Tim Barrett has done it again… He’s read Wayne Small’s blog post about the iPad killer and he’s wanting one himself…

A few weeks ago, Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn was quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying iPad sales were cannibalizing PC notebook sales by as much as 50%. I thought it seemed high, and as ARN reported earlier this week, analysts are in disagreement about those very numbers.

As it turns out, NPD data analysis has shown those numbers to be slightly lower – in the mid-teens to as much as 25% range. But, regardless of where the numbers fall, that’s still a hefty chunk of consumers suggesting they don’t need a new netbook or notebook PC – that an iPad, as limiting as the device can be, is the perfect alternative for mid-level browsing and email.

It got me to thinking about where we’re at in the evolution of tablet PCs. I’ve been in this industry for almost a decade back when manufacturers were geeking out about their first wave of Windows based tablets. Tablets of that era were often clunky and heavy, but I fell in love with them immediately and have been  a passionate advocate of the platform ever since.

So, it’s hard to step back and look at these trends without intense scrutiny, especially when you consider I’ve had the luxury of owning almost every  new device on the market. The truth, which makes perfect sense when you look at those numbers more carefully, is that people are not necessarily replacing notebook PCs with tablets, and they’re definitely not supplanting their power computing with an iPad.

What we’re really seeing is a world where most people own more than one computer – the big powerful machine at home for heavy duty work, the smart phone for on-the-go transactions, and the in-between machine for getting work done at the airport or web surfing on the train. And the iPad is filling that final hole for a lot of early adopters.

Building on Momentum

I’ve made no bones about my impression of the iPad. This thing just can’t get the job done in a business environment. ARN also called my attention to a recent Technology Business Research survey showing 32% of iPad owners using the device as a PC replacement and 44% of them using the device as their number one computing device (by raw hours). When I see these numbers, I get warm fuzzy feelings inside, because I know it means big things are coming for tablets in general, not just iPads.

As you all know, Android has been making quite a stir on the tablet scene in the last few months. Since the first Android tablet hit the market in 2009 (before the iPad I might add), analysts have been wondering what the breakthrough device would be. Smartphones had the Motorola Droid – what will bring Android tablets into the mainstream discussion alongside the iPad?

Some people think Samsung is on the right track with their Galaxy line. Others are looking for big things out of PC manufacturers. Personally, I think it will be a combination of devices, perhaps like the TEGA v2 which will support dual-boot Android/Windows. After all, that’s what has made Android the fastest growing phone OS on the planet, quickly gaining on the iPhone. Apple has their iOS on two phones. Google has theirs on dozens. People can transition between multiple devices, all while using their Google Services accounts to keep track of Apps, data, and everything else that you need when backing up a phone.

And now we have people going gaga for tablets. They’re going for tablets because they’re cool, intuitive and lightweight and they make a great in-between device for someone who needs more power than a smart phone but doesn’t want to lug around a PC.

Apple did something good here – they got the Tablet into the mainstream. It took more than 10 years to do it, but now we’re seeing people switching over at record pace, and just like they did for the smartphone, I see Android devices squeaking in to offer something more powerful, diverse and generally useful than Apple – business users keep your eyes open because it won’t be long before Android tablets litter classrooms, boardrooms, and living rooms everywhere.

>What started out as an effort to satisfy some friends has quickly turned into a who’s who of Australian media! First my mate Jon Dee – runner up Australian of the Year 2010 (also Planet Ark fame and Do Something!) wanted an iPad and then Stephen Fenech (of the Fenech Family fame) and Editor of The Daily Telegraph’s Connect column wanted one too.

I spent the late afternoon sipping tea and talking Tablets with these two gentlemen on Monday afternoon and by the end of it felt better about the IT space. Ironically not because they had converted me to a devoted iPad lover but because of the sense of commitment and passion around Tablet seemed somewhat escalated this year.

As we were spearheaded by Jon regarding the App Store, and his latest arrays of expenditures, I understood just how significant Tablets are to mobility becoming an accepted form of computing. With both PC and Apple Tablets there is a sense of freedom, a sense of accomplishment and a sense of empowerment which comes with being able to compute on the road and on the go. I remember my first exposure to Tablet PC and how it revolutionised the way I worked; it seems the “Minority Report” dreams of mobile computing are no longer a dream at all and rapidly becoming a reality.

What I am excited about most is how Apple’s iPad has pushed mainstream PC manufacturers like Dell and HP to look for ways to compete and therefore offer more compelling mobile computing solutions which will include things like proper multi-tasking, full uncompromised Operating Systems and ports! HAHA! I am looking forward to Apple’s touch experience being more common place on PCs and things battery life increases too. Overall Tablets I a good place this year!

In other news, last week I presented at the Sydney Mobile User Group (#SYDMO). It was hosted at the City Hotel and ended up being a great night. I took the TEGA Tablet and the iPad and had fun showcasing it to the many folks at the event. I met @TheLatteGuy who then invited me to do a similar presentation on Wednesday (21st April) at #wscm, 54 Norton St Leichhardt. So if you’re in Sydney and want to hang out and Talk Tablets! Pop in for coffee between 8am and 10am.

>There are a handful of joys in life which remain with you forever, i.e. birth, marriage, death and lotto (for those that win!) LOL! I can now add a new one to the list and that is the joy of seeing your name on a computer!

Tegatech has released a Tablet PC and it’s branded TEGA and it rocks! (Of course I would say that). After working to get Bluetooth right, Wi-Fi right, 3G and touchscreen the first batches are almost ready to ship.

Once it’s properly annoucned I’ll let you all know.

>Seems as though DigitalReview Network has some strong connections as they’ve been given a new TEGA Tablet PC for review, ahead of its official release! They have done several reviews of Tegatech devices in the past, i.e. MediSlate, a Ruvo device and even Clean Screen. On this occassion there was even an attempted bribe (box of chocolates) but even so DRN claim the review would have been quite favourable without them!

Review:

Move over iPad! Sitting on our test bench is Australia’s latest Tablet PC, a beautiful 10 incher from the House of Tegatech.


You may know Tegatech as the key distributor and seller of UMPCs and ruggedised tablet PCs to list a few of their niche products. And you may know them from previous reviews we’ve done, like the MediSlate and the Ruvo Avox.

This time Tegatech has used their expertise to develop their own device. It is a 10.2″ Tablet PC with built-in 3G modem and they are calling it TEGA.


They worked with the Chinese manufacturer K.R.T. to develop an Australianised Tablet PC by adapting firmware and the touchscreen to suit our climate.

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