What I consider to be technologically the best tablet rival to the iPad is to be released July 1st:
http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/09/technology/hp_touchpad_release_date/index.htm?
Why do you consider that Brad?
But it runs webOS... That doesn't inspire much confidence. I don't think I even know anybody who uses webOS.
Quote from: ukgimp on June 09, 2011, 11:53:09 PM
Why do you consider that Brad?
Nothing special about the hardware, it is all very standard. It's in the OS. As JasonD suggests, WebOS is quite good, elegant and deep down the core is derived from Linux. People will say it lacks apps, but it will have all the essentials at launch and frankly too many apps can be an annoyance (I prefer a well done web app instead so I don't have to constantly update it.)
HP seems to be walking the middle ground between the Apple walled garden and Android's fragmentation: they remain in charge of the UI, but they allow a fairly open system so that users can run both official apps, homebrew apps and even unofficial patches to the OS if you dare. WebOS was designed from the ground up for phones and small hand held devices, it features true multitasking and other techie goodness that I'm sure I don't understand.
As a practical manner, I think users will end up seeing it as nearly a seamless experience as the iPad but more polished than Android.
Now I base all this on fairly extensive reading over the last few months but I've not actually used a WebOS device, but I want one bad and will be in line when they release a WebOS phone (Real Soon Now). My understanding is that the hardware is much improved quality-wise than the old Palm stuff from 2 years ago.
From what gather, HP has spent the last year also building out a cloud computing ecosystem. They might be a bit behind Apple iCloud on this but they get it nonetheless.
Of course HP could still screw this all up but I'm hoping not. Will it be easy to take on Apple? No, but I think there is room for another premium tablet - a number 2.
New official Touchpad page:
http://h41112.www4.hp.com/promo/webos/us/en/tablets/touchpad.html
New Promo video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJtShsHUWgE&feature=player_embedded
I forgot about the Citrix server app. HP intends to market this to corporations as well as consumers right from the start and they intend to use their present relationships with corporate IT depts as an in.
Nice vid. Now if they could only stick the pre3 into the back of the Touchpad - that would be a bit of killer.
QuoteI think there is room for another premium tablet
Masses of room - there are a large, and growing, number of people who see anything 'Apple' in the same light as the hard core Mac 'evangelists' used to see Microsoft. It is almost a religious thing in both directions. Also, Apple's marketing plan of offering a limited choice of features will always leave massive gaps in the market for other companies.
Totally agree on the number of apps issue - there are hundreds of thousands of apps for both android and IOS, but most are complete garbage. The few apps that are really worth having will appear on all platforms sooner or later.
Android, IOS, Blackberry, WebOS .... all looking good to me - I wonder about Microsoft though - they really are being to slow to show anything that really impresses.
>>pre3
That's what I really want - a phone. My iPhone contract is up in 10 days and I really wish HP had a WebOS phone they could sell me, or at least a date certain that I could get one. I hate being in limbo. You kinda need to have a product when customer is willing to buy.
If the predictions in the chart shown at:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20070476-233.html?tag=cnetRiver
.. actually come true, I will eat my own beard
But still.. who knows, its a wide open game still.
I still think the best tablet/phone/mobile internet format has not yet been established.
Quote from: 4Eyes on June 10, 2011, 07:05:46 PM
I still think the best tablet/phone/mobile internet format has not yet been established.
I agree. Early days. It is like the early home computer wars all over again.
As for Microsoft and tablets, I wonder how they got is so wrong? They were talking about tablets being the next big thing back in 1999, they did know it was coming.
I don't own a tablet, are they really any than netbooks around the house? Can you really do any work on them, or is it just a fun thing? I can see how they could be great for certain applications, but I am yet to see anything which makes me want to blow to cobwebs off of my wallet.
>I don't own a tablet, are they really any than netbooks around the house?
They have that whole instant on thing, rcjordan was on about, going for them. That turns out to be true.