Netbook Navigator has been working hard on getting that Nav 9 [Specifications] to market and we’ve just heard that a review sample is going to be with us very soon. Apparently they’ve taken a few weeks to optimise a touchscreen that wasn’t up to par and in that time they’ve also updated the package and pricing.

The Atom N450-based 1GB/16GB tablet is now available as a base version for $599 including a large capacity battery, carrying case, 8GB SD card and car charger. That price doesn’t include an operating system but there’s a good chance that Moblin, Jolicloud and Ubuntu are going to work out of the box (don’t expect multitouch) and as we go forward, MeeGo is going to be an option not to mention any old XP licenses you have lying around.

We still have reservations about the size, weight and form-factor for any of these netbook-based tablets that are appearing and seriously, the ASUS T101MT including Windows 7 with 2GB, touch/multitouch screen on the latest Pinetrail platform for a similar price (admittedly, with a weight premium) sounds like a much better product overall but if a Windows-based slate is the way you want to go, this isn’t a bad deal.

After one of my regular browsing sessions at Geizhals.at this evening I found two retailers offering the Archos 7 Home Tablet that was announced at CeBIT earlier in the month and one of them is stating a delivery time of ‘1 Week.’

Detailed Archos 7 Home Tablet information in the database.

It looks like Archos will perform a common trick by feeding-in the high-end version, with 8GB, first and follow-up with the low-cost version at a later date but that’s just based on the advertising seen so far. I haven’t checked extensively in other markets but in Germany I’m seeing offers right now for the 8GB Home Tablet from Amazon.de and Redcoon.de. (Here’s the product page at Geizhals.at) Redcoon are stating a 7-day delivery time although we should point out that many retailers do this just for attention. Amazon are indicating availability ‘soon.’ Both entered the channels on the 26th March.

With the Archos 5 at 199 Euros now it’s a difficult choice between the two. The easier-to-read screen, usb port and stereo speakers on the Archos 7 Home Tablet need to be weighed up against the much faster processor on the Archos 5. Of course, you could wait until summer when Archos will be releasing a new range of tablets on high-end processors but these are likely to cost a tad more than 149 Euros.  Still, I bet they’ll be a lot cheaper than the iPad that is launching this week.

Interested in seeing a full review of the Archos 7 Home Tablet? We’re pondering over the thought of buying one but we’ll see if we can get a loaner out of Archos first.

The 9 inch screen size may seem strange to some but that 1024×768 screen on the iPad combined with its 700gm, 1.5lb weight enables three key features. Long-term use, high quality and multi-user capability.

Based on my ever-evolving ‘Mobile Computing Segmentation’ diagram and  with recent input from DevMob 2010, I’ve put together a list of applications that would sit well on the iPad [Specs and latest info] and you’ll see the three features I’ve mentioned drop out straight away but before we start, here’s the diagram which gives you some idea of the applications that won’t be unique to the iPad and may be more suited to other form factors.

Click to enlarge.

Clearly there are applications like PIM, Voice and video telephony that would be better on a smaller device and if you were to take a look above the iPad, productivity rules but there are some distinct categories of applications that would work well on the iPad…

Entry-level 3D video. Screen real estate, high-bitrate video capability and screen resolution is required for 3D and for the 1-meter experience, the 9 inch iPad will  be the best device for it.

Basic Video Editing. We’ve seen some excellent video editing packages on the iPhone. I’m blown away by Reel Director every time I see it but there’s something missing from that. Getting accurate cuts, high quality preview and having more information and drag-and-drop capability is something that only starts to happen on a larger screen. I can’t wait to see a version of Reel Director for the iPad.

Multi-touch gaming. Multitouch with one hand is something. Having two hands to control a playing field is something else. Devices of 7 inch and above can start to offer this experience although the iPad needs a stand to really get the best out of this possibility.

Multi-person gaming. Two-handed multitouch doesn’t have to be done by one person. 9 inch allows two people to sit on the corner of a table and play with each other. Board games, arcade games and more. This multi-person aspect is unique to large-screen multi-touch devices.

Multi-person video/photo view. Think about the 1 meter viewing experience. Now think of two or three people sitting next to each other at 1-meter from the screen. For this experience to work well you need size and screen viewing angle. The iPad is set-up perfectly for this as it uses IPS screen technology that improves screen viewing angle. (IPS also improves brightness which means the iPad will be the only device of this type that can be used outdoors. Anyone for World Cup football on the go?

Page-per-view documents. At 7 inch screen size it’s very difficult to view pages of documents as they were created (books, diagrams, comics, presentations) without have to zoom and pan. At 9 inch page-per-view becomes a reality. Magazines, comics, newspapers and documents viewed without zoom or pan become more immersive. We’d argue that 11 or 12 inch would be a more comfortable size for such a usage model but at that size you increase weight so much that the device becomes difficult to hold.

Rich, long duration web experience. The minimum width for a full web page is somewhere around the 800 pixel mark. On a 7 inch screen this requires relatively high pixel densities which can require a zoom to make text comfortable. The 768-wide (in portrait) screen of the iPad is going to be better than most 10 inch ‘wide’ screens in portrait mode. The pixel density is of around 132 PPI will be extremely comfortable for almost everyone. (Think every member of the family.)

More iPad specifications and information in our iPad tracking page.

Rich document / media creation. While text input may not be perfect on the iPad, Titling a media-rich post of video, photos and diagrams will work very well. The 9 inch screen size allows for a workspace, a toolset and a media bar for dragging and organizing media segments in a posting, email or microblog. Smaller screen sizes make this a tough challenge terms of UI.

Media organization. What did you do when you sorted your postcards/beer mats/toy cars/cassettes/photos when you were a kid? The likelihood is that you tipped them out on the floor and started from there. The same principle applies on the iPad. You’ll have enough screen space for an assortment of overlaid documents, contacts, images, videos, books, music, figures and a set of bins/playlists/groups into which you can drag your content. Personally this sounds like a dream come true for sorting a library of digital photos.

Mapping. Electronic maps require resolution, size, outdoor readability, ruggedness, battery life and can be enhanced with connectivity and GPS. I am struggling to think of a more suitable device than the iPad.

There are more scenarios too and if you’ve got a thought, drop it in the comments. How about customer presentations, DJ applications, pilot applications, home control, multi-person video conferencing/PIP not to mention making every iPhone application into a high-quality version. Tamagotchi on the iPad will be so cute that you will have to buy two!

The themes here are 1) long-duration usage (comfort), 2) quality (more definition, capability) and at the top of the list and what I believe is the main ‘feature’ – the iPad allows (relatively rich!) Dads around the world to justify a Christmas 2010 purchase Multi-User. Forget the HD-TV, Blue-Ray player, Car seat-back screens, coffee machine, Wii because top of the family Christmas present list this year will be the “we can all use it darling. inch iPad.

JKK has some fun with the BC10C. Remember this is based on an Intel Core CPU (1.3Ghz single core Celeron) and GMA 4500 GPU so its in a different class to the Atom based devices. Watch some of the demos in the video and you’ll immediately get a feel for the power of this device.

jkkmobile: Hanvon TouchPad BC10C tablet review.

This makes complete sense. Google provide the application channel and Amazon provide the content channel for the Dell Mini 5. [ Information]  This will set it apart from the rest of the bunch so Archos are going to have to think carefully about where they go next. A raw Archos tablet with no apps and no content channel is going to look naked next to the Dell Mini 5. As will all the other raw Android builds we’ve seen so far.

The information comes from Engadget who got hold of a promotional flyer for the Dell Mini 5 that reveals the partnership.

Dell probably have an exclusive on this based on the hardware form factor and video capabilities but I’m sure it won’t be long before you’ll find the .apk floating around. Maybe even in the Google Marketplace.

A second flyer reveals a colorful range of finishes which points towards a solid consumer focus. Let’s hope the prices are pointed that way too.

Source: Engadget

More Dell Mini 5 information and links in the database.

CeBIT is where many many Asian device designers will be looking for European customers and it’s totally expected that these unknown devices keep cropping up but I can’t help thinking that by the time these devices are put through final customer modifications, approved for all the local regultions and then put on the production line and distributed that ARM11 based devices are going to look very out of date. Personally i’m of the opinion that ARM11 is already out of date for a good quality web browsing experience.

We’ll try and get a round-up of all these new tablets together for you over the coming weeks but it looks like we’ll have to let CeBIT play fully out before we can start that job.

jkkmobile: G-link 7006 Android MID at CeBIT 2010.

We suspect that isn’t the Pierre Cardin brand you know from the fasion world but these 7″ and 8.9″ tablets have an interesting design with a case that includes a rubber keyboard.

The devices come with resistive or capacative touchscreen and 3G options. All the usual ports are included and it even looks ok. The gotcha might lie in the CPU though because although the C7-M was good and efficient in 2006, it can be quite the hot/noisy little devil when it gets going. The Amtek T770 is testament to that.

Prices should be pretty good in these devices though so they could be worth a closer look.

jkkmobile: Pierre Cardin (HK) tablets at CeBIT 2010.

We’ve had one video from Charbax so far and we have to say we’re quite impressed at the price/performance ratio on the newly-announced Archos 7 Home Tablet [Information.] Here’s a new video from JKKMobile that will give you another feel for how the device is looking, feeling and performing.

Source: JKKMobile.