iPad Vs HP, Google, Dell, Camangi Slates

Submitted by Swapnil Bhartiya on January 30, 2010 - 12:59



Tablet PCs have never enjoyed a mass market. Microsoft as usual never pushed the innovative envelope to enhance the user experience. However Apple has now pushed into  the segment with its iPad.

Redmond felt some heat from Cupertino and showcased prototypes of the next generation tablet PCs running mammouth Windows 7, at CES.  I wonder why Microsoft  announced these tablet PCs at CES. These PC's have less to do with Microsoft and more to do with hardware players like HP. Tablet PC's like iPad and Dell Streak (Linux) would challenge Microsoft's declining Windows market share in the Tablet PC segment. Things are going to be even more difficult for Microsoft with Gnu-Linux arriving on the tablet platform. [Also read: No iPad For Grandpa...]
 
Interestingly, the iPad will not be challenged from Microsoft but from the sleeping-giant Gnu-Linux. Here is a comparison with some of the to-be-released Gnu-Linux powered tablets. There is one advantage of these “Muktware” powered tablets -- they will not be 'restrictive' devices. Unlike Apple's airtight compartments where you can't even drag and drop, these devices will allow you to do virtually everything you can do with a PC.
 
Here is a chart comparing devices which will compete with the iPad, and may even beat it! The devices we compared are:  Apple iPad, Dell Mini5 Streak, Camangi Webstation, HP Slate and Google Gpad*.

 

Tech SpeciPadDell Mini5 StreakCamangiHP SlateGpad*
OSMac iPhoneAndroid LinuxAndroid LinuxWindows 7Chrome OS (Linux)
Processor A4 1GHhzSnapdragon 1GHzMarvell PXA303 624MHzSnapdragonQualcomm 1 GHz
Weight680 gramsN/K390 gramsN/K700 grams
Display9.7 inch5 inch7-inch
10 inch9.7 inch
ApplicationsApp StoreGoogle AppsGoogle AppsN/KGoogle Apps
Battery10 hours10 Hours4-5 hours (full usage)N/K10 hours
Restrictions

Full Apple control
Drag and drop: NO
DRM restricted;
Media will be encrypted

User has full control
Drag and drop: YES		User has full control
Drag and drop: YES		User has partial control
Drag and drop: YES		User has full control
Drag and drop: YES
ConnectivityWi-Fi
3G mobile
(separate model)		Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
3G mobile		Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g);
3G connectivity (USB);
GPS module		N/KWi-Fi (802.11 b/g);
Bluetooth;
GPS Module;

Port; Input/output

No USB;
30 Pin Apple Connector

N/KBuilt-in speaker
3.5mm stereo headphone jack;
Built-in microphone
Micro SD card slot, supports 1G~16G;
Type A & mini-B USB port

3.5mm stereo headphone;
2.0 (1 port)

Built-in speaker
3.5mm stereo headphone jack;
AC Adaptor;
Built-in microphone;
SD card slot;
Type A & mini-B USB port
InterfaceMulti-touchCapacitive touch

Single Resistive touch

Capacitive touchCapacitive touch
CameraNone5-megapixel cameraNoneYesTwo 5-megapixel cameras
Phone CapabilitiesNoneNoneNoneNoneGoogle Voice


In this comparison, the iPad seems to be the weakest player. Remove the Apple logo and Steve's fan following, and see the product fall just like Newton's apple.
 

Note: Dell, HP, Google specs are based on 'expectations' and various information collected through various sites. There is no official confirmation about these products by the companies. Please feel free to make suggestions if you have more info on these products.

* Google gPad is a hypothetical product!
N/K = Not known