Windows 7 - Does W'dows need more padding to fend off Apple's iPad?

But what is it good for? I mean this with all sincerity. It won't be a great web experience if it doesn't support flash, it's not a great eReader with its backlit LCD, I guess it's fine for watching video, but will be limited to only a few formats. The GPS only works if you get the $130 3G add-on. I don't get where this is supposed to fit? It doesn't have handwriting recognition, so using it for notetaking sucks. This is certainly not going to replace tablets in the niche industries, i.e. health and design.

I think this is one of Apples most half baked ideas, worse than AppleTV.

PhreePhly

To answer the OP's question, I'm not sure Windows 7 is the right OS for the PAD concept. One thing Apple did well with the iPhone is that they created a touch specific OS. Windows 7 has touch (even multi-touch) well integrated, however, the UI is basically a mouse based UI. What MS needs to do is create a Zune-like interface for a PAD device, but have a NT kernel with the Win32/64 or WPF API that allows standard Windows apps to function.

WinMob 7 is supposed to be somewhat like this, but has iPhone OS type limitations. The problem is that for a PAD device to be useful, a more robust OS, like Windows, would be much better. The hardware is available. As Jimbo pointed out, netbooks today handle full fledged Windows 7 quite well, but the PAD will be a touch device, and standard Windows 7 is going to be limiting.

PhreePhly

agreed.
cross the Zune software with Microsoft table, and Microsoft would be left with a pretty powerful portable touchscreen OS. As long as it has multitasking.

To be honest, I can see the iPad being useful for when you need more portability than the MacBook Air or it's clones, and people prob...

I lost my train of thought. the only think really wrong with the iPad is the lack of multitasking, which may actually be a plus if you are working on something say typing a document in iWork or drawing a painting in another app and you don't want any distractions. Because it would be useful for say an artist who can use it instead of a sketchpad or by a writer who can write notes on a full keyboard.

I do not think I am alone-when I am at home and sit down I want max power, max visuals, max media, max everything...I can not see taking that machine, putting it in my pocket and walking out with it. Ipad replace pc yeah right get real!

oooo it's crazy to think it could replace a pc, but i could see tablets taking a share of the netbook market.

You know what they have done don't you? Steve jobs has been sat there wondering what new technical marvel he can bring to the world when he has spied the large mock-up of the ipod touch sitting in the corner and he has thought "we can sell these and make money out of the apple faithful cause lets face it anyone who buys our products doesn't have a clue what real computing is all about. They just want to play with pictures and go on facebook"

I am waiting for the HP Slate.

I much rater have the same size device run a full OS over a phone OS. Windows 7 I believe will run great on that slate PC and will be able to do so much more.

Will be able to do.

Adobe Flash games/webpages
Do more than one thing at a time
Not be limited to all the BS Apple puts on what you can and can't do on the iphone that will only carry over to the ipad.

Also having a Blackberry, ZuneHD and a laptop when I can't be on my laptop and have to use one of the other devices I get tired of everything not looking 100% like my laptop would show it because it does not have flash. I would not really consider buying another gadget unless it acts or is another PC in a different form like this slate would be. Even this Ipad with OSX loaded on I believe would sell way more and be so much more useful.

I just don't hold much success for this device. Everyone who wanted an Ipod touch already seems to have one. In a sense Apple is asking everyone to just buy a bigger screen version of what they already had bought. Being that a lot of Apple buyers are younger people that don't have a ton of money I don't see this selling well at all. Even if you don't factor in the price like I pointed out I don't believe people want 2 devices that do just about the same thing.

this is ignorance. apple machines dominate the art industries, and apple does have some powerful computers. not everyone who uses a mac does so out of vanity in many industries it's the standard.

While I see where you're coming from, I think wardog has a point. The Apple Fanboism is incredible. Imagine MS coming out with a similiar device. One that is lacking in major standard inputs (USB and SD), one that incorporates a non-multitasking OS. One that does not include handwriting recognition for notetaking.

The reaming MS would take in the tech blog/media world would be astounding. But Apple gets a pass. Even those that point out the major missing components are commenting on how great iPad v.2 is going to be. The same thing happened with the iPhone. The iPhone didn't become good until the 3GS version with iPhone OS 3.1. It had many missing features, the Apple faithful bought them... in droves.

I really hope Asus, MSI, hell even Dell or HP take a look at the form factor, make a deal with MS to expand the Zune interface as a touch layer on top of Windows 7 and make a similiar looking device (with true USB, SD slots and a HDMI/Display port slot) and a widescreen format display, add a real processor and make a Star Trek style PAD that will be a true tablet. Maybe even make a cut down Office version designed with touch in mind ala the iWorks concept from the iPad. Include a stylus option for notetaking and integraed OneNote and this thing would sell like hotcakes at the University. Imagine having a single device that carries all of your notes for every class over the last 4 years in a tablet format. Quick access to ebook Textbooks and annotation capabilities.

PhreePhly

im not an apple fan boy by any means but i dont feel the ipad is a bad product, it's key focus is portability, and the UI. obviously their are flaws, no multi tasking, no usb ports, no handwriting recognition on a tablet are all big ones, but for someone that just wants a small lightweight machine to check email and do some browsing on the goal it's adequate. the new tablets coming out are obviously going to be better for portability than netbooks, and after looking at some of the other upcoming tablets apple's offering is a bit lackluster, although realistically falls into the median capability wise. the ipad obviously isn't made to do everything but the things it does it should be able to handle well.