The Effect of eBooks on the Tablet Arms Race

If you’ve been in the tablet business for a while, the whole “eBook reader” debate probably seems like a strange impetus for a massive surge in sales, but nonetheless it seems to have had a big impact. For sure, the sheer volume of Amazon Kindles and Barnes and Noble Nooks that were sold in 2009 definitely changed how Apple initially introduced and marketed their tablet, particularly with the inclusion of iBooks, which admittedly hasn’t done that great compared to Kindle and Nook apps.

And no, most people who bought an iPad or Galaxy Tab in 2010 didn’t do so because they wanted to have a really pricey eBook reader, but buried down in there is the fact that a lot of people who would have bought a Kindle or Nook changed their mind when they saw how amazing a tablet could be.

In effect, the tablet market grew faster in 2010 because a lot of people were already considering buying an eReader and decided it made no sense to spend more than $200 on a device that only did one thing. With some careful marketing and the eventual support of the two major eBook distributors, Apple and later Android devices took advantage of this to provide products that did a lot more than an eBook reader for a slightly higher price.

These days I’m seeing a lot of discussions about color eReaders and whether the screen of an LCD device can match digital paper. However, the real issue here is how many people really need a device to read books compared to a device that will allow them to write email, watch movies, surf the web, and read books. More importantly, is it fair to the medium to compare what could be a full-blown computing solution to a gadget like the Kindle?

Is there a future for eReaders? Of course. Amazon figured it out very fast and dropped the price of their WiFi only Kindle to less than $150, well below the entry level prices of most tablets. Unfortunately for them, however, that probably still won’t convince tablet owners to buy yet another device. Despite the battery life, weight, and e-ink display, it just isn’t as flashy and spending another $150 for something that duplicates a feature on their tablet is a tough sell.

That’s why the move by Nook to produce a color unit for $250 is interesting. It partially bridges the gap between the clunky button interface of a Kindle and the super slick touch screen of a tablet. We’ve still yet to see a tablet truly replicate the eReader experience. They are heavier, experience lots of glare problems and are generally more expensive, so people who don’t need or don’t want all that extra technology will shy away.

If Notion Ink’s Adam with Pixel Qi is the real deal, it might be a good solution, as might other future devices rumoured to be considering Pixel Qi. For now, however, there is an oddly symbiotic relationship between eBooks and tablets. Neither side can quite figure out if they are competitors or complementary formats. When they do, it will be interesting to see what happens. 

Always Searching for the Next Big Feature

Now that more than a handful of new tablets have hit the market in 2010, the shift in talk has turned from X vs. Y discussions about which tablet is better (usually with the iPad involved somehow) toward how the next generation of these devices will stack up against their current iterations.

We all know the iPad is a runaway success, despite it’s less than ideal standards. The Galaxy Tab is also turning out impressive numbers, especially in the US where it has sold more than 1 million units as of a couple days ago. Other devices like the Dell Inspiron Duo, HP Slate and Viewsonic G are all hitting the market before the holidays and more are prepping for release early next year.

But, you know as well as I do that when it comes to technology, the hype for a new device only lasts as long as it’s unavailable. After release and a few weeks of sales tracking, the talk turns to when the next version of that device will be available and how much it will add to blow away all previous models.

Of course, most of the conversations right now seem to focus on what Apple will do to compete with the onslaught of competitors. Sure, Apple has sold more than 4 million iPads, but how will they maintain that industry lead in the iPad 2? Not much is known (other than the highly rumoured camera and a probable processor upgrade), but I’m sure we’ll see more of the same halo-device style upgrades that Apple is known for.

But, what about the rest? What major features are on the horizon in this industry that smaller companies are willing to experiment with in a bid to carve out a share of this market? In 2010, we saw the release of a dual-boot Windows 7 and Android tablet in the Tega V2, something that changed how many people think about the functionality of a tablet PC. The Dell Inspiron Duo is offering a dual mode netbook/tablet experience for those that still feel the urge to type on occasion – definitely not a new idea in touch technology, but a welcome one in the current tablet arms race.

In 2011, Acer has announced its 10 inch and 7 inch tablets with dual core processing, front and back facing cameras (a feature I think we’ll see serious traction on), HDMI out, and multiple form factors (as Samsung has discovered, not everyone wants a 10-inch tablet). Other devices are touting potential phone service, and the first wave of 4G enabled tablets is likely to start popping up by the end of 2011 with most major network upgrades starting to go into effect.

What do you think? What major upgrades and technology introductions do you think will drive the tablet industry in the next 6-12 months? Will we actually see game changing set of features from the iPad, or more of the same closed off iOS environment we’ve grown used to? And will devices with bigger and better features get a foothold in the industry any time soon?

What Was NEC Thinking?

It’s not every week that I have two tablets I can point at and say “that’s how not to do it” but after Monday’s post about the Toshiba Folio 100, I have another device I want to point out that just plain gets it wrong.

And while Toshiba at least had good intentions with their Folio design, NEC has completely missed the boat when it comes to their newest tablet entry – the LifeTouch. The device, which on paper doesn’t sound bad with Android, 3G, USB, SD Card reader, and 3 megapixel camera, all running on an ARM Cortex, is just a bit clunky if you ask me.

Here’s the problem. As you can see from the image above, not only does the LifeTouch eschew the increasingly standard silvers and blacks of modern tablets for a bright, glossy white, it is loaded with clunky buttons, a whole lot of extra material and a 7 inch touch screen that looks smaller than it ought to.

Just after receiving news that in the US alone, Samsung has sold 600,000 Galaxy Tabs, we now know that there is a huge market for Android tablets, but devices like this aren’t designed to capture that audience.

To be fair, it’s not like no other devices look like the LifeTouch. Only three years ago, many devices still sported buttons and had thick, heavy bodies for carrying. The difference is that back then touch screens simply lacked the responsiveness and flexibility they have today. And Windows on tablets was still being done with modified XP installations – it wasn’t nearly optimized for touch screen yet, so you needed buttons.

But, today’s devices are sleeker and more efficient than ever. Touch screen has moved forward at rapid speed and Windows is now a hot commodity for enterprise tablets (which is the market the LifeTouch is aiming for). And, this isn’t even a Windows device. It’s Android which means it was built for touch screens – definitely no reason for buttons.

In the end it all comes back to one question – what exactly was NEC thinking? Not only will this device launch at the tail end of the biggest year for tablet computers ever to date, but it will be immediately hobbled by questionable design, an older version of Android (2.1), and no clear market.

The last two years has been an amazing time for anyone who follows tablet computing. The speed with which the market has moved forward still astounds me and the new technology and sleekness of some devices being announced is downright impressive, but every now and then someone gets it wrong. It’s not to say a future device from NEC won’t adopt a sleeker design and a more intuitive layout, but for now we’re getting one more lesson in how not to build a tablet in 2010.

The Power of Embedded 3G

These days, whenever a new device is announced, the first thing I find myself doing is sifting through the small print to learn whether it will be WiFi only or support both WiFi and 3G connectivity. For sure, 3G seems to have an impact on how the public both perceives and discusses the usefulness of that device, so what does the future look like for this often times overlooked feature?

To start with, it’s obviously a cost issue. Adding embedded 3G to any device costs more money. With the iPad, the price jumps by over $100 and for some devices it goes up even more. However, having a 3G embedded device also creates a natural partnership between mobile carriers and tablets, allowing users to signup for a two year service plan and receive subsidized pricing on the tablet – as is the case with the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

What Does 3G Bring to the Table?

Think of it this way – a WiFi only device is no better than a laptop. Yes, you can carry it with you more comfortably, but you’re still stuck looking for WiFi signals wherever you go. That means paying extra fees in airports and hotels, hunting for hotspots when out of town, and having to simultaneously use the phone for any on-the-go communications.

On the other hand 3G allows you to greatly increase productivity. Just having a 3G transceiver embedded in a tablet, you’re immediately more likely to carry your tablet with you everywhere you go. It becomes more like a phone in its 24/7 mobility than a laptop which you must sit down to use in set areas – there’s a big difference.  

Beyond simple access, imagine being able to quickly and easily jump onto the Internet and check a video when on the train or look up an important fact or figure in your email. Imagine being able to work on a file and send it while in a cab. These are things you cannot do with WiFi.

Going Beyond Simple Access

Beyond simple Internet access, there are a lot of manufacturers out there pushing the implementation of voice features on devices with embedded 3G. The Galaxy Tab is again a great example. While not available in the US, the European models of the Tab sport voice that can be paired up with Bluetooth to use your Tab like a giant phone.

On one hand it helps the mobile carriers to sell contracts, but one has to wonder if it is a bit of a distraction. You already have a mobile phone most likely – do you need a voice connection to make your tablet useful? I don’t think it’s necessary, but at the same time the fact that it’s possible is yet one more point in favour of 3G connectivity.

Right now, we’re in the transition between 3G and a series of faster, more direct mobile technologies like WiMax and other 4G technologies. Devices that are willing to explore mobile access to the Internet beyond WiFi are going to not only be more useful, but eventually be more desirable (regardless of cost). 

How Big Do People Really Want their Tablet Devices?

With so many new tablets being announced seemingly every week, it got me thinking – what are the newcomers doing to stand out from the industry leaders (i.e. the iPad)? There are a lot of engineering decisions that help the competitors in my books – open OS platforms are instantly more flexible while expansion slots for memory cards are a big plus in my book.

But, one of the many variations I’m seeing that a lot of companies are betting on is the screen size – there are quite a few devices on the market that are offering a 7 inch display rather than a 10 inch – effectively cutting down on the screen real estate available for computing.

While, this might seem like a cost cutting measure, one look at sleek new devices like the Galaxy Tab or the Viewsonic Viewpad shows you that they might have something else to offer entirely. Specifically, a smaller tablet is more mobile, and that is the point, after all.

What Apple did with the iPad is blow their iPhone display and OS up to the point that it could be used interchangeably for media consumption and some basic typing. Let’s face it – no one is going to type a novel on an iPad. But, at the same time, the device is a little bulky. It’s too heavy to carry in one hand and takes up a decent amount of space in a bag – even if it is far less than that of a laptop.

So, a 7 inch device does make sense if you want something that could theoretically fit into a large jacket pocket or go into the front flap of a backpack or messenger bag. Smaller devices can also be held easily in one hand, something that the 10 inch devices don’t allow.

Does the Size Matter?

In the age of hyper analysis of every new tablet announced, I’m wondering what role the size will play in the expanding market. Obviously the iPad is number one and will stay there for some time to come, but do people really want a 10 inch tablet, or is it that the most desirable device on the market (due to marketing and the ever-present Apple “hipness” factor) just happens to be 10 inches?

It really depends on who you’re talking to. To start with, cost plays a role. Smaller tablets can be sold for lower prices without necessarily sacrificing horsepower (something that severely short changes users – see my post on the $200 Gentouch tablet). Another thing that might come into play here is what the tablet will be used for. If someone merely wants a device for watching movies, playing games and checking email, do they need a 7 inch display? For me, the larger display devices are perfect for enterprise applications through Windows 7 but are not necessary for simple entertainment consumption.

As people start to ask whether Apple will introduce a smaller screen version of their uber-selling iPad and others wonder if companies are spreading themselves too thin with multiple sizes of their own first-time entries, it bears considering what role the size of these devises will ultimately play in the market. 

How People Use Tablets Now and Soon

One of the number one factors that holds many people back from buying a tablet is the big question of why. They want to know what a tablet PC will offer that a netbook or laptop could not. And while I personally believe that a Tablet PC can offer all of what a netbook or laptop offer and more, I have been thinking lately about what specific features of a more traditional keyboard based machine users might miss in the conversion to a mobile touchscreen.

For example, the flexibility of the keyboard – touchscreen keyboards are hit or miss. Some work far better than others, but across the board, it depends on the screen and the software behind the screen. Devices like the TegaV2 use EyesBoard to provide a tremendous amount of flexibility in how they function, while other devices have their own proprietary keyboards that are regularly being updated.

Another big issue is touch screen input. Right now, a lot of software developers are still thinking in terms of how to provide input that is adapted from existing software. Business users think “Word and Excel are hard to use on a Tablet” largely because the interface is adapted for touch use, not build around it.

In time, I hope to see more native touch applications that rethink the most intuitive way to enter data. Where keyboard shortcuts and mouse input make the biggest difference in traditional apps, what about multi-gesture inputs or voice input for a tablet? These are the types of problems I think software developers will turn their attention to as tablets increasingly become a viable part of the computing market.

Right now, though, a lot of companies are bridging the gap with hardware solutions. Apple has their Keyboard Dock for the iPad and many devices come with styluses or outside attachments for more traditional input.

For a long time (before the iPad or Galaxy Tab came along), tablets were often hybrid devices, converting from touch screen to standard keyboard input. While most devices have strayed from that in favour of the sleek, attractive body of the iPad and Android devices, some companies are still eager to push the boundaries of convertible devices. The Inspiron Duo from Dell is a great example of a netbook/tablet hybrid that doesn’t result in excess bulk, though it remains to be seen how the device will function in real world circumstances (i.e. weight and profile).

Already, we are seeing processors, screen technology, games, and the future of not a few manufacturers building off the tablet trend. That makes it very interesting to see where we might be headed with the development of new software and even new hardware that makes a tablet PC more intuitive and downright easier to use.

I use a tablet every day for much of my computing; how long until it’s possible for even the most traditional users to follow suit?

How Big is the Tablet Market?

It’s November and that means we are getting closer to the end of the year, the time when companies scramble to follow through on promises, make new promises, and ensure that their devices are in the public conscious, even if they won’t be available before the holidays.

While a recent Bloomberg story cites data from Strategy Analytics showing that Apple now has a 95% stranglehold on the tablet market, there are dozens of companies scrambling to get in on it. Obviously, very few manufacturers had a product on the market when Apple released the iPad last April, so numbers like that are not surprising.

So the big question, for me at least, is where’s the cap? How much of a market really is there for products in the tablet space? Obviously Apple has a good head start, but smart companies with new products should be able to make headway if they can capture a solid chunk of market attention.

Take the Samsung Galaxy tab, which is making the rounds right now on many of the major tablet review sites. It’s finally hitting the market this month and has edged out the iPad in a number of areas, though no one is sure if it will have the kind of splash many people were hoping for. It remains to be seen how the device is marketed as to whether it will have an impact. (You can read reviews of the Galaxy Tab on Engadget, jkkmobile, Slashgear).

Then there are the newcomers. Every couple days it seems like another company announces their entry into the tablet market. In fact, I’ve mentioned at least a half dozen in the last month alone. Since my last blog post, Michael Dell announced more Dell tablets on the way next year, ViewSonic (the monitor producer) announced their ViewPad offering with a release date for Q1 of its 7 inch and 10 inch offerings (both with Dual Boot Windows 7/Android like the TegaV2), and Creative’s announcement of the Ziio tablet – being released in Europe very soon.

Each device has its merits (and downsides), but one really does begin to wonder just how many devices the market can support. No one seems able to agree on how big the tablet market will be over the next 2-5 years with some analysts seeing moderate growth and others seeing exponential growth on par with PCs in the mid-1990s.

One thing is for sure though – not every company is going to come out of this on top. Many manufacturers will see great success with only a fraction of the sales Apple records, but others will not be able to support adding a new wing to their tech offerings if they can’t really break into this market.

Very soon we will see which features, options, and aesthetics work best in the market, and as a result ,which devices thrive. 

What’s in a Tablet OS?

Right now, with a slew of new tablet releases making headlines around the globe, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the TegaV2, as well as a number of still planned releases from netbook giants Acer and MSI, the bulk of discussion has been about how this new consumer demand will play out over the next five years or so.

And while the hardware being manufactured is increasingly powerful, allowing people to do things never before possible with mobile devices, I’m interested in what an effective tablet OS really looks like. Can a tablet be truly effective for enterprise users, or even advanced household users, if it’s just a ramped up version of an OS developed for mobile phones.

The iOS is a perfect example – a software system that, while deemed restrictive by many iPhone users, still provides a decent user experience, and yet on a tablet seems much more stifling. But, there are more than just “closed OS” issues on the tablet market right now. Recent issues have developed with the open model used by Google for their Android OS.

Since Android is available for licensing and free use for any manufacturer that meets technical requirements with their devices, the OS is appearing on a wide array of devices – including advanced devices like the Galaxy Tab and extremely budget devices like the GenTouch Latte being sold for less than $200.

But, most consumers don’t know the difference between the different versions of Android, leading to issues between Google and manufacturers when devices make it appear that users will have access to the Android Marketplace and clearly do not.

What Should an OS Offer?

So, the big question now is what an OS needs to offer to be effective for a tablet device. What does a tablet need that a smart phone does not? To start with, it should be flexible. It should allow users to type naturally, input data manually (with or without stylus) and access the same software they are used to using on their desktop.

The iOS does not do these things and right now Android is working on it. With Gingerbread recently announced and a handful of tablets on tap from Motorola and Acer this November or December, we will soon see how the 3.0 OS from Google handles more advanced applications. Of course, we must remember that this is still an OS developed first and foremost for phones and while tablets are becoming more common and are likely figuring into the equation, Google knows where the demand is at the moment.

So, what is the solution? Honestly, I don’t think anyone knows just yet. For me, having access to advanced applications through Windows is a must on a tablet, and software like Thinix can make it more intuitive on a touch screen. It remains to be seen how the new RIM operating system will handle the PlayBook or how Gingerbread will perform, but we know one thing for sure – tablets are becoming more mainstream and whether these OS developers realize it or not, their software will need to cater to more than just casual users and entertainment apps in the very near future if they want to remain successful. 

Interestingly one solution that is sparking interest comes from Tegatech in the newly released TEGA v2. It is the first Tablet in the world to offer both Windows 7 and Android in one device. It's called “dual-boot” and while it's not quite perfect, it provides a solution for many users. On the Windows side users have access to all their preferred Microsoft Applications, and on the Android side battery life is optimized and the touch experience enhanced through Android. Again I don’t know if this is the perfect choice but it sure opens the TEGA v2 to a breadth of usage scenarios not available prior to its release. 

What Impact will Samsung's New Tablet Have?

There has been quite a bit of news in recent weeks about the Samsung Galaxy tablet, set for release in Europe next week, probable release in Australia in November, and confirmed release in the United States on November 1^st via partnerships with AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon. If you’ve read the blog recently, you’ll know I’ve been following the development the Galaxy closely because there is quite a bit of momentum building in the industry and this is one of the big “buzz” devices as a potential iPad competitor.

The release date is well timed with the iPad’s next iteration likely at least 6 months away and RIM’s PlayBook slated for next spring. To top it off, the Galaxy has been making inroads on a number of categories in regards to its potential enterprise use. I’ve made no secret of my opinion of the iPad and its usefulness for businesses – there just are not many ways it truly stands up to daily computing, especially not as a desktop replacement.

So, in the Galaxy Tab we’re seeing talk about how effective this device could end up being. While it has a slightly smaller screen than the iPad at 7 inches, users will find a 1GHz Cortext A8 Processor, 512 MB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in storage (with a Micro SD slot for expansion) and two cameras (one of them front facing and already touting support for Fring or Qik) under the hood.

Unlike the upcoming RIM tablet which will run on a brand new operating system being developed by recent RIM acquisition QNX Software Systems, the Galaxy sports Android 2.2, providing it with the second largest App store on the market and ample opportunity for expansion. It’s especially nice because they’re shipping the Galaxy with the newest version of Android – one of the easiest to use tablet interfaces yet. The only major issue I see here is that the Android Marketplace has not been vetted for tablets yet. Most apps are built for the small resolution of smart phones. In time this will be remedied, but for early adopters, things won’t look too pretty. Real business users may find that Windows is still a far more diverse operating system in terms of the software it supports (hence the Tega V2 supporting both Windows and Android).

Of course, as I and most readers out there will agree, easy to use is only a small part of the puzzle. What does the Galaxy do for enterprise users? Already, we know that Android is a more enterprise friendly OS. It allows more freedom in how apps are developed and supports Flash technology in web pages – two very big plusses for business users.

A statement released today further supports the Galaxy as a more enterprise minded device. Citrix, known for its Receiver software, has announced a partnership with Samsung to offer their software on the Galaxy tablets and smartphones, allowing users to access their virtual desktop as well as a number of other powerful business apps such as databases, all with cloud storage so internal space isn’t eaten up (and to ensure security of the device should it be lost).

Combined with recent partnerships with Sybase, Blackboard Mobile Learn and Epocrates Rx, Samsung is trying hard to incorporate as many business tools into their new tablet platform as possible. With the device still a little ways off and public opinion very much up in the air about long term tablet viability, I’m very interested to see how Samsung’s varying approach to tablet computing will hold up.

The real point of all this is that the market seems to be coming to terms with the future of the tablet PC – a viable, mobile option for on the go computing. That means better support from major firms, more enterprise apps and a variety of connectivity options. There’s still a lot to be done but honestly, with this many new tablets on the horizon, I’m feeling very excited about the future of tablet computing.