MSI's 10-inch WindPad 100 advances past prototype stage, gets pictured with a dock
By Vlad Savov 
posted August 16th 2010 6:21AM
posted August 16th 2010 6:21AM
posted August 16th 2010 6:21AM
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Why the hell every tablet has to be named as "PAD"? Can't the other manufacturers be innovative in naming? Why do they have to follow Apple everytime
@nooruls143
you mean just like Apple copied the name iPad off another manufacturer?
@techwhizard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujitsu_iPAD
@nooruls143
to sound magical, of course...
@nooruls143 Undeniably silly sounding, "iPad" served its purpose -- to create controversy and raise awareness, which was instrumental in driving sales.
Copying it is just lame. WindPad sounds like something meant to conceal passing gas...
@techwhizard
Just like how Linksys owned the name iPhone before apple bought the rights off of them. I bought my parents a Linksys iPhone ... it is a direct to Skype unit.
@nooruls143 : Its for marketing. They do it because less tech-savvy consumers will hear "PAD" and understand that its a device similar to the iPad. (but not really)
Christmas 2010 is going to be tablet central, save up your pennies!
@nooruls143
Nevermind that. Why the hell are they shipping Windows 7 with a 1.6 ghz processor? Would've been plenty for Android or whatnot, but not.windows.
@nooruls143
That's hilarious, the only reason I clicked on this link was to post the exact same thing. Seriously, wtf is wrong with slate or tablet? "Pad" does not describe a small touchscreen computer. Ugh, am I annoyed with Apple or the thoroughly uncreative minds at other manufacturers right now? "WindPad" "BlackPad"?! What the hell is the matter with these people?
@UnderDoc
There's an app for that.
@Stratus41298 Seriuosly WTF are you on. My Aspire One runs Win 7 Ultimate faultlessly. I removed Ubuntu 10.4 because Win7 was quicker and smoother. Aero works as it should, boot time is shorter as is shutdown. Why is it people post unsubstantiated comments so regularly on this forum?
I like the complete netbook-style connectivity options, even VGA is appreciated in case you want to play around with this thing doing a presentation on a projector.
still think win7 is the wrong way to go with a tablet, though. I experimented with the touch options on a latitude convertible, it just makes not much sense and feels glued together.
these things need something small, light and touch-centric such as windows CE 7 or android.
@Hannes The Hun
Nope, don't worry Win7 will be just fine. Microsoft is not a small company, they will correct the touch issues, if the slate market picks up. In the meantime we will get good Application layers like the EXOPC UI so that apps will be just as easy to use.
@Herr Hun
The users will vote with their wallets!
Choice 1 - Android, good performance, great touch, limited key/mouse $299
Choice 2 - Win7, poor performance, crap touch, good key/mouse $599
@brianM Sorry, no Android for me, ain't using an OS that dials home to tell Google about everything I do. Give me Windows 7 tablet anytime, with a touch interface. Work mode=Windows 7; Play mode=Touch Interface.
@brianM
Choice 1 - Android not productive. Need to use more money to buy another netbook. Total weight of Android and Netbook > Windows tablet.
Cannot use MS office.
Choice 2 - Windows tablet. One device suits all purposes. Can use most software that general public need.
@Rockchan I'll take choice 2 please.
@Rockchan Choice 3: just but a laptop and leave all this tablet nonsense on the trash heap of bad ideas where it belongs.
@Infinity absofreakinglately !!
@Infinity
Android is good for phones, but I don't see the apeal for it to be on android.
@Hellpop he's got a point there. tablets are not meant for productivity, they're meant for media consumption, web surfing, chatting&skype and email. so android is an obvious choice unless I want to dock the tablet every time I try to do something "productive" with it which in turn means to cope with lackluster mediocre netbook-type win7 performance.
from a hardware standpoint MSI did some very right decisions there, it's just that as soon as you throw a special touch UI into the bag and have a full-blown win7 underneath it, you're in trouble as long as you're not using let's say a core duo processor. this is why I kinda liked the latitude convertible, it just was fast enough to do productive work with it.
A tablet belongs on the couch as long as I have my pimped XPS M1530 right beside me on the table to do some real work ;)
@rwalrond unless I don't see the irony (which I usually do, in the wehrmacht you get used to that kind of sense of humor) you must be kidding here. microsoft don't see SHIT when it comes to trends and innovation, or is this your first time on engadget?
they killed EVERY software and hardware that showed at least some promise either by bad marketing or by stupid management decisions and all they can do is trailing behind google and apple when it comes to either excellent web services or desirable and innovative hardware.
don't get me wrong there, their skills in operating systems and office software are good (and vista nearly made me lose that point, too) but else than that they're just acting helpless.
the new windows mobile and CE 7 could just be too late...
@Infinity Oh please..what do you do that Google cares about.
@rwalrond Not to be flippant, but it seems like Microsoft has had a decade or so playing around with this tablet concept and they still haven't "corrected the issues", and the market never "picked up" until a certain fruit themed company designed an OS from the ground up specifically for touch. Suggesting that MS should fix the issues when the market picks up is a rather reactionary way for a company to act- but that seems to be their modus operandi. IMHO Android is the only viable competition to the iOS stuff... unless RIM does something crazy with their tablet. On a related note- I agree with those bemoaning the widespread use of "pad" in these product names. RIM should totally just call their thing the "Blackberry Slate". Sounds much more professional than a freakin' "pad".
Looks nice but I see 2 problems. Really thick and probably too heavy for the tablet format.
@Rask
I agree. It's a bit on the chunky side! Looks tidy though.
@wickywills could be the picture angle making it look chunky. Have they released the dimensions yet?
I can already imagine the sluggishness of any touch GUI, combined with the seriously underpowered Z530...
It also seems to be fatty...
NO GO
If it was a ULV processor, it could be different. In this category my bet is with an Android slate, powred by some dual core ARM, and with all the usual stuff in it....
I've held the iPad and it's just too uncomfortable to hold for so long, and given the size of all the 'pads' which are thicker, i don't think many people will enjoy it as well.
I still want a Stylus with one of these devices to give it that little bit more functionality - and onenote - and speed. I WANT IT ALL DAHT! Alas i know the Resistive VS Capacitive problem limits the possibility of this dream.
@hambot Oops... "DAHM IT!"
@hambot Just get a TabletPC, they've been around for years and most of them come with Wacom technology and pressure sensitivity.
@ragtag Got one of them. £1200, 2kg+, 2 inch thick 12" screen. I want something in between. The Ipad is just a large PDA for the 2010s without the stylus and everybody is simply copying. I don't want a Tablet, I want a courier like device.
@hambot
Yea seriously if the iPad had wacom stylus support and something like oneNote (with handwritting recognition) to use it with it'd be perfect. Or a win7 device with one of those atomZ (moorsetown I think) processors without all of the extra usb's and vga's so it could be thin. I don't want to run MATLAB on my tablet, I just wana watch some YouTube and iTunes videos, and take some damn notes.
This thing is sexy hope this will have enuff apps to compete...and im in need of a stylus for drawing
@jj1ggz914
You hope it has enough apps to compete? What are you smoking? It's a Windows tablet. Any Windows program ever written will run on it. It has more apps than every other OS combined (mobile or otherwise).
@OverDriven "Any Windows program ever written will run on it."
Are you bragging or apologizing?
This isn't bad but I prefer the ExoPc. To me based on the videos I have seen of it performing plus its design, UI layer simplicity, specs and ability to leverage a great deal of Windows based software especially that which I already own, I want a Windows 7 Slate and my choice is the ExoPC. It also has optional stylus which performs amazingly well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f25ZWedsCls
I notice it has 3 buttons...
Just like WP7, coincidence?
I think not
This unit doesn't have the right form factor.
Its too thick & the screen is too small.
Take a look at the ExoPC (http://kevindark.co.uk/ExoPC.aspx), it's a perfect marriage of hardware & software, compromising only where needed to meet the needs of every user.
It's taken ExoPC 10 years to get where they are now, and that is about to release their first units - hopefully mid September. The cost is affordable, its sleek, well made, and well supported by the ExoPC team.
The capacitive screen is amazingly responsive, there's no lag when writing or drawing and has 256 levels of pressure sensitivity.
It really is the best in its class.
The important questions are what video processor, and ETA?
@Sicarius123
It has a Broadcom Crystal HD GPU and is due for release mid September (as long as some prototypes they will receive in the next week are OK)
Sorry, if it doesn't come with Meego I'm just not interested..
I'm not sure why all these manufacturers are going with Windows 7 tablets.. Meego has far more potential imo.
Lol windows
I am very excited about a tablet pc running Windows 7. I do own an iPad and absolutely love it but the thought of having USB ports and HDMI output adds functionality I doubt the iPad will ever have. Im glad to see MSI is keeping this device small and similar looking to the iPad. I have seen some reports out there of clamshell style tablets, keep tablets small and functional, this is what consumers are looking for.
@techandfit1
The success of these devices hinges on usability, not comparability with apps written for desktop computers ten years ago. Yes, W7 has API hooks for touch, BFD. All flavors of Windows (and any other modern "big" OS) feature have variable latency as processes and tasks get juggled by the OS. If the latency exceeds 50-100 msec, users will notice and they will not like it one bit. This is why HP tried to skin a GUI over W7 on the Slate. Running a touch UI is 10X to 100X more processor intensive as tracking inputs from a mouse and keyboard.
Now you can make things faster with a faster CPU, but then battery life goes to hell and you need add a crappy little fan to get rid of the heat. Making a useable tablet is hard work, trying to squeeze W7 were it doesn't belong just makes it that much harder.
The real question that begs to be answered is, will anyone else actually put up a tablet for sale besides Apple? I know everyone is relying on Android because theres is nothing else, but it would be nice to see something else up for sale. Would Android even work the same on a tablet like it does on a phone?
If you want Win7, get a PC, for ***Pads Android is a perfect OS.
this better be under $350 because I am hating the trend with Windows 7 slates here its like they take a basic netbook ditch the keyboard and add a touch layer then expect to charge $500+ sorry don't work that way.
If it is $500+ I need a wacom pen digitizer, a decent processor (dual core atom or culv), and the ION2 chipset for 1080P HD video and lite gaming. Pixel Qi wouldn't hurt either.
@buzz86us What 'TREND'????? There IS NO Windows tablet. This is all just vapor-hype bullshit!