Last time we saw the 10-inch EROS tablet it was powered down and pouting about its two hours of battery life, but the tablet's pulled itself together and powered up to show off its skills. The performance is pretty much what you would expect of an Intel Atom-powered Windows 7 Home Premium netbook with its keyboard chopped off, and from what we've been able to glean from the 11 minute video below the touchscreen seems responsive to writing with a stylus and to flicks of photos and pages in a comic book. You'll notice, however the reviewer only uses his fingers a few times, though he's actually quite good at typing on the on-screen keyboard. The rest of the time he uses the stylus to move through those far-from-finger-friendly Windows 7 menus. If you're wondering why Windows 7 still needs additional software tweaks to work on a purely finger-driven tablet device, spend 10 minutes watching the video below. Or just listen to The Weepies' awesome "Gotta Have You" -- which perhaps not coincidentally ends when the tablet's done booting.
@(Unverified) Actually the better comparison would be one of the dozens of Android tablets that were shown off within the last year, but especially at CES. I think you will find the OS comparable to the iPhone OS, and is more flexible. Of course there are some drawbacks (No native Multi-touch implementation for example).
@HighestRanked They are not Windows 7 table fans, they are Anti-Apple fans, and addicted ones. They have the need to open all Apple related posts and post lovely comments :-)
@daily It is Windows 7. My netbook has Windows 7 but when I boot, it uses the splash screen of Windows Vista. I read that it happens because of the lack of resolution.
Anyway, this article is still full of SHlT!
This is just one video!!! Why would the author GENERALIZE that Windows 7 is crap in touch gestures? There is no lesson learned here author. Maybe you did learn something, but not me -- if you call this knowledge -- it's so Lame.
@Acey As annoying as it is, to see the amount of wrong information there is on tablets floating around these days, I sorta have to say that I've used Win7 on a tx2000, and navigating by touch is not very much fun at all. I've also just put it on my Toshiba tablet, and am finding that I like navigating with a stylus MUCH more....
This whole touch tablet thing never made that much sense to me.... I get a tablet to write on, and I want a stylus. Its nice to have touch as a back up to flip through a PDF when you don't want to whip out the stylus or whatever... but I much prefer a finger friendly interface that is geared primarily at stylus users.
PS...one note sucks...and is a major reason why I've not bothered to upgrade my tablet in a long time... tablet software is weak across the board.
I think the post is really targeted as desktop OS's not being best suited for touchscreen input. Windows 7 happens to make it to more touchscreen prototypes than OS X and I think we all know why.
It's really the bigger picture here, not Windows bashing.
@victorstuber I had a netbook modded with a touchscreen which was hackitoshed. The experience is the same as using windows 7 which I also tried on the same netbook.
Regular OS's don't feel fluid on tablets. Windows really needs a tablet edition that is not just a rehash of a desktop OS. iPhone's OS isn't the answer either although I will admit that the iPads/iPhone's interface might be a set in the right direction in terms of just touching though apps.
@victorstuber -- "I'd like to see someone try and type using a touchscreen with OSX"
That's why Apple made a *variation* of OSX for their smaller form-factor devices.... it's called iPhoneOS. They took the underpinnings of OSX and created a new touch-centric OS.
They did not, however, take their desktop OSX and cram it into a tablet... like the HP Slate or this EROS tablet that runs Windows 7.
Both Apple and Microsoft are pretty innovative with their OSes. Apple has OSX and iPhoneOS.... and Microsoft has Windows 7 and Windows Mobile.
But, as always, the shortcomings are revealed when you try to put a desktop OS on a smaller, mobile device.
So, you're right.... OSX probably wouldn't be too great on a tablet. But, Apple's thought of that... and that's why they created an additional OS for touch devices.
I'd love to know how much time was spent creating this EROS tablet or the HP Slate. Clearly, those companies focused on the hardware... but then they relied on Microsoft to supply the OS. And that video is an example of why that isn't always a great idea.
Android is already making its way into all sorts of devices. I'd rather see Microsoft introduce a beefed-up version of Windows Mobile for these small devices... instead of full-blown Windows 7 on a netbook-based tablet.
I'd loooove to know on what grounds you're making these assertions. I take it you've actually used Windows 7 on a multitouch device, and you're basing your opinions on that.
Certainly you're not judging from the 30 seconds of touch showcased here, on a resistive touchscreen no less.
Oh you're right... I've never used Windows 7 on a nice, responsive, multitouch tablet.
But, I still believe in the *idea* of creating a specifically designed OS for a multitouch environment... vs. putting a copy of Windows 7 on a keyboardless netbook.
We all saw how the iPad works and how responsive it was. In fact, it's probably gonna run similarly to the 50 million iPhones/iPod Touches out in the world. Apple has already had this stuff in production for the last 3 years.
Fast forward to today... how much collaboration was there between these other tablet manufacturers and Microsoft? Or did they just chop the keyboard off of a netbook and rush it out the door? All we've seen from them is a 15 second teaser videoclip from HP and Steve Ballmer holding a prototype.
BTW, I'm still using XP on a custom-built desktop, and I probably have no use for a tablet... but thanks for the spirited conversation.
and you would have a point if Apple had tried to use OS X on a tablet. Using a desktop operating system with almost every application assuming keyboard and mouse for a tablet is not going to work in my opinion. XP Tablet Edition, Win 7, OS X, Linux are all going to be inferior to iPhone OS and Android unless they make huge UI changes.
I will let you in on a secret OS X and iPhone OS share many components but the UI layers are different because the way the user interfaces with the software are different. SIMPLE !
I am amazed that most poster don't have the slightest clue how difficult and time consuming it is to develop great UI
@Michael Scrip First of all, ipad doesn't do what's it intended for well (can't see flash content, can't video chat, hurts eyes when reading ebooks, no multitasking, etc). Second, HP had no problem selling the original TC1000 series, and the later shittier TX2000, TX2 series, I don't see them having any problem selling the slate. Also as far as business tablets go, all those offerings from HP, Dell, and Lenovo are flying off the shelves.
@CalBearGuy This Windows crap-blet runs about as fast as frozen molasses. You could do in a minute on an iPad what this guy took five minutes to do and with a stupid stylus. He thinks running the video at double speed is gonna fool anyone into thinking that tablet is fast. No chance.
i don't know guys, but it looks to me that if you can't use the interface with your fingers even after the increasing the display size in settings to 150% then might actually have some issues with your dexterity
Windows 7 and the core apps are actually designed for (multi)touch. The UI actually changes (higher dpis, greater spacing, larger targets) and the screen recognizes gestures when you use touch. With the many of 3rd party apps already on Windows many of these features are not fully developed, but future apps will take this into account.
Yeah I hear that a lot. Anything constructive to add? Have you actually used the technology and have some constructive suggestions on what could be changed to make the touch experience better?
Or are you just dismissing something out of ignorance?
If you look closely, that is a reskinned and likely hacked version of Vista. Boot screen, system icons, elongated program icons in the taskbar, and quick start icons on the left - along with all the interface details are Vista. This isn't close to a legitimate version Windows 7 or its touch capabilities.
No. My opinion as someone who has used windows 7 on a great touch screen device is that it is sufficient for my needs.
Your opinion as someone who as not used windows 7 on a touch screen device is that it is insufficient.
Why is your opinion valid again? Or I wrong: you have used windows 7 on a touch screen device, and you have some reason why it's insufficient instead of dismissing it outright.
I've used an HP touchsmart with windows 7 and quickly reverted to the mouse. Its just not polished enough yet. When I have to hit the screen two to three times because the buttons are too small or non responsive I'm not happy. I've never used windows 7 on a tablet but I can GUARANTEE with diminished processing ability and resistive screen it would be a nightmare, unless it was all meant to work together. which its not.
For what it's worth, as far as I know the HP TouchSmarts use an optical detection method to enable the touch screen, and aren't as accurate as a capacitive display you would find on most tablets these days.
@uck Every version of Windows I can remember has a WYSIWYG screen properties setting which allows you to increase the size of all UI elements to a size comfortable for your finger size. I have used XP, Vista, and Win 7 tablets / convertibles, and in all cases, I was able to increase the size of the UI elements (close box, scroll bar, menu items, task bar items, etc.) to a finger-friendly, easy to use, size for my large fingers. In most dases, the bigger elements are used by third party apps as well. I can understand why the vendors do not increase the UI elements sizes before delivery because some may desire to use a stylus, and / or users' fingers are different sizes with a different amounts of enlarging required. It would be nice if the vendors included the fact that the UI elements can be easily enlarged to a size comfortable for the users' finger sizes along with instruction on how to perform this built-in easy task.
Once you increase the UI elements to finger-friendly, easy to use size for your fingers, you have the power of a desktop OS along with your favorite desktop apps in an easy to use, finger-friendly, famliar interface.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
posted February 1st 2010 4:57PM
@(Unverified) Actually the better comparison would be one of the dozens of Android tablets that were shown off within the last year, but especially at CES. I think you will find the OS comparable to the iPhone OS, and is more flexible. Of course there are some drawbacks (No native Multi-touch implementation for example).
@HighestRanked
They are not Windows 7 table fans, they are Anti-Apple fans, and addicted ones. They have the need to open all Apple related posts and post lovely comments :-)
@HighestRanked
No, it doesn't suck. This video is not indicative on the windows 7 touch experience I'm used to on my Latitude XT.
Guys? It's getting out of control huh?
@Yipii123
OP, please change Windows 7 to 'Desktop OSs' because this is just leading to an argument..
there are other factors to consider too, you didnt even mention if it was resistive or capacitive
@Yipii123
Wait wait wait wait....
isnt that Vista??????
@Acey
Yes it is Vista with some Win7 skin. See the loading screen and how programs appear in the taskbar.
@daily
Then that means this article is totally INCORRECT, BIASED and MISLEADING.
Windows Vista was never built for touch gestures explaining these issues.
ENGADGET TAKE THIS POST DOWN
@Acey Yes, take it down! Or I will write your boss, to you kick your ass :) Yes!
@daily It is Windows 7. My netbook has Windows 7 but when I boot, it uses the splash screen of Windows Vista. I read that it happens because of the lack of resolution.
Anyway, this article is still full of SHlT!
This is just one video!!! Why would the author GENERALIZE that Windows 7 is crap in touch gestures? There is no lesson learned here author. Maybe you did learn something, but not me -- if you call this knowledge -- it's so Lame.
@Acey It is misinformed and drawing incorrect and seemingly biased conclusions, but simma down na' partner, its just a gadget article.
@Yipii123 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4 The parodies have started flying
@Acey As annoying as it is, to see the amount of wrong information there is on tablets floating around these days, I sorta have to say that I've used Win7 on a tx2000, and navigating by touch is not very much fun at all. I've also just put it on my Toshiba tablet, and am finding that I like navigating with a stylus MUCH more....
This whole touch tablet thing never made that much sense to me.... I get a tablet to write on, and I want a stylus. Its nice to have touch as a back up to flip through a PDF when you don't want to whip out the stylus or whatever... but I much prefer a finger friendly interface that is geared primarily at stylus users.
PS...one note sucks...and is a major reason why I've not bothered to upgrade my tablet in a long time... tablet software is weak across the board.
"This clip has been blocked in your region"
Mirror?
@Psych0
Blocked in the UK
I'd like to see someone try and type using a touchscreen with OSX
@victorstuber
I think the post is really targeted as desktop OS's not being best suited for touchscreen input. Windows 7 happens to make it to more touchscreen prototypes than OS X and I think we all know why.
It's really the bigger picture here, not Windows bashing.
@VforVinDiesel
So why did they write Windows 7 in the headline, then?
Engadget are a bunch of Apple lemmings.
@VforVinDiesel whats really happening is that everyone was crapping on the iPad for not having a real OS nor the power to run one.
solution? try a BS article about why a real operating system is a bad thing.
@victorstuber
Happens all the time. Have you vever seen anyone type on an iPhone.
Well if your not going to specify “Mac” before “OS X”, then what sort of reply do you expect!
@victorstuber I had a netbook modded with a touchscreen which was hackitoshed. The experience is the same as using windows 7 which I also tried on the same netbook.
Regular OS's don't feel fluid on tablets. Windows really needs a tablet edition that is not just a rehash of a desktop OS. iPhone's OS isn't the answer either although I will admit that the iPads/iPhone's interface might be a set in the right direction in terms of just touching though apps.
Nobody is doing this right.
@victorstuber -- "I'd like to see someone try and type using a touchscreen with OSX"
That's why Apple made a *variation* of OSX for their smaller form-factor devices.... it's called iPhoneOS. They took the underpinnings of OSX and created a new touch-centric OS.
They did not, however, take their desktop OSX and cram it into a tablet... like the HP Slate or this EROS tablet that runs Windows 7.
Both Apple and Microsoft are pretty innovative with their OSes. Apple has OSX and iPhoneOS.... and Microsoft has Windows 7 and Windows Mobile.
But, as always, the shortcomings are revealed when you try to put a desktop OS on a smaller, mobile device.
So, you're right.... OSX probably wouldn't be too great on a tablet. But, Apple's thought of that... and that's why they created an additional OS for touch devices.
I'd love to know how much time was spent creating this EROS tablet or the HP Slate. Clearly, those companies focused on the hardware... but then they relied on Microsoft to supply the OS. And that video is an example of why that isn't always a great idea.
Android is already making its way into all sorts of devices. I'd rather see Microsoft introduce a beefed-up version of Windows Mobile for these small devices... instead of full-blown Windows 7 on a netbook-based tablet.
@Michael Scrip
I'd loooove to know on what grounds you're making these assertions. I take it you've actually used Windows 7 on a multitouch device, and you're basing your opinions on that.
Certainly you're not judging from the 30 seconds of touch showcased here, on a resistive touchscreen no less.
@Missing Matter
Oh you're right... I've never used Windows 7 on a nice, responsive, multitouch tablet.
But, I still believe in the *idea* of creating a specifically designed OS for a multitouch environment... vs. putting a copy of Windows 7 on a keyboardless netbook.
We all saw how the iPad works and how responsive it was. In fact, it's probably gonna run similarly to the 50 million iPhones/iPod Touches out in the world. Apple has already had this stuff in production for the last 3 years.
Fast forward to today... how much collaboration was there between these other tablet manufacturers and Microsoft? Or did they just chop the keyboard off of a netbook and rush it out the door? All we've seen from them is a 15 second teaser videoclip from HP and Steve Ballmer holding a prototype.
BTW, I'm still using XP on a custom-built desktop, and I probably have no use for a tablet... but thanks for the spirited conversation.
@victorstuber
and you would have a point if Apple had tried to use OS X on a tablet. Using a desktop operating system with almost every application assuming keyboard and mouse for a tablet is not going to work in my opinion. XP Tablet Edition, Win 7, OS X, Linux are all going to be inferior to iPhone OS and Android unless they make huge UI changes.
@Michael Scrip
You get even more shortcomings when you put a smartphone os onto a tablet.
@Decoy
Define tablet:
The old 2000's era devices running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition with limited user appeal....
Or Apple's new device, building on the success of the iPhone and iPod Touch...
@victorstuber
You are correct but not for the reason you think.
I will let you in on a secret OS X and iPhone OS share many components but the UI layers are different because the way the user interfaces with the software are different. SIMPLE !
I am amazed that most poster don't have the slightest clue how difficult and time consuming it is to develop great UI
That music is pure garbage!
this is far more useful to have and use than that other certain tablet announced
@CalBearGuy True!
@CalBearGuy -- "this is far more useful to have and use than that other certain tablet announced"
Like all the previous Windows-based tablets that have been flying off the shelves all this time?
Look... I get it. The iPad, iPod Touch and the iPhone aren't true replacements for desktops or laptops. But, they are pretty good at what they do.
If you want a keyboard-less netbook that runs Windows 7... go get this EROS tablet or the HP Slate. Have fun with that :)
@Michael Scrip First of all, ipad doesn't do what's it intended for well (can't see flash content, can't video chat, hurts eyes when reading ebooks, no multitasking, etc). Second, HP had no problem selling the original TC1000 series, and the later shittier TX2000, TX2 series, I don't see them having any problem selling the slate. Also as far as business tablets go, all those offerings from HP, Dell, and Lenovo are flying off the shelves.
@CalBearGuy
This Windows crap-blet runs about as fast as frozen molasses. You could do in a minute on an iPad what this guy took five minutes to do and with a stupid stylus. He thinks running the video at double speed is gonna fool anyone into thinking that tablet is fast. No chance.
The music sucked but that tablet was much worse.
Definitely a major FAIL.
@hmmwv
It just doesn't do what *you* think it is intended to do.
Please just go buy this China tablet and become lucky.
And here we go again *sigh*
@hq
i don't know guys, but it looks to me that if you can't use the interface with your fingers even after the increasing the display size in settings to 150% then might actually have some issues with your dexterity
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/5835/displayoptions.jpg
Maybe that's why a full OS needs to be tweaked significantly to work on a touchscreen tablet hey hey?
@uck
Windows 7 and the core apps are actually designed for (multi)touch. The UI actually changes (higher dpis, greater spacing, larger targets) and the screen recognizes gestures when you use touch. With the many of 3rd party apps already on Windows many of these features are not fully developed, but future apps will take this into account.
More info on touch in Windows 7:
http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/03/25/touching-windows-7.aspx
That said, I think the screen technology does make a difference, and resistive is probbaly not suited to touch typing with the pads of your fingers.
@ZSX
It doesn't seem to be tweaked enough. End.
@uck
Yeah I hear that a lot. Anything constructive to add? Have you actually used the technology and have some constructive suggestions on what could be changed to make the touch experience better?
Or are you just dismissing something out of ignorance?
@uck
If you look closely, that is a reskinned and likely hacked version of Vista. Boot screen, system icons, elongated program icons in the taskbar, and quick start icons on the left - along with all the interface details are Vista. This isn't close to a legitimate version Windows 7 or its touch capabilities.
@Missing Matter
do you?
Ignorantly calling me ignorant doesn't make you win.
@uck :
Only you've called yourself ignorant.
That, before, was just a question where you could have simply replied 'no, I'm not an idiot' to.
@uck
I'm not the one who made an unsupported claim.
@jstevens
Were playing the game of symantics now. I took his question as rhetoric as I'm sure it was.
Can't we all agree that there hasn't been a sufficient full os tablet yet???? I think so, you don't always have to look for a fight.
@uck
No. My opinion as someone who has used windows 7 on a great touch screen device is that it is sufficient for my needs.
Your opinion as someone who as not used windows 7 on a touch screen device is that it is insufficient.
Why is your opinion valid again? Or I wrong: you have used windows 7 on a touch screen device, and you have some reason why it's insufficient instead of dismissing it outright.
@Missing Matter
I've used an HP touchsmart with windows 7 and quickly reverted to the mouse. Its just not polished enough yet. When I have to hit the screen two to three times because the buttons are too small or non responsive I'm not happy. I've never used windows 7 on a tablet but I can GUARANTEE with diminished processing ability and resistive screen it would be a nightmare, unless it was all meant to work together. which its not.
@uck
See, was that so hard?
For what it's worth, as far as I know the HP TouchSmarts use an optical detection method to enable the touch screen, and aren't as accurate as a capacitive display you would find on most tablets these days.
@uck Every version of Windows I can remember has a WYSIWYG screen properties setting which allows you to increase the size of all UI elements to a size comfortable for your finger size. I have used XP, Vista, and Win 7 tablets / convertibles, and in all cases, I was able to increase the size of the UI elements (close box, scroll bar, menu items, task bar items, etc.) to a finger-friendly, easy to use, size for my large fingers. In most dases, the bigger elements are used by third party apps as well. I can understand why the vendors do not increase the UI elements sizes before delivery because some may desire to use a stylus, and / or users' fingers are different sizes with a different amounts of enlarging required. It would be nice if the vendors included the fact that the UI elements can be easily enlarged to a size comfortable for the users' finger sizes along with instruction on how to perform this built-in easy task.
Once you increase the UI elements to finger-friendly, easy to use size for your fingers, you have the power of a desktop OS along with your favorite desktop apps in an easy to use, finger-friendly, famliar interface.