Tablet Wars
For some reason, “Tablet” computers are taking off, and competition is getting fierce. A tablet computer is something that pretty much did not exist two years ago (well technically they have been around for a while, but nobody paid attention), until the release of the iPad by Apple in early 2010. Before the iPad, the hierarchy of computers went: desktop > laptop > netbook > smart phone. Well the netbook was an underpowered incompatible piece of crap, and already the netbooks, and that travesty of an OS Windows CE, is pretty much dead, and good riddance. Today it goes desktop > laptop >tablet > smart phone.
The “tablet” computer is already invading the laptop turf. Understandable, since most people find laptops extremely awkward to actually use on their laps. Tablets feel natural on the lap, or holding like a book, and the touch screen is much more user friendly than those touch pad thingies that you are supposed to use instead of a mouse. So tablets are the new laptops. But, do not feel bad for the laptops, they are quickly supplanting the desktops. Its the desktop market that is ultimately on its way out.
On the other hand, tablets are just smart phones with 7 to 10 inch screens. They need either unreliable wi-fi or expensive 3G/4G connections to be useful. Unlike smartphones you can’t carry them in your wallet, and are too big to double as phones. The question I keep having to ask myself when studying the tablet market is, why would any one want one? I believe the answer is that as smart phones become more and more powerful and do more stuff, there is an obvious inherent weakness: the 3 and a half inch screen. That is just not enough screen real estate to really engage the user, unless you hold it up a few inches from your face, which gets awkward. Ten inch screen tablets are less portable than phones, but more engaging. In a way they are more engaging than laptops too, since laptops are always at least arms length away, while tablets can be held up close.
So what is a tablet good for? Well the big 4 uses are surfing the web, watching videos, reading books/magazines/newspapers, and playing games. A ten inch screen a foot and a half away is like a 50 inch big screen TV 7 feet away, only more portable and $3000 less expensive. The tablet computer seems to be here to stay.
That seems to be the conclusion of every computer tech company, too. Everyone seems to be in the tablet business these days hoping to become the standard. iOS is the dominant operating system, but because Apple is stingy with their licensing, Android (by Google based on the Linux kernel) is coming up very fast. Based on useability and software support, I’d say there is no difference between the two. The only iOS apps you will not see Android versions of are the ones made by Apple. On the up side, “Adult” rated apps can be found in Android stores, but not on Apple.
Threatened but planning a comeback is Microsoft, who is obviously designing Windows 8 with tablet PCs in mind. Tablets that run Windows 7 already exist, they are basically laptops without keyboards, and just as heavy and expensive. It is inevitable that the tech will catch up to where PC tablets will be as small as iPads, and Microsoft wants them to run Windows 8. (Note: for you keyboard lovers, cheap bluetooth keyboards are available that work on any tablet computer, so the lack of a keyboard is a very minor negative.)
The Competition Today
The growing interest in tablets looks to mushroom this holiday season, and there are tons of hot new tablets in all price ranges, as well as older tablets at clearance prices. Here are the biggest players today from top to bottom (in technological order):
- Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime – The name does not roll off the tongue like iPad does, but this tablet is the first ever quad core tablet with a battery life of 12 hours. This pretty much beats the iPad 2 in every stat, and its cheaper. It won’t be out until early December though, and will likely be popular with geeks that want the very latest thing. Lets face it, by March there will be a half dozen other tablets out with similar stats. Maybe even an iPad 3?
- iPad 2 – Steve Jobs’ final legacy product is still the number one seller, and thus the most widely supported. The more iTunes movies and videos you own, the more likely this will be the best choice for you.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 – The android equivalent of the iPad 2, same size, same thinness, same specs. Just released in September. The Galaxy Tab was the first tablet after the iPad, and has proven to be the most popular Android based tablet. The 10.1 is a larger and more powerful version of the original Galaxy Tab. There is also a 7.7 version out.
- Sony Tablet S – If “thinness” is not important to you, this ergonomically designed tablet may be a better choice. Not only can it run Android apps, but it can also run PSP and Playstation games. The thicker case allowed Sony to fit in an SD memory card slot. Yes you read that right, SONY’s latest gadget has an industry standard SD memory card slot!!
- Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet – On the low end of the scale hardware wise, but the $200 price range is generating a lot of interest. For reading e-books, I prefer reading on an e-paper readers. It is easier on the eyes than a back lit glossy touch screen. But booksellers Amazon and Barnes & Noble are putting out tablets that do a lot more than just let you read books, they play videos and run most android apps too. If you are a little shy about spending $400-$700 for one of the big guys listed above, this might be a good place to start.
I suspect 1 and 5 are going to be hot ticket items this holiday season, and difficult to find. The middle 3 should be easier. These are just the ones generating a lot of interest, there are dozens of others between $200 and $700 to choose from.
Three New Second Life Builds for 2011
It has been a while since I have done an SL Explorer post, in fact, this is the first I have done all year. First stop is one that caught my eye over at SLU, a new store in the shape of the famous “Crystal Palace” built in 1851 for the London Great Exhibition. This has not been the first time I have pointed out a build of this historic and no longer existing building, but the old one no longer exist, as has according to the builder two others she has seen in the past. So while this is not the first Crystal Palace in SL, it is the only one in existence today as far as I can tell, and actually, it is better than the last one I saw, especially with the historically accurate fountains and pools.
This one hopefully will be around for a while, it exists as a store, and stores tend to pay for themselves. This build by the way is brand new, just opened today. You can go there: Crystal Palace SLURL. You can also learn more about the project from the builder here.
From bright and beautiful to dark and dangerous. Next stop on the new build tour is Hell House, based on the Richard Matheson novel of the same name. This is an ADULT haunted house, lots of naked ghosts, and gory images, so keep the kids away. You can get there with this link: Hell House SLURL. More info and screenshots are available here.
From the introductory notecard: Hell House is an immersive, fully interactive, 3D experience, so be sure to take your time as you explore its many rooms and myriad terrors. There are many small clues in drawers, on table-tops, and in cabinets, so be sure to “zoom in” on small objects and Click on anything you can if you want to find out more about Belasco and his horrific legacy. And allow plenty of time. Keep in mind — to see ALL that Hell House has to offer will take between 2 to 3 HOURS, so you may need to make more than one visit to experience each of the myriad apparitions and numerous paranormal events.
Finally, from the gory to the whimsical, “Through the Lens of Dreams” is an imaginative build made mostly of sculpties and meshes. It has a “hand drawn” cartoon feel to the world. Through the Lens of Dreams SLURL. I should point out that this world took a while to load (as did the first two mentioned in this post) but it is worth it. There is plenty to see here.
From the introductory note card: “Through the Lens of Dreams” is an exploration of the transformative nature of dreams, where each new setting may emerge from the last and seems continuous while we’re experiencing them. The only truly consistent part of a dream is the viewer, that’s you. Thus as you walk through the installation you help complete the piece, good work. The piece is more a series of doodles that flow from each other than a single large composition so it seems somewhat sprawling and busy. Just relax and enjoy your own little piece of the whole.
I don’t explore SL as much as I used to. This is partly due to other distractions. Many of my favorite builds are sadly gone, but I’ll keep my eye out for new ones and post about them when I find them.
























