The Microsoft Courier certainly looks quite impressive from the video below, but I do wonder if it needs to do more to take off. Thanks to Jah. More details are at engadget.

Many of you seem to love your Netbooks, judging by the comments in this article, but Lazyboy has a completely different view. Read on-

As you correctly identify in your article, Shaun, I don’t think the iPad is intended to compete directly with netbooks. Netbooks are basically cheap laptops, slightly more portable than their larger siblings, but laptops all the same. To use them you have to be sitting as a desk, or have them perched somewhat precariously on your knees. (Personally, if I’m in the market for a laptop – I’d rather get a decent one.)

The iPad is first and foremost a handheld device. It is intended to be used casually, in much in the same way as you would use a notepad, magazine or paperback book; something that you can easily pick up and put down anywhere in the house or office, and that will always be ready to use the instant you pick it up, without having to worry about a power brick or cable being close to hand. It’s small and light enough to hold in your hand, or to support lightly in your lap, or even to lie next to you on the armrest of your sofa.

My iPhone is currently computer of choice for many tasks, despite the limitations of its small screen. It’s way quicker and more convient to pull out of my pocket for quick reference, web surfing and checking email etc. than it is to break out my laptop. But it is still just a smartphone. Now, imagine that I have an iPad sitting beside me on the sofa; which device do you think I am going to use then? (Even more tellingly, which do you think I would pick up first if a laptop/netbook and iPad were sitting side by side?)

Put simply: the slim, light form factor, combined with the long battery life, big screen, blistering speed and dedicated multi-touch interface will make the iPad far more pleasurable to use than my iPhone. Don’t get me wrong: I love using my iPhone, but the experience will be so much better on that big screen.

Moreover, the bigger form factor opens up a whole world of possibilities for application developers. Mac developer Omnigroup has already announced that it will port its entire suite of productivity applications to the iPad (most of which would have been impractical on the iPhone), and I’m sure it is just the first of many. Developers have done wonders with some of the applications for the iPhone, but imagine what they are going to do with the big canvas available to them on the iPad.

I will use my iPad for reading ebooks, newspapers, magazines; to check and respond to emails, check and update my calendar, jot down quick notes, create and update spreadsheets; create, edit and proof-read documents; plan projects, surf the web and play games – all of which will be be far more pleasurable, immediate and immersive than on a bulkier laptop/netbook, which I would have to prop-open on my knees, or on a smartphone, which is too small for extended use and more intensive computing tasks. (Aside: I spend a lot of time flying, and have always found it awkward to use a laptop on those tiny tables attached to the back of the seat – the smaller footprint of the iPad and not having to have the screen open vertically will be a boon.)

I have little doubt that I will soon get used to tapping out notes and emails with the onscreen keyboard, and when I really need to crank out some words, I’ll just drop it into the keyboard dock or use a BlueTooth keyboard. Crucially, though, the keyboard will not get in the way when I’m reading, flipping through a book, watching a movie, playing a game, or passing the iPad between family members and friends to share photos, movies, magzine articles or to play games. The form factor, weight and drop-dead simple interface of the iPad will be critical in those situations.

For the purposes and situations I have described above, a netbook would be a poor subsitute 90% of the time, so I’d choose the iPad in a heartbeat. Laptops and netbooks have their place, for sure, but I think the iPad occupies a space that they can’t compete in.

The iPhone changed the smartphone market in the blink of an eye and the iPad looks set to do the same to the Netbook market. At this time you can go out and buy a Netbook for under £200 which will have a lacklustre screen, a cramped keyboard and specifications which make you wish you had paid £100 for a proper laptop. The Netbook market has never truly lifted off and the aim of the industry has been all about price rather than offering a user experience that makes the owner ‘want’ to pick it up and play. The iPad could change the Netbook industry in the blink of an eye.

Of course the iPad is not meant to be a Netbook at all and has no intentions to enter this market, but the addition of a keyboard and the potential for multi-tasking suggests to me that it could gain traction among those who want a portable computing solution which brings some fun to the experience at the same time. If Apple can make an iPad with superior components at a low price point there is no excuse for Netbook makers to not do the same.

If you want a Windows laptop you can pay £299 for a well specified unit which will do everything you ask of it. If you want an Apple laptop you will pay upwards of £700 for the same thing. A Netbook costs £200 yet the iPad will cost approximately £300 to give you the Apple experience many people want. The cost of an Apple laptop is high in comparison to Windows laptops, but you will get a much longer life out of it and superior hardware. It is hard to then reconcile the smaller cost differential between Netbooks and the iPad which courts exactly the same argument.

Apple will not put out a hardware keyboarded iPad because that will encroach on its other markets, but for many people an iPad with an optional keyboard represents much better value than a Windows or Linux powered Netbook. Me included.

The iTablet name lives again and should see the light of day if X2 Computing has its way- Feb 05, 2010 – Coming hot on the heels of Apple’s latest product launch is the powerful new iTablet range of portable computers offering a real alternative to users wishing to continue to use their existing Microsoft Windows-based applications. With first shipments starting in April 2010 from X2 Computing, one of the UK’s fastest growing developers of mobile computing solutions, the iTablet will revolutionise the way that Windows users can access and use data on the move.

The iTablet range has a user interface that will be familiar to mobile phone owners but with 10.2” widescreen TFT or 12.1” widescreen XGA screens that feature touch and optional multi touch wrapped in stunning slim-line bezels. They have large, easy to use on-screen keyboards and powerful integrated graphics processors that deliver high quality visually stunning images at up 1024 x 768 resolution. This makes the iTablet an excellent e-reader that displays text and news the way it is meant to be read. The iTablet also provides high definition content playback to deliver a rich multimedia experience and the screen can be viewed in portrait or landscape format.

Intel micro processors up to 1.6GHz with 2GB of cache enable the use of Windows 7, Windows Tablet or open sourced Linux based operating systems. They provide high levels of processing performance enabling multiple applications to run simultaneously – something that cannot be achieved with some other operating systems. They also deliver a 20% reduction in power consumption over the previous generation of processors with an extended battery life, enough for the most dedicated user.

The iTablet range offers a superior memory storage capacity of up to 250GB giving users significantly more room to keep important pictures, films, music and applications with audio playback can be through the built-in stereo speakers or headset. With up to three in-built USB 2.0 ports, users have the flexibility to connect peripheral devices including additional external hard drives. The range includes versions with a built-in 1.3 mega-pixel USB camera and optional HDMI output is also available to enable high quality playback of HD video through larger TV screens.

ITablets are fully equipped with Bluetooth, optional 3G and GSM as well as built-in 802.11b/g networking enabling users to easily connect to wireless networks to download and edit their files or access the internet. Significantly, Flash animations can be played to maximise the web browsing experience and enable access to websites using a choice of browser software.

According to Robin Daunter, Technical Director of X2 Computing and formerly Head of R&D at Evesham Technology: “Prepare for the next revolution in mobile computing. The iTablet is extremely powerful with a vast array of features and data storage capacity and, what is more, it uses the well received Microsoft Windows 7 operating system making it a more compelling proposition for users wishing to share data with their existing Windows-based systems and networks. iTablets can be used in a wider range of business and home environments and will deliver a lower cost of ownership over the operational life of the equipment.”

“iTablet will empower users with unlimited technology and advanced multimedia access across multiple platforms without being restricted to exclusive content providers,” added Jonathan Wharrad, R&D Director of X2 Computing. “This new breed of Windows-based computer takes design, functionality and solution fit to new and higher levels.”

The iTablet range is compact and lightweight sized from just 252mm(h) x 192mm(w) x 35mm(d) and weighing from 1.18kg. A range of accessories are available including batteries, mains adaptors, stands and display options for use in sunlight conditions. It is available in a range of solid and metallic colours including white, grey, pink, blue, red, yellow and black.

The Psixpda is now available to buy on eBay for £499. It is a curious device which some like and others think is overpriced, but in my mind it certainly has a place and might do quite well.

Designed to be both powerful and stylish. It offers essential PC-ing where portability and availability is required.

Psi)(pda’s high performance is incredible in relation to its size. Give this UMPC a once-over and you will fall in love with your PDA all over again. This sleek and luxurious design is infused with a touch of class that lives only in the imagination.

It has a natural and inspiring form factor and feel, where class is combined with power and flexibility.

Psi)(pda is built to the highest specification and is one of the world’s smallest and lightest Pocket PC‘s available.

SlashGear has also produced a video demo of the device. I quite like the hardware, but the software experience doesn’t quite inspire.

So, over the past two days I have written about my thoughts on the iSlate as an eBook and video device, but is it likely to be so much more? Could it have a place in the centre of your home on your coffee table? O2 developed the media thingy which was so successful I can’t remember the name of it and that was supposed to be for the family, but again Apple could step in and make something that displays the weather, news and family planner all of the time. It could synchronise with your smartphone (sorry- iPhone only no doubt) and this would be yet another killer string to its bow.

Throw in many thousands of games which have been scaled up to the bigger screen from the iPhone / iPod Touch resolution and the options are limitless. Key to this will be a robust build which allows the kids to play with it when they want to and a new family centric device will be born.

There is one final possibility which may not happen- a keyboard attachment which could turn it into a NetBook style device? Is this a possibility or something that would overlap other Apple lines which is something it rarely does? I suspect that will never happen, but the other features discussed over the past few days will be more than enough to keep the coffers piling up quite nicely.

Yesterday I wrote about the upcoming Apple iSlate and its potential to dominate the eBook market, but for entertainment it could do even better. A 7″ screen playing video could be the near perfect compromise between portability and a viewing experience which makes everything before it feel like a let down. The market for portable video players has already been decimated by the iPhone and iPod Touch, but the iSlate could take things much further and quickly become the perfect accessory for flights, holidays and any other occasion where the need may take you.

Apple will stamp the entire setup with a huge iTunes library, a beautiful hardware build and playback quality the others can only wish to emulate. Because it is a tablet video playback will feel like a major feature and strangely everything could be major; whatever you want to use it for is what the tablet will be to you and only Apple can make it work. I am trying not to sound like a fanboy because I hate the way Apple just wins over and over again, but credit where it is due.

The iTablet could become a wireless portable TV for millions and deliver video like never before. Just one more area where the iSlate will dominate. Tomorrow- gaming and the rest…

Apple’s rumoured iSlate (will use that name purely for convenience) which is set to appear in January is expected to be built around a 7″ touch sensitive screen which will come with a revolutionary way of allowing the user to interact with it. We can expect the legendary Apple design to create an object which millions of people will want to own from the moment it is announced. The iPhone created lust around the world when it was first demoed, but the iSlate could be a game changer the like of which even Apple has not managed to create before.

eBook readers are big business at the moment and new manufacturers are popping up every week with new tricks to entice bookworms to the digital age. The iSlate sounds to me like the kind of device which would fit well in this market, but with Apple behind it the marketing machine could well bring eBooks to the wider market which even Amazon has failed to truly conquer with the Kindle. The iSlate will have the extra advantage of doing so much more yet could still dominate the eBook market by utilising its multi-use abilities.

If Apple manages to offer an experience which makes eBooks feel like paper, or even close, that will be all that is needed for a device like the iSlate to conquer the market and make ‘eBook’ a standard word in the vocabulary of the masses. With the power of iTunes behind the device and the potential to sell millions of titles the sky is the limit for the iSlate and eBook publishers once the format has been accepted by the buying public.

What else will the iSlate conquer? More tomorrow…

The XO-3 has been revealed by the group behind the $100 laptop. All we have is a design at the moment, but it looks very neat. From the BBC- “The group behind the $100 laptop has revealed the design for its latest computer aimed at connecting children in the developing world.

The XO-3, as it is known, is a slim-line touchscreen tablet PC.

One Laptop per Child (OLPC) said it would be “available in 2012″ and would cost “well below $100″.

The new design replaces the proposed XO-2, a foldable e-book that was first shown off in 2008 but has since been scrapped by the organisation.

The XO-3 will eventually replace the original XO laptop that first went into production in 2007.

The innovative machines, which have been designed for use in remote and harsh environments, were designed for use by school children and featured a sunlight readable display and open source software.”

This is not exactly smartphone releated, but the Nokia Booklet 3G is available for pre-order from www.nokia.co.uk/shop today. The ultraportable Nokia Booklet 3G comes with Windows 7 software and boasts a 12 hour battery life, inbuilt A-GPS and Ovi Maps, making it the complete solution for all day mobility and modern lifestyles.

A must-have for people on the move that demand both style and substance, the Booklet offers:
•Up to 12 hours battery life means that you can leave your power cable behind and still be connected and productive all day
•Built in A-GPS allows you to connect with the people and things that matter most whilst on the move
•It’s compact and ultra portable with its lightweight aluminium body

It’s also packed full of features…
•Windows 7 Starter edition software
•Intel® Atom™ Z530, 1.6 GHz processor for high performance
•Fanless design for efficiency
•Fast, reliable 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity from Nokia
•10.1″ HD-ready screen, with glass window as well as an HDMI port for video out
•Nokia Ovi suite included

AAS has posted Nokia Booklet 3G review – part 1, design and hardware which is the start of a detailed look at this much hyped netbook style device. I must say that I really do like what I see so far.

“The Nokia Booklet 3G is a ‘mini-laptop’, running Windows 7, which was announced in August this year and was first showcased at Nokia World in Stuttgart. As such, it is something of a departure from Nokia’s usual phone territory. However it is, perhaps, not so much an odd-man-out in Nokia’s overall strategy as a first glance might suggest. Nokia, with its goal of connecting every person on the planet(!), is always looking to serve its customers in new areas by broadening its product portfolio when opportunities arise.

Some may raise their eyebrows at the choice of Windows 7, but really this isn’t even a choice – commercial realities dictate the use of the Microsoft platform. Laptops with embedded 3G (WWAN) radios have become quite common over the last few years and given Nokia’s expertise in cellular radios and logistical strengths it’s not really that surprising to see Nokia operating in this area. So what’s Nokia’s first product entry in this space like? Read on to find out more!”

The use of the letter ‘Psi’ in PsiXpda is an obvious reference to the Psion range of PDAs that many of us still love to this day, but this product is very different. The main specifications are below and I can certainly appreciate the Psion-esqe setup going on here. Will it be enough to tempt historic Psion users? Possibly. Thanks to Jah for the link.

Ships with Windows XP Home edition, providing a full computing experience in a small and dynamic package for you business and entertainment needs.
Intel Atom technology provides a common platform to build on, with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage using solid state circuitry
800×480 Touchscreen with built in trackpad and mouse buttons in the screen’s bezel
64 key backlit keyboard
MicroUSB slot for extra storage and back-up.
Full USB port for peripherals, expansion and alternative operating system installations

More information about the design process is at this blog.

Just in from Nokia- “New York, NY, USA – Drawing upon its rich heritage and leadership in the mobile industry, Nokia is opening a new chapter in mobility with the introduction of the Nokia Booklet 3G to the U.S. together with AT&T, Best Buy and Microsoft. Developed for connectivity just about anytime and virtually anywhere, the Nokia Booklet 3G is refining what consumers can expect at the crossroads of mobility and the personal computer.

“Nokia understands mobility like no other company and recognizes that the most ‘powerful’ device is the one that doesn’t have you running for the power plug or network point,” said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, president and CEO of Nokia. “By combining the Booklet’s sleek design, impressive features and competitive price together with the new Windows 7 operating system from Microsoft, AT&T’s nationwide 3G coverage and Best Buy’s unmatched national retail footprint, we believe we have a winning combination for U.S. consumers.”

“Our alliance with Nokia is advancing on multiple fronts and the Nokia Booklet 3G is an important step,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “We are excited with Nokia’s decision to launch its first PC with Windows 7. By combining the value and simplicity of the operating system with the all-day mobility of the Nokia Booklet 3G, we are bringing new and valuable experiences to consumers and businesses.”

The Nokia Booklet 3G will be sold at all Best Buy locations nationwide as well as at the more than 50 Best Buy Mobile standalone stores across the country. The Nokia Booklet 3G will be offered at an introductory price of 299.99 USD with an AT&T Data Connect plan two-year activation. The Nokia Booklet 3G should arrive in stores by mid-November, and Best Buy expects to begin taking orders online and in stores on October 22 for consumers who want to be among the first in the world to own the Nokia Booklet 3G.

“The Nokia Booklet 3G is a really sharp, exciting device and we look forward to powering it with the nation’s fastest 3G network,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “Consumers and small business customers can’t get enough mobile broadband. Nokia’s mobile device leadership, together with AT&T’s mobile broadband network leadership, Best Buy’s retail reach and Windows 7, is a very strong line-up to drive this fast-growing market.”

“Our customers are looking for ways to stay connected no matter where they are and we’re finding that netbooks and laptops are important companion devices next to the smartphone. The addition of the Nokia Booklet 3G to our stores will only serve to amplify consumer interest in this emerging mobile technology,” said Brian J. Dunn, CEO of Best Buy. “As the exclusive retailer through the holidays, Best Buy is uniquely positioned to offer this great product to consumers and ensure they have the knowledge, supporting products and services to use it the minute they leave our stores.”

Best Buy associates will offer Walk Out Working on the Nokia Booklet 3G, as they do for all smartphones. The free service will help customers activate the device, walk through the Windows 7 operating system and make sure customers understand all of the extras including Ovi Suite, the Ovi Maps gadget, and features like Bluetooth connectivity.”

JK just posted an article about a concept notebook called the Rolltop. Watch the video below and let us know what you think. I think I could live with this idea…