ExoPC nabs improved screen and e-book app, still on track for a September release (video)
By Joanna Stern 
posted July 21st 2010 5:32PM
posted July 21st 2010 5:32PM
Still pining for one of the best Windows 7 tablets we've seen to date? Yeah, we're talking about the 11.6-inch ExoPC. Well, we've got nothing but good news: the company's still on track for a September release and has been putting the finishing touches on the Windows 7, Intel Atom-powered slate. According to some new videos posted by the company, the tablet's been upgraded with a new LCD that appears to have much better viewing angles than the one we checked out at Computex. Additionally, the Canadian team's been doing some stand-up work on an e-book app. As you can see in the video beyond the break (more can be found there in the source link), it's got a simple interface, snazzy page flip animations and it looks fairly easy to import a book on your own. It's all lookin' quite good to us. Not that we're trying to rush this heat wave or anything, but is it September yet?
Cool, Now where is my dell streak??
@Cainhunpi
ExoPC posted more videos on their youtube channel.
Watching TV & HD video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuMgZHATBXg
Reorganizing icons:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLHtgYJl2oQ
I'm really impressed with the speed of the device. The UI is very finger friendly and intuitive as well. I will wait to see what HP Slate has to offer, but I think ExoPC looks like it's using much better hardware. You can barely tell that it's running Windows 7.
@cool8man I have been as well since the first in-action demos- I signed up for the alert a little while back and am planning a release date order
@cool8man
Please tell me the browser isn't based off of IE...
@Aklex7 I don't see how that would matter, it's win7 so you can just install other browsers, I don't even remember the last time I only had one browser on a computer
*Yawn
third!
I'm still worried about Win7's usability in a tablet form-factor, but at least you'd be able to run anything you freaking want to.
@Shalabi
Same here, Windows 7 doesn't seem well suited for this type of form factor/use case. Sure it's adequate but it's not what the user would prefer. Even iOS 3.2 is pretty lacklustre.
@Shalabi
Don't on this size of screen it will be AWESOME. It is on my tm2 which is just a big bigger screen.
People, just get over yourselves. Windows 7 may not be as finely tuned as an iPad in touch but its PLENTY more useable and FASTER at things like browsing the web.
You need all that UI glitz to take away from the fact that you web pages are loading 5 times slower.
@spartandre217
Win7 has alot of good touch enabled features right out of the box, plus you have the exopc layer as well. This is for people that want a real PC in a tablet form factor.
@Shalabi just adjust DPI to 125% and you'll get most finger-friendly OS ever.
@Shalabi
Geez, it's amazing that they've got a fully functioning full-size OS along w/ real ports on something the size of the iPad, and at the same price!
This is something I could actually go for, or even recommend to my mom since you can add content with it, like uploading photos; unlike the iPad.
Is he is giving us the page turning middle finger? :|
I can't wait for Windows 7 on a real tablet. I've been using my Windows 7 desktop with a touchscreen monitor for a couple months and I'm completely in love with it. No problems whatsoever.
@darkninja962
"No problems whatsoever" Except the fact that it is Windows 7.
@bingster
Would you rather I used a Mac or Linux as my desktop computer? But then how would I use a touchscreen? And use all the cool touch gestures built right into Windows 7? Or the indexing service that lets me go right to the folder I want by typing the name into the Run box. Or use any of the cool 3rd part APIs to make fun programs, like using my Wiimote as my mouse? Or
You make a compelling argument, somewhere I'm sure. But I can't justify moving to something with less support or functionality. Or in the case of a Mac, something that charges for incremental OS service packs.
@bingster
You prefer Linux? Win7 is a great OS IMO
@darkninja962 Everything besides gestures is In Mac OS X(it wouldn't be great, nor would windows). Sure you may prefer it, but I don't want a universal os that is "made" for both mouse and touch, it's not as seemless as iOS or Android.
@PavelAK
In that case define seamless. I'm sure that's where you and I have our own different opinions. Along with many other consumers. Especially the ones who will look at this and consider buying it.
@PavelAK "os that is "made" for both mouse and touch, it's not as seemless" exactly, absolutely agree on this.
WooHoo, HP Slate or ExoPC - who will get my $$$
@bob e
Just the fact that you are willing to throw money after either of the options, is quite disturbing.
@bingster Yeah it is better to be a sheep like you and pay for an iPad.
Suggest people go play (for an extended period) with an iPad. Then you will understand why Apple have sold so many, and this thing will not. Fire up iBooks, Pages, Numbers and a few other iApps. And notice how everything is optimised from scratch for the touch screen - not simply a skin on an aged OS.
@Oflife
Then realize that Numbers, Pages, and Keynote are next to useless on the iPad.
The iPad is a great media consuming device. It blows for productivity.
@Oflife
Agreed. Smoothness is the name of the game for products like this.
@Oflife
Those you have mentioned is not practical when you want to use it.
Just go and check how much netbooks have been sold, then you will realise there is a large market for a portable device with full Windows operation. The sales of iPad is still far away from the sales of netbooks.
Those Windows 7 tablet is just a netbook without a keyboard, it can attract customers who actually don't use the keyboard all the time (e.g. when they are standing on a bus), but can still use a cheap USB keyboard and mouse when it is necessary.
@M3
"The iPad is a great media consuming device. It blows for productivity."
And what percentage now are using Tablets for productivity vs consumption? Think that's were everyone going back to early 2000 got it wrong and why Tablet *PCs* never took off. They were thinking consumers needed tablets (with full Windows on awkward form factors) for productivity first. They had it ass backwords as the iPad is proving.
Oh and I think his point was optimization on the productivity Apps (built especially for touch, not simply adding touch functions over Windows).
@M3
Lmao tell that to the exec that just presented his entire presentation using his ipad to our board of directors and thoroughly impressed them enough into considering buying an entire stock of them for our board, despite the meeting having nothing to do with the iPad.
But you know, they're just executives and board members for a half a billion dollar credit union, I'm sure engadget readers know more about productivity than them.
@Oflife
iBooks is cool. The rest of those apps simply suck. Office 2010 on my tm2 with just touch DESTROYS the iPad apps.
@Oflife
Aged OS? Windows 7 is less than a year old is best selling piece of software at this point in history. People love it and want it. 200+ MILLION copies. More an iPhones, iPads, and Droids in their COMBINED HISTORY.
@Hyakku
Uhh... I call that MEDIA CONSUMPTION. I use it in the same exact way, except it's to go one on one with other people on presentations, papers, etc.
PRODUCTIVITY = PRODUCING MEDIA WHICH INCLUDES DOCUMENTS, SPREADSHEETS AND PRESENTATIONS.
Now if the iPad had a Wacom digitizer, I could at least use it to annotate on those very pieces of media, making it rather useful for productivity.
iOS has had Presentation Viewing for a while now. Now tell that same exec to make a presentation. That's right, he's going to pull out his PC/Mac, because trying to make a presentation on the iPad is god awful.
@dave95
Well, consider that there are really no tablets on the market aimed at consumers that are also made for productivity first, with the exception of the HP Tm2t. Even then, the HP Tablet Tm2t is marketed the same was as previous tablets, at students for college, healthcare, etc. Places where tablet pc's already have a foothold.
All I'm saying is that if HP wants this thing to sell, they would make sure it has a wacom digitizer for inking and sell it as productivity device like a notebook (paper kind) rather then an iPad knock off.
@Hyakku
Exactly how is a credit union "productive"? I think you may be hard pressed to find a worse example of productivity than finance. Banks are not productive, they don't produce anything.
That exec and board should be removed for being so reckless with customers finances, using something that costs hundreds of dollars more than a simple piece of paper and some practice.
So I'm pretty sure the majority of readers are more productive than the bank exec.
@M3 For your comment on the " Wacom digitizer". On the EXO PC forum the question was ask and they say that it is very expensive to get a digitizer on the EXO PC. They are considering it thought.
@robomaniac
That's interesting. The Wacom Bamboo Fun Touch and Pen Costs ~$200. I wonder how much that very same digitizer + touch screen would cost for an OEM.
@Hyakku
My company is waaaay bigger than your company. My company's revenues and profits are waaaay bigger than your company's. And my company's leadership team and Board (that's what we call them now, not execs) know exactly jack shit about productivity regarding the use of iPads, just like your execs and Board.
@dave95 i dont think they failed back in 2000 because ppl didnt want them. probably more along the lines that they couldnt afford them. even now a new convertible tablet/laptop running xp will cost around $1500. most ppl i know would love to have a full functioning laptop sans the keyboard. if they can price it competitively with the ipad i think win7 blets would do just fine.
@Ofline weren't most of the million or so people standing in line to buy iPads there without ever using it. Don't kid yourself. The iPad didn't sell so many because of its functionality. It sold the numbers it did because it was an iPad. An iTurd would sell millions.
Windows 7 on a tablet just seems like a bad bad idea. We've been down this road.... for the past decade. Not exactly a popular choice among consumers.
@beaverman3001
It is because those previous tablets are very heavy and expensive. If ipad have the same weight and price of previous window tablets, ipad will just be a failure.
You try to find an old windows tablets and see whether you can hold it like holding an ipad.
Before considering whether Windows OS is good for tablets, the difficulty in holding that device as a tablet is the reason why Windows tablets failed in the past. The OS is actually not the main reason.
@beaverman3001
Windows on Tablets hasn't been targeted for consumers for the past decades. Rather they have been targeted towards niche areas like healthcare,the military, construction, etc. In fact, it hasn't even been Windows that's the issue. Who wants to spend $1000 more for a tablet pc unless you're going to be making money from it?
Apple was not the first to make a tablet, but they're the first to make a tablet targeted for consumers. HP and other manufacturers are now getting on the bandwagon in making Tablet PCs for Consumers, and really looking at Slates for Consumers. Go look at all the Slates in the past that were available. They've all been priced well above average consumer prices.
@beaverman3001
Actually we have not been down this road, Win7 was developed with touch in mind and the hardware we have now like the Exopc runs win7 amazingly well.
What we had before was heavy clunky hardware that could barely run winxp shoe horned on it.
Netbooks did not take off in sale until they made them with windows on it and they run win7 very well.
Not only do we have win7 which has many touch enabled features out of the box we have the Exopc layer built just for touch.
did you even watch the videos of how smooth everything ran? We have never had the hardware in a tablet than ran a real OS as well as we do now.
@silaslang Uh, I have to question if you watched the video. It took 5+ seconds to load notepad and had to stop and load zooming in text. Thats uh, not smooth.
@beaverman3001
WTF are you talking about? it took less than 2 seconds to launch notespad, and I guess you missed the part where it was taking less than a second to launch pics, or an actual e-book and look how smoothly the pages flipped and scrolled. You cannot have watch any of these vidoes if you think the performance was bad.
Just looking at the videos this slate is much faster than any netbook out today.
@beaverman3001
the "we've been down this road before" argument is fine for social dynamics and such, but it doesn't work in the tech realm because our capabilities are always growing.
the tech of today can make yesterday's ideas a reality.
Not bad at all... but these companies must realize that part of what customers want from a device like this is completely fluid and predictable animations for virtually every action. That's where the apple products excel and customers seem to be willing to sacrifice and get a less open environment for a superslick UI, imho...
@techmobilize
Not really. There are customers who want an device which can be more productive that iPad and can use all the software in their PCs. People who bought netbooks for the same reason. The problem of netbook is the keyboard make it hard to hold and use it when you don't have a place to put it down. A netbook without the keyboard is actually quite attractive to many people (e.g. it is easier to be used when you are standing).
@Rockchan
I see what you mean. As long as people understand what they will use it for they can buy what it is appropriate: tablet, netbook, laptop, etc. Some activities can be done on any machine but not all. The trouble starts when people buy a tablet for content creation which just isn't its intended use. The exopc looks good for what it is, uses light touches and seems to be pretty snappy.
I agree the iPad has the OS made for touching, the same with iphone. A skin on top of windows 7 , while it might be decent. I just see it being a pain if you need to configure things in the control panel trying to touch on every small thing on the screen