Two announcements of forthcoming tablets in the last week point to growing competition for the previously all-conquering iPad. While Samsung, Motorola and others have already joined the fray many more tablets are on the way.
On Tuesday Sony announced their entries, currently code named the S1 and the S2. The S1 follows the by now 'traditional' tablet format while the S2 is a foldable tablet with two smaller screens that can be used together or separately. Both run Android.
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A few days previously Toshiba announced pricing and availablity for their Android tablet in the home market. They also gave it a name - the Toshiba Regza AT300. The tablet will be released in Japan in June and the 16GB model will retail at the equivalent of $725.
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As interesting as these products may be in their own right, most visitors to Serious Compacts will primarily be interested in how these tablets might function as photographic tools. Last month, DPReview took a look at the iPad from a photographers perspective and discussed some of the better photography related applications available.
Doubtless they and others will in due course do the same for some of the current and planned competitors. Right now details of Sony's tablets are too sketchy to reach any conclusions, but there is plenty of information on the new Toshiba and, personally, I'm interested.
I've never seen the iPad as a convincing photographic tool for two main reasons. First, Apple's decision to exclude support for Flash means that too many websites - including my own - are not fully functional on the iPad.
You can read Apple's reasoning behind their decision to exclude flash but, even if it is all true, the fact remains that Flash is all over the web, including on many photography related webites, and will continue to be for the forseeable future. Whatever problems there may be with Flash on tablets it's better to have the option. The Toshiba (along with all other Android tablets it should be noted) will run Flash.
Second, while Apple has put a lot of energy into the user experience when it comes to software they have taken some strange decisions regarding hardware. The iPad comes with one proprietary port that requires additional connectors if you want to use USB, HDMI, or SD cards. Even then, the USB capability is restricted and these connectors can only be used one at a time.
To be fair, Apple don't market the iPad as a productivity tool, emphasising instead the ability to browse and consume media, where having all that hardware connectivity is less important.
The Toshiba, however, comes with USB, mini USB and HDMI connectors and an SD card slot. To me, this hardware functionality makes the Toshiba a real option for the photographer, especially on the road. Being able to plug your SD card into your tablet, connect it to the TV monitor in your hotel room, sort your images and then download them to your portable hard drive sounds like a great solution.
The Toshiba Tablet
On Tuesday Sony announced their entries, currently code named the S1 and the S2. The S1 follows the by now 'traditional' tablet format while the S2 is a foldable tablet with two smaller screens that can be used together or separately. Both run Android.
A few days previously Toshiba announced pricing and availablity for their Android tablet in the home market. They also gave it a name - the Toshiba Regza AT300. The tablet will be released in Japan in June and the 16GB model will retail at the equivalent of $725.
As interesting as these products may be in their own right, most visitors to Serious Compacts will primarily be interested in how these tablets might function as photographic tools. Last month, DPReview took a look at the iPad from a photographers perspective and discussed some of the better photography related applications available.
Doubtless they and others will in due course do the same for some of the current and planned competitors. Right now details of Sony's tablets are too sketchy to reach any conclusions, but there is plenty of information on the new Toshiba and, personally, I'm interested.
I've never seen the iPad as a convincing photographic tool for two main reasons. First, Apple's decision to exclude support for Flash means that too many websites - including my own - are not fully functional on the iPad.
You can read Apple's reasoning behind their decision to exclude flash but, even if it is all true, the fact remains that Flash is all over the web, including on many photography related webites, and will continue to be for the forseeable future. Whatever problems there may be with Flash on tablets it's better to have the option. The Toshiba (along with all other Android tablets it should be noted) will run Flash.
Second, while Apple has put a lot of energy into the user experience when it comes to software they have taken some strange decisions regarding hardware. The iPad comes with one proprietary port that requires additional connectors if you want to use USB, HDMI, or SD cards. Even then, the USB capability is restricted and these connectors can only be used one at a time.
To be fair, Apple don't market the iPad as a productivity tool, emphasising instead the ability to browse and consume media, where having all that hardware connectivity is less important.
The Toshiba, however, comes with USB, mini USB and HDMI connectors and an SD card slot. To me, this hardware functionality makes the Toshiba a real option for the photographer, especially on the road. Being able to plug your SD card into your tablet, connect it to the TV monitor in your hotel room, sort your images and then download them to your portable hard drive sounds like a great solution.
The Toshiba Tablet