Three iPad Contenders: WePad, Moby and HP Slate

After reading about drawback features of Mac's iPad, such as lack of Flash Animation and multitasking capabilities, real estate professionals who are excited to utilize a tablet for business purposes, should know about three new tablet contenders coming out soon.

1) WePad by Neofonie—due end of March 2010;

2) The Moby by Marvell—due the end of 2010;

3) HP's Slate PC—due sometime in the summer of 2010.

Continue reading to learn more about the features and specs of each of these tablets.

1.) WePad

According to TeleRead, the WePad is due next month, the Neofonie WePad has a larger multitouch screen, faster processor, USB, card reader, Flash, and even a webcam. It will run “a Linux derivate (sic) with Android on top,” meaning that it can install not only Android apps but also Adobe Air software from Neofonie.

The WePad is being pitched not only as a multimedia tablet, but also as an e-book reader that can read “all open standards” of e-book formats. Exact details about price are currently unavailable, but according to TechCrunch, Neofonie’s CEO claims it will be significantly cheaper than the iPad.

2.) The Moby

TeleRead also made some interesting comments about the Moby. Semiconductor manufacturer Marvell has demonstrated a touch-sensitive 10” tablet at the unlikely price point of $99. The Moby would support Flash, could provide 1080P high-definition resolution, and could run Android or Windows Phone 7. It is aimed at students looking for an inexpensive way to access textbooks and the Internet.

It is unclear whether Marvell will manufacture the Moby itself or farm the design out to a partner company. Either way, Marvell says the device will be available by the end of the year. The Moby has put ARMdevices.net in mind of the $75 touchscreen tablet that One Laptop Per Child announced as its next design goal.

3.) HP's Slate PC

Liliputing wrote about HP’s upcoming Slate PC, stating it is probably one of the most hotly anticipated iPad rivals. This is believed to be the bets rival, merely because HP's brand is so well marketed and trusted. HP's Slate PC will run Windows 7. It seeks to provide a number of features missing from the iPad, including the ability to run Adobe Flash, multitasking support, and the ability to run Windows software, as well as apps designed specifically for tablets. User could even plug in a keyboard, mouse, printer, and external display and use it like a portable desktop. 

But details on the HP slate have been hard to come by. Now Spanish site Clipset says that the HP slate will cost about €400 at launch. That’s about $545 US, although it’s not clear if the price will be the same in the US and Europe. Clipset says HP will launch the tablet in June, and that it will be available in Europe before September. Hopefully that means it will be made available in the US before Europe, as HP originated in the Silicon Valley, Ca.

The HP slate has an Intel Atom processor—although there’s no mention of which Atom processor HP is using. There’s also a memory card reader, a camera on the back of the tablet, and USB port(s). The tablet is thicker than the iPad and the prototype Clipset got to handle had a non-slip, rubber finish on the back.

Closing

Depending on which features excite you about the iPad, the above alternatives provide different advantages to the iPad. Certainly if you categorize yourself as a Mac user, chances are you share that same brand loyalty streak Mac competition strives to break. Regardless of your technology affliiations, RET Staff members recommend exploring all options before investing in this emerging technology out of the gate.

Click Here to read the full article about the Moby, and WePad by Chris Meadows of TeleRead.

Click Here to read the full article on HP's Slate Pad from Liliputing.

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