What Do You Think About Tablet Computers?

[island911]

Originally Posted by jyl

... The app does not work if you're not online....

...and there it is... The biggest risk. I mean, on one hand, you can say "I'll always have internet..." But what if you don't? What if you want to travel with the device?

This is why it is (imo / tablet user for 5+ years) so important to have stand-alone apps. (and a computer that can run them.)

Quite a while back MSFT bought Dragon and put it into the tablet edition OS. That means that the Red's Slate will have the same functionality, even when off-line.

Considering that these are really sized to be great travel devices, they really should be able to function while traveling. ...where ever you may be.


Tho' the sun can still be a problem...



As you can see above, a palm tree shadow can be useful.

. . .oh, and I write on this tablet (cursive hand writing input) so much that I've been looking for a replacement, due to wear.

[porsche4life]

What do you propose he will be typing with no net access on the ipad? If he has no net he won't be emailing or posting to PPOT.....

[techweenie]

With 150 million (and counting) iOS devices out there, the industry switch to HTML5 is proceeding at a rapid rate. It's been interesting to watch.

At CES, there were a lot of tablets vying for the 13% of market not held by the iPad. Will be interesting to watch and see if Android improves to catch up with iOS.

iPad 2 is due in a couple months, with USB port and dual cameras (for Facetime) and possibly double the resolution. We'll see...

[island911]

Sid, sometimes, one wants to sit on a beach and put down some thoughts and plans...

Believe it or not, some people, back in the bad ol' days, would write stuff w/o internet access. --that must be a staggering thought for some.

[island911]

Originally Posted by techweenie

...

iPad 2 is due in a couple months, with USB port and dual cameras (for Facetime) and possibly double the resolution. We'll see...

I don't understand... fanboys keep telling me that I was wrong to think that those features would be good to have. ...;perfect Apple goodness, and all.

[techweenie]

Android fanboys? I don't think any Android devices have dual cameras and 2XXX X 1XXX resolution. Did I miss one?

[island911]

So the tab I have (see above pic) has dual cameras (front and back) stereo mic's 2USB ports, LAN port, VGA out, SD card reader (GREAT for off-loading big camera files) 1.5_lbs and a 1024x600 LED back-lit high resolution touch screen. . .. and the kicker is; I've had it for something like 5 years. (read: 5 years latter - show me something better)

[Halm]

Originally Posted by techweenie

Android fanboys? I don't think any Android devices have dual cameras and 2XXX X 1XXX resolution. Did I miss one?

Yep, Galaxy Tab has forward and rear facing cameras.

[island911]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

What do you propose he will be typing with no net access on the ipad? If he has no net he won't be emailing or posting to PPOT.....

I'll also add, that since I use my tab to off-load/back-up travel photo's ... when I go to annotate the photo properties, having good text input is very useful.

I suppose that if the tablet (ipad) can't take/read a little SD card, then none of that annotating functionality really does matter.

A side note-- I do notice, in my travels, that the majority use of the ipad, is to entertain children. The pads are clean(smooth) and with that simple finger-painting type input, they are even better than crayons and paper. ...a rather big display too.

[techweenie]

Originally Posted by Halm

Yep, Galaxy Tab has forward and rear facing cameras.

And what's the screen size and resolution?

It'll be interesting to see if the GT gets any serious market traction. Being related to a whole family of other products gives iPad an unfair advantage.

[techweenie]

Originally Posted by island911

A side note-- I do notice, in my travels, that the majority use of the ipad, is to entertain children. The pads are clean(smooth) and with that simple finger-painting type input, they are even better than crayons and paper. ...a rather big display too.

If by 'children' you mean Fortune 500 companies, yes, they are very popular.

[island911]

Nope, I mean sippy-cup drinking, Fruity-O's eating little kids who need something to entertain them in the back of a mini-van or on a long flight.

I mean, sure, I do see the occasional cafe-sitting business man there with an ipad - typing with an extreme awkwardness. But the majority of ipad usage, that I see, are those who just recently gained control of a toilet. ...I think.

It strikes me that for many ipad Buyers, their idea of the iPad was much better than the productive reality of the device. ...so, it becomes a hand-me-down for their kids.

[techweenie]

Island, if you can get past your pathological abhorrence for all things Apple, you might learn something here:

iPad Invades Corporate America - PCWorld Business Center

[island911]

btw techwee, If Apple made a tablet that matched the feature set of my ancient Samsung tablet, (or hopefully better) I would w/o a doubt buy it. (I can't stand the clunky old packaging of my current device) .. . but, what I have is so damn useful and convenient.

I really should just buy the HP Slate, but they take forever to get, they don't have integral GPS, and the screen resolution is no better than what I have now. ...and are physically bigger.

PS it's like I KNEW you where going to say something like that.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by island911

...

Believe it or not, some people, back in the bad ol' days, would write stuff w/o internet access. --that must be a staggering thought for some.

WHAT?????

How can you think or function without being inside das Cloud?


People need to think about what they will be doing with a tablet - or what "tablet" means. For me, a Net Appliance (only) is nearly useless. But if the Motorola Xoom tablet really does have a good GPS built in then I can ramble into the vast un-clouded outback of the western US and find things I want to find, take field notes, & etc. IF I can use 1Tbuyte of memory for my music library then all the better.

I usually think of a tablet as a small screened computer with no keyboard (except the on-screen type).

[island911]

Originally Posted by techweenie

Island, if you can get past your pathological abhorrence for all things Apple, you might learn something here:

iPad Invades Corporate America - PCWorld Business Center

Tell me something I don't know...

Really, I've been saying those things for some time. I've also said that I think Apple should have come out with a more portable sized device. --that giant etch-a-sketch sized bezel only adds to the clunkyness of the ipad. ..The device needs to be one that can be palmed in one hand. ...it's an ergonomic thing. (visual styling isn't everything . .cough-antenna-cough)

I expect a convergence to a 7 to 8" (wide screen ratio) screen, w/o a large wasted-space bezel.

I know, Apple is somewhat stuck with the old standard aspect ratio. (for programs)

[island911]

btw techwee... I need to reiterate; BUYING the device, and having a device that one gets years of productive usage out of it are two different things.

Of course though, props to Apple and their marketing.

Tho' I will note (a cautionary tale) that in the 90's Microsoft got much of the same massive amount of free press from others (media outlets and such) who all owned that great rising stock of MSFT. . . ..but APPL will be different, right?

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by island911

I suppose that if the tablet (ipad) can't take/read a little SD card, then none of that annotating functionality really does matter.

Well, the iPad can take an SD card, if you pay extra for the little add on device. I'm not sure it can do that while connecting to an external monitor, etc.

I'm beginning to understand Apple. They always leave you a little bit wanting, so you will upgrade next year...

[island911]

Originally Posted by red-beard

..

I'm beginning to understand Apple. They always leave you a little bit wanting, so you will upgrade next year...

Yeah, I've always considered it more of McD's 'fries & coke' model. That is, just as you have pointed out, your HP Slate comes with a nice case and such, whereas Apple charges quite a lot extra.

One of the other downsides to that McD's 'fries & coke' model (for the consumer) is that features like kickstand are somehow barnacled on. ...and are heavy, and don't play well with other after-thought add ons.

I compare again an ipaid to that old Samsung of mine. Mine has a nice (light) integrated kickstand. It also has a nice lanyard that is designed to double as a cinch-strap (locking to two points on the back). .which keeps the device firmly against even an open hand. --Apple has both of those features as add-on products. ...but you have to pay more for each, they add quite a bit of weight, and compete for space (can't both exist on the product).

imo - the ipad all makes for a not-so-Happy-meal.

[techweenie]

Originally Posted by island911

btw techwee... I need to reiterate; BUYING the device, and having a device that one gets years of productive usage out of it are two different things.

Of course though, props to Apple and their marketing.

Tho' I will note (a cautionary tale) that in the 90's Microsoft got much of the same massive amount of free press from others (media outlets and such) who all owned that great rising stock of MSFT. . . ..but APPL will be different, right?

I know you are a relative newcomer to the computer world, but Microsoft was my client in the mid-80s and Apple was my client (and employer) in the late 70s.

Microsoft more or less controlled the PC category media by using their PR firm to "help with" any technical articles. The behind-the-scenes cooperation was near-criminal. While any media loves a 'winner' they also love to dump on companies on the way down. Apple today has the second highest market cap in the world, behind only ExxonMobil. It has had the highest user satisfaction ratings in the PC category for about 20 years straight. If you want to suggest all that is because of children, fanboys and fawning media, well, that's your right.

Remember, Apple had the first real PDA, and while it didn't have market success, they learned a few things. And they learned a few things with the iPad and iPhone. So the iPad is a runaway success. Anything that can be viewed as a shortcoming gets a product update or third party workaround. When we needed to raise money for our company, we used the iPad as a presentation device. That same week, I watched a full-length movie. The battery consumption for both was negligible. At CES a couple weeks ago, industry folks were walking around with iPads and the accessories and cases were plentiful.

Having said all that, the iPad isn't for me. I use a MacBook Pro for everything I don't use my iPhone for. But since the iPhone offers a remote desktop app, I'm set. Industry pundits wondered if the pads would hurt laptop sales. So far not much. But they've pretty much killed the netbooks. Predicting the future is always a tricky business in tech (remember the 'iPhone isn't going to make it' thread?). But I think the iPad will hold the majority of the market for at least the next two years against the dozen or so devices that have come out or been announced.