Why Windows 7 "Slate" Tablets Won't Happen 467
snydeq writes "InfoWorld's Galen Gruman questions the viability of Windows 7 on tablets in the wake of the news that HP will use Palm's WebOS as the foundation for iPad rivals, rather than follow through with the previously hyped Windows 7-based Slate. 'The iPad proved a tablet shouldn't be a portable computer that happened to have its screen always exposed. Even though technical components are shared between the Mac OS and the iPhone OS, the irrelevant Mac OS functions aren't gumming up the iPhone OS, and Apple's development environment doesn't let you pull through desktop approaches into your mobile applications. You're forced to go touch-native,' Gruman writes, adding that, when it comes to touch capabilities, Windows 7 leaves much to be desired. 'Sure, a few Windows 7 slate-style tablets will ship — Asus and MSI are said to have models shipping later this year. But those products will go nowhere, because Windows 7 is simply not the right operating system for a slate.'"
No current OS is "right for a slate" (Score:5, Interesting)
Hell, I'm having a hard time thinking of what would be right for a "slate". That Courier sure looked nice for what it was designed to do. As a general computing platform... nah
OS designed to be used at a desk with a keyboard, mouse, and unlimited energy? Not so great on a small slate.
OS designed for small handsets for quick and dirty access to stuff on the go? Easier to put on a slate, but still not something I'd want.
Where is a slate with a "SlateOS"? Good for reading, good for watching, good for casual surfing/ computing. multitouch, high end pen input.
Mobile and Microsoft (Score:4, Interesting)
Been There, Done That (Score:4, Interesting)
Slate tablets running a regular, desktop OS have been around for almost 10 years now. And they still have yet to gain traction or become popular. Mainly because people don't want a desktop OS in a slate form factor. Part of the reason why these new phone OSes are making inroads in the tablet space is because they were designed from the ground up to work in low power conditions (ARM processors) and work with a finger based input. What's more, the app catalogs of these OSes are full of apps that are designed with these limitations taken into account from the beginning.
People say they want a slate running a desktop OS so they can use all their existing desktop OS apps. But what they fail to realize is that any slate tablet is going to have the internals of a netbook or worse, and the apps they're gonna try and run are going to be designed with a keyboard and mouse in mind, which will make finger usage difficult. Sure, you could carry around a keyboard and mouse with you in case you need it, but then you've kinda defeated the purpose of a slate tablet in the first place (portability), and might as well carry around a much more powerful laptop.
it may work for me (Score:3, Interesting)
My needs are quite modest and, frankly, are tied to the application stack and the standard list of PC ports (VGA, USB etc.)
I'm not looking for a new computing paradigm, just something to fill a niche. Hell - I'm not so pure that I can't plug a wireless mouse into the thing if it helps. Something a little slicker than my netbook would be nice.
Re:Are you serious...?! (Score:5, Interesting)
Sez you.
I think the iPad proved just how badly we need a tablet that IS a portable computer.
Re:WebOS (Score:3, Interesting)
that is exactly the reason that IPhone apps smoke any other platform when it comes to performance.
So why not let the consumers decide? If apps written in Objective C or C++ will "smoke" the competition, what does Apple have to fear?
Re:Mobile and Microsoft (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Are you serious...?! (Score:4, Interesting)
I agree to some extent.
Certainly, the iPad has it's place, and it's a popular place. It's going to destroy part of the ebook reader market, at least until color eInk shows up, and even then lack of backlight makes eInk difficult for a lot of people. I know, that's what makes it such a great ebook reader, lack of a backlight... but tell that to people that like to read in bed, or in low-light areas.
In any event, the iPad proves there's a market for a non-general purpose computer tablet. It does not prove that general purpose tablets will fail. To date they have because they keep trying to cram a full computer into a tablet, and they cost too freaking much.. but a netbook level computer with a tablet interface would be priced correctly, and would appeal to a lot of people as well.
Too many tablet makers price tablets outside their value proposition, they're too greedy.
Re:Thanks you... (Score:4, Interesting)
I don't get it. How does the ipad indicate that a windows 7 tablet won't work? The fact that there is a market for a handheld web appliance doesn't obviate the existence of a market for a windows 7 tablet. Especially if Microsoft is able to pull in all the consumer class features across their product lines (nice integration of media/content from Xbox/Xbox 360 to desktop to laptop to tablet to phone.) Right now Apple is riding easy, but once someone comes along who can compete across the board, Apple's "just barely enough" attitude* will start to hurt.
* Examples:
- iPad only able to support nine pages in Safari and when you touch a link that opens a new page it drops one of your existing pages without any user interaction. This is bad behavior.
- itunes choking on iTunMOVI atom metadata that iPhone/iPad/AppleTV have no problem with.
- iPod mode of iPhone having bizarre restrictions on rotated video playback. A movie played directly cannot be rotated, but if you add it to an on the go playlist and play the playlist, you can then rotate the video.
- The sleek looking apple remote that requires the hand-eye coordination of a Street Fighter II junkie in order to operate (select-up-up for chapter selection, wtf?)
- Apple's total mediation of content onto the devices and how you interact with them. It would be nice if you could have multiple libraries, both public and non-public across your iTunes environment.
Re:Are you serious...?! (Score:4, Interesting)
Only twice the rate? This is pretty sad considering how CHEAP Apple's devices are.
Really, they are the "netbooks" of tablets. The PC tablets that have been around
for years and years are much more expensive and often ruggedized for real work.
A cheap device with an absurd amount of hype treated with kid gloves by the media
should be able to sell well.
The iPad has gotten more media hype than an atrocious Hollywood remake.
Re:Mobile and Microsoft (Score:4, Interesting)
And Apple isn't working just as feverishly for their own lockin?
Sure, they are, but they aren't trying to leverage MacOS out into the iPod Nano. The difference is that Microsoft isn't willing to compete on features + quality alone, they want to bring all their application base to the new platform. They may eventually succeed, but it would be a long, hard road. Apple seems perfectly willing to ditch their "application base" if/when the need arises - witness OSX itself, which is a complete, ground-up rewrite of their O/S for Macs. And it's worked very well for them. I type this on a Mac Mini that I've grown to love.
So much, that I was just about to turn in my geek cards and pick up the Apple Fanboi deck. But I have to say, with their recent shenanigans around Flash and the iPad, any urge to do so have vaporized. As a developer myself, I'm thinking I'd rather take my chances on Android than deal with the increasingly dystopic-looking future with Apple!
Re:Thanks you... (Score:2, Interesting)
Actually, Windows based tablets are actually making headway. For one example, look at a lot of medical use doctors offices/hospitals/clinics, many of them have tablets. For another, look at many classrooms, where if the professor uses any computer, it is quite likely a tablet.
It just isn't making the splashy headlines, but it's been slowly and steadily growing. Could the ipad do some of the above? Probably. Is it likely to be given the chance to? I doubt it. Many of the applications used for the medical uses, especially from what I've seen, are both custom and subject to HIPAA. I seriously doubt anyone will actually try to replicate it on the ipad, due to being essentially held hostage to apple's approval for any new versions. That doesn't even address the mess that would be the ipad in regards to HIPAA, due to Apple's control.
Re:No current OS is "right for a slate" (Score:2, Interesting)
Eh, you really need to read up the history of Xerox PARC and Microsoft. PARC came up with incredible ideas that were implementable, not just great on paper. That's why people who visited PARC were blown away and some, like Jobs, saw what the future was like when he thought what the possibilities of those ideas brought. Microsoft came up with great but unimplementable ideas. Anyone can do that. I envision a micro tablet weighing 1.5 oz. powered with a fusion battery to drive a quantum computing chip. No screen, just a holographic projector. It creates a force field so that you can feel the virtual keyboard. And it costs $10. I've got the rendering of the device. All geeks praise me!
Courier was announced to create a FUD so that people don't buy iPad, but keep on waiting for Microsoft tablet. Many MS ideas are vaporwares. MS != Xerox PARC.
Re:Thanks you... (Score:4, Interesting)
Actually, Windows based tablets are actually making headway. For one example, look at a lot of medical use doctors offices/hospitals/clinics, many of them have tablets. For another, look at many classrooms, where if the professor uses any computer, it is quite likely a tablet.
That's not "headway", except possibly in two very small markets. Only 3-4 million tablet PCs are sold per year. I have little doubt that the iPad will outsell all other tablets this year, even given the iPad not being available until April, and the supply being severely constrained.
The far more interesting question isn't "will the tablet PC make headway against the iPad", it's "how long will it take before the iPad sells more total units than total tablet PCs ever sold."
Could the ipad do some of the above? Probably. Is it likely to be given the chance to? I doubt it. Many of the applications used for the medical uses, especially from what I've seen, are both custom and subject to HIPAA. I seriously doubt anyone will actually try to replicate it on the ipad, due to being essentially held hostage to apple's approval for any new versions.
The notion that developers are going to shy away from the iPad for fear of rejection is absurd. It's not terribly difficult to have a fairly reasonable idea of whether or not your app has a reasonable risk of being denied. Sure, there have been a handful of surprising rejections (almost all of which have been accepted after minor changes). Medical apps, especially, have very little risk of being rejected.
That doesn't even address the mess that would be the ipad in regards to HIPAA, due to Apple's control.
And what mess, exactly, is that? "Control" isn't a magic word that means "can't be used by third parties".
Re:Thanks you... (Score:3, Interesting)
No the fuck it didn't. The iPad proved that people will buy anything if it's had enough Apple hype ladled onto it. I think the new wave of Windows 7 and Android tablets will show that in short order. Sadly, breathless hype is a speciality of Apple disciples, and so we'll be hearing about how revolutionary the iPad is long after everyone who actually wanted a real tablet computer has bought one and is happily at home using it.
I noticed your post was modded up as "Insightful". It makes me wonder why the rating menu doesn't have a "completely of his rocker" entry.
Where did you find any "breathless hype"? I haven't seen any. I have seen plenty of information what the iPad does - it is basically a huge iPod Touch and by being huge it suddenly becomes very useful. It has applications that are easy to call up and many of them look very nice and they all are very easy to use. Have you ever used the word "ladled" and "disciples" anywhere except in connection with Apple products? What is going on in your sad little mind that Apple outselling a Windows-based product makes you choose strange words like that?
Someone more clever than me wrote: "I couldn't figure out what would be the killer application for the iPad. Now I know: The killer feature is: It is _no computer_". People don't want a "real tablet computer". 70 percent of all people who bought a netbook or laptop never wanted a "computer" in the first place.