Friday, 30 September 2011
tablet pc
Tablet personal computer
A tablet personal computer or tablet PC is a tablet-sized computer that also has the key features of a full-size personal computer. A tablet PC is essentially a small laptop computer, equipped with a rotatable touchscreen as an additional input device, and running a standard (or lightly adapted) PC operating system like Windows or Linux.
The term was made popular with the Microsoft Tablet PC concept presented by Microsoft in 2001.[1] Today, the term tablet is also used to refer to computer-like devices operated primarily by a touch screen but not intended to run general PC operating systems or applications.
While many tablet manufacturers are moving to the ARM architecture with lighter operating systems, Microsoft has stood firmly by Windows.[5][6][7] Though Microsoft has Windows CE for ARM support it has kept its target market for the smartphone industry with Windows Mobile and the new Windows CE 6 based Windows Phone 7. Some manufacturers, however, still have shown prototypes of Windows CE-based tablets running a custom shell.[8]
The succession of Windows Vista has meant that Tablet PC functionality no longer requires a separate edition; with the exception of Home Basic and Starter, Tablet PC support is built into all editions of Windows Vista. This extends the handwriting recognition, ink collection,[9] and additional input methods to any computer running Vista even if the input device is an external digitizer, a touch screen, or even a regular mouse. Vista also supports multi-touch functions and gestures (originally developed for the Microsoft Surface version of Vista) and is now usable by the public with the release of multi-touch tablets. Windows Vista also significantly improved handwriting recognition functionality with the introduction of a handwriting recognition personalization tool as well as an automatic handwriting learning tool.
Tablet functionality is available in all editions of Windows 7 except the Starter edition. It introduces a new Math Input Panel that recognizes handwritten math expressions and formulas, and integrates with other programs. Windows 7 also significantly improved pen input and handwriting recognition by becoming faster, more accurate, and supportive of more languages, including East Asian writing systems. Personalized custom dictionaries help with the recognition of specialized vocabulary (like medical and technical terms), and text prediction speeds up the input process to make note-taking faster. Multi-touch technology is also available on some tablet PCs, enabling more advanced interaction using touch gestures with your fingers the same way a mouse is used.[10] Despite such advances, problems may arise with tablet functions of the OS, when, for instance, touch screen drivers are recognized as PS/2 mouse input rather than a touch input device. In such instances tablet functions may be unavailable or severely restricted in functionality.
Windows 7 touch capability is built with Microsoft Surface technologies. This is a gesture and touch-centric UI enhancement that works with most current touch computers. Windows has a history of tablet technology including Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.[11][12] Tablet PC Edition is a superset of Windows XP Professional, the difference being tablet functionality, including alternate text input (Tablet PC Input Panel) and basic drivers for support of tablet PC specific hardware. Requirements to install Tablet PC Edition include a tablet digitizer or touchscreen device, and hardware control buttons including a Ctrl-Alt-Delete SAS (Secure Attention Sequence) shortcut button, scrolling buttons, and at least one user-configurable application button.
A brief description of the applications included follows:
The Nokia N800One early implementation of a Linux tablet was the ProGear by FrontPath. The ProGear used a Transmeta chip and a resistive digitizer. The ProGear initially came with a version of Slackware Linux, but could later be bought with Windows 98. Because these computers are general purpose IBM PC compatible machines, they can run many different operating systems. However, the device is no longer for sale and FrontPath has ceased operations. It is important to note that many touch screen sub-notebook computers can run any of several Linux distributions with little customization.
X.org now supports screen rotation and tablet input through Wacom drivers, and handwriting recognition software from both the Qt-based Qtopia and GTK+-based Internet Tablet OS provide promising free and open source systems for future development.
Open source note taking software in Linux includes applications such as Xournal (which supports PDF file annotation), Gournal (a Gnome based note taking application), and the Java-based Jarnal (which supports handwriting recognition as a built-in function). Before the advent of the aforementioned software, many users had to rely on on-screen keyboards and alternative text input methods like Dasher. There is a stand alone handwriting recognition program available, CellWriter, in which users must write letters separately in a grid.
A number of Linux based OS projects are dedicated to tablet PCs. Since all these are open source, they are freely available and can be run or ported to devices that conform to the tablet PC design. Maemo (rebranded MeeGo in 2010), a Debian Linux based graphical user environment, was developed for the Nokia Internet Tablet devices (770, N800, N810 & N900). It is currently in generation 5, and has a vast array of applications available in both official and user supported repositories. The Ubuntu Netbook Remix edition, as well as the Intel sponsored Moblin project, both have touchscreen support integrated into their user interfaces. Canonical Ltd has hinted at better supporting tablets with the Unity UI for Ubuntu 10.10.[13]
TabletKiosk currently offers a hybrid digitizer / touch device running openSUSE Linux. It is the first device with this feature to support Linux.
There is talk of tablet support from Google coming to its web-centric Chrome OS.[15][16]
Some vendors such as Motorola are delaying deployment of their tablet computers until 2011, after Android is reworked to include more tablet features.[17][18] Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) is the latest version of the Android platform. It is optimized specifically for devices with larger screen sizes, mainly tablets, and has access to the Android Market. Android is the software stack for mobile devices that includes operating system, middleware and key applications.
HP TouchPad, the first addition to HP's tablet family, has been shipped out with versions 3.0.2.[19] Version 3.0.2 gives the tablet support for multitasking, applications, and HP Synergy. HP have also claimed in its webcatalog to support over 200 apps with its release.[20]
On August 18, 2011, HP announced that it would discontinue production of all webOS devices.[21][22]
MeeGo is a new operating system developed by Intel and Nokia supports Netbooks, Smartphones and tablet PCs. In 2010, Nokia and Intel combined the Maemo and Moblin projects to form MeeGo. The first[clarification needed] MeeGo powered tablet PC is the Neofonie WeTab. The WeTab uses an extended version of the MeeGo operating system called WeTab OS. WeTab OS adds runtimes for Android and Adobe AIR and provides a proprietary user interface optimized for the WeTab device.
Media tablets
(Multi-)Media tablets designed for entertainment are compared in the following tables.
Electrical devices with data input and output on a flat information display have existed as early as 1888.[3] Throughout the 20th century many devices with these characteristics have been ideated and created whether as blueprints, prototypes or commercial products, with the Dynabook concept in 1968 being an spiritual precursor of tablets and laptops. During the 2000s Microsoft attempted to define the tablet personal computer (tablet PC) product concept[4] as a mobile computer for field work in business,[5] though their devices failed to achieve widespread usage due mainly to price and usability problems that made them unsuitable outside of their limited intended purpose.[6] In April 2010 Apple Inc. released the iPad, a tablet computer with an emphasis on media consumption. The shift in purpose, together with increased usability, battery life, simplicity, lower weight and cost, and overall quality with respect to previous tablets, was perceived as defining a new class of consumer device[7] and shaped the commercial market for tablets in the following year.[8]
The term may also apply to a variety of form factors that differ in position of the screen with respect to a keyboard. The standard form is called slate, which does not have an integrated keyboard but may be connected to one with a wireless link or a USB port. Convertible notebook computers have an integrated keyboard that can be hidden by a swivel joint or slide joint, exposing only the screen for touch operation. Hybrids have a detachable keyboard so that the touch screen can be used as a stand-alone tablet. Booklets include two touch screens, and can be used as a notebook by displaying a virtual keyboard in one of them.
Traditional tablets based on IBM-PC architecture
Tablet personal computers are mainly x86 based[14] and are fully functional personal computers employing a slightly modified personal computer OS (such as Windows or Ubuntu Linux) supporting their touch-screen, instead of a traditional display, mouse and keyboard. A typical tablet personal computer needs to be stylus driven, because operating the typical desktop based OS requires a high precision to select GUI widgets, such as a the close window button.[citation needed]
The most successful of these was the Apple iPad using the iOS operating system. [17] Samsung's Galaxy Tab and others followed, continuing the now common trends towards multi-touch and other natural user interface features, as well as flash memory solid-state storage drives and "instant on" warm-boot times; in addition, standard external USB and Bluetooth keyboards can often be used. Most frequently the operating system running a tablet computer that's not based on the traditional PC architecture is based on a Unix-like OS, such as Darwin, Linux or QNX. Some have 3G mobile telephony capabilities.[18]
In forgoing the x86 precondition (a requisite of Windows compatibility), most tablet computers released since mid-2010 use a version of an ARM architecture processor for longer battery life versus battery weight, heretofore used in portable equipment such as MP3 players and cell phones. Especially with the introduction of the ARM Cortex family, this architecture is now powerful enough for tasks such as internet browsing, light production work and gaming.[19]
A significant trait of tablet computers not based on the traditional PC architecture is that the main source of 3rd party software for these devices tends to be through online distribution, rather than more traditional methods of boxed software or direct sales from software vendors. These sources, known as "app stores," provide centralized catalogues of software from both 1st and 3rd parties and allow simple "one click" on-device software purchasing, installation, and updates.
Early tablets
The tablet computer and the associated special operating software is an example of pen computing technology, and thus the development of tablets has deep historical roots. The depth of these roots can be quite surprising to people who are only familiar with current commercial products. For example, the first patent for an electronic tablet used for handwriting was granted in 1888.[3] The first patent for a system that recognized handwritten characters by analyzing the handwriting motion was granted in 1915.[20] The first publicly-demonstrated system using a tablet and handwriting text recognition instead of a keyboard for working with a modern digital computer dates to 1956.[21] Alan Kay attempted to formulate his Dynabook concept as a tablet as early as 1968; to this day, his concept has not yet been fully realized.
In addition to many academic and research systems, there were several companies with commercial products in the 1980s: Pencept, Communications Intelligence Corporation, and Linus were among the best known of a crowded field. Later, GO Corp. brought out the PenPoint OS operating system for a tablet product: one of the patents from GO corporation was the subject of recent infringement lawsuit concerning the Tablet PC operating system.[22]
In 1987 Apple Computer started its tablet project, which considered release of devices of three sizes, with the one eventually released in 1993, Apple Newton, being the smallest (yet it was quite substantial device with 6" screen and 800 grams of weight).[23]
One early implementation of a Linux tablet was the ProGear by FrontPath. The ProGear used a Transmeta chip and a resistive digitizer. The ProGear initially came with a version of Slackware Linux, but could later be bought with Windows 98.
In 2000 Microsoft coined the term Microsoft Tablet PC for tablet PCs built to Microsoft's specification, and running a licensed specific tablet enhanced version of its Microsoft Windows OS.[11][24] Microsoft Tablet PCs were targeted to address business needs mainly as note-taking devices, and as rugged devices for field work.[5] In the health care sector, tablet computers were intended for data capture – such as registering feedback on the patient experience at the bedside.
Tablet PCs failed to gain popularity in the consumer space because of unresolved problems.[6]
IDC also predicted a market growth for tablets from 7.6 million units in 2010 to more than 46 million units in 2014. More recent reports show predictions from various analysts in the range from 26 to 64 million units in 2013.[31] On March 2, 2011 Apple announced that 15 million iPads had been sold in three fiscal quarters of 2010.[32]
On September 14, 2011 IDC announced that in the second calendar quarter of 2011 the market share of the iPad increased to 68.3% from 65.7% in the previous quarter, while market share for Android-based tablets decreased from 34.0% the previous quarter down to 26.8% in the second quarter. Besides being affected by the introduction of the iPad 2 in March 2011 this can also be partially attributed to the introduction of RIM's PlayBook tablet, which took 4.9% share of the market in the quarter.[38]
On September 22, 2011 Gartner lowered their forecast for sales of tablet computers based on the Android OS by 28 percent from the previous quarter’s projection,[42] explaining that "Android’s appeal in the tablet market has been constrained by high prices, weak user interface and limited tablet applications." Further, they state that they expect the iPad to have a "free run" through the 2011 holiday season and that Apple will "maintain a market share lead throughout our forecast period by commanding more than 50 percent of the market until 2014."[43] Gartner revised their projection of Apple's worldwide tablet market share at the end of 2011 up to 73.4% after their previous projection of 68.7% for the year.
Samsung Galaxy TabA key and common component among tablet computers is touch input. This allows the user to navigate easily and intuitively and type with a virtual keyboard on the screen.
A tablet presents a more natural user interface to the user than a command line interface or the traditional mouse driven WIMP interface[citation needed]. The event processing of the operating system must respond to touches rather than clicks of a keyboard or mouse, which allows integrated hand-eye operation, a natural part of the somatosensory system. Although the device implementation differs from more traditional PCs or laptops, tablets are disrupting the current vendor sales by weakening traditional laptop PC sales in favor of the current tablet computers.[44][45][46] This is even more true of the "finger driven multi-touch" interface of the more recent tablet computers, which often emulate the way actual objects behave.
Chinese characters like this one meaning "person" can be written by handwriting recognition (
, Mandarin: rén, Korean: in, Japanese: jin, nin; hito, Cantonese: jan4). The character has two strokes, the first shown here in dark, and the second in red. The black area represents the starting position of the writing instrument.Because tablet personal computers normally use a stylus, they quite often implement handwriting recognition, while other tablet computers with finger driven screens do not. Finger driven screens however are potentially better suited for inputting "variable width stroke based" characters, like Chinese/Japanese/Korean writing, due to their built in capability of "pressure sensing". However at the moment not much of this potential is already used, and as a result even on tablet computers Chinese users often use a (virtual) keyboard for input.[47]
Concurrently capacitive touch-screens, which use finger tip detection can often detect the size of the touched area, and can make some conclusions to the pressure force used, for a similar result.[49]
Slate computers typically incorporate small (8.4–14.1 inches/21–36 centimetres) LCD screens and have been popular in vertical markets such as health care, education, hospitality, aviation (pilot documentation and maps),[51] and field work. Applications for field work often require a tablet computer that has rugged specifications that ensure long life by resisting heat, humidity, and drop/vibration damage. This added focus on mobility and/or ruggedness often leads to elimination of moving parts that could hinder these qualities.
A Lenovo X61 in slate modeConvertible notebooks have a base body with an attached keyboard. They more closely resemble modern laptops, and are usually heavier and larger than slates.
Typically, the base of a convertible attaches to the display at a single joint called a swivel hinge or rotating hinge. The joint allows the screen to rotate through 180° and fold down on top of the keyboard to provide a flat writing surface. This design, although the most common, creates a physical point of weakness on the notebook.
Some manufacturers have attempted to overcome these weak points. The Panasonic Toughbook 19, for example, is advertised as a more durable convertible notebook. One model by Acer (the TravelMate C210) has a sliding design in which the screen slides up from the slate-like position and locks into place to provide the laptop mode.
Sliding screens were presented at CES 2011. The first product to use it is the Samsung Sliding PC7 Series,[52] a tablet with Intel Atom hardware and a unique sliding screen that allows the product to be used as a laptop or slate tablet when the screen is locked in place covering the whole keyboard. The concept still has to prove its reliability, but is intended to combine the virtues of tablet PCs with those of notebooks. Also presented was the upcoming Inspiron Duo from Dell, which rotates the screen horizontally when opened. Convertibles like that with hardware specs of a netbook are called netvertibles.
For the former class popular OS's are Microsoft Windows, and a range of Linux distributions. HP is developing enterprise-level tablets under Windows and consumer-oriented tablets under webOS. In the latter class the popular variants include Apple iOS, and Google Android. Manufacturers are also testing the market for products with Windows CE, Chrome OS,[55][56] and so forth.
Boot times for iPads are one-half the boot times for current Windows 7 netbooks, which can take over 50 seconds to display the login prompt.[57] The BIOS initialization for a PC, which has remained unchanged since the invention of the PC, can still take 25 seconds.
Post-PC operating systems
The iPad in its caseApple's tablet product is the iPad, a tablet computer that mainly focuses on media consumption such as web browsing, email, photos, videos, and e-reading. A WiFi-only model of the tablet was released in April 2010, and a WiFi+3G model was introduced about a month later, using a no-contract data plan from AT&T. Since then, the iPad 2 has launched, bringing 3G support from both AT&T and Verizon Wireless.
The iPad runs a version of iOS which was first created for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Although built on the same underlying Unix implementation as MacOS, the operating system differs radically at the graphical user interface level. iOS is designed for finger based use and has none of the tiny features which required a stylus on earlier tablets. Apple introduced responsive multi touch gestures, like moving two fingers apart to zoom in. iOS is built for the ARM architecture which uses less power, and so gives better battery life, than Intel devices required by Windows tablets. Previous to the iPad's launch, there were long standing rumors of an Apple tablet, though they were often about a product running Mac OS X and being in line with Apple's Macintosh computers.[73] This became partially true when a 3rd party offered customized Macbooks with pen input, known as the Modbook.
Previous to Apple's commercialization of the iPad, Axiotron introduced at Macworld in 2007[74] an aftermarket, heavily modified Apple MacBook called Modbook, a Mac OS X-based tablet personal computer. The Modbook uses Apple's Inkwell for handwriting and gesture recognition, and use digitization hardware from Wacom. To get Mac OS X to talk to the digitizer on the integrated tablet, the Modbook is supplied with a third-party driver called TabletMagic; Wacom does not provide driver support for this device.
Proponents of open source software deem that these restrictions on software installation and lack of administrator rights make this category one that, in their view, cannot be properly named personal computers.[26][27][28] But there are newer mobile operating system based tablet computers that don't use the walled garden concept, and are like personal computers in this regard
Comparison with laptop computers
The advantages and disadvantages of tablet computers are highly subjective measures. What appeals to one user may be exactly what disappoints another. The following are commonly cited opinions of tablet computers versus laptops:
IMAGES NOF TABLET PC
A tablet personal computer or tablet PC is a tablet-sized computer that also has the key features of a full-size personal computer. A tablet PC is essentially a small laptop computer, equipped with a rotatable touchscreen as an additional input device, and running a standard (or lightly adapted) PC operating system like Windows or Linux.
The term was made popular with the Microsoft Tablet PC concept presented by Microsoft in 2001.[1] Today, the term tablet is also used to refer to computer-like devices operated primarily by a touch screen but not intended to run general PC operating systems or applications.
System software
Microsoft Windows
Following Windows for Pen Computing, Microsoft has been developing for tablets running Windows under the Microsoft Tablet PC name.[2] According to a 2001 Microsoft definition[3] of the term, "Microsoft Tablet PCs" are pen-based, fully functional x86 PCs with handwriting and voice recognition functionality. Tablet PCs use the same hardware as normal laptops but add support for pen input. For specialized support for pen input, Microsoft released Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. Today there is no tablet specific version of Windows but instead support is built in to both Home and Business versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7. Tablets running Windows get the added functionality of using the touchscreen for mouse input, hand writing recognition, and gesture support. Following Tablet PC, Microsoft announced the UMPC initiative in 2006 which brought Windows tablets to a smaller, touch-centric form factor. This was relaunched in 2010 as Slate PC, to promote tablets running Windows 7, ahead of Apple's iPad launch.[4] Slate PCs are expected to benefit from mobile hardware advances derived from the success of the netbooks.While many tablet manufacturers are moving to the ARM architecture with lighter operating systems, Microsoft has stood firmly by Windows.[5][6][7] Though Microsoft has Windows CE for ARM support it has kept its target market for the smartphone industry with Windows Mobile and the new Windows CE 6 based Windows Phone 7. Some manufacturers, however, still have shown prototypes of Windows CE-based tablets running a custom shell.[8]
The succession of Windows Vista has meant that Tablet PC functionality no longer requires a separate edition; with the exception of Home Basic and Starter, Tablet PC support is built into all editions of Windows Vista. This extends the handwriting recognition, ink collection,[9] and additional input methods to any computer running Vista even if the input device is an external digitizer, a touch screen, or even a regular mouse. Vista also supports multi-touch functions and gestures (originally developed for the Microsoft Surface version of Vista) and is now usable by the public with the release of multi-touch tablets. Windows Vista also significantly improved handwriting recognition functionality with the introduction of a handwriting recognition personalization tool as well as an automatic handwriting learning tool.
Tablet functionality is available in all editions of Windows 7 except the Starter edition. It introduces a new Math Input Panel that recognizes handwritten math expressions and formulas, and integrates with other programs. Windows 7 also significantly improved pen input and handwriting recognition by becoming faster, more accurate, and supportive of more languages, including East Asian writing systems. Personalized custom dictionaries help with the recognition of specialized vocabulary (like medical and technical terms), and text prediction speeds up the input process to make note-taking faster. Multi-touch technology is also available on some tablet PCs, enabling more advanced interaction using touch gestures with your fingers the same way a mouse is used.[10] Despite such advances, problems may arise with tablet functions of the OS, when, for instance, touch screen drivers are recognized as PS/2 mouse input rather than a touch input device. In such instances tablet functions may be unavailable or severely restricted in functionality.
Windows 7 touch capability is built with Microsoft Surface technologies. This is a gesture and touch-centric UI enhancement that works with most current touch computers. Windows has a history of tablet technology including Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.[11][12] Tablet PC Edition is a superset of Windows XP Professional, the difference being tablet functionality, including alternate text input (Tablet PC Input Panel) and basic drivers for support of tablet PC specific hardware. Requirements to install Tablet PC Edition include a tablet digitizer or touchscreen device, and hardware control buttons including a Ctrl-Alt-Delete SAS (Secure Attention Sequence) shortcut button, scrolling buttons, and at least one user-configurable application button.
Windows applications
Applications developed for the tablet PC cater to the form factor and functionality available on the platform. Many forms of applications incorporate a pen-friendly user interface and/or the ability to hand write directly in the document or interface.A brief description of the applications included follows:
- Experience Pack
- Ink Desktop: an Active Desktop control designed to run in the background and allow the user to write directly on the desktop.
- Snipping Tool: a screen capture application which allows the tablet pen to be used to select a portion of the screen and then annotate it and save as a file or send in an email.
- Ink Art: a painting application developed by Ambient Design originally as ArtRage, licensed to Microsoft for release to Tablet PC users.
- Ink Crossword: a crossword application developed to mirror the experience of a paper crossword puzzle on a tablet PC.
- Media Transfer: a synchronization utility designed to download music, pictures, and videos from computers in the same network.
- Education Pack
- Ink Flash Cards: an application designed to assist memorization by using a flashcard approach, enabling the user to hand write their own flash cards and display them back in a slide show.
- Equation Writer: a recognition tool specializing in converting handwritten mathematical equations to a computer-generated image for pasting into other documents.
- GoBinder Lite: an organization and note-taking application developed by Agilix Labs.
- Hexic Deluxe: a game with a tablet PC specific gesture enabled for easier use with the tablet.
Linux
X.org now supports screen rotation and tablet input through Wacom drivers, and handwriting recognition software from both the Qt-based Qtopia and GTK+-based Internet Tablet OS provide promising free and open source systems for future development.
Open source note taking software in Linux includes applications such as Xournal (which supports PDF file annotation), Gournal (a Gnome based note taking application), and the Java-based Jarnal (which supports handwriting recognition as a built-in function). Before the advent of the aforementioned software, many users had to rely on on-screen keyboards and alternative text input methods like Dasher. There is a stand alone handwriting recognition program available, CellWriter, in which users must write letters separately in a grid.
A number of Linux based OS projects are dedicated to tablet PCs. Since all these are open source, they are freely available and can be run or ported to devices that conform to the tablet PC design. Maemo (rebranded MeeGo in 2010), a Debian Linux based graphical user environment, was developed for the Nokia Internet Tablet devices (770, N800, N810 & N900). It is currently in generation 5, and has a vast array of applications available in both official and user supported repositories. The Ubuntu Netbook Remix edition, as well as the Intel sponsored Moblin project, both have touchscreen support integrated into their user interfaces. Canonical Ltd has hinted at better supporting tablets with the Unity UI for Ubuntu 10.10.[13]
TabletKiosk currently offers a hybrid digitizer / touch device running openSUSE Linux. It is the first device with this feature to support Linux.
Android and Chrome OS
Main articles: Android (operating system) and Google Chrome OS
Google's Linux-based Android operating system has been targeted by manufacturers for the tablet computer market following its success on smartphones due to its open nature and support for ARM systems, but some systems, like Toshiba's AC100[14] are more closely related to a tablet PC.There is talk of tablet support from Google coming to its web-centric Chrome OS.[15][16]
Some vendors such as Motorola are delaying deployment of their tablet computers until 2011, after Android is reworked to include more tablet features.[17][18] Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) is the latest version of the Android platform. It is optimized specifically for devices with larger screen sizes, mainly tablets, and has access to the Android Market. Android is the software stack for mobile devices that includes operating system, middleware and key applications.
webOS
Main article: webOS
Initially developed by Palm in January 2009 as the Palm OS, webOS was purchased by HP to be their proprietary operating system running on the Linux kernel. Versions 1.0 to 2.1 of webOS uses the patched Linux 2.6.24 kernel. HP has continued to develop the webOS platform for use in multiple products, including smartphones, tablet PCs, and printers. HP announced plans on March 2011 for a version of webOS by the end of 2011 to run within the Microsoft Windows operating system to be used in HP desktop and notebook computers in 2012.HP TouchPad, the first addition to HP's tablet family, has been shipped out with versions 3.0.2.[19] Version 3.0.2 gives the tablet support for multitasking, applications, and HP Synergy. HP have also claimed in its webcatalog to support over 200 apps with its release.[20]
On August 18, 2011, HP announced that it would discontinue production of all webOS devices.[21][22]
MeeGo
Nokia entered the tablet space with the Nokia 770 running Maemo, a Debian-based Linux distribution custom-made for their Nokia Internet Tablet line. The product line continued with the N900 which is the first to add phone capabilities. Intel, following the launch of the UMPC, started the Mobile Internet Device initiative, which took the same hardware and combined it with a Linux operating system custom-built for portable tablets. Intel co-developed the lightweight Moblin operating system following the successful launch of the Atom CPU series on netbooks.MeeGo is a new operating system developed by Intel and Nokia supports Netbooks, Smartphones and tablet PCs. In 2010, Nokia and Intel combined the Maemo and Moblin projects to form MeeGo. The first[clarification needed] MeeGo powered tablet PC is the Neofonie WeTab. The WeTab uses an extended version of the MeeGo operating system called WeTab OS. WeTab OS adds runtimes for Android and Adobe AIR and provides a proprietary user interface optimized for the WeTab device.
Media tablets
(Multi-)Media tablets designed for entertainment are compared in the following tables.
[edit] 8" screen and larger
This table compares 8" and larger screen (multi-)media tablets released in 2010 and later.Model | Manufacturer | Weight | Display size | Display resolution | Display technology | Input technology | Operating system | CPU model | CPU architecture | CPU frequency (GHz) | CPU cores | Wi-Fi | Cellular | Bluetooth | GPS | Storage type | Storage capacity (GiB) | Storage expansion | RAM (GiB) | Battery life (h) | Battery type | Thickness mm | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acer Iconia A500[1] | Acer | 0.73 kg (1.6 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | LCD | Capacitive 10-point multi-touch | Android 3.1 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n |  UMTS, HSDPA, LTE | 2.1+EDR | A‑GPS | SSD | 16 or 32 | microSDHC | 1 | 7[2] | Lithium-polymer | 13.3 mm (0.52 in) | April 2011 end of month[3] |
| Adam[4] | Notion Ink | 0.73 kg (1.6 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 600 | Pixel Qi LCD or TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 Froyo | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | UTMS, HSPA | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 8 | microSD | 1 | 6[5] | Lithium-polymer | 14.0 mm (0.55 in) | January 21, 2011 |
| Advent Vega[6] | Advent | 0.700 kg (1.54 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive 4-finger multi-touch | Android 2.2 Froyo | Nvidia Tegra | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g |  | | | SSD | 0.5 | microSD | 0.5 | 6.5 | Lithium-polymer | 13.6 mm (0.54 in) | November 14, 2010 |
| Apple iPad | Apple Inc. | 0.68 kg (1.5 lb) (Wi‑Fi) 0.73 kg (1.6 lb) (Wi‑Fi+3G) | 9.7 in (25 cm) | 1024 x 768 | IPS LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | iOS 4 | Apple A4 | ARM | 1.0 | 1 | 802.11a/b/g/n | Optional 3G (UMTS/HSDPA & GSM/EDGE) | 2.1+EDR | 3G version only | SSD | 16, 32, 64 | | 0.25 | 10 | Lithium-polymer | 13.0 mm (0.51 in) | April 2010 |
| Apple iPad 2 | Apple Inc. | 0.60 kg (1.3 lb) (Wi‑Fi) 0.61 kg (1.3 lb) (Wi‑Fi+3G) | 9.7 in (25 cm) | 1024 x 768 | IPS LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | iOS 4 | Apple A5 | ARM | 1.0[7] | 2 | 802.11a/b/g/n | Optional 3G (UMTS/HSDPA & GSM/EDGE) | 2.1+EDR | 3G version only | SSD | 16, 32, 64 | | 0.5 | 10 | Lithium-polymer | 8.8 mm (0.35 in) | March 11, 2011 |
| Archos 80 G9 HDD[8] | Archos | 0.599 kg (1.32 lb) | 8.0 in (20 cm) | 1024 x 768 | LCD | Capacitive 10-point multi-touch | Android 3.1 Honeycomb | TI OMAP 4460 | ARM | 1.5 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | Optional UMTS, HSDPA with 3G stick | 2.1+EDR | A‑GPS | HDD | 250 | microSDHC | 0.5 or 1[9] | 7 | Lithium-polymer | 14.7 mm (0.58 in) | September 2011 |
| Archos 80 G9 SSD[8] | Archos | 0.465 kg (1.03 lb) | 8.0 in (20 cm) | 1024 x 768 | LCD | Capacitive 10-point multi-touch | Android 3.1 Honeycomb | TI OMAP 4460 | ARM | 1.5 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | Optional UMTS, HSDPA with 3G stick | 2.1+EDR | A‑GPS | SSD | 16 | microSDHC | 0.5 or 1[9] | 7 | Lithium-polymer | 11.7 mm (0.46 in) | September 2011 |
| Archos 101[10][11] | Archos | 0.48 kg (1.1 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 Froyo | TI OMAP 3630 | ARM | 1.0 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 8 or 16 | microSDHC | 0.25 | 7 | Lithium-polymer | 12.0 mm (0.47 in) | November 2010 |
| ASUS Eee Pad Transformer (TF101) | Asus | 0.68 kg (1.5 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | IPS LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 3.2 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 16 or 32 or 64 | microSDHC | 0.5 or 1 | 9.5 (16 with dock) | Lithium-polymer | 12.98 mm (0.511 in) | April 2011 |
| Asus Eee Slider (EP102) | Asus | 0.886 kg (1.95 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | IPS LCD | Capacitive multi-touch, slide out keyboard | Android 3.0 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11n | Optional 3G | 2.1 | ? | SSD | 16 or 32 or 64 | ? | 0.5 or 1 | 8 | Lithium-polymer | 17.7 mm (0.70 in) | August 2011[12] |
| Asus Eee Slate (EP121)[13] | Asus | 1.16 kg (2.6 lb) | 12.1 in (31 cm) | 1280 x 800 | IPS LCD | Capacitive dual-touch,[14] Wacom digitizer | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit | Intel Core i5-470UM | x86-64 | 1.33, 1.86 turbo boost | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | | 3.0 | | SSD | 32 or 64 | MMC/SDXC[15] | 2 or 4 | 4.5 | Lithium-polymer | 17.02 mm (0.670 in) | April 10, 2011[16] |
| bModo 12[17] | bModo | 0.99 kg (2.2 lb) | 11.6 in (29 cm) | 1366 x 768 | TFT LCD | Capacitive dual-touch | Windows 7 | Intel Atom N450 | x86-64 | 1.66 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | GSM, GPRS, EDGE & HSPA, HSUPA, WCDMA | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 32 or 64 | SDHC | 1 or 2 | 5 | Lithium-polymer | 14.0 mm (0.55 in) | 2011 |
| ExoPC[18] | ExoPC | 0.95 kg (2.1 lb) | 11.6 in (29 cm) | 1366 x 768 | LCD | Capacitive dual-touch | Windows 7 Home Premium | Intel Atom N450 | x86-64 | 1.66 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 32 or 64 | SDHC | 2 | 4 | Lithium-polymer | 14.0 mm (0.55 in) | January 2011 |
| EviGroup Paddle[19][20] | Evigroup | 0.99 kg (2.2 lb) | 10.6 in (27 cm) | 1024 x 600 | LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Windows 7 | Intel Atom N450 | x86-64 | 1.66 | 1 | 802.11a/b/g | Optional (WCDMA/TD-SCDMA/CDMA2000) | | | SSD | 32 | SDHC, MMC, MS | 1 | ? | Lithium-polymer | 22 mm (0.87 in) | June 2010 |
| Hannspree HANNS pad SN10T1[21][22] | HannSpree | 0.74 kg (1.6 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 Froyo | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | | 2.1 | | SSD | 16 | microSD | 0.5 | 8 | Lithium-polymer | 13.9 mm (0.55 in) | June 2011[23] |
| HCL ME AP10-A1[24] | HCL | 0.75 kg (1.7 lb) | 10 in (25 cm) | 1024 x 600 | LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 Froyo | Cortex A9 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | HSDPA/HSUPA | 2.1 + EDR | | iNAND | 16 | microSDHC | 1 | ? | Lithium-polymer | 14.3 mm (0.56 in) | March 2011 |
| HP Slate 500[25] | HP | 0.68 kg (1.5 lb) | 8.9 in (23 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive 4-finger multi-touch, HP Slate digital pen | Windows 7 Professional | Intel Atom Z540 | x86 | 1.86 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | | 3.0 + HS | | SSD | 64 | SDXC | 2 | 5 | Lithium-polymer | 14.7 mm (0.58 in) | October 22, 2010 |
| HP TouchPad[26] | HP | 0.74 kg (1.6 lb) | 9.7 in (25 cm) | 1024 x 768 | IPS LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | webOS 3.0 | Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 | ARM | 1.2 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 16, 32 | | 1 | 8.55[27] | Lithium-ion | 13.7 mm (0.54 in) | July 1, 2011[28] |
| Lenovo IdeaPad K1[29] | Lenovo | 0.75 kg (1.7 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | IPS LCD[30] | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 3.1 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | Optional 3G | 2.1 | ? | SSD | 16, 32 | microSD | 1 | 8 | Lithium-ion | 13.3 mm (0.52 in) | July 28, 2011 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad[31][32] | Lenovo | 0.742 kg (1.64 lb) (Wi-Fi) 0.756 kg (1.67 lb) (Wi‑Fi+3G) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | IPS LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 3.1 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | Optional 3G | 2.0 | A‑GPS | SSD | 16, 32, 64 | SD | 1 | 8.7 | Lithium-polymer | 14.5 mm (0.57 in) | August 23, 2011 |
| Motorola Xoom[33] | Motorola | 0.73 kg (1.6 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | TFT LCD | Capacitive touchscreen | Android 3.2 Honeycomb[34] | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11a/b/g/n | CDMA, LTE | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 32 | microSD | 1 | 8.3[35] | Lithium-ion | 12.9 mm (0.51 in) | February 24, 2011 |
| MultiPad PMP7100C[36] | Prestigio | 0.48 kg (1.1 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 Froyo | TI OMAP 3630 | ARM | 1.0 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 8 | microSDHC | 0.25 | 7 | Lithium-polymer | 13.8 mm (0.54 in) | March 2011 |
| Optimus Pad (G‑Slate)[37][38] | LG | 0.63 kg (1.4 lb) | 8.9 in (23 cm) | 1280 x 768 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 3.0 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | UTMS, HSPA+, HSUPA | 2.1+EDR | A‑GPS | SSD | 32 | microSDHC | 1 | 8.3[39] | Lithium-ion | 12.8 mm (0.50 in) | April 2011[40] |
| POV Mobii Tegra[41] | Point of View | 0.73 kg (1.6 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 600 | LCD | Capacitive touchscreen | Android 2.2 Froyo | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g | Optional: UMTS/HSDPA & GSM/EDGE | 2.1+EDR | 3G model only | SSD | 0.512 | microSD | 0.5 | ? | Lithium-ion | ? | December 2010 |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9[42] | Samsung | 0.47 kg (1.0 lb) | 8.9 in (23 cm) | 1280 x 800 | PLS LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 3.1 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11a/b/g/n | Optional 3G (HSDPA, HSUPA) | 3.0 | A‑GPS | SSD | 16 or 32 or 64 | | 1 | 10 | Lithium-polymer | 8.6 mm (0.34 in) | August 2011[43] |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1[44] | Samsung | 0.565 kg (1.25 lb)[45] | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | PLS LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 3.1 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11a/b/g/n | Optional 3G & 4G (HSPA+, LTE, WiMAX) | 3.0 | | SSD | 16 or 32 or 64 | | 1 | 10 | Lithium-polymer | 8.6 mm (0.34 in) | June 8, 2011[46] |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v[47] | Samsung | 0.599 kg (1.32 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 3.0 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11a/b/g/n | 3G (HSPA+) | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 16 | | 1 | 10 | Lithium-polymer | 10.99 mm (0.433 in) | April 2011 |
| Sony Tablet S[48] | Sony | 0.595 kg (1.31 lb) | 9.4 in (24 cm) | 1280 x 800 | TFT LCD | Capacitive 10-point multi-touch | Android 3.1 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | HSDPA/HSUPA[49] | 2.1+EDR | A‑GPS[50] | SSD | 16, 32 | SDHC | 1 | 8.58[51] | Lithium-ion | 7.6 mm (0.30 in)(thinnest) 20.2 mm (0.80 in)(thickest)[51] | September 11, 2011[52] |
| Toshiba Folio 100[53][54][55] | Toshiba | 0.760 kg (1.68 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive 4-finger multi-touch | Android 2.2 Froyo | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | Optional 3G | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 16 | MMC, SDHC | 0.5 | 7 | Lithium-ion | 14 mm (0.55 in) | December 2010 |
| Toshiba Thrive[56][57] | Toshiba | 0.771 kg (1.70 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 3.1 Honeycomb[58] | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11n | Optional 3G[58] | | | SSD | 8, 16, 32 | SDXC | 1 | 7 | Lithium-ion | 15.0 mm (0.59 in) | July 2011[59] |
| ViewSonic G Tablet[60] | ViewSonic | 0.70 kg (1.5 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 Froyo | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 16 | microSD | 0.5 | 8-10 | Lithium-polymer | 13.7 mm (0.54 in) | December 2010 |
| ViewPad 10[61] | ViewSonic | 0.875 kg (1.93 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2, Windows 7 | Intel Atom N455 | x86-64 | 1.6 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 16 | microSD | 1 | 4 | Lithium-ion | 16.5 mm (0.65 in) | March 2011 |
| WindPad 100A[62][63] | MSI | 0.74 kg (1.6 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | IPS LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 3.0 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | Optional 3G | | A‑GPS | SSD | 32 | microSD | 1 | 8-10 | Lithium-ion | 14.0 mm (0.55 in) | July 2011[64] |
| Windpad 100W[65] | MSI | 0.800 kg (1.76 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Windows 7 Starter | Intel Atom Z530 | x86 | 1.6 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | Optional 3G | 2.1 | | SSD | 32 | MMC, SD | 2 | 5 | Lithium-ion | 18.5 mm (0.73 in) | January 2011 |
| Model | Manufacturer | Weight | Display size | Display resolution | Display technology | Input technology | Operating system | CPU model | CPU architecture | CPU frequency (GHz) | CPU cores | Wi-Fi | Cellular | Bluetooth | GPS | Storage type | Storage capacity (GiB) | Storage expansion | RAM (GiB) | Battery life (h) | Battery type | Thickness mm | Release date |
[edit] 5"-7" screen
This table compares 5"-7" screen (multi-)media tablets released in 2010 and later.| Model | Manufacturer | Weight (kg) | Display size (in) | Display resolution | Display technology | Input technology | Operating system | CPU model | CPU architecture | CPU frequency (GHz) | CPU cores | Wi-Fi | Cellular | Bluetooth | GPS | Storage type | Storage capacity (GiB) | Storage expansion | RAM (GiB) | Battery life (h) | Battery type | Thickness mm | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agora 7[66] | Kogan | 0.390 kg (0.86 lb) | 7.0 in (18 cm) | 800 x 480 | LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.3 | Cortex A8 | ARM | 1.0 | 1 | 802.11b/g | | [67] | | NAND Flash | 4 | microSDHC | 0.5 | 3 | Lithium-ion | 12.4 mm (0.49 in) | June 24, 2011[68] |
| BlackBerry Playbook[69] | RIM | 0.425 kg (0.94 lb) | 7.0 in (18 cm) | 1024 x 600 | LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | BlackBerry Tablet OS | TI OMAP 4430 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11a/b/g/n | Optional LTE, HSPA+, WiMAX | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 16, 32, 64 | | 1 | 7[70] | Lithium-polymer | 10.0 mm (0.39 in) | April 2011 mid‑month[3] |
| Dell Streak[71] | Dell | 0.22 kg (0.49 lb) | 5 in (13 cm) | 800 x 480 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 | Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250 | ARM | 1.0 | 1 | 802.11b/g | UMTS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA | 2.0 | A‑GPS | SSD | 16 | microSD | 0.512 | 10h | Lithium-ion | 10.0 mm (0.39 in) | June 4, 2010 |
| Dell Streak 7[72] | Dell | 0.45 kg (0.99 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 800 x 480 | TFT LCD, Gorilla Glass | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 | Nvidia Tegra 250 | ARM | 1.0 | 2 | 802.11b/g/n | HSPA+ | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 16 | SD (SDHC), up to 32 GB | 0.256 | 4 | Lithium-ion | 12.4 mm (0.49 in) | April 2011 mid‑month[3] |
| HTC Flyer[73][74] | HTC | 0.42 kg (0.93 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.3 Gingerbread | Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 | ARM | 1.5 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | HSDPA, HSUPA | 3.0+A2DP | A‑GPS | SSD | 32 | microSDHC | 1 | 8 | Lithium-ion | 13.2 mm (0.52 in) | May 2011 |
| Ideos Tablet S7 T‑Touch Tab | Huawei | 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 800 x 480 | TFT LCD | Resistive touchscreen | Android 2.1 or 2.2 | Qualcomm Snapdragon | ARM | 1.0 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | HSDPA, HSUPA | 2.1 | A‑GPS | SSD | 0.512 | microSD | 0.512 | 2.5h (video), 140h (standby) | Lithium-ion | 15.5 mm (0.61 in) | January 2010 |
| Ideos s7 slim[75] | Huawei | 0.44 kg (0.97 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 800 x 480 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 | Qualcomm Snapdragon | ARM | 1.0 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | HSDPA, HSUPA | 2.1 | | SSD | 0.512 | microSD | 0.512 | ? | Lithium-ion | 12.5 mm (0.49 in) | April 2011 |
| Nook Color[76][77] | Barnes & Noble | 0.45 kg (0.99 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 1024 x 600 | IPS LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.1 | TI OMAP 3621 | ARM | 0.8 | 1 | 802.11b/g/n | | | | SSD | 8 | microSD | 0.512 | 8h | Lithium-ion | 12.0 mm (0.47 in) | October 26, 2010 |
| OlivePad[78] | Olive Telecom | 0.375 kg (0.83 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 800 x 400 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 | Qualcomm MSM7227 | ARM | 0.6 | 1 | 802.11b/g | | 2.0 + EDR | | NAND Flash | 0.512 | microSD, up to 32 GB | 0.512 | ? | Lithium-polymer | 11.5 mm (0.45 in) | October 2010 |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab[79] | Samsung | 0.38 kg (0.84 lb) | 7.0 in (18 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 Froyo | Cortex A8 Hummingbird | ARM | 1.0 | 1 | 802.11a/b/g/n | GSM/GPRS/EDGE, HSUPA, HSDPA, CDMA | 3.0 | A‑GPS | SSD | 16, 32 | microSD | 0.512 | 7h video, 10h talktime | Lithium-polymer | 11.98 mm (0.472 in) | November 2010 |
| ViewPad 7[80] | ViewSonic | 0.38 kg (0.84 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 800 x 480 | TFT LCD | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 2.2 Froyo | Qualcomm MSM7227 | ARM | 0.6 | 1 | 802.11b/g | GSM/UTMS | 2.1+EDR | | SSD | 0.512 | microSD | 0.512 | 4-6 | Lithium-polymer | 11.43 mm (0.450 in) | November 2010 |
[edit] Older
This table compares (multi-)media tablets released in 2009 and earlier.| Model | Manufacturer | Weight (kg) | Display size (in) | Display resolution | Display technology | Input technology | Operating system | CPU model | CPU architecture | CPU frequency (GHz) | CPU cores | Wi-Fi | Cellular | Bluetooth | GPS | Storage type | Storage capacity (GiB) | Storage expansion | RAM (GiB) | Battery life (h) | Battery type | Thickness mm | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archos 9[81][82] | Archos | 0.8 kg (1.8 lb) | 8.9 in (23 cm) | 1024 x 600 | TFT LCD | Resistive touchscreen | Windows 7 Starter | Intel Atom Z510 or Z515 | x86 | 1.1 to 1.2 | 1 | 802.11b/g | | 2.0+EDR | | SSD or HDD | 32 or 60 | | 1 | 5 | Lithium-polymer | 17.0 mm (0.67 in) | 2009 |
| Asus R2H[83][84] | Asus | 0.83 kg (1.8 lb) | 7 inches (18 cm) | 800 x 480 | TFT LCD | Stylus, joystick, 4-way navigation | Windows XP | Intel Celeron | x86 | 0.9 | 1 | 802.11b/g | | 2.0+EDR | | HDD | 60 | SD | 0.768 | 3 | Lithium-polymer | 28 mm (1.1 in) | March 2008 |
| Asus R50A[85][86] | Asus | 0.52 kg (1.1 lb) | 5.6 in (14 cm) | 1024 × 600 | TFT LCD | Stylus, joystick, 4-way navigation | Windows Vista | Intel Atom Z520 | x86 | 1.33 | 1 | 802.11b/g | UMTS, HSDPA | 2.0 | | SSD | 32 | MicroSD | 1 | 3 | Lithium-polymer | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 2008[87] |
| Asus R70A[88][89] | Asus | 0.73 kg (1.6 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 1024 × 600 | TFT LCD | Stylus, joystick, 4-way navigation | Windows Vista | Intel Atom | x86 | 1.6 | 1 | 802.11b/g | UMTS, HSDPA | 2.0 | | HDD | 120 | SD | 1 | 3 | ? | 24 mm (0.94 in) | 2008 |
| Axiotron Modbook | Axiotron | 5.3 kg (12 lb) | 13.3 in (34 cm) | 1280 x 800 | TFT LCD | Wacom digitizer | Mac OS X v10.5 | Intel Core 2 Duo | x86 | 2.1-2.4 | 2 | 802.11a/b/g/n | | 2.0+EDR | | HDD | 60-250 GB | | 1-4 | 3-5 | Lithium-polymer | 29.5 mm (1.16 in) | December 31, 2007 |
| Cowon Q5W[90][91] | Cowon | 0.38 kg (0.84 lb) | 5 in (13 cm) | 800 x 480 | TFT LCD | Touch | Windows CE 5.0 | Alchemy Au1250 | MIPS | 0.6 | 1 | 802.11b | | | | HDD | 40-80 | | 0.128 | 7 | Lithium-polymer | 20 mm (0.79 in) | November 2007 |
| Fujitsu Stylistic ST6012 | Fujitsu | 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) | 12.1 in (31 cm) | 1280 x 800 | TFT LCD | Wacom digitizer | Windows 7 | Intel Core 2 Duo | x86 | 1.4 | 2 | 802.11b/g | Optional 3G | 2.1 | | SSD or HDD | 128-320 | SD | 1-2 | 6-9 | Lithium-ion | 23.8 mm (0.94 in) | September 2008 |
| Nokia N810 | Nokia | 0.226 kg (0.50 lb) | 4.13 in (10.5 cm) | 800 × 480 | TFT LCD | Physical keyboard, touchscreen | Maemo Linux | TI OMAP 2420 | ARM6 | 0.4 | 1 | 802.11b/g | | 2.0 | | SSD | 0.256 | SDHC | 0.128 | 4 | Lithium-ion | 14 mm (0.55 in) | January 2008 |
| OQO Model 01[92] | OQO | 0.397 kg (0.88 lb) | 5 inches (13 cm) | 800 x 480 | TFT LCD transreflective | Digital pen, track stick, keyboard, digitizer | Windows XP | Transmeta Crusoe TM5800 | x86 | 1 | 1 | 802.11b | | 1.0 | | HDD | 20 | | 0.25 | 2.25[93] | Lithium-polymer | 23 mm (0.91 in) | October 14, 2004[94] |
| Samsung Q1 Ultra | Samsung | 0.70 kg (1.5 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 1024 × 600 | TFT LCD | Resistive touchscreen | Windows XP | Intel A110 | x86 | 0.8 | 1 | 802.11b/g | UMTS, HSDPA | 2.0 | | HDD | 60 | SD | 1 | 3 | ? 4-cell | 24 mm (0.94 in) | 2007 |
| Wibrain i1[95] | Wibrain | 0.499 kg (1.10 lb) | 4.8 in (12 cm) | 1024 × 600 | LCD | Soft (finger) touch | Windows XP or Linux | Intel Atom | x86 | 1.3 | 1 | 802.11b/g | | 2.0 | | SSD or HDD | 16, 32 (SSD) 30, 60 (HDD) | SD | 1 | 6 | ? 29-Wh | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 2009 |
[edit] Industrial tablets
This table compares tablet computers designed to be used by professionals in various harsh environmental conditions. Most of them are rugged. Some are meant to be mounted in vehicles or used as terminals.| Model | Manufacturer | Weight (kg) | Display size (in) | Display resolution | Display technology | Input technology | Operating system | CPU model | CPU architecture | CPU frequency (GHz) | CPU cores | Wi-Fi | Cellular | Bluetooth | GPS | Storage type | Storage capacity (GiB) | Storage expansion | RAM (GiB) | Temp range (°C) | Battery life (h) | Battery type | Thickness mm | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advantech MARS-3100S | Advantech | 2.1 kg (4.6 lb) | 10.4 in (26 cm) | 800 x 600 | TFT LCD | ? | Windows XP Embedded | ? | ? | 0.5 | 1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | HDD | 4 | CF | 0.512 | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| AIS | American Industrial Systems | 4.8 kg (11 lb) | 10.4 in (26 cm) | 800 x 600 | ? | ? | Windows XP Embedded | Intel Atom | x86 | 1.6 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | HDD | 80 | ? | 0.512 | –20 to 60 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Catcher CCAP | Catcher | 2.6 kg (5.7 lb) | 6.4 in (16 cm) | 640 x 480 | ? | ? | Windows XP Professional | ? | ? | 1.4 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | SSD, HDD | 40 | ? | 2 | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Data Ltd DLI 8300 | Data Ltd | 1.7 kg (3.7 lb) | 8.4 in (21 cm) | 640 x 480, 800 x 600 | ? | ? | Windows XP Pro, Embedded, Tablet; Debian GNOME | ? | x86 | 1.1/1.4 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | HDD | 40, 60 | CF | 0.512/1.0 | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| DLoG X 7 | DLoG | 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 480 x 272 | TFT LCD | ? | Windows CE 5.0; Linux, on request | ? | ? | 0.52 | 1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | SSD | 0.512 | ? | 0.064 | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| DRS Armor, Hammerhead, Scorpion, V3 UCC | DRS Technologies | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Windows XP[96] | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | SSD, HDD | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| DT Research WebDT 310 | DT Research | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Windows XP[97] | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | SSD, HDD | ? | ? | ? | 0 to 40 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| xTablet T7000 Rugged Tablet PC[98] | MobileDemand[99] | 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 1024 x 600, 1024 x 768 | ? | ? | Windows 7 Professional, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | Intel Atom Z530P | x86 | 1.6 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | SSD, HDD | 32–128+ | ? | 2 | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| xTablet T8700 Rugged Tablet PC[100] | MobileDemand | 4.6 kg (10 lb) | 8.4 in (21 cm) | 800 x 600 / 800 x 480 | ? | ? | Windows 7 Professional, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | Intel Core Duo ULV U2500 | x86 | 1.2 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | SSD, HDD | 64-160 | ? | 2 | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Panasonic Toughbook 08, CF-U1 | Panasonic | ? | 5.6 in (14 cm) | 640 x 480 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | SSD, HDD | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| SlimBook 230P/D[101] | PaceBlade Technology[102] | 1.48 kg (3.3 lb) | 12.1 in (31 cm) | 640 x 480 | TFT LCD | ? | Windows XP Tablet Edition/Professional, Windows Vista Business/Ultimate, Windows 7 Business/Ultimate | Intel Atom N270 | x86 | 1.6 | 1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | SATA, SSD | 80, 160, 250 | ? | 1-2 DDR2 | –30 to 70 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Quadpad 1[103] | Quaduro Systems | 1.19 kg (2.6 lb) | 8.4 in (21 cm) | 800x600 | TFT LCD | Resistive touchscreen | Windows XP/Vista or openSUSE Linux | VIA C7-M | x86 | 1.2 | 1 | 802.11b/g | 3G | | | HDD | 80 | | 1 | 1 to 47 | 3 | Lithium-ion | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 2007 |
| eo TufTab v7112XT[104] | TabletKiosk[105] | 0.895 kg (1.97 lb) | 7 in (18 cm) | 1024 x 768 | TFT LCD | Resistive touchscreen | Windows XP/Vista, openSUSE Linux | VIA C7-M ULV | x86 | 1.2 | 1 | 802.11b/g | | 2.0+EDR | | HDD | 40, 80 | ? | 2 | ? | ? | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 2007 | |
| TabletKiosk Sahara i310, i400 | TabletKiosk | 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) | 12.1 in (31 cm) | 640 x 480 | ? | ? | Windows XP/Vista, openSUSE Linux | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | HDD | 80 | ? | 2 | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Secure RPS Lynx, Orion | Secure RPS | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Windows XP/Vista | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | HDD | 80 | 1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
| Talla-Tech Tacter-31M[106] | Tallahassee Technologies, Inc. (Talla-Tech) | ? | 6.4-10.4 | 1024 x 768 / 1280 x 800 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | HDD | 80 | ? | 2 | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Xplore Technologies ix104ix104C2/ix104C3[107] | Xplore Technologies | ? | 10.4 in (26 cm) | 640 x 480 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | SSD, HDD | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Model | Manufacturer | Weight (kg) | Display size (in) | Display resolution | Display technology | Input technology | Operating system | CPU model | CPU architecture | CPU frequency (GHz) | CPU cores | Wi-Fi | Cellular | Bluetooth | GPS | Storage type | Storage capacity (GiB) | Storage expansion | RAM (GiB) | Temp range (°C) | Battery life (h) | Battery type | Thickness mm | Release date |
[edit] Convertible tablets
| Model | Manufacturer | Weight (kg) | Display size (in) | Display resolution, type | Input technology | Windows | Linux | CPU model | CPU frequency (GHz) +32 or 64-bit? | Storage type | Storage capacity (GiB) | RAM (GiB) | Battery life (h) | Thickness inch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acer TravelMate C100, C300, C310 | Acer | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? / ? | ? | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Asus R1F, R1E | Asus | ? | 14.1 | 1280 x 800 | ? | Windows Vista Business | ? | Intel Core2 Duo T8300 | 2.4+64 | HDD | 250 | 3 | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Averatec C3500 Series | Averatec | 2.5 | 12.1 | 1024 x 768 | ? | Windows XP Professional | | AMD Athlon XP-M 2200+ | 1.67+32 | HDD | 60 | .5 | 2 (6-cell) | 1.2 |
| Dialogue Flybook V5 | Dialogue | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Dell Inspiron Duo | Dell | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? / ? | 2 | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Dell Latitude XT | Dell | ? | 12.1 | ? | Capacitive touch, N-Trig Pen | ? | ? | ? | ? | SSD | ? | ? | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Fujitsu LifeBook Series P1610, T4020, T4220, T5010, T2010, U2010 | Fujitsu | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Fujitsu LifeBook T4410 Tablet | Fujitsu | 1.8 | 12.1 | 1280 x 800 | Capacitive multi-touch | Windows 7, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | ? | Intel Core 2 Duo T6570, P8700 | 2.1, 2.53 + 64 | HDD, SSD | 160-250, 80-120 | 2-8 | 6 (6-cell), 9 (6-cell + 4-cell) | 1.04-1.31 |
| Gateway C-140X, C-120X | Gateway | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| HP Compaq TC4200[108] | Hewlett-Packard | 2.08 | 12.1 | 1024 x 768 | ? | Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | Certified for Novell Linux Desktop 9 | Intel Pentium M 740, 750, 760 | 1.73, 1.86, 2.0 +32 | HDD | 40, 60, 80 | .25, .5, 1 (max 2) | 5.75 (6-cell) | 1.35 |
| HP Compaq TC4400[109] | Hewlett-Packard | 2.08 | 12.1 | 1024 x 768 | ? | Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | Certified for SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 and Novell Linux Desktop 9 SP3 | Intel Core Duo T2300E, T2400, T2500, T2600 / Intel Core 2 Duo T5600, T7200, T7400 | 1.66-2.13 +32, 64 | HDD | 60-120 | .5, 1, 2 (max 4) | 5.5 (6-cell) | 1.35 |
| HP Compaq 2710p[110] | Hewlett-Packard | 1.68 | 12.1 | 1280 x 800 | Wacom Sensor, keyboard, Synaptics TouchStyk | Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | Certified for SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 | Intel Core 2 Duo ULV U7600, U7700 | 1.2, 1.33 +64 | HDD, SSD | 80-120, 64 | 1, 2, 4 (max 4) | 5.5 (6-cell) | 1.11 |
| HP Pavilion tx1000 | Hewlett-Packard | ? | 12.1 | 1280 x 800 | ? | Windows Vista | ? | AMD Turion X2 | 1.8+64 | HDD | 250 | 3,072 | 3 (6-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| HP Pavilion tx2000, tx2500z | Hewlett-Packard | ? | 12.1 | 1280 x 800 dual-touch (Wacom compl) | ? | Windows Vista | ? | AMD Turion X2 Ultra RM-7x / ZM-8x | 2-2.6 +64 | HDD | 320 | 3 (max 4) | 3 (6-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Kontron Revolution | Kontron | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X41 Tablet, X60 Tablet, X61 Tablet | Lenovo | 1.71, 1.93 | 12.1 | 1400 x 1050 (X60/X61), 1024 x 768 multitouch | Wacom Active Digitizer, multitouch (optional) | Windows Vista Business | | Intel Core 2 Duo L7500, L7300 | 1.6, 1.4 | HDD | 60-250 | 1-3 | 3 (4-cell), 7 (8-cell) | 1.1"-1.3" |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X201 Tablet | Lenovo | 3.57 | 12.1 | 1280 x 800 | Wacom Active Digitizer, multitouch (optional) | Windows 7 | | Intel Core i5, i7 | ? | HDD, SSD | 250-500, 80-128 | 1-8 | 3.5 (4-cell), 7.9 (8-cell) | 1.04-1.31 |
| LG Electronics C1 Express Dual[111] | LG Electronics | 1.3 | 10.6 in (27 cm) | 1280 x 768 | Resistive touchscreen, keyboard | Windows XP/Vista | | Intel Core Duo | 1.2 | HDD | 80 | 1 | 2.5 | 1.06 |
| Panasonic Toughbook 19 | Panasonic | 2.31 | 10.4 | 1024 x 768 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Toshiba Portégé 3500, 3505, M200, M400, 405, 700, R400, R405 | Toshiba | ? | ? | 1400 x 1050 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Toshiba Tecra M4 | Toshiba | 3.5 | 14.1 | 1400x1050 | Wacom digitizer | Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | | Intel Pentium M | 1.8-2.0 | HDD | 80 | 0.5-1 | 3.5 (6-cell) | 1.4" |
| Toshiba Satellite R10 | Toshiba | 3.5 | 14.1 | 1024x768 | Wacom digitizer | Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | | Intel Pentium M | 1.7 | HDD | 60 | 0.5 | 2.5 (4-cell) | 1.4" |
| Toshiba Tecra M7 | Toshiba | ? | 14.1 | 1440 x 900 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? (?-cell), ? (?-cell) | ? |
| Toshiba Satellite R20, R25 | Toshiba | 2.7 | 14.1 | 1440 x 900 | ? | Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | | Intel Core Duo T2050 | 1.6+32 | HDD | 100 | 1 | 4 (6-cell) | 1.6 |
| Model | Manufacturer | Weight (kg) | Display size (in) | Display resolution, type | Input technology | Windows | Linux | CPU model | CPU frequency (GHz) +32 or 64-bit? | Storage type | Storage capacity (GiB) | RAM (GiB) | Battery life (h) | Thickness inch |
[edit] Hybrid tablets
| Model | Manufacturer | Weight (kg) | Display size (in) | Display resolution, type | Input technology | Operating system | CPU | Storage type | Storage capacity (GiB) | RAM (GiB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compaq TC1000[112] | Compaq | 1.4 kg (3.1 lb) keyboard off 1.8 kg (4.0 lb) keyboard on | 10.4 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 768, XGA | Compaq Tablet PC Pen, Keyboard with Pointstick | Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | Transmeta Crusoe | SSD, HDD | 30 | 0.256-0.768 |
| HP Compaq TC1100[113] | Hewlett-Packard | 1.4 kg (3.1 lb) keyboard off 1.8 kg (4.0 lb) keyboard on | 10.4 in (26 cm) | 1024 x 768, XGA | Wacom Sensor | Windows XP Tablet PC Edition | Intel Pentium M | SSD, HDD | 40-60 | 0.512-2 |
| ASUS Eee Pad Transformer (TF101) | Asus | 0.68 kg (1.5 lb) | 10.1 in (26 cm) | 1280 x 800 | Capacitive multi-touch | Android 3.2 Honeycomb | Nvidia Tegra 250 | SSD | 16, 32, 64 | 1 |
| Tatung Tangy | Tatung | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | SSD, HDD | ? | ? |
| Lenovo U1 | Lenovo | ? | ? | ? | ? | Windows 7 (notebook) Android (slate) | x86 (notebook) Snapdragon (slate) | SSD, HDD | 128[114] | ? |
[edit]
Tablet computer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other forms of tablet and slate computers and devices, see Tablet device (disambiguation).
A tablet computer, or simply tablet, is a complete mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen. It often uses an onscreen virtual keyboard, a passive stylus pen, or a digital pen[citation needed], rather than a physical keyboard.[1][2]
Electrical devices with data input and output on a flat information display have existed as early as 1888.[3] Throughout the 20th century many devices with these characteristics have been ideated and created whether as blueprints, prototypes or commercial products, with the Dynabook concept in 1968 being an spiritual precursor of tablets and laptops. During the 2000s Microsoft attempted to define the tablet personal computer (tablet PC) product concept[4] as a mobile computer for field work in business,[5] though their devices failed to achieve widespread usage due mainly to price and usability problems that made them unsuitable outside of their limited intended purpose.[6] In April 2010 Apple Inc. released the iPad, a tablet computer with an emphasis on media consumption. The shift in purpose, together with increased usability, battery life, simplicity, lower weight and cost, and overall quality with respect to previous tablets, was perceived as defining a new class of consumer device[7] and shaped the commercial market for tablets in the following year.[8]
The term may also apply to a variety of form factors that differ in position of the screen with respect to a keyboard. The standard form is called slate, which does not have an integrated keyboard but may be connected to one with a wireless link or a USB port. Convertible notebook computers have an integrated keyboard that can be hidden by a swivel joint or slide joint, exposing only the screen for touch operation. Hybrids have a detachable keyboard so that the touch screen can be used as a stand-alone tablet. Booklets include two touch screens, and can be used as a notebook by displaying a virtual keyboard in one of them.
Traditional tablets based on IBM-PC architecture
Main article: Tablet personal computer
A tablet personal computer (tablet PC) is a portable personal computer equipped with a touchscreen as a primary input device, and running a (modified) classic desktop OS.[9] designed to be operated and owned by an individual.[10] The term was made popular as a concept presented by Microsoft in 2000[11] and 2001[12] but tablet PCs now refer to any tablet-sized personal computer regardless of the (desktop) operating system[13]Tablet personal computers are mainly x86 based[14] and are fully functional personal computers employing a slightly modified personal computer OS (such as Windows or Ubuntu Linux) supporting their touch-screen, instead of a traditional display, mouse and keyboard. A typical tablet personal computer needs to be stylus driven, because operating the typical desktop based OS requires a high precision to select GUI widgets, such as a the close window button.[citation needed]
[edit] Post-PC tablets not based on the traditional PC architecture
See also: Mobile operating system
Since mid-2010, new tablet computers have been introduced with mobile operating systems that forgo the Wintel paradigm,[15] have a different interface instead of the traditional desktop OS, and represent a new type of computing device.[16] These "post-PC" mobile OS tablet computer devices are normally finger driven and most frequently use capacitive touch screens with multi-touch capabilities instead of the simple resistive touchscreens of typical stylus driven systems.The most successful of these was the Apple iPad using the iOS operating system. [17] Samsung's Galaxy Tab and others followed, continuing the now common trends towards multi-touch and other natural user interface features, as well as flash memory solid-state storage drives and "instant on" warm-boot times; in addition, standard external USB and Bluetooth keyboards can often be used. Most frequently the operating system running a tablet computer that's not based on the traditional PC architecture is based on a Unix-like OS, such as Darwin, Linux or QNX. Some have 3G mobile telephony capabilities.[18]
In forgoing the x86 precondition (a requisite of Windows compatibility), most tablet computers released since mid-2010 use a version of an ARM architecture processor for longer battery life versus battery weight, heretofore used in portable equipment such as MP3 players and cell phones. Especially with the introduction of the ARM Cortex family, this architecture is now powerful enough for tasks such as internet browsing, light production work and gaming.[19]
A significant trait of tablet computers not based on the traditional PC architecture is that the main source of 3rd party software for these devices tends to be through online distribution, rather than more traditional methods of boxed software or direct sales from software vendors. These sources, known as "app stores," provide centralized catalogues of software from both 1st and 3rd parties and allow simple "one click" on-device software purchasing, installation, and updates.
Early tablets
The tablet computer and the associated special operating software is an example of pen computing technology, and thus the development of tablets has deep historical roots. The depth of these roots can be quite surprising to people who are only familiar with current commercial products. For example, the first patent for an electronic tablet used for handwriting was granted in 1888.[3] The first patent for a system that recognized handwritten characters by analyzing the handwriting motion was granted in 1915.[20] The first publicly-demonstrated system using a tablet and handwriting text recognition instead of a keyboard for working with a modern digital computer dates to 1956.[21] Alan Kay attempted to formulate his Dynabook concept as a tablet as early as 1968; to this day, his concept has not yet been fully realized.
In addition to many academic and research systems, there were several companies with commercial products in the 1980s: Pencept, Communications Intelligence Corporation, and Linus were among the best known of a crowded field. Later, GO Corp. brought out the PenPoint OS operating system for a tablet product: one of the patents from GO corporation was the subject of recent infringement lawsuit concerning the Tablet PC operating system.[22]
In 1987 Apple Computer started its tablet project, which considered release of devices of three sizes, with the one eventually released in 1993, Apple Newton, being the smallest (yet it was quite substantial device with 6" screen and 800 grams of weight).[23]
One early implementation of a Linux tablet was the ProGear by FrontPath. The ProGear used a Transmeta chip and a resistive digitizer. The ProGear initially came with a version of Slackware Linux, but could later be bought with Windows 98.
[edit] Microsoft Tablet PC
Main article: Microsoft Tablet PC
In 1999, Microsoft attempted to re-institute the by-then decades-old tablet concept by assigning two well-known experts in the field, from Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, to the project.[4]In 2000 Microsoft coined the term Microsoft Tablet PC for tablet PCs built to Microsoft's specification, and running a licensed specific tablet enhanced version of its Microsoft Windows OS.[11][24] Microsoft Tablet PCs were targeted to address business needs mainly as note-taking devices, and as rugged devices for field work.[5] In the health care sector, tablet computers were intended for data capture – such as registering feedback on the patient experience at the bedside.
Tablet PCs failed to gain popularity in the consumer space because of unresolved problems.[6]
[edit] Apple's iPad
The tablet computer market was reinvigorated by Apple through the introduction of the iPad device in 2010.[25] While the iPad places restrictions on the owner to install software[26][27][28] thus deviating it from the PC tradition, its attention to detail for the touch interface[29] is considered a milestone in the history of the development of the tablet computer[6] that defined the tablet computer as a new class of portable device, different from a laptop PC or netbook.[7] On May 20, 2010, IDC published a press release defining the term media tablet as personal devices with screens from 7 to 12 inches, lightweight operating systems "currently based on ARM processors" which "provide a broad range of applications and connectivity, differentiating them from primarily single-function devices such as ereaders".[30]IDC also predicted a market growth for tablets from 7.6 million units in 2010 to more than 46 million units in 2014. More recent reports show predictions from various analysts in the range from 26 to 64 million units in 2013.[31] On March 2, 2011 Apple announced that 15 million iPads had been sold in three fiscal quarters of 2010.[32]
[edit] Reactions to the iPad
At Consumer Electronics Show 2011, over 80 new tablets were announced to compete with the iPad. Companies who announced tablets included: Motorola which released its Xoom tablet (Android 3.0) , Samsung came up with its new Samsung Galaxy Tab (Android 2.2), Research in Motion demonstrated their BlackBerry Playbook, Vizio with the Via Tablet, Toshiba with the Android 3.0 – run Toshiba Thrive, and others include Asus, and the startup company Notion Ink. Many of these tablets are set to be running Android 3.0 Honeycomb (except some which are also featuring Android 2.3 or above), Google's mobile operating system for tablets.[33] Hewlett-Packard released its TouchPad based on the WebOS system, only to discontinue it after under 49 days of sales.[34][35][edit]
According to IDC, Apple's iPad accounted for 83% of all "media tablet" sales in 2010.[36] At the unveiling of the iPad 2 in March 2011 Steve Jobs claimed that the iPad held more than 90% market share, but the difference between the figures could be explained by the difference between the amount of hardware shipped into the channel versus the number that have been actually sold.[37]As of August 2011, the iPad and iPad 2 have continued to dominate sales, outselling Android and other rival OS tablets by a ratio of eight to one.[39][40] Apple's iPad held 66 percent of the global tablet market in Q1 of 2011,[citation needed] but the share is predicted to drop to 58 percent by the end of the year[citation needed] due to the influx of new products, mostly Android tablets. Technology experts[who?] suggest that Apple is getting court injunctions to stop the slide, although these injunctions are only preliminary measures as Apple has to provide more substantial evidence in subsequent court proceedings that the design of competing products infringed its patents or copied their designs in order to make any bans permanent. These cases take months or even years to come to court, unless there is no settlement, and if Apple loses it will be liable for the business lost by a competitor due to the injunction. Although risky, experts[who?] say that this kind of strategy gives time for Apple to hold off rivals and grab even greater market share with their iPad, since it is a market that is developing fast where Apple leads, regardless of the damages that they have to pay if they lose the case. Google's David Drummond complained "They (Apple) want to make it harder for manufacturers to sell Android devices. Instead of competing by building new features or devices, they are fighting through litigation."[41]
On September 14, 2011 IDC announced that in the second calendar quarter of 2011 the market share of the iPad increased to 68.3% from 65.7% in the previous quarter, while market share for Android-based tablets decreased from 34.0% the previous quarter down to 26.8% in the second quarter. Besides being affected by the introduction of the iPad 2 in March 2011 this can also be partially attributed to the introduction of RIM's PlayBook tablet, which took 4.9% share of the market in the quarter.[38]
On September 22, 2011 Gartner lowered their forecast for sales of tablet computers based on the Android OS by 28 percent from the previous quarter’s projection,[42] explaining that "Android’s appeal in the tablet market has been constrained by high prices, weak user interface and limited tablet applications." Further, they state that they expect the iPad to have a "free run" through the 2011 holiday season and that Apple will "maintain a market share lead throughout our forecast period by commanding more than 50 percent of the market until 2014."[43] Gartner revised their projection of Apple's worldwide tablet market share at the end of 2011 up to 73.4% after their previous projection of 68.7% for the year.
[edit] Touch user interface
A tablet presents a more natural user interface to the user than a command line interface or the traditional mouse driven WIMP interface[citation needed]. The event processing of the operating system must respond to touches rather than clicks of a keyboard or mouse, which allows integrated hand-eye operation, a natural part of the somatosensory system. Although the device implementation differs from more traditional PCs or laptops, tablets are disrupting the current vendor sales by weakening traditional laptop PC sales in favor of the current tablet computers.[44][45][46] This is even more true of the "finger driven multi-touch" interface of the more recent tablet computers, which often emulate the way actual objects behave.
[edit] Handwriting recognition
, Mandarin: rén, Korean: in, Japanese: jin, nin; hito, Cantonese: jan4). The character has two strokes, the first shown here in dark, and the second in red. The black area represents the starting position of the writing instrument.[edit] Touchscreen hardware
Touchscreens are usually one of two forms;- Resistive: Resistive touchscreens are passive and can respond to any kind of pressure on the screen. They allow a high level of precision (which may be needed, when the touch screen tries to emulate a mouse for precision pointing, which in Tablet personal computers is common) but may require calibration to be accurate. Because of the high resolution of detection, a stylus or fingernail is often used for resistive screens. Although some possibility exist for implementing multi-touch on a resistive touch-screen, the possibilities are quite limited. As modern tablet computers tend to heavily lean on the use of multi-touch, this technology has faded out on high-end devices where it has been replaced by capacitive touchscreens.
- Capacitive: Capacitive touchscreens tend to be less accurate, but more responsive than resistive screens. Because they require a conductive material, such as a finger tip, for input, they are not common among (stylus using) Tablet PCs but are more prominent on the smaller scale "tablet computer" devices for ease of use, which generally do not use a stylus, and need multi-touch capabilities.
- Palm recognition. It prevents inadvertent palms or other contacts from disrupting the pen's input.
- Multi-touch capabilities, which can recognize multiple simultaneous finger touches, allowing for enhanced manipulation of on-screen objects.[48]
Concurrently capacitive touch-screens, which use finger tip detection can often detect the size of the touched area, and can make some conclusions to the pressure force used, for a similar result.[49]
[edit] Other features
- Accelerometer: An accelerometer is a unit that detects the physical movements of the tablet. This allows greater flexibility of use since tablets do not necessarily have a fixed direction of use. The accelerometer can also be used to detect the orientation of the tablet relative to the center of the earth, but can also detect movement of the tablet, both of which can be used as an alternative control interface for a tablet's software.
- Ambient light and proximity sensors are additional "senses", that can provide controlling input for the tablet.
- Storage drive: Large tablets use storage drives similar to laptops, while smaller ones tend to use drives similar to MP3 Players or have on-board flash memory. They also often have ports for removable storage such as Secure Digital cards. Due to the nature of the use of tablets, solid-state memory is often preferable due to its better resistance to damage during movement.
- Wireless: Because tablets by design are mobile computers, wireless connections are less restrictive to motion than wired connections. Wi-Fi connectivity has become ubiquitous among tablets. Bluetooth is commonly used for connecting peripherals and communicating with local devices in place of a wired USB connection.
- 3D: Following mobile phone, there are also 3D slate tablet with dual lens at the back of the tablet and also provided with blue-red glasses.[50]
[edit] Form factors
Tablet computers come in a range of sizes, currently ranging from tablet PCs to PDAs. Tablet personal computers tend to be as large as laptops and often are the largest usable size for mobile tablet computing while the new generation of tablet computers can be (much) smaller and use a RISC (ARM or MIPS) CPU, and in size can border on PDAs.[edit] Booklet
Booklet computers are dual-touchscreen tablet computers that fold like a book. Typical booklet computers are equipped with multi-touch screens and pen writing recognition capabilities. They are designed to be used as digital day planners, Internet surfing devices, project planners, music players, and displays for video, live TV, and e-reading.[edit] Slate
Slate computers, which resemble writing slates, are tablet computers without a dedicated keyboard. For text input, users rely on handwriting recognition via an active digitizer, touching an on-screen keyboard using fingertips or a stylus, or using an external keyboard that can usually be attached via a wireless or USB connection.Slate computers typically incorporate small (8.4–14.1 inches/21–36 centimetres) LCD screens and have been popular in vertical markets such as health care, education, hospitality, aviation (pilot documentation and maps),[51] and field work. Applications for field work often require a tablet computer that has rugged specifications that ensure long life by resisting heat, humidity, and drop/vibration damage. This added focus on mobility and/or ruggedness often leads to elimination of moving parts that could hinder these qualities.
[edit] Convertible
Typically, the base of a convertible attaches to the display at a single joint called a swivel hinge or rotating hinge. The joint allows the screen to rotate through 180° and fold down on top of the keyboard to provide a flat writing surface. This design, although the most common, creates a physical point of weakness on the notebook.
Some manufacturers have attempted to overcome these weak points. The Panasonic Toughbook 19, for example, is advertised as a more durable convertible notebook. One model by Acer (the TravelMate C210) has a sliding design in which the screen slides up from the slate-like position and locks into place to provide the laptop mode.
Sliding screens were presented at CES 2011. The first product to use it is the Samsung Sliding PC7 Series,[52] a tablet with Intel Atom hardware and a unique sliding screen that allows the product to be used as a laptop or slate tablet when the screen is locked in place covering the whole keyboard. The concept still has to prove its reliability, but is intended to combine the virtues of tablet PCs with those of notebooks. Also presented was the upcoming Inspiron Duo from Dell, which rotates the screen horizontally when opened. Convertibles like that with hardware specs of a netbook are called netvertibles.
[edit] Hybrid
Hybrids, a term coined by users of the HP/Compaq TC1000 and TC1100 series, share the features of the slate and convertible by using a detachable keyboard that operates in a similar fashion to a convertible when attached. Hybrids are not to be confused with slate models with detachable keyboards; detachable keyboards for pure slate models do not rotate to allow the tablet to rest on it like a convertible.[edit] System architecture
See also: Comparison of tablet PCs and Comparison of ARM tablets
Two major computer architectures compete in the tablet market,[53] x86 and ARM architecture. x86, including x86-64, is popular on tablet PCs due to its use on laptops which can share common software and hardware and which can run a version of Windows. There are also non-PC based x86 tablets like the JooJoo. ARM gained popularity following the success of the iPad.[54] ARM is more power and cost efficient for mobile computing and is gaining popularity for smaller tablets from other manufacturers such as Samsung with the Galaxy Tab which runs on Android.[edit] Operating systems and vendors
Tablets, like regular computers, can run a number of operating systems. These come in two classes, namely traditional desktop-based operating systems and post-PC mobile-based ("phone-like") operating systems.For the former class popular OS's are Microsoft Windows, and a range of Linux distributions. HP is developing enterprise-level tablets under Windows and consumer-oriented tablets under webOS. In the latter class the popular variants include Apple iOS, and Google Android. Manufacturers are also testing the market for products with Windows CE, Chrome OS,[55][56] and so forth.
Boot times for iPads are one-half the boot times for current Windows 7 netbooks, which can take over 50 seconds to display the login prompt.[57] The BIOS initialization for a PC, which has remained unchanged since the invention of the PC, can still take 25 seconds.
Post-PC operating systems
See also: Mobile operating system
Tablets not following the personal computer (PC) tradition use operating systems in the style of those developed for PDAs and smartphones.[edit] iPad
The iPad runs a version of iOS which was first created for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Although built on the same underlying Unix implementation as MacOS, the operating system differs radically at the graphical user interface level. iOS is designed for finger based use and has none of the tiny features which required a stylus on earlier tablets. Apple introduced responsive multi touch gestures, like moving two fingers apart to zoom in. iOS is built for the ARM architecture which uses less power, and so gives better battery life, than Intel devices required by Windows tablets. Previous to the iPad's launch, there were long standing rumors of an Apple tablet, though they were often about a product running Mac OS X and being in line with Apple's Macintosh computers.[73] This became partially true when a 3rd party offered customized Macbooks with pen input, known as the Modbook.
Previous to Apple's commercialization of the iPad, Axiotron introduced at Macworld in 2007[74] an aftermarket, heavily modified Apple MacBook called Modbook, a Mac OS X-based tablet personal computer. The Modbook uses Apple's Inkwell for handwriting and gesture recognition, and use digitization hardware from Wacom. To get Mac OS X to talk to the digitizer on the integrated tablet, the Modbook is supplied with a third-party driver called TabletMagic; Wacom does not provide driver support for this device.
[edit] Blackberry
The BlackBerry PlayBook is a tablet computer announced in September 2010 which runs the BlackBerry Tablet OS.[75] The OS is based on the QNX system that Research in Motion acquired in early 2010. Delivery to developers and enterprise customers is expected in October 2010. The BlackBerry PlayBook was officially released to US and Canadian consumers on April 19, 2011.[edit] Android
Main articles: Android (operating system) and Google Chrome OS
Google's linux-based Android operating system has been targeted by manufacturers for the tablet space following its success on smartphones due to its open nature[citation needed] and support for low-cost ARM systems much like Apple's iOS. In 2010, there have been numerous announcements of such tablets.[76] However, much of Android's tablet initiative comes from manufacturers as Google primarily focuses its development on smartphones and restricts the App Market from non-phone devices.[77] There is, moreover, talk of tablet support from Google coming to its web-centric Chrome OS.[78][79] Some vendors such as Motorola[80] and Lenovo[81] are delaying deployment of their tablet computers until 2011, after Android is reworked to include more tablet features.[82][dated info][edit] HP
HP's webOS: Hewlett Packard announced the TouchPad running webOS 3.0 on a 1.2Ghz Snapdragon CPU would be released in June 2011. On Thursday August 18, 2011, HP announced the discontinuation of the Touchpad, due to sluggish sales.[83] The fate of any webOS-based software remains open, as HP casts about for some possible resolution.[edit] One Laptop per Child organization
The One Laptop per Child (OLPC) organization is developing a new version of the OLPC, strongly resembling a tablet computer, called the OLPC XO-3, running its "Sugar" operating system, based on Linux. The new XO-3 will be based on ARM technology from Marvell.[84][edit] Developing software for tablet computers
See also: Mobile development
The new class of devices heralded by the iPad has spurred the tendency of a walled garden approach where the vendor reserves rights as to what can be installed. The software development kits for these platforms are restricted and the vendor must approve the final application for distribution to users. These restrictions allow the hardware vendor to control the kind of software that can be used and the content that can be seen in the devices; this can be used to reduce the impact of malware on the platform and to provide material of approved content rating, and also to exclude software and content from competing vendors. The walled garden approach to application development has proven to be a competitive advantage for the iPad over HP's Touchpad, triggering HP's withdrawal from the industry, due in large part to sluggish Touchpad sales, after only 49 days on the market.[85]Proponents of open source software deem that these restrictions on software installation and lack of administrator rights make this category one that, in their view, cannot be properly named personal computers.[26][27][28] But there are newer mobile operating system based tablet computers that don't use the walled garden concept, and are like personal computers in this regard
Comparison with laptop computers
The advantages and disadvantages of tablet computers are highly subjective measures. What appeals to one user may be exactly what disappoints another. The following are commonly cited opinions of tablet computers versus laptops:
[edit] Advantages
- Usage in environments not conducive to a keyboard and mouse such as lying in bed, standing, or handling with a single hand.
- Lighter weight, lower power models can function similarly to dedicated reading devices like the Amazon Kindle.
- Touch environment makes navigation easier than conventional use of keyboard and mouse or touch pad in certain contexts such as image manipulation, musical, or mouse oriented games.
- Digital painting and image editing are more precise and intuitive than painting or sketching with a mouse.
- The ability for easier or faster entry of diagrams, mathematical notations, and symbols.
- Allows, with the proper software, universal input, independent from different keyboard localizations.
- Some users find it more direct and pleasant to use a stylus, pen or finger to point and tap on objects, rather than use a mouse or touchpad, which are not directly connected to the pointer on screen.
[edit] Disadvantages
- Higher price – convertible tablet computers can cost significantly more than non-tablet portable PCs although this premium has been predicted to fall.[86]
- Input speed – handwriting or typing on a virtual keyboard can be significantly slower than typing speed on a conventional keyboard, the latter of which can be as high as 50–150 WPM; however, Slideit, Swype and other technologies are offered in an effort to narrow the gap.
- Ergonomics – a tablet computer, or a folded slate PC, does not provide room for a wrist rest. In addition, the user will need to move his or her arm constantly while writing.
- Weaker video capabilities – Most tablet computers are equipped with embedded graphics processors instead of discrete graphics cards. In July 2010, the only[citation needed] tablet PC with a discrete graphics card was the HP TouchSmart tm2t, which has the ATI Mobility Radeon HD5450 as an optional extra.
- Business-oriented tablet personal computers have been slow sellers from 2001 to date.[87]
- Screen risk – Tablet computers are handled more than conventional laptops, yet many are built on similar frames; in addition, since their screens also serve as input devices, they run a higher risk of screen damage from impacts and misuse.
- Hinge risk – A convertible tablet computer's screen hinge is often required to rotate around two axes, unlike a normal laptop screen, subsequently increasing the number of possible mechanical and electrical (digitizer and video cables, embedded WiFi antennas, etc.) failure points.[citation needed]
- Smaller display and lack of keyboard.
[edit] Tablets in developing countries
The low hardware requirements and easy operation of tablet computers has made it subject to various design studies for use in developing countries. Prototype tablet computers such as the Sakshat have been projected to cost $35, according to researchers in India which shall be soon available for the masses as the cheapest tablet working on Android with full functionality;[89][90] however the bill of materials currently comes to $47.[91] One laptop per child (OLPC) plans to introduce a tablet computer for $100.[92] Nicholas Negroponte, Chairman of OLPC, has invited the Indian researchers to MIT to begin sharing the OLPC design resources for their tablet computers.[93] OLPC has been awarded a grant for an interim step to their next generation tablet, OLPC XO-3.[94]
IMAGES NOF TABLET PC
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