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Ipad 2 arrives but the competitors are closing in
THE IPAD 2 COMETH to the UK starting at 5pm Friday but is this refresh of the most popular tablet computer of all time just a little too late?
Since the first Ipad launch last year there have been many imitators but none have had the runaway success of the Apple tablet. According to a report by ABI Research the Ipad has 93 per cent of the tablet market, having sold millions.
That sort of brand awareness for the tablet market guaranteed the Ipad 2 good sales and when the refreshed drinks tray was launched in the US the opening weekend had seven figure sales. Though some might argue that the drawback to having such a gargantuan market share is that it can only go down.
However everything so far points to the Ipad 2 ruling in the UK after its launch, with it being available on Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile and the Three network. Yet it is a product not much changed from its predecessor.
The Ipad 2 specifications only really differ from its predecessor's thanks to its dual core 1GHz A5 processor, a gyroscope, HDMI out and dual cameras. The front-facing camera is VGA while the rear-facing camera is a mystery because no megapixel number is given. But Apple says it can capture HD 720p video.
In the meantime the competition has been organising itself to grab some of this juicy new market that the experts expect to cannibalise the netbook and possibly even notebook sectors. Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Motorola's Xoom have been touted as the anti-Ipads to watch and both run the Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system.
The Xoom has a 1GHz dual-core processor, supports Adobe Flash and Air and it has a better display because it is larger at 10.1-inches and its resolution is better at 1280x800. The Ipad 2 display is 1024x768. The Xoom also has a 10-hour battery life, a 5MP rear-facing camera for HD 720p video capture and a 2MP front-facing camera for video calls, a barometer, an e-compass and an accelerometer.
Samsung launched its 7-inch Galaxy Tab last year but announced this year the 10.1-inch and 8.9-inch versions. The company has denied poor sales of its 7-inch product but the suggestion that it has not fared well must be heartening for Steve Jobs because he had claimed that all 7-inch tablets would be dead-on-arrival.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a 1GHz dual core processor, its 10.1-inch display has 1280x800 resolution and it comes with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options. It will also have WiFi, 3G, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, a rear facing 3MP camera with flash and a 2MP front facing camera. The 8.9-inch version's specifications are exactly the same as the 10.1-inch. But just to confuse things there are two 10.1-inch models. The only difference is that one has a thickness of 10.9mm and the other 8.6mm. At 8.6mm the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is 0.2mm thinner than the Ipad 2.
Steve Jobs made great play of the Ipad 2's 8.8mm thickness so the Galaxy Tab's thinner profile is bound to be played up in the marketing material. As will the fact that the 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab is lighter, by all of 6g, than the Ipad 2. Weight reduction was another important selling point for Jobs.
Tags: Hardware
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I can absolutely see how changing you wallpaper automatically or replacing the app launcher could be the most important thing in your life. By all means rush out and spend an extra £/$100 on the Transformer (16GB of flash and 3G is an optional extra like the keyboard, so it competes with the base model iPad at $500/£400) , but personally if I was in the market for an Android tab then I'd be waiting for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 which at least matches iPad price points.
Meanwhile the general buying public are much more interested in the software they can run on a device, not how much they can customise the environment. Android is a LONG way behind on the tablet software front.
Does it have a SIDE-facing camera? What about front and rear touchscreens? A 3D wireless connection?
No? What a useless product.
Sometimes better and cheaper really means worse and more expensive. At least when it comes to products NOT made by Apple.
While something like the Samsung might be thinner and lighter.. who cares? Unless it's A LOT cheaper few people will buy.
There won't be a real cost effective competitor until someone like Amazon release something - Apples prices are 'reasonable' compared to their competition - they get excellent margins due to Apple stores and get a huge cut of App store sales - plus they have an excellent eco system to boot.
I have a Barnes and Noble Nook Color rooted/hacked with Gingerbread - beautiful screen, runs faster than original stock Galaxy Tab and costs 249$
When Amazon comes out with their rumored tablet - watch out.
@Steve T:
Here it is: http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/android-tablet-news/11151-asus-eee-pad-transformer-launch-price-drops-below-600usd-counting.html
Cheaper than Ipad.
Also, I don't love or hate Apple products, or any brands... I AM disappointed with Apple that I expected something else and was brainwashed like other Apple buyers. It was also because there wasn't any competition... until now, NOW I can choose. Maybe I will be wrong and fail, but I will be released from the prison that was Ipad. I love it and hate it dearly, love it because it's a splendid device, with an incredible experience, but hate it because it's to simple, for no-brains people, I can't customize my Springboard, can't install a different launcher like Android has, can't even pus a live wallpaper, or an automatic wallpaper changer, so don't fill me with BS...
If one, only one app mentioned above works, than I bow to His Majesty Steve and will shut up forever. Until then, you shut up.
You guys are going crazy over a stupid electronic device! This is turning into a dick measuring contest!
the OP has a point. Android 2.3 and prior doesn't support tablets properly (even Google say this), the interface is inconsistent and, claims above to the contrary, is still quite buggy (iOS isn't bug free, but is noticeable better before anyone starts).
Android 3.0 still isn't finished. The Xoom is the only Honeycomb tablet that can currently be purchased, abet at a higher price than the iPad and in much fewer markets. There's still a way to go before 3.0 is truly competitive with iOS (iOS multitasking is good enough for most purposes and app support is hugely superior).
@Error, ignoring the fact that you seem to be an Asus shill, the Transformer is £100 more than an equivalently specced iPad, and the keyboard is extra. Are you really that desperate?
Apple toys are expensive, and indeed they act like a Church, and tell you what to run on your iDevice. I own an Ipad but I am anxious to lay my hands on an EEE Transformer, in April it should be available in my country (hoping....). It goes like this: Ipad has an IPS screen and very good build quality, battery for 10 hours, but: software OS is crap, can't do nothing really, no real background multitasking even on jailbreak, only apps frozen in memory, I can't see if I receive a Mail... (on my Samsung Galaxy S it notifies me instantly) I can't upload photos, real JPEGS, not converted Itunes crap .png format. I can't upload clips from camera directly, must use VLC. Games are splendid though, with IPS screen, viewing angles are extreme, accelerometer works. But the flexibility that Android gives, even if it's not 3.0, so what? Even 2.2 runs flash everything works, I have a Point Of View Mobii Tablet with 2.2 Froyo Tegra 2...EVERYTHING works, Market works, all games work. The only drawback is viewing angles on it's LCD screen.
That's why I want a EEE Transformer, it has an IPS screen like Ipad. And all fanboism about not being a tablet OS is crap, stick with your Ipads, shove them where the sun won't shine! Your're jealous that there IS competition and you are not alone to brag with your expensive toys...
Android and Apple's iCock tablets aren't all that's available you know.
Have none of you demoed any Intel Moorestown devices running Meego yet? It's almost a joke how much more advanced they are than the tacky boring pieces of shit that you guys have your eyes on.
Android is fine, needs a bit of work; custom kernels, roms etc. to compete.
iOS is... just fucking terrible lol, nothing but an app folder, literally nothing else to it. Apple just lets the application developers do all the hard work on that one, it just provides the tiny shit GUI for them.
In short, think for yourselves and do some research. You're buying absolute shit just because it's the hip new thing.
I had a revelation the other day related to this mini-rant; My Desire HD went up in flames because I was overclocking the cunt out of it to get half-decent 3D performance, so I went back to using my FOUR YEAR OLD N95. I wanted to watch a movie from the SD card, so I plugged in the Nokia adapter to the 3.5mm jack and boom, instantly full screen on my 42" with stereo output. From a 3.5mm with fairly decent resolution.
I just pictured Steve Jobs on his little podium, announcing this "Technology" as some crazy new-age innovation for the new iPrick or something, and getting fucking blowjobs from all you faggots who eat up his outdated bullshit.
The Galaxy Tab to which you refer runs a smartphone OS, as do all other so-called tablets, apart from Xoom.
Now, if you don't know the difference between a phone OS and a tablet OS, I suppose it doesn't matter to you.
For the rest of us, the Android tablet OS is the one that Google, according to this illustrious organ, has just postponed because it wasn't good enough.
What I'm looking for is a tablet, not a big smart phone.
As I said, the only alternative at the moment is Xoom for Americans.
Of the two so-called "competitor" tablets, neither is available for purchase. So, how you are comparing vaporware to the iPad2 (sitting in front of me) is beyond me.
There is no competition for the iPad, pure and simple. Any other similarly-equipped device, if ever made available for sale, will cost $100 - $500 more than the iPad2. That's not competition, in my mind.
Apple whipped everybody on this one, and they will continue to dominate.
Many of my tech-savvy colleagues in the UK, Ireland and Norway have had the Galaxy Tab for several months now.....
Kathy Neery: "Apple own the tablet market. No other company has a presence in that market."
Uh, just because various competitor products are not 10" slabs doesn't mean they have no presence. Sheesh, wake up indeed!
"Start reporting the facts and cut the made-up stuff; you are sounding more like a church than a source of technically accurate news."
Fanbois should probably hold off on the "church" references. Unless you're paid to post this kind of thing. In which case, well 'turfed "Kathy"!
Ive only seen allot of frankly crap competition so far so I think the Ifad 2 is still well enough ahead of the game. I expect (indeed bloody hope) that competitors will be out in force soon for the £299 mark as that is about what I think people would pay for one (assuming it has same features as ipad). Virtually no one is going to buy a galaxy tab or the like for the same oor more than an ipad whether or not its better,
"is this refresh of the most popular tablet computer of all time just a little too late?"
Are you frickin' bonkers?
The only real non-iPad tablet, i.e. running a tablet OS (Honeycomb), not a smartphone OS, available NOW is the Xoom. The Xoom is only available in the U.S. and the WiFi-only version is not yet out.
No Galaxy Tab 10.1 anywhere.
Nothing else Android 3.0 available anywhere.
Stop being a numb-nut idiot and address the real issue: iPad has been available for almost a year but there is no competing device unless you want an expensive Xoom and you live in the U.S.A.
Apple own the tablet market. No other company has a presence in that market.
Oh, and yeah, I love my iPad 'cos it lets me use a computer the way I want to use it.
Start reporting the facts and cut the made-up stuff; you are sounding more like a church than a source of technically accurate news.