Google tablet details leaked

I don't know if there is a true market for tablet since iPads are selling because of the hype and Kindles comes with Amazon services... to read e-books. So other the tech-savy persons ,I don't see why you would buy a nexus 7.

Posted:11 months ago

So tablets are mainly used for web surfing and playing games. Their limitations mean that there are far better devices if you want to do something more serious. The main reason they have become so popular is the Apple effect, aspirational toys. They are very expensive for what they do.

It is very interesting how the market is splitting into 7inch and 10inch tablets. The big difference is that you can hold a 7inch tablet in one hand whilst using it with the other. 10inch tablets are too heavy for this but have a far greater screen acreage. Apple are said to have a 7inch on the way. Amazon are said to have a 10inch on the way.

Non Apple tablet manufacturers have all had their fingers burnt, even Amazon have paid a fortune to subsidise the Kindle Fire. In many ways the whole market looks like a fad. Maybe people will come round to their senses and realise that an Ultrabook is a vastly more sensible device.

Meanwhile Microsoft are covering their bets by giving the Surface a keyboard.

And if I were to buy a tablet myself it would be a 7 inch Samsung Tab 2 for £200, which is the maximum money the utility of a tablet would worth to me. And even that would be stretching it.

Posted:11 months ago

If this is specced as reported, and only $200US ($250AU) - I'll definitely be keen. Most of the Android tablets here have still been around the $500 mark - and this looks to be pretty powerful.

Also read another report that says it will be launching with Android 5 (Jellybean).

My SGS3 should be arriving tomorrow... looking forward to Samsung launching the next tablet based on the same (or better) hardware.

Posted:11 months ago

I never understood the utility of tablets. Expensive, fragile, sensible to theft (not something you want to carry with you and use in public in many big cities), hard to carry (doesn't fit in your pockets), short battery life and low usability. It's not something you'd bring to the beach or that you'd let your kids play with by themselves, nor would you use it with dirty hands. I mean, some people like it, fine, but the market seems a bit overflown at the moment. And maybe the "new toy" effect is wearing off...

Posted:11 months ago

Is a tablet is worth the purchase... that's a long discussion completely dependent on what you want to use it for; but I do want to address some issues you raised.

Expensive

Again, depending on what you want it for... it's cheaper than a laptop.

fragile

Most are no more fragile than a phone/notepad/e-book/laptop.

sensible to theft (not something you want to carry with you and use in public in many big cities)

True, but so is your phone and yet people carry that around everywhere, as is your wallet for that matter.

hard to carry (doesn't fit in your pockets)

Fits in your bag, which you most likely have if you have reason to carry a tablet (business trip, recreational trip) and they are actually very light. Much easier to carry than a laptop.

short battery life

Seriously? Short battery life? The battery life of a tablet is immense compared to a phone or laptop. By several multiples.

low usability

Depends what you want it for, but for some, yes this would be true.

It's not something you'd bring to the beach

As long as your careful you can, just like you take your phone and use it while on the beach.

that you'd let your kids play with by themselves

I guess it depends what age we're talking about here but tablets are perfectly usable by kids.

nor would you use it with dirty hands

Uh... wash them?

So yes, there are reasons not to be a tablet, most of the reasons mentioned above are not them.

Edited 1 times. Last edit by Tamir Ibrahim on 27th June 2012 11:40am

Posted:11 months ago

@Tamir: you're falling for a common trick here. I give you an example: last year I wanted a new watch, and I decided I would spend max 200€ on that. That's a fair amount for a regular watch if you think about it. Then I went to a famous shop and they had all sort of watches up to 10k each. Here and there you would see a "normal" watch for 4 or 5 hundreds. All of a sudden 400€ seemed acceptable if not a bit too cheap, but then I realized what I was giving that much for and how much I had in mind at first. Don't get tricked by comparing what you need to what you don't.

So yes, if you compare a tablet to a laptop it's cheap. But compare it to a calculator and it's expensive again. Check what a tablet does for its price. For me yes, 700 or even 200€ are way too much for a web browser and mail client. We don't even have international internet fares here in Europe, so take it with you for a trip abroad and it's as good as a brick.
I don't know if you always bring a bag with you, but I don't. My mobile fits in my jean's pocket and so my wallet and none of them approaches the value of a tablet. I don't usually carry my laptop around, like most people, and never bring electronics to the beach or anywhere outside the city.
What I'm saying is that all in all tablets are only useful for a specific audience. Most people buy one because of fashion without even realizing what they're getting, then they find themselves browsing facebook and watching movies just like they did before. And typing far more slowly. I think the current market offer is way too big for that.

Edited 2 times. Last edit by gi biz on 28th June 2012 12:12am

Posted:11 months ago