Amazon/Nook see some serious competition.

[cfrizz]

If this tablet has the same apps preloaded as its 10" brethren, then I will most likely get it.

It will have all the apps I could want: a non store affiliated reader, games, access to the web email.

I don't have to root it, hack it or any of that crap, I just transfer my books onto it & enjoy.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by jasoraso

Too bad that it looks like Lenovo plans to release the 16gb and 32gb in the U.S.; but not the 8gb. I would love to see the $200 8gb.

I'm also curious to see how this screen compares with the Nook Color. They have the same resolution.

Why do you make this assumption? According to the blurb:

"When it comes to storage, you're looking at 8GB, 16GB and 32GB - which versions will be available in the US isn't known at this time..."

Why wouldn't they sell the 8GB here?

[watershawl]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So that means that Apple is selling substandard (according to Jobs) touch screen devices aka, all iPhones and iPod Touches. Seems they are too small for a pleasant touchscreen experience. Jobs talks out both sides sometimes.

Well said, JSWolf. I know plenty of people who prefer the iPhone screen size over even the larger Android phone screens so size doesn't always matter.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by PaulJones

That's quite an attractive little pad given its size and price. I noticed in one shot that I could see a lot of fingerprints on the screen which is one of my problems with the Nook Color. I find myself really distracted by the grease spots my fingers tend to leave (but I live in the desert and I tend to be a bit on the sweaty side).

Nice pad and a good price, though.

It is! I'm torn now, as I'm in the market for a decent 7". And the anti-glare screenprotector is already waiting for a device (I usually buy them in A4-sized sheets and cut out what I need). I noticed that those screenprotector are even more required on capacitive screens than they were on resistive ones...

[stonetools]

These tablets may well do well.... until Tim Cook, at the next Apple announcement, says "oh yeah... one thing more... Steve once said that 7" tablets wouldn't work, but its a new day now.. Ladies and gentleman, I give you the Ipad mini... A 7" tablet priced at $299, running the latest version of Ios !!"


OK, that's probably fantasy right now, but if 7" tablets become popular over the next few months, that's a card Apple could play at some point next year. I don't think it would take all that much for Apple to do a 7" iPad. A smaller battery, the same processor than runs 1Pad 2, 8 gig of memory ,and they would be pretty much all set. They could launch it in the spring along with the iPad 3.
An iPad mini would pretty much crush the cheaper Android tablet crowd. It would have the right price, the same specs, plus the better Apple ecosystem, plus the familiar Ios operating system.
Right now, Apple doesn't need to do that. They're selling every iPad they can make . But they have an awesome ace in the hole.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by stonetools

An iPad mini would pretty much crush the cheaper Android tablet crowd. It would have the right price, the same specs, plus the better Apple ecosystem, plus the familiar Ios operating system.

Not sure about the better Apple ecosystem... Unless you want a very closed ecosystem, which is never stable in the long run...

But you do raise a point, what if apple would come with a 7" 16:9 tablet... That would be completely different from their current setup....

[afv011]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Not sure about the better Apple ecosystem... Unless you want a very closed ecosystem, which is never stable in the long run...

But you do raise a point, what if apple would come with a 7" 16:9 tablet... That would be completely different from their current setup....

I don't see that happening. Even if they suddenly decided to have a 7" tablet, the development life-cycle on these devices is around 18 months, so you wouldn't see it until late 2012 at best.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by afv011

I don't see that happening. Even if they suddenly decided to have a 7" tablet, the development life-cycle on these devices is around 18 months, so you wouldn't see it until late 2012 at best.

For totally starting from scratch. Tweaking existing stuff to work with a smaller display, often less.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

For totally starting from scratch. Tweaking existing stuff to work with a smaller display, often less.

And the original Apple 7" iPad rumors were started in part because they already had prototypes around the campus at the time (which is not surprising-I'm sure they have working prototypes of multiple configurations at any given time)

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by afv011

I didn't imply it is difficult. All I said is that, in my opinion (which is just that), most people do not root it. You are free to disagree.

Yes, I strongly disagree with your comment, but let's no start a debate about it.

Most of the relatives or friend I know, rooted it. And if you browse these forums, you'll see a decent amount of posts, actually much more than anything else, asking how to root it or what to download after rooting.

However, and like I said on my previous post, B&N makes more money selling digital books, not the actual hardware itself. I doubt the NC has pushed digital sales good enough to call it a success.

On the other side, I've seen very few Sony or Kindle users that rooted their devices, we are actually quite happy with the installed firmware (with the exception of DXG maybe). Of course, those are not tablets, but dedicated readers for digital books and sales. NC is exactly that out of the box, a dedicated ereader.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

For totally starting from scratch. Tweaking existing stuff to work with a smaller display, often less.

Yes, that's certainly true - the 18 months life-cycle is for a clean start.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

For totally starting from scratch. Tweaking existing stuff to work with a smaller display, often less.

This. A year ago, Samsung had not shipped any tablets(although they were just about to ship the first Samsung Galaxy tab). Now, they seem to be shipping new tablets in various configurations every other month or so!
If Apple saw demand swelling for 7" tablets leading up to the holidays, they would be able to turn around and ship a 7" tablet by the spring, IMO. Tim Cook is a logistics guy, and he would be especially knowledgeable about how to do this.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by stonetools

These tablets may well do well.... until Tim Cook, at the next Apple announcement, says "oh yeah... one thing more... Steve once said that 7" tablets wouldn't work, but its a new day now.. Ladies and gentleman, I give you the Ipad mini... A 7" tablet priced at $299, running the latest version of Ios !!"


OK, that's probably fantasy right now, but if 7" tablets become popular over the next few months, that's a card Apple could play at some point next year. I don't think it would take all that much for Apple to do a 7" iPad. A smaller battery, the same processor than runs 1Pad 2, 8 gig of memory ,and they would be pretty much all set. They could launch it in the spring along with the iPad 3.
An iPad mini would pretty much crush the cheaper Android tablet crowd. It would have the right price, the same specs, plus the better Apple ecosystem, plus the familiar Ios operating system.
Right now, Apple doesn't need to do that. They're selling every iPad they can make . But they have an awesome ace in the hole.

so would you even look at any differences or just buy a smaller tablet because it's made by apple?

apple apple apple ad nausum *we need a vomit emoticon* dude take a cold shower and snap out of this Apple trance you're in.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Yes, I strongly disagree with your comment, but let's no start a debate about it.

Most of the relatives or friend I know, rooted it. And if you browse these forums, you'll see a decent amount of posts, actually much more than anything else, asking how to root it or what to download after rooting.

However, and like I said on my previous post, B&N makes more money selling digital books, not the actual hardware itself. I doubt the NC has pushed digital sales good enough to call it a success.

On the other side, I've seen very few Sony or Kindle users that rooted their devices, we are actually quite happy with the installed firmware (with the exception of DXG maybe). Of course, those are not tablets, but dedicated readers for digital books and sales. NC is exactly that out of the box, a dedicated ereader.

Could it be just that you live in a circle of people who are techies? You should understand that there are lots of people who don't even own a laptop, smartphone, or ebook reader, much less know what rooting is. For such people, buying a NC and learning to read ebooks off it is all they know, or even want to know.

[allinhi/]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Hmmm, well, I am not so sure about using the word "success" with the Nook Color.

They sold a lot, that is correct, but mainly because the price was low and the operating system was relatively easy to hack.

In terms of B&N as a bookstore, not so sure that means a success for them. They make money with digital books, not so much with hardware.

BN gets first shot at selling products and as long as big boy amazon gives them enough time that they can deliver a follow up product, they don't need to make much on the nook.