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Google Tablet? Enter the "Goopad".

(22 posts)
  • Started 2 years ago by TheBeard
  • Latest reply from whs
  • Topic Viewed 1678 times

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ispalten
ispalten
Posts: 6259

Honestly, I think the tablet market is just emerging now. Apple basically owns/owned it up to now. Others are coming on board fast. Some too fast, pushing out product with little support, inferior, or just over-priced. It isn't even a given if there is a real market for Wi-Fi only or Gx tablets (I'm not taking about business uses that are 'bundled' apps and h/w types either). Some of it is novelty (the market) and once saturated it is non-growth.

Xoom has been banged already as too pricey to go against iPad's. It is not in the same league and more costly. If prices come down on air connections, now monthly and some have limits, they could be more attractive.

However, some networks are getting overloaded with phones, iPod's, and iPads. The larger the screen, more data comes down as movies are clearly better seen on iPad's than other ixxxxx devices. Add to that other tablets now hitting the airwaves and one wonders who has the capacity to deliver?

Do you really think 20 people can sit at Starbuck's, buy a cup of coffee and watch NetFlix on an iPad on their network? I'd be surprised, but if the bandwidth is there, I guess they could?

Orlando for 2 years was wireless downtown. A company put all the repeaters in and figured it would make a killing on extra services (faster, other options, etc.) Well, the contract was up and they are pulling out. It cost them $2,700/mo. to run it and they reaped on average only $100 in services... go figure...

Irv S.

Posted 2 years ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

That's why I am waiting for 2012. There is nothing in the market right now that I would buy. There are some smartphones that I would get if my eyes were better. But the way things are, those are too small.

Right now I am watching the RiM PlayBook and the Nook Color. Both are interesting for different reasons - the playbook because QNX is a solid OS and RiM has many years of experience and the Nook because it has a beautiful screen, does not cost too much and has interesting upgrades in the pipeline.

Google is still working with rubber bands and band aids. In my book they are no software professionals (yet). Look at the release sequence of Android 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 3.0 - far too close together to deliver quality products. I visit the Android forum frequently. It is amazing to see that people spent $800 on a Xoom and are happy that a couple of applications run - and shut down only a couple of times per day. What a dismal scenario.

Once Microsoft enters the arena with W8, they will lose a lot of the share. I think MS plays it right. They get well prepared and with the market knowledge and infrastructure of Nokia they will make it - and the right way.

But you are right. The internet access may become a problem. G4 is a nice concept and alternative. But right now it works only in the metro areas and is very expensive ($50/month for 5GB bandwith). And G3 is too slow for any serious work. In the Tampa area G4 does not even work in Land-o Lakes which is right next door quasi at the end of McMullin Booth - a major Tampa shopping strip.

Posted 2 years ago #
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