Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
Summary: The Apple iPad has re-energized the market for tablet computers but it has gone nearly all of 2010 without a serious challenger. That will soon change. Here are 20 upstarts taking aim at the iPad.
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This 10-inch tablet runs on the Nvidia Tegra processor and Android 2.2. Unlike the Toshiba Libretto, this is a standard slate form factor. It’s a vanilla tablet that Toshiba will try to price as low as possible.
If you'd prefer to view this as a text-only list, see the companion blog post.
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Talkback
The eDGe is available today.
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
"Have you ever wondered how a bunch of people come up with the same brilliant idea at the same time? Like an ereader with two screens? Half of the enTourage eDGE is an e-Ink reader. The other's an Android tablet.
It's an ugly little mutant, like a Courier screwed an EeePC and Kindle. The e-Ink screen's 9.7 inches?same as the Kindle DX?and readers ePub and PDF files. It'll let you take notes with stylus, or tap them out on a keyboard. On the Android side, which will apparently let you run full Android apps, you've got a 10.1-inch, 1024x600 screen, which you can use to look at images from books (in full color?). Like any good anything that does everything, it also records video and audio. For wireless, it's got Wi-Fi and optional 3G, along with Bluetooth for external keyboards.
Admittedly, I kind of like the idea of a reader I can use to browse the internet too, but I just can't do it on something this hideous. And, I really can't abide stupid capitalization patterns, like eDGe. It's $500, if you can. [Entourage via Cnet]]"
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
If you're looking for the fastest Android hardware and the most gorgeous screen, you'll be disappointed. And for better or for worse, Apple has conditioned many to look at hardware specs rather than looking at "what can this thing do?"
So why do I like this device so much?
Because as a computer programmer, my professional life lives or dies on the information I consume and how rapidly I can consume it. This device lets me access and carry more (kinds of) information, faster and easier than I could before.
Let me give an example.
I had particular program I had to deliver on a very tight, and inflexible deadline. It turned out that I needed to use a technology that was completely new to me, and none of the tutorials that were available on the web made any sense to me. After going through them, I still couldn't understand how to complete my tasks. But there was a new book that had recently been published on the subject.
So I fired up my eDGe, went to the publisher's web site, and bought the PDF version of the book.
Five minutes later I was reading the book on the e-ink display. The first two chapters of the book contained exactly the information I needed. As a result, twenty minutes later I understood exactly what I had to do and enabled me to deliver my software on time.
For me, having the eDGe was the difference between delivering my software on time and being late.
So I could have bought the PDF and read it on my laptop. But I've found that I just don't read books on my laptop because it bothers my eyes to read for long periods of time on an LCD. So it's not cost-effective to buy the PDF. I'd rather have the paper book.
For me, having the large e-ink display--and one I can write on--is the difference between a device meant for browsing versus a device meant for serious reading and study.
As a result, since getting my eDGe, my laptop often stays at home. Or if I'm computer programming, I have my laptop for programming and my eDGe for my programmer's library.
So I don't care that the machine might not have the flashiest hardware specs. I still have bragging rights to the first really practical dual-headed portable computer. :D But in all seriousness, I keep, carry, and use this machine because it helps me to be more effective and more competitive than I could be without it.
-Dave
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
Whats an eDGe? All I get when I google that is gay porn junk here in Boston.
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
If you're looking for the fastest Android hardware and the most gorgeous screen, you'll be disappointed. And for better or for worse, Apple has conditioned many to look at hardware specs rather than looking at "what can this thing do?"<br><br>So why do I like this device so much?<br><br>Because as a computer programmer, my professional life lives or dies on the information I consume and how rapidly I can consume it. This device lets me get at more kinds of information faster than I could before.<br><br>Let me give an example.<br><br>I had particular program I had to deliver on a very tight, and inflexible deadline. It turned out that I needed to use a technology that was completely new to me, and none of the tutorials that were available on the web made any sense to me. After going through them, I still couldn't understand how to complete my tasks. But there was a new book that had recently been published on the subject.<br><br>So I fired up my eDGe, went to the publisher's web site, and bought the PDF version of the book.<br><br>Five minutes later I was reading the book on the e-ink display. The first two chapters of the book contained exactly the information I needed. As a result, twenty minutes later I understood exactly what I had to do and enabled me to deliver my software on time.<br><br>For me, having the eDGe was the difference between delivering my software on time and being late.<br><br>So I could have bought the PDF and read it on my laptop. But I've found that I just don't read books on my laptop because it bothers my eyes to read for long periods of time on an LCD. So it's not cost-effective to buy the PDF. I'd rather have the paper book.<br><br>For me, having the large e-ink display--and one I can write on--is the difference between a device meant for browsing versus a device meant for serious reading and study.<br><br>As a result, since getting my eDGe, my laptop often stays at home. Or if I'm computer programming, I have my laptop for programming and my eDGe for my programmer's library.<br><br>So I don't care that the machine might not have the flashiest hardware specs. I still have bragging rights to the first really practical dual-headed portable computer. <img border="0" src="http://www.cnet.com/i/mb/emoticons/grin.gif" alt="grin"><br><br>But in all seriousness, I keep, carry, and use this machine because it helps me to be more effective and more competitive than I could be without it.<br><br><br>-Dave
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
Nokia is busy sliding into irrelevancy. They're Commodore.
Where is the Dell Streak?
The Dell Streak is one of the best selling tablets right now. Just because it can also do voice calls doesn't mean it's not a tablet. Tablets don't just come in one size or two.
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
Most People Are Short Sighted
The Fact is. If you want to get some serious work done, Apple always has been making the best products. They give you seamless, hassless work experience.
For about 20 years I hated Apple computers and devices because I couldn't justify their high prices for the same hardware as half as much costing devices. That was until I got a Macbook Air for cheap off craigslist. (I had bought and gotten rid of about 60 laptops/tablets during the 2 years before that). I stopped buying laptops after I bought the Macbook Air.
I had bought it just to play around and get rid of it as well without losing money (I had bought it used for $200 lesser than its lowest ebay price). Funnily, I had 14 laptops at that time. I got rid of all the other ones and kept the Macbook Air and my Sony Vaio AW290 (for its 18.4 inch screen).
I have 4 smart phones. TMobile G1 (it sucks), Blackberry Storm 2 (it sucks), HTD HD (it sucks) and an iPhone 3GS (i love it).
I wasn't sure whether to get the smaller Dell Streak or the Apple iPad. After getting "group pressured" by some "short sighted friends", I bought the streak. The usability of its hardware sucks. The DELL's interface sucks. Almost all professional usage apps are shit too. I ended up getting an iPAD and have never have had problems, no complains. (note that the iPAD doesn't have a camera and is bigger etc).
I am surprised that an American company can make products with Japanese standards and values. American products are generally well marketed 'dog poo'. IBM used to make good computers but that got sold to Lenovo, which dumbed down the lineup to attract consumers. If I had a choice between Lenovo, Sony and Apple, since I have the money and like getting things done in 1 hour instead of 2 days nad that too without having to buy any additional software, I'd still go for a Mac. No business user who seeks efficiency and productivity should use a non-Mac product.
Like they say "I am a Mac Guy now".
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
Curious, 60 laptops in 2 years? What do you do? Anyway, lots of the models presented here are pretty ugly and worst ;-) some operates under Windows...
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
what if something goes wrong?
my macbook air's hinge dislocated 8 days after my warranty had expired (i had paid an associate to upgrade it, but he seems to have been preoccupied with some other 'more important' work). i went to apple store, they told me that it'll take 5 days after which i can pick it up from their location.
apple fixed not just the hinge, but replaced my entire lid (that had a small dent on it). all without any crying. no harassment of the customer was involved. all that while i was completely sure that i'll get my laptop back. even the backup process of my data via time-machine was more than easy (i had never used time-machine before - i used dropbox and livesync to sync my data across computers).
note that that was just one example of "what matters".
i live in india now. and despite not having any apple stores and direct from apple customer service here, i have bought more macs. i made my dad get a mac as well. all that despite dell being popular for its relatively good customer service here. i bought an iphone 4 as a gift for my friend.
all that because apple products almost never require any customer service.
There are others
Fuk the "LG Android Tablet"
RE: Photos: 20 iPad competitors to watch
Lenovo U1 Hybrid - strange bed fellows