iPad alternative

[Matt34]

Found this Indian based tablet in my research. Seems the first production run has already sold out. Check out all the features!

Compared to ipad the adam features-

1> can plug and play a wireless mouse and other devices i.e two USB ports.

2> has HDMI port

3> has swivel camera

4> has expandable memory!

5> minimum of 15 hours compared to 10 hours from the Ipad

6> retail price starts at $327 for the basic unit and up to $650 for the high-end model

7> Pixel Qi dual mode display

http://www.notionink.com/

http://www.slashgear.com/notion-ink-adam-hands-on-0969281/

 

[emorphien]

That tablet has been on my radar since the spring at least. The display in particular interests me not to mention that I prefer the OS it runs and the hardware/specs it offers.

Since e-readers and tablets both interest me but for different reasons, I'd love to see one of these and see if it would really work to cover both. There's no question it has the hardware to be a capable tablet (and hopefully the more tablet oriented future versions of Android will work on it) but if the screen really works for reading then I'd be having trouble resisting. I don't care for LCD displays for reading much text generally. If I want to read a book I don't want to be looking at an LCD screen and the power savings with the screen that uses would be great at making it capable of playing dual roles.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

The units looks like running very early android 1.6... The screen is too big for Google to allow Market... Magazine reading experience was pretty bad and flash is still major issue for android platform...

But Dual mode Screen is surely is a very welcome addition. All in All, I seem like easy target for picking from iPad if the later will change to something like Mirasol or PixelQ screen and obviously add a camera or two.

Android for tablets isn't really ready for prime-time at least not till Honey Comb.

Disclaimer:
I sold off my iPhone and got original Moto Droid. I'll never go back to iPhone again; But lets face it iPad is so good - because it has tons of apps written specially for it. Yes, I know you could run scaled iphone apps too, but who cares about them? Lets redesign Android apps for 10" screen and then see who's better.

 

[emorphien]

The thing isn't even out yet so you're bringing up some rather moot points. I really haven't seen anything official about what the final details will be nor when it will actually be for sale.

If I were to get a tablet I'd be waiting for official tablet support from Google and getting something that ran that version of the OS anyway. The iPad is too limited in what it can do hardware wise and I don't think the OS is really that suited to a tablet. Neither is Android to be honest but it remains to be seen what tablet improvements will come in the future and it's a more flexible base from which to build a tablet UI. The whole overgrown phone thing really doesn't work for tablets in my opinion.

I'm less concerned about apps and more interested in a better web experience than the iPad can muster. Apps partly became a necessity on the iPhone (and so they continue) because it didn't really display "the whole web" in spite of their claims.

 

[digicidal]

Looks pretty enticing...

I'm sure it will have some major growing pains... some of which were mentioned by BSA, but I have to say if for nothing other than on-flight entertainment and WiFi digitizer functionality - I'm sold on it.

I would pretty much buy one at those target prices just for the digitizer functionality (although what I really want is the Wacom DTK2100 but that's another matter and not really in my budget ATM).

I'd love to support someone other than Apple - but I think I will have to wait and see how things look with the Adam in another 6-8 months. As with any device - the support from the company is as important as the device itself. I've purchased way too many products over the last 20 years or so that looked great and just needed that last 20% in development and updates - only to have the parent company go under or restructure and drop support altogether.

I realize that on the OS side there's nothing to worry about there since I don't see Google going anywhere soon but that doesn't mean that there will be a 'notionink' still in existence. I guess if they opensource the whole thing including firmware etc... then it wouldn't matter - but it also wouldn't be as viable a business model either then.

 

[arkight]

I have been looking at these two

Viewsonic
http://www.viewsonic.com/gtablet/

Archos
Android
http://www.archos.com/products/ta/archos_101it/index.html?country=us&lang=en
Windows 7
http://www.archos.com/products/tw/archos_9/index.html?country=us&lang=en

The G-Tablet you can get now at Sears

No 3G but hell make a hot spot with your 3g phone and there you go

 

[digicidal]

Haven't looked at anything by archos for a few years... good to see they're still making some decent products (although I'm not sure about the durability aspects). I remember looking at them prior to getting my iPod - didn't really like the form factor - but did like the feature set as opposed to the iPod.

These seem to be right in the same vein as those media players - but with Win7 implentation - they might make a great alternative for those of us that live in a MS world (professionally at least) to use as a laptop alternative for smaller trips or presentations.

Good find.

 

[LowFreq]

I have been also searching for iPad alternatives, but unfortunately all of them have slightly slow OP systems, when in use for a while. Nothing seems to beat the old good apple iOs. The only thing which is missing from the ipad is a webcam!

 

[Matt34]

I have been also searching for iPad alternatives, but unfortunately all of them have slightly slow OP systems, when in use for a while. Nothing seems to beat the old good apple iOs. The only thing which is missing from the ipad is a webcam!

If it had a webcam and USB ports I would already own one. I mean seriously, what electronic device doesn't have USB ports nowadays?

 

[digicidal]

If it had a webcam and USB ports I would already own one. I mean seriously, what electronic device doesn't have USB ports nowadays?

I will answer your question with another one:

What kind of ~$2500 desktop computer doesn't come with a bluray drive and capacity for more than one hard disk. Or what kind of ~$5000 workstation running dual six-core XEONs - comes configured with only 6GB of RAM?!?!


Gotta love that Steve Jobs - those Acoustimass systems are so cute....
erm...
I mean those computers are very stylish and easy to use... I get confused sometimes between similar products.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I think I'm very much impatient and have high hopes for the tablet true underdog - RIM - The PlayBook looks delicious.
Brand new OS (realtime linux based), kernel level adobe flash (and AIR) integration. HD video support... all I could say is yammi !!!

 

[digicidal]

I think I'm very much impatient and have high hopes for the tablet true underdog - RIM - The PlayBook looks delicious.
Brand new OS (realtime linux based), kernel level adobe flash (and AIR) integration. HD video support... all I could say is yammi !!!

Amen, brother - testify!

Yeah, I've checked in on it's development from time to time - mostly as a shareholder, since I'm hoping it's the thing that brings them back up to summer 2008 levels. It does look delicious... I avoided crackberries (or any smartphone for that matter) thus far - but if it matches it's marketing in person... that will be changing.

 

[emorphien]

The PlayBook does look pretty good, can't recall if they've announced anything on pricing for it or not though.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

True Desktop browser on the "mobile" device = Me drooling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI1VgedbMUY


p.s: Hmm, did youtube changed their embed code ? Doesn't seem to work proper anymore

 

[krzywica]

True Desktop browser on the "mobile" device = Me drooling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI1VgedbMUY


p.s: Hmm, did youtube changed their embed code ? Doesn't seem to work proper anymore

That is looking very nice.....though BB isn't as known for the killer 3rd party apps and development like Android is.....hopefully that will change though.

That guy from the video is Canadian...lol......"Lets check it eaut (out)"

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

That is looking very nice.....though BB isn't as known for the killer 3rd party apps and development like Android is.....hopefully that will change though.

That guy from the video is Canadian...lol......"Lets check it eaut (out)"

100% true, but just think how many flash, air and html5 "apps" will work on it right out of box....

 

[krzywica]

100% true, but just think how many flash, air and html5 "apps" will work on it right out of box....

Yes.....that sounds great...but we wind up with the chicken and the egg scenario here. Can't use the hardware/OS features without the apps, or is it that the apps aren't being developed because of lack of hardware/OS support? Thats why I mentioned I hope this will change.....

 

[rnatalli]

Asus just announced their tablets which will run Android 3.0 and use the Nvidia chip. They are due in April.

 

[KEW]

Will these units function every bit as good as a nook or kindle for an ebook platform? If I can get double duty out of it, I could justify one quicker (when the right product is here).

 

[krzywica]

Will these units function every bit as good as a nook or kindle for an ebook platform? If I can get double duty out of it, I could justify one quicker (when the right product is here).

Anything with a backlit screen is going to fall short. Power consumption will be MUCH higher which will lead to poor battery life , eye strain will be an issue from the backlight, and readability in direct sunlight will also be an issue.