iPad Alternatives: The difference between Vaporware and a real competitor

[MrX8503]

I came across this article and it got me thinking.

http://www.networkworld.com/slideshows/2010/080210-ipad-alternatives.html#slide2

Promise after promise, prototype after prototype, vaporware after vaporware. Where are the tablets? The iPad is currently laying waste to the competition because well....there is no competition. I believe there are two reasons as to why there isn't a tablet alternative:

1st: All of the tablet makers were in a "wait n see" of how the iPad will do. All the prototypes you see now are rushed devices, hence vaporware. At least that's my theory.

2nd: Manufacturers are trying to make a tablet a full computer. Well, a tablet is not a full computer, nor is it a netbook/laptop.

Desktop Win7 won't work on a tablet. What we need is a Tablet OS.

This is what happens when you have a full OS on a tablet...

Win7 > Power hungry CPU > Expensive > Bad battery life > Heavy > Not portable

On top of all of this you have:

Win7 > Mouse Navigation UI > Poor Finger navigation > Sluggish UI

Adding every port (usb, hdmi, sd card reader) doesn't change the problems above. Either we use an optimized Tablet OS, or we need a much more efficient/powerful CPU to support a full OS. Why have a corvette if the engine came from a honda civic?

A tablet needs to be:

Fast
Long battery life (10hrs)
Portable
Tablet OS
~$500

In order for it to be successful. How manufacturers get there, they would have to figure out, but I don't think the answer is with Desktop Windows 7.

 

[tatteredpotato]

I think the bigger issue is all Android tablets (which seem to be about the only tablets besides the iPad hitting the market) are made by no-name foreign companies. If HTC or Moto would make one it would fare slightly better, but those companies are going to wait for better google support for the form factor.

EDIT: Also you can't put a price "floor" on these things, Android devices will be inherently cheaper than an Apple since the device mfgr doesn't have to pay for the OS dev. costs.

 

[rudeguy]

again...I don't see anyone coming close to Apple with tablets anytime soon.

They hit a home run with the iPad. Everyone else is still trying to figure out how to build a bat.

 

[Patranus]

Um.....

Only 1 of those is shipping.

 

[MrX8503]

Um.....

Only 1 of those is shipping.

lol exactly my point. There's no promising tablet coming soon. HP Slate looked pretty interesting but got axed.

 

[theeedude]

You can have HDMI, USB, and SD card reader on a phone processor based device. There are phones which have those. Having those included does make for a better device, because it can be standalone computing device that will act as a replacement for instead of addition to a computer (or netbook), IMO.
That said, it's mostly the 1st reason, the old wait and see. Too many failed tablet computers before, no one wanted to invest the money in building something more than just prototypes until the category was proven out. Most companies don't have the nice cash cushion that Apple has to make a big unproven bet.
The reasoning is, hey, let's see what happens to Apple, if it's successful, we'll have something out for the holiday/back to school season, if not, it's going to save us some money to wait and see. Plus in the meantime, Apple is out there creating a market for these devices. People see an iPad, they like the idea, then they see price tag and some say, hey what else is out there, maybe I'll wait for an Android tablet.

 

[Patranus]

lol exactly my point. There's no promising tablet coming soon. HP Slate looked pretty interesting but got axed.

Yup.

 

[MrX8503]

You can have HDMI, USB, and SD card reader on a phone processor based device. There are phones which have those. Having those included does make for a better device, because it can be standalone computing device that will act as a replacement for instead of addition to a computer (or netbook), IMO.
That said, it's mostly the 1st reason, the old wait and see. Too many failed tablet computers before, no one wanted to invest the money in building something more than just prototypes until the category was proven out. Most companies don't have the nice cash cushion that Apple has to make a big unproven bet.
The reasoning is, hey, let's see what happens to Apple, if it's successful, we'll have something out for the holiday/back to school season, if not, it's going to save us some money to wait and see. Plus in the meantime, Apple is out there creating a market for these devices. People see an iPad, they like the idea, then they see price tag and some say, hey what else is out there, maybe I'll wait for an Android tablet.

I agree, but manufacturers think that if they add a USB that its a better tablet, which is far from the truth.

The problem with "wait n see" is being late to the game. Apparently iOS and the tablet idea was being developed under wraps at Apple for several years even before the iPhone in 2007. That is a significant amount of time going towards R&D backed by Apple's billions of dollars in the bank to support it.

 

[spaceman]

who cares
ipad will be boutique marginalzed in less than 3 yrs
just like the iphone
and u apple fans know it
lol

 

[MrX8503]

who cares
ipad will be boutique marginalzed in less than 3 yrs
just like the iphone
and u apple fans know it
lol

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic. lol

The iPhone was released in 2007. Almost 4 years later its still going strong.

 

[rudeguy]

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic. lol

The iPhone was released in 2007. Almost 4 years later its still going strong.

I don't think Spacey knows either. But that's why we love him.

BTW...Hard Candy is one of my new favorite movies.

 

[spaceman]

not being sarcastic sorry
u have two factions on this subforum
the irrational
and the irritated
guess whos who

 

[MrX8503]

This thread isn't really about what device is better than another. Its more about why we don't have tablets.

 

[spaceman]

this thread is just tranparent shill for the ipad
you are as interested in the "alternatives" as much as I am in precision weedwacking
lets not kid ourselves
its pretty insulting actually

Your posts in this thread appear as baiting/trolling to me as well as a mild personal attack regarding the motives of the poster.
Please read the sticky at the top of the forum.

Moderator PM

 

[theeedude]

iPad was released in April. We are talking 4 months. Is it wonderful for Apple to have several months of tablet monopoly? Yes. Those are the rewards of taking the risk on a new category and being first to it. But is it bad for all the other players? Not necessarily. Apple is out there creating a new category that they can come into later and commoditize the sh!t out of. Are they going to make Apple's gross margins on it? No. Are they taking same risks that Apple is taking? Also no. They are going to be coming in with a free OS into an established segment, and competing on price, basically we are talking millions (maybe tens of millions) of dollars risked as opposed to hundreds of millions to do this from scratch. If you don't have tens of billions in the bank like Apple, that could be a wise decision to make as a business, even if you have to forgo Apple's profit margins.

 

[MrX8503]

this thread is just tranparent shill for the ipad
you are as interested in the "alternatives" as much as I am in precision weedwacking
lets not kid ourselves
its pretty insulting actually

Says the guy with an Android avatar. Get your jollies elsewhere by spreading your bias.

That's enough you two. Take it to PMs.
-ViRGE

 

[IntelUser2000]

Desktop Win7 won't work on a tablet. What we need is a Tablet OS.

Good post by the OP. When you put Windows 7 on a Tablet device costing $500 they are essentially competing with the Netbooks that have full functional keyboards and cost $200 less. Plus because Tablets have to be somewhat smaller than a Netbook it has to sacrifice battery life, which is very critical on a device like the Tablet.

There's no way anyone can make a sleek, Windows 7 Tablet that has 7-10 hours battery life because the OS itself doesn't lend itself to being slimmed down. Even Intel will forgo Windows on Moorestown to make Tablets that last 8 hours or more and be slim.

 

[MrX8503]

Good post by the OP. When you put Windows 7 on a Tablet device costing $500 they are essentially competing with the Netbooks that have full functional keyboards and cost $200 less. Plus because Tablets have to be somewhat smaller than a Netbook it has to sacrifice battery life, which is very critical on a device like the Tablet.

There's no way anyone can make a sleek, Windows 7 Tablet that has 7-10 hours battery life because the OS itself doesn't lend itself to being slimmed down. Even Intel will forgo Windows on Moorestown to make Tablets that last 8 hours or more and be slim.

Great post. I've never thought of it that way. Tablets need to compliment a laptop. We don't have the tech yet to replace laptops with more portable devices. I think tablet makers going with a mobile os are heading in the right direction.

A tablet needs to be efficient and windows 7 isn't the answer. If it was I would be rockin an HP Slate right now

 

[akugami]

I think this Ars Technica article shows why MS's efforts will fail. If anything I believe a competitor has to come from either Windows Phone 7 or Android. Barring that, MS could take the underpinnings of Windows 7 and design a true touch based UI on top of it.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

I think this Ars Technica article shows why MS's efforts will fail. If anything I believe a competitor has to come from either Windows Phone 7 or Android. Barring that, MS could take the underpinnings of Windows 7 and design a true touch based UI on top of it.

Speaking of the Slate and phone OS's, I bet we'll see what HP does with WebOS by Q4.

 

[JD50]

I have a very hard time believing that Microsoft will be able to compete with either Android or Apple in the tablet market or smartphone market.

 

[MrX8503]

I think this Ars Technica article shows why MS's efforts will fail. If anything I believe a competitor has to come from either Windows Phone 7 or Android. Barring that, MS could take the underpinnings of Windows 7 and design a true touch based UI on top of it.

Thanks for the article. I think this is where MS is out of touch. Honestly I think their winmo 7 would be a better candidate for a tablet than windows 7

 

[Pliablemoose]

Windows 7 will never work well on a tablet, people expect to install software on a full desk top os, and it'll be a nightmare on a tablet..

I think windows phone 7 looks like hell and will be a miserable tablet UI

Android has the best shot at a tablet OS if Google doesn't screw the pooch, and IMHO, that's a real possibility...

 

[JS80]

Agree Android is the only one with a shot at viable iPad alternative. And I expect Google to deliver.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Speaking of the Slate and phone OS's, I bet we'll see what HP does with WebOS by Q4.

I'm not holding my breath. HPalm better at least "leak" some specs and images out, for something, if they want people to wait for them.