Now that the
tablet PC revolution is upon us (for the
second time in as
many decades, if you'll
recall), there's bound to be a few that really stick out, and a few that get left in the dust.
ExoPC is doing its darnedest to be grouped in the former, and it's choosing to hold off on rushing things out in hopes of delivering a superior product to the world this summer. If you'll recall, we
heard that the 8.9-inch slate would originally be out and about this month, but the company's own Jean-Baptiste Martinoli has informed us directly why the ship date is being pushed back a few months. For starters, production has been shifted from China into Canada thanks to a freshly signed deal with CiaraTech. And if you're wondering what you'll get in return for waiting just a few more months to get your hands on one, we've excellent news. Here's the good word straight from the outfit:
"With [CiaraTech's] help we are improving the specs: better processor, graphics, better battery life, thinner, better screen and touch panel. We should hit FCC soon. As we have more time we are adding more features in the ExoPC UI Layer (ex. an app / media store)."
We aren't exactly big on waiting, but we'll let that
other tablet keep us company until this one finally gets its shipping papers. Summer ain't too far out, now is it?
posted March 17th 2010 4:35AM
.. And this is why I follow the #1 geeks rule! Not to buy first gen products "ipad" that way I end up with a better product for less $$
@bystrika
um, if you buy this product, it will be first gen
"that other tablet"? You mean HP Slate?
@Argot
*slow applause
@Argot : joojoo got nvidia ION graphics so the bar has been lifted.
@One Love Yes for ION but with better battery life than expected on the Joojoo I assume.
Nice, but saying everything will be better is like saying the iPad will be better then the iPhone.
WE WANT REAL SPECS & NUMBERS ON UR UPGRADES!!
@abedinthehouse About Specs
From the first day we read each comment we can find about ExoPC.
This was very interesting and we have learned a lot, thank you all.
Most of you said 4 hours is too short for a slate PC. When we realized most of the upcoming Atom Based slate PCs will have too short battery life OR too slow processor, we decided we could be more competitive if we work more on that point.
As some of you said, improving the battery life is not possible without changing the processor. So we are changing the processor (latest Atom)
Also, network will be B/G/N and not B/G as requested by some of you too.
The touch screen: Our UI layer is working far better with capacitive. Some of you want a pen. Anyone really want resistive?
We was not able to find any good capacitive touch screen since a couple of weeks ago, so we may have a good news here.
For the weight we are trying to keep all under 800g. 800g seems to be the maximum, and 600g would be better.
For the ports I assume HDMI will be better than VGA. Also 2 USB would be enough? Or 3 is the minimum?
We keep the price of 599 as the target because it seems to be a good price.
As we are about to make final decisions about specs any comment we will read this week can really make a difference on the final product.
Thank you!
Jean-Baptiste, ExoPC
@ExoPC
While having stylus input would be really nice, capacative touch screens are SO much better for everything else...
As far as USB ports, 3 would be nice, but I think 2 would be ok for a device like this.
HDMI > VGA
@Nolano And stylus on capacitive seems possible as an optional accessory.
@ExoPC Hopefully an Atom N470? Two USB ports are enough for this, I want it slimmer smaller and definitely capacitive screen
@withoutusername We are following this track.
@ExoPC Bravo! Now this how tech companies should be!
That said. I'm a little skeptical that just waiting for the next version is going to produce a dramatic enough increase in battery life. I have a feeling that no matter which version processor you pick, netbook specs are going to give netbook battery lives. Also, there is something to be said about not continually waiting until the next version for things to be better.
I support your decisions to wait for B/G/N and so on, but I don't believe that waiting for some new netbook tech is going to give this thing the sort of battery life that the iPad is claiming. A tablet needs that sort of battery life to avoid turning into what tablets have been for years now. If the iPad doesn't actually deliver on the battery life end, you can bet there will be some serious bashing.
Don't let this turn into a netbook that swaps a keyboard for a touchscreen. That is the road towards tablet failure.
@jedidove We are selecting a new processor and it will really make the difference (little bit faster but far less power). We also have found SSDs using less power, as well as WIFIs and the LCDs.
In addition we are changing metal to aluminum and are hunting each milligram lost.
Then we will add more cells in the battery and we are done.
I know some of our competitors are reading us but they are also reading potential customer's comments (I assume) so nothing new. Hardware is less important than software in this story but with the wrong hardware the software will just not be of any interest.
Seriously...this has gone too far....
This would be sweet running Kubuntu netbook edition along side windows. If you haven't seen it, it looks like one sweet ride
@camroncake We will provide drivers and support from our website.
Throw in a Wacom digitizer if you want me to care.
@Feuervogel
Amen to that.
Any tablet (slate) of this size, or larger should at least have inking ability.
....and don't anybody mention using a capacitive stylus, because it ain't the same, not by a long shot.
I personally am waiting for the active digitizer-equipped Hanvon tablet.
Let's hope more companies will follow this bold example and take production out of Chinese sweatshops, with their child labor and bad working conditions (not to mention producing fakes in the off-hours on your line and selling your schematics to kirfers).
In other words, it's late because they had to go back to square one and rebuild the entire device. Not that adding ports is going to make any difference. The other tablet is going to outsell this no-name by 100 to 1 in the U.S., so it doesn't matter how much they upgrade everything.
@MosesusedaniPad You are wrong. It does matter.
@MosesusedaniPad
Heh. There are two products I'm sure I'm buying this year: A PS3 (for FF-Versus) and this.So really, have fun raging
This is one of the few products I can't wait to buy.
If I was going to get a tablet, I would get it from a company that actually built a product before.
Since tablets became the hot thing a bunch of web sites for new companies sprung up. Many even seem to hawking the same tablet with their own logo.
Presumably these are all just importers for some cheap Chinese tablet.
Want a tablet, get the HP slate/Dell Streak/MSI/iPad etc...
But unknown company that might be a kid in basement throwing up a web page. I will pass.
@Snowdog
So because apple didn't make cell phones before, nobody should buy
iphone number one by your statement. Hmmm. You are wrong.
@Snowdog We have signed a joint venture with CiaraTech who build computers since 1984 (not a joke).
http://www.ciara-tech.com/pdf/ciarainsert.pdf
This should give us a better product, easier to find in stores.
@zviera
Duh.
Apple produced a wide array of electronics: laptops, computers, ipods, they also write operating systems.
ExoPC have never done ANYTHING!
@ExoPC
Sorry guys, but you seriously expect to compete with ZERO name recognition re-branding a knockoff tablet. I feel sorry for whoever came up with that business model.
@Snowdog Hopefully we do not have to eat Apple to exist.
@Snowdog
I am sorry to disappoint you , but apple doesn't make anything. They just design products, but the majority of apple products are made in china.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwfYLWFL4Ys
@ExoPC
"ExoPC Posted Mar 17th 2010 7:43AMHighly Ranked@abedinthehouse About Specs
From the first day we read each comment we can find about ExoPC.
This was very interesting and we have learned a lot, thank you all.
Most of you said 4 hours is too short for a slate PC. When we realized most of the upcoming Atom Based slate PCs will have too short battery life OR too slow processor, we decided we could be more competitive if we work more on that point.
As some of you said, improving the battery life is not possible without changing the processor. So we are changing the processor (latest Atom)
Also, network will be B/G/N and not B/G as requested by some of you too.
The touch screen: Our UI layer is working far better with capacitive. Some of you want a pen. Anyone really want resistive?
....
We keep the price of 599 as the target because it seems to be a good price.
As we are about to make final decisions about specs any comment we will read this week can really make a difference on the final product.
Thank you!
Jean-Baptiste, ExoPC"
I can't speak for anyone else, but I'll buy the first tablet that offers full functionality for me as a mobile professional. This means that I need to be able to use inking on hte device to have my clients sign documents and contracts. I have to agree with these two posts:
"
Feuervogel Posted Mar 17th 2010 5:35AMNeutralThrow in a Wacom digitizer if you want me to care."
"(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2010 6:12AMNeutral@Feuervogel
Amen to that.
Any tablet (slate) of this size, or larger should at least have inking ability.
....and don't anybody mention using a capacitive stylus, because it ain't the same, not by a long shot.
I personally am waiting for the active digitizer-equipped Hanvon tablet."
In all honesty, the BYD prototype that includes a bluetooth keyboard would be ideal for me as a mobile professional. I don't need a tablet for "entertainment" or "fun"...I need something more versatile than that
Everybody want an active digitizer-equipped capacitive tablet? Or just a good capacitive touch screen?
@ExoPC
Just a good capacitive touch screen. =]
@ExoPC
Digitizer-equipped capacitive tablet sounds good.
Some people might stop reading here.
J'espère que votre projet touchera sa part, elle le mérite. Nous sommes quelques personnes dans mon entourage à suivre ces nouvelles avec attention, plusieurs points forts font votre renommé:
- Votre ouverture d'esprit.
- Votre éthique sociale et économique.
- Votre attention.
- Votre produit.
Vivement l'été. Merci
@Miron Thank you!
@ExoPC
Will it have an inbuilt microphone and speakers at all? Can take HSDPA?
Can't wait to get my hands on this..hehe
@ExoPC this is an interesting looking device. How does everyone plan to use a slate?
My plans are for use in the home so battery life is a little less important. The most battery use will be a few hours on full brightness to stream a movie from my SlingBox or watch something via the BBC iPlayer - so I can take it to bed or to a fave chair and watch.
The rest of the time I want it mounted on a wall. I plan to use it for streaming TV as above while I cook or eat, browsing the web, getting news feeds and social feeds, getting travel reports before commuting each morning, looking at photos, controlling home automation (web based) and listening to music from my Squeeze Center or via a NAS. A decent audio out would be good for that, perhaps digital audio via a wall mounted dock?
Looking forward to it.