Wake Up! Ballmer Is Driving Microsoft off the Cliff! Top Marks For Microsoft's Surface Tablet, So Far. Amazon's Ad-Supported Tablet: What Took So Long? Here’s why tablets (yes, tablets!) will replace the smartphone — Mobile Technology News. How Microsoft Surface Stacks Up Against Its Tablet Competition. Surface will change your expectations of what you can do with your tablet. First and foremost, you are no longer buying into a dedicated mobile OS and its corresponding app ecosystem. Instead, you’ll be able to buy one app and use it on both a tablet and a Windows 8 laptop or desktop PC. While the Metro face of the two Surfaces will be the same, the hardware flavors are fundamentally different. Surface RT will compete most directly with Apple's iPad and the current crop of Android tablets, all of which run on power-efficient ARM-based processors. And Surface Pro—though still a tablet—targets Ultrabooks and other ultraportable laptops.
Click on the chart below for a comparison of the two Surface models with other tablets. Surface RT vs. the iPad and Android Tablets Tech specs: Surface RT comes with a USB 2.0 port standard (critical for connecting external storage and peripherals), along with a MicroSD card slot and Micro-HDMI video out. The Surface tablet’s design is unique. Opinion: Why Apple can’t sustain tablet dominance. Amazon Planning 5 or 6 New Tablets [REPORT] The 7-Inch iPad's Biggest Critic: Steve Jobs - Ina Fried - Mobile. With Apple said to be close to ramping up production of a 7-inch iPad, it’s worth recalling one of the biggest critics of such tablets. Steve Jobs, the late Apple CEO, famously ranted against the opportunity for such products during an October 2010 earnings conference call.
During that call, Jobs talked about how such tablets offered just a fraction of the screen size as a 10-inch tablet, while not offering a significant boost over the smartphone that most tablet buyers were already carrying. Apple could easily argue that advanced screen technology now allows the amount of pixels in the iPad to show up in a smaller-screen device. But Jobs also foresaw that advancement, and indicated that an increase in pixel density alone wouldn’t justify a smaller tablet. “The reason we [won't] make a 7-inch tablet isn’t because we don’t want to hit [a lower] price point,” Jobs said. So, has anything really changed?
In a sense, not really. Nexus 7 vs. Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet: $200 tablet showdown. Opinion: Google, Microsoft, Apple suit up for tablet World War III. The iPad is the current gold standard in tablets, but it is flawed. All products are, which is why we go back and buy newer versions. The goal of iPad challengers should be to create the impression that they are a better evolutionary step than the next iPad. This coming quarter will be the most dramatic yet, with what amounts to a World War between Apple’s iPad, Microsoft’s Surface and Google’s Nexus Tablets. This is a signature fight for all three global firms, and that means the battle is likely to get ugly. Microsoft and Google have gone down very different paths. Let’s look at these two coming options, and even explore which might hold more appeal for you than an iPad. Surface tablets: The productive choice Microsoft is on the most difficult path of all three. Resolutions are improving as well, so you can get far more on a smaller screen now than you could a decade ago, when the market first rejected sub-12-inch products.
As the gold standard, the iPad only has to be “good enough.” Survey: iPad of most interest to tablet buyers, while Kindle Fire fades. India’s $35 Aakash tablet to get hardware upgrade as well as Android 4.0. India’s much-touted Aakash device is getting an upgrade – Ice Cream Sandwhich is coming to the $35 Android tablet along with some hardware improvements.
UK-based Datawind is the company responsible for the cheap tablets. The Indian government quickly took to the possibilities of providing cheap computing devices to many students across the country and agreed to subsidize the tablet from its full price of $45 to $35. The original Aakash device came with Android 2.2, a 7-inch touchscreen and a arm-based 366MHz processor. Datawind CEO, Suneet Singh Tuli told IDG News that product deliveries for the next-generation Aakash tablet will commence in a couple of weeks. The Aakash 2 will be shipped with Gingerbread; however, in about 6 to 8 weeks the tablet will be Android 4.0 upgradeable. Hardware-wise, the new Aakash will be featuring single-core, 800Mhz Arm Cortex-A8 processor as well as a 7-inch capacitive multitouch screen. Student Vote Could Give Apple the Edge in Classroom Computing Race - John Paczkowski.
In the battle for the education market, who will be the victor — Apple’s iPad or Google’s Chromebook? An interesting question, and while it’s far too early for a definitive answer, there are some early indications of which way things are headed. Research outfit Piper Jaffray recently surveyed a small group of public-school IT managers (18) about their mobile device deployments and found 78 percent to be testing iPads and/or Chromebooks (6 percent said they were testing Android tablets). That bodes well for Google and Apple both, though perhaps more so for Apple. For while the IT managers surveyed seemed evenly divided over whether the iPad or the Chromebook is the better educational tool (see tables below), their preference may not be the deciding factor in which device is ultimately deployed in their schools.
As in the enterprise world, many schools are considering implementing a “bring your own device” policy as a means of fostering a one-to-one student/device ratio. Tablets Are a Dream Come True for Retailers. Since tablets have burst into the ecommerce space in the last few years, they've drastically altered the online shopping experience. That's a good thing for retailers. Tablet users prefer to use tablets at home, an environment where they're more likely to buy. This Milo infographic breaks down the trends in tablet use and retail. According to an eMarketer report, tablets will be adopted even more quickly in the U.S. than smartphones. By 2014, more than one-third of U.S. Internet users will have tablets, meaning now's the time for retailers to be looking toward the mobile shopping experience. SEE ALSO: Tablet Owners Define New Category of Shoppers Milo makes one key recommendation for retailers: 31% of tablet users compare prices on their device before purchasing in a brick-and-mortar store.
What's your preferred device for online shopping? Tablet computers: Difference engine: The empire strikes back. 6 features that make Windows 8 a tablet contender — Mobile Technology News. BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 feature breakdown: Can RIM save its forsaken tablet? Joe Maring has been the Section Editor of Digital Trends’ Mobile team since June 2022. He leads a team of 13 writers and editors with the single goal of publishing the best mobile tech content on the Internet.
While much of his time is spent planning and editing the work of his section’s amazing contributors, Joe equally loves writing himself — whether he’s digging into wonky AI apps on phones or explaining why you should buy the latest iPhone. Joe started talking and writing about phones in 2012 with his tech-focused YouTube channel and website, MobileCupOfJoe. He’s contributed to PhoneArena, XDA Developers, and 9to5Google. Throughout his years in this industry, Joe has attended major trade shows such as CES, MWC, and IFA. Joe lives in Michigan with his two cats (Minnie and Polo), a very sweet and dumb pit bull/boxer mix (Damon), and Kenn — his partner of 10 years. Find Joe on Bluesky. 221285920. Review: Transformer Prime; best Android tablet yet — Mobile Technology News. Amazon ad pokes fun at cost of Apple’s iPad. Kindle Fire edges Galaxy Tab as most used Android tablet. The Kindle Fire in just a couple months has barely edged passed the Samsung Galaxy Tab as the most used Android tablet with 35.7 percent of application user sessions, according to analytics firm Flurry.
This is despite the fact that the Kindle Fire only hit the market in mid-November. The numbers, which are pulled from application sessions among all Android tablets, compare usage in November and January. The Kindle Fire represented just 3 percent of usage in November, when the Tab ruled the roost with 63 percent. In just two months’ time, the Galaxy Tab had slipped to 35.6 percent, a hair below the Fire. While the Tab and Fire are essentially tied, the figures give a good sense of how the Fire has come on in since its launch. Flurry said downloads spiked on Amazon App Store in January and usage soared on the Kindle Fire. The Fire is also driving more paid downloads, according to Flurry. China Releases a Tablet Just For Communists. It's the tech device communists have been waiting for — the 9.7-inch tall Android 3.2 tablet, China's alternative to the Apple iPad, called RedPad Number One. The device launched recently in China. The RedPad was built especially for Communist Party members and enthusiasts.
It will compete against foreign brands while catering to the tech needs of the country's bureaucrats and government workers. The tablet retails at 9,999 yuan — about $1,600 — making it twice as expensive as the Apple iPad in Asia's markets. The tablet holds 16GB of storage and comes with a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels and a Tegra 2 processor. An online survey conducted by China's 91wenwen.net found that people believe the tablet would be a "symbol of privilege," as translated on CNET.
Do you think this tablet will help communist leaders keep tabs on the media and blogs? Why the iPad Works For Productivity. When the iPad first launched two years ago, it was derided by some for its limitations. The first iteration didn't even have a camera on it, and it may never get a physical keyboard, so the notion of the device being used for content creation was laughable. Instead, the iPad was seen as a tool best used to lean back and consume content. For the most part, that's how things have played out. People use their iPads for reading, watching video, listening to music and gaming. Despite that, the iPad is finding a place in business all over the world. About 67% of iPad-owning professionals use their tablets at work, even if the vast majority of the devices are not supplied by employers, according to a recent survey by IDG.
Of those people, 93% use the device for work-related communication. The iPad's role in business and worker productivity is fueled in large part by the efforts of app developers. A Supplement to - Not Yet a Replacement For - the PC. Why the iPad Works For Productivity. When the iPad first launched two years ago, it was derided by some for its limitations. The first iteration didn't even have a camera on it, and it may never get a physical keyboard, so the notion of the device being used for content creation was laughable.
Instead, the iPad was seen as a tool best used to lean back and consume content. For the most part, that's how things have played out. People use their iPads for reading, watching video, listening to music and gaming. Despite that, the iPad is finding a place in business all over the world. The iPad's role in business and worker productivity is fueled in large part by the efforts of app developers. Some of the more popular choices include apps for word processing, document reading and signing, remote desktop, file-syncing, communication and collaboration. A Supplement to - Not Yet a Replacement For - the PC With cloud syncing of calendars, email and documents, the tablet becomes sort of an extension of the desktop. CES 2012: tablet roundup. Couldn't keep up with the 600+ posts we wrote covering CES 2012 in Las Vegas?
We're here to help sift the wheat from the chaff, and if you're hoping to see the best of what CES had to offer in the world of tablets, you've come to the right place. As you can imagine, finding the best slate is much easier said than done, since it seemed as though nearly every major company brought a tablet in some shape, form or color. Head past the break to see our personal favorites from the show. Acer Iconia Tab A700 Acer, without a doubt, made a huge showing at this year's show by introducing not one, not two but three new models to its Iconia Tab lineup: the A200, A510 and one of our top choices, the A700.
Transformer Prime TF700T Just getting used to the Transformer Prime TF201? Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Is it a tablet or a Ultrabook? Pantech Element The One Laptop Per Child initiative has a new tablet by the name of XO 3.0, a customizable device that starts at $100. Comments. Second-gen Budget Tablet Unveiled in India. India’s government sponsored tablet, the Akash, has sold out less than one week after the device went on sale in the country online. The tablet, priced at just $45, gained considerable international attention when it was unveiled in October, primarily due its low price point which the Indian government hopes will provide a computing experience to more of the country’s population. While many will be disappointed by the lack of availability of the tablet — which is believed to have been snapped up by a large number of students — there is positive news.
Datawind, the firm which manufactures the Akash, has revealed that it is accepting pre-orders for an upgraded version of the device, as a spokesperson told The Hindu Business Line: We have closed bookings for Akash and opened online pre-bookings for the second generation Akash tablet. The new tablet is called the UbiSlate 7 and it is set to begin shipping next month for $55 (2,999 INR). Report: Lenovo Prepping A Quad-Core LePad Tablet PC For Early 2012. Lenovo is reportedly working on a quad-core LePad (ThinkPad in other markets) tablet. This comes from a Digitimes report that credits upstream supply chain partners as the source. The news, if it’s true, is somewhat predictable as tablet makers move to dual-core CPU platforms.
Lenovo has seen a fair amount of success in the tablet market thanks to its solid ThinkPad Android tablet. The Digitimes reports states that Lenovo has managed to steal a bit of market share from Apple, which is currently around 8.4% in Lenovo’s home market of China. The report goes on to state that the upcoming tablet is set to enter mass production after the first of the year. With that timetable, a CES 2012 debut is highly likely. With several large Android tablet players exiting the game, it creates a bit of breathing room for companies like Lenovo sticking with it. Here’s a $99 Android tablet you can buy right now, & it’s running Ice Cream Sandwich. Today, two little-known companies are releasing the very first publicly available Android tablet to run Ice Cream Sandwich, the highly anticipated mobile operating system from Google. While larger companies like Asus and Lenovo are still working to get their own “Ice Cream tablet” offerings to market, you can buy this tablet, the Novo7, online right now, and for a shockingly low $99, at that.
The tablet, which comes from processor maker MIPS Technologies and CPU shop Ingenic Semiconductor, features a 7″ touchscreen and is powered by a 1GHz processor. It has front- and rear-facing cameras, supports WiFi connectivity, and features ports for USB 2.0, HDMI 1.3 and microSD. For gamers and mediahounds, you’re looking at 3D graphics with the Vivante GC860 GPU and 1080p video decoding. MIPS swears up and down that it’s eliminated the correlation of low price to poor performance, stating that the battery life and graphics performance are up to snuff. Windows 8 tablets: Too late or is there still time? — Mobile Technology News. Apple's next-gen iPad to use new backlight design for HD screen. How The Kindle Fire Will Attack The iPad: Newsstand. Pearltrees for iPad is a Must-Have App.
Pew: Tablet owners consume a crazy amount of news but they won’t pay for it. Tablets Used 90 Minutes Per Day on Average [STUDY] How the enterprise is adopting tablets (infographic) Amazon Responds to Silk Privacy Concerns, Says Cloud Acceleration is Optional. Study: iPad users spend most time with news apps compared with other types. Mobile media stores: Apple vs. Amazon vs. Samsung — Mobile Technology News. How Amazon Got Fire (Comic) - Nitrozac and Snaggy - Voices. Why I’m high on Amazon’s Fire. Motorola Xoom Family Edition pops up at retail sporting kid-friendly software. India Builds $35 Tablet Computers. Lenovo: Apple Can't Dominate Tablet Market Forever - John Paczkowski - Mobile. 35% of Tablet Owners Use Them in the Bathroom [STUDY] United Pilots Get iPads [Video; Screenshots] The Amazon Tablet. Why Amazon's tablet will challenge Apple in a way that Google cannot | Technology.
Why CNN Acquired Zite [INTERVIEW]