Tag Tablets

Entries 13 Total Description

The hottest new form factor going. Tablets have shaken up, some say waken up the whole computer industry and spawned countless competitors seeing tremendous opportunity ahead.

iPad 3 for The Post PC World!

Mar 7, ’12 2:58 PM

Today March 7, 2012 Apple boldly declared that “we are now in the post PC World!”

That certainly does not mean we should rush right out and trash our once-loved desktop computers or that we should scrap as salvage our trusty laptop computers. It does mean however that mobility has won the day in the form of Smartphones and tablets/slates as the primary tools we should use to do what we do. Just as the era of full-blown applications must now give way to bite-sized apps to help us get things done.

Check out Apple’s new iPad introduction launch video.

More to come:

Thur. 3,8:

I decided I would back off and let all the [undits and hacks get their shots off first. Now that I have marinated on the Apple event and news I can now embark on an opinion.

It seems that Apple decided that “new is good. but that best is better”. They focused on improving the tablet experience in ways that users would notice and appreciate. The new iPad is faster (processor. connectivity), better looking (screen resolution), and more functional. They accomplish it without breaking the apps iOS relies on.

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Samsung SSDs coming for Laptops and Tablets

Aug 13, ’11 6:54 AM
samsung PM 830

Samsung PM 830

From the very start of the tablet frenzy, I’ve had one major reservation that has kept me from dumping my trusty laptop and going the popular and trendy tablet route. Storage!. That drawback might just be history because New Samsung SSDs will soon be available to address the problem that most Tablets have, and could stand to resolve.

Samsung Semiconductor has just announced that they are now making their fastest solid-state drives for tablets and laptops with capacities of up to 512GB.

The PM830 SSD, for example, offers throughput of 6 gigabits per second, which effectively doubles the speed of older Samsung SSDs and will be available in capacities of 128GB and 256GB, No pricing or availability information is available as yet.

The Apple’s iPad 2 tablet supports up to 64GB capacity, so these  new drives could double storage capacity.

SSDs are still quite expensive, but prices seem to be falling and they will probably become a key storage option by next year.

SSDs are faster and consume less power than magnetic hard drives. They dramatically speed up boot times.

A few Other SSD providers in this marketplace are Intel, Toshiba, Super Talent, OWC, and OCZ.

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PROBLEM: Competing against the iPad

Jul 8, ’11 9:06 AM

Tablet

The marketplace is not exactly beating down the doors to get to Android tablets or HP’s TouchPad, and sales are at best lackluster for most other available tablet offerings, mainly of the Android variety.

All of this certainly must be very welcome news to the market leader, Apple, and must cause deep fear and trembling among numerous other would-be tablet competitors.

They are all scratching their worried little heads wondering what’s happening and why this is a nut too hard to crank or why this situation is so hard to analyze.

They really need to understand the reasons things are not going as well or easy as planned.

QUESTIONS they are asking:

  • Is Apple so far ahead they are unassailable?
  • Is the tablet market soft or fleeting?
  • Could this simply be marketing or promotion issues?
  • Are current price points too high?
  • Are tablet features to thin
  • Are available apps too few?

The early reviews of most tablets have been decent for the most part, but definitely not raving nor outright disappointing either. Point-by-point product comparisons do not really tell much of a cogent story to anyone making serious purchase decisions.

Tablet device after tablet device has failed to live anywhere near up to potential or hype. There are numerous issues with most of these devices, including poor battery life, buggy software, poor selections of apps,  or problems with weight,  size, thickness, pricing, ease of use, OS, UI, device specs, or capacity.

Major players cannot afford to loose in this game and risk becoming also-rans in the emerging mobile space race. If their leading tablets don’t succeed and only sell in limited frustrating quanities they may be looking at the end of their run.

So, here are a few things competitors might consider:

  1. Cut their losses and get out of the tablet market.
  2. Cut prices and offer significant discount options
  3. Increase features, and apps
  4. Come up with a device thats that’s as good or better than the iPad.
  5. Go all out to attract developers and talent.
  6. Partner with other major players.
  7. Focus on specific sizeable market segments (enterprise, education, healthcare)
  8. Increase hardware power and capacity.
The struggle for tablet dominance is not a done deal. The doors to tremendous opportunity are still wide open. The true test and gauge of efforts will come over the holidays and into the coming new year.
It will be very interesting to see who is still in the game, and exactly what they will come up with or do to succeed.
I believe in competition and wish them all well.
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Cool Android Tablet: HTC Flyer

May 20, ’11 10:44 AM
HTC Flyer

HTC Flyer

Well it was really only a matter of time before Apple competitor HTC rolled out a serious tablet hoping to get up in Apple’s face and possibly steal their thunder.

The questions that came up at the recent Mobile World Congress was just how good or great and competitive a product HTC come up with?

The HTC Flyer is a resounding answer to that question. So, is it a worthyApple  iPad 2 challenger or maybe even an iPad killer? For the answers to those, only time and a spoiled and fickeled marketplace will tell. But if HTC does manage to pull it off they will have succeeded where few others have. Even Microsoft, Google, RIM, Dell nor HP have trouble turning that trick. It would actually be quite an incredible feat if HTC can pull it off.

So, what is the HTC Flyer? What does it bring to the game that would make me toss my iPad in the round bin?

HTC Flyer is a 7 inch Android-2.4 tablet upgradable eventually to 3.0 Honeycomb.

Spec Sheet:

Available now, HTC Flyer is their first shot at the growing tablet market. First unveiled at Mobile World Congress back in February the Flyer is definitely a tablet device worth paying attention to by both buyers and competitors.

The HTC Flyer comes equipped with Google’s Android 2.4 Gingerbread mobile operating system with a promised upgrade to the tablet centric 3.0 Honeycomb already in the works.

SPECS:

  • CPU: 1.5GHz single core Snapdragon 1.5 GHz processor
  • OS: Android Gingerbread (2.3) with HTC Sense 3.0
  • Storage: 16GB internal, 1GB RAM
  • Display: 7-inch (1024×600) capacitive with active digitizer for optional pen input
  • Connects: 3.5mm audio jack, microUSB (charging, connects to PC)
  • Cameras: front- 1.3MP; rear- 5MP
  • Connectivity: WiFi (b/g/n); Bluetooth 3.0
  • Sensors: Ambient light, G-sensor, digital compass
  • Dimensions: 7.7″ x 4.8″ x 0.52″; 14.82 ounces
  • 7-inch display
  • 1024 x 600p resolution
  • 1.5GHz single core processor
  • 1GB of RAM
  • HTC’s Sense UI skin on top of the Android OS
  • Flash 10 and HTML 5 Compatibility
  • HTC Magic Pen stylus
  • 5-megapixel rear mounted camera
  • 720p HD video recording capabilities
  • 1.3-megapixel forward-facing camera
  • 1GB of RAM
  • HTC’s Sense UI skin running over Google’s Android OS.
  • Full Flash 10 and HTML 5 compatibility,
  • Boxed with HTC Magic Pen stylusI for notes and interaction)
  • 5-megapixel rear mounted camera with 720p HD video recording
  • 1.3-megapixel forward-facing camera.
  • 3.5mm jack
  • Proprietary port in the base for charging
  • Touch sensitive Home, Back and Menu buttons are at the bottom,
  • Rear camera captures 720p movies at 30fps
  • HTC Flyer may be the first tablet to truly challenge Apple’s iPad:
  • Supports HTC Watch video (download movies and TV programs)
  • Sturdy aluminum and plastic construction

CON:

  • Small form factor but a taste too heavy and too thick
  • Overpriced
  • Initially comes without Honeycomb (May change soon)
  • Doesn’t run latest tablet optimized version of Google’s UI
  • Misses key elements of Android 3.0 Honeycomb
  • Looks like a big smartphone
  • Single core processor, rather than dual-core
  • Pen doesn’t work as a stylus
  • 3G, 32GB, WiFi only 16GB

PRO:

  • Easy to navigate and use
  • Good features and widgets: FriendStream, Contacts and Mail
  • HTC Sense is nice
  • HTC’s social networking widget Friendstream
  • SIM card slot in the top
  • Highly portable,  fits into pockets
  • Charges over USB
  • On-board Flash support
  • Quick, not slow loading web pages
  • includes OnLive cloud-based gaming service
  • HTC Flyer: Performance
  • pen compatibility (extra cost)
  • high-quality construction

I am unwilling and unable to pass a final judgement or verdict  on any product I have not had in hand to live with for any length of time. However, from the opinions of others that have, the Flyer is a comer, but we shall see…

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COMPETITION: Targeting Apple

May 2, ’11 10:19 AM

Bullseye

It must be very unsettling for high-flying Apple at the peak and apex of profitability and success to find itself in the crosshairs of every would be competitor nipping and chipping away at just about every aspect of Apple’s market success and dominance. On one hand Microsoft is busy going after Apple’s developer base. HTC is busy cranking out iPhone looking phones. Google is hard at work flooding the device mainstream with many flavors of Android OS’ for Smartphones and tablets allowing every hardware manufacturer to build a functional tablet device or Smartphone. Then you have RIM and IBM tightly holding on to their enterprise and corporate strangleholds. Lastly Amazon is following up on plans to build an AppStore that they believe should and will eclipse Apple’s.

We Shall See what we shall see!

No one has a crystal ball revealing the answers or the future. The jury is still out as to wether any or all of these efforts will succeed or fail but what is known is that Apple is in for very interesting times ahead. Such is the state of successful market leaders in the current technology ecosystem.

I was just thinking that given recent history, I would be careful if I was a competitor of Apple’s. They are one company that seems to have a knack for landing on their feet. Although it is not seen by all as the actual case, personally I would say that in the long run Apple beat mighty Microsoft and that is an unparalleled seriously momentus achievement.

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Sony S1 and S2 Tablets

Apr 30, ’11 9:48 AM
Sony S1 tablet

Sony S1 tablet

It was a couple of weeks ago that I wondered in a post on this site what was holding Sony back from jumping headlong into the emerging tablet fray considering it was in their product wheelhouse. It seemed only natural that Sony would eventually  enter a market that is so well suited for them to enter and succeed in. After all Sony literally pioneered the UMPC product category and as always has had such a strong design and development infrastructure.

Well it seems that Sony was not napping and was working on this. We just overjoyed to learn that Sony has developed and is readying S1 and S2 Android 3.0 “Honeycomb” tablets. The S2 is particularly interesting being a dual-screen tablet.

It is xpected that Sony will integrate Sony Reader e-book software and as is common for them they will add in a slew of home-entertainment features such as  allowing them to serve as universal remote controls and to be able to transfer videos and music to compatible television and wireless speaker systems.

I am a long time Sony fanboy with one of just about every Sony consumer electronic product of theirs since the Walkman, not to mention the four VAIO computers sitting around gathering dust that I just can’t see myself giving up.

I look forward to their new tablet products. I know Sony will put their best foot forward and come out with excellent products that will uphold their well-earned reputation for delivering top quality technology.

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COMING SOON: Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet

Apr 25, ’11 7:55 AM

CLICK HERE IF YOU NEED A COOL POWERFUL LAPTOP OR WORKSTATION!!!

It was only a matter of time and opportunity before a strong player like Lenovo would mustle up and join the phalanx of Apple tablet competitors in the massive “me-too” tablet stampede.

Lenovo is joining the horde of Motorola Xoom, BlackBerry PlayBook, Samsung Galaxy Tab and various other tablets from Dell and HP because it must have been all too tempting for Lenovo to overlook or pass up on a chance to become a player in this new tablet game.

Lenovo the fortunate inheritor of IBM’s laptop line is using their significant manufacturing and development and enterprise awareness advantages to leverage their way into the rapidly emerging and expanding tablet arena and marketplace with a planned June launch of a new Android 3.0 ThinkPad tablet.

What we’ve heard so far:

  • Lenovo has spent a lot of time enhancing the Android user interface.
  • A slide-out deck would appeal to enterprise and corporate users
  • Many ports will be offered for expanded connectivity and integration.
  • Native enterprise support for Citrix and remote desktop software.
  • The Lenovo tablet will serve as  a hotspot.
  • Lenovo tablets will feature Word, PowerPoint, Excel and other business-favored applications.
  • Pricing of a Lenovo tablet will start around $499.
  • A ThindPad tablet exploits Lenovo’s corporate strengths and support infrastructure.
  • Lenovo will be a strong tablet player in enterprise and corporate markets.
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RIM Playbook

Apr 21, ’11 3:19 PM

TABLET WARS:YEAH BOY! IT’S ON NOW!!!

The media and threir minions and pundits should/must be more fair in their evaluations of new tablets like RIM’s Playbook. The Playbook is not an Apple iPad! It is a functional device that can stand on its own and support enterprise markets that Apple covets but has never mastered in ways that seem to come natural to RIM. his can only serve to force Apple to do better in addressing business uses and users. The tablet market is young, new and fresh. Competition must be encouraged without knee-jerk fanatic sympathies that do not allow for alternatives and options.  The iPad is not perfect. there is room for improvement that will only come in response to pressure from competition.

Even though RIM’s latest moves seem to be outright blatant attempts to steal Apple’s thunder and suck all of the air from the room, example being RIM previewing a new version of their Playbook to the press on the very eve of Apple’s big iPad 2 press event. The equivalent of someone crashing a party, slapping all the guests in the face, throwing up on all the presents, having their way with the host’s wife, and urinating on the front door welcome mat on the way out. it was just an all-out “declaration of war”.

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COOL TABLET: ASUS eee Slate

Apr 9, ’11 7:38 AM
Asus eee Slate

Asus eee Slate

In a move that makes business sense ASUS has developed and is heavily marketing their new eel Slate EP121 (Windows 7). The eee Slate will make solid sense and an easy buy for deep-pocketed windows-driven businesses that do not see themselves changing their ways anytime soon just to use an iPad or Android equivalent tablet.

The eee Slate is said to be the fastest tablet on the market due to inclusion of Intel’s Core i5 processor and with a $999 price tag it is also one of the most expensive. The 12.1 inch screen is juicy. Port and feature wise you’ll find WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth and a 64GB SSD, along with HDMI and USB ports, there is also get a dual-mode touchscreen. ASUS will also throw in a Bluetooth keyboard in the form of Microsoft’s Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000.

Touch Users may be hesitant to resort or return to the use of a pen but serious illustrators will rejoice if not outright jump for joy.

For more info visit: http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=QhWKR7Fmv4jDLbBY

 

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TOP 21 Tablets

Apr 1, ’11 8:42 AM
  1. Apple iPad 2.: Leader of the pack
  2. Motorola XOOM: Handsome and zooming to near the top
  3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1: Serious competitor going strong
  4. HTC Flyer: Come on, get your Tmob on!
  5. HP TouchPad: It’s about time!
  6. Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9: Not bad, not bad at all!
  7. RIM PlayBook: Well well, look who came out to play!
  8. Sprint View 4G: Well,now, there, then 4G for O.G’s
  9. Asus Eee Pad Transformer: What about the netbooks?
  10. LG G-Slate: Life’s Good, huh? Let’s see what you got LG.
  11. ViewSonic’s G Tablet: Android 2.2 with a 10-inch screen, O.K.
  12. Dell Streak 7: Dell’s Android 2.2, 4G offering is nice.
  13. Maylong M-150: Android 1.6 on a 7-inch screenlow $130. May who?
  14. HP Slate Tablet runs Windows 7, Where’s Web OS?
  15. Panasonic  Viera Tablet: Android-based of course!
  16. Archos 70 and 101: Archos, you need a hit today!
  17. Motion Computing CL900: Oak Trail-powered Win 7 tablet
  18. MSI WindPad 100W and 100A tablets
  19. B&N Nook Color: A reader with Android it becomes a tablet.
  20. Acer Iconia Tab A501 Acer+AT&T in the house. Oh yeah!
  21. Asus Eee Slate: Windows 7 and a pen/stylus in 2011 for $999???

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LG G-Slate

Mar 31, ’11 8:15 AM
LG G-Slate

LG G-Slate

Joining well over 200+ tablets out there in the wild or running around the rumor mill, LG is offering up a new tablet called the G-Slate on T-Mobile. This is the first 3D tablet officially running the very slick Android Honeycomb and sporting a Dual-core Tegra 2 chipset, 3D camera for video, a 8.9-inch display, and a forward-facing camera for video chats in addition there are a few interesting features. If rumor holds true, it comes in at or around $1,350 making it a bit too costly for much of the consumer market and much more expensive than the market dominant Apple iPad 2.

http://mobile-broadband.t-mobile.com/android-tablet/g-slate?cm_mmc_o=Vzbp+mwzygt*VAygtzlw*VyBpAgf+mA55Byf*VyBpAgf+mA55Byf

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Mobile World Congress: All Done!

Mar 17, ’11 11:26 AM

MWC 2011: All Done Now!

Mobile World Congress
Mobile World Congress

Mobile World Congress 2011 was held from Feb 14-17 in Baracelona, Spain.
It’s all over now, and I only wish I had the time and finance to hop a fast plane to have attended, but for a small time freelance journalist, like me, that was “a dream deferred” and way the heck beyond reach. I had to rely on the timely reports of those that were privileged or deep-pocketed enough to attend. I really missed the incredible Spanish food, especially the Paella and red wine, but I’ll pretend and head to the nearest Taquiera and scarf down some seasoned frijoles negros and rice, and make do.

About Mobile World Congress:
MWC is the World Series of Mobile Expos. The major players choose this occasion to ramp up development and marketing in order to “come out” aand launch new products and services. A few will have just taken a first shot at CES and MacWorld and thus should be quite ready and prepared to put their best foot forward. Plus the really big International companies will be looking to get thier messages out globally all in one fell swoop. So, let’s get to where the rubber hits the road.

MWC 2011
Undoubtably, the biggest winner of the 2011 Congress will be Google with tons of new smartphones being introduced supporting the Android platform. The timing of HP’s WebOS event in S.F. was merely the opening volley across the bow for the Silicon Valley Mega company and realtime practice for the big show.

One of the side events was “App Planet – Centre of the Apps Universe” it spoke to the vital “what do they do” solution aspect of smartphones and tablets.

Meanwhile, speaking of tablets, we can soon expect to see a whole horde of “iPad killer devices from a wide range of players both big and small. The year ahead for first-mover Apple will without a doubt be about quieting down the noise and clutter surrounding many of these pretenders and the few real serious contenders, whoever they turn out to be. If Apple has a prototype iPad 2 in their back pocket, sooner than later would be a good time to give the world a sneak peek and then in effect “steal the thunder” of all the want-to-be’s.

It will be clear after the new product launches and P.R. hoopla of MWC tones down that HTML 5 is here to stay and signals new directions for development and content provision. Flash though still in the Android game is no longer the only option nor the best option for rich media.

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iPad 3 Speculation Begins

Mar 7, ’11 11:06 AM

Of course, there is always room for improvement so what does Apple need to deliver in an iPad 3 of the future?

The iPad 2 is hardly fresh from of the mouths of Apple and yet wild speculation from media pundits such as that recently voiced in an article by Jason Perlow Sr. Technology Editor at ZDNet has already begun on the iPad 3. Jason writes that the iPad 2 was “a strong but incremental second act”. And brought a number of surprises and some disappointments”.

Well I ask you, my readers, was the iPad 2 such a disappointment, or have we just gotten impatient and possibly spoiled rotten? In reality, we can’t really expect anything like an iPad 3 until sometime in 2012 unless something dramatic spurs Apple to rush one to market to stifle competition or to respond to mounting competition with more significant advances. However, for the moment, Apple competitors have tons of time and information in hand to ready new products for the next big event, CES 2012. So let’s talk!

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