Tablet Topics

Google Android

The ANDROID-this operating system by Google is hugely popular, in fact in the last quarter of 2010 it was the most utilized smart phone platform in the world.  Many companies are building tablets that employ it.  It is open source software, meaning anyone can create applications (apps) for mobile devices using it.  This leads to lots of innovation as many developers scramble to create apps that extend the function and fun of tablets or phones using Android. So that’s good news for the consumer in terms of future options.  Now there are already over 200,000 apps available for Android.
A lot of the products discussed below have the same features and very close specifications.  It can get a bit confusing to sort out.
In terms of appeal to individual consumers vs. large scale adoption of tablets for business like hospitals, most of the companies below are prioritizing issues such as- security, ease of use and adaptability of their product for industry.

How to choose a tablet for yourself?

Focus.  What will you be using your tablet for the most, is it for work while commuting or traveling?   Or is it more for personal use including use chatting with friends?  Does the weight matter to you?  Will you be doing a lot of gaming or mostly watching movies?  Can the user change the battery, is one good question.  Some brands don’t allow you to do this.  Also do you like the look and feel of the tablet?

Dell Streak

Dell/Streak
Dell’s Streak tablet comes in 5 & 7 inch screen models, the small size of both make it easy enough to tote around.  The 5 inch sells for around $100.  The seven inch sells for around $200.  Includes access to the Kindle bookstore.  And they promise easy upgrades via “over-the-air” capability for future OS releases.  Like most tablets now, it has two built in cameras, perhaps compare MP if that is important to you. SMS & MMS on 3G models only.  What’s available on the Dell Streak 7?

*multitouch display with full Adobe® Flash 10.1
*1.3 MP front-facing camVera, great for video chats with friends using services such      as Skype™
*Also has rear camera with 5MP auto focus with flash
*16GB of internal storage,
*plus Wi-Fi™, Bluetooth
*Built in GPS with text to voice directions
*Multitasking, send a tweet while writing that report

Toshiba Tablet

Toshiba Tablet
Due out this spring 2011.  This is the advance word on it.  To differentiate itself from the other big-screen Android tablets Toshiba made their tablet media-centric, with a 16:10 wide screen ratio display.  This tablet seems great for entertainment purposes. They promise movies and websites will not be cropped.  The screen brightness adjusts automatically to your locale.  They also have a grippy back that comes in different colors to dress up your tablet.

*GPS connectivity,
•10.1 inch screen
•Replaceable battery
•2 and 5 mega-pixel camera
•Surround sound stereo speakers

In terms of business usage, Toshiba has other more expensive tablets that are aimed at the enterprise market.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.jpg

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1,
This tablet is lighter and thinner than Motorola’s Xoom.  The Galaxy though has Wi-Fi hotspot capacity for up to 5 devices built in.  This is great if you have a WiFi printer and other device that you want to use at the same time.  They work over the 4G network. It’s got cool surround sound dual speakers like the Toshiba tablet.  And works with all the Google mobile services like Gmail, Google chat, Google calendar.  For some reason the Flash video—a large Android selling bonus—won’t work on the Xoom at launch.  It will take several weeks to be appear I am told.

*3G connectivity
*battery life of up to seven hours
*Only 13.58 Ounces
*7-inch tablet that slips easily into a pocket or bag.

Galaxy Tab features Froyo, Google’s Android™ 2.2.  There is already 3.0 in some tablets like the Motorola. Verizon’s version of the Tab runs around $599 with a two-year contract.  You can also choose from Verizon,  T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T each has various pricing and plan options.  The iPad by the way requires no such commitments.  Galaxy Tab has just a handful of apps available–and they’re not “terribly exciting” according to a reviewer.  The screen is a strikingly glossy and strong as it comes with a protective layer of Corning Gorilla glass.  It got a CNet editors rating of 3.5 out of five stars.

Business: Samsung is going after the medical market with a custom Android OS that can handle medical data securely and other pluses.  They are also targeting other enterprises by making it easy to develop specific apps that address industry needs.

Motorola XOOM

Motorola’s Xoom is pretty similar to Samsung and is due out late Feb. 2011 just before the release of the iPad2.  The XOOM will be the first tablet to ship with Google Android 3.0 though, which is said to be optimized for the tablet format so that’s a big deal.  The earlier Android seemed like it was just scaled up from a smartphone.  Verizon Wireless will offer a 3G version for $599 if you sign up for a multi-year contract, it’s higher if you don’t.   As mentioned it is heavier than the Galaxy tab.  It’s said to be bit slow changing from one application to another and the batteries are not user replaceable.   Quite a few apps in the Android Market may not work with the Xoom at this point.  Though some apps like the addictive game Angry Birds, for phones worked fine on the Xoom’s screen.  All in all first generation using the Android 3 Honeycomb so some things still need to be worked out.  But many think it’s a fine match for Apples first gen iPad.  The price may become the decided factor.

• Uses Google Android 3.0 (Honeycomb)
• Xoom will initially only in 3G, with  a free 4G LTE upgrade later
• The Xoom has a more robust processor than the first iPad;
• front and rear cameras versus none for the iPad;

This is a fast changing area of technology-with new releases and updates happening all the time; don’t be overwhelmed by all the various features specs.  Find a tablet that meets your needs and you feel comfortable about, ease of use may be your primarily determining factor, along with price and features.

Apple iPad

Apple may not have invented the tablet computer but as is often the case they caught the tablet wave with the iPad at exactly the right moment and managed to catch most of the market. Apple Computer has re-established itself as king of the hardware kingdom by making elegant products that interface intuitively with users. Best of all Apple products have an uncanny ability to just work well while much of the competition is still stalling and running out of batteries. The Apple iPad has been a huge success for a good reason- it’s a brilliant machine at an amazing price point.

The Apple iPad comes in two versions: the iPad with Wi-Fi and the iPad with Wi-Fi + 3-G. The 3-G version can connect to the Internet anywhere using a 3-G network just like your cell phone while the Wi-Fi version must latch on to either a public or private Wi-Fi network to gain access to the internet. The 3-G service requires a monthly service contract. Both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi+3-G versions come with three different sizes of memory: 16, 32 and 64 GB. This makes six different versions of the iPad to choose from. Very shortly the iPad II will be released. iPad II will probably be released in six versions. The memory on the iPad can’t be upgraded so choose wisely when you are deciding which device to buy.

The iPad sports a 10 inch screen with beautiful definition and while the iPad can be used as a production device with it’s small size and light weight (1.5 pounds) it is really the ultimate consumption device for accessing and viewing information off of the internet. The iPad is in the enviable position of having more applications available than any other tablet computer. This turns the iPad into a powerful little machine that can be customized to fit your needs or the needs of your company. Any iPhone app will run on the iPad but it may be small- the size of the iPhone screen. Many applications are designed in two versions- one for the iPad and one for the iPhone. Due to the increased cost of producing two apps, iPad specific applications often have a small fee. Most free applications are produced in what is called a Universal format that will adjust to the size of whatever device you are using. There are thousands of useful free and paid applications and these applications are what set the Apple iPad years ahead of the competition.

Another feature that sets the iPad apart is the significant battery life. The iPad can operate for 10 hours of continuous use before needing to be recharged and when not in use the iPad will hold a charge for an entire month. This and the size and weight make the iPad a truly portable device that will fit easily into a purse or a briefcase.

The excellent color screen on the Apple iPad makes this an ideal device for reading books and magazines, looking at TV or downloaded movies and playing video games. The screen doesn’t do very well in direct sunlight. Through Apple iTunes you can get just about any book and magazine you would like. In addition, there is a free Kindle application that you can install on your iPad to access all of Amazon Kindle’s content and Amazon’s online bookstore. Netflix and Hulu TV offer apps that allow you to access videos and TV content anywhere at anytime. There are tons of games available and the finger touch interface makes these games fun and easy to play.

The iPad really excels when it comes to surfing the Internet. The larger screen makes this much easier than with the iPhone and the touch screen creates a very pleasurable experience. The iPad is also the perfect device for using Facebook and email and for viewing and sharing pictures with your family and friends.

‘So the iPad is a great toy, so what,’ you may be thinking. ‘I’ve got enough toys and I can’t see myself lugging this thing in addition to my computer on a business trip.’ Well the really neat thing about the iPad is that you can probably take it instead of your computer and use all the valuable space you save for a change of clothes. The iPad is actually a pretty savvy little computer for business.

The iPad has a very useable touch keyboard that is 80% regular size. An external keyboard can also be attached if you just can’t get used to the touch keyboard. With the iPad you can produce written documents, spreadsheets, graphs and slideshows. You can then send and save them in a variety of formats including all the PC compatible equivalents. The iPad can be connected to a projector and using your finger you can create a laser pointer on the projection screen. For $99.00 (-$30.00 the first year if purchased at the same time as your iPad) a year you can purchase MobileMe from Apple. MobileMe allows you to remotely sync all you contacts and calendars across all your devices including your PC. For example, if you add a new number on your iPhone it will automatically be updated remotely onto the contacts on your iPad and your computer at home. MobileMe also comes with 20 gigabytes of secure remote storage where you can send any documents. MobileMe storage allows you to remotely save something at work and then pull it down onto your iPad at home or on a business trip.

The iPad can also be very useful in a hospital environment for viewing patient’s records and charts. In addition, there is a free application produced by Dragon, a leader in voice recognition software that is useful for doctors. The iPad comes with a microphone and used in conjunction with the Dragon app a healthcare provider is able to make verbal patient notes and have them immediately transcribed onto the iPad.

The much-anticipated iPad II will be released very shortly. The press release for the iPad II is expected to be March 2, 2011. Until March 2 no one knows what new features will be included on the iPad II. However, there are rumors that the iPad II will be more interactive especially when it comes to using the touch screen with books and learning materials. There are also rumors that the iPad II will have the ability to edit and process photos and video content- something that the current iPad can’t do. The iPad II may also come with a front camera. This is all speculation until the press release and the Apple iPad is already an amazing machine.