Photo: Apple

When the iPad arrived, very few of us knew how it would all shape up and work out. In no time unique apps built specifically for tablets began to flood the app store in step with Apple’s meteoric rise. Once all the other tablets that are on the way arrive, a whole new generation of computing will be ushered in and the way we think about and use our devices in many respects may change. So how are some people using their Apple tablet PC creatively already?

Music

Anybody who’s ever worked with and or bought midi controllers will tell you that the iPad is the dream device for that sort of functionality. Though it has no tactile feedback, the iPad was an immediate multi pad drum controller substitute. Build the right software, and they will come. The band Squeeze had one of their musicians play the piano on the iPad during Late Night with Jimmy Falon and it was awesome. Now developers need to get on their bicycle and kick out more awesome tools.

Info systems

A tablet PC is a big touch screen interface, yes? And it only costs £400, making the iPad (or any other tablet device once they begin arriving) perfect replacement solutions for super-expensive info systems. The types of information systems you see in malls cost tens of thousands of pounds, meaning you, at your little conference or school open day or any function, could have something similar for a fraction of the price.

The military

All great technology starts with – and is often perfected by – the military. People are always looking for creative ways to snoop on and harm each other. Rather sad, actually. Regardless, our very own UK troops have been using the iPad for training before deployment to Iraq. True story.

The more you think of it, the more you realise the tablet PC could usher in a whole new wave of applications we neither conceived of nor thought possible previously. Now if the other could catch up and ship already, the space will become fascinating, and more competition means consumers win.

Photo: HP

X2, a UK based company, has announced a tablet device called the iTablet, one of the oft-rumoured names of Apple’s device before iPad was the confirmed name. This arguably opportunistic move comes in the wake of over two weeks of Internet-wide iPad pontification, and X2 looks set to make its mark in the increasingly crowded tablet market.

An old Tablet reissued?

Photo: AMtek

What some have noted, namely Engadget editor Thomas Ricker, is that the iTablet is identical to an AMtek device that first arrived on the scene, to little fanfare, way back in 2007. Two prevailing schools of thought have emerged from this. The first is that the promotional material used to unveil the iTablet is identical to that used for AMtek device’s while X2 complete their own product. This is to say, the iTablet may not look entirely like the promotional images doing the rounds. The other theory is that the device really is the exact same thing it was in 2007, only this time with a name that’s recently become search engine friendly.

The looks and the goods

This device can be powered by any Windows operating system of your choosing, ranging from Windows XP right up to Windows 7. The iTablet’s, not altogether unlike the iPad, comes in 10.2-inch and 12.1-inch sizes, with available colours on release being pink, yellow, red, white, black, grey and blue.

This tablet is set to be powered by a 1.6GHz Intel chip, with a 250GB on-board hard drive, a 1.3mp camera, 3 USB slots and Wi-fi for connectivity, with 3G being an optional extra. In embracing the HD revolution, it will also have an optional HDMI slot.

Photo: Apple

As yet, pricing has not been confirmed and the device is expected to appear on shelves sometime this April, a month after the iPad. Given that it is Windows powered and seems to be nothing more than a Windows operating system with a few extra touches, we have the same concerns for the iTablet that we had for the HP Slate PC, namely whether it is okay to do half a job by gluing multi-touch onto a point-and-click-based operating system, instead of implementing it from the ground up.

Photo: Apple

Gizmodo held a competition where it encouraged its users to submit their own idea of how the iPad should look and work. While many entries were highly imaginative, one entry stood out more than others.

Introducing the Macbook Tablet

Photo: Apple

Say hello to the Macbook Tablet. The name is indicative that this device is essentially a Macbook and iPad hybrid. When the iPad is attached to the keyboard dock, the operating system automatically transforms to Mac OS X, and when detached it reverts to the modified iPhone OS that powers the iPad.

Campaign slogan and all

Photo: Apple

This industrious user even came up with a campaign slogan for the device that would impress Apple’s revered marketing team: ’Dock. Detach. Dash.’ When the heavy lifting needs to be done, dock it and use it as a Mac. In the event that you need to dash, presumably all your media files consumable on the road will be readily available to use in iPad mode.

Not too far off from the truth

Though it is unlikely that Apple is working on this type of device, rumours have been swirling that Apple is developing another tablet device using a modified version of Mac OS X in lieu of the iPad’s modified iPhone OS. This strategy, if true, seems odd and counter to Apple’s usual strategy of keeping things simple and avoiding segmenting its market. But the iPad could very well be the iPod Nano to this alternate tablet’s iPod Touch.

The echo chamber

Rumblings around the Apple Tablet have been incessant since its unveiling. Pundits are saying it is going to fail, while others claim the second-generation iPad is the one to look out for, much like the second-generation iPhone was. The extent to which the iPad will live up to people’s expectations remains to be seen, yet what is clear is that Apple is capable of generating buzz and consumer enthusiasm around a product like no other company in the world.

Crunchpad is basically a low cost web tablet that does not have a physical keyboard. The crunchpad is totally touchscreen and is totally focussed on web browsing. Many big computer manufacturers like Asus, Hewlett Packard Pavilion, Dell, Toshiba and Fujitsu-Siemens LifeBook already develop tablet PC, which are similar, but different from Techcrunch’s upcoming Crunchpad. The CrunchPad is far sleeker, and more lightweight than any other tablet PC; not to mention it isn’t even burdened with a keyboard. It is also perfect for watching television. The crunchpad is a very recent development in the computing world.

Some of the CrunchPad’s competitors include the Dell Latitude XT, Asus Eee PC T91-BLK020X Black, Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion TX2-1165EA (NM515EA#ABU), Hewlett-Packard HP TouchSmart tx2-1160ea (NP663EA#ABU), Spectra Flexible One 71M-F (120560), Toshiba Portégé M700-3G13B (PPM70E-0QH02DEN), etc. Whilst many of these competing tablet PCs are quality products, they still lack the uniqueness of Techcrunch’s CrunchPad. The Dell Latitude XT is admittedly  a very handy piece of device as it weighs just 1.61 kg. Asus Eee PC T91-BLK020X Black has an Intel Atom Z520 processor and RAM of 1,024 MB. It has 8.9 inch display and the networking is done through wireless LAN, Bluetooth and LAN 10/100. It provides battery back up of 5 hours and weighs around 0.96 kg. Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion TX2520EA (CJ938EA#ABU) is fitted with an AMD Athlon 64 processor. It has 3,072 MB of RAM installed in it that provides it lightning fast speed. It has a hard disk memory of 250 GB and a display of 12.1 inch.

The CrunchPad, however, offers something completely new and different that no competitor tablet PC can touch. Techcrunch’s CrunchPad is manufactured using state-of-the-art technology that ensures long functional life and high efficiency. The CrunchPad has amazing touch screen that takes the touchscreen experience to the next level.

Recently launched, Asus T91 is a convertible netbook from the company’s Eee PC line; a one of its kind computer that comes with a swiveltouch screen. It has an 8.9 inch touch screen that can be folded back to be used as a tablet or in a traditional net book form factor. Designed to be extremely slim, it weighs only 960gm and measures 28.4mm at its thickest point. Extremely compact and miniaturist in dimensions, the net book is powered by the Z520 Atom CPU and 1GB RAM. It has 6GB Solid State Drive, 16GB SD Card and a 30GB Portable Hard Disk Drive with 20GB Eee Storage, which is ample space for all your media, music, files and other items. It has wireless connectivity (draft-N) and Bluetooth 2.1 that expand its connectivity options. Its other features include a 0.3 mega pixel webcam, digital array mic, two USB ports, 3-in-1 memory card, Ethernet and a pair of audio hacks. The USB ports help connect the net book to external devices like a printer, Apple iPod or a digital camera. The webcam and mic increase its multimedia efficiency and help keep in touch with family and friends even when on the move.

It runs on sealed Lithium polymer battery, which runs for a maximum of 5 hours. Its optional features include a TV Tuner, 3G and GPS. Moreover, the Asus EEE PC T91 comes with a suite of touch-optimised software known as the TouchSuite. This includes applications like FotoFun (flicking through and editing photos), Memos (notes that can be ’stuck’ onto the desktop), Touch Gate (allows switching between modes) as well as an IE Toolbar. Extremely advanced and innovative, the net book has an impressive set of features.

Motion Computing, a world leading mobile computing and wireless communications solution provider, has recently expanded its rugged tablet PC range by adding J3400 Tablet PC to it. According to the company the J3400 is targeted towards increasing flexibility and maximizing performance. It is been designed in a way to assist mobile workers in their day to day tasks and has been blessed with latest technologies that makes the device fit for use in different work environments.

The J3400 is expected to offer unprecedented battery life with superior performance on the go. It is among those rugged tablet PCs that serves the mobile users across various verticals such as healthcare, construction, field sales, service and government. However, it’s not directly solely at the healthcare industry like its mobile clinical assistant sibling the Motion Computing C5 tablet PC. Instead, the J3400 has much wider applications and uses. According to David Altounian, president and CEO of Motion Computing, “The J3400 was developed based on more than seven years of tablet PC experience, and feedback from customers across industries. It is a mobile computing device with the capabilities our customers are demanding – a powerful processor with a compact rugged design that supports users who must be productive whether in the field or in the office.”

This tablet is highly rugged. It’s IP-52 rated and meets MIL-STD-810F specifications. It implies that the tablet can endure hard bumps and drops, moisture and dust. Below are the main tech specs of the J3400:

• Powered via Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• Shock mounted display and 1.8 inch hard disk drive
• Option for 64GB SSD
• 2.0 MP camera
• Smart card reader and biometric fingerprint reader
• GPS, location tracking and geo-tagging
• J-Series Work Anywhere kit and Motion’s View Anywhere technology with Hydis AFFS+ wide screen display offering outdoor viewing
• Other goodies include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Speak Anywhere technology and other integrated tools and applications

Tags for this article: mobile, tablet, computing

The HP TouchSmart tx2z is the mark of professionalism, performance and productivity. This one is designed for mobile professionals and is the best example of a consumer focused convertible tablet PC. The tx2z is an upgraded version of Hewlett Packard’s tx series portable computing machines and takes the basic design and functionality from the tx1000 and tx2000 models. But this time the company has added the support for multi-touch commands.

The design of the HP TouchSmart tablet is sleek and it has got a titanium finish with lots of gloss to get some attention on the move. The tablet looks good from inside also. Colour combination, tone and shades are great and the keyboard is of good size which offers regular typing. Only the function keys are little bit small, the rest is as good as a desktop keyboard. An ultra-sensitive touch pad is also provided, in case you don’t want to navigate by touching the screen with digitiser pen or finger. The Hewlett-Packard HP TouchSmart tx2 comes with a dual mode display. It supports digitiser pen for taking notes and drawing and also responds to finger touch while navigating through different options, opening applications and flipping photos. You can also make use of multi-touch commands to rotate or zoom photos with the help of two fingers, just like you do in case of iPhone or MacBook.

Display is 12.1 inch widescreen sitting on a rotating hinge and offering a resolution of 1280×800 pixels. You can place the screen in three ways. You can use the device as a traditional laptop, detach the screen and use the display only or fold the display and use the device as a tablet. Most of the processing power comes from a 2.4GHz AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual Core Mobile processor and 4GB RAM. The TouchSmart tx2z also sports variety of wired and wireless connectivity options.

The ThinkPad X200t is the latest and the first ThinkPad by Lenovo featuring a widescreen display. It’s rugged from outside and offers the same level of strength and reliability the Panasonic ToughBooks offer. The ThinkPad X200t is secured via a magnesium alloy chassis and high quality plastic. Moreover, the 360 degree hinge for screen spin is designed in a way that the user changes the display direction conveniently and securely.

The ThinkPad X200t Tablet PC follows the footprints of the X200 tablet but this time it does not have a high speed dual core processor. Instead, the company has installed a low power Intel dual core SL9400 running at 1.86GHz to maintain an optimum balance between performance and power efficiency. The performance specifications are essentially the same as for the Lenovo ThinkPad X200s subnotebook. The X200t’s processor is accompanied by 2GB DDR3 RAM running at 1,066MHz and a 250GB hard drive @ 5400 rpm. There is no option for solid state drive. The best selling feature of this device is its high quality digitiser pen that offers exceptional handwriting recognition function. The digital pen has a firm grip and a soft touch finish that offers utmost precision in selection and writing.

The ThinkPad X200t automates most of the tasks. As expected from a sophisticated tablet it changes the display orientation when being switched to the tablet mode. Apart from this there are lots of connectivity options and extra features such as integrated web cam, WiFi, VGA and plethora of softwares that comes pre-installed with the system.

Latitude XT2 is Dell’s first multi-touch capable tablet PC and an industry first. It’s a high performance tablet with exceptional touch screen capabilities and unprecedented digitiser pen functionality. It simply works the way you want. Apart from the normal touch screen operations, the Latitude XT2 also responds to some advanced multi-touch gestures like a pinch or tap to quickly scroll through pages, zoom in or zoom out, enlarge e-mails, maximise and restore the windows, change windows orientation and much more. It’s so user friendly that you will rarely feel to use keypad and touchpad.

Besides this the XT2 attracts the mobile computing fans because of its ultra-thin design. Just like its predecessor the Dell Latitude XT, you can slip it into any bag and carry with ease. The tablet features an ultra small power supply and high capacity slim battery that can keep you ON for hours in both notebook and tablet PC mode. When working in the tablet PC mode the XT2 offers a large multi-touch display that is optimised for use under direct sunlight.

Apart from its impressive design and exceptional multi-touch performance the Latitude XT2 packs cutting edge technology and speedy hardware. It supports dual core multi-threaded processing, large amount of RAM, optical disks, SATA hard drive, eSATA, USB, FireWire, ExpressCard slot and other connectivity and expansion options. The XT2 makes it easy to manage all your tasks by offering preloaded tools and applications that make sure you don’t have to deal with complexities of the cutting edge technology incorporated in the device.

Tags for this article: tablet, touch, dell

Touch screen computing devices have become a norm these days rather than being a symbol of prestige and style. Everyone prefers touch screen devices. Be it mobiles, smartphones, laptops, tablets, netbooks or any other portable computing gadget, in each segment you can easily find a variety of touch screen models.

The Portégé M750 from Toshiba is also a high tech convertible tablet that sports a touch screen interface and other exciting features. The Toshiba Portégé was announced in October last year and now being used by various corporate professionals. It equips an Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 CPU running at 2.4GHz along with a 2GB RAM. Performance wise it’s a reasonable choice but if you are hard core 3D gamer then the Portégé M750 won’t entertain you much because of the absence of the dedicated 3D graphics card. But that doesn’t mean that the display quality is poor. Its 12.1 inch display renders quality pixels and is ideal for watching movies and playing some basic level games at high resolution. Coming to the ergonomics, the Toshiba Portégé M750 has got a highly impressive keyboard with a magnesium alloy shell that makes it spill and duct resistant hardware. Apart from this the device also sports dual-mode digitizer that allows the users to work with stylus as well as with fingers.

But M750 has its own limitations. Due to the attached convertible hinge the device gains unwanted bulk and weight. Therefore, despite being a portable computing device the Portégé M750 won’t give your shoulder or back stress free company.