The bluetooth cases with keyboards help with the input issue. The downside of the keyboard case is size and weight which become similar to a light notebook. The tablets such as the iPad, which never need booting, is what makes them so useful to have laying around the house.

My iPad is used around the house continually by someone. The desktop PC's need a good dusting.

Good to hear... I won't have to worry about my cats messing with my tablet...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1305739541.jpg

They have built in precision pointers...

Bought an iPad one at walmart in March for $399 and a Verizon mifi
for $25.

Great on vacation but buying digital versions of Total 911 and GT Porsche for $4.95 each was my decider.

For those that are torn between the raw functionality of the latest Android tablets and the clean styling of the iPad2, here's your tablet:

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition review -- Engadget

It looks like the army of Android system developers are finally starting to separate the wheat from the chaff and create some cutting edge products. I can't wait to see the NVIDIA quad-core based tablets that should start showing up towards the end of the year. Should have styling like this or better while giving you modern laptop level performance.

Neat!

I hope iOS gets to the point where it can replace a computer. We just need a consolidated documents folder, some app tweaks, and the ability to plug it into some kind of time capsule dock. Before it came out I was thinking heavily about an Axiotron Modbook.

Have you considered Zagg?

See, now THAT (imo) is worthwhile. ...but obviously wouldn't appeal to the many consumers who imagine the $500 iPad meeting all of their computing needs. :-/

All of these 'phone OS pads' (w/o the phone) simply annoy. (android or Mac) ...they bring up hope . . .and . . ah, crap. really? ..that's it?

Either put a phone in it, or put a real OS in.. sheesh.

I don't really know anyone who thinks that tablets are replacements for traditional computers. But they might do 90% of what you need most of the time.

We seem to be headed on a one-to-many path. You used to own one desktop computer that did everything. Then you added a laptop for mobility. Then they got cheap enough to buy one for your wife and kids.

Pretty soon you'll have tablets sitting on end tables and coffee tables around the house, another dedicated tablet magnetically clipped to the fridge for recipes and grocery lists, maybe one out in the garage for parts and instructions, our cell phones are more powerful than desktop computers a few years ago, etc.

Yeah. The vast majority of people have no need to view, much less create, Excel files on their tablet. There is a market for tablets that do everything a PC will do, but to date it is a tiny market, as proved by the miniscule unit sales of those machines.

Compared to the iPad and the Android Tablets, sure. I know that HP was surprised since they received more orders on day 1 for their Win 7 tablet than they ever expected to produce. I think the number is around 50K in 6 months. That is a LOT of Windows machines. But less than 1% of the iPad and iPad II

My issues with the iPad are:

1. Missing features (built in SD card port, flash, etc)
2. General issue that it is not stand alone
3. The Price

I have seen the iPad and it is very very nice. And I understand part of what makes it just plain work is the control over every detail Apple has. But that isn't for me.

I love this Galaxy Tab. The size is better. The build quality. The fact that it has NEVER been connected to a PC. But it is missing features that would allow me to use it as a stand alone machine. But it is great for e-mail, web surfing and the little "apps" I've put on it.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab has probably sold about 2-3MM units in the appx 6 months since introduction, though some of that is channel-stuffing, not actual retail sales. I think it is the most successful of the non-AAPL tablets, so far. The RIM Playbook has supposedly sold 250K units in the first month. The Motorola Xoom has reportedly sold about 500K units in the couple months since introduction, will soon be considered a flop. The companies in the Android tablet ecosystem are now starting to talk about why the initial round of Android tablets have not been successful, and about why the next round will turn the tide. Reasons cited include too-high prices, requiring carrier contracts, pre-Honeycomb O/S, etc, We've talked about being able to pick up liquidation Android tablets with good hardware specs including Tegra 2 processors for $100 by 2H11, and I think that is going to happen.

Can't get this for any of the other tablets... iPad FTW

ThinkGeek :: iCADE - iPad Arcade Cabinet

Kindle sold about 7-8MM units in 2010, most estimates are 15MM-ish in 2011, AMZN doesn't disclose hardware units but does disclose eBook sales that are zooming (running +300% from last year, selling more eBooks than print books). Kindle is now $114 and likely breaks the $100 point for holidays.

Nook Color reportedly sold 1MM units over the holidays and maybe 2MM so far this year. Some number of the Nooks are being rooted.

So, actually, you could argue Kindle is the most successful non-AAPL tablet with the Galaxy Tab tied with the Nook Color. The advantage of the ereaders is that they have a recurring revenue model (ebook sales) so they can be sold at cost.

Basically the 2011 tablet market currently looks something like AAPL at 50-60MM units, Kindle at 15MM, Nook maybe 4MM - and everyone else fighting over 5MM to 15MM depending on where you are on the pessimist-optimist scale.

That is an amazing size market. You cannot fault Apple for its success.

Pretty soon? Sounds like the past 6 years at my house.

. . .which I suppose is why I'm so disappointed with so many of the Walmart-ish tablets.

I also expected better tablet/cellular integration by now.

I don't think my wife would put up with that...

I am a little bit disappointed with my HP Slate, in that I would think that HP and/or Microsoft would make a sub-interface for the Tablet, using Win 7. I'd call it a "skin" which would make touch screen a lot easier. It would be a lot less difficult than speech recognition. You would need to make the buttons and menus fatter.

Anyway. Nothing is perfect. Nothing.

At least your HP has the nice stylus for precise cursor control and palm-hit rejection. But yeah, for finger-touch (Cap-sense) that's rather crude for the small fields w/in Windows. ...of course you can increase the size of those windows fields . ..but that wastes screen real estate. (yes, nothing is perfect)

fwiw, quite a few of the older Windows tablets have stylus-selectable buttons along the bezel. ...which are usually user-programmable. My Old Samsung has a user-programmable D-pad, which is super useful. Also, it uses a resistive touch screen - meaning, it has precise input with anything pointy. (stylus, coffee-stirrer, finger-nail). However, the big down-side with either cap or resistive sense is that there is no cursor hover. ...you are either selecting an area or not.

Considering that many web-pages have features based on cursor hover, I can't see how the people with Only cap-sense (and no mouse coughApplecough) can claim that they have a good web device.

Android suffers from that as well. Again, nothing is perfect.

I do find it funny that HP is pushing WebOS, Blackberry is pushing out tablets and Microsoft is trying to create another OS for Tablets...

I think they're seeing the market, as described by John.

Posting from the Acer tab now while sitting by the lake, smoking a cigar, drinking a Talisker 10yr, playing online, listening to Buddy Guy and just watched an old episode of South Park via TV show stream. It is mostly a toy, but I've also managed some work functionality as the 3D cart back end is workable with dolphin browser.

That was my first thought too. ..but then I edited out the 'coughAndroidcough' part, as I vaguely remembered that android had some cursor support.

here's an example.

<iframe width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gVBQYw_37Pg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

and ..

<iframe width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3w439neLjcc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

kind of funny really . .Oh a mouse cursor! ...what next? Cut & Paste?

I really hope HPQ succeeds with webOS. It is a really nice O/S. It is incredible that HPQ bought PALM and then let the Pre line languish for a year without a new model. Criminal stupidity. A year in phone/tablet land is like a decade in other industries. Another company guilty of criminal incompetence is NOK. How can the #1 handset maker have allowed itself to become all but irrelevant in smartphones and zero in tablets? Every single executive should have been fired a long time ago. It is very possible that, in 5-10 years, there will be no more Nokia phones. It almost happened to Motorola, actually that jury is still out.

I was a serious PalmOS guy. Palm ran the same OS for 3 years, and then never released a new OS. In that time I ended up switching to Windows Mobile which was pretty well supported at the time.

WebOS is a day late and a dollar short. It is a captive OS, only for HP devices. This is the strength of Android, in that anyone can build an Android phone.

It is also a problem for Android, since there are so many hardware variations. But I see this as better, since you get to choose what you want.

Intersting review of the different tabs

http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/scitech/2011/05/19/2011-tablet-roundup/?test=faces#slide=13

Island, you realize that different people use products in different ways and capacities, yes? Not everyone needs nor wants all of the things you bring up in every post.

Even with my personal laptop, I rarely do anything more than surf the web, watch video, and listen to music. At this point, I do at least 50% of my web surfing from my iPhone. I will get a tablet within the next 18 months (probably an iPad) and it will relegate my laptop to occaisonal use only.

FWIW I rarely have issues with my "fat fingers" being able to hit the correct buttons on the screen. Even in portrait.

All of this (and in fact the majority of my posts to pelican these days) typed from my iPhone.

once the others start to take a bite out of Apple, they will just release an iPad 3...

I think Apple has a big lead in these things. AND, they can command the best prices from component makers, too...

Ipad plant blows up

Explosion Kills 2 at Foxconn Plant - WSJ.com

I'm in a Marriott right now. No wifi, only Ethernet cable. If I hadn't jail broke my iPhone and used it as a wifi hotspot I'd be SOL unless I signed up for ATT service on my iPad. I'm seriously thinking I'll bring the wife's mini laptop on the next trip, half the price, Ethernet and wifi, can directly copy pics from a camera, can directly upload pic to PP, can read and edit Word and Excel documents, can use a mouse.

In retrospect, I don't think I'd have bought an iPad. Nice toy, but limited for my uses.

maybe the that Lenovo tablet/laptop is worth a look

Hugh, a small Wifi router is smaller and easier than a laptop.

Amazon.com: Cisco-Linksys WTR54GS Wireless G Travel Router with Speedbooster: Electronics

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

Here is the Slate being used as a mini laptop:

Front with Keyboard and Mouse:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1306211012.jpg

From the side

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1306211043.jpg

The Slate in its portable case, ready to go:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1306211089.jpg

I expect that my Slate and the Galaxay Tab are going to be good friends.

Apple airport express works well for that as well. It can also be used to stream music, and/or as a print server...

What is the battery life of the Slate?

6+ hours.

Have you checked out the windows tablets coming from Acer Lenovo Asus etc? What do you think? How about the convertibles, e.g. Lenovo X series?

The Iconia W looks pretty good, but it has only a 32GB hard drive and it weighs a little more. It states it has HDMI and 4 USB slots, but it isn't clear if that is an interface or built in. It does have an SD card slot, so you will be able to expand the storage. It doesn't say if it is SDHC (32GB) or SDXC (64GB).

Asus E-Slate:
Better processor (i5, dual core)
Weighs a little more
Shorter battery life 4.5 hours
SDXC interface
2 USB and 1 HDMI
Also has precision pointer
Win 7 Home Premium

Lenovo X220
12" screen, so really a small laptop
Battery life 4.5-18 hours, depending on the batteries
I do not understand the usefullness of it converting to a tablet. To me the usefullness of the tablet is that it is small and has no keyboard and it light. With the spin top, you still have all of the weight, and just have a touch screen.


Lenovo - Laptops - ThinkPad - X Series Tablets - X220 Tablet

I find it hard to do serious Office-type work without a keyboard and pointing device. So I would be carrying a keyboard anyway. Ideally it would be available at all times, hence my interest in a convertible. The keyboard shouldn't add hardly any weight and not much thickness, see the MacAir and other superthin laptops.

I liked my X41 Tablet, but Windows Tablet wasn't impressive at that time.

spin tops get the keyboard out of your way while walking around & doing inventory or something

that's all...

That is the problem with the convertable. It adds a lot of weight to it. My SLATE is 1.86 lbs and the keyboard is maybe .75. Mouse is a few oz. Total is under 3 lbs. And when you don't need the keyboard and mouse, you only have 1.86 lbs.

With the convertable, it is going to weigh 6+ no matter what you do. What do you see as the advantage to flipping the screen over for the convertable? Under what circumstance would you do that?

I mean that, they could make a convertible that is no thicker or heavier than a Mac Air. They don't, yet, AFAIK.