The MSI Windpad is finally available to order in the U.S. (as the Windpad 100W) and in Europe (as the Windpad 232W) and to me it looks like a mish-mash of a Tablet PC that aims to be an all-rounder on specifications and yet ends-up being a master of nothing.
The 10 inch screen is 1024×600 average. The capacitive screen sits on top of the mouse and pen-focused Windows 7 Mis-match. The GMA500/1.6Ghz Menlow platform isn’t the best at helping Windows 7 along. An 800gm weight is unlikely to house a battery that offers more than 4 hours. The U.S. version appears to be missing the Bluetooth module. The price isn’t exactly stunning. There’s only one USB port.
With an SSD, a 1.6Ghz Atom and 2GB of RAM you’d expect it to run reasonably well but Engadget reported from CES that “Windows 7 is seriously laggy and unresponsive inch which means it could have a slow SSD set-up inside.
The differences in specs between the 100W and 232W are subtle but it looks like the EU gets the more complete tablet package with Windows Home Premium and Bluetooth included in the 232W. Oh, and we’re not sure if that docking station is included too so please check before ordering. Better still, wait for some reviews to filter through first. We’ll add them to the product page when we find them.
I’m not a big fan of 10 inch tablets myself but I do know what it makes to create a good mobile TabletPC and a good consumer tablet. The two often require different approaches that can’t be addresses in a single product. That single-product approach is what MSI appear to have attempted here.
If the Windpad drops in price, comes with the dock and proves itself through reviews then it might be worth taking a look at as a docked hot-desk solution but for other scenarios, I think there will be better solutions out there.
Why would they opt for Menlow not Oak Trail?
Its another case of taking too long to get to market!
I have been following the Adam from Notion Ink, however i am unsure if it is in practice as good as the hype. What other 10″ solutions do you think are out there worth pursuing. I am currently writing this on a dell streak which is great for quick emails etc during the day however the screen size is a limitation. I also dont necessarily want to follow the ipad crowd. Your advice is invaluable. Keep up the good work.
That’s gives me a thought about a possible article that would focus on 10″ devices and usage scenarios. Are you aiming for productivity or casual usage? Social or desktop style internet? This article http://www.umpcportal.com/2010/03/the-full-internet-experience-of-2010/ might help too.
I am using iPad, and even if it looks and feels good, I can’t get over it’s limitations. Missing flash, silverlight, handwriting recognition, and even such a small thing like keyboard arrows to move cursor left, right, up and down! All those things are very annoying, even if touch screen “feel good”, when you need to be productive, pen is a must! Specially, on the screen in 10″ area. I am waiting for a nice Windows Slate device 10 to 12 inch, light enough, powerful enough, and with wireless connectivity, not just Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. IMHO, an idea behind Slate device is that it is MOBILE, but what is Mobility without Connectivity? Just a toy, you can’t accomplish much, at least on my account!
Well….having been a fan or your site for a while now i do recall reading this article a while ago. I guess like most people i want the best of both worlds. I am a planning officer so need to read and edit reports, view drawings of buildings online, read dull but essential policy documents and keep up to date with emails etc. The “work” side would also help to justify the expense (especially to the mrs.!). Then comes the evenings when i sit in front of the tv with my darling wife and like most of us, spend more time viewing stories on line than on the goggle box. A good battery of 8 hours would be good however in reality i am never that far from a plug socket. Desktop style appeals more as i guess it is more flexible.
Annotations will be important for you so dual-mode screen with digitiser layer will be near the top of your list. keep an eye out for the oaktrail-based Lenovo ideapad and the Motion Ink slate (cl 900 I think) Hope for 1.8Ghz versions!
for a productive tablet a screen res of at least 1380×800 is a must. same as active digitizer functionality. additionally a mobile productive device as such must have connectors to external presentation devices. that wireless is not enough already has been said. as such devices are heavily used, a protective sleeve in my opinion is a must (without additional costs). 6 hours under working conditions are an absolute minimum.
I continually read reviews criticisizing Windows 7 on tablets, and as a consumer who uses one, I have to say reviewers just don’t get it. No, Windows does not come fine-tuned for slates, but it is a CUSTOMIZEABLE operating system. Buttons too small for your fingers? Increase their size. Can’t hit the scroll slider– fatten it. It’s as finger-friendly as you make it. You’ll won’t find the ability to delete a file or save it assigned to a gesture on an ipad, but you can’t do it in Windows 7. Consumers choose Win tablets because they want greater productivity and compatibility, and a wider ranger of programs (paid and free); at least that’s why I choose one (and no, it’s not a Winpad 100w; I’ve got an exopc). In addition, Windows 7 has very good handwriting recognition capabilities. The only consistent trade-off is having the battery duration of a laptop rather than a netbook.