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The Google Tablet Rumor-Mill
magnumfinger
02-02-2010
Just a week after the Apple iPad debut, new vids and pics are surfacing to the net; That Google is having their own tablet as well. The featured vid running on uber-multitasking capability is very impressive.

Although, the question remains: With all the smartphones/netbook/desktop PC selling today... "What's the real use of buying a tablet?"
The Swampster
02-02-2010
Originally Posted by magnumfinger:
“Just a week after the Apple iPad debut, new vids and pics are surfacing to the net; That Google is having their own tablet as well. The featured vid running on uber-multitasking capability is very impressive.

Although, the question remains: With all the smartphones/netbook/desktop PC selling today... "What's the real use of buying a tablet?"”

Because phones are a bit small for reading, surfing, gaming, working and watching movies on - although they're great for making calls, texting and playing music?
FERAL SHARKEY
02-02-2010
i like keyboards , screen space compromised to fit on screen keyboard would be a major drawback for me , i suppose a slide out keyboard would get around this but add to the bulk ?
clonmult
02-02-2010
Originally Posted by The Swampster:
“Because phones are a bit small for reading, surfing, gaming, working and watching movies on - although they're great for making calls, texting and playing music? ”

You could say that the Nintendo DS is a little small, but it hasn't stopped it from selling over a hundred million.
The Swampster
02-02-2010
Originally Posted by clonmult:
“You could say that the Nintendo DS is a little small, but it hasn't stopped it from selling over a hundred million.”

I know - my kids have them.
The poster posed the question - what's the use of buying a tablet? I suggested some answers. I am not a gamer, but if gameplay was as enjoyable and satisfying on a DS (which has the advantage of being portable), as it is on a full-size TV screen, nobody would bother getting a Wii/Playstation/XBox.
A tablet-size product is still pretty easy to carry around (similar to a book), but the screen size is arguably "better". (Well my kids seems to think it looks that way, anyway.)
clonmult
02-02-2010
Originally Posted by The Swampster:
“I know - my kids have them.
The poster posed the question - what's the use of buying a tablet? I suggested some answers. I am not a gamer, but if gameplay was as enjoyable and satisfying on a DS (which has the advantage of being portable), as it is on a full-size TV screen, nobody would bother getting a Wii/Playstation/XBox.
A tablet-size product is still pretty easy to carry around (similar to a book), but the screen size is arguably "better". (Well my kids seems to think it looks that way, anyway.)”

They all cater to different types of gaming.

The DS is for casual gaming, or for kids in their bedroom without access to a "bigger" system.
PSP - casual gaming, maybe a little more serious than the DS
iPhone/Touch are definitely for more casual gaming.
The Wii/PS3/360 are more traditional, getting people around the bigger screen to play.

When I used to commute to London I'd swap between the PSP, Symbian phone, Nokia 770 and iPod for music/gaming/video based on capacity and what I was interested in at each particular time.

How a tablet fits into this is anyones guess though. Its a lot larger than a casual gaming system, doesn't have anywhere near the power of a dedicated system.

Microsofts attempts at doing tablet variants of Windows have done practically nothing, but then Microsoft don't often have much success in trying to create new markets. Or even getting into markets controlled by one other major player.
The Swampster
02-02-2010
Well I'll bow to your greater knowledge as gaming isn't me at all, though several people I know who do like to play games seem to think the tablet touch-screen format has exciting possibilities. I imagine any iPad games will be more for the adult market than the latest Pokemon release.
As I've said elsewhere, the reason I would consider a tablet-style device such as this is because I could get rid of my laptop, which I do very little proper work on and just use as a portable device for watching films on holiday, looking up stuff online, sending emails and doing the odd small bit of writing work. The iPad is a smaller, neater, more portable design and the prospect of a smaller keyboard doesn't bother me because I don't plan to write loads on it. That's what appeals to me about the format, because that's how I currently (under) use my laptop.
magnumfinger
02-02-2010
Originally Posted by The Swampster:
“Because phones are a bit small for reading, surfing, gaming, working and watching movies on - although they're great for making calls, texting and playing music? ”

Yes, I supposed that's the reason. Laptops are sometimes too bulky to be carry around all the time. Perhaps, the tablet can do the job more conveniently.

But I guess, a tablet's functionality quite lacks on some instances.. Like it won't ever substitute a mouse when you're drawing something (Illustrator type of softwares) or those high-end games you usually enjoy on your Desktop PC's..

At this point, only time can tell if the tablet will pave a name to our market.
IvanIV
02-02-2010
13'' laptop isn't that big too carry around. These tablets are just too big to be as mobile as a smartphone and in apple's case it's even stupider than an iphone, it can't make phonecalls for starters. And it's too incompetent compared to a laptop. Yes, it fits somewhere between the two, but it tries to squeeze itself in, I cannot see much demand, people thinking, yes this is what I was really missing and now it's here.
kyussmondo
03-02-2010
A tablet could replace a laptop or a netbook for most things. Around the home or on the plane you could watch movies, read e-books and surf the net. On business you could use iWork (maybe Microsoft Office will be coming) to do business on the go and to use in presentations and collaborative work.

The only time you will need a standard computer is when you need some real horsepower like editing video or doing photoshop work or when you need the larger screen. Although there might be the possibility that you may be able to hook a tablet up to a larger screen, it is supposedly possible to take the iPad through a projector so I don't see why it won't work for monitors as well.

Secondly, the tablet will be always on like a phone. None of this waiting around for the computer to boot. You just unlock it and start. For me the main thing I use my laptop for at the moment is around the house surfing the web, listening to music and watching iPlayer. At uni I used it a lot with Microsoft Word, although this is nothing an iPad couldn't have handled. I will also try using it for book reading. I don't read enough at the moment. Maybe having this will encourage me to read more as all my books will be in one device, in the same way my iPod encouraged me to listen to more music. I am not a big enough reader to justify a Kindle or other dedicated e-reader so it makes sense getting a tablet instead which can do a lot more than just read books.

Obviously, the tablet can't replace the phone, although I don't doubt some will try! So many people carry around laptops or netbooks. 99% of the time a tablet would suffice. I prefer the iPad over netbooks because it is designed from the ground up rather than compromised, I prefer the form factor, and given the choice I prefer the Apple device. When you start thinking outside of the box then you can think of so many cases where the tablet can fit into your life.
Mark.
03-02-2010
I suppose the key difference between a tablet and a laptop is that it's easier to whip out the former on a train, bus etc. and start using it.
IvanIV
03-02-2010
Well, you need some protective case for the tablet, so you need to remove that. But those people who whip out their fancy gadgets on a train/plane/bus annoy me anyway, Look at me I am so ******* busy it could not wait before I get where I am going and I have a nice shiny thing to play with
Mark.
03-02-2010
Originally Posted by IvanIV:
“Well, you need some protective case for the tablet, so you need to remove that. But those people who whip out their fancy gadgets on a train/plane/bus annoy me anyway, Look at me I am so ******* busy it could not wait before I get where I am going and I have a nice shiny thing to play with ”

Well that's your problem.

I always check my e-mail on the bus using my iPhone, because it means I can deal with anything there and then, leaving more time for actual work when I reach the office.
theARE
03-02-2010
Originally Posted by Mark.:
“I suppose the key difference between a tablet and a laptop is that it's easier to whip out the former on a train, bus etc. and start using it.”

So is a netbook. The truth is that the big manufacturers dont like the netbook form factor. Most of them are losing money with it. So they want more expensive tablets to fill that niche instead.
They've tried it before, and they are trying it again. We'll see if it will take off this time, but I suspect not, the drawbacks of a tablet (no physical keyboard) is a pretty fundamental one.

The only way I can see them taking off is if they emulate and expand on the kindle - i.e. make it a platform for reading news papers, magazines and books etc, and a bit of web syrfing.

But for people who want to do a bit of work on the move as well as check the web, the netbook is still a superior form factor in my view.
Mark.
03-02-2010
Originally Posted by theARE:
“So is a netbook.”

I agree, but others wouldn't, because a netbook still needs a surface of some description (whether it be a lap or a table). There's also the (supposed) "hassle" of having to open it up etc.

The tablet can be used in the same way as a phone: hold it in one hand, use it with the other.
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