Product Of The Year: The Media Tablet

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IT ROUND UP

Product of the Year: The media tablet

By Asina Pornwasin

The media-tablet market opened for business in Thailand around the middle of this year, when Apple's iPad was launched overseas.

It provided a perfect illustration of the extraordinary level of competition that pervades new-technology markets. Even though the iPad was not available officially, its launch in the United States stirred local attention and generated demand. Media tablets became the talk of the town, so several PC vendors, among them Samsung and Dell, stepped into the breach.

Samsung officially launched its first Android-powered tablet computer, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, in the fourth quarter of this year, followed by the launch of the Dell Streak - the first Android tablet from Dell Computer in Thailand.

Finally, before the end of the year, Apple officially launched the iPad in Thailand through its local partner, Copperwired.

The media-tablet market is set to be the "honey market" of the IT industry in 2011, recording steep growth. This follows a global trend in which many vendors are planning to launch media tablets in a dash to catch up with the leaders and scoop up some of the huge demand.

The growth of media tablets will also change the game for the content and publishing business.

Tablet devices form a new market segment in-between smart phones and notebooks, but they will not replace either of these devices because they complement both of them. There is concern that the market may be slower than expected because of a perception that media tablets are geared to replace netbooks, notebooks and smart phones.

Vendors are at pains to discount this belief, and say that tablets are not a fashion product that will come and go quickly.

There is currently no official forecast for the size of the media-tablet market next year. But vendors say that in 2010 about 100,000 media tablets were sold in Thailand and 2011 should see a five-fold increase, to half a million units.

-- The Nation 2010-12-27

[Jimi007]

Well the Galaxy is a better size than the iPad and can be used as a phone. But it doesn't sound very good when used as a phone. Not a lot of memory either. I kind of like my new iPod touch, 64 Gig. Although it's a bit small...

[Bakseedaa]

Well the Galaxy is a better size than the iPad and can be used as a phone. But it doesn't sound very good when used as a phone. Not a lot of memory either. I kind of like my new iPod touch, 64 Gig. Although it's a bit small...

Some would say the "Gillette" vibrating razor is the Product of the Year... I personally think it should go to the instant Tomato freezing machine... any-one for a Bloody Mary..?

[Jimi007]

What was the topic again? Enjoy your Gillette Bloody Mary!

[nikster]

"Media Tablet" - where did that come from? Is it multi-media time again?

What they mean is the iPad and all the clones that sprung up, which, by and large, are crap. It will take another year or so but I am sure that Google will make Android into a killer tablet OS eventually. iPad already works great of course.

That the article photo shows a Dell Streak is particularly ironic - the Streak is on many "worst flops of the year" lists, and the guy who was responsible for it got fired from Dell a few weeks after its release.

[RoyHarsip]

It will take another year or so but I am sure that Google will make Android into a killer tablet OS eventually.

they already did... the Galaxy Tab eats the far too bulky, non flash playing, slower processor ipad alive...

i have both both, and Samsung wins hands down...

[nikster]

It will take another year or so but I am sure that Google will make Android into a killer tablet OS eventually.

they already did... the Galaxy Tab eats the far too bulky, non flash playing, slower processor ipad alive...

Each to his own but what you're saying makes no sense: Bulky? No shit, it's a nearly 10" screen vs 7". Slower processor? Both have 1Ghz processors. No Flash - true but nobody's missing it. I am not for sure. iPad has a 10" IPS LED screen and costs $100 less than the Galaxy S while providing 2x the battery life. Not even talking about games - have you seen Infinity Blade? Look at these graphics... (watch in HD to see how it looks on the iPad)

The only thing that I really want on the iPad is a front facing camera for video chat. And I a retina display; I think that will make the iPad a fantastic eBook reader, rather than just an OK one. Waiting for version 2 for that, then my current one can go to my 3 year old... he's already using it for painting, watching videos, kids games.

Edited December 28, 2010 by nikster

[bkkjames]

Just my observation but these Ipads etc are nice toys but forget about doing any work on them.

A poster above mentioned the Galaxy wins hands down - I have not seen or tried one but everything I have read about it is it's the very opposite of what you say?

[Igor]

I see the telecom Wellcom has an Android tablet. Looks a little chunky and I don't know the price. When I first saw the ad I wasn't interested because it advertised Android 1.6. But now I see 2.2 being touted. Anybody know anything about it?