Finally - a Win 7 tablet with good specs!

[MrX8503]

Has potential but will have to wait and see. The biggest problem with current tablets is they don't run real programs where real work can get done like you can on a laptop, they run very simple(by comparison) phone apps. A well done tablet that ran Windows would be really nice. We might have to wait for Windows 8 for that however.

If a tablet could do that, we wouldn't need laptops. A tablet running desktop apps has been done before so something else has to be done for it to be successful. Windows 8 will barely get us there. I don't expect tablets to be that functional for work until a few years from now. Anything you see a year from now trying to solve that problem will be clunky at best.

 

[Red Storm]

This thing is much closer to being an actual notebook than just another in a long line of "large smartphone" tablets, and with that in mind the price seems quite good. Won't be getting one as I don't have a need for it, but will be interested to see how it reviews.

 

[CurseTheSky]

This is exactly what I've been thinking over the past few days. Especially with tablets on both sides of the field becoming so affordable now, you can go one of two ways:

A phone-OS based tablet, which will have a good touch interface and a nice app store, but lack "real world" applications for productivity. They also usually get pretty good battery life and tend to be thin, light, and cool.

A desktop-OS based tablet, which will have excellent flexibility as far as what can be installed on it (software and hardware wise), but the interface will be far more clunky for actual touch input. Since they used hardware that is generally designed with notebooks and netbooks in mind, they tend to be a bit bigger and hotter, and get worse battery life.

I'm personally leaning towards the ASUS Transformer rather than this, simply because I have my laptop to use when needed anyway. I just want something small and light with excellent battery life that I can use to surf the web or write a quick email. Writing emails on my Droid X is painful.

 

[poofyhairguy]

This is exactly what I've been thinking over the past few days. Especially with tablets on both sides of the field becoming so affordable now, you can go one of two ways:

A phone-OS based tablet, which will have a good touch interface and a nice app store, but lack "real world" applications for productivity. They also usually get pretty good battery life and tend to be thin, light, and cool.

A desktop-OS based tablet, which will have excellent flexibility as far as what can be installed on it (software and hardware wise), but the interface will be far more clunky for actual touch input. Since they used hardware that is generally designed with notebooks and netbooks in mind, they tend to be a bit bigger and hotter, and get worse battery life.

So the choice is either between a refined version of the old "lets shove a real desktop OS on there" tablet from the past, or a modern tablet using actual tablet specific OSes from the current era.

Its a been there, done that, already a failure.

It amazes me how many people just can't grok the concept that there will never be a REAL tablet that runs" your favorite applications" because quite simply "your favorite applications" aren't meant for a touch interface. Just because iOS and Android lack "real" programs like Photoshop and Office doesn't mean you can't get work done- I type up documents via a bluetooth keyboard on Quickoffice almost every day.

My current theory is that for some people the idea of spending so much on a device that can't replace other devices irks them enough to get washed away in Billy G's vision of a single device to rule them all, even though that vision have been rejected by the general public.....

 

[MrX8503]

I think the problem is that people want a device to rule them all, so they turn to tablets.

The fact of the matter is that a tablet can't do those things, at least not in the near future. The problem is threefold: software, hardware, and physical touch input. Tablets nowadays are lucky to get two of those things right. People get too caught up in what they want that they forget what the real purpose of a tablet is.

 

[Throckmorton]

Will it have a pen mode for drawing??

 

[RobertPters77]

Has potential but will have to wait and see. The biggest problem with current tablets is they don't run real programs where real work can get done like you can on a laptop, they run very simple(by comparison) phone apps. A well done tablet that ran Windows would be really nice. We might have to wait for Windows 8 for that however.

This guy right here. Hit the nail on the head.

 

[RobertPters77]

My current theory is that for some people the idea of spending so much on a device that can't replace other devices irks them enough to get washed away in Billy G's vision of a single device to rule them all, even though that vision have been rejected by the general public.....

I Disrespectfully Disagree. Ask any professional user what they need a in a tablet and Silly Billy's vision is exactly what they want. Tablet's will never replace notebooks but will come close. Likewise with notebooks replacing desktops, and desktops making servers obsolete. Not gonna happen, but the gap will be bridged to allow enough functionality to be deemed a success.

I'm sad that windows XP tablet edition flopped. It was an idea way ahead of it's time. It only needed a bit more OEM support and maybe a die shrink or two, to give better battery life and better performance.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I'm sad that windows XP tablet edition flopped. It was an idea way ahead of it's time. It only needed a bit more OEM support and maybe a die shrink or two, to give better battery life and better performance.

I have a Windows XP tablet, and the problem wasn't the hardware. In fact that little Toshiba was probably the most solid laptop I have had.

The issue was, and still is, that an OS designed around mouse clicks doesn't work that well with touch without a reworking at the application level.

 

[shortylickens]

W500 -> XOOM:
50 dollars cheaper. Desktop OS. Includes keyboard.
Yup, unless its riddled with bugs this puppy is a win.

Could easily replace my Acer Netbook for carrying around in a backpack. My only concern would be how to use a windows computer with just touchscreen. But I bet the local Best Buy mobile store will let me play with one and find out.

 

[shortylickens]

FFFAAAAAACCCCKKKKK!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Acer-W500-1280...2658907&sr=1-3

Lying bastards, I knew it!
100 bucks more, and supposedly thats with a 350 dollar "discount" from what they claim to be a thousand dollar MSRP.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Windows on ARM, just as you wish:

http://unplugged.rcrwireless.com/in...s-already-up-and-running-on-arm-architecture/

 

[runawayprisoner]

Engadget even has a video of it running. I'll post a new thread...

 

[RobertPters77]

I have a Windows XP tablet, and the problem wasn't the hardware. In fact that little Toshiba was probably the most solid laptop I have had.

The issue was, and still is, that an OS designed around mouse clicks doesn't work that well with touch without a reworking at the application level.

To tell you the truth, I never owned a tablet. Just had extensive experience with one, thanks to my school's computer lab. God I loved that thing. HP with a 10" screen(can't remember the exact name). I never had a problem with the touchscreen input because I always used the included stylus. Btw you never seen anyone complaining about the DS's touch screen input.

 

[sm625]

I've read a lot of reviews for this thing but there are three very important pieces of information I am missing.

1. How long does the battery last when you are doing nothing but playing mp3s into a pair of headphones, at low volume?

2. How long does the battery last when you are playing standard definition netflix out the hdmi port with the screen off?

3. How long does the battery last in standby mode? For example if all I do is pick up the tablet off the nightstand a few times a day to do a quick google search, how long will the battery last? I want the thing to be usable instantly so hibernate is not an option.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

The other thing to consider is whether it is any good as a tablet. Adding touch control overlay to a keyboard and mouse OS does not make it a tablet OS, IMO. I've played with touch screen Windows desktops at Microcenter, and the touch functionality is basically a gimmick that sort of kind of works sometimes.

Intel has actually recently announed a project they worked on to get Windows 7 touch capability more inline with iOS. They've drastically streamlined the touch interface and effectively cut the bandwidth and computing requirements in half to run the display.
They made a single core atom tablet with 1GB RAM run smooth as butter.

http://www.techradar.com/news/compu...indows-7-tablets-can-outperform-ipad-2-961563

 

[MrX8503]

This tablet is gonna be a fail.

Tablets are supposed to be lean running machines and this isn't it. People will never get that specs don't win the race. Good luck using that tablet....tethered to a wall outlet.

 

[Tristicus]

Acer D:

 

[poofyhairguy]

Intel is screwed for 2011 with its tablets. No OS for them to run.

They run Android slower than ARM, Windows 7 is mostly mouse and not touch (and "touch for click" doesn't always work), MeeGo has been shot by its main partner, and their GPUs have become less open source friendly lately.

 

[Fox5]

I'd say the Windpad is better hardware, it cuts off half a pound from the weight.

Even still, AMD's chips are looking better for tablets in the same way they look better for netbooks. If AMD can get some 28nm Bobcat designs out, I'd say they have a lock on the x86 tablet market.

 

[sm625]

This tablet gets good reviews. People saying win 7 isnt built for tablets neglect to mention the fact that even an ipad hardly works flawlessly. I played with the ipad2 the other day and it was extremely frustrating. Multiple click thrus, lag, screen rotating on its own, etc etc. These things do not run smoothly no matter what OS they have or who makes them. At least with windows I can write my own apps and run those that I have written over the years. And I can also plug a keyboard and mouse into it and actually dive into its guts and set it up any way I want. I can fill the entire taskbar with customized autohotkey scripts just like I do with my desktop. But there is no point in doing any of that if it cant give at least 24 hours in standby.

 

[electriccircus]

so now that this has been out for a while.. has anyone had any big issues with it? specs seem ok but i cant get myself to buy in yet.. theres new tablets coming out every week almost..