9 Upcoming Tablet Alternatives to the Apple iPad

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The Apple iPad cat is officially out of its bag, but it’s not going to be the only tablet game in town. There are a number of other devices out there in various stages from “barely announced” to “working prototype,” many of which were shown off at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.

Apple may have snagged first-mover advantage in this year’s tablet renaissance, and we have scant few details on things like pricing and release date for some of its upcoming competitors. Still, it’s worth a look at what other tablet contenders are going to be emerging with in the near near future. It might be worth reigning in that Steve Jobs-induced credit card trigger finger for a bit.

Let’s have a look at what alternatives to the iPad are likely literally just around the corner.

1. HP Slate

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed off this HP tablet prototype very briefly at CES this year. It wasn’t the Apple iPad thunder-stealing moment predicted by the media, but it is one of many indications that the tablet form-factor is about to become practically ubiquitous.

This particular HP slate will run Windows 7, setting it apart from the field of tablets running Android you’ll be seeing on the rest of this list. More details about the device were recently revealed by HP in the video below.

2. Dell Streak

During its CES 2010 keynote, Dell talked about working on multiple “upcoming slates,” including one prototype it showed off, which is currently called the Streak. This particular model is only 5-inches, though, which puts it less in the direct path of the iPad and makes it more akin to the existing line of mobile internet devices (MIDs) like the Archos series of Internet tablets. Not much else is known yet about the Streak, or what other kinds of tablets Dell might be cooking up, but Engadget did snag some hands-on photos of the device.

3. Asus Eee Tablet

Asus is the company responsible for kicking off the entire netbook craze. They were also showing off a prototype of a 9-inch tablet at CES this year. The device has four control buttons reminiscent of the favored layout for an Adroid-powered phone, leading to the logical speculation that the Asus tablet might well run Google’s mobile operating system.

JKK Mobile snagged a video of the prototype, embedded below.

4. Compal Tablet

This working prototype was shown off at CES 2010. Made by Compal, the 7-inch Android 2.0 tablet runs on the new, high-powered next-generation Tegra 2 processor NVIDIA announced at CES. With this chip, a device can support 1080p video playback, yet retain startlingly good battery life. NVIDIA says it already has several partners lined up to make Tegra 2-based tablets, so expect more of this type of device in the near near future.

5. Notion Ink Adam

Another tablet running Android and powered by the Tegra 2 chip is the Adam, a 10-inch tablet from Indian startup Notion Ink. It uses a screen technology from Pixel Qi that combines the best of a full color multi-touch LCD display with a low-power reflective mode that’s readable in direct sunlight.

Notion Ink says the Adam should come to market in the second quarter of this year, with a target price somewhere between $300 and $800. Slashgear got a lengthy video demo (embedded below) and oodles of pics of the device.

6. MSI

Wait for it: It’s another tablet prototype running Android and powered by the Tegra 2, this time from MSI. Engadget found it “a bit thicker and heavier than we’d like,” but on the plus side its 10-inch screen is “plenty responsive.”

7. Quanta

One last prototype running Android on the Tegra 2 chip: the Quanta tablet got some early dings in terms of usability. Still, it is only a prototype, so the Wi-Fi and 3G-enabled tablet device could still be a contender in the about-to-be-crowded tablet space.

8. ICD Vega

Seattle-based startup Innovative Converged Devices announced its Vega tablet back in November 2009, and now the device is officially headed to T-Mobile UK sometime before the end of 2010. Yet another tablet based on Android, the Vega will have a large amount of screen real-estate at 15.6-inches. Check out the full spec list and a hands-on demo video embedded below.

9. Google and HTC

[Mockup image courtesy of Gizmodo]

This one is sadly of the purely rumor variety, but it’s worth mentioning for its potentially game-changing effects. Like it did with the Nexus One, if Google were to take a direct hand in developing a tablet computing device with a trusted partner, it could be a serious contender in the newly emerging tablet wars.

The cited report says the Google Tablet has already been in development for the past 19 months. HTC is a plausible logical choice for the trusted partner as well, given its existing relationship with Google and the Android operating system. Still, with nothing yet official on the books, the Google Tablet is the most speculative entrant on this list for now.

[img credits: Engadget, Slashgear, Gizmodo]

via mashable.com

Some of these appeal to me more than a giant iPod…
But to each, their own.

BBC News – Unholy row over New Zealand Mary and Joseph billboard

The billboard is intended to challenge the stereotypes of the Christmas conception story, but it has been described as offensive to Christians

An unholy row has broken out in New Zealand over a church billboard aimed at “challenging stereotypes” about the birth of Jesus Christ.

A dejected-looking Joseph lies in bed next to Mary under the caption, “Poor Joseph. God was a hard act to follow”.

St Matthew-in-the-City Church in Auckland, which erected the billboard, said it had intended to provoke debate.

But the Catholic Church, among others, has condemned it as “inappropriate” and “disrespectful”.

Within hours of its unveiling, the billboard had been defaced with brown paint.

The church’s vicar, Archdeacon Glynn Cardy, said the aim of the billboard had been to lampoon the literal interpretation of the Christmas conception story.

The billboard was defaced within hours of its unveiling

“What we’re trying to do is to get people to think more about what Christmas is all about,” he told the New Zealand Press Association (NZPA).

“Is it about a spiritual male God sending down sperm so a child would be born, or is it about the power of love in our midst as seen in Jesus?”

He told NZPA that the church had received e-mails and phone calls about the controversial image.

“About 50% said they loved it, and about 50% said it was terribly offensive,” he said. “But that’s out of about 20 responses – this is New Zealand.”

But Lyndsay Freer, spokeswoman for the Catholic Diocese of Auckland, said the poster was offensive to Christians.

“Our Christian tradition of 2,000 years is that Mary remains a virgin and that Jesus is the son of God, not Joseph,” she told the New Zealand Herald. “Such a poster is inappropriate and disrespectful.”

The family values group Family First said any debate about the Virgin birth should be held inside the church.

“To confront children and families with the concept as a street billboard is completely irresponsible and unnecessary,” Family First director Bob McCroskrie told the news website stuff.co.nz.

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Not sure how I feel about this?

need to think on it – rather than responding “with my gut”

The Cove | Take Action – Take Part!

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The Cove exposes the slaughter of more than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises in Taiji, Japan every year, and how their meat, containing toxic levels of mercury, is being sold as food in Japan and other parts of Asia, often labeled as whale meat. The majority of the world is not aware this is happening as the Taiji cove is blocked off from the public. The focus of the Social Action Campaign for The Cove is to create worldwide awareness of this annual practice as well as the dangers of eating seafood contaminated with mercury and to pressure those in power to put an end to the slaughter.

Slaughtered for Their Meat & Captivity Capture to places like Seaworld & Dolphinariums

I AM ONE MAGAZINE | CALL TO ACTION: SAVE BORDERS PREVENT BOREDOM — A CRUCIAL PART OF BUCHANAN STREET

This is not advertorial. This is a blatant CALL TO ACTION on behalf of Border’s Books, Buchanan Street, Glasgow. I was saddened by the news of administration, I was sickened to walk by and see bargain-basement ‘CLOSING DOWN’ signs just now.

If Border’s Buchanan Street is allowed to close, Glasgow loses, in a big way. If the government can bail out the banks, they need to step in here.

Glasgow loses, here’s why:

1. This store is not only a retail space, it is a prime meeting location. 1000’s of people daily come through its’ doors, rendezvous, buy a book or a magazine, then continue on to lunch/dinner. Every restaurateur within a 30 minute walk should take note! 

2. It has been challenging the status quo. In this dire age of complacency in retailing, Border’s Buchanan Street has a passionate staff. The store is open until 10pm most days, challenging the home-by-six mentality (especially in an era where retailers complain of low sales = they’re never open when working people need them).

3. Because of its innovative programmes, hours and location, the presence is a source of stability and nighttime safety in the area. If allowed to close, or turn into another 9-5 dress shop, Buchanan Street will become a dangerous ghost town for drunken brawlers every night.

 4. Border’s Buchanan street has the one and ONLY international peridoicals, news and books sections in the entirety of lowland Scotland. NO other retailers offers such a wide selection.

5. Border’s Buchanan Street is one of the few retail chains that aspire to act independently, and support the local community. Our annual writers’ conference is one example.  They have a forum for all sorts of events, and have become prominent in hosting things that have no other home.

 Write your MSP’s, and business friends. The private sector needs to step up here. Rumour has it that the Glasgow store has been consistently profitable.

 Change is ok, but if this institution turns into another useless discount clothing store or dress boutique, along with the ridiculous withdrawal of the airport rail link, Glasgow will have taken a giant step back from being a hub in Scotland to being just another run of the mill bourgeois town for weekend shoppers.

 Do something.

 

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INDEED!

Write your MSP’s, and business friends. The private sector needs to step up here. Rumour has it that the Glasgow store has been consistently profitable.

Change is ok, but if this institution turns into another useless discount clothing store or dress boutique, along with the ridiculous withdrawal of the airport rail link, Glasgow will have taken a giant step back from being a hub in Scotland to being just another run of the mill bourgeois town for weekend shoppers.

Do something!!

TiVo to power Virgin’s new TV platform – Digital Spy

 

American DVR giant TiVo is to return to the UK market by powering Virgin Media’s new converged TV platform, it was confirmed this morning.

TiVo will develop a converged TV and broadband interactive interface for Virgin’s new service, which will seamlessly blend linear and on-demand content. Under the terms of the arrangement, TiVo will become the exclusive provider of all middleware and user interface software for the cable operator.

“TiVo’s proven track record of innovation, strength of its patented technology and experience in developing best in class user environments, make it an ideal strategic partner for Virgin Media as we move aggressively to bring our next generation TV service to market,” said Virgin Media chief executive Neil Berkett.

“The superiority of our fibre optic network combined with TiVo’s capabilities, will allow us to offer consumers the most significantly advanced and compelling TV service available in the UK, and we believe will do to the TV market what Virgin Media has done to the high-speed broadband market.”

In September, Virgin confirmed it was replacing its existing TV infrastructure with a new IP-based TV transmission platform based on Cisco’s Digital Video Headend technology. TiVo’s hardware and software, which Virgin expects to make available during 2010, will run on this system.

TiVo president and chief executive Tom Rogers said: “This deal underscores TiVo’s commitment to expanding its global footprint through strategic alliances with leading international media companies to help them deliver the best in-home entertainment experience for consumers.

“We are very excited about this new distribution relationship with the UK’s most advanced pay television provider and are particularly proud to have been selected as Virgin Media’s core software partner for its next generation DVR-enabled set top boxes and its next generation non-DVR set top boxes.

“Virgin Media is a true leader in the world of entertainment and their enthusiasm for building the next generation of pay television is an excellent opportunity to put all of TiVo’s innovation to work in a product distributed by a world class partner. We believe this international deal affords us a significant subscriber growth opportunity.”

via digitalspy.co.uk

Yay!! Been jealous of my brother’s TiVo for years!!
Smart move VirginMedia – Sky Couldn’t quite kill off TiVo & now you bring it back fom the Brink!

headphonaught’s tumblelog | “Griffin should be allowed on because of…

“Griffin should be allowed on because of democracy,” says the woman who is a teaching assistant. “I don’t agree with him or the BNP at all. I think he’s an idiot – but he needs to be on TV to prove that. I don’t like the fact that the BNP are in the borough. They shout that they have a lot of support but I don’t think they have it at all. If more people actually go out and vote next time, that will prove how little support they’ve really got. BBC NEWS | Magazine | Why exactly do people vote for the BNP? “because of democracy”… exactly!

New K9 trailer

via gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com

Saw this mentioned online many months ago…

Made In Australia – only distantly connected to Doctor Who – insofar that same voice (actor from 1970’s) & character name (K9)!

Looks good (for what it is – kids tv fluff) but slightly disappointing also (for what its not – connected to the Whoverse properly for a start)

We shall see how it goes – Thus far – it ain’t no Doctor Who OR Sarah-Jane Adventures!

On Disney XD in UK & Network Ten in OZ sometime..

Third-World McDonald’s

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Just seems very wrong to me ..
But best describes Rich World’s attitude to Poor World…:

“how can we make money from them?”

An Open Letter to Those Who Have Been Burned by Church

To All the Wounded:

Just the mention of the word “church” leaves a bad taste in your mouth and may cause you to throw up in your mouth a little. You recall old scars that you’ve been trying to cover up for years. I get that.

At some point (or maybe for much of your life) someone or a group of Christians have blatantly mis-represented Christianity to you. Maybe you got turned off by a televangelist or street preacher. Perhaps you received a million dollar bill tract as a tip at a restaurant where you were working the dreaded Sunday lunch shift, full of high maintenance, crabby Christians who are fresh out of a church service. To you, “church” has become a four-letter word.

Someone has turned the Bible into a blunt weapon against you.

Someone has told you that the “good news” is that you’d go to hell if you died tonight.

Someone has emotionally torn you down and left you in a heap of tears.

Someone’s arrogance/ignorance made you cringe and want to disappear.

Someone has caused you to never want anything to do with Christians, church, or God ever again.

Those people are condescending assholes. There is no excuse in the universe for these kinds of attitudes and actions. My heart breaks for you and what you have experienced. I don’t think therapists are qualified to deal with the kind of hurt and pain that has been inflicted on you and continues to weigh you down at just the glimpse of a lame saying on a church marquee.

I am no better. Sometimes I cuss (see above). I have looked down on people who I perceived as “big sinners”. I’ve had hateful attitudes towards those who I deemed “unrighteous”. I don’t want you to follow my example.

Thankfully, though, I have caught a brief glimpse of the church living up to its full potential. I think God wants Christians to wage war not against Democrats or hippies or homosexuals, but on poverty, HIV/AIDS, and injustice. I think that God loves when we ask lots of questions and when we honestly struggle with life.

I believe that God loves you just the way you are; God made you very specifically with all your quirks and idiosyncrasies. Unfortunately, people aren’t perfect and often warp the idea of what God is like.

What I ask is that, if any of this stuff strikes a chord with you, you will let some of these words sink in and you’ll take some time to process what this means to you. I totally understand if it takes quite a while before you trust Christians, church, or anything that has to do with God.

My hope for you is that at some point you are re-introduced to God in a new way–whether you see God in the eyes of a homeless man, in a gorgeous sunset, through a friend who cares about you, or even on a Sunday morning, inside a big room with stained-glass windows.

You’ve been burned, but you don’t have to stay burned…

With All Respect,

 

Curtis Honeycutt

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• 4 Reasons to Stop Twittering in Church
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• “If you’re scared go to church”

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“Jonathan Blundell, on September 1st, 2009 at 11:00 am Said:

Good stuff. Despite its failings at times there is still life and community taking place in the Church.
I hope we can break down the stereotypes of what being a Christian and Church are… and I think you’ve offered up a great big piece of the puzzle.

Thanks again.”

“Tell her something true” from @Takebrokenme (Laura)

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From @takebrokenme’s Flickr – Awe Inspiring!
Join in:

“i know this is a Flickr fad.. but i like the idea of hopping on the bandwagon of openness & honesty.

So.

There’s this form, here. Use it. Tell me something. Anything. Tell me a secret, a thought, a dream. Tell me you love me. Tell me you hate me. Tell me a sentence or a word, a story or a song. Just tell me something true.

i won’t know who it’s from. i won’t know anything except what you type in that box. But tell me, and i’ll try my best to respond. (in the comments.)

Go: http://www.formspring.com/forms/?682281-9sfeqxhHMO “

From: Tell her something true. on Flickr – Photo Sharing! (24 August 2009)

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