iPad 2 sparks redesigns, TouchPad 2 going to notebook group
updated 10:35 pm EST, Mon March 7, 2011
HP and others redesign tablets, PCs in iPad 2 wake
The iPad 2 has triggered a minor panic among PC and tablet makers, including a possible HP change in strategy for the future TouchPad, insiders said late Monday. A number of notebook designers, including Acer, ASUS, and HP, have reportedly looked at adding tablet features into what were going to be conventional designs. Digitimes cited the example of a 10-inch Eee Pad's USB keyboard as an example of what sort of Changes might take place.
HP's approach would be in the reverse direction, according to the tips: the company would supposedly be transferring the development of the next TouchPad to its notebook division rather than rely on the former Palm team. The reasons weren't clear, but the company was already in the early planning stages and setting the product direction.
A switch wouldn't preclude the involvement of the former Palm team but would suggest that most of their involvement to webOS rather than the complete design, as they had in the past.
Regardless of HP's plans, other companies making dedicated tablets were also said to be planning urgent redesigns of their own. Two to three companies were postponing their tablets to rework them and compete more effectively with the upgraded iPad. In some cases, hardware was being moved back one to two months, while others might be canceled altogether, a second round of insiders claimed.
Others were also concerned that the price cut on outgoing iPads to $399 has made it impossible to offer a similar model at what Apple was charging. It's not known if they understood that the older models were on clearance and wouldn't be available permanently.
Sudden redesigns have been a recurring theme since the iPad 2 was introduced last week. Samsung stopped short of planning a redesign but admitted there were parts of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 that were "inadequate" and hinted it would keep the price of the Android 3.0 slate in check instead of trying to charge a premium for what was no longer a superior competitor.
TAGS :
computers, industry, ASUS, HP, Acer, Android, Samsung, Palm, MSI, Apple, webOS, Eee Pad, iPad, Galaxy Tab, TouchPad
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2008
I guess this is what the deluded Android fanbois
consider Apple running scared of all the Android tablet competition. Apple announces a product, selects a date and ships it, regardless of what another company may do. Of course, Apple usually has all the control and besides, once Apple has started a product in motion, there's sure isn't going to be anything to stop it short of some catastropic component failures. I can only imagine how bad it would be if a product was completely canceled with no hope for a redesign.
The iPad is amazingly thin and it's going to get to a point where smaller companies can't possibly get the materials or machines that can handle that sort of unibody design. I had thought the iPhone would have undergone unibody design, but then that glass design mess took place. Apple might have used the glass to make the design unique, but I'm not sure it panned out the way they expected it to.
I honestly don't understand the pundits looking at the iPad 2 design and saying, "Oh, it's no big deal and just a insignificant upgrade." Five years ago, something like the iPad 2 would have only been feasible for some aerospace project and certainly not a consumer item. Some of these tech-heads just don't get it. You feel you've got a display in your hand and nothing else, but there's a darn powerful computer in it. I think these pundits are totally jaded and just can't appreciate good engineering. The consumer may not fully grasp it, but I'm sure they they'll be able to sense the craftsmanship of the iPad 2.