iPad vs Archos 9

[Sonny Burnett]

It always amazes me how people expect instant gratification and perfection. Go back to OS 10. In it's original form, it was no where near the excellent platform it is now. But Snow Leopard was not possible without 10.0 making the necessary start.

This is not true. It is conceivable that someone would have thought of all of the features that are in Snow Leopard for the first revision of OS X.

 

[Sonny Burnett]

I am one of those hopping another iPad like device would be among us and sooner than latter. I actually depended on HP bringing the Slate to the table just as they hyped. And now after reading about the dead Slate, the recently released Arcos tablet and the hyped up Dell pocket 'thing a ma jig' I now realize it's going to be a long time before we see anything close to holding par with the iPad. Yes, it would be over the border if we had all these capabilities discussed here, but it's going to be a long time before we see it. By then iPad will be on million sold... Jmo ..

The Slate is rumored to be released with the Palm Web OS this fall.

A lot of manufacturers are regretting the fact that they did not bring a device to market within 30 days of the iPad.

The iPad shortages would definitely have the gotta have it crowd looking for available alternatives now.

 

[Seadog]

It always amazes me how people expect instant gratification and perfection. Go back to OS 10. In it's original form, it was no where near the excellent platform it is now. But Snow Leopard was not possible without 10.0 making the necessary start.

This is not true. It is conceivable that someone would have thought of all of the features that are in Snow Leopard for the first revision of OS X.

Anything is conceivable, but you do not move that much in one leap. For example, when 10.0 came out, who would have need for a 64 bit system, or lack of support for PowerPC. This is my issue with MicroSoft in that they move in leaps and bounds with little continuity.

 

[excalibur1814]

To the people that keep saying that Windows 7 isn't a touch screen device: Maybe try Windows 7 on a Dell Latutude XT2 with it's multi-touch screen and 125% Display DPI. Come back and 'tell' me that it wasn't easy to use 'tpuch'.... .

I've had the Archos 9 for a few days now and I must confirm the one vital fact: Do NOT buy the 9 without an SSD. Don't even consider it. Also, installing Windows Home premium (Wireless works straight away)and then visiting Archos for the latest drivers is easy. I installed three drivers and had a fully working device. Sound, video and HID.

Its not a perfect device and the res doesn't allow the dpi to be increased without dialog boxes being lost but at the standard DPI, I have no problems (Remember to calibrate). The SSD removes the pain and heaven knows how people put up with a standard machine (I used to use an Asus R2h.. now thats slow)

P.s. Want HD videos to play properly on the Archos?
PC, Music and Games: A Nerd's Paradise: Improving Netbook Video Performance....
Done

P.P.s It hasn't dropped a wireless connection once (Cough)

 

[Brad Groux]

To the people that keep saying that Windows 7 isn't a touch screen device: Maybe try Windows 7 on a Dell Latutude XT2 with it's multi-touch screen and 125% Display DPI. Come back and 'tell' me that it wasn't easy to use 'tpuch'....

Oh, you mean the Dell Latitude XT2 that starts out at a mere $1900!?! You can buy 3 iPads for that. Windows 7 is and can work with touch, but it wasn't designed specifically for touch and that is where iPhone OS has it beat. I have used an XT2 and it is nice, but it isn't as easy to use as an iPad, and it isn't as snappy either. I'd much rather work with a scaled down Surface as a Microsoft tablet... I have used a Surface extensively and it is a true touch experience, and it runs a full version of Vista (now Windows 7). Microsoft should scale the Surface down for a tablet, and build more apps for it.

I am the biggest Microsoft fan boy you will ever meet, and I absolutely hate Apple's big-brother tactics, but they got the iPad right. It isn't perfect, but it is a hell of a start. Microsoft has been working with vendors for nearly a decade now to make a tablet that will catch on, and they have failed in that regard. I work in IT Management, in all Microsoft shops in the fortune 10 world (oil and gas), and I have seen a grand total of 5 Windows tablets in use in the business world since 1998. I've worked in companies with over 100,000 desktops and notebooks, yet not one tablet.

Microsoft's problem is sometimes they dream too big, they need to simplify. HP saw that the Slate running Windows 7 couldn't compete with the iPad, so they smartly looked at WebOS as their answer. Hopefully Microsoft will consider the same with Windows Phone 7 Series or the Surface. A full blown operating system on a touch-only device won't appeal to the masses... gadget-heads yes, but grandma no. The iPad is so easy even a three year old can use it, Microsoft should learn from that.

 

[Takenover83]

I have had the Archos 9 for a day now. First thing I did was wipe it. Windows 7 starter is useless. Installed Windows 7 Ultimate (tweaked it quiet a bit), and a heavily tweaked version of XP SP3 (microxp if you have ever tried it). Both run very well, even without a SSD. It's no iPad, but it was never going to be. It does the things my iPad fails to do. The touch-screen seems to be a little better using the XP drivers, then the native Windows 7 drivers, as I tested them both. The screen is very responsive, but definably not as great as the iPads, which is excellent. There are a few quirks I will have to work around. Having to press a button to bring the on-screen keyboard up is annoying. I am looking for a way to make it appear when I enter a text field. Also no way to quickly turn the volume down from what I can see. You can quickly adjust the brightness, turn wifi-bluetooth off, etc.. I also wish there was a button to just turn the screen off. I can throw it into sleep mode or hibernation, but a way to turn the screen off quickly when listening to Pandora would be preferred. These are just little nitpicks, I like the device. If you know your way around a OS, you can definably make it a good experience on 1GB of memory and 1.2GHZ of processor power.

 

[Brad Groux]

Also no way to quickly turn the volume down from what I can see. You can quickly adjust the brightness, turn wifi-bluetooth off, etc.. I also wish there was a button to just turn the screen off.

In Windows 7 you could use a desktop gadget for quick volume changes, such as this one.

I imagine a lot of the gadgets might come in handy, you can browse them all here, and read about them here.

 

[Takenover83]

Thank's for the head's up. I did find a nice Pandora gadget, but never really thought about a volume one.

 

[excalibur1814]

I'm not saying that WIndows 7 s perfect for Touch, but it is a touch enabled device. Plus the XT2 can be purchased for under 1k, as can the HP TM2 and AMD variants which are around the same price as an iPad.

There's nothing wrong with an ipad, I'm not saying that at all, I'm saying that Windows 7 is a Touch Operating system and wonder why people keep saying otherwise?

 

[excalibur1814]

press a button to bring the on-screen keyboard up is annoying. I am looking for a way to make it appear when I enter a text field. Also no way to quickly turn the volume down from what I can see. You can quickly adjust the brightness, turn wifi-bluetooth off, etc.. I also wish there was a button to just turn the screen off.

(Native touch screen driver? Have you updated to the latest archos drivers?)
Not sure if you are, but try not to use the Archos keyboard. Also, you can set the power options to turn off the screen 'x' seconds after being idle...

Windows 7 Keyboard can be set to appear from the left or right when entering text or added to the task bar.

 

[excalibur1814]

P.s. Hold the keyboard button and press the + or - key to change the brightness.

 

[kevbo]

Regarding what i wish i could do with my iPad:

I could name things that you cant do, but it would take away from my point. Its not any one thing (ie photoshop, video encoding etc)

Not to sound cliche, but i wish it was an open platform. This device is so versatile, imagine all the things that could be done if it were. I am a believer that tablet computing will become a huge part of our culture. Science fiction stuff.

So with that, why cripple a device that could be so powerful? Why stifle innovation? Apple's locking of the file system means i can't upload assignments to my schools website. It's also a pain in the ass to transfer files without USB. For as much as Apple promotes seamless integration, the iPad sure doesn't seem to allow that. In order for a tablet to truly be the future, it must be allowed to breathe a little.

I probably see it differently than most. I think everyone will have tablets eventually.. and I think everyone will carry it with them. And maybe I'm a little biased, but I think that if someone has spent their life trying to master technology, they should be able to put that to good use.

 

[gentlefury]

Regarding what i wish i could do with my iPad:

I could name things that you cant do, but it would take away from my point. Its not any one thing (ie photoshop, video encoding etc)

Not to sound cliche, but i wish it was an open platform. This device is so versatile, imagine all the things that could be done if it were. I am a believer that tablet computing will become a huge part of our culture. Science fiction stuff.

So with that, why cripple a device that could be so powerful? Why stifle innovation? Apple's locking of the file system means i can't upload assignments to my schools website. It's also a pain in the ass to transfer files without USB. For as much as Apple promotes seamless integration, the iPad sure doesn't seem to allow that. In order for a tablet to truly be the future, it must be allowed to breathe a little.

I probably see it differently than most. I think everyone will have tablets eventually.. and I think everyone will carry it with them. And maybe I'm a little biased, but I think that if someone has spent their life trying to master technology, they should be able to put that to good use.

The iPad is really no different than windows or mac. It does have USB, and there could be software for everything you want....its just a matter of them being written! Windows applications don't write themselves. If Adobe decices to make photoshop for iPad you will have it! A lot of the Adobe products didn't even exist on Mac for a while, then it was ported now it works. iPad has been out for a couple months....give at least a LITTLE time before complaining it doesn't do what you want it to do.

 

[4phun]

Regarding what i wish i could do with my iPad:



Not to sound cliche, but i wish it was an open platform. This device is so versatile, imagine all the things that could be done if it were. I am a believer that tablet computing will become a huge part of our culture. Science fiction stuff.

So with that, why cripple a device that could be so powerful? Why stifle innovation? Apple's locking of the file system means i can't upload assignments to my schools website. It's also a pain in the ass to transfer files without USB. For as much as Apple promotes seamless integration, the iPad sure doesn't seem to allow that. In order for a tablet to truly be the future, it must be allowed to breathe a little.

.

Sell your iPad there wil be a lot of OO junk you can buy and live with.

You must going to one backward school. I had a college student with me the other night. He took the iPad an knocked out three assignments and quizzes while riding in the car.

You can even do that on most laptops without a dongle.

Sent from iPad 3G.

 

[Takenover83]

Sorry, I called the drivers by the wrong name. The native drivers I was speaking of, are actually the beta drivers, which do not perform as well as the non beta drivers, which happen to be the drivers others use for XP. I found a easy way to turn the monitor off, via a shortcut. Works great.
Create a Shortcut or Hotkey to Turn Off the Monitor - How-To Geek

press a button to bring the on-screen keyboard up is annoying. I am looking for a way to make it appear when I enter a text field. Also no way to quickly turn the volume down from what I can see. You can quickly adjust the brightness, turn wifi-bluetooth off, etc.. I also wish there was a button to just turn the screen off.

(Native touch screen driver? Have you updated to the latest archos drivers?)
Not sure if you are, but try not to use the Archos keyboard. Also, you can set the power options to turn off the screen 'x' seconds after being idle...

Windows 7 Keyboard can be set to appear from the left or right when entering text or added to the task bar.