Tablet Device Predictions

[Catfish]

I was going to ask this question in another thread but it is starting to deviate from the topic of that thread so I am making this one to discuss this topic. I am wondering what are people (here on the forums) predictions as to what sort of specs we might see in tablet devices in the next 6 months?

RAM is being noted as being a big factor in performance of these devices, and AFAIK, RAM should be pretty cheap shouldn't it? So what are the chances that new tablets will come out with 512Mb, 1Gb, or 2Gb of RAM in them?

A lot of the current devices I've read are slow on 1080p HD video playback so would this likely get ironed out in the next generation of devices?

Also, there are so many "concept" devices out there from major companies and brand names but what really is the likelihood that all of those companies will actually mass produce those products?

I guess why I want to discuss this is because I am torn between buying something now which is... well... existing and waiting from 2 to 6 months in hope of something better for the same price?

 

[brews]

I figure that there will be a shakeup in the market after the tablets from major manufactures like Acer and Asus are released this fall. The Chinese tablets might have to drop in price to compete, or up their specs.

RAM is an issue that I don't understand. RAM is cheap, so I wonder if it's a limitation of how much the cpu can address, or if developers are on razor-thin margins, and skimping on RAM will save $5 for manufacturing. If it cost them $10 to go from 256 to 512, I'd pay $20 extra without question.

I'm buying a tablet now. I'm sure that something better will be around the corner, but that will always be true.

 

[Catfish]

I am sceptical that Chinese devices will need to lower their prices because I can't really see a major label bringing out a device that is going to compete pricewise. I'm guessing that any of these to-be-released prototypes will be from $350 up to $500 maybe. What is a netbook worth? I think their tablets will fall into a price range just below that.

I have to say I was suprised to see how cheap the WITS 7" model is, but it does lack things like accellerometer which most tablets have and users would take for granted it would be there. I like the build quality of the WITS, and going off the video I saw the processor seems powerful enough but I wonder if they will release a 10" model as I would really prefer 10". (nothing suss)

 

[TechNinja]

OS and processor has everything to do with it. 2.2 has a kernel upgrade so it can support memory > 256.

The decoding of the video has to do with the processor speed itself along with ram, which is why the faster tablets use a dedicated DSP (Digital Signal Processor), which many describe the tablets that contain this as a "dual core" but I don't think that description is right.

 

[slbailey1]

I was going to buy the tablet being sold K-mart, I even got a rain check. I have changed my mine. I'm going to wait for a tablet from one of the major companies. I will more than likely get the one Google, Motorola, and Verizon is working on. This one is rumored to be releaved in Nov/Dec with Android 3.0(Ginerbread), Google TV, Verizon FIOS TV, Google Music on Verizon's LTE network.

Edit: It is also rumored that it will have the Terga 2 processor.

 

[mindwave]

I was going to buy the tablet being sold K-mart, I even got a rain check. I have changed my mine. I'm going to wait for a tablet from one of the major companies. I will more than likely get the one Google, Motorola, and Verizon is working on. This one is rumored to be releaved in Nov/Dec with Android 3.0(Ginerbread), Google TV, Verizon FIOS TV, Google Music on Verizon's LTE network.

Edit: It is also rumored that it will have the Terga 2 processor.

bailey,

I rumor that it will be 2x the cost of the Augen and STILL have issues straight out of the box,

Folks this is an INFANT technology and OS, if were not having issues were not having fun.

for $500 you can buy an open source prototyping tablet (no case and no prettyness) and write all your won drivers and everything ekse for it!

mush like the original Altair. I only wish I had the $ that sounds like a BLAST

until then we let other folks do the footwork and we clean up the pretties.

Im HOPING my raincheck from KM gets called today, the folks over in XDA-developers.com have moved this thing WAY beyond what augen had intended and all THAT is just in a week!

People need stable HW and a good kernal and they will REALL start developing

but that my 2 cts

 

[slbailey1]

bailey,

I rumor that it will be 2x the cost of the Augen and STILL have issues straight out of the box,

Folks this is an INFANT technology and OS, if were not having issues were not having fun.

for $500 you can buy an open source prototyping tablet (no case and no prettyness) and write all your won drivers and everything ekse for it!

mush like the original Altair. I only wish I had the $ that sounds like a BLAST

until then we let other folks do the footwork and we clean up the pretties.

Im HOPING my raincheck from KM gets called today, the folks over in XDA-developers.com have moved this thing WAY beyond what augen had intended and all THAT is just in a week!

People need stable HW and a good kernal and they will REALL start developing

but that my 2 cts

mindwave,

That's just it, I don't want to write drivers or root my devices to make it useable!! My Droid Incredible have everything I want in a smartphone except for true handsfree bluetooth operations, but that will be added with the upgrade to Android 2.2. The rumored Android tablet heading to Verizon will have everything I want except for Sliverlight - no modifications required.

 

[mindwave]

SLB

I think you may be looking at spring of 11 unfortunately, and again, about 2x the cost of the current pads.

now admittedly that still 30% LESS than an IPAD, but too much for me

 

[sergey]

I'm guessing netbook specs to high-end phone processors as these are released, if these things take off, then I expect more high-end hardware in them. The market is pushing these things as netbook alternatives or netbook-lite devices.

The big thing for me is connectivity. I am not paying internet for my home, my phone, and my tablet. Now if there was some plan, say $30/month for a certain amount of gbs for two devices or maybe an additional $5/month for two devices to share a data plan, then I could see myself getting a tablet with a data connection. But no way in hell am I paying another $30/month for a internet connection on a 3rd device.

Also, if you already have a android phone, esp. like a droid x or evo, is it worth several hundred dollars for another android device? I like tablets, but I'm not going with a Android tablet, I already have an Android phone that I plan to stick with, in fact the way things are, I think I just my forgo my dreams of getting a Verizon iPhone (if it ever comes out). Nothing wrong with Android at all. Except that each month I'm wishing I had a new phone. I'm planning to get an iPad. This way I can enjoy both platforms. I don't hate either platform- both are good. Had I stuck with the iPhone, I'd be looking at a android tablet.

 

[nb_mitch]

I would expect that devices like the Samsung 1.2Ghz 7" Tablet will become common, the processors will become faster, 1080 HD, 64G, etc. Android will get better. I don't expect to see allot until 4Q, just in time for the holidays.

 

[wintermute000]

Yeah where is the mid range?
If high range is 600+ (aussie) ipad A4 processor, 10" screen, gorgeous capacitive screen. 10+ hrs battery
low range is cheap chinese clones (200-300) w/ rockchip or worse, 7", resistive, no multitouch, android 1.6 or 2.1 at best, battery life only a few hours

where is the mid range?? say 400 bucks for snapdragon / A8 cortex, 7", 6+ hours battery life, capacitive, android 2.2.

Heck just rip out the 3G radio, stick a huge screen and a matching battery onto my Nexus 1 and be done with it LOL