another Android clone 7" tablet no one needs. not to mention the cheapos from Archos et al that are taking the give-the-kids-anything-to-shut-them-up market Moto can't compete with in price. or the upcoming Amazon 7" shopping tab that Moto also can't compete with in utility.
these are just guys trying to keep themselves employed by cranking stuff out no matter what. how soon do you think Google will chop 5000 Moto employees, eh? and "focus" R&D?
that said, i do wish Apple would release a 5.5" iPod touch. about 2.5x the screen area, but still small and running the iPhone OS. would be great for games and video.
It looks like Motorola is going to supply a bunch more cheap 7" pads for the kids. $49 by January. At this rate you'll be able to upgrade fairly often for a decent price.
If they were to create and market a tablet just for kids, they might snag a nice chunk of the market
One thing is for sure: either the kids are deeply embarrassed because their mom/dad is forcing this stuff on them, or mom/dad is deeply embarrassed because their kids must go "what's that stuff you make, again?"
I am not an Apple fanboy. In fact I am rather critical of Apple most of the time, but I use their products because they are the best choice for me. Now that I have that out of the way, I feel that this Motorola tablet is:
DOOMED...Doomed I say!!!
I cannot see buying anything but an iPad right now if I really wanted a slate type device. In the future I likely will buy a Windows 8 slate because it supports Handwriting Recognition, which is important for input of Japanese kanji. VERY IMPORTANT if you need to input the kanji to look up the meaning but don't have a clue how to pronounce it.
And NO, the iOS devices cannot do this. There is a Chinese handwriting input system that sort of works, but no very well at all.
Come on MS get to it. We need at least two competitors to help improve the market with competition ... and we need to completely exterminate Android!!!!
Does anybody want a 7" tablet? I simply do not understand the reasoning behind this form factor. The Dell Steak was a disaster, and was always going to be.
I like the nook color.
Quote:
Scenario:
I have a task I need to perform. I have my smart phone in my pocket. My 7" tablet is in my bag/car/bedroom.
Under what circumstances would I think to myself 'this would be a lot easier on my 7" tablet, I won't just make do with my smart phone and I won't open up my laptop. No, the 7" tablet is clearly the choice here'?
When the task is watching a movie or reading a book? For a movie the screen isn't that much smaller than on the iPad (less letterboxing).
Quote:
The iPad is all the advantages of a smart phone without the inherent downside of having to be small enough to fit in a pocket. Once you decide it doesn't have to fit in a pocket, why on earth would you stop at 7"? The only limits a tablet should come up against are weight and the size of an average bag.
Isn't this utterly obvious?
Weight, size and COST. It's far less annoying for my kids to wreck a $250 nook (or kindle) than my 3G high end iPad. Or low end iPad for that matter.
For games, simple apps (like K-12 teaching apps), email and movies the 7" is just fine. Web surfing is a little more awkward but passable.
I feel sorry for the few dumb suckers who are gonna buy this tablet.
Actually, I lied, I don't feel sorry for them at all.
If people wish to gamble with their money on highly suspect and risky tablets, then go for it! Just don't come and whine when you see it on Woot 6 weeks after you buy it.
Does anybody want a 7" tablet? I simply do not understand the reasoning behind this form factor. The Dell Steak was a disaster, and was always going to be.
Scenario:
Under what circumstances would I think to myself 'this would be a lot easier on my 7" tablet, I won't just make do with my smart phone and I won't open up my laptop. No, the 7" tablet is clearly the choice here'?
?
I wouldn't mind a 7inch iPod Touch. The reason being that a 7inch iPod Touch could fit in a jacket pocket, whereas the iPad wouldn't.
Why not just my iPhone?
Simple.
My eyesight simply isn't as good as it used to be.
In the last 3 years it's gone from being better than average to requiring reading glasses. As a result, I know need glasses for distance AND close up. But, I don't always carry reading glasses with me.
So, while I would prefer using an iPad for Tablet applications, a 7inch iPod Touch would make more sense, for me, than their iPhone counterparts.
I wouldn't mind a 7inch iPod Touch. The reason being that a 7inch iPod Touch could fit in a jacket pocket, whereas the iPad wouldn't.
Why not just my iPhone?
Simple.
My eyesight simply isn't as good as it used to be.
In the last 3 years it's gone from being better than average to requiring reading glasses. As a result, I know need glasses for distance AND close up. But, I don't always carry reading glasses with me.
So, while I would prefer using an iPad for Tablet applications, a 7inch iPod Touch would make more sense, for me, than their iPhone counterparts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nht
I like the nook color.
When the task is watching a movie or reading a book? For a movie the screen isn't that much smaller than on the iPad (less letterboxing).
Weight, size and COST. It's far less annoying for my kids to wreck a $250 nook (or kindle) than my 3G high end iPad. Or low end iPad for that matter.
For games, simple apps (like K-12 teaching apps), email and movies the 7" is just fine. Web surfing is a little more awkward but passable.
These are both reasonable responses but neither constitute a large market. If aiming for a low price point is what these companies are doing then fair enough, but that doesn't change the fact that for the vast majority of buyers $250-$500 is an amount of money that demands a useful device, not simply a toy for the kids.
If Apple released a 7" iPod Touch, it would cost more than it does now. I can't help but feel that the huge majority of people would simply buy the larger iPad if accessibility was the issue.
Comments
Makes you wonder how people use iPhones and iPod Touches!
Those things must be downright useless!
I think they use them as phones and ipods. With the occasional simplistic app thrown in.
these are just guys trying to keep themselves employed by cranking stuff out no matter what. how soon do you think Google will chop 5000 Moto employees, eh? and "focus" R&D?
that said, i do wish Apple would release a 5.5" iPod touch. about 2.5x the screen area, but still small and running the iPhone OS. would be great for games and video.
It looks like Motorola is going to supply a bunch more cheap 7" pads for the kids. $49 by January. At this rate you'll be able to upgrade fairly often for a decent price.
If they were to create and market a tablet just for kids, they might snag a nice chunk of the market
"Where I work there are 3 Motorola pads for every iPad."
Best Buy returns department?
this guy must work at motorola...
At Motorola?
Probably works at the local dump.
Let me fix that for you:
Motorola to take another stab at the tablet market with new 7-inch tablet
iPad is cool, but not the only thing Motorola will have to contend with. Oh wait, this is AI, in your world it really is
About like it is the MP3 player not iPod market.
At Motorola?
I wonder what their kids use at home.
One thing is for sure: either the kids are deeply embarrassed because their mom/dad is forcing this stuff on them, or mom/dad is deeply embarrassed because their kids must go "what's that stuff you make, again?"
DOOMED...Doomed I say!!!
I cannot see buying anything but an iPad right now if I really wanted a slate type device. In the future I likely will buy a Windows 8 slate because it supports Handwriting Recognition, which is important for input of Japanese kanji. VERY IMPORTANT if you need to input the kanji to look up the meaning but don't have a clue how to pronounce it.
And NO, the iOS devices cannot do this. There is a Chinese handwriting input system that sort of works, but no very well at all.
Come on MS get to it. We need at least two competitors to help improve the market with competition ... and we need to completely exterminate Android!!!!
Best Buy returns department?
Quip of the day!
Does anybody want a 7" tablet? I simply do not understand the reasoning behind this form factor. The Dell Steak was a disaster, and was always going to be.
I like the nook color.
Scenario:
I have a task I need to perform. I have my smart phone in my pocket. My 7" tablet is in my bag/car/bedroom.
Under what circumstances would I think to myself 'this would be a lot easier on my 7" tablet, I won't just make do with my smart phone and I won't open up my laptop. No, the 7" tablet is clearly the choice here'?
When the task is watching a movie or reading a book? For a movie the screen isn't that much smaller than on the iPad (less letterboxing).
The iPad is all the advantages of a smart phone without the inherent downside of having to be small enough to fit in a pocket. Once you decide it doesn't have to fit in a pocket, why on earth would you stop at 7"? The only limits a tablet should come up against are weight and the size of an average bag.
Isn't this utterly obvious?
Weight, size and COST. It's far less annoying for my kids to wreck a $250 nook (or kindle) than my 3G high end iPad. Or low end iPad for that matter.
For games, simple apps (like K-12 teaching apps), email and movies the 7" is just fine. Web surfing is a little more awkward but passable.
"Where I work there are 3 Motorola pads for every iPad."
"Everyone I know uses the iPad as a toy."
Best Buy returns department?
That would be 1000 to 1.
Actually, I lied, I don't feel sorry for them at all.
If people wish to gamble with their money on highly suspect and risky tablets, then go for it! Just don't come and whine when you see it on Woot 6 weeks after you buy it.
Does anybody want a 7" tablet? I simply do not understand the reasoning behind this form factor. The Dell Steak was a disaster, and was always going to be.
Scenario:
Under what circumstances would I think to myself 'this would be a lot easier on my 7" tablet, I won't just make do with my smart phone and I won't open up my laptop. No, the 7" tablet is clearly the choice here'?
?
I wouldn't mind a 7inch iPod Touch. The reason being that a 7inch iPod Touch could fit in a jacket pocket, whereas the iPad wouldn't.
Why not just my iPhone?
Simple.
My eyesight simply isn't as good as it used to be.
In the last 3 years it's gone from being better than average to requiring reading glasses. As a result, I know need glasses for distance AND close up. But, I don't always carry reading glasses with me.
So, while I would prefer using an iPad for Tablet applications, a 7inch iPod Touch would make more sense, for me, than their iPhone counterparts.
My kids have 7" tablets... I load them up with iCarly videos, and it works for them. They watch while laying in bed or riding in the car.
Beyond the kid market, the 7" form factor just feels like an oversized smartphone/undersized tablet to me.
So it is really in the big iPod Touch market
Shipping to stores is not the same thing has selling to customers (especially to customers who keep and use the product).
I wouldn't mind a 7inch iPod Touch. The reason being that a 7inch iPod Touch could fit in a jacket pocket, whereas the iPad wouldn't.
Why not just my iPhone?
Simple.
My eyesight simply isn't as good as it used to be.
In the last 3 years it's gone from being better than average to requiring reading glasses. As a result, I know need glasses for distance AND close up. But, I don't always carry reading glasses with me.
So, while I would prefer using an iPad for Tablet applications, a 7inch iPod Touch would make more sense, for me, than their iPhone counterparts.
I like the nook color.
When the task is watching a movie or reading a book? For a movie the screen isn't that much smaller than on the iPad (less letterboxing).
Weight, size and COST. It's far less annoying for my kids to wreck a $250 nook (or kindle) than my 3G high end iPad. Or low end iPad for that matter.
For games, simple apps (like K-12 teaching apps), email and movies the 7" is just fine. Web surfing is a little more awkward but passable.
These are both reasonable responses but neither constitute a large market. If aiming for a low price point is what these companies are doing then fair enough, but that doesn't change the fact that for the vast majority of buyers $250-$500 is an amount of money that demands a useful device, not simply a toy for the kids.
If Apple released a 7" iPod Touch, it would cost more than it does now. I can't help but feel that the huge majority of people would simply buy the larger iPad if accessibility was the issue.