2014, year of the "Pro" tablets?

[s44]

Not the Surface Pro. No one buys those.

Ipad Pro rumors:
12.9"
2K screen in spring, 4k in fall?

Galaxy Note Pro rumors:
12.2"
resolution, guts same as the Note 10.1v2
announced at CES or MWC

Of course, with Samsung there will be other options... looks like the new AMOLED models will be called Tab Pro 8.4 and 10.1, presumably to distinguish them from the low-end nature of the regular Tab series. All of these will be released mid-end February.

More interesting than raw specs is whether Apple and Samsung intend to start officially supporting hybrid use with first-party accessories and software.

edit: Tab Pro 10.1 seems to have hit FCC already.

 

[Kaido]

I really like the 2-in-1 concept. Stuff like the Asus T300 really has it nailed:

http://www.asus.com/in-search-of-incredible/us-en/asus-transformer-book-t300/

I just have a hard time imaging people using a 12" or 13" tablet on a regular basis. I've already seen a lot of people migrate from the 10" iPad to the 7" iPad Mini because it makes more sense physically - easier to hold with one hand, for one thing. For occasional use, I think 12/13" tablets are cool, but then you'd need some kind of stand to hold them up after awhile, so it makes sense to just have the bottom be the rest of the laptop because then you can tilt it to whatever angle you like, instead of being locked into one or two positions like the Surface tablet or origami Smartcover.

The new iPad Air is what I'd consider a true tablet - super lightweight but has all of the features you want - great screen, great battery life, lots of power, etc. The iPad Mini is in the same boat - nice to hold, nice weight, etc. I definitely think touchscreen is important as well - I recently picked up both a Lenovo S210 11.6" touchscreen computer running Windows 8 at work, as well as an Acer C720P touchscreen Chromebook for home, and they both benefit from having a touchscreen because it's just so natural to point at things on the screen.

But even with the extremely lightweight iPad Air, it's still a decently large screen to hold for extended periods of time, so I'm curious as to how a larger tablet would be used in real life. More lap pads, stands, etc?

 

[Joe1987]

Samsung is rumored to be ready to unleash a ton of more affordable tablets as well, I think we'll see the iPad domination toppled as a result of Samsung's tablet onslaught.

 

[s44]

But even with the extremely lightweight iPad Air, it's still a decently large screen to hold for extended periods of time, so I'm curious as to how a larger tablet would be used in real life. More lap pads, stands, etc?

It will probably have to be some sort of keydock setup, which both companies have avoided so far. I agree that 12+" is too big and heavy to hold for extended use.

 

[Kaido]

It will probably have to be some sort of keydock setup, which both companies have avoided so far. I agree that 12+" is too probably too big and heavy to hold for extended use.

On the flip side, I could absolutely find uses, especially at work, for larger tablets. It would be neat to see something like a Magbak with a Qi wireless charger so you could just plop it down somewhere like your kitchen, next to a patient's bed as a doctor, in front of the toilet, etc. and have it double as both an easy mount & no-plug charger:

http://1lss-store.myshopify.com/

I think 7" is the right size for a home tablet, generally-speaking. Perfect for reading a book, surfing on something that isn't tiny like a cell phone, holding for extended periods of time, etc. My wife likes the larger iPad size for kid's games, but even then, the 7" size is a bit nicer for a kid to hold too.

 

[Kaido]

Samsung is rumored to be ready to unleash a ton of more affordable tablets as well, I think we'll see the iPad domination toppled as a result of Samsung's tablet onslaught.

I've never been a big Android fan, but v4+ has grown on me - the Moto X, HP Slate 21, etc. I just picked up a Mad Catz MOJO for a couple projects (thin client & emulator station) and I have a Samsung Galaxy for Kids coming in for Christmas for my toddler (includes a fat stylus for mess-free coloring books, whoohoo!), so it will be interesting to see what sizes end up working out well.

I think the HP Slate is wicked cool. If I had the cash, I would install one by my front door on a swing-out arm for a family calendar, one in my kitchen for recipes & Pandora, and one in the living room for the kiddo to play games on with a larger screen. So many neat applications that I never would have thought of using if I hadn't gotten a hands-on with it.

 

[Doomer]

A 7" tablet is only good for young people. Old people need at least a 10". A 12" or 13" would be wonderful.

I have a Nook Color HD+ and even it is a tad too small.

 

[Kaido]

A 7" tablet is only good for young people. Old people need at least a 10". A 12" or 13" would be wonderful.

I have a Nook Color HD+ and even it is a tad too small.

Can't argue with that! Although I was working with one of my buddy's dads recently (late 60's) and he just upgraded to an iPad Mini - liked the smaller physical form factor, but could still zoom in on text easily.

 

[sgrinavi]

A 7" tablet is only good for young people. Old people need at least a 10". A 12" or 13" would be wonderful.

I have a Nook Color HD+ and even it is a tad too small.

I'm old and I prefer a smaller tablet. I have an iPad mini & a Nexus 7 2013

I think the larger tablets are too heavy for us old folk

 

[Ravynmagi]

I was thinking the same. If I want smaller tablets because they are lighter and easier to hold, I would imagine older folks would want them for the same reason.

Not really sure what the deal is with Apple and Samsung developing these extra large tablets. The trend seems to be going in the opposite direction. And I haven't heard anyone saying, "This 10 inch tablet is too small".

12 and 13 inches is kinda okay with 2 in 1 Windows machines that are primarily used as a laptop. But as a device that primarily serves as a tablet, I don't know who would want that.

Well, I'm curious and I'll definitely check them out if they ever get released. But at the moment, I don't think I'd want a stand alone tablet that big.

 

[s44]

12 and 13 inches is kinda okay with 2 in 1 Windows machines that are primarily used as a laptop. But as a device that primarily serves as a tablet, I don't know who would want that.

Hence the logical conclusion: Apple and Samsung are going to start going for the 2 in 1 market. Wasn't all the speculation that the Macbook Air and the iPad -- not to mention iOS and OSX -- would eventually absorb each other? Look at the naming scheme adoped with the iPad Air.

I do feel the Note 10.1 is a bit small. Not for reading/browsing/etc, but when you have a stylus, it feels odd to be writing on something still noticeably smaller than a letter-sized page.

Also obviously these things are going to be way lighter than the current Haswell-based Windows devices of comparable screen size.

 

[lopri]

I think this can be viewed as a natural evolution, occurred similarly to phones. Phones have strove to achieve smaller bezels while maximizing screen estates. These new tablets may not be a drastic jump in physical size, yet reduced bezels may enable larger screen estates.

Thickness and weight are other considerations but OEMs seem to have more margins there with tablets than with smartphones. Nevertheless I would like to see them keep pursuing lightness.

As for Samsung, if they really ship tablets with OLED screens we can assume that the technology has quite matured in the state of current manufacturing. IIRC OLED screens are/were generally more costly than LCD counterparts and Samsung used OLED screens for only expensive smartphones till now. (even their mid-range parts w/ OLED are more expensive than competing products) The Note 3's screen was the first sign of that technological advance in that it felt dramatically different than Samsung's previous OLED screens.

 

[TripleThreatTLT]

I do feel the Note 10.1 is a bit small. Not for reading/browsing/etc, but when you have a stylus, it feels odd to be writing on something still noticeably smaller than a letter-sized page.

This exactly. I had a Note 10.1 and when using it at work for note taking I would have traded it for a 12 inch. Just not quite enough space especially if you want to add diagrams and such.

 

[bearxor]

Not the Surface Pro. No one buys those.

*Looks down at the Windows logo on the front of Surface Pro. Cries.*

I think 2014 will be the year of the 2-in-1, but I'm typically two years ahead of the usage curve, so probably not.

 

[Imaginer]

I will say this, hardware is only half the solution in technology. Main reason why I have been reluctant to pick up a tablet at all (Kindle was a even slightly remotely possible enticing option for me - because fuck "disk swapping" books and bulk of books).

What made me buy the Surface Pro 2 (and recommending it for mobile professional work) is that the professional software is already there to leverage along with the processing power. Tablet functionality and form is a bonus, handy at times, and brings worked on content anywhere with no additional fumbling, device change, or presentation switch over.

Good luck on Apple reversing stances on the stylus. The biggest draw to the Surface Pro being the pen (and initial lookings and research of the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro - released before the Surface Pro).

The ONLY way I see either one of the OP's listed rumored devices taking off, is if the iPad Pro or the Note Pro sports Intel's Core i series processors, and have the iPad Pro being able to leverage OSX programs (and by extension of Linux - the Note Pro leveraging Linux programs)

Otherwise, these things can be had on newly released convertibles, from many vendors, tailored to one's eyes, fingers, devices, and deployment in many spectrums of configuration. The two above are just two rumored hardware amongst many, which says something about options (Hell, people already are able to Hackintosh a Surface Pro - but this is a niche reason for things like Final Cut Pro)

 

[gorcorps]

Well that's going to be confusing. This year we've had a good pattern of "pro" tablets indicating tablets that run full Windows. If they start sticking that "pro" term on any large device running some dinky mobile OS then it's just going to cause confusion.

Can they seriously not think of a different term?

 

[Imaginer]

And both devices will run into the same growing pains as Windows 8 and Tablet PCs (but reversed). The devices would have A LOT of empty space if just using purely their tablet OS counterparts, meaning the resolution will be of waste. Things like window management will possibly need to be an option for multi-tasking (something I do not think both tablet OS environments fully leverage). Merging the desktop environments and tablet environments will see that same growing pain as well.

Periphery compatibility is another, unless you have a rich company (of any size) that would foot the bill in having another aspect of infrastructure being replaced.

 

[bearxor]

Good luck on Apple reversing stances on the stylus. The biggest draw to the Surface Pro being the pen (and initial lookings and research of the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro - released before the Surface Pro).

Maybe for you but, fuck that pen. I sigh every time I have to use it to hit some insanely small target. And Microsoft can go straight to hell for not building a place in to the Surface Pro to store that thing.

Having said that, I did switch out my Surface Pro for a Pro 2 128GB this weekend and am enjoying it. If Apple delivered a tablet next year that ran a ULV Broadwell and ran full-out OSX, I'll drop this thing in a heartbeat, even if it's $500 more.

 

[Ravynmagi]

One thing about Apple rumors is they always seem more grand than what the product we actually get is. The talk that the 12.9 inch iPad Pro would be a 2 in 1, merge iOS and OSX and probably replace the Macbook Air, sounds like the perfect setup for disappointment this fall. Because that sounds way too grand and big of a change for Apple to do all at once. This sounds like those large iPhone rumors we kept hearing about year after year and then when it finally happened, we got a phone that was a mere half in larger and everyone was like "WTF is this?"

And it seems like the sources of these rumors have a track record about as accurate as a coin flip.


Now Samsung, I don't doubt anything rumors say they are working on. Because I don't think an idea exists that they think would be bad. They throw dozens of products against a wall to see what sticks. So Samsung making a 13 inch Android tablet? Sure. Samsung making a 13 inch Android tablet 2 in 1 hybrid laptop? Sure, why wouldn't they. I dunno if this would do well though, but I'm sure Samsung would have no problem making it anyway.

Android seems to do best on phones and small tablets. And I can't imagine why anyone needing a larger 13 inch screen and keyboard would think Android would be a better choice than Windows.

 

[gorcorps]

Maybe for you but, fuck that pen. I sigh every time I have to use it to hit some insanely small target. And Microsoft can go straight to hell for not building a place in to the Surface Pro to store that thing.

Having said that, I did switch out my Surface Pro for a Pro 2 128GB this weekend and am enjoying it. If Apple delivered a tablet next year that ran a ULV Broadwell and ran full-out OSX, I'll drop this thing in a heartbeat, even if it's $500 more.

No place to store the pen? The pen attaches to the side of the tablet where the charger also attaches to.

 

[Ravynmagi]

No place to store the pen? The pen attaches to the side of the tablet where the charger also attaches to.

Yeah, but that really sucks. I guess better than nothing, but only barely. You have to remove the pen when charging it, then remember to reattach the pen. You can't really hold the tablet well with the pen attached to the side. The pen can fall off when you put it in a bag.

As big as the tablet is, I don't see why they couldn't create a pen silo like Samsung and Lenovo do.

 

[bearxor]

No place to store the pen? The pen attaches to the side of the tablet where the charger also attaches to.

That doesn't really work as a solution as pointed out above for several reasons. I had tried to always attach it but every time I grad the tablet and start trying to type, I have to take it off because its so large it makes tone side very uncomfortable.

I have a case coming in that has a pen loop in the back. Hopefully that will get it out of the way but always keep it pretty close by.

 

[Imaginer]

Yeah, but that really sucks. I guess better than nothing, but only barely. You have to remove the pen when charging it, then remember to reattach the pen. You can't really hold the tablet well with the pen attached to the side. The pen can fall off when you put it in a bag.

As big as the tablet is, I don't see why they couldn't create a pen silo like Samsung and Lenovo do.

And the Samsung, has no eraser on the end, nor does it have side buttons. (to conform with the device styling when stored) Making a built in silo for the stock pen kind of worthless for me since I would get a more functioning pen afterwards, forgoing the stock pen (just like now with using a Lifebook pen that has two side buttons and an eraser for my Surface Pro 2 - handy for having a middle mouse click and undo key combination).

Needless to say, if one device isn't right for you, there are other options, with tradeoffs.

And, you do know you can turn the touch screen into a trackpad so you do not need to use the pen all the time for pin point pointing and mousing.

 

[magomago]

Microsoft just needs a couple more iterations on their 'pro' tablets; the technology is pretty much here, its just getting it all together in the right way

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

There really isn't any point in releasing a pro ipad until they make the core OS actually usable for large screens. Currently there is no way to split screen apps or make effective use of the extra real estate.

Microsoft is the only company with a usable productivity tablet OS.