Web Analytics RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Like the iPad Idea but Will Wait for the Eee Pad

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Like the iPad Idea but Will Wait for the Eee Pad

Recently played the Apple iPad for times at a shop but haven't been able to get decided to buy it. It is not only because of the (only overseas) shop I went to did not sell the iPad cheap enough when the local tax was included (and there is no tax redemption at that country, i.e., Canada), but more because of the real annoyances of the iPad that I can't live with. Anyway, now I have been triggered to get a Pad ;-) It is just because the Pad does have its unique usage for my applications. Maybe the Asus Eee Pad this time, but then I have to wait, since it is told officially by Asus that the Eee Pads are only to be available by early 2011! :-(

Below are what I like and dislike about the iPad anyway:

iPad Likes:

- Easy to carry (compact in size and lightweight), stylish appearance;
- Beautiful display: colourful, sharp, wide angle-of-view;
- All basic applications on-the-go: Internet, Multi-Media and also Games;
- Useful multi-touch screen, unique user interface, very responsive control;
- Very fast browser and photo viewer;
- Not really too expensive for the basic package (16GB and Wi-Fi Only)

iPad Dislikes:

- Glossy screen that reflects too much light, an annoyance outdoor (ditto for the Asus Eee Pad anyway);
- No USB port, no built-in card reader!;
- No flash support for browser;
- Uploading and downloading files from and to the iPad are just too difficult and there are just too many restrictions;
- No standalone pdf support! How can I read the e-documents then? I just won't bother to convert every pdf into Apple's format anyway. One can view pdfs as email attachment in the iPad, though. But why? This is just a real annoyance! :-(
- No official "shelf" to support the "mon". There is an offical keypad, though.
- Hong Kong (and maybe Taiwan as well) is/are not a market where Apple treats us seriously. There has been no official iPad on sales in HK yet nor the iPad supports Traditional Chinese characters and input well enough. If one has to buy an iPad in HK, the only choice is the grey market goods.

On the other hand, the Asus Eee Pad uses Windows 7 (or variant) and has all the ports (USB, HDMI, SD card reader, etc.). The 12" Eee Pad is just a fraction lighter than the iPad, which is just amazing. But of course, it is larger in size.

The Eee Pad has an interesting keyboard and dock as an optional accessory, which when the Eee Pad is docked, the combo becomes indifferent from a Laptop! Brilliant design and an innovative idea indeed! (Thumb Up!) Moreover, the Eee Pad's targeted marketing price is just cheaper, and it is much cheaper than the most expensive version of the iPad, i.e., 64GB with 3G support.

Once again, when the Pad story applies to cameras and industry, it just tells us that new market opportunities are always there, provided one knows how to explore and market. Innovations and brilliant ideas are always the keys to success!


Read Also:-

Pentax' Performance Evaluation Against Forbes' Seven Secrets of (Successful) Companies

My Idea of a K1000D

Comments (8)

Loading... Logging you in...
  • Logged in as
I personally try to stay away from anything APPLE or anything SONY. They are way too proprietary and really aren't looking otu for the customer. There is also a WEE pad being planned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H1aek_bW4c
1 reply · active 770 weeks ago
Who made that "WePad" ("WeTab") actually? It only states it is German made..
you know there are two type of standards: what the apple uses and what is accepted all over the world. what apple does is just disgusting (how they make people blind with all the eye-candy (the same applies to microsoft as well)) and this iPad hype is just another proof how stupid can buyers be. i mean it doesn't know more than iPod touch just 3 times larger. the funniest thing i always hear people who wants to buy an iPad instead of a laptop because they think they're equivalent and how surprised they will be when they realize the full proprietary iPad isn't equal to a normal or an eee PC.
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
That's the power of successful marketing and product packaging/make-up!
Michael A.'s avatar

Michael A. · 770 weeks ago

Asus Eee Pad - great, but available in 1st Q 2011? W7 will be 1.5 years old. iPad=pricey hype only anyway.. Gee, hope I'm still alive by than... :o)
Apple purposely makes it products the way they are; no flash, no usb, etc. is not an oversight, it’s a design choice they made. The iPad is not supposed to be a notebook replacement. However: do not write it off before having had one in your hands; it does only a few things but does those things very well and that makes it compelling.
I use an EEEPC 901 and an ipod touch 8gb.... I played with an Ipad during 25 minutes at an Apple store, graphics great, the rest resembles my ipod touch, I therefore wouldn't spend a dime on that product.. no usb , no sd slot, no good for me.
Thanks for the tip about the Eee Pad. It will be interesting if Windows 7 on it is fast, predictable and easy to use. My guess is it won't be but we will see.

I used to write operating systems, and I think the reason current Operating Systems are slow is because 1. the managers don't push for outstanding quality and speed optimization but instead have the culture of "good-enough", and 2. feature creep means they will continue to add features until adding anymore would slow-down the system too obviously. I am for making 10 times fewer products and features but do them 10 times better. I don't see any reason why we should have to wait for the computer in this day and age - it is a bit like having your bank account constantly in the red, so stop spending on stupid features that we cannot afford and get us fast responsive and fun to use computers!!

Apple has the strength to make the hard decisions to not include features that destroy the quality of the experience such as flash crashing and draining the battery and slowing down your computer - they are as proud of what they did not ship (e.g. having the strength and will to make hard decisions) as of the products they do ship.

By the time the Eee Pad ships, the iPad will have had multi-tasking for a few months, and new models of the Pad will be upcoming.

Post a new comment

Comments by