iPad -> Alternatives?

[Blood]

There is no alternative to the iPad, there really isn't. Nothing else comes close to the ease of use and software available.
Try one and you'll see.

I still stand by this. Everything else is inferior, as you have found out!

Well, I bought Samsung Galaxy Tab a few days ago and I can say it is iPad killer.
- The screen is unbelievable (AMOLED technology, same quality in dark and sunlight, very very low battery consumption)
- The size (7") and weight is just right.
- Android 2.2 'Froyo' is excellent.
- Performance is more than great.
- It is a 3 in 1 device (Tablet PC, Phone and a great Camera 'Photo/Video')
- and many more

I recommend it to anyone want to buy iPad like device.

The display on the Samsung Galaxy is inferior (it's much older tech) to the iPad and loses 168 pixels on the vertical axis, 7in is way too small. The CPU speed is roughly the same, but how many apps available for android tablets? hardly any. There are tens of thousands of dedicated iPad and iPhone apps available right now and the splintering of the android platform is a major drawback to devs. Battery lasts way longer on the iPad, way, way longer. Ok. the iPad hasn't got a camera but wait a month until v2 in the new year. Face it, the iPad started the revolution and nothing comes close.

[sphinx]

I still don't get it. For a device with less capacity than a regular netbook I have to pay *more* ?

The masses don´t buy stuff like that based on logic and reason. They buy based on
emotion - look and feel - hype and fashion. Steve Jobs knows that like no other
and that´s why Apple makes a lot of money.
cw

I agree to some extent.

The display on the Samsung Galaxy is inferior (it's much older tech) to the iPad and loses 168 pixels on the vertical axis, 7in is way too small. The CPU speed is roughly the same, but how many apps available for android tablets? hardly any. There are tens of thousands of dedicated iPad and iPhone apps available right now and the splintering of the android platform is a major drawback to devs. Battery lasts way longer on the iPad, way, way longer. Ok. the iPad hasn't got a camera but wait a month until v2 in the new year. Face it, the iPad started the revolution and nothing comes close.

Well....

Conclusion: Both in terms of its advantages or disadvantages, this machine is commendable. First people to think of it, it is a big smart phone. But as a tablet PC, no doubt it will be iPad biggest competitor, because it has a lot of Apple iPad do not have the features; such as its advantages of one-handed operation, which is in its deliberate choice on the basis of the size.
7-inch screen relative to the iPad 9.7-inch screen is seemed a bit small, but the use of more sensitive capacitive display, and excellent Android system, and human Samsung TouchWiz user interface, as well as his admirable wireless networks; Generally speaking, this is a competitive market for tablet PCs.

More is here

[the.weavster]

I still don't get it. For a device with less capacity than a regular netbook I have to pay *more* ?

Where are the first netbook based and netbook priced tablets? What's taking them? Sigh...

There's netbook priced tablets about now, here's just one for example: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/248896, but I'd still rather have a regular netbook with a proper OS like Ubuntu on it.

how many apps available for android tablets?

At least with Android you can make your own apps and install them on your own device without having to lick anybody's goo chute.

Battery lasts way longer on the iPad, way, way longer

Is that true or is it just Apple bu115h1t? The battery life of my iPhone was better measured in minutes rather than hours. Misleading claims about battery life is something Apple are renowned for, this is from one of the Urban Dictionary's definitions of iPod:
2. It says 12 hour battery life, but lasts for dick hours
3. Limited rechargeable battery - there are only a certain amount of charges you can use and then you have to pay a bazillion dollars for a new god damn battery
Sounds all too familiar to me.

Face it, the iPad started the revolution

Tablets existed long before the iPad, here's a four year old video of one being subjected to some rather unusual testing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMt8sEpAasE

and nothing comes close.

Did you watch this?

BlackBerry are bringing out a tablet soon too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s72rGDUn ... r_embedded

The Blackberry looks a good deal Flashier to me.

[Baldrick]

Fwiw, I set up the Android SDK on my machine today. Boy did it take some figuring to get that working.
Apparently the newest release SDK has a few mods which seem to have been a bit rushed as I ended up literally copying a complete directory contents to another before it would run.
Now that it is running though I must say it is very smooth. So it could be an interesting ride for me as I start to dabble with this Android stuff.

[utopiomania]

Again, not an iPad alternative, but here is what you can expect from a Chinese eBook reader
sold as beeing able to play mp3's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDrNreCuhkU

Lesson learned: Chinese sellers don't give a shit about their customers. Just grab the money.

[blueznl]

Well, with that kind of taste in music... it deserves to be interrupted now and again

[Baldrick]

Well, with that kind of taste in music... it deserves to be interrupted now and again

Could be worse. You should try listening to the stuff I like.....

[PureLust]

Anyone who is interested in iPad-Alternatives may be interested in the new competitors, shown on the CES 2011 in Las Vegas.
The video from World tech show some very interesting upcoming Tablets:

=> The Highlights of the CES 2011 in Video - Part 1
(The english Video will start after a 20 Second advertisement.)

For the ones, which are interested in battery driven cars, new charging technique and stereoscopic video, the 2nd part of the video might be of some interest as well:

=> The Highlights of the CES 2011 in Video - Part 2

[utopiomania]

The first track is from the seller, the second track was just a track from some folder.

Maybe the thing has a bad taste in music filter built into it.

[Marco2007]

First of all: thx for all those comments. I still haven`t bought anything (but I bought a PS3)

I think, it`s a bad time to buy a TabletPC -> I think, it`s better to wait a few monthes.

My favs (now): iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab.

[blueznl]

I decided to wait as well, I'll be sticking to my netbook for now.

I'll either go for a Wintel box, or settle for an Android thingy when I find it runs most of the stuff I want. At a decent price, that is.

Patience is a good thing sometimes Look at Bluray players. The moment 3D arrived on the scene prices dropped. A 2D Bluray BD Live upscaling etc. now goes for 100 bucks or less.

I expect tablets to reach price levels below current netbooks (they're lighter on hardware anyway) and that's probably the moment I'm going to buy one.

Perhaps I should start a little hobby project and modify my old Asus 1005HE to start resembling a Dell Duo

[the.weavster]

I decided to wait as well, I'll be sticking to my netbook for now.
I'll either go for a Wintel box, or settle for an Android thingy when I find it runs most of the stuff I want. At a decent price, that is.

I've read Canonical are going to target tablets after all (it had been suggested they weren't so as not to tread on Google's toes) so I might take an interest when the Ubuntu tablets start to arrive. Personally I'd prefer it to have a slide out keyboard like some Nokia phones have though.

I have been told you can put the netbook addition of Ubuntu on tablets that are available already as long as they have the Intel Atom processor rather than an Arm but I'm not going to take a punt on it.

[blueznl]

Sorry, at this moment I don't need Ubuntu, I do need Windows

[IdeasVacuum]

Take a look at this effort from Dell, it looks clever:

http://www1.euro.dell.com/uk/en/home/De ... -40XSJH-v1

[blueznl]

Yeah, I know that box, quite attractive, except for two things: the price, and the battery life (just 4 hours).

Nice try, but it ain't gonna' fly...