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Magic Coin

Thoughts on HP Touchpad:

There is no doubt that 2011 will be “the year of tablets” pioneered with the iPad, and then followed by Android and webOS tablets (so far) looks that there will be a lot of options in the market. But one of them has captured attention like no other: The HP Touchpad.

This upcoming 9.7-inch tablet coming from HP-Palm could be the first real competitor for the iPad, mainly because (and unlike Android tablets) it has a more simple and polished user interface, Web Os has not only awesome capabilities, but also has better look and feel than Android honeycomb. The UI with cards and native multitasking really steps forward from what we have seen in tablets.

The Touchpad, has tremendous specs, with a 9.7 screen, Snapdragon dual core Cpu at 1.2 GHz and native Flash support, the touchpad not only positions itself above the industry standard iPad, but also above the other tablets on the market.

Web Os is very well implemented on the device rung smoothly, it also brings synergy and full integration with the Palm Pre’s ecosystem.

I have to tell that the touchpad came not only with great software and hardware, but also with a nice design. Compared to other tablets the touchpad is one of the best looking tablets, and in my opinion it only loses against the iPad (in terms of design)

Available until this summer, the touchpad will be facing a very crowded market, the upcoming android tablets leaded by the Motorola Xoom, and the second generation iPad, which will be some of the competitors, so we still need to see the reception of this device.

HP didn’t revealed any prices, but I expect to cost around 500-700 USD based on the 800 of the Motorola Xoom, but no one really knows.

So HP-Palm has really shown us something different today, the touchpad really is an awesome product which I expect to see soon, and see how it behaves with the new upcoming tablets.

For more information about the Touchpad visit: http://www.palm.com/us/company/events/

Why is unlikely that the next iPad will get a USB port.

We are now on December almost 2011, if we remember the iPad was announced on January and finally released in April, so based on this the iPad 2.0 will come really soon, with new features that will let it compete with the new tablets that will be announced in 2011. We all have read the rumors of the new iPad; some said it would have Retina display (unlikely) a Gyroscope, Face time, Camera, new design, etc.

Since the introduction of the iPad people have being complaining about the lack of a USB port, a characteristic that was a deal breaker for some, and irrelevant to others. Some upcoming tablets are said that they will have USB ports, so the rumors of a USB port on the next iPad have started running from mouth to mouth. There have been some leaks recently that feature cases with an undefined hole/space for what people believe is a USB input.

But we must understand better the iPad as a product so we can know why its unlikely to have a USB port, the same reasons that made the first generation iPad lack it.

  First: “the iPad is just a big iPhone” we have heard this statement which I totally disagree with, I believe that this phrase is the same as saying that “a truck is just a big bicycle” just because they both have wheels, the same happens here, just because they both use iOS doesn’t mean one is just a big version of the other, the iPad has been optimized to give a better, more computer centric experience.

But that is precisely the reason because the iPad won’t get a USB port: iOS.

As much as this operating system looks as powerful as a computer operating system (like Windows or OS X) we must remember it doesn’t have a “FILE SYSTEM” you don’t have a “Finder” or “Explorer” to search a bunch of documents in your device, you just use apps, and because of this it has become so easy to use & so limited.

Imagine your iPad has a USB port, you connect your USB device and then… where will you search your documents? Sure, you can use an app like “goodreader” or something, but the OS is no integrated to have a file system, and it will be a pain in the ass to access something on your pendrive with an OS not made to do that.

  Second: design, yes it’s a stupid reason but I have to say it. I don’t imagine my iPad with a huge USB port in the side. HUGE? You may say, well USB ports are not “big” but if you see an iPad and compare its thickness with the one of a USB port, you will realize that it’s simply impossible to fit one of those. In order to put a USB port on the iPad, Apple must made a redesign of the product and make it THICKER, I don’t think making the iPad 2 thicker its a way to go, its more likely it would be slimmer. Of course you can put a microUSB or a miniUSB port, but hey who want a miniUSB port!? You can’t connect anything unless you have an adaptor. So you will go to your local store asking: do you have a microUSB to USB adaptor? The salesman will look at you and laugh, and then it will tell you they are no more available but you can go to the store at the other side of the world, they have one there.

  Third: You barely need it! Yes, I’ve being using an iPad fort the last 6 months, and I have never needed a USB port (Flash support its another story) I just sync my iPad trough iTunes, and over there I can import music, movies, apps, even DOCUMENTS, I can import Office documents with iPad’s iWork and even PDF with iBooks, so I personally don’t need a USB slot to import documents, specially because the iPad its just a secondary “portable computer” you don’t use an iPad as a primary work PC, its just for email, and web surfing.

In case you need to interchange files constantly with your iPad and a computer, you can use Cloud storage like Dropbox, it’s free and amazing, if you don’t use it go and try it. So the necessity of a USB port is really small, you don’t need it, believe me.

 These are my personal reasons, of course apple can reveal the iPad 2.0 has a USB port, but it’s more likely to be used only to import your photos or some crap like that. But in that case it already exists the (overpriced) “camera connection kit”. So if iPad 2 (of whatever its called) will feature a USB port, its unpredictable, only time (and Steve Jobs) will tell. Thanks for reading and I hope my reasons can give you another perspective of the upcoming iPad. Happy holidays and take care!

How many 3.5” floppy discks you need to install modern software?

Check out here:

http://www.behance.net/gallery/3_5-inch-poster-set/164212