Well, that and the whole instant on OS thing. The whole light-weight thing. These aren't tablets, they're slate systems. They're the netbook equivalent of a keyboardless tablet, whereas most existing full sized tablets still have a keyboard hidden underneath. There is the Joojoo, and a handful of just-over-the-horizon tegra slates and android slates... Other than the Joojoo though, iPad beat all of them to market. The Joojoo isn't really quite ready for prime time either... I bet the Android slates when all combined should sell pretty well in the long run, maybe even almost matching the iPad...

Not just advertising, but lots and lots of good press from a media establishment that drools over apple products.

The Archos 9 is pretty cool, but has some problematic limitations. Namely, the OS that it runs isn't very good for quickly picking it up and getting things accomplished, its hard drive is the spinning platter kind, which means the whole thing is fairly fragile... I wouldn't mind having one, but I'd definitely replace windows 7 with something else, and even then it probably wouldn't be as fast as an iPad or even an android tablet.

If it had an SD card slot and a SSD, I might buy one and set it up for Ubuntu dual-booting.

True, but so is texting on a tiny qwerty pad, so is typing on iphone keyboard. People still do it. Sometimes it isn't the convenience of using the interface, but the convenience of carrying the product around that has the interface even if it happens to be less powerful than some other method. When I was a palmOS user, I entered many short notes using the Palm Graffiti pen system. It was slow and inconvenient, but it was often more convenient than pulling out my GoType keyboard for those quick replies and quick notes.

When I needed to take notes in class though, the GoType was perfect for me.

The iPad would be something my wife would like - instant on for her email, social apps and internet access while in the living room etc.

I can see that being a major draw point for people. 

If we had one, I may use it only to make sure it was functioning properly (hmm.. would I be the 'Maytag repair man' as it is so easy to use without issues?) for my wife to use. But I have a blackberry so am always connected right now anyway - which is too much already. When I get home from working on computers/PDAs and such all day, I stay away from the electronics (well except for Elemental.. ) 

When she wants to do her graphic art design or writing her book - she possibly could get into writing on it depends if she likes the touch screen - she would use the full PC. With all the art apps she has, scanner, printer, large screen etc. that will not change.

Maybe a XMAS present for her.. always need more brownie points. 

May be an idea for your and the Dev team FrogBoy, the comments about getting into mobile device apps. Something to think about. At least some type of online app for Elemental. Updates, new DLs, game match updates, ladder info, etc. Make it work for all types though! 

Ah, the lovely joys of apps:

I thought the article was right on and was very specific on the Pros.  Let's face it, no one like to wait and these type devices cater to that.   Yes there is something to be said for the Freedom of hacking and modding without limits.

There is also room for easy, flexible, and meets my multitude of needs.   Apple has made it look easy!   Everyone else was asleep at the wheel.  I have had every PDA and resisted the iPhone but it has been the most functional and the least problematic.

I am know resisting the urge to get an iPad and I have not idea why!!   I know I will use it everyday and the ROI will be awesome!

People text because there's not any other good alternative in general when they have to text. If I get a text message, I can go to a computer or an iPad an try to answer with MSN/ICQ,..., but the situation calls to text to answer (that's what the other person is expecting, maybe I don't have a PC or iPad around,...).

But we are talking here about an iPad threatening Windows, which means situations where you can use a PC or an iPad. One of those situations is your house for example, and unless you just want to type a short tweet or things like that (where the fast iPad start is pretty useful), as soon as you need to type more or are going to be a little longer than that, what's the reason of not using the PC with a physical keyboard?

I bought all my nephews and cousins iPod Touches and they use them all the time (video, music, a few games).  But when they have serious games to play or work to do, they log onto their desktop or laptop PCs.  

First, you're forgetting an entire subset of the population that will text no matter where they are... Teenagers. And you're forgetting where people will be using this device. In bed, on the couch, on the porch. None of these are places a desktop computer would sit, and a laptop is more cumbersome and generates a lot more heat than these things do. Sure, if you're sitting at your desk, then a PC is greatly preferred. If you're on the couch though, a PC is going to be a lot less convenient. That's the idea of the other link I provided. This device manages to carve another slice off all of the tasks that a PC would be preferred for. I mean, if you're relaxing and checking on blogs and such, would you rather be chained to a desk, have a roasty hot laptop in your lap, or be holding onto a moderately sized and light picture frame... People like me will still use the PC for most things, but for many people this will cut their home desk pc time in half, or down to a quarter of normal.

All that aside, the idea behind the ipad clamshell case with the bluetooth keyboard in it is attractive. The heat-generating part is away from the lap, and the keyboard can be removed and stowed when it isn't needed...

I just hope that it works with whatever slate device I end up buying.

True, I have similar feelings, but the fact that I can't hack it means I don't actually own it. I know the same is true with my PSP, but I have different standards for what I consider single purpose devices vs. general purpose computing. I also think that Apple is throwing the baby out with the bathwater with regards to Flash. Flash is a lousy language, a lousy program, but instead of just banning flash and apps made with flash, they decide to be overly restrictive and ban Lua, C#, Python, Java, Ruby, Lisp, Snobol, Go, Perl, Boo, Algol, Ada, Scheme and every other language that isn't Javascript/C++/Objective C... That's heavy handed in my view. I've recently told my wife that we're no longer buying apple products, and I'm looking for an alternative to the Ipod Nanos that she loves so much...

I too see the changes coming and the desktop PC taking a back seat. Devices

like the iPad and HP WebOS slate will become the main device for accessing

emails, web browsing and gaming.

The instant on concept is good ... Press a button and in a few seconds your

surfing the web, reading a e-book, playing a game .. and a few other things.

The PC needs to embrace this concept.  I have a fast system, but it still takes

10 seconds to get through the POST before it accesses the first boot device.

Then another  30 seconds to load the OS.  Desktop PCs should start up like

the iPad. What I'm trying to say is the PC, should be ready to go in less then

10 seconds.

About the App store for the iPad or the iPhone. Apple did a very good job

making it and supporting it. I would like to see Microsoft step up and do

something similar for Windows 7. Microsoft needs to make SDK for creating

apps or game like Apple did.

Hardware vendors need to improve their hardware. Mother board, graphics,

hard drives and other hardware vendors need to improve POST on their

devices. These devices should be ready to go as soon as the power is

turned on. In the real world I would like to a desktop PC be ready within

5 seconds of turning on the power. An another 10 for the OS.

IMO all these can be incorporated right now in the desktop PC ... Will it happen

most likely not ..  This should be possible when Win 8 is released ... An a most

have for Win 9 ...

It's better to do it the same way that the iPad and most other portable consumer electronics does it though. Through an improved sleep mode. Booting up from scratch still takes time, even on the iPad. That's why it almost never boots up from scratch. You turn it off, and it actually just goes to sleep. You're right about reworking the hardware though. Most PC hardware doesn't really go to sleep. It shuts completely off, then when the PC wakes from sleep it has to reinitialize things. Still, it's faster than booting up, but still could take several seconds to complete. With things like IVTV cards this could mean reloading the card's firmware from the OS.

The Macbook Air probably does not put out much heat and is just as thin as that iPad.

So, how about all of the other criteria?  Price for one thing. Macbook Air costs almost 3x what the entry level model of the iPad does. I suspect it probably isn't as quick to start using as well. Also, the applications aren't designed for the same paradigm. They're designed for a sitting-at-your-desk paradigm and laptops have always been poor imitations of this. Not to mention the spinning hard disk, making it a fragile thing. You can't just move it around when using it, a slightly too sharp bump can damage the platters. Enough of those and the system starts crawling and eventually fails.

That's just your personal experience Frogboy. All electronics that have an operating system will take time to access and process the files necessary to boot. With Windows 7, you can plug in a flash drive that will store some or all of the Windows 7 boot files for ready access. It can boot from off to the login screen in less than 15 seconds. The iPad has no real operating system. Macs have no real operating system either in my opinion. It's just a pint sized kiddy version of a real operating system. Mac OS is like a tricycle compared to Windows, which is like a car, compared to all the other developer centered OS, which are more like motorcycles. Most people drive cars because they can do what you want if you know what you're doing. Tricycles are for small children and ensure that the rider doesn't crash or mess anything up. Motorcycles are sleek, fast, and efficient, but they're hard to ride without experience and knowledge.

I disagree. If that was the case many notebooks would be failing a month after purchase.

I don't know. OSX is pretty snappy.

Can I ask any of the 'instant on will take over' people something:

Why didn't:

PDAs

Cell phones

etc take off and kill the desktop/laptop market?

Is it due to them being smaller and the ipad being a large version of them?  or is it due to the fact that in order for devices to not have things like a bios, they must be propiertary, which beefs up the price and makes it hard to do anything if you have issues?

As I recall, the imacs themselves don't have a bios, are 'instant on', and 'just work'.  Why do they only have 8% marketshare?

Only if you haven't used Windows 7 on the same hardware.  I've done the Apples to Apples comparisons and there's no contest.

Neither of those things are true.  Macs have the EFI bios, they take just as long as any comparable PC to boot, and they crash just as often in my experience (which is to say, VERY rarely in the modern OS age).  I can't remember the last BSOD I saw. 

I think a lot of people are missing the point,

Frogboy doesnt appear to be arguing that the iPad will kibosh windows, just that these features and the experience show that iPad-likes are a critical threat to windows PCs, in terms of how people use their computers at home and on the go.  So the particular failings of the iPad don't matter all that much.

As has already been pointed out tho, Microsoft figured out long before Apple that tablets were the future, they just couldn't deliver.  Probably because its a question of hardware as much as software and MS doesnt build stuff really.  I bet the only reason MS hasnt already acquired a hardware manufacturer is the anti-trust regulators...

I also think that instant-on cannot be underestimated... I don't think people slagging instant on have really used an instant on product for any length of time.  I got an iPod touch for christmas and ive used it extensively; i never would have bought it myself. instant on renders all of its functions drastically more convenient. if i can pull it out of my pocket and open up the weather report/eBook/map in like 2 seconds, I can actually use those damn things as I'm walking around.  I'd tried using smartphones similarly before but even their short delays rendered the process of using them an order of magnitude more tiresome.

it does raise the question, what big feature comes after instant on? My thought: wireless computing.  I hate lugging around all these god damn wires, especially the power cord.  I know companies have flirted with such technologies (even for power) but not on a large scale.

IMO ... The hardware needs to change .. mother boards need to add a new sleep mode.

An a faster POST for desktop and laptop systems.

The CPU is getting more cores and the graphics card are getting better. Also, the memory,

HDs, optical drives and sound have improved too. Now, they need to improve the POST

in desktops and laptops too.

Microsoft needs to build a version of Windows for the Arm CPU ... This would change the

playing field for the rest. If Microsoft did this ... Apple , HP and Google would see their

market share shrink ....  Now, it's a waiting game ....

HP  has the WebOS ...

Google has the Android OS ...

Apple has the iPhone OS  ....

I foresee a version of Microsoft Windows 8 for Arm  ... in 2013  ....

Well not for me. I'll continue using a Windows based PC. No ipad or ipad like device will ever fufill all the things I need to do or want to do with my PC.

My post is less than 10 seconds with my current setup. Booting Windows is less than 50 seconds. Fast enough for me.

Hi.  I must be new here. 

I don't know if I'm really buying into this. 

I think the whole ipad thing is pretty niche.  It's either: 

A.  A really small, not all purpose (but still functional) computer

B.  A cell phone with a really big screen

C.  A really expensive netbook. 

I personally wouldn't have a huge use for an ipad.  I hate to project that elsewhere, but I don't think enough people would find 600 bucks to be a reasonable price for a device that doesn't really easily fit into a category---thus I don't think it's really a threat to windows anymore than it's a threat to any other desktop OS. 

On the other hand, (bringing me to definition D:  a really kick ass ereader) I think it's a huge threat to ebooks/readers/whatever you want to call them.  Not only does it have obvious functionality advantages over say---a Kindle---but we know that Apple has once before basically taken a massive share of a massive content industry. 

I have 4 kids and it is interesting to watch how they use computers. They mainly use a web interface to do the things they like. I suspect that most of us here learned how to use a computer WELL because we liked games. Wanting to play a game made me learn more about the OS that i use than any other thing that I can think of.

My kids play their games on an Xbox 360. They did not have to learn to use a computer the way I did to get a game to work with everything else that is running (antivirus, etc). Any device that will let them use the internet easily. is going to be something they will naturally gravitate toward. They do not know as much about a computer and they really do not want to learn about it to do the things they like to do.

Watching the strategies of google, microsoft etc - they are all seem to be williing to move to web based applications since they see the market shifting by people who spends ooddles of time on facebook and the like. I think the ipad is aimed at that same generation. That is why so many companies are all trying to come up with some type of tablet that is easy to use.

More than INSTANT ON - I think EASY Configuration (it just works) is even more a sale feature for the majority. Most people hate having to call the geek in their family to help them as much as we hate having to go over to their house just to get their computer back in shape (just os they can get their email and get on facebook).

Windows Mobile already works on ARM. A full fledged Windows 7 would be dog slow on Arm though. The problem with taking Windows 7 to any platform other than x64/x86 would be that any software that isn't .NET would not work...

Windows Mobile already works on ARM. A full fledged Windows 7 would be dog slow on Arm though. The problem with taking Windows 7 to any platform other than x64/x86 would be that any software that isn't .NET would not work...

 

 

And let's face it:  despite being established in the cell phone space, nobody really wants a winmo phone.  I can't see anybody getting excited about a winmo tablet. 

But while on the topic of what everybody else is doing:  Why are there both Android and Chrome tablets coming soon (TM)?  Does that make even a whisp of sense to anyone? 

Yes, it just works. You buy, you use it. Instant ON is just part of this concept. This is not a niche, this is what the large population of to be computer users, who don't care how it works, want.

Windows doesn't just work. Even in a preinstalled computer you still have to install the software you want, as opposed to just choose what software you want. In Windows you are in the wild and face the heavy risk of choosing software loaded with spyware, trojans or viruses. Users are forced to make security decissions which they lack the knowledge to take. In an iPad  you are freed from those tasks.

Now, I don't want to be freed from those tasks, and I totally despise the idea of being forced to be freed from those tasks. The iPad is not for me. And when a similar gadget offering same functionality without shoving it down your throat appears I will recommed everyone to stay away of iPads. But a large market is going to embrace this way of using computers, if Google, HP, etcetera do it right there will be a healthy market for the benefit of users. Otherwise Apple will totally dominate because iPad, as it is now, is able to dominate the market for consumer computers against current offerings by the competition.

I disagree. What will happen (and is happening at the moment) is simply market segmentation coupled with growth. It's not like we're going to see a demise in home PCs and laptops, since people still want something with a large screen, keyboard and some form of Office on their computer. Gamers are not going to give up their machines. Power users will want something that has a keyboard and all those programs they need (compilers, LaTeX, VMs, IDEs).

The new tablets are a great way to ensure you switch your PC on less frequently by using them to check for e-mail and browse the web. They're also great to use on the go, e.g. in cafes. But apart from that, I wouldn't want to use the device for anything else, and I still need a full-blown computer at home to do everything else, entertainment included. And I would say this is the case for others as well.