Alternatives to the iPad or Two Times Seven Samurai - First Seven

The first seven (and a little more)

The notorious CrunchGear website, in anticipation of the start of iPad sales (or rather, the day before) published the second seven alternatives to the Apple iPad. The first seven on Habré were not found in the search, so here are all 14 alternatives at once. In my opinion, not all the devices provided can be honestly called really an alternative, but how many people have so many opinions. I am pleased to hear your in the comments.

Modbook

Axiotron, for just $ 899 (prices may vary from dealer to dealer) will turn your MacBook into a MacPad. If you don’t have a MacBook, Axiotron will sell you the finished one for $ 1,849. Of course, you can pick up specifications to taste, but it will be even more expensive. An option for those who want a tablet version of a full laptop.

Advantages over iPad

* Full-fledged OS X
* Multitasking
* Support for Flash
* Built-in camera
* Built-in optical drive
* 13.3-inch screen
* 120GB hard drive (or in the good way, whatever you put)
* You can use Windows (either through virtualization, or so )

Disadvantages

* There is no built-in 3G modem (but you can stick an external one)
* Missing multi-touch (perhaps the main drawback)
* No access to the App Store

Viliv X70

According to CrunchGear, this South Korean development includes almost everything that is missing from the iPad. Perhaps this is so, but why throw away what the iPad has? Yes, and the price is not happy, at least at the given moment in time, $ 597 and the lack of multi-touch can not be combined.

Advantages over iPad

* Windows (I understand this is not an advantage for everyone, but this, in turn, means that you can put any favorite Linux)
* Flash support
* Multitasking
* Unlocked (i.e., without being tied to an operator) 3G GSM modem
* GPS
* SD card slot
* Camera
* USB slot
* Haptic-feedback touchscreen
* Video out
* 128GB SSD

Disadvantages

* Lack of multi-touch
* No access to the App Store
* Screen size of only 7 inches

Archos 9 PC tablet

Archos has been working in the multimedia device market for a long time, so such scary words as Intel Z515 1.2GHz Atom, Hyper-Threading and Intel Burst Performance Technology are quite familiar to her. In addition, other magic spells were used to prepare the Archos 9 PC Tablet: an 8.9-inch screen, 32GB SSD, Win7 Starter Edition, and 1GB of RAM. The price of $ 549 and the lack of multi-touch again suggest that this alternative to the iPad looks losing.

Advantages over iPad

* Windows 7 (or your favorite Linux distribution)
* Support for Flash
* Multitasking
* Two USB slots
* SD Card slot
* Camera
* Stand
* Optical trackpad

Disadvantages

* Lack of multitouch
* No access to the App Store

Viliv S10 Blade

Personally, I don’t understand why CrunchGear joyfully included the Viliv S10 Blade in the list of alternatives, but forgot about other similar netbooks from other manufacturers (see below). Here you can read (in English) a full review of the device where the CrunchGear device is not very happy with the device - primarily because of the poor-quality bracket on which the rotary screen is mounted. According to them, the bracket is the first thing to break with more or less active use. In addition to this, it is impossible to fix the screen in the “tablet” position on this model, which increases the load on the bracket. Perhaps the next version will be more adapted to real life, since a multitouch-enabled screen is one of the best places on this netbook.

IPad advantages

* Windows 7 (or your favorite Linux)
* Multitasking
* Flash support
* Unlocked 3G modem
* Camera
* 2 USB ports
* SD card slot
* Video out

Disadvantages

* No access to the App Store

At least two more devices appear in the same Netbook Convertible class which are not in the original review from CrunchGear, but which have long been in stores.

ASUS T91SA-VU1X-BK Eee PC T91 8.9 "Touch Screen Netbook

Since Habré already has a detailed review of this device , I won’t stop there - I’ll just say that I don’t see the fundamental difference between the devices - the same Intel Atom, the same gig of memory, the same opportunity to install Windows or Linux and the same opportunity use the touch screen by placing it on the keyboard.

HP TouchSmart tm2-1070us 12.1 "Zero Force TouchSmart Display Notebook PC

I found several references on Habré, but nobody seemed to do a complete analysis of the device. The store configuration includes Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 1.30GHz / 4GB RAM (upgradeable to 8GB) / 320GB HD / Intel GMA 4500MHD / 802.11N / Webcam / Fingerprint Reader / HDMI / 12.1 "1280x800 / Windows 7 Home Premium for $ 899. In my opinion, a very, very good configuration, as they say, is a good thing, it’s a pity I don’t need. This, by the way, is one of the first laptops with a rotary touch-screen screen. I felt it in the store and I must say that the screen itself did not impress me. On the other hand, six months ago, for that kind of money, there was nothing similar and close. All configuration options are available on the HP website .

Notion ink adam

The first truly worthwhile alternative to the iPad. The review and video on CrunchGear , an article on Habré , an output is promised by June 10.

Advantages of iPad

* Android
* Multitasking
* Nvidia Tegra 2
* 10-inch screen that can work in either full color or ePaper mode
* Rear trackpad
* USB and HDMI ports
* Unlocked 3G modem

Drawn

* Android Market is available (but it seems to me that Apple in the App Store will have a larger set)
* Multitouch

HP Slate

The same HP Slate, which Steve Ballmer showed at CES 2010. On the HP website you can find anything, just not the technical specifications. Actually, based on such rumors, CrunchGear believes that the device will be released this year and will cost $ 500-600.

Advantages

* Windows 7
* Multitasking
* Support for Flash
* Camera
* USB ports

Disadvantages

* No access to the App Store
* 3G modem not announced (by the time the device really comes out, 4G will be announced at the time).

Dell streak

Immediately, no. The screen is only 5 inches, that is, almost a phone. I used the HTC X7501 Advantage at one time, with just a five-inch screen - almost no difference with a regular phone. Based on the fact that on the Dell website during a quick inspection I did not find any mention of the device at all - most likely many of the specifications listed below may still change.

Advantages

* Android
* Multitasking
* Two cameras - one on the front panel (for video calls), another for photos on the back
* USB ports
* Two microSD slots
* According to rumors - the unlocked 3G modem

Draw

* Android Market (again, in the App Store, select richer, especially with the release of the iPad)
* It also just does not support flash

Disadvantages

* Small screen
* (CrunchGear here indicates the absence of a modem, which is not consistent with the advantage above - I would include an obviously weak processor here)

Original review on CrunchGear .

This article is on my personal blog .

To be continued!