Building my perfect Android Tablet

[gurgle]

This Tablet does not exist YET. This is my vision of the next generation Android Tablet. Concerns I have with my design are two primary elements. Cost and capability.

Cost is obvious. Who would buy an Android Tablet costing more than the $500US in competition to a comparable Tablet-PC or IPad. Only if it meets or exceeds comparison to its competition. There are the minority who would pay more. But they would be a small minority.

Capability is the other element. I am going to assume I can buy this Tablet for $500US or Less. The emphasis on less. If I had the money I would prototype this device. I am not worried about the apps.

Dimensions:
Similar to the standard 7in Android Tablet NOT IPad shape No thicker than 17mm
Android: Froyo/Gingerbread capable

Case:
+The front would be Gorilla Glass. The quality of Gorilla glass in protecting the screen and providing a quality view is amazing on the IPhone 4. The case Back would be a carbon fiber Laminate or alloy similar to a Droid X.

Processor:
Either the Qualcomm 8650 Snapdragon tweaked to 1.2Ghz or the Samsung S5PC110

Screen type:
Capacitive Multi-touch 800x480 or 800x600 (True 1080 capable)

RoM Memory (Multi-Flash):
1024Mb

Ram Memory
512-1024Mb

Storage:
A MicroSSD drive just released by SanDisk I would choose either 16 or 32Gb

Battery
USER Replaceable Lithium Ion capability: 7.5hrs normal mixed use

Camera:
Back -Low Top
Video capable 5-8 Megapixel still
Guide LED/not Flash
Front-Top
Web Cam capable 2.1 Megapixel

Slots and Ports:
Micro SIM slot- Length wise Bottom
Micro SD/TD Slot -Length wise top
2X USB slots - One on each end
SPDIF or HD audio port - Lengthwise Top
HDMI slot- Either end
Side:
Reset microswitch Power Button
Top:
D-multistick Button,Volume button

Weight:
No more than 750 grams

Back to reality and my generic Tablet

 

[H.P.]

..........

 

[gurgle]

Ah the "disposable" vs the extended life debate. I would agree with most of your points. I am thinking 6 Months out. My real hope is there will some builder who will see my specs and understand storage, speed and long use battery life are essential for a quality Tablet that is NOT an IPad or a Tablet PC. I guess the issue is that I have opened and evaluated 8+ tablets at this time for work and am still longing in the Android department. This includes One IPad, 6 Android and 1 CE based, I am expecting a UMPC Tablet next week.

I cannot describe what or why I am doing this. But I will summarize in three statements.
1. Unless you buy a Tablet for $175US or more you will experience variable quality and components.
2. Unless you buy any type of Tablet for $200-250 or more, the potential for durability is low compared to comparable Netbooks or basic Notebooks
3. Unless you are willing to buy from a known name, do not expect adequate support.

Ask me what I have and I will state I personally own a Generic that looks but is not an APad. It is Donut with 1.7.4 firmware. I am planning to update my firmware shortly, but have been more interested in figuring out how my unit works. It has been interesting to say the least. Also popping the cases and looking at the circuit boards of the evaluation units is interesting on what could have been built in.

Buying "good enough" is my desire too. But want something I will not want to replace in six months. The current ~$120US tablets are unfortunately designed to be disposables. The Archos 7 Home is a good example of a unit which is close to a brand with good QA, good processor, and OK support. Unfortunately, I see it as a dead-end unless there will be Gingerbread in its future.

I think we are really on the same path. I am just in the ditch right now and looking ahead.

Best of luck

 

[H.P.]

..........

 

[charles]

The minimum requirements for me are as follows:
10 inch or larger screen
usb ports, the more the better
SD Card slot for memory expansion
at least 1gb memory, 16gb or more would be great
Wifi
ability to use all android apps
a nice but not required feature would be the ability to tether my android phone for when wifi isn't available
price is not a critical factor but less is better

 

[gurgle]

I like your thoughts. If it had a decent Battery, I would also add Bluetooth and a MyFi feature. There are times I would not mind having the ability to not use a 3G Modem or Tether. There is likely the potential. But the antenna/signal capability does not provide a very robust PWLan.

10 in gets into IPad visual real estate, which is not what I see needed for my perfect tablet.

Another design side note. Good heat sink/ventilation because features add to heat which can impact performance and reliability.

 

[g4jnw]

If I have learned anything over the past month of owning a eken its where in a fast moving environment, when i first got the tablet it was working ok but several things weren't and so i contacted the supplier who advised me to update the firmware to 1.74 and they sent the file, again all ok but the bug bear was market place not working - was told it never would on a eken m001 - thought id try the slatedroid latest firmware 1.74 and low and behold market place works and have downloaded several apps.
So would i buy latest all singing and dancing - nope would do the same - update till the updates are exhausted and then change.

Not exactly disposable but I remember doing this with windows, 3.1/95/98 etc then moving to macs.

Once burned - I bought a very expensive at the time betamax video player and look what happened to that.

One other point guys, if you start low boy do you learn a lot about the product!

 

[xaueious]

I think we have to consider different segments of the Android tablet market.

3G mobile internet support

Once you want 3G mobile internet support, you are either looking at an USB or an integrated solution. Integrated solutions are much more expensive, but power savings over the USB solution is significant.

Low to mid end tablets:
Wifi only
$100-250

High end tablets:
3G support
$300

* * *

Touchscreens

Resistive solutions are not only cheaper, but much easier to manufacture. Durability is already a concern with current resistive solutions. You can see the reason for avoiding capacitive touchscreens.

With larger surface areas, resistive touchpanels are not bad at all.

* * *

Generics

Support for generics is limited even in China. However, even those manufacturers will start to sell tablets based on open-sourced platforms, meaning that support is more or less of a non-issue.

Generic products are designed for Chinese consumers for daily use, and are supposed to be decently reliable. I would not write them off so easily. The problem is irresponsible sellers trying to sell products of low quality overseas.

* * *

USB hosting

Is in many cases useless. It is certainly not necessary for multimedia consumption in many cases. The occasional harddrive or USB flash drive would be nice, but right now most tablets only support FAT/FAT32 systems.

 

[g4jnw]

I think we have to consider different segments of the Android tablet market.

3G mobile internet support

Once you want 3G mobile internet support, you are either looking at an USB or an integrated solution. Integrated solutions are much more expensive, but power savings over the USB solution is significant.

Low to mid end tablets:
Wifi only
$100-250

High end tablets:
3G support
$300

* * *

Touchscreens

Resistive solutions are not only cheaper, but much easier to manufacture. Durability is already a concern with current resistive solutions. You can see the reason for avoiding capacitive touchscreens.

With larger surface areas, resistive touchpanels are not bad at all.

* * *

Generics

Support for generics is limited even in China. However, even those manufacturers will start to sell tablets based on open-sourced platforms, meaning that support is more or less of a non-issue.

Generic products are designed for Chinese consumers for daily use, and are supposed to be decently reliable. I would not write them off so easily. The problem is irresponsible sellers trying to sell products of low quality overseas.

* * *

USB hosting

Is in many cases useless. It is certainly not necessary for multimedia consumption in many cases. The occasional harddrive or USB flash drive would be nice, but right now most tablets only support FAT/FAT32 systems.

USB hosting would be on my wish list thats for sure.

 

[xaueious]

Why do you guys want USB hosting anyways?


Frankly I haven't been using my Android tablet much. But USB hosting is not too reliable on the RK2808 Apad.

 

[g4jnw]

Why do you guys want USB hosting anyways?

Depends what you use usb for, in my case it would be nice to connect the camera to a standard usb (not the 30 pin)
Why - well typically when my wife wants to show her dad her latest pictures she could run them on the slate (bigger screen than the camera)

After thought would be - probably in a couple of years!!
I take my expensive macbook with me when we go caravanning and use it for wifi (slate has that - great) plus to use my plug in freeview usb dongle so we can watch the news etc (wow that would be nice) could leave the macbook safely at home then!

 

[xaueious]

I guess having USB card reader capability or external USB flash device is important for some.

 

[vijaykhai]

I think it is paramount to remember that there is a world outside USA and EU - perhaps not less than 500-700 million Middle Income people in Asia & Africa, to whom keeping the price below $250/ would not only be attractive but more importantly conducive for further education and a whole NEW world. While I endorse the many desirable features per GURGLE, at least let it be started like FORD T model and then turn it to a MERC!

 

[xaueious]

On capacitive screens, I'm being told that there's a supply limitation on them right now even for 7" tablets. The demand for the iPad is hogging production for the majority of the capacitive screen stock, meaning that you wont see many of these unless the price is ridiculous with respect to the hardware.

 

[gurgle]

I agree. I tried to USB Host on a few devices I was evaluating and said Why?
Unless, you have something like the Archos 7 with a 320Gb drive, then it might serve a purpose. I would see more value for Samba on Android than USB Hosting. There is this (See Link, but not stable enough yet.

I have been playing with the Archos 7 Home tablet this weekend. It is an almost there for me. Actually, more of a close but no cigar.

Keep in mind. I am looking at it from a business as well as a personal perspective. The first tablet that really creates a simple, intuitive interface that meets business integrity, security and reliability requirements will be the real winner.

Two things I always say to my friends and colleagues.
1. A Tablet IS NOT an oversized iphone/Droid unit
2. A Tablet IS NOT meant to replace the Notebook purpose

The Tablet is something which is different and a meld of the Smartphone and PDA and Notebook into a whole new reality. But that is my opinion.