NEC intros Android tablet 'cloud communicator'
LifeTouch untouchable?
NEC has taken the wraps off its entry into the Android tablet - sorry, "cloud communicator" - arena.
Said gadget is branded the LifeTouch, and it goes on sale at the end of the month. NEC said it is aiming the "cloud communicator" - don't mention the T word - at big business, but since it also lists "electronic books, home services, e-shop, entertainment, etc." among the LifeTouch's "expected uses", we figure it's hoping individuals will step up to the plate too.
The ARM A8-powered gadget features a non-glossy 7in, 480 x 800 display with a "retina touch panel", which might mean it's capacitive or might not, but the mention that it's "pen operable" suggests it's resistive. Likewise the plethora of controls on the front.
iPad simple it's not.
The tablet contains 384MB of Ram but seemingly no storage - you need SDHC cards for that. It has two USB 2.0 ports - one big, one mini - 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 3MP camera, and GPS.
It runs Android 2.1.
NEC claimed the 220 x 120 x 14mm, 370g tablet's battery is good for eight hours' continuous usage.
NEC announced the LifeTouch in Japan, so we'll have to wait and see whether the device makes it over here - or is cheap enough, given the resistive screen, to compete with the low-cost tablets coming in from China. ®
COMMENTS
Looks like I'm on my own again....
..... but I rather like it.
There could be some hidden uses, like PDA usage, for example. Ok, no keyboard, but this could be a pretty useful little 'jack of all trades' device : some music, while you read, synch' to have contacts 'n' tasks ready. I assume email will be straight forward, so why not.
The Japanese do have a habit of making some strange stuff, but they get functionality bang on.
Personally, I have the I-Pad thing. Looks a bit weedy, far too pricey, crap at web [won't render the BBC correct for example] and, frankly, I trust Apple about as far as I can throw them...
I'd but this NEC thing if it were in the £200 range....
P.
"technically superior losing out to the beautifully designed iPod."
For very small values of "superior", presumably.
Newsflash: good usability is no longer an optional extra.
You could build a slate device right now with every single feature the iPad has—and then some—but those features are *worthless* without a good user interface.
It's not as if there aren't any university courses and textbooks on the subject, so there really is no excuse for not having *both*. Anything else is unacceptable.
Well, to a point....
I'm not sure that products have to look lovely, although that never hurts. But being actively ugly will definitely hurt sales. Neutral looks are probably OK.
GJC
Can I assume
that when you used the phrase "technically superior" you were NOT referring to this particular monstrosity?
"The tablet contains 384MB of Ram but seemingly no storage - you need SDHC cards for that. It has two USB 2.0 ports - one big, one mini - 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 3MP camera, and GPS. It runs Android 2.1 [and has a] resistive touch screen"
Ewww, if I got one in the proverbial Corn Flakes packet I very much doubt I would use it for one second longer than the time it took to ascertain how truly terrible it is.*
Paris, because she is technically superior.
* But it does have two USB ports! LOOK, MY TABLET, IT HAS TEH PORTS!!!!! YOU'RE FAGGIT IPAD SUX0RS LOL H4H4 P0WNED LUSERS
Oh my god
that is one ugly mutha trucker.
That reminds me of the old pre zune MicroPod joke;
http://multimedia.worth1000.com/entries/183163/micropod
