I’m sitting in front of an ExoPC which is now referred to internally as the Exo-1 because they’re looking for new hardware for the next generation ExoPC device – Product X

There’s a very open an interesting post up on the ExoPC discussion board about new hardware they’re testing. It’s clearly an Oaktrail-based device but they’re not giving the ID away at this stage because there’s some negative points being aired. It’s a thread that has already prompted me to post something on our own forum about Oaktrail and I’d like to bring it up here. Maybe it’s useful for Exo PC. Maybe it’s useful for readers.

Obviously if you’re going to bring similar looking / acting hardware to the market as a new model, it needs to be better than the existing product, right? If there’s one thing that’s worse than the previous model, it confuses customers and causes rumblings in the owner community. While the battery life on the Oaktrail-based devices might be better, the performance isn’t. An Atom N450-based Win 7 product will outperform a 1.5Ghz Oaktrail equivalent in most, if not all, departments. Even if you bump the CPU up to the new Z615 at 1.9Ghz, the GPU isn’t going to be better than the previous generation. It’s a problem for anyone that’s got a 10” Atom N-series in the market. Where do you go?

The problem is, the N450-based tablets aren’t exactly zippy and are not the best at battery life. Fan noise, weight and size are an issue so some progress needs to be made there. Oaktrail is not the solution here and until Cedar Trail or more Ultrabook-like designs (E.g. EP121) come along, there’s no solution.

The way to make for ExoPC to make a second device is to move to a new form factor  and / or a new operating system. Changing the OS is a problem for ExoPC because most of their business is wrapped up in their overlay software development, for Windows. Personally, I don’t use it but if it’s their bread and butter, it’s important.

So why not keep the user interface and apply it to a 7” model? The 7” Windows tablet market is small, yes, but so is the 11.6” Windows tablet market. In fact, there’s less competition in the 7” space, more importance placed on efficiency and at 7”, Windows needs an overlay more than it does at 11.6” Using Oaktrail allows you to make a different hardware product for a new market and it also brings a bridge to other operating systems that could boost hardware sales. Meego is an interesting option for an Oaktrail tablet and if your skill is in user interfaces, you could turn something round quickly and make quite a differentiator in the Meego market. Acer turned a lot of heads when they presented their 10” Morestown-based Iconia M500 tablet that’s due to be available in Q4.  Don’t forget the Windows 8 mobility path either. If you’re working with Oaktrail now, making the move to Clovertrail and Windows 8 should be easier later. It will make an even better 7” tablet platform and gives the company a product to focus on should Windows 8 kill the ExoPC software overlay business.

ExoPC should do two things. 1) Look at the 7” Slate space where user interfaces become even more important. It’s currently a fairly empty space if you consider pro-mobile users and although niche, could allow ExoPC to become the king of it. Better to be king of a small niche than a bit-player in a large one. Asses Oaktrail devices and think about Meego, Windows 8 and even Android which we’ve already seen running on Intel. Look to break out a new product with a new customer base. 2) Take time to find a better product platform for the existing (10-12”) ExoPC market. Mid 2012 perhaps? Sandy Bridge-based tablet designs could be cheaper then as Ultrabook-style manufacturing matures.

Of course there’s a risk. You’ll need to investigate why the 7” space is empty for a start but the Galaxy Tab 7 sales (millions of them) say something about the form factor. There’s also the risk that someone else has seen this opportunity too. The Viliv X70 Slate design still exists (although the company appears to be going under) and we shouldn’t forget the ECS 7” slate design either. WeTab appear to be going through the same process so stay tuned here, ExoPC, for the latest news! (And good luck, of course.)

Here’s the discussion thread at the ExoPC discussion forum.

The ExoPC is an 11.6” Windows Tablet PC that has been getting favorable previews recently, largely because of its interesting overlay software. The device will also ship with an application store and will have HD video options, 3G and GPS options and a nice looking set of optional accessories.

In its homeland of Canada it looks like the ExoPC will also launch as the Vibe with the basic 32GB non-3G version coming in at 649 Canadian Dollars / $599 which, for a 4-hour WiFi-only device built on the Intel netbook platform, isn’t that cheap although you do get 2GB of RAM, SSD storage and the nice capacitive screen. In Europe, the device is being retailed through Mobiland in Portugal as the Mobi One. Europeans will have to hand over a fat 837 Euros (inclusive taxes) for the same basic model. Add 3G and another 32GB of SSD storage and you’re up to over €1050!

Considering the WeTab, which uses the same hardware platform, is available in Germany for €569 with 3G (1GB RAM) and that it’s just been hacked to run Windows 7, they might want to re-think that €1050 price. With the Tega V2 coming to EU, North America and Australia too, there’s another options too. [Latest: A Tega V2 is on its way to us for a Friday unboxing, pricing should also be available on Friday.]

Despite the alternatives, the ExoPC remains a unique product out of the box and with the docking station, stand and keyboard, should make for quite the productive sub-1500gm 11” modular PC.

If you’ve got a product ready to tell the world about, you obviously haven’t just started work on it so these two very similar 8.9” tablets aren’t a results of any iPad hype and the fact that they are based on the netbook platform and offering Windows 7 means that they are targeted at a different, more productivity-focused user; just the sort of user that comes to UMPCPortal!

First-up is the ExoPC. Offered by a French company (with no English website. Clearly not interested in being the global #1,) it’s based on a 2009 netbook platform but offers a multi-touch screen, a 4 hours battery and, based on the SIM-card slot, a 3G option. A weight of 795gm 32GB SSD and 2GB RAM give it specs that raise it slightly above the average netbook and fit well with the requirements of a productive Windows 7 environment.

ExoPC have helpfully provided a comparison page which includes the Archos 9 and iPad but omits the other competitors, the Nav 9 and the EviGroup Pad. Pricing is $599 and is said to be available in March.

On to the Nav 9 then, this is the one that appeared last month as the Netbook Navigator 891A-NN. Again, we’re looking at a sub-1KG (2lb) 8.9” tablet but entry-level pricing gives you a slightly more basic model. Low capacity (2hrs) battery, 1GB RAM and 16GB of SSD are all lower than the ExoPC but there are options to upgrade all of them. A base unit (no OS, single touch, no cam) is going to cost you $500 and expanding everything possible will take you way up to a scary $1500 although at that price you’re getting 3G, 128GB SSD and the multi-touch screen.

It’s obvious that these two are from the same OEM (Sinchun) so it will be very interesting to see how these two companies position their competing products because as we all know here in UMPC-land, devices without keyboards are a tough-sell.