UMPCPortal is where we take mobile devices and hold them up against a template of productivity, technology, battery life and engineering. We try and look deep into the technology to not only see what’s possible today, but what’s possible tomorrow and how it can fit into pro-sumer and productivity scenarios.
If you’re looking for a more consumer-focused ride though, that’s what we do over at Carrypad. There we take mobile devices and focus on the things that are important to the casual user. Price, features, ease of use, style and user interfaces play a huge part her because not everyone needs the Full Internet Experience when lazing around on the couch catching a little YouTube in the advertising breaks on TV.
We’ve Got an iPad on the Way, and You Can Too
In the last week we’ve invested in an iPad. Ben is going to take the reigns on it and see if he can work out where the device fits now and to track it as applications start feeding through. It seems strange to be following Apple into this new segment at such a low price but it looks like they really will have the first 3G-enabled consumer-focused tablet on the market beating the Dell Mini 5, the JooJoo and the IDC ultra by a long margin.
The Top Consumer Internet Devices.
The database has been running for a while now and we’re seeing an interesting Top 5 battle. Consistently at the top is the Dell Mini 5. This 5 inch Android-based handheld tablet promises to trump the already-popular Archos 5 in two ways. It will not only contain a full 3G and voice radio but it will also be one of the first MIDs (i.e. a device targeted at Internet use as it’s primary function) with a full suite of Google applications. That means marketplace which means a whole new opportunity for developers to work with a huge 800×480 screen.
Also knocking around at the top are the ICD Ultra which should be available later this year. The Notion Ink Adam is a similar device and if they get the promised Pixel-Q1 screen in there it will be a great device for outdoor use.
More significant, I think, it the Archos 7 Home Tablet. This isn’t a powerful device but at $179, it should offer excellent value for the round-the-house experience. It’s claimed to offer a smooth video playback experience at near 720p quality along with a reasonable browsing experience and a good set of Android applications. Archos will be following-up with a whole range of Android-based devices later this year too so they are clearly putting their bets on the Android OS. If Google allows them to use their marketplace, the whole range of Archos devices will get a huge boost.
Of course, the iPad is going to be important but it’s not rising as high in the ‘charts’ as I expected. Maybe that’s still to come!
There’s a lot more news out there in the world of consumer devices but we’re going to be honest; you won’t find everything at Carrypad. There’s a lot of hype out there and a lot of products that just won’t get past stage one a showing at an exhibition. We’ll be focusing on the cream of the crop and only bringing you the news that you need to hear.
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New article: What's Going On Over At Carrypad? http://bit.ly/bgSrGM
What’s Going On Over At Carrypad?: UMPCPortal is where we take mobile devices and hold them up against a template … http://bit.ly/bFZ4LT
There’s a lot of hype out there and a lot of products that just won’t get past stage one – a showing at an exhibition. We’ll be focusing on the cream of the crop and only bringing you the news that you need to hear.
Truer word have never been written, so the final line should read “cream of the crap”. I don’t mean this in a negative way, my foster mother always refereed to us as the “cream of the crap” so it brings back fond memory’s.
I think that tablets are going to need to start carrying things that people expect standard in a Netbook. Webcam and standard USB ports. There are a few devices that have this but they demand a large premium. Unless tablets can satiate the needs of the average budget consumer, they will have a hard time taking off. The Archos 7 looks like the most successful despite its lack of features only b/c of its price. Most of the these tablets seem poised at the couch surfer and such.
Well truth is Im not one to judge I dont plan on buying a large tablet. Maybe a 5inch though.