iPad Reactions

[tyr_13]

Exactly. I mean, nevermind that the "copycat" devices have been announced since last year-- Apple and most people (who are mostly unaware of various product announcements) will consider them copycats due to the timing of when they hit the market (beginning this summer). Still, it will be damned nice to get something in the same form factor but running Android or something similar on it.

In fact, some the the 'copycats' have been around for eight years. It's just the I-pod thing over again. Apple is great at taking credit for being 'innovative' on things that they deserve no credit for thinking up (like built in webcams).

 

[HarryKeogh]

In fact, some the the 'copycats' have been around for eight years. It's just the I-pod thing over again. Apple is great at taking credit for being 'innovative' on things that they deserve no credit for thinking up (like built in webcams).

So if someone were in the market for a lightweight tablet computer for say 5 or 6 hundred bucks what would you recommend? What was similar to the iPad eight years ago? A notebook computer with a screen on a swivel?

I'm not much of techie but I poke around the computer blogs and it seems like what would have been real competitors (Microsoft's Courier and HP Slate) just got canceled or delayed (though the Android-based systems later this year should be very cool and much more versatile than the iPad.)

Don't be upset with Apple for the iPad's success. It's not their fault computer makers have had years to get people excited about a tablet offering but have had zero success.

 

[grmcdorman]

There are already Andriod-based tablets (non-phone), if you count a 4.8" screen: the Archos 5 IT. I'm using it to make this post. $400 USD or so for a model with a 160GB hard drive. Go to archos.com for more details. Archos is also coming out with larger versions, but I have no idea of the price.

 

[HarryKeogh]

There are already Andriod-based tablets (non-phone), if you count a 4.8" screen: the Archos 5 IT. I'm using it to make this post. $400 USD or so for a model with a 160GB hard drive. Go to archos.com for more details. Archos is also coming out with larger versions, but I have no idea of the price.

Speaking of Archos, the Archos 9 caught my eye but then a few of the reviews (like CNET's) say it has a terribly slow cpu and the touch controls aren't very good.

 

[Policenaut]

Yes the archos 9 is to be avoided (slow and buggy). Archos always has an interesting product (they've had tablets for years and years now) but there are always crippling deficiencies that keep me from buying one. They have the upcoming archos 10 but I don't really have much confidence that it will be a product I want.

 

[ponderingturtle]

Speaking of Archos, the Archos 9 caught my eye but then a few of the reviews (like CNET's) say it has a terribly slow cpu and the touch controls aren't very good.

My mom has a tablet netbook, I found that Win7 programs are rarely have effective touch interfaces.

 

[grunion]

My mom has a tablet netbook, I found that Win7 programs are rarely have effective touch interfaces.

A friend of mine with a repetitive motion stress injury bought a Windows tablet three years ago and it has been collecting dust ever since. She grew extremely frustrated with the unresponsive screen, horrible applications and slowness. She bought the iPad a month ago and is in heaven. I do agree that other choices will emerge, it just seems that the iPad raised the bar, and thus validated the market.

I don't personally see the need for one but I do think that for most users looking for easy and convenient reading, browsing and multimedia over a WiFi network, it is the best current option.

 

[Policenaut]

I think the android os for tablets (like the archos) is fine. The problem with archos tablets mainly is with the inferior hardware (resistive instead of capacitive, slow cpu, low ram, etc.) and their implementation of the os is highly buggy. But then again they are priced significantly cheaper than Apple's offering and probably will still be less costly than other major manufacturers tablets. Also Microsoft seems to realize that their desktop os is not suited to the touch screen world. Menlo might be their answer.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/could-menlo-signal-a-change-in-microsofts-mobile-strategy/6077

 

[GreNME]

In fact, some the the 'copycats' have been around for eight years. It's just the I-pod thing over again. Apple is great at taking credit for being 'innovative' on things that they deserve no credit for thinking up (like built in webcams).

I think that's a little harsh. Apple hit a home-run with their iPhone OS. Of course, that's mostly an extension of their grand slam with OS X-- an OS that saved the Macintosh as a platform, IMO-- but it's notable enough and would be hasty to dismiss.

However, it just so happens that Android is a good rival to the iPhone OS on these types of devices, just as Android (and possibly later this year, WinMo 7) happens to be a decent competitor in the phone market. What will improve this form factor beyond simple novelty is going to be competition, so Apple can claim being the first at something all they want but it won't matter if they aren't managing to sell more devices. It's all about becoming the majority default platform, not being the one that brags the most-- the latter being a concept that has kept Apple with a small (but faithful) market share for better than 20 years.

 

[Supernovae]

I think this is a very important point. Many people still just want to get from A to B (browse web/email/etc as easily as possible and often underestimate how daunting and that can be for some. And many (the question is how many) computer illiterates may be prepared to pay (more) for simplicity, which for many of us , translates as lack of functionality/customisation/tweakability, compared to what we could get for the same money and a more complex device (ie a PC)
though price is still obviously going to be a major factor.

-

The thing is, the ipad doesn't surf the web nicely, it doesn't do email nicely and it doesn't do many things nicely. Want to share pictures? How are you going to post them? Want to surf the web? Sorry, the web doesn't care if you're on a touch screen!

The only thing the ipad does well is apps and video. Its pretty easy to force your way through video sites or install an app for that, but for general web surfing - the iphone/ipad are terrible at it since the touch interface doesn't translate to HTML at all (nor html5)

 

[HarryKeogh]

Want to share pictures? How are you going to post them?

It requires a $29.00 adapter (something like this should totally have been built in to the iPad to begin with) but it does allow you to get pics from your camera to your iPad and from there view them, e-mail or post them on social networking sites.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC531ZM/A?fnode=MTc0MjU4NjE&mco=MTcyMTgxODY

And from the few hours I've used it I found the web-surfing experience to be pretty good (and fast). Of course, you notice all those blue boxes from the Flash not being displayed.

 

[ponderingturtle]

A friend of mine with a repetitive motion stress injury bought a Windows tablet three years ago and it has been collecting dust ever since. She grew extremely frustrated with the unresponsive screen, horrible applications and slowness. She bought the iPad a month ago and is in heaven. I do agree that other choices will emerge, it just seems that the iPad raised the bar, and thus validated the market.

I just wish something with the general utility of a netbook and a good OS for touch screens existed.

 

[John Albert]

Like a small tablet notebook, perhaps? There are a number of Linux/OSS touchscreen OS projects in development.

http://tuxmobil.org/touch_laptops.html

I'd install a lightweight desktop like xfce, and one of the touchscreen front-ends for tablet-style work.

 

[Cuddles]

The thing is, the ipad doesn't surf the web nicely, it doesn't do email nicely and it doesn't do many things nicely. Want to share pictures? How are you going to post them? Want to surf the web? Sorry, the web doesn't care if you're on a touch screen!

I think this is where things like the Archos offerings have an advantage over Apple. They have many of the same problems, particularly with using the web. However, the difference is that where Apple want people to think of the iPad as able to do everything a PC can, my Archos 7 is a media player. I have my music and film collection on it, along with a few books, and take it with me when I'm travelling. The fact that it can hook up to the internet via wifi or play some silly little flash games are just little extras, not the main point of the thing, so I don't really mind that they're a little less than polished.

Basically, the iPad is a big iPhone that loses most of the convenience without really adding anything extra. Whereas I like my Archos because my mp3 player and phone can't play films or view books, I can't see any good reason to get an iPad over a smartphone.

 

[elgarak]

[...]Apple want people to think of the iPad as able to do everything a PC can, [...]

Objection!

That is NOT what Apple want people to think. That is what you think. But I think you have misunderstood Apple there.

From their iPad page: "The best way to experience the web, email, photos and videos. Hands down."

It's NOT: "Do everything your Mac does in a small portable package."

Further they say: "Thousands of apps made just for the iPad." (bolding mine).

NOT: "Run every Mac OS X application on the go."

 

[HarryKeogh]

I can't see any good reason to get an iPad over a smartphone.

How about to see an entire web page instead of scrolling, resizing (and squinting)?

 

[thaiboxerken]

So if someone were in the market for a lightweight tablet computer for say 5 or 6 hundred bucks what would you recommend? What was similar to the iPad eight years ago? A notebook computer with a screen on a swivel?

I'm typing on a Lenovo S10-31. It's a netbook/convertible with a capacitive touch screen. It cost around 500 dollars.

 

[tyr_13]

I'm typing on a Lenovo S10-31. It's a netbook/convertible with a capacitive touch screen. It cost around 500 dollars.

HP has one too, but for about $800.

---------------------------------

The same gentleman asked, "How do you watch a movie with this new bigger screen?"

I guess you have to hold it the entire time.

 

[Rrose Selavy]

I think this is where things like the Archos offerings have an advantage over Apple. They have many of the same problems, particularly with using the web. However, the difference is that where Apple want people to think of the iPad as able to do everything a PC can, my Archos 7 is a media player. I have my music and film collection on it, along with a few books, and take it with me when I'm travelling. The fact that it can hook up to the internet via wifi or play some silly little flash games are just little extras, not the main point of the thing, so I don't really mind that they're a little less than polished.

Basically, the iPad is a big iPhone that loses most of the convenience without really adding anything extra. Whereas I like my Archos because my mp3 player and phone can't play films or view books, I can't see any good reason to get an iPad over a smartphone.

New review of the Archos 7 here
Not perfect but neither is an IPad. But the difference this is around £129.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/handson-with-the-archos-7-home-tablet-a-sub-euro150-tablet-1969868.html


Compare with

British consumers will have to pay around £100 more than Americans for Apple’s iPad when it goes on sale in the UK next week.
Prices will start at £429 for the cheapest version of the tablet computer, nearly £90 more than the US price of $499 converted at today’s exchange rate. For the most expensive version of the iPad, a 64 GB model offering wi-fi and 3G connections, the premium is more than £130.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article7119823.ece

 

[Kestrel]

The $499 US price doesn't include sales tax, the UK price includes a 17.5% VAT. The VAT accounts for the majority of the difference between US and UK iPad prices.