Get ready for Google tablet hype

[Pliablemoose]

This really really smells like the Nexus One market/blog/idiot hype

OMFG a free Google tablet...

http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/18/chrome-os-tablets-coming-from-google-and-verizon-on-black-friday/

We've been waiting on pins and needles for Google to announce some official Android tablet plans for so long we'd almost forgotten about Mountain View's other operating system -- but from what we're hearing, Chrome OS is about to jump to center stage with a tablet debut on Verizon just before the holidays. Our friends at Download Squad are told by a reliable tipster that HTC is building a Tegra 2-based Chrome OS tablet for Google with a 1280 x 720 multitouch display, 2GB of RAM, at least 32GB of storage with the possibility of expansion, GPS, a webcam, and the usual wireless connectivity, including a 3G radio. Launch is pegged for Black Friday on November 26, and apparently the plan is to offer the device for extremely cheap or free on subsidy, which makes sense -- it is just a browser, after all, and "free" sounds mighty nice compared to the iPad's $499 entry point. (Of course, you'll undoubtedly be tied to a Verizon contract, but we'll just let that slide for now.) We'll see how much of this comes true in the next few months -- we're certainly intrigued.

A browser only OS tied to Verizon's tiered data plans...

Sigh.....

<---waiting for the first "It's like a iPad on beautifying steroids." post on Twitter about it.

 

[gorcorps]

Was really hoping for the next tablets to move AWAY from requiring a cellular data plan.

 

[Anubis]

Was really hoping for the next tablets to move AWAY from requiring a cellular data plan.

this this 10000 times this

 

[TheWart]

Was really hoping for the next tablets to move AWAY from requiring a cellular data plan.

Yea. Unless Verizon offers some really awesome deal for people who have VZW mobile accounts already, I don't really see a free/super cheap tablet that is saddled with a substantial data plan becoming super popular.

Maybe they will only subsidize it a bit and get the price to like $199 and keep the monthly fee in line with what AT&T charges for the iPad data plan.

 

[rudeguy]

there's a leak that Verizon is releasing a Moto tablet later this year. Its already on their inventory list.

 

[preslove]

Chrome tablet = fail.

The success of the iPad rests on one genius idea: Scale up a mobile OS, not scale down a desktop OS, or make a browser based OS (like the failed Joo Joo).

They really need to make an android tablet that isn't tied to a cell phone plan.

Really, dell or someone else should just buy Notion Ink and put out the Adam with enough backing to succeed.

 

[rudeguy]

How bout an Asus?

http://www.androidcentral.com/asus-eee-pad-scheduled-march-11-launch

 

[senseamp]

All depends on how much the data plan is, but for tablets I feel the main usage model is WiFi, so 3G is non-essential, so I'd rather buy an Android one off contract.

 

[JD50]

How bout an Asus?

http://www.androidcentral.com/asus-eee-pad-scheduled-march-11-launch

If it's under $399 like they say then I'd consider buying that instead of a netbook.

 

[rudeguy]

If it's under $399 like they say then I'd consider buying that instead of a netbook.

With a release date of March (tax time), if they stocked that thing at Walmart...it would be huge.

 

[jpeyton]

Tegra2 and a 720p screen.

Does that mean the iPad won't be the most magical way to watch videos anymore?

 

[TheWart]

With a release date of March (tax time), if they stocked that thing at Walmart...it would be huge.

For their sake I would think earlier in the year would be better. By March Apple probably will already have announced v2 of the iPad, and I wouldn't be surprised if it saw a price drop to $399 for the low-end model....not to mention the likelihood of a front-facing camera, other features, etc.

 

[rudeguy]

For their sake I would think earlier in the year would be better. By March Apple probably will already have announced v2 of the iPad, and I wouldn't be surprised if it saw a price drop to $399 for the low-end model....not to mention the likelihood of a front-facing camera, other features, etc.

vaporwha....

 

[TheWart]

vaporwha....

Are you saying this Asus tablet is vaporware? Or the iPad v2?

I think it might be a little unfair to call the Asus tablet vaporware as I think they were caught flatfooted when the consensus was building that a scaled-down version of Windows 7 was not going to hold its own against a pure Android, WebOS, or iOS tablet. Now if you are calling the iPad v2 vaporware then I am even more confused...

 

[rudeguy]

Are you saying this Asus tablet is vaporware? Or the iPad v2?

I think it might be a little unfair to call the Asus tablet vaporware as I think they were caught flatfooted when the consensus was building that a scaled-down version of Windows 7 was not going to hold its own against a pure Android, WebOS, or iOS tablet. Now if you are calling the iPad v2 vaporware then I am even more confused...

Everything is vaporware to me until I can buy it. Comparing 2 products that don't exist yet really makes my brain hurt.

 

[TheStu]

I really want one of these to come out, and be well executed. It seems that all of them that I have seen thus far have widescreen displays. I would like to see what the reviewers and users think of that compared to the iPad. It just feels like a widescreen is too weird of a shift when rotating. And although it would be fine for portrait browsing, I'm not so sure about landscape browsing.

 

[TheWart]

I really want one of these to come out, and be well executed. It seems that all of them that I have seen thus far have widescreen displays. I would like to see what the reviewers and users think of that compared to the iPad. It just feels like a widescreen is too weird of a shift when rotating. And although it would be fine for portrait browsing, I'm not so sure about landscape browsing.

I agree. On the one hand I would love a widescreen tablet for movie watching, but I think when you want it to handle ebook, web browsing, email, etc, a non-widescreen form factor would be best.

 

[senseamp]

Sounds like perfect format. Wide screen for movies in landscape, and tall screen for web browsing in portrait.

 

[tatteredpotato]

Chrome tablet = fail.

The success of the iPad rests on one genius idea: Scale up a mobile OS, not scale down a desktop OS, or make a browser based OS (like the failed Joo Joo).

But Chrome OS isn't a traditional desktop OS from what I've seen of it.

 

[senseamp]

I think they'd be better off selling a dual boot Android/Chrome device. At this point people may be interested in trying Chrome but 2 year contract commitment on a brand new OS may be a hard sell.

 

[tommo123]

hmm, i want an android/chrome tablet at some point, but not with a data plan.

why would i need one? i can just tether it to my phone if i'm using it outside

 

[cbn]

This really really smells like the Nexus One market/blog/idiot hype

OMFG a free Google tablet...

http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/18/chrome-os-tablets-coming-from-google-and-verizon-on-black-friday/



A browser only OS tied to Verizon's tiered data plans...

Sigh.....

<---waiting for the first "It's like a iPad on beautifying steroids." post on Twitter about it.

Update: The author of the Download Squad post, Lee Matthews, apparently fabricated all these specs -- in comments, he confirms that they're "pure speculation," and this his source only provided the launch date and Verizon partnership. That part certainly seems plausible, but we wouldn't necessarily believe any of this -- it's pretty suspect to just make things up.

Update 2: One of our own actually proven tipsters just hit us to say this whole thing -- including launch date -- sounds suspect, and that ARM-based Chrome OS tablets won't hit until late 2011 at least. It'll be Atom-based netbooks until then, we're told. That lines up with everything else we've ever heard from Google and its partners, so we're calling this entirely bunk until we actually see some hardware.

Looks like the article has changed.

However, I do think it is interesting that Nvidia did say way back in 2009 that $99 Tegra powered Tablets were possible.

 

[TheWart]

Well that was a let down....

 

[gorcorps]

For their sake I would think earlier in the year would be better. By March Apple probably will already have announced v2 of the iPad, and I wouldn't be surprised if it saw a price drop to $399 for the low-end model....not to mention the likelihood of a front-facing camera, other features, etc.

You mean v3 of the ipad?

 

[Bateluer]

MSI and Samsung have Android based tablets coming, as does Asus. Should be an interesting time for tablets with healthy competition all around.