2012: Year of the [insert tablet here]?!?

[irvinehomeowner]

So according to this article, Amazon put some coal in Apple's stocking:

http://www.bgr.com/2012/01/03/kindle-fire-cost-apple-1-billion-or-more-in-holiday-ipad-sales/

Amazon’s new Kindle Fire was a hot item during the holiday shopping season, and one analyst believes the new Amazon tablet may have cost Apple well over $1 billion in holiday iPad sales. Morgan Keegan analyst Travis McCourt on Tuesday lowered his December-quarter iPad sales estimate from 16 million units to 13 million. Hot sales of the Kindle Fire ahead of the holidays are responsible for trimming sales of Apple’s iPad by between 1 million and 2 million units, the analyst believes, making Amazon’s new slate the main reason for McCourt’s slashed forecast.

I really think Amazon got it right by coming out with a 7" model first to compete in both the eReader market and the tablet... err... iPad market.

The $199 price probably didn't hurt much either... my mom got a Fire when she originally was looking to get an iPad but liked the better portability and the lower price.

So now what does 2012 hold? Supposedly a higher resolution iPad 3 with two different version and there is talk of a smaller iPad (against Steve's wishes).

I really think these Android guys better churn out some great products in the sub $300/7-8" range before Apple goes there... or else they'll have nowhere to sell. Samsung still think their products are Apple-valued and won't lower their prices so someone like Acer, Asus, Toshiba or even Sony should try to capture that segment.

I can't be the only gadget addict who craves a 7"-8" full featured Ice Cream sandwich Android tablet (not Amazon or B&B neutured) at a $250 price point.

[roundcorners]

IHO... U never commented on this video

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFuWQyH3trg" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFuWQyH3trg</a>

Jeff predicts that Windows 8 on a Tablet will KILL everything, ipad or Android alike... I would have to slightly agree, if people are mostly using Windows, work or home; then having a Tablet with slightly less features than a full desktop version will be appealing...

Think of just carrying around a Windows 8 Tablet, to work, plug in a dock, keyboard and mouse; take the same tab to lunch, home and dock, on airplane, travel etc...

BUT... then again, I think Android already took a lot of that steam away...

Again, from my post today, if I can remote my PC from my Nexus than why would I even need a tablet..?  I can BT a keyboard, a mouse... ok, the small screen, but 4.65 isn't too bad...

[irvinehomeowner]

The biggest problem for Win8 tablets... heat, weight and battery life.

That's why you still don't see 10-hour Windows light and thin notebooks.

An iPad or Android tablet can go 10 hours without overheating and don't weigh very much... there is not a Win7 tablet out right now that can do the same. Supposedly Win8 can run on ARM processors... but theory always looks better than reality.

And in your scenario, remote desktop is fine... but many people want the tablet to be their local desktop and not having to rely on another device being on and having an active connection to it.

[roundcorners]

& price.. - $1,249..!


Samsung XE700T1A-A03US Tablet PC, Black with Dock and Keyboard

[jvna]

I don't think Win8 will overtake Android or iOS in the tablet or phone arena.  Windows is too bloated and inefficient.  No way I see Win8 working well in a tablet form.  MS has been trying for years with their phones and they've gotten no traction.  However, let's have an imaginary world where Win8 works similarly well as iOS and Android on a tablet.  If that were to happen, they would still have a hard time catching up to the App Store or Android Market.  No apps equals no success as evident by WebOS.  People seemed to have liked the OS, but no apps to support it.

I think that the Kindle Fire did well because it was backed by a very known name, Amazon, was in a form factor that had a lot of appeal, was tied to a lot of media (music/movies/shows/books), had a great portal to Amazon's shopping experience and was priced very well.  I think the price point was a big factor in people's decision to go with the Fire instead of the iPad.  Even if Apple comes out with a smaller form factor, I'm not sure if it would tip over the decision against a Kindle Fire if any smaller iPad is still $100+ more expensive.

What's going to dominate the tablet arena in 2012?  I really have no idea, but it's going to be very interesting to see.  I can't wait to figure out what my first tablet will be.  I'm hoping something will come out and get me to buy it in the next month.

[irvinehomeowner]

I finally sold my TF+dock.

So weird... I've had it listed since before Thanksgiving and only got lowball offers... some half of what I was asking. There were a few close to my ask price but when I tried to follow-up they did not respond. I wasn't really in a hurry so I could wait it out.

Then last week go two offers at full price and the first buyer bought it the same day after looking at it for 5 minutes (a previous buyer wanted me to show him my original receipts and test if for half an hour).

I don't even miss it... haven't touched it since before I listed it (tend to whip out my iPhone for around the house internet browsing) which leads me to believe that a 7" tablet is more my style. Maybe not even that... maybe I just need a bigger Android phone (I hear the Galaxy Note is coming to AT&T or Sprint).

I really do think that if Apple came out with a 7" iPad at around $299 they could sell a ton... but that would cannibalize there iPod Touch market.

[jvna]

That's interesting.  I'm curious to see if I'll be excited with a new tablet for a few months, then have it idle also (the kids will want to play on it every day).  I'll see how I adjust to typing on forums on a tablet virtual keyboard.  While I've liked a few Android games I've played on my wife's Samsung Galaxy S2, I do wonder if I'll putter out on interest after a few weeks/months.  Since my wife's gotten her GS2 (replacing the original MyTouch 3G), that things been glued to her hip all day and into the night.  I'm gonna think that if I can find tools/apps/games on a tablet, it should keep it relevant for me for a long time.

I'd be surprised to see Apple debut a new 7" iPad for $299.  Maybe a "low cost" price of $399, but $299 sounds much too low.

[irvinehomeowner]

I'd be surprised to see Apple debut a new 7" iPad for $299.  Maybe a "low cost" price of $399, but $299 sounds much too low.

Like they've done with the iPhones, they may just lower the price of the older model... selling the iPad 2 at $299:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-57351446-248/rumored-three-ipad-model-lineup-could-cut-entry-price-to-$299/

And Google is supposedly readying their "Nexus" version of a tablet also for $299:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57352642-93/now-its-a-google-tablet-that-will-challenge-kindle-fire/

[roundcorners]

BGR is reporting different...

http://www.bgr.com/2012/01/05/googles-nexus-tablet-may-push-android-partners-out-of-the-picture/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheBoyGeniusReport+%28BGR+%7C+Boy+Genius+Report%29

Google has yet to confirm that it is working on a Nexus tablet and with the first wave of Android 4.0 devices from partners expected to be unveiled next week, it is unlikely that the company will discuss its tablet until some time after the Consumer Electronics Show. There have already been persistent rumors that multiple PC vendors plan to abandon their Android tablet efforts. Being forced to compete with a $199 own-brand tablet from Google as well as the iPad and Kindle Fire may be all the motivation these companies need to throw in the towel and wait for Windows 8.

[jvna]

Sources for both rumors were DigiTimes, so yeah... kinda weak rumor.  Hopefully Google does give more info on a potential Nexus tablet.  If there will be nothing new available in the near future, I'm left with two options....

1) get something on the low end to hold me over and hope to get a next gen tablet later in the year (if wife let's me)
2) get the best now (but not Prime as that thing is plagued with GPS, weak wifi, possible Bluetooth and possible quality issues (screen bleed, detaching screen, dead/locked pixels), but be behind relatively quickly

[irvinehomeowner]

If you can wait... wait... CES is going to have some pretty cool stuff.

I don't think the Prime will get outdated even into 2013. Tons of tablets in 2012 will still run Tegra 2/dual core and we probably won't see a proliferation of quad until 3rd/4th quarter.

Asus has been having quality control issues lately and I think it's their rush to get leading tech to market faster than others... but... they at least keep their current stuff updated (right before I sold the TF, I had an OTA update).

I should have jumped on a Playbook when they were $199 at Best Buy... I can get a 64gb for $299 but I have to order it online and I can't make use of Best Buy's liberal holiday return policy.

[roundcorners]

why...? Apple doing the Android thing... I guess...

Apple may launch iPad 3 in March, iPad 4 in October
http://www.bgr.com/2012/01/06/apple-may-launch-ipad-3-in-march-ipad-4-in-october/




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[jvna]

It'll be interesting to hear what Apple announces with the next iPad.

[jvna]

Actually, I'm interested to hear about all new tablets and smartphones in the next few months.

[roundcorners]

We've got a whole slew of Android Tab news out this morning from CES.. let's get hoppin...


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