http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 5:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 6:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 10:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 10:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/"LET'S GET READY TO RUUUMMMMMBLE!!!"

It'll be interesting to see if multitouch, better connectivity and better batteries can make these stick with the consumer this time.]]>Mar 10th 2010 12:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 2:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 3:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 5:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
The post tablet crash of 2011 awaits and everyone's popping!]]>Mar 10th 2010 7:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Lets wait and see what Intel/Nokia/Meego have to say 'bout this..]]>Mar 10th 2010 5:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
o_O;]]>Mar 10th 2010 5:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 5:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/maybe, but there's still the mini 5, iPad, Adam...
name the manufacturer, name the OS (other than XP/7), it's probably got ARM inside]]>Mar 10th 2010 11:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 2:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
Look at all the ones released already (with slow ARM processors). The ones later this year will be the same thing but (in some cases) with faster ARM processors.

I just wish they'd get their arses into gear and release a nice, high-quality, reasonably sized (9"?) Ubuntu ARM netbook, with light weight and long battery life that the processor/SoC should provide...]]>Mar 11th 2010 5:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
People are going to find after the hype that it will just be a barely used underpowered internet surfer.]]>Mar 10th 2010 5:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Yes, we all know apple invented the tablet... ]]>Mar 10th 2010 6:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/wrong.
Many different tablets were introduced THIS YEAR BEFORE THE IPAD.

It seems more like consumer electronic companies come together each year and decide what will be the next big thing next year.

The iPad is good, but anything from great.

and tablets will continue to under-perform until manufacturers decide to put some real hardware and software integration into it. This wont just happen instantly, it will take a long time, hence the slow rise of the tablet form factor to really begin to start pushing through. Its like how laptops at first weren't that powerful and now are almost as beast as their desktop counter-parts....tablets just need a little bit more time, thats all]]>Mar 10th 2010 6:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
The other real things that will prevent the form factor from taking off is that its too big for an mp3 player, it has no keyboard to do any real work on, and no one really watches movies on the go; i'm yet to see someone who does.

To me this is a device that can do basic web surfing, a couple of touch screen games, and maybe a few minutes of you tube clips here and there.

Any real work is done on a laptop or a pc.]]>Mar 10th 2010 7:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
"Any real work is done on a laptop or a pc."

How much "real" work do you think people actually do at home these days? Real work is done at, well, work. The iPad is clearly designed for leisure activities and that's what people do at home. Mind you, the Keynote application looks awesome enough that I'd use it at work for doing presentations.]]>Mar 10th 2010 7:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
I would like to see how well you will be able to comment on posts using a stupid touch screen keyboard

@abedinthehouse & LeJay

I never said apple invented the tablet, I was just pointing out that no general consumers were really interested in the segment, im sure apple will be able to market the tablet until people think they have a need for them.
]]>Mar 10th 2010 7:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
Well, given that I can type pretty well on the landscape oriented keyboard of the iPhone, I tend to think that the on-screen keyboard of the iPad will work just as well as a hardware keyboard. I honestly don't understand the obsession with "tactile" feedback. I am quite certain that I will type just as fast, if not faster, with the iPad's larger keyboard as I can with a normal keyboard. Why would you think otherwise?]]>Mar 10th 2010 7:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/You are probably too young to remember, but there were whole computers sold with "touch sensitive" keyboards. They were annoying and everyone hated them. Since then, computer manufactures that have included them with their systems have been chided and laughed at by the reset of the industry. Most people like having tactile feedback with their keyboards and type better with it.
Gratz to you for being superior to the rest of us. Enjoy your flat, unresponsive input methods. ]]>Mar 10th 2010 8:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
well ill put the comparison like this, which can be used to type the faster sms? Touchscreen or qwerty keypad? (answer is keypad)

The tactile feedback is easier for the brain to recognize in conjunction with the appropriate touch sensation of only hitting a single key. The brain can respond to this feedback much quicker than the time it takes to process the on screen information. You also don't have the normal centering of the f and j keys, so you will have to constantly check that your hands aren't drifting from the keys, changing your focus and reducing speed.

Also, two hand typing will require the pad to be on a desk, resulting in an arched neck.

I'm telling you now, you wont be able to type as fast and definitely not faster than your keyboard on a touchscreen, to think so is delusional and ridiculous. ]]>Mar 10th 2010 8:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
iPad like device is mostly consumer device, their target user won't complaint about keyboard mostly. The commenter like your care about the input efficiency is just the minor. When I use iPhone app browse Engadget, I simply just a viewer. ]]>Mar 10th 2010 8:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/or input accuracy....]]>Mar 10th 2010 8:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
Thankfully, the state of the art in respect to on-screen keyboards has moved on. Mind you, I do not understand why a non-tactile keyboard represents an issue. I can only suggest that you try typing on an iPad and see whether you still find it to be a problem.

Still, cheers for calling me "young" - that hasn't happened in a while.]]>Mar 10th 2010 8:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
The only recent advancement in touch screen technology is multi-touch, which is useless for keyboards, so no, nothing has really changed.]]>Mar 10th 2010 8:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
Disagree. I can type just as fast on a touchscreen as I can on a physical keyboard. As far as my fingers are concerned they are striking a surface and they register that contact has been made. The only difference is that the force required to do this is much less. I can understand a problem for touch-typists that use the ridges on the "home" keys but the benefits of an on-screen keyboard by far and away outweighs the costs.]]>Mar 10th 2010 8:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
I think you'll find that screen accuracy is an important factor and that screens are becoming much more accurate than they used to be. As much as I like "classic" things, a classic keyboard isn't one of them. They are a fundamental waste of space and the space that they take up can either go towards more screen space or an overall smaller/lighter device.]]>Mar 10th 2010 8:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 8:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
And what are the benefits again compared to a physical keyboard that assist with speed?

Ive used the iphone keyboard, I ended up pressing the wrong letters a lot, and having to physically look where i was pressing constantly, taking my attention away from what I was typing, hardly as good as a physical buttons.

@darksharpie

Oh yeah, forgot about the modifiers. But my point still stands, I use a POS at work, and its far from being faster than a keyboard.]]>Mar 10th 2010 9:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
This sort of thing my be right up your alley.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BnLbv6QYcA]]>Mar 10th 2010 10:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
"might be" not "my be"]]>Mar 10th 2010 10:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
I can concede that Apple's touch screen interface on the iPhone and iPod touch are pretty well suited for the small screen size. The adaptive text correction is crucial, and I can type fairly quickly on my iPhone's touchscreen.

But using the iPad will not be the same as the iPhone in this regard. The iPhone's keyboard, whether oriented portrait or landscape, is designed for two thumbs typing. The goal of the iPad keyboard, at least according to Steve Jobs, is to approach the size of a laptop keyboard, meaning that you'll be expected to use all of your normal typing fingers.

I am a pure touch typist, all the way, and what this means is that i simply cannot rest my idle fingers on the touchscreen, lest they be construed as touch input. What this means is that you'll have likely most of your fingers of both hands floating above the iPad as you are typing. The problem there is that without a firm base, your floating fingers or your whole hands will eventually drift without you constantly looking at your fingers to visually align them, which is contrary to touch typing to begin with.

Secondly, others have brought up the issue of ergonomics, and I have to echo this point. With a laptop today resting on a table, the screen is at an obtuse angle from the keyboard, and allows your back and neck and head to be more upright as you are typing. With the iPad resting on a table, since the screen itself is a typing surface, there will be a tendency to hunch over your fingers to get the same view.

Since all of your fingers are engaged in typing, there's nothing to stabilize the base of the iPad when you are typing on your lap for example... hilariously, the solution presented in the iPad videos is to balance the thing with your crotch and your legs...]]>Mar 10th 2010 10:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
"And what are the benefits again compared to a physical keyboard that assist with speed?"

Ultimately, the benefit is flexibility. As the iPhone appropriately demonstrates, you are not fixed to a single physical keyboard. Whilst maintaining the devices size you can choose to have a keyboard or not have a keyboard, depending on whether it is appropriate for one to be there for that particular application at that particular point in time. You are not fixed to one type of keyboard, be it language or general key configuration. You can have a keyboard when the device is in portrait or landscape without any whacky mechanics in the background. Depending on the available screen space you can make the keyboard bigger or smaller. There are no mechanics to go wrong and there is no possibility of keys getting gunked up.

Sure, a physical keyboard is nice but it isn't essential and you aren't going to be typing reports on something like the iPad anyway (as I've noted in my comments elsewhere, you'll still have your computer in your office if you need to do that sort of thing or even just a bluetooth keyboard linked to the iPad itself). That would constitute "real" work.

@LaughingMan11

This is an insurmountable barrier if you absolutely must touch-type. Personally, I consider myself as a spatial typist. I don't feel the keys to know where my fingers are but I know where they are over the keyboard and that seems to enable me to type pretty quickly (probably not as quickly as you, mind). In this respect it doesn't matter much to me if the keys are physical or not. But if you do need that then you going to be stuck with devices that, frankly, waste space. Look at the Amazon Kindle, for example. It has a "proper" keyboard (more or less) but given the function of the device you are hardly going to be using it but yet there it is, taking up space and adding weight. For me, the cost of losing the keyboard is outweighed by the benefits gained, some of which I have outlined above.]]>Mar 10th 2010 12:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 1:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/abedinthehouse wrote: "wrong. Many different tablets were introduced THIS YEAR BEFORE THE IPAD."

@abedinthehouse
I just have to correct your horrible misimpression. Everyone knew Apple was releasing a tablet computer in January. If you think Ballmer ham-fistedly showed off three unannounced, prototype devices that could barely demo anything or have anything resembling a launch window... simply because he thought they were cool... then you're on crack. They were clearly trying to beat Apple to the punch, and most of them knew what the tablet would look like.

In one corner, you have the iPad, delayed since last year due to rumored software challenges (delayed again prior to its April 3rd ship date), in in the other corner, you have a collection of devices that can only be described as "prototype-a-licious".

If Apple only wanted to show off what these other vendors showed, they could have showed it last January. Apple is the "first mover" here. Apple has set the price to beat. Apple will be shipping in a few short weeks. Apple allowed sites like this one to handle and demo their device at length. Before the iPhone, Microsoft demoed "Surface" and even showed multi-touch laptops in its labs.

Just keep it real and you won't be surprised later.]]>Mar 11th 2010 9:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 5:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
on a slightly relate note: openSolaris should be coming out with a new version sometime this month with ARM support.]]>Mar 10th 2010 5:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 5:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/The Adam seems like a cool concept but I'm wary of why larger companies have not jumped all over this if it's as good as it sounds.

Looking at some you tube clips of the adam, it doesn't look very responsive and the colours look washed out when the backlight is turned on.

PixelQi may very well be the next gen technology for tablets but it's far too young at the moment to be any real contender so i'm gonna sit this one out and see how it progresses.

The Adam is due to be released when? April / May this year? I really doubt that given the bugs still left to iron out in its user experience. If they release it with the bugs then I feel it's destined to fail right away unfortunately. ]]>Mar 10th 2010 6:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
On paper, yes, the Adam Notion Ink sounds really cool. I can only hope that they sort out the issues it seems to have from the hands-on videos that have been posted to Engadget before the shipping product hits the street. The potential is there but from what I can see the software is not. Yet.]]>Mar 10th 2010 7:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/
I don't think many of these tablet will be crowding each other for shelf space at Best Buy. I imagine we'll see the iPad, the HP Slate, and that's about it.

All of these other tablets can only be ordered online... which will cut down adoption quite a bit.]]>Mar 10th 2010 3:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/]]>Mar 10th 2010 6:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/And they will all fail, because apparently nobody seems to get that it's not about the friggin' hardware, but about the software, the applications, and the integrated user experience for technofobes or people who just want something to pick up, use for a while, put down, not having to care about computer-stuff at all.

A million tablet computers with half-assed touch-controls slapped onto a random linux distro, loaded with applications written for desktop computers, will not catch on. Maybe Intel/Nokia is able to come up with something that's reasonably useful with MeeGo, but right now it appears everybody is rushing to launch hardware, other hardware and, finally, even more hardware. It's software that will make or break any tablet, idiots...]]>Mar 10th 2010 7:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/PixelQi is not a young technology at all. The first generation of this type of screen went into the OLPC XO-1 which has shipped almost a million units. I happen to have an XO and find the screen quite good.]]>Mar 10th 2010 7:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Oh dear, then that's even worse. The question is even more relevant then - why is only notion ink using this technology in their upcoming tablet and not larger corporations?]]>Mar 10th 2010 7:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Pixel Qi is quite a change from OLPC. OLPC shares the same dual mode design but it was too much of an unconventional approach to gain acceptance.

The main problem was that, to improve resolution in e-paper mode, they used square sub-pixels on OLPC. In a standard display, the sub-pixels are rectangles, arranged in the RGB stripe pattern. OLPC chose to move to a different layout to make resolution increase in both directions in B/W mode, when the pixels lose their color.

Normal display controllers are designed only to work with RGB stripe or, for some digital cameras, RGB delta patterns, which are good for photos but bad for text and UI.

OLPC's screen used diagonal stripes and needed serious processing before you could display the output from any normal GPU. They used something called a "de-swizzler" chip and frankly the display looked odd with curious zig-zagging lines where you'd expect something straight.

Pixel Qi compromises a little on the black & white resolution compared to OLPC: you still get higher resolution in B/W than in color but it's 3x higher horizontally and only the same resolution vertically.

That's not a bad compromise to make, though, as it's still higher res than e-ink and it makes the displays a hell of a lot easier to integrate - you can literally plug them straight into the LVDS cable of a netbook and they will work.

Based on that simplicity, better quality and lower costs, it's no surprise that a lot of "larger" companies are now looking at them.]]>Mar 10th 2010 7:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/Mar 10th 2010 7:43AM