Why is it that no one saw the iPad coming? It wasn't exactly the worlds best kept secret - there were rumours for six months or more before it finally launched. Why is it then, that as of yet no one has got to market with a decent Android tablet to take it on? Yes, there are a few crappy, low powered ones running Cupcake (1.5) or maybe Donut (1.6) - Eclair (2.1) is the minimum. Who the hell would waste their time (and money) on those? Certainly not anyone outside of the asylum.
Ok, so we saw a few at CES and various other shows but as yet nothing has launched - unless you count the Dell Streak but then again, what the hell is that all about? First off why the hell launch with Donut? - that's just plain nobber. Secondly the Streak just seems to be a comedy sized mobile phone. Too big for your pocket - I suppose those with a man bag.... Too small to be a tablet. Utterly pointless. I'll stick with my Desire thank you - for now at least, but I really want a decent tablet.
The Notion Ink Adam - stupid name - looks good on paper... and in the video - but why's it going to take so long to market? November? I'll wager it'll be next year before it sees the light of day - if ever.
The WePad? Again, looks good but why not use Android? And anyway, will it launch this year? Probably not.
What of the big players? Acer, Asus, MSI, HP - ok, we'll forget HP and the money they wasted on WebOS - what the hell was that all about? Why can't they get to market? It's not like tech hardware isn't there - think Tegra.
I want to be able to browse and tinker in comfort on a multi-touch tablet. I want Android with Eclair as a minimum with a quoted upgrade path to Froyo (2.2) and beyond. Donut simply is not acceptable.
Now the iPad - and I've never been a fan of Rip-off Apple - does look bloody nice. They've got themselves a tasty bit of kit and I'm mighty tempted. It's got what I want - well hold it right there, not quite. Only the lack of Flash prevents me breaking my sacred bond to never buy Apple.
I guess I'll be waiting till 2011...
