Pocketbook IQ
Like Barnes & Noble, Pocketbook is now taking the tablet path, too, without taking one foot from the eReader world. Its latest creation, the Pocketbook IQ, is part all-purpose Android tablet, part eReader. But is the super-low priced Pocketbook IQ as smart as its name implies?
Features – Hardware and Software
From a hardware perspective, the Pocketbook IQ offers the same structure as the Pandigital Novel and the Cruz Reader. It sports a 7-inch TFT LCD display with resistive touchscreen, microSD and microSHDC card slots (can support up to 32GB), headphone jack, speakers, and 2GB Flash storage (can store up to 5000 eBooks). What differentiate the IQ from similar Android tablets are the 3 navigations buttons found below the screen. Also, the casing of IQ is aluminum-based rather than plastic-based.
The IQ accesses websites and the built-in Bookland eBookstore via WiFi. There’s Bluetooth, too, for wireless transfer of documents and photos to other devices. Battery lasts 5-8 hours depending on how you use the IQ.
While the IQ performs many functions, including browsing the web, running slideshows, playing videos, and displaying Google Maps, there’s one thing it can’t do – access the Google Android Market. The Pocketbook IQ makes it up by installing SlideMe, another Android App market that offers 3rd-party apps. SlideMe’s offering is limited compared to the Google App Market, however.
The IQ eReader supports FB2, TXT, PDF, RTF, DJVU, HTML, CHM, PRC, EPUB, DOC, and TCR files, and it can display BMP, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF images.
The Bottom Line
Those who want a decent multipurpose eReader that lets you read eBooks and ePeriodicals in full color, watch videos, or do other things, the Pocketbook IQ comes with a super low price of $140.
Pros In addition to its built-in Pocketbook reading application, the IQ has the capacity to install reading apps from other developers (e.g. Kindle, Borders, Kobo), giving you the freedom to use the eReader that you prefer. Though the IQ uses resistive touchscreen, it responds well to taps. Swiping and scrolling, however, isn’t as impressive as on the iPad. PDF reflows images with the texts, which looks really good. Cons The video player can’t play AVI (though the format is listed under supported video formats). MP4 videos do work but are sluggish. It’s also on the slow side when downloading books or web pages. Installing apps is a bit confusing and inconvenient as you need to insert an SD card when doing it. Also, the device internally allots only about 50MB space for 3rd party apps. It lacks a camera, which means you won’t be able to place video chats or calls or install applications that require such hardware.
What’s in the box: • Pocketbook IQ • AC charger • USB cable • Slip cover • 2-year warranty
Main Features • Measures 10.4 x 7.5 x 0.4 inches • 7-inch TFT LCD panel with 800 x 600 resolution • Powered by Samsung 800MHz processor • Resistive touchscreen • Built-in storage of 2GB • SD expansion slot supports up to 32GB cards • 8-10 hour battery life Key Features • Comes with G-sensor for automatic orientation to landscape or portrait mode • Comes with an attractive aluminum casing • Available in red, blue, or white
eReaders Vs Tablets, What Should You Buy?
The answer really depends on what you want from your device.
Do you want your device to give you a great reading experience all the time? Then an eReader is what you need. eReaders recreate actual book experience. They let users read with ease and carry a library of books/ newspapers, magazines, etc anywhere they go.
Here’s a suggested checklist on when you should pick an eReader
1. You read a lot, and for you reading takes top importance over every other form of activity. Leisure afternoon for you means curling up on a couch with a good book.
2. You spend hours each day reading.
3. You want a device that lets you forget you are holding a device and lets you get lost in your book.
4. You want to be able to focus on reading. Dedicated eReaders are stripped down of entertainment features that may distract you from reading like videos and games.
5. You love reading outdoors.
6. You believe that a device that lets you read like a book gives the best return for your money.
Tablets, on the other hand, are designed to recreate the PC experience. A tablet is what you need if –
1. You want a device that lets you do a lot of things besides reading.
2. Reading is not your top priority but something else – watching videos, chatting online, playing games, or such.
3. Reading is not a regular activity for you.
4. You read casually, say less than an hour a day.
5. You don’t mind charging a device very often. Tablets generally have less than a day of battery life, 10 hours at most. Dedicated eReaders, on the other hand, can last 2 weeks to a month on a single charge.
6. You want a device that lets you read and do other things at the same time.
7. You believe that a device that can do a lot of things give more value for your money.
Dedicated eReaders or Multimedia Color eReaders?
Now there are devices that call themselves as eReaders but actually act more like tablets. Examples are the Nook Color, On the one hand, they’re not really full-blown tablets (since they lack an app market) but more like a bridge between an eReader and a full-fledged tablet.
The common features that differentiate them from dedicated eReaders include –
1. Use of color LCD screen than monochromatic eInk screen.
2. Like tablets, they have limited battery life, ranging from 6 hours to 10 hours.
3. They support color.
4. They support video, games, web browser, etc.
5. The ones on the market now– Nook Color, Augen the Book, Pandigital Novel, and Micro Cruz Reader—are powered by Google Android but they have no access to the Android Marketplace, which is why they are not full-fledged tablets.
When should you pick a color eReader?
1. If you want to be able to read magazines, newspapers, comics, graphic novels in full color.
2. If you’re fine with LCD screens and don’t think they really affect your reading experience.
3. If you prefer to have a tactile experience with books.
4. If you want a device that lets you do other things besides reading.
5.If you want a multi-media device with reading capability but don’t have the budget for tablets.
Closing Thought
Picking between an eReader and a tablet should be easy. Your yardstick of measure on what device is best for you, at bottom, is your personal preference after all.
Kindle Tablet Still In Development?
If you will ask Amazon, they will say none about it. However, some columnists are reporting/ speculating that the company is still working on an Android Tablet.
One, there’s Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols of Computerworld, who says that Amazon is working on a mass distribution of an Android Tablet. Citing anonymous Amazon sources, Vaughan-Nichols writes
“I can’t tell you its size, pricing, when it’s expected to ship, or anything else of substance. The one thing I do know is that, like the Kindle, it will run Linux with a Java-based interface”.
Vaughan-Nichols predicts that a forthcoming Amazon Kindle Tablet (he calls it ‘KinTablet’) will be announced on the day or after the Nook Color is launched; the device will be released on holiday 2010. Vaughan-Nichols believes that the KinTablet will “bring good Linux-powered tablets to users this year after all”.
The ComputerWorld article is written by someone who, in the first place, doesn’t believe that eReaders will survive at all, even predicting back in June that they will die within a year. Of course, Amazon has shown that such grand predictions are rather preposterous.
If there’s any truth to the leaked information, why would Amazon tell it to someone who doesn’t think there are people who value eReaders. If there’s no truth to it, why did Amazon decide to drop such information? Is Amazon trying to curtail flow of Nook Color buyers?
The world of mobile reading is becoming ever more exciting, but our bet is that Amazon will remain focused on reading as Jeff Bezos said back in May — at least until this year. In 2011, we may see a Kindle tablet to compete with other tablet devices fair and square.
Two, there’s Jason Perlow of ZDNet who declares that Amazon Kindle’s secret sibling is a Kindle Tablet. This idea is based on the known factor that Amazon is building an App Store.
Jason Perlow writes:
Amazon is building its own App Store, but for what device? We think we have a good idea — a secret Android Tablet.
Perlow thinks that Amazon is ripe for an Android tablet – it has a value-added service, music distribution service, video-on-demand service, and an ebook distribution service. What’s missing is an App Store, but Amazon has already sent a “Welcome Packet” to app developers.
Perlow hypothesis two possible reasons for this: “to offer the service to low-cost device manufacturers in order to compete with the Android Market, or to provide an app ecosystem for a device of its very own.”
So is Amazon building a tablet or not?
But there are slight hints that Amazon is diversifying its interests beyond reading. There’s the integration of Facebook and Twitter into the Kindle devices (via Kindle 2.5 firmware upgrade), the microphone in the new Kindle 3 (still not working, but it may be activated in the future for some use that doesn’t have to do with reading), and, of course, Amazon’s plan to put up its own App Store.
Yet again, there’s no official word from Amazon yet so it’s interesting to see if, and how soon — these dropped information will become a reality.
Pixel QI Developes A 7 Inch Display
Pixel QI are moving forward to develope bigger, more advanced screens. This time they announce a 7″ display that will be used in tablets and e-Readers. it’s set to go into mass production in the first half of next year — it notes that samples could be available by the end of the year, though.
Pixel Qi’s Mary Lou Jespen also explained that tight supply and maxed out factory usage combined with the “disruptive” iPad accounted for a number of tablet delays over the spring and summer, but she says that manufacturers have used the downtime to refine their designs into products that are “highly differentiated from the iPad,” and adds that Pixel Qi will be announcing additional products using its displays sometime in the future.
Apple To Release An Upgraded iPad
Apple is set launch an upgraded 9.7-inch iPad adopting a new ARM Cortex-A9-based processor and 512MB RAM in the first quarter of 2011. Meanwhile, the company will also launch a 7-inch iPad using the Cortex-A9 processor and an IPS panel with a resolution of 1024×768, according to Digitimes Research senior analyst Mingchi Kuo.
In addition, Apple is also set to launch a new Apple TV using AMD’s Fusion solution and will not include a hard drive. The new device will adopt a user interface similar to the iPhone with support for social networking websites, network multimedia and the App Store. Mass production of the device will start in December, Digitimes Research noted.
Electronic Book Readers: Why Aren’t They “Hot” Like Tablets?
In the past, tablet PCs failed to grow because, one, it was heavily priced, and, two, its functionality was very limited. Tablet PCs then lacked handy features like webcam and video out as well as handwriting and touch input capability. Processors were also very slow and sluggish. As such, their uses have been limited to some markets, such as logistic companies (for monitoring delivery).
The iPad is changing all of that. Because of the hype the Apple iPad has generated, many electronic companies (LG, Samsung, etc) were inspired to bring their own takes on the tablet. The media has hailed 2010 as the year of the tablet. ABI Research predicts that tablets will grow to 4 million sales in 2010 and continue explode to 57 million in 2015. Gartner Research, on the other hand, believes that as much 9 million tablet PCs could be sold in 2010.
So how did the Apple iPad single-handedly revive interest in tablet computers?
Months leading to the debut of the iPad in late January 2010, critics weren’t too enthusiastic about it – after all, history has already shown that there’s no interest in tablets. The iPad was then seen simply as a “third” device with function so limited it wouldn’t be able to replace PCs or laptops.
Then came pre-order, and the sales figure was just mind-blowing: the iPad was a sold-out even before the iPad was launched. Within a month after it was launched, the iPad made history in sales record by selling more than a million units. Today, the Apple iPad sales figure is estimated at 3 million.
Compare this to the sales of electronic book readers. We don’t how many eReaders exactly have been sold, but analysts are estimating it at 3-4 million (with the Kindle taking 55% of the market share).
Apple is able to do this by offering the iPad at a cheap price of $499 – $829 and packing it with powerful specs, multi-touch display, and a variety of bells and whistles such as accelerometer, digital compass, GPS, iTunes, eReader apps, and more.
Since the arrival of the iPad, the media has collectively announced the death of eReaders.
So why are consumers and critics alike not as enthusiastic about eReaders as they are with tablets?
1. Tablets can do a lot of things; eReaders are best for reading only.
Following the iPad, today’s tablets pack the functionalities of netbooks, ebook readers, gaming consoles, MP3s, and more into one device. Tie this up with the prices of tablets and it’s easy to see why many people think tablets offer more value for their money. A $499 iPad lets you do office work, browse the web, read a book, watch videos, and more. The Kindle DX costs only $10 more. For that extra $10, you’d be able to do a thousand times more than eReaders. If people have $500 and you offer them an iPad and the Kindle DX, what they will choose is a no-brainer.
2. Tablets have more esthetic appeal.
Compared to tablets, eReaders look like they were designed in the 80s. Multi-color screen also add a lot of aesthetic appeal to tablets. Color screen renders magazines, comics, and the like more faithfully.
3. Tablets offer a cool factor; eReaders look serious when compared to tablets
Tablets, on the other hand, have graphical interface that render the experience extra fun and cool. Multi-touch display allows users to type documents directly onto the screen and to manipulate games with their fingers. To flick pages of books, you merely swipe or tap the screen with your finger.
4. Tablets offer a variety of apps.
eReaders offer only book apps, while tablets offer hundreds and thousands of apps. They also offers SDK platform that open the door for
5. Tablets let you do homework or official work.
Some eReaders like the Irex 1000S are designed for business use, but business document formats on eReaders tend to be limited to PDF and DOC. The iPad, on the other hand, has iWorks; other tablets support Microsoft Office applications.
Closing thought
Tablets offer a more portable and cheaper computing alternative to laptops and PCs. They are hot to people looking for a device that can give them a variety of entertainment on the go, and there seems to be more of them than people who are willing to pay a premium price for a device designed to give them unforgettable reading experience.
Asus Announces 10 Inch And 12 Inch EeePads.
Asus just announced two new tablets calles Asus Eeepad series. The EP101TC features a 10″ display and the EP121 features a 12″ screen. Engadget got to play with them for a short time and altough the devices are still in beta testing they seem to be well built with aluminum edges and matte back covers. The devices will run on Microsoft 7 and the EP101TC is powered by Nvidia Tegra.
Here’s a short video of the Asus EeePads:
Adam Tablet
Notion Ink Adam Tablet Overview
Since the prototype of the dam tablet was unveiled at the CES 2010, the Notion Ink tablet has been a hot topic in the gadget world. Packed with better technologies, the Adam offers to redefine your entire reading and computing experience. Screen is designed for visibility in all lighting conditions, and battery life is longer. A built-in camera gives you 180 degree view settings. The Adam also promises a killer feature: a trackpad that supports multiple hand gestures.
Features – Hardware and Software
The Notion Ink Adam Tablet comes with two distinctive features. One is a smartpad or trackpad mounted on the rear of the tablet. Gadget owners can use the trackpad, which supports full gesture, to move the cursor or scroll down pages. Notion Ink said they have also added fingerprint and scratch-resistant coating to the screen display. Navigating via the touchscreen shouldn’t be a problem either.
The Adam will also be a demonstration of Pixel Qi LCD display’s flexibility. Curl up on a couch or bring the tablet to the beach: Pixel Qi’s groundbreaking technology makes the Adam easy to read in all environments. You can view the Adam indoors as a regular full-color LCD display, or switch to grayscale, eInk style mode when outdoors.
The Notion Ink Adam Tablet measures 6.3 x 9.8 x 0.6 inches. It will use power-frugal NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset, making the Adam excel in battery life even while delivering high video and imaging resolution. The tablet is said to be capable of playing16 hours of full HD video. When switched on to black and white mode, the Adam can last up to 160 hours on a single charge.
The tablet is also integrated with a 3.2 megapixel video camera with a patented swivel action. When facing the screen such as when video chatting, you can use it as a webcam. Then you can rotate the camera to use it for regular video or still photography. The 180 degree swivel camera allows Notion Ink to reduce costs and design space for two sets of optics.
Standard features include: accelerometer, ambient light and water sensors, Flash support, A-GPS, digital compass, USB ports, UMTS/HSPDA, WiFi, and Bluetooth. Buyers can have a 16GB or 32GB model. Both support SD slot for augmenting storage.
The Bottom Line
The Notion Ink Adam Tablet is expected to go into retail in June 2010. Price tag is a tentative $300 +. With well-thought out hardware design, the Adam offers excellent all-around tablet experience regardless of whether you want to use it for surfing the web, watching YouTube videos, or reading books.
Pros - The tablet supports hand gestures for tasks such as cutting images and copying/pasting texts. - Battery life is a big plus. While the Apple iPad offers 10 hours of web surfing, the Notion Ink Adam Tablet is said to last 2 to 3 times longer than that. - High 1080p offers more vibrant video displays than the iPad, which supports 576p only. - Software development kit is open to all interested third-party developers. Cons - The prototype displayed at CES feels thick and heavy, but since the device is still in production, we may be seeing a more impressive final design. - Notion Ink said they are still trying to solve bandwidth constraints. - Though trackpad appears to be a really “smart” and practical feature, we still have to see whether it works in real life or not.
Main Features • Navigation via touchscreen or rear-mounted trackpad • Dual display mode: LCD and eInk-style black/white • WiFi and Bluetooth connection • Dual-Core ARM® CORTEX -A9 MPCORE Processor provides excellent web experience including power-frugal Flash 10.1 and HD video playback • Longer battery life: 16 hours of HD video playback, 140 hours of audio, 160 hours of eInk-style text • 180 degree swivel camera that can be used for video chatting or regular video and photography • High resolution imaging • NVIDIA chip supports 3D and full flash acceleration • 3 USB and 1 HDMI ports Key Features • Multitouch support • Viewable under a variety of lighting conditions
JooJoo Tablet
While the Apple iPad has been getting all the media attention, Fusion Garage quietly finished its own Internet tablet. Boasting a bigger screen, lighter chassis, and excellent HD playback capability, JooJoo Tablet is designed to bring computing to the couch.
Features – Hardware and Software
Originally called the CrunchPad, the JooJoo Tablet comes with a 7.8 x 12.8 x 0.7 -inch solid frame made of hybrid plastic. Despite its generous screen size, the tablet is thinner than a MacBook Air. It doesn’t feel heavy even when after long hours of use. Gently curved back makes it feel good to hold.
With a browsing engine based on WebKit, the same one that powers Chrome and Safari, the JooJoo tablet is your portable gateway to the World Wide Web. As it packs a powerful 1.6GHz Atom processor, page loads are impressive, though not Chrome-fast. The device takes a mere 9 seconds to boot.
Unlike most Window-based tablets like HP, the JooJoo Tablet can handle multi-touch and hand gestures, such as pinching and finger swiping, pretty well. Unfortunately, there’s no zooming function. (Pinching switches you between windows and homescreen). On one hand, who needs zooming when you have 12 inches of screen?
With higher screen resolution than the iPad (1366 x 768), images are brighter and sharper. Combining video resolution of 1080 and fast streaming capability, watching YouTube videos is a pleasure. To run HD Flash videos faster, go into full screen mode.
There’s also a Bluetooth connection for wireless transfers from/to your mobile phone, and web cam and mic for video chat. While the JooJoo Tablet doesn’t have a native support for PDF, you can view the document using Google’s online PDF doc reader.
The Bottom Line
Despite a rocky start due to a high profile legal dispute with TechCrunch, Fusion Garage’s former manufacturing partner, the JooJoo Tablet is poised to give you great couch computing experience. For those who want a Chrome Internet Tablet, the device looks polished and solid. Now, if Fusion Tablet could only lower its price, we might see a brighter future for the JooJoo.
Pros - Powerful processor guarantees web browsing is a charm. The device is fast and responsive. - An accelerometer automatically takes care of horizontal and vertical orientations. - Big screen size means there’s no need to struggle with small images, especially when you are watching videos. It also means you need to zoom less often. - Screen comes with finger-resistant coating, ensuring that you get a clean slate all the time. Cons - With no integrated 3G modem, you can’t enjoy its web browsing capabilities when you’re not in a WiFi spot. - Perhaps a software upgrade will fix onboard keyboard problems. The keyboard doesn’t allow you to type fast or with your two hands. - The 4GB storage is for caching Internet application. The device doesn’t let you store documents, photos, or videos locally. - The biggest drawback to the tablet is its price tag – the same as Apple’s cheapest iPad model. For a device built for running browser-based apps, it is a great device for surfing the web from your couch. But with a support for about 30,000 applications only, the JooJoo Tablet may find little customer support. In fact, only 90 pre-ordered the Joojoo tablet. Of the 90, 15 cancelled.
What’s in the box: • Joojoo Tablet • Power Adapter • Documentation
Main Features • 12.1-inch multitouch capacitive display • High pixel resolution • Finger-resistant screen display • 4GB drive • 5 hours Internet use • WebKit browsing engine • Automatic vertical or horizontal orientation • Onboard keyboard
HP Releases A Video Teaser Of The Slate
HP released yet another video teaser of the upcoming HP Slate, rumored to be released around June 2010. The video revieles a video camera and Windows 7 UI.
Check it out: