Laptops & Desktops

John Morris & Sean Portnoy

The first iPad challengers are here

By John Morris | September 3, 2010, 7:55am PDT

Summary: IFA, the big consumer electronics show in Berlin, officially starts today and several companies are using the event to announce long-rumored tablets. Do any of them have what it takes to compete with Apple’s iPad?

IFA, the big consumer electronics show in Berlin, officially starts today and several companies are using the event to announce long-rumored tablets, nearly all of which are based on Google’s Android operating system. But do any of them have what it takes to compete with Apple?

One of the more hotly-anticipated iPad wannabes is Samsung’s Galaxy Tab. The Tab is smaller than the iPad because it is based on a 7-inch LCD display, not a 9.7-inch display, and it weighs 0.8 pounds. The Tab is based on a 1.0GHz ARM Cortex A8-based processor, and comes with 512MB of DRAM, either 16- or 32GB of internal flash storage and an expansion slot for adding a microSD cards with capacities up to 32GB. Like Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones, the Tab runs the TouchWiz 3.0 user interface on Android 2.2 (Froyo). Google’s version of the OS optimized for tablets, Android 3.0 or Gingerbread, isn’t available yet, so Samsung customized Froyo for the Tab’s WSVGA (1024 x 600) capacitive touchscreen. It will be upgradable to Gingerbread, according to Samsung.

The Tab supports both 2.5G GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 3G HSPA wireless networks, as well as 802.11n. Like the Dell Streak, the Tab is designed for voice communications, as well as 3G data, and you can use it either as a speakerphone or with a wireless headset (Bluetooth 3.0 is also on board). It has a front-facing 1.3MP camera for videoconferencing and a rear-facing 3MP camera that can capture still images and video. The software is organized around hubs for different applications including e-books (Kobo for books and Zinio for magazines), video and music. Samsung claims it is the first tablet to support DivX, as well as the usual video formats. Android 2.2 also supports Adobe Flash 10.1. The e-mail client, which looks a lot like the iPad, and calendar applications are also generating some positive first impressions. The Tab can also access the Android Marketplace, which has tens of thousands of additional apps.

Here is some early coverage of the Galaxy Tab:

Samsung Galaxy Tab Hands On! [Android Central]
Samsung: Galaxy Tab has leg up on Apple iPad [CNET]
Samsung Galaxy Tab preview [Engadget]
Hands-On with Samsung’s Galaxy Tab Android Tablet [Huffington Post]
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab is Official [Technologizer]

The Galaxy Tab will be available in Europe later this month and “soon after” in the U.S. and Asia. Samsung has not announced pricing.

The second big tablet announcement at IFA came from Toshiba, which unveiled its Folio 100 at a press conference. The Folio is based on 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen (1,024×768), and it is slightly thicker (0.6 inches) and heavier (1.7 pounds) than the iPad. It is powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 2 processor, and comes 16GB of internal flash storage and an SD slot for adding more storage. Like the Galaxy Tab, the Folio will have a custom interface on top of Android 2.2 (though Toshiba has a lot more work left to do on its interface, according to Engadget).

Toshiba will sell a 3G version in some countries, but the first model will be WiFi only (802.11n) and like the iPad, it is clearly designed more for data than voice communications. The Folio also has Bluetooth 2.1 EDR. It has a front-facing 1.3MP camera for videoconferencing and comes with the Fring VoIP client, but not a second high-resolution camera. Other bundled applications the Opera Mobile browser, an e-book reader (FBReader), DataViz’s Documents To Go and Evernote. Like the Galaxy Tab, the Folio’s supports Adobe Flash 10.1. The Toshiba Market Place provides access to media, powered by 7Digital’s music subscription service, and apps, but one of the biggest strikes against the Folio is that it can’t access the Android Market. This could be a deal-killer for a lot of potential customers.

Here are some links to early coverage of the Folio 100:

Toshiba debuts Android-powered Folio 100 tablet [CNET]
Toshiba Folio 100 preview [Engadget]

The WiFi only version will be available starting in the fourth quarter of 2010 in Europe, Middle East and Africa for around $500. The 3G version will be available early next year.

LG Electronics has gotten a lot of press with the promise that its Optimus Pad will be better than the iPad, at least for productivity applications, but so far at IFA it has focused on TV and other home entertainment equipment. Earlier this week, Sony announced a new lineup of e-book readers, but not a full-fledged tablet. Archos announced five MIDs/tablets, with displays ranging in size from 2.8 to 10.1 inches-all running Android 2.2. And ViewSonic announced 7- and 10-inch tablets, also based on Froyo. HP plans to release its Windows 7 Slate later this year, followed by a webOS tablet in early 2011.

Of these pretenders, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab seems to have the best shot at luring based on it specs, a solid user interface and some very positive early reviews. Though if the rumors are true, the pricing could scare off some would-be buyers.

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Topics

Apple iPad, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Google Android 2.2, Toshiba Corp., Tab, Folio, Toshiba Market Place, Tablets, 3G, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, John Morris

John Morris is a former executive editor at CNET Networks and senior editor at PC Magazine.

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These look so much nicer than the iPad!

They won't kill the iPad of course since none of these will be marketed properly. Too bad because the consumer loses.
NonZealot
3rd Sep 2010
- Reply to
- Flagged
Hey NZ, poor marketing... why is that?

@NonZealot

why do these people always have poor marketing. Can't comment on Samsung or the other guys in the article but for Apple's other rivals they usually OUTSPEND Apple in advertising:

Msft with half it's sales in enterprise spends three times Apple in Advertising.

Dell with about 10-20% of Apple's net profits a quarter spends more on ads than Apple.

Verizon Motorola spent 100 million on the Droid launch alone which is 20% of Apples ENTIRE ad budget of 2009 (iPods, iPhones, Software, Macs, iTunes, Apple stores etc).

Msft is estimated going to spend hundreds of millions to launch WP7 .

I can only conclude that just like in software, hardware Apple rivals ALSO fail vs Apple in marketing...
Davewrite
3rd Sep 2010
- Reply to
- Flag
You are wasting your time, Davewrite

The only metrics they believe in here are hardware metrics. Nothing else matters to them. Have you ever seen the excuse making for Windows in this e-rag? Pathetic!!!
mlindl
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
RE: The first iPad challengers are here

@Davewrite

Because these companies will not say their device has magical powers like Apple does. That and many people think owning an Apple gadget has some prestigious status status associated with it or something.
bobiroc
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
RE: The first iPad challengers are here

@Davewrite
Yes msft spent millions to launch wp7 which is why it has a greater share of the market than mac os...after 1 month of launch. But as typical of apple users who think their universe defines the universe. Of the billions that msft spends on advertisments, why do you assume that they should be spending it to match apple products?? They spend it on their core business like software. I don't see any apple ads in my developer's journals. Nor do I see any ads about apple servers...oh wait there are no such things worth speaking of. And then there is xbox, oh wait apple has no ads there either. Do you even have a clue on how many other types of business samsung does and you want them to spend a big chunk of their ad dollars on tablets. By the way how many ipads have been sold so far? And what percentage is that compare to PC sales, mind you 1 million PCs are shipped per day. So where would you spend your money? How about on "hi I'm a mac" commercials because that ad campaign did next to nothing for mac desktop shares.
rengek
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
@bobiroc

@bobiroc

you say "Because these companies will not say their device has magical powers like Apple does."

When you have POOR products and you 'wax poetic' with the claims people LAUGH at you and your sales tank, Apple rivals knows this and are NOT confident of their products so they do NOT DARE to make big claims. Every time they make big claims (like Palm: "after June 2009 everyone will be using a Palm Pre and not the iPhone) you look like Dorks.

Apple can make great claims because their products are stella and they have absolute confidence. When you have great products and shout it to the sky YOU SELL billions $$$ worth of product
Davewrite
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
RE: The first iPad challengers are here

@Davewrite They may spend more than Apple, but Apple seems to get a lot of Free Press with all the rumor sites.
mrlinux
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
@mrlinux Why doesn't Apple rivals get press?

@mrlinux

you say "hey may spend more than Apple, but Apple seems to get a lot of Free Press with all the rumor sites.

why is that?
Apple only has 5% worldwide PC marketshare
about 2% worldwide cell phone
etc etc

which apple haters like to point out.
Msft have PAID programs to encourage blogging for msft etc. (e.g Slashdot: "Michael Arrington, Om Malik, Fred Wilson, Richard MacManus get funding from Msft")

"MSN recently put out a call to hire paid bloggers to write and edit Web sites about five broad topics: fashion/food/style, music, sports, technology, and television, MediaPost reports. The marketing news site says MSN recruiting ads began appearing on various journalism career sites such as Mediabistro.com and JournalismJobs.com late last week. I have confirmed the report (see screenshot at left from MediaBistro). The ads sought editors to write and produce between 5 and 10 blog posts "

I have not heard of Apple doing this.

So again why is Apple getting All this free press?

Unless of course they are make GREAT products.... ??
Davewrite
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
rengek: You are really an idiot

@rengek Explain to us how WP7 managed to gain a huge share of the market without even being released? You do know that it just got RTM and that not a single WP7 product is even close to be out on production.

You are the biggest idiot in the world.
wackoae
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
@rengek: WP7 is has larger marketshare... BEFORE launch????

rengek says:

"Yes msft spent millions to launch wp7 which is why it has a greater share of the market than mac os"

WOW..
MIRACLES ABOUND in the NON APPLE UNIVERSE
MUST BE THE FORCE...

WP7 gets bigger marketshare BEFORE launch...

"Windows Phone7 gets bigger marketshare than Apple BEFORE launch. PC users happy with their IMAGINARY non existent WP7 phones. LOOK they are DIALING in mid air!"

and they say Apple guys have 'reality distortion fields'.
lol
Davewrite
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
RE: The first iPad challengers are here

@Davewrite

"you say "Because these companies will not say their device has magical powers like Apple does."

When you have POOR products and you 'wax poetic' with the claims people LAUGH at you and your sales tank, Apple rivals knows this and are NOT confident of their products so they do NOT DARE to make big claims. Every time they make big claims (like Palm: "after June 2009 everyone will be using a Palm Pre and not the iPhone) you look like Dorks.

Apple can make great claims because their products are stella and they have absolute confidence. When you have great products and shout it to the sky YOU SELL billions $$$."

Wow! Somebody is blinded by the marketing BS. Based on your commentary you must feel that everything Apple makes is revolutionary and problem free. Apple usually makes very good products but perfect they are not. All versions of the iPhone have had their issues and the original iPad had it's own issues such as the WiFi issue that plagued some of it's owners. For many people the iPad or some other light use tablet may be sufficient for their needs but like every other recent Apple Gadget there are features that are blindly left off despite many requests from it's current and potential customers. As an iPhone owner and having used the iPad I have yet to see any advantage the iPad offers over it's smaller siblings other than it's bigger screen. If you or anyone can justify spending $500+ on such a device then more power to you. But this device is not revolutionary or magical and I firmly believe that people buy it based on the shiny apple logo and some false sense that it gives them a sense of self importance. I know many people that have moved to Apple products based on two things and two things alone. Either A.) They think the product is cute or shiny or B.) they are on the false believe that anything Apple Makes is made of vastly superior components and therefore never break. Well I am here to tell you that "B" is not true. It is if you compare a $1000+ Mac to a $400 PC but you cannot think of it that way. I have taken many PCs and Many Macs apart in my day and ever since the switch to Intel processor based Macs there is very little difference other than the Apple Logo on the back.

So while you feel they have "stella" products I will keep them in the category of "good" products. But in some cases better products exist and it all depends on a person's needs. Unfortunately sometimes those other products get overlooked because of the absence of the Apple Logo.
bobiroc
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
@bobiroc... bobiroc, dude

you say "Wow! Somebody is blinded by the marketing BS. Based on your commentary you must feel that everything Apple makes is revolutionary and problem free. "

really?
can you quote where I said that 'everything Apple makes is problem free".

You don't have to '100% problem free' to have basically superior products.

You are reading and making suppositions which isn't there.

You criticized Apple by implying that they exaggerate by saying things like 'magical'. That's marketing. My contention that Apple can make big confident statements like that is because they have confidence in their products (and many people do believe that the iPad is magical with it's instant on, fast response, long battery, high rez screen - before Retina display displaced it - etc. Compare it to the PC tablet turds before it and dam' you can see it's magical.). Apple's rivals usually don't dare to do aggressive advertising because often they are not sure of their products. Does Michael Dell really dare to march out on a platform and tout the Streak as the 'next big step in computing. That the Streak is revolution' He'll be laughed off stage. Everyone can see it's just a follow up on a competitor's design. When Steve jobs showed the first iPhone he COULD say that it was revolutionary. See the difference?

You say you use macs and PCs. I've owned and used PCs too until I threw the PCs away. but i've still got a G4 mac that works. You believe that macs and Pcs are the same quality I don't, but that's just personal...

All your words don't answer my original question answering NonZealot who said that Apple only succeeds because of marketing.

I pointed out that Apple spends less than it's rivals on ads.
So my contention that if they spend LESS on ads and still succeed than they must have 1) superior marketing (which you don't agree with) and or 2) they have superior products. There is no other conclusion.

All the people arguing with me saying Apple has bad products, bad advertising and yet as i pointed out Apple spends LESS on advertising CAN NOT explain why Apple products are a success. You all are basically saying 'bad product, bad marketing, spend less on advertising' = No.1 best selling smart phone, best selling tablet etc. does NOT make sense.
Davewrite
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
Hey Bobiroc, THE WOW IS NOW!

Wasn't that a great campaign?
THE WOW IS NOW...
I'm still laughing, ejejej
theo_durcan
3rd Sep 2010
- Flag
It is harder to market a lipsticked pig. (nt)

@Davewrite
Bruizer
6th Sep 2010
- Flag
Its not just about marketing

@NonZealot
Hmm..you actually think they look better? Interesting.

Anyway, I viewed the Samsung ad for the Galaxy and was impressed. Here's my take on comparing the two products.

I like the Galaxy. I think its ability to hold a video conference between two users is a plus. I'm going to assume that the perceived "speed" of the tablet is quite acceptable and would compare favorably with the iPad.

Finally, I would have no problem with recommending this tablet to anyone. (I own Samsung electronic equipment; they are of high quality and have performed as advertised.)

Now .. having lived with the 3G 64 Gig iPad model for five months I would recommend the iPad over the Galaxy for the following reasons.

As of today .. the iPad App Store with its iPad centric applications trumps the Android app ecosystem by a huge factor. This is key! As has been noted in the past, the reason any version of Microsoft Windows and PC hardware combination was recommended over any version of Mac OS and Apple Hardware was its applications ecosystem. That advantage in the past was great .. today .. hardly any advantage exists or perhaps, when certain professional segments are factored in .. the advantage has turned into a disadvantage. (This point can be debated but for sake of argument lets at least say that for the average consumer or prosumer, the application ecosystem for both platforms are the same.)

So .. that being said .. the Galaxy ecosystem pales in relationship to the iPad ecosystem. (That's not to say that owners of the Galaxy can't or won't find all the applications that they will ever use, but today, there are far more quality mobile apps available for the iPad than there are for the Android - Tablet market.)

Two: I like the larger screen size! I'm sorry .. size does matter.

Three: The iPad has a proven battery charge duration track record. I can use my iPad extensively during the day and still have only encountered a battery charge level below 10 percent less than five times during my ownership of this iPad model. I "wake-up" in the morning .. use the thing all day .. and then charge it at night. The Galaxy battery life might equal or surpass the iPad but that history has not been proven yet.

Now .. as for the advantages of the Galaxy's hardware design over the iPad design .. Never had need for USB ports or extra external memory requirements when using my iPad. (I have used the optional photo and video SD Card adapters to transfer photo and video data into the iPad but I never have had a need to "transfer" other data to and from my iPad to my home computer.) That can be done in a variety of wireless ways and also thru syncing. Again .. a Galaxy owner might require those features but its been my experience as a "tablet user" that one probably won't need those extra hardware i/o ports as well.

Plus .. in November .. the iPad gets iOS 4.2 or multitasking, wireless printing and a much improved mobile Safari browser which, among other things, will finally allow web page searches for a particular text string.

Of course .. I would also recommend putting off an iPad purchase if a person could wait until gen 2 arrives next year. That model will have Face Time WiFi video conferencing undoubtedly. Among other hardware improvements.

But .. if a consumer "needed" to purchase a tablet today, I still would recommend the iPad over these other two Android Models. But then again, that recommendation is something like recommending a Ford Mustang over a Dodge Challenger or a Chevy Camaro. Its simply a matter of taste .. not really a matter of substance.

Edited to add these points to G-Systems comments.

A long time ago, I once read this comment in a Robert Heinlein novel. "What is an elephant? It is a mouse built to Government specifications." Its still relevant to the "freedom of choice" points G-Systems made in this way. Current Apple design philosophy is best described as minimalist. A philosophy best summed up by Apple lead designer Jonathan Ive's iPad comments where he stated he was most proud of the choices his design team made regarding certain features left out of the iPad product. If you build a product that pleases every consumer's "wish list" than you get a "Government Elephant" rather than a "mouse that roars". It isn't a "freedom of choice" issue that some Apple critics cite (as he did) for their reasons to avoid an Apple product. First and foremost, and this should apply to every manufacturing company, Apple builds products that they want and believe in. I just so happen to enjoy and recommend their products based upon their Corporate Vision.

By the way .. I enjoyed reading G-Systems comments. But to be fair, I stated my original points in 635 words while he needed 693. (I used Microsoft Word's "word count tool" feature to check this.)
kenosha77a
5th Sep 2010
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- Flag