Tag: Google Nexus 7

Serious challenges to Apple from the Windows and Android front

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Sony Vaio Pro 13 Ultrabook v Apple MacBook Air For Photographers

My Comments

Previously, Apple had a stronghold on computing for the creative industries with most of their Macintosh computers. This was even since the Macintosh platform was launched where these computers with their graphical-user-interface being run alongside a laser printer brought in the concept of desktop publishing.

Similarly, they had a few years cornering the mobile computing platform with their iPhone and iPad devices. It also included capturing the premium “stylish computing” market with their MacBook Air and, in some cases, the MacBook Pro laptops.

Now a few computing devices and platforms are challenging Apple in a lot of these fronts. Over the last year, Samsung, HTC and Sony have fielded some very impressive highly-capable smartphones that have put the iPhone on notice like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4. These phones also show an impressive “cool” style about them as well as the phones being able to take as good an image as an Apple iPhone.

As for mobile tablets, the 7” coat-pocket tablets like the Google Nexus 7 have created a distinct market niche which Apple couldn’t successfully fill with the right device. Similar, Sony had tendered the XPeria Z which has come close to competing with the iPad as far as 10” tablets are concerned.

HP Envy 15-3000 Series laptop

HP Envy 15-3000 Series Beats Edition multimedia laptop

Over the last few years, there have been a number of laptops and notebooks that have answered the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air in many ways. For example, the HP Envy 15-3000 which I previously reviewed provided a construction look and feel that is very close to the MacBook Pro series of laptops. Lately, Sony fielded the VAIO Pro 13 which is a Windows 8 Ultrabook that has been described in a review by “The Age” as having a photo-grade display and is capable of answering a similar-size MacBook Air as a portable workflow computer for a professional photographer. Here, this one implemented a highly-controllable Full HD display which was able to yield the proper colour temperature for photography.

Toshiba Satellite P870 desktop-replacement laptop Harman-Kardon speakers

Harman-Kardon speakers to give this laptop full sound

As well, companies who have a strong presence in the recording and reproduction of music are becoming involved in the quest for improved sound quality in Windows-based laptops. Examples of these include Beats by Dr Dre working with HP to provide improved sound for HP Envy laptops; premium Toshiba laptops being equipped with Harman-Kardon speakers and ASUS laptops having Bang & Olufsen sound tuning. Who knows what would be happening soon with even the conversion of audio signals between the digital and analogue domains being worked on so as to provide a line-level sound quality equal to or better than the Apple MacBook Pro.

Of course, the Windows and Android equipment have supported an “open-frame” operating environment for both the hardware and software where common standards set by industry groups have been respected. For example, the Android smartphones use MicroUSB as a power / data connection, it is easier for users to gain access to the files held on their Windows or Android devices, and users can integrate an Android or Windows device to a Wi-Fi wireless network at the touch of a button using WPS setup.

What I do see is that regular and mobile computing is swinging from Apple being considered the “cool kid” for both these applications to a situation where they are considered a has-been.

The computer in the tablet-driven world

 

Toshiba Thrive AT1S0 7" tablet

Toshiba AT1S0 7″ Android tablet

At the moment, the tablet computer is being seen as a device to replace regular laptop and notebook computers as the commonly-used portable computing device. But I see the tablet and laptop being able to work complimentary to each other.

For example, I would see the laptop or notebook as being used for long-term intense work such as content creation whereas the tablet can be used for “at-a-glance” reading and browsing. The devices that are able to assume both functions, whether as a detachable-keyboard “hybrid” or a convertible with a “swivel-screen” or “slide-out screen” can provide a bridge between these functions.

Windows 8 Modern UI start screen

Windows 8 “Modern UI” start screen – optimised for touchscreens

This has been augmented by Windows 8 being able to facilitate the “best of both worlds” for content creation when used with a convertible or touch-enabled computer. Here, the “Modern” user-interface can become a dashboard and some of the applications optimised for this interface set themselves up to allow you to read or browse. Whereas you may be able to run a Desktop application which adjusts itself for content creation with the regular keyboard and mouse as the control tools.

The tablets that are run using Android, iOS and Windows RT perform their complementary tasks very well and work the part for ad-hoc viewing.

What kind of tablet?

For example, the 7” units like the Apple iPad Mini, the Google Nexus 7 and the Toshiba AT1S0 are good for bring-it-out-at-the-moment applications where you keep the unit in your handbag or coat pocket. Here you could provide a link to Websites that you need to show others or keep reference material like PDF-printed manuals or online Bibles on these devices.

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet with stylus

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet – fit for business

Conversely, the 10” units like the Apple iPad, the Acer Iconia A500 Series or the ASUS Transformer Prime are good for reading, viewing and surfing in the couch although the small Windows 8 convertible and hybrids could satisfy the same game. You could even view photos and video material comfortable and personally on these devices. In some cases, most of these tablets have a way of showing the pictures held on our camera’s or camcorder’s SD card either through an integrated card slot, a third-party “On The Go” cable and SD card reader or, in the case of an Apple iPad, an SD card adaptor.

If you are thinking of one device, I would place the convertibles as being suitable for this purpose. A detachable-keyboard “hybrid” computer can work well when you want the benefits of a lightweight tablet but want to be able to have a keyboard that you don’t have to bring along with you. On the other hand, it is worth looking at the “convertibles” which have the screen able to be arranged as if a tablet yet they become a regular laptop computer.

It would be hard to think of a screen of 12” or lager as being suitable for touch-based computing on a tablet computer but the convertibles and detachable-keyboard hybrids of this size would also come in to their own when you use the keyboard. Conversely, the 10”-11” computers may be awkward with content creation when you use the keyboard yet the are a natural for touch-based “browsing”.

Here, you would have to place weight on what you are wanting to use this computer for and choose the size of screen you want. As well, it is worth getting as much RAM and secondary-storage capacity as you can afford when you buy these computers so you can multitask easily and have room for the programs and data you take along with you.