Lenovo Takes On 7 Rivals: Tablet Faceoff
Lenovo's 3 new tablets square off against Apple iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab, HP TouchPad, and other top contenders.
July 19, 2011
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Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet is an Android 3.1 device intended for business customers. It has a 10.1-inch display, 1280 x 800 screen resolution (full HD), and is supported with Corning Gorilla Glass. The display is also IPS, meaning that you can view it at very wide angles. It is powered by the Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, and includes a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera. It has a bevy of ports, including a full-size SD card reader, mini HDMI out, native USB 2.0, and a SIM card port. It also recognizes pen input, and Lenovo sells a digitized pen as an added option. The ThinkPad comes loaded with approximately 40 popular apps, includes Notes Mobile for handwriting recognition, and many security features, including SD card encryption, device data encryption, device monitoring and remote wipe, and several others. The ThinkPad Tablet weighs 1.65 pounds and is 13.3 mm thick--a bit heftier than the iPad 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 101. Pricing starts at $479 ($509 with the digitizer pen), and will be available for order on August 2--that initial price is slightly less (by $20) than competitive tablets for a 16 GB Wi-Fi only offering.
InformationWeek has not tested any of the Lenovo offerings, but will do so in the near future.
Lenovo's consumer-focused tablet, the IdeaPad Tablet K1, runs Android 3.1, and, like its ThinkPad sibling, is a 10.1-inch device with 1280 x 800 screen resolution. Unlike the ThinkPad, however, it does not include the Gorilla Glass, but it does have a 10-point multi-touch display, meaning, that for software that can support it, you can use all 10 fingers for gestures. Like the ThinkPad, it is powered by the Nvidia Tegra 2 dual core processor, and comes with a host of software pre-loaded. Lenovo boasts that its tablets are the first Android tablets to support Netflix streaming. The IdeaPad K1 has two 5w speakers, includes the same front- and rear-facing cameras as the ThinkPad Tablet (2-megapixel and 5-megapixel, respectively), and has a micro SD card reader, micro HDMI out, and a SIM card port. It's about the same size as the ThinkPad (1.63 pounds, and 13.3 mm thick). Pricing starts at $499 for a 32GB version, and is available to order now, with shipment in August.
Lenovo's IdeaPad Tablet P1 is the company's Windows 7-based tablet. It includes an Intel 1.5 GHz processor, and, like its Lenovo tablet brethren, is a 10.1-inch device with a resolution of 1280 x 800. It also supports pen-based input. It includes a USB 2.0 port, a Micro SD card reader, and a docking port. It has a single 2-megapixel front-facing web camera. It weighs a hefty 1.75 pounds and is 14.5 mm thick, with a battery life of about 6 hours. The price of this model hasn't been set, and it will be available in Q4, according to Lenovo.
The LG G-Slate is an Android 3.1 device, and is sold by T-Mobile in a "4G" version (those quotes are there because of disputes about whether T-Mobile's HSPA+ network is true 4G). The G-Slate is powered by Nvidia's Tegra 2 dual core processor (like many of its competitors), and has an 8.9-inch HD capacitive touch screen display. It is about half an inch thick, has 32 GB of internal memory, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera. It also includes 3D recording, and the display is capable of 3D as well. This device is available now from T-Mobile, and starts at $399.99 with a two-year carrier plan.
The money quote from InformationWeek:
With a dual-core processor and 3D graphics support, it sounds as if LG is taking performance seriously--as it should. Many of the tablets primed to hit the market are hoping to snag gamers from other mobile gaming platforms.
What really sets it apart are the 3D video-shooting capabilities. None of the other tablets announced provide that feature. LG hasn't said exactly how 3D content is going to be streamed and what device requirements will be in play, but it sounds promising. The 2-megapixel user-facing camera is also a step above what most other vendors are offering at the moment. Whether or not that translates into better video chats, no one knows.
On the back of LG's Android G-Slate tablet are two cameras. That's because the G-Slate is capable of capturing 1080p HD 3D video. The cameras can also capture still images at 5 megapixels, and it includes the LED flash pictured here.
Apple's iPad 2 has become the gold standard for tablets. It is the slimmest at 8.8mm (or .34 inches) and lightest at 1.33 pounds. Its 9.7-inch display has a resolution of 1024 x 768, and its dual-core A5 chip is extremely fast. It has both front and rear-facing cameras, a battery life of up to 10 hours, Wi-Fi, and 3G support and a raft of sensors (3-axis gyro, accelerometer, ambient light). It starts at $499, and comes in black or white. The iPad 2 runs Apple's iOS (version 5 coming in September).
The money quote from InformationWeek:
In our original comparison between the iPad 2, iPad 1 and Motorola Xoom, we wrote: The iPad 2 and Xoom clearly beat the original iPad in every sense. Calling a clear winner between the iPad 2 and the Xoom is tough, and, based on our benchmark results and real-world performance tests, comes down to user experience preferences. You're simply going to like one better than the other.
After testing a majority of the devices in this slideshow, while there are a great many things to like about the Android OS, and the user interface of the HP TouchPad, and the size and user interface of the BlackBerry Playbook, the iPad 2 is still the tablet to beat.
The HP TouchPad has a 9.7-inch XGA capacitive multi-touch screen, with 1024 x 768 resolution. It is .54 inches thick and 1.6 pounds. It runs the Qualcomm SnapDragon APQ8060 1.2 Ghz dual core processor, and its software is the company's own WebOS. It includes only a front-facing camera at 1.3 megapixels, has micro-USB, but no HDMI out. HP rates its battery life at about 8 hours (browsing over Wi-Fi; 9 hours of video playback). There are all the requisite sensors running behind the scenes. The Wi-Fi version starts at $499.
The money quote from InformationWeek:
I've been testing the HP TouchPad for several days. What has a year produced? A solid entry that's behind on the hardware (let's call it generation 1.5) but advanced on the software (generation 2.5 when HP works out a few significant performance kinks). It's an innovative tablet with some fantastically juicy surprises that will make you want it now, but it carries enough disappointments that you'll probably wait for the next version. It's not enough to make you put down your iPad 2, or its near-equivalent Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, but it will make you wish those tablets bestowed the TouchPad's user experience and included its other innovations.
Specifically, the TouchPad is beautiful, but it's much bulkier than the neurotically slender iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. It has a single front-facing camera, which is probably just fine for most users, but most new tablets have a rear-facing camera as well. It's also missing HDMI out. And it's far behind Apple and Google on the apps.
The TouchPad's WebOS is particularly appealing. WebOS was appealing on Palm Pre smartphones, and it's that much better on a tablet, though underlying operating system changes and a new developer toolkit will require application changes to take full advantage of the TouchPad. In the days leading up to launch, HP engineers have been working to optimize the OS to improve performance. I've stumbled across some quirky and unproductive behavior. HP says an OS update is coming.
HP has worked hard to bring multimedia communications together, whether through additions to its underlying Synergy technology, a parlor trick called Touch-to-Share, or in the TouchPad's native email, instant messaging, audio, and video collaboration tools. But most of all, the user interface is smart, simple, and sublime. The card-based user interface is magnified (figuratively and literally) on the tablet.
HTC's Flyer and EVO View 4G (Sprint version) is a different kind of tablet--like the original Samsung Galaxy Tablet, it is a seven-inch device; and like the G-Slate, it comes as a 4G tablet running on Sprint's network. For now, it still runs Android Gingerbread, with HTC's Sense 3.0 on top. The screen resolution is 1024 x 600, and it's about a half-inch thick . . . a bit heavy for such a small tablet. A single port lets it charge, sync with a computer, or pass digital audio and video out via HDMI. A single core Qualcomm SnapDragon processor, running at 1.5GHz powers the Flyer. HTC also includes software that allows for pen-based input. The EVO View 4G version includes the Sprint Hotspot. The EVO View 4G costs $399.99 with a two-year activation plan.
The money quote from InformationWeek:
Overall, the View 4G/Flyer is a fine device. The hardware is attractive and works well. It hits all the right benchmarks with respect to battery life, wireless options, and camera performance; though I found myself wishing it had a dual-core processor from time to time. The size and weight make it highly portable.
While it lacks Honeycomb, the View 4G/Flyer's Gingerbread operating system gives it the advantage of app compatibility. Right now, that's huge. Sense 3.0 brings with it vast customization options, but it makes the View 4G/Flyer feel like a ridiculously big phone.
Can it be a valuable business tool? Sure. The pen and associated Note app give it an entirely unique use-case scenario that other tablets don't enjoy. The question is if HTC can convince developers to take advantage of those capabilities and put the pen to more productive use?
Personally, I prefer the larger screens available on competing devices, but for many, the HTC View 4G/Flyer may be the Goldilocks solution--not too big, not too small, but just right for their purposes.
The Motorola Xoom was the first major Android tablet to ship, and the first to get the Android 3.0/Honeycomb release. It now runs HoneyComb 3.1. It includes Nvidia's Tegra 2 dual-core processor, and has a 10.1-inch WXGA (1280 x 800 resolution). It weighs slightly more than 700 grams (close to 1.5 pounds) and is 12.9mm thick. It includes 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera. The Wi-Fi only version starts at $499.
The money quote from InformationWeek:
Android 3.0 Honeycomb feels like a 0.9 beta. It's almost done, but not quite. It needs to be rounded off at the edges more, and get some features--such as the browser and Flash--working as they should. It also needs better support for the enterprise in the form of apps and management tools that IT can put to use.
Even though the platform itself doesn't come across as 100% complete, it's easy to see how powerful it will be as it evolves over time. The flexibility of the home screens alone will appeal to many. They have far more range for customization than any other tablet platform that comes to mind. As more applications--and specifically, more widgets--are built to support Honeycomb and its home screens, its capabilities and usefulness will only grow.
As for the Xoom, it's a solid piece of tablet kit, no doubt, and a good first device for Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Given that it is Motorola's first effort, I expect much better things to come in the not-too-distant future.
Added note: The Xoom seems a bit bulky now, compared to the iPad 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. We expect to see some iterations from Motorola, but it still performs well.
RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook runs the company's QNX operating system, and costs $499 for the Wi-Fi version. It is a smaller device--5.1 inches high, 7.6 inches wide and 10mm (or a half inch) in depth, and it weighs less than a pound (425g). It has a 7-inch multi-touch LCD display (1024 x 600 resolution). In our testing, we found the battery life provided at least 10 hours during normal use. The 3-megapixel front-facing camera and 5-megapixel rear-facing camera produce high quality video and camera experiences. The PlayBook uses Texas Instruments' OMAP4430 dual core processor.
The money quote from InformationWeek:
The PlayBook is obviously not finished. It lacks the most basic features available from every other tablet in the market. Sure, RIM says an update will fix everything in the coming months. I'll believe it when I see it. Anyone else remember the disaster that was the BlackBerry Storm? It took RIM and Verizon Wireless six months of updates to get it even halfway stable. With so many tablets that are simply better than the PlayBook, I can't imagine why anyone would stick it out and wait for RIM to deliver the promised features at some unknown time in the future.
If you're looking for a tablet today (whether for work or home use), then I highly recommend pretty much any other tablet you care to grab. The PlayBook isn't done, and it's definitely not ready for the enterprise.
That's not to say that the PlayBook is all bad. It certainly isn't. RIM has crafted a fine piece of hardware with a good screen and good battery life. Its small size makes it extremely portable, and the user interface is pleasing. The PlayBook will certainly improve over time (how can it not?). It may not be the best device possible today, but it might be one day.
What gives me real concern is RIM's behavior regarding the PlayBook. RIM knows this product isn't complete, yet it is shipping it anyway. RIM knows people want email, but it isn't making email available yet. RIM knows what the competition is offering, and barely manages to include half the features that its competitors are including, all while charging the same price. Worse, RIM's co-CEOs have defended the PlayBook to death, despite the misgivings voiced from nearly every reviewer and analyst who has laid hands on it. Their obstinate behavior is baffling and bothersome.
It would have been better for RIM to bite the bullet, delay the PlayBook for another month or two, and release a real killer device that was 100% ready. Instead, RIM has released the framework for a killer device. It has the device part nailed. Now it needs to forge a killer.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 runs Android Honeycomb 3.1. It has a 10.1-inch display with a 1280 x 800 resolution. It nearly matches the iPad2 in size: it is .34-inches thin, and weighs 1.25 pounds. It uses the Nvidia Tegra 2 dual core processor, and includes a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and 3-megapixel rear-facing camera. It starts at $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is everything a world-class tablet should be; indeed, it is the closest thing to an iPad 2 competitor there is from the Android world. It is sleek, fast, and bright, and as long as it can fend off Apple in its ongoing patent war, it will give everyone a run for the money for quite some time.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 runs Android Honeycomb 3.1. It has a 10.1-inch display with a 1280 x 800 resolution. It nearly matches the iPad2 in size: it is .34-inches thin, and weighs 1.25 pounds. It uses the Nvidia Tegra 2 dual core processor, and includes a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and 3-megapixel rear-facing camera. It starts at $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is everything a world-class tablet should be; indeed, it is the closest thing to an iPad 2 competitor there is from the Android world. It is sleek, fast, and bright, and as long as it can fend off Apple in its ongoing patent war, it will give everyone a run for the money for quite some time.
Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet is an Android 3.1 device intended for business customers. It has a 10.1-inch display, 1280 x 800 screen resolution (full HD), and is supported with Corning Gorilla Glass. The display is also IPS, meaning that you can view it at very wide angles. It is powered by the Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, and includes a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera. It has a bevy of ports, including a full-size SD card reader, mini HDMI out, native USB 2.0, and a SIM card port. It also recognizes pen input, and Lenovo sells a digitized pen as an added option. The ThinkPad comes loaded with approximately 40 popular apps, includes Notes Mobile for handwriting recognition, and many security features, including SD card encryption, device data encryption, device monitoring and remote wipe, and several others. The ThinkPad Tablet weighs 1.65 pounds and is 13.3 mm thick--a bit heftier than the iPad 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 101. Pricing starts at $479 ($509 with the digitizer pen), and will be available for order on August 2--that initial price is slightly less (by $20) than competitive tablets for a 16 GB Wi-Fi only offering.
InformationWeek has not tested any of the Lenovo offerings, but will do so in the near future.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Lenovo Launches ThinkPad Tablet, Ultraportable Laptop
Lenovo Forms Tablet, Smartphone Product Group
iPad 2 Rolling Review: Web Performance
iPad 2 A5 Chip Teardown Reveals Samsung Fab, Advanced Power Management
T-Mobile G-Slate To Challenge iPad, Galaxy Tab
T-Mobile Launches 4G Android Tablet, Smartphones
Review: HTC Takes Different View Of The Tablet
HP TouchPad Tablet: Visual Tour
HP TouchPad Review: OS Beauty Vs. Design Bulk
Motorola Xoom Teardown: Inside The New Android Tablet
Review: Motorola Xoom Good, But No iPad Killer
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook Teardown
Review: BlackBerry PlayBook Not Ready For The Enterprise
RIM's BlackBerry Bridge To Nowhere
Samsung Galaxy Tablet Not Thinner Than iPad 2, But Who Cares
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