http://www.springdesign.com
Correction, Dell Streak does support Flash. Here’s Adobe demoing the Streak (still being called the mini 5 then) with Flash and Adobe AIR:
http://tv.adobe.com/watch/adobe-at-mobile-world-congress-2010/dell-mini-5-tablet/
And it has a 3G modem as well. CG faking facts to promote the iPad?
I love the notion ink tablet it looks sweet and prolly will out preform the Maxi iPad
The Padrino
http://www.thepadrino.com
What – you couldn’t have posted this yesterday!
I already pre-ordered my WiFi iPad. The whole family is on the iTunes/App Store ecosystem and the device will be used by all of us.
Look, as I see it these devices are not going to replace either the phone or the PC. What we need is to make our existing devices simpler. I think the phone is on its way. The PC has a long way to go. I have found a piece of software–yes software–that makes using my PC 100 times (hard to measure) easier. Its free, no strings and it is in beta right now. Try it. http://smi.sh or email me and I will send you a copy. appszilla@gmail.com
I hate to say it, but I really thought that was going to be a malicious link. However, I gotta say Smish looks pretty freaking cool. Don’t really like the name though. Still, if it works as advertised, it will REALLY ease things up for a lot of people. There are some privacy concerns (as with anything new), but it will be interesting to watch develop.
Two things I liked about Adam/Notion Ink:
1. Backside track pad – really handy when you can hold, move mouse around and show
2. Swivel webcam – cool. take notes, which you record video of someone you are interviewing.
I don’t need any of these devices yet I want an iPad … that is why Apple wins this match in straight sets
Yes, having a rabid fanboy user base is a huge advantage for Apple.
Did it ever occur to you that there is a reason that Apple has a bunch of rabid fanboys?
Another one that is pretty sweet and now shipping is AlwaysInnovating’s TouchBook
you can have an iPad now if you have an overhead projector and an ipod touch or phone..
for 1200$ for a decent one – twice the price of the iPad.
The App Store can be an advantage to the iPad, but not so big. If you have a big screen and internet access, you really need very few apps…
“If you have a big screen and internet access…”
And if the user knows how and where to find what you need…
And if the user can distinguish what (s)he needs from the infinite variety of useless and unrelated junk…
And if the user knows (or can easily learn) how to use what (s)he get effectively…
Those 5 IFs rule out a majority of products for a majority of users at this point. This is why the CrunchPad was suggested, why Android and the iPad were made.
“And if the user can distinguish what (s)he needs from the infinite variety of useless and unrelated junk…”
Are you saying that 95% of the apps on the AppStore are not useless and unrelated junk?
I’m a little baffled at the App Store advantage. Apple’s App store is a walled-garden. The Apple App store is so rigidly controlled with arbitrary and frequently contrary policies that you might not be able to use an app you’ve already paid for due to draconian measures taken for Apple’s benefit, not the consumers.
Lack of a single software point of sale seems like a plus to me. If I have an Android tablet, I can write up an app for whatever purpose I like. Same goes for the Win7 platform. I can share that app freely, without submitting it to some third party which seems hellbent on alienating its consumer base.
Apple makes lovely products but they’re evil. But the iPad isn’t even close to computer. It’s a portable TV for occasional gimped web browsing and eye-strain-inducing reading.
Frankly, I’ll stick with netbooks. I can run any OS I want, run any application I want and it’s cheaper.
Amen
“Apple’s App store is a walled-garden.”
Ummm, actually it’s called open source. ANYONE with a decent knowledge around a programming language can create any app they want and not release it to “the store” if they don’t want to.
See, al of you people who complain about restrictive app development and availability through Apple’s portable devices all seem to be the same people who can’t get off your butts, download the SDK and do it yourself. That’s laziness on YOUR part, not neglect on Apple’s…
You entirely missed the point. As several posters above have noted, the app store has the advantage of being THE one stop shop for iphone apps. And, as the person you were responding to said, the STORE is a walled garden. Take a look at the agreement every developer has to sign before putting an app on the app store. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/03/iphone-developer-program-license-agreement-all
That is not the language of an open community.
While it may in fact be possible to run an app not approved by apple, it is not easy nor convenient–very few consumers will do so. Any app looking to turn a profit pretty much MUST be put on the app store. While development is technically “open,” the app store/approvement process makes it as good as closed for the vast majority of people.
Furthermore, looking past apps and the app store, apple’s treatment of jailbreaking also supports the walled garden view. Why does apple fight so hard to not let customers use the hardware they bought the way they see fit? That approach is entirely opposite to the open source philosophy.
I wish i could spend that much money on a fancy universal remote control.
Matt, why did you not mention the inclusion of a digital pen as an advantage/disadvantage? The Modbook above (and most convertible tablets) clearly has a digital pen, which the iPad doesn;t have.
I am personally peeved that people reviewing tablets seem to omit this most basic and necessary feature. Tablets + pens are so naturally linked, the absence of the latter should be a major drawback, because the one area in which tablets are clearly more ergonomic than notebooks is for digital drawing and handwriting.
I’m typing this on a Fujitsu Lifebook convertible tablet. Previously I used an HP Pavilion. I bought both becase of the digital pen. I draw digital comics on the tablets, and used the pen for taking handwritten notes using Windows Journal.
As you can see, I’m already a devoted tablet user. And I simply will not buy a so-called tablet without digital pen input. This assumption that tablets are only for consuming media is ridiculous.
Pen == fail. Do you need a pen on an iPhone?
Etrigan, this isn’t a “tablet computer”, it’s a “tablet DEVICE” and that makes all the difference in the world. It’s running the iPhone OS, not Mac OSX. Also, as a fellow graphic artist I LOVE my Wacom tablets, however I do NOT like having to deal with a special tool to interact with my screen. I have pets and if an input pen slips for even two second, more likely than not it’s gone and I’m left shelling out an additional $50 to get a replacement input device.
I’ll keep my Wacoms connected to my REAL computers any day. I get WAY more power, much more upgradability and I’m not stuck if I end up damaging an input device.
I agree with you about the pens. The one feature I wanted in an iPad was a digital pen. Imagine being able to take handwritten notes and then save them in a folder structure that uses coverflow for accessing folders.
I will put my money on this one !
http://www.exopc.com/
Pat !
Cool.
You seem to have made a formatting error in many of these. You’ve listed Windows 7 in the advantages column.
hehehe, agreed…
LOL, no access to the app store should be listed as a positive.
Then you should admit that the iPad’s lack of access to Windows 7 is a positive as well.
You forgot the best part of the ModBook. It has a pressure sensitive Wacom pen. So it is perfect for graphic artists.
NO FAIR!!!! YOUR SHOWING QUALITY HARDWARE INSTEAD OF JUST A CRAPPY OVER PRICED BRAND!!!!! WAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!! FINE ILL JUST GO TURN ORANGE AND THEN YOU’LL BUY ME!!!!!!!!
Your meds are ready, sir.