iPad alternatives
Apple has released its iPad tablet and, as usual, there is enormous hype and excitement. Some reports suggest that as many as 500 000 iPads have been sold in the first week alone. But, despite its popularity, there are many users that aren’t completely sold on the iPad’s limited features: no Flash, no camera and software lock-in being among the most common complaints.
There are, however, many alternatives to the iPad, some already available and some expected later this year.
Lenovo Skylight Smartbook
Lenovo has two products in the iPad genre which are worth considering. The Skylight Smartbook is not strictly a tablet but is worth mentioning because it is a very slim smartbook weighing in at under 1kg, a claimed battery life of 10 hours, a 10-inch screen as well as built-in 3G. The Skylight also ships with a full keyboard, USB slots and an SD Card slot. On the downside, the Skylight does not have a touchscreen, a distinct weakness in comparison with the other tablets here and the iPad.
Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid
The IdeaPad U1 Hybrid from Lenovo offers the best of both worlds: It is a netbook with a full keyboard but the screen can be unclipped and used as a standalone tablet. The IdeaPad U1 is also unique because it uses an Intel processor and runs Windows 7 when in netbook mode but switches to an ARM processor running Lenovo’s Skylight OS when in tablet mode. Like the Skylight Smartbook the IdeaPad U1 has the advantage of a full keyboard, USB slots, SD card slot as well as 3G support. The drive is a solid state drive starting at 128GB. Because it is a two-in-one product it is likely to cost more than a straight tablet but as a multi-functioning device it is among the most interesting iPad alternatives here.
HP Slate
The HP Slate – not an official name – is aimed squarely at the iPad market.
Although not as attractive as the iPad in initial previews, the so-called Slate is a full touchscreen device capable of multi-tasking and running Windows 7. Running Windows 7 will give the Slate a lot more flexibility than the iPad OS-equipped Apple alternative which is tightly controlled by Apple.
The Slate will also have Flash support, a key feature in its favour, and come equipped with a camera and USB ports. Expected to be released around mid-2010, the Slate is one of the most obvious iPad challengers, even if it doesn’t have the appeal of the iPad.
Dell Streak
Dell’s foray into iPad territory is the Streak. But, unlike the HP Slate, the streak is a lot more like a large smartphone than a tablet PC. The 5-inch screen Streak will run Android, Google’s mobile phone operating system. The screen is a bit small when compared to the iPad’s 9.7-inch one but there is a chance that a larger version will be released later in the year. The Streak trumps the iPad on the camera front with not just one but two built-in cameras: one front-facing and the other rear-facing. Dual microSD slots, multi-tasking and 3G support round out what could be a very interesting alternative to the iPad.
Asus Eee Tablet
Not to be left out Asus, the company that kicked off the whole netbook market with its eeePC, has also been working on a tablet device. The Asus Eee Tablet shown off at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, had a 9-inch touchscreen and a button layout suggesting that the tablet will be running Android. Although little is known of the Eee Tablet at the moment, Asus has shown itself to be very capable in the micro-PC market so far, so well worth watching.
iPad alternatives << Discussion
Related links
Apple iPad release date confirmed
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- Asus Eee Tablet
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- HP Slate
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- Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid
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- Lenovo Skylight Smartbook
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