Jobs savages 7-inch tablet competition

If you've been putting off buying an iPad because you're waiting for a more-affordable seven-inch version, or if you've been considering getting an upcoming seven-incher from a non-Cupertinian source, Apple CEO Steve Jobs would like to set you straight. "We think the current crop of seven-inch tablets are going to be DOA — …

[sT0rNG b4R3 duRiD]

Screen sizes

So now we have

1. QVGA mobiles like the sony xperia mini pro

2. iPhone sized devices

3. Dell Streaks (and hopefully more of like)

4. iPads and hopefully soon some proper android equivalents, whenever.

Choice is good, honestly.

Personally I would rather carry a netbook than an ipad. And rather have a dumb phone, or a very small smart phone with battery life to match, given in my case, a proper computer is really never too far away.

Choice is good.

The market will decide. Hopefully it won't be too fickle and heed Apple propaganda.

( Let me tell you what I'd like out in the field however, a completely ruggedized iPad sized device, something you could drop on concrete and expect to work again, in the mud and wipe clean. Something with heaps of endurance. Something that ideally is not locked down and customisable. With all that still approximating the size and weight of your typical 10 inch device - this ... might sell quite well)

[Ocular Sinister]

Indeed!

+1 for the small dumb phone and a netbook/iPad/whatever-small-computer-floats-your-boat. I just don't want the large multi-function phones coming out right now; they are too bulky, the battery life is too short and they all seem too fiddly to use. Of course, the feature-phone + netbook combo only works well if you have bluetooth (or similar) tethering.

Have a pint!

[meehawl]

Too Legs Good, Four Legs Better!

Jobs spent several years dissing flash memory MP3 players from the likes of iRiver because Apple did not yet have a flash player aka Nano available. According to him, disk was where it was and flash was pointless. Then suddenly one year everything changed. If others show there's $$$ to be made with 7" tablets, count on Apple getting out there to hoover up the cash.

[DZ-Jay]

Re: Too Legs Good, Four Legs Better!

First, Jobs dissed the flash memory players as having crap battery life and not enough storage for the price. iPods started using flash memory when the technology was perfected enough, or integrated properly enough, to allow for great capacity, lower power consumption, and a lower price.

Second, the arguments that Jobs brought up against 7" tablets seem to be reasonable--as a matter of fact, I thought about the "tweener" argument as soon as I heard the rumours of a forthcoming 7" iPad. This makes your suggestion that they would make money a very big "if".

-dZ.

[Adam Williamson 1]

Except...

...there's already a bunch of very popular devices out there, which their users generally love, in exactly this form factor. They're called e-readers. Go ask a Sony Reader or Kindle owner if they'd like a tablet in the same form factor as their reader, and a lot of 'em will say 'yes'. Clearly it's a form factor that works for people.

The touch argument is clearly bullshit, otherwise why does Apple sell 3" touchscreen devices? To extend Jobs' silly argument about 'filing down your fingers' to a 3" display, you'd wind up with...well...a stylus. And we all know what Steve thinks of the stylus.

Let's face it, all CEOs ever talk is whatever bullshit they can come up with to support what they happen to be hawking at that particular moment. There's no point taking anything they say remotely seriously.

[meehawl]

The Horse's Mouth

It's always amusing when people pop up echoing Mr Jobs' comments as the obvious truth. Just because he says something does not make it true, even though there are apparently many people out there ready to repeat his comments until they begin to*sound* like truth.

Before the Nano there were lots of fine flash players. Some had very small memories, and some had slots that let you plug in larger cards as tech evolved. I have a 2001-era flash player that came with a measly 128 MB on board but now does 4 GB very nicely, thanks very much, and Rockbox.

As usual though, most APple fans prefer to think that before Apple releases a product everything else out there was so crap it's not even worth bothering with.

[Anonymous Coward]

Some random words here for the heading monster

Oh, I don't know. I'd be quite happy with 7 inches.

[Uk_Gadget]

Nah,

I am really happy with my 10 inch one....

[Phil P]

Disingenuous

He manages to make it sound as though all of the competition is 7" and therefore the Apple product is superior to all of the competition. But this simply isn't the case. Proof by counter-example: the 9.7" iPad compared to the 10" Pixel Qi display Notion Ink Adam.

http://gizmodo.com/5471559/notion-ink-adam-tablet-caught-on-video-specs-finalized

[King Edward I]

Problem is...

...The adam aint on the shelves yet. (I wish it would hurry up though. WANT ONE!)

[Daniel 1]

Can't get the parts, can they

Steve Jobs, and Foxconn, are sitting on the world's-own supply of decent 10-inch capitative touch screens. Everyone else *knows* how to make decent 10 inch devices, but they can't get the parts. They *list* the devices in their inventory, because it's simply an assembly job... if you could get the parts. But none of them are for sale for the same reason.

So, of course Job's is going to dis the only alternative form-factor that his rivals can afford to make.

[Dazed and Confused]

Square laws in a Jobsian universe

45%

how does he read that conclusion?

10^2 == 100

7^2 == 49

I realise it's 6:20 in the morning, but since when has anyone rounded down 49 to 45?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's Actually 50% Smaller

The iPad has a 9.7" diagonal and an aspect ratio of 4:3. The 7" Android tablets have an aspect ratio of 16:9.

A little high-school algebra (and Pythagoras' Theorem) gets us:

iPad: 7.467" x 5.6003" = 41.8174 sq.in

Others: 6.101" x 3.432" = 20.9377 sq.in

Consequently, the 7" tablet screens are almost exactly 50% the size of the iPad's.

Algebra Nazi because I have no idea what calculations you were using - the screens are not square! (I also have no idea who did Jobs' calculations...)

[Anonymous Coward]

Area?

Jobs wasn't talking about area, he was talking about the linear diagonal. TBH I can't see where he gets the diagonal of a standard 7" LCD display being 45% of his supposedly 10" iPad. It isn't. I do agree however that area is a much better measurement and should be adopted as a standard. A 16:9 telly with the same diagonal measurement as an old 4:3 is has only 75% the area of the old 4:3.. A lot of people I know have been very disapointed with the dimensions of the widescreen TVs when moving from old 4:3 boxes.

Anyhow going back to the old CRT days why do manufacturers always get away with measuring the diagonal and rounding it up their display size? How come the 9.7" iPad can be sold as a 10 incher? Tesco wouldn't get away with selling milk in the same way would it? A litre of milk is a litre or milk and if they tried selling you 950ml as a litre the trading standards bods would be down on them like 950kg of bricks.

I prefer photography anyway. A 10x8 is a 10x8 and a 5x7 is just that. In diagonal terms the former would be call a 13 incher and the latter a 9 incher which is clearly stupid.

[Paul_Murphy]

But can I fit an ipad into my pocket?

No? - well, sorry but it's no good to me then.

ttfn

[DZ-Jay]

Re: But can I fit an iPad into my pocket?

Are you purposely trolling, or have you really not being paying attention?

Your iPhone/iPod Touch/Android/BlackBerry/etc. fits in your pocket. Your iPad sits on your coffee table, or in your briefcase on the way to the office.

-dZ.

[Anonymous Coward]

@DZ-Jay

"Your iPad sits on your coffee table, or in your briefcase on the way to the office."

Or, if any British politicians or civil servants are involved, left on a train or on the back seat of a taxi somewhere before being sold on eBay.

[Paul_Murphy]

Neither

>Are you purposely trolling, or have you really not being paying attention?

I use my Hero for listening to music and reading ebooks whilst on the tube/trains etc. - I need something that I can slip into my pocket easily when I am moving between trains etc.

A 10-inch iPad or similar is too big for my purposes - a 7-inch device is one that I could use.

Hence my comment.

On top of that you have Jobs saying that small screens are no use, which is rather funny considering the iPhone, iTouch etc all the way down to the Nano - whose screen is not only tiny but practically unusable when it's clipped to you - you need to unclip it to view the screen and find out what to press.

They all seem to manage with small screens, so why spend any effort dissing them?

strange.

ttfn

[Anonymous Coward]

My 7" netbook fits in my pocket.

Big pockets.

[Oninoshiko]

Re: Re: But can I fit an iPad into my pocket?

Are you purposely trolling, or have you really not being paying attention?

I don't NEED a device to sit on my coffee table, and certainly not to go in a briefcase (as I don't carry one), but a computing platform in my pocket might be useful. As far as my cellPHONE, I expect that should be optimized to making phone calls. That is, first and foremost, what I use it for.

[Anonymous Coward]

No!

"Your iPhone/iPod Touch/Android/BlackBerry/etc. fits in your pocket. Your iPad sits on your coffee table, or in your briefcase on the way to the office."

There's a big powerful PC on the table. Or rather a keyboard and mouse. There's a Blackberry in my pocket. There's a laptop in my briefcase. An iPad can do nothing as well as any of those devices. Therefore I don't need one. Or rather I don't want one. I don't suppose I really *need* the big PC. I have the BB and the laptop because my employer insists so maybe I do need those.

The thing is though that I don't get the iPad thing. It isn't as portable as a phone, it isn't nearly as powerful as a laptop. So what's the point?

[It Wasn't Me, I Swear.]

It needs to be at least 10" to satisfy Mr. Jobs.

It seems to me that the iPod Touch is a mini iPad. I don't know how it slipped-by Mr. Jobs - oh wait. it didn't.

-- Paris, because size is of primary importance.

[DRoe]

Then you don't know what you're talking about.

The iPod Touch runs apps that were designed for a screen that size; it does not run apps created for the iPad (iPad apps scaled down to a screen the size of the iPod Touch's would be unusable). iPad apps can do a lot more than iPod Touch apps because of the additional screen real estate. So Jobs' argument holds water: apps designed for a 7" screen will not be able to compete with iPad apps in exactly the same way that apps designed for the iPod Touch cannot.

[Adam Williamson 1]

except...

that the new-gen iPhone and iPod Touch use the exact same resolution as the iPad expressly to make it easy to create apps that run unmodified on both.

[Adam Williamson 1]

No, no, that's something COMPLETELY different

""The seven-inch tablets are 'tweeners'," he said, "too big to compete with a smartphone and too small to compete with an iPad.""

Would that be, er, the way the iPad is too big to compete with a smartphone and too small to compete with a netbook? No, wait, I've got it - that's 'creating a new category'. My bad! As you were, Apple!

[Anonymous Coward]

its not how big it is...

...its what you do with it.

[frank ly]

We are not amused

"...in our opinion," Jobs said in royal third-person locution."

'Our' is 1st person plural. (He/she/it/hey is third person) It's the use of the plural (in 1st and 2nd person) that is the marker for speech to and from 'royal' personages.

[Gangsta]

Steve

As much as some people hate Steve,

you've got to love him for his arrogance and hilarity.

Add to that to the fact that he is a likeable character - no matter what we really think of him, we can't avoid him, because he is so charismatic

[Anonymous Coward]

I have to disagree

I absolutely see him as creepy and Svengali-like, although of course I realise that many, many people disagree. I find him about as likeable as the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

These comments from him sound strangely desperate (although I'm not suggesting he has a reason to be). If the 7" tablets are going to be so crap then why the followers need to be warned in this way, is he worried they won't notice how terrible they are and accidentally buy them, leave the Jobs fold and thereby sap energy from his ego?

[M7S]

Mine's three inches bigger, that should satisfy you

And it's thicker too.

PS: "...product at a great price".

That would be great as in "unusually or comparatively large" would it?

[Saul Dobney]

For once he's right

Tried a 7inch tablet UMPC at 800x480 and it's just too much of a compromise. Webpages are either made smaller and unfocused and unreadable on a zoom out, or get clipped one side or the other with too much scrolling left and right needed. May be a higher resolution 7" screen will work, but it doesn't make a good web-experience.

[Nic 3]

Title goes here

That sounded like a fairly straight forward set of arguments Jobs gave. He explained his thoughts on the USPs of the iPad clearly as anyone representing their company would do. I see you had to do your best to add as much sneering commentary as possible. The Reg is a red top after all.

[strangefish]

will it or won't it

I don't know if seven inches is enough or not (snarf) but sanding the fingers down seems a little extreme when people seem to cope quite well with far smaller form factors on other devices. I understand there's one called an "iphone" which is a bit smaller than seven inches diagonal, although maybe people have indeed been digit-whittling for years and I've just not noticed. Has there been a rise in band-aid sales since 2007?

[stucs201]

Doh!

"He did, however, make one suggestion that might mitigate the challenge of a smaller screen — albeit a painful one: "While one could increase the resolution of the display to make up for some of the difference, it is meaningless unless your tablet also includes sandpaper so that the user can sand down their fingers to around one quarter of their present size.""

So, never heard of a stylus steve?

[Ivan Headache]

Stylus?

Pinch?

Twirl?

[RegisterThis]

A pair ...

used like chopsticks ...

pinch, twirl AND eat at the same time!

[~mico]

title here

In reality, though i own an HP TouchSmart multitouch laptop, i've never exactly managed those pinches and twirls. Zoom's best done with scroll wheel/pad, rotation one seldom if ever needs, as to sweeps and gestures, stylus does it. Additionally, stylus can allow drawing and writing, which is quite uncomfortable with just the finger.

But why not have the best of both worlds? My laptop supports both passive pressure-sensitive stylus and capacitive multi-touch with fingers. Seems ideal for tablets.

...is that Galaxy Tab in my pocket?

[Chris Beach]

He's Mostly Right Too

tbh I think he's right. 10" puts the device nearer the laptop side which is what the tablet replacing. Its never going to replace your 2"-4" smartphone, but it can replace the light usage netbook or your cheaper 13/14" that you only use for internet anyways.

I also agree that buying a tablet with 2.2 and no guarentee that it will be upgraded to 3.0, is daft. Having another app market isn't the solution either.

[bexley]

flash memory

Very funny :-|

your users dont find it nearly as amusing my friend.

Grow up and allow flash for the love of god

[Antidisestablishmentarianist]

Seven Inches?

I don't get it either. I want 13 inches. I can handle it.....

[Player_16]

Do you now?

I'll be right over.

[Bryan Anderson]

He has a point....

I have an iPad and wouldn't consider anything smaller. Seven inches isn't that much bigger than a smartphone but is still too big to throw in a pocket. It's a compromise that satisfies neither end of the market.

[Dan 55]

"There are clear limits on how close you can physically place elements"

At that point Steve's personal RDF started making a worryingly loud electric hum and sparks and smoke filled the air in front of astonished reporters.

Because what works for smartphones suddenly stops working for 7" screens then miraculously starts working again for 10" screens. It's as if you can't re-scale and reposition icons for a 7" screen.

[Ragarath]

At least someone said it

I thought I was going to get to the bottom of the comments with no one mentioning it.

UI, UI, UI so what if it is smaller physically. The UI is not going to be designed in the same way and I am sure that a 7 incher can cope with Mr Fat Fingers if needed. I mean smart phones cope don't they (mostly)?

As long as the resolution is right of course.

[semprance]

Pfft

"a seven-inch screen is only 45 per cent as large as iPad's 10-inch screen. You heard me right — just 45 per cent as large ... A display less than half the size of the iPad's — or, in Cupertinoese, "less than half the size of iPad's" — "isn't sufficient to create great tablet apps, in our opinion,"

I can only assume that he makes this nonsense up on the spot. His maths is right but essentially useless and it kind of redundant. By this mis-applied logic, a tablet that was 2 inches high and 8 feet long would be better than the iPad. What a dope.

I'll be picking up an Archos 7" in the next few days. I'm not quite as much of an Apple hater nowadays (Jobs makes it to easy for us, he really does), but I'd still say that giving the finger to Apple is on the list of reasons for my purchase.

Also, if less than 10 inches is good enough then why bother to pick up an iPod touch, which is essentially just a tiny feature-lacking tablet... Again more twoddle from the Jobsian school of moronics.

[Anonymous Coward]

Archos...

That should be a swear word around here... I've got 2 of their damned devices! Rubbish that looks nice!

[Avatar of They]

Seems he doth protest too much

Hasn't he denied lots of things in the past, and then had them come out with Apple saying that it was always their intention to release it...

I expect next year an ipad mini. Doing to the ipad what the nano did for the ipod.

[David Evans]

Once again SJ takes us all for idiots

The contempt he has for his audience is really breathtaking isn't it? Of course he'll do an iPad Mini, but this is all part of the positioning to make the rivals who got ahead of him in the market "not count".

And FYI, I've directly compared an iPad and a Galaxy Tab. The Tab is the one I want, but it needs to drop in price to about £350 before I can justify it.

[Luke McCarthy]

I look forward to the 10 inch iPhone 5...

Because I "cannot reliably tap, flick, or pinch" anything on the current tiny screen.

[Mage]

This time

He may be right.

If you are clever at package and aspect ratio, you can just about do 4" (16:9) in a "pocket-able device. My 4.3" Archos is just too chunky for pocket, but it does have a 160Gbyte 2.5" HDD and quite wide bezel above/below screen in Landscape mode. 4.3" 16:9 is "just" possible if bezel is skinny on long edges and longer than screen, to fit stuff in without making it fat.

If you go 16:8 = 2:1 you can just about manage 6"

to do 7" in "pocket format you need approx 7" x 3" case and about 3:1 format

7" is too big for 4:3 or 16:9 pocket and too small for a tablet.

I'd argue that iPad is bit small for a tablet and too awkward to hold.

The success of the 3.5" floppy was that it fitted a pocket easily.

We did extensive usability tests back in 1986 to 1989 on "Notepad" concept with LCD touch screen in terms of suit pockets :) using Balsa, plastic and wood models. The trans-reflective back light was on case and fully transparent LCD hinged for OHP presentations, Mono of course in those days. Today you just put an HDMI port for presentations. The pico projectors are too dim.

[M7S]

If 7 inches is no good

should I stop trying to use safari on my iPod then?

Wouldn't want to upset him in any way....

[Syren Baran]

Bigger==Better?

So the iPad ist only 70% as good as a 12" WeTab or JooJoo?

[Anonymous Coward]

Is a 7" screen more restictive than Apples $ inspired restrictions?

Obviously self serving twaddle. It depends on what you want to do with the device, 10" is too big to be truly portable, 7" too small for extended multimedia browsing. 7" probably quite good as a book reader (The deivice would be roughly the size of a paperback).

In addition to the 7" tablets already mentioned you also have a choice of a lot of cheap (sub £100) 7" Android devices. Archos's 7" and 10" Android tablets, (for under £300). Noefonie's 11" Meego Tablet (that also runs android apps.)(€449) etc

They are all cheaper than the iPad, they all allow you to use Flash and thus access the rest of the internet. ( The Meego tablet also won't tie you to a monopoly app store.)

So if you want a really portable tablet gat a 7" one, if you want one for surfing on the Sofa get a 10" one. If you want to pay a premium price, be restricted in only buying software through one vendor and not being allowed full internet access, get an iPad.

[Anonymous Coward]

Amazed everyone missed this bit...

"Our potential competitors are having a tough time coming close to iPad's pricing"

Yeah, even if they double their prices, add 20%, take into account the pound to dollar direct switch of symbol and THEY STILL END UP CHEAPER.

[ThomH]

And people are accusing Jobs' arithmetic of being wonky

Announced price of the SIM-free 3G Samsung Galaxy Tab, with 7" screen: £529. Double that: £1058. Add 20%: £1269.60.

Your feeling is that £1269.60 is cheaper than the SIM-free 3G iPad, which also is £529?

[Gordan]

Don't look at the lawyers...

... look at the wookie!

(The South Park quote seemed appropriate.)

As an owner of a 7in 16:10 ratio Android tablet, I can say it is massively more practical than a 9in 4:3 ratio tablet. Yes, it is about half the size of an iPad, but this is an advantage in most cases. For example, the one I got for my girlfriend was based on the requirements she listed:

1) Must fit in my handbags. This mandated a 7in size.

2) Must have a resistive screen because capacitive screens are awkward with long fingernails.

And unlike a £600 iPad, the Anroid pad was £70!

[PaulR79]

Resolution fail

iPad 1024x786 @ 9.7", Galaxy Tab 1024x600 @ 7"

iPhone 4 960x640 @ 3.5", Galaxy S 800x480 @ 4"

Does he say the same about the Galaxy S and the forthcoming HTC Desire HD but instead accuse them of being too big?

It would be so much smarter of Jobs to consider how stupid he makes himself sound when saying such things. Granted I've seen a size comparison of the iPad and the Galaxy Tab and it does look a lot smaller, surprisingly so, but saying you need to sand your fingers down to use it? That's idiocy.

[Matt_payne666]

Sony for Resolution win!

4.5" and 1024x600! the UX1 - a very useable device! and fits in my trouser pocket!

[Anonymous Coward]

Important word there 'current'

Apple doesn't *currently* have a 7" iPad but its rivals do. So obviously Apple is going to say that the competition sucks.

Apple will keep saying the same right up until the point they're ready to release a 7" tablet of their own.

[Rogerborg]

Hang on, they'll do a 7" iFad soon enough

One they figure out how to squeeze all the Magic into it.

[andy gibson]

DOA Tablet

If it arrives DOA just contact the supplier for a refund or replacement.

[JaitcH]

Jobs:" ... our own battery chemistry ..."

This must be the reason why Apple had to swap out hundreds of thousands of batteries in Japan, and the cause of batteries exploding in Europe.

They also have unique requirements ... must not be left out in sunlight!

The REAL reason for using custom parts is to ensure a continuing flow of revenue from spare parts and repairs.

[Ivan Headache]

But that wasn't Apple's technology

It was Sony's.

[James Pickett]

Exclusive

"our own battery chemistry"

Isn't that taking lock-in a bit far..?

[Anonymous Coward]

Jobs:"Look over there!"

I think Mr Jobs is always very careful about what he says and what he doesn't; and it's the latter that is most important! He chose to rubbish 7" tablets NOT smaller tablets!

Let's do some maths ...

the original iPhone display was 480x320 pixels giving 163dpi

the latest iPhone display is 960x640 pixels giving 326dpi but the UI is drawn double the size (in pixels) to keep the buttons etc the same physical size.

The iPad display is 1024x768 giving 132ppi

A 7" iPad would be 132 * 9.7 / 7 = 183 dpi; as Mr Jobs says, a bit high!

But an 8" iPad would be 132 * 9.7 / 8 = 160 dpi; pretty close to the iPhone!

Could it be he is deflecting speculation away from a smaller iPad by focussing on the 7" option so he can spring an 8" one?

Just a thought!

[syntax_error]

Size matter.

Does your 7" last longer than my 10" ? My d.. err my tablet is bigger than yours anyway.

[Anonymous Coward]

My N800... (off topic)

.is starting to fall apart after about 4 years and is tending to useless as the web gets more bloated.

However, it's got wifi, bluetooth, skype, video camera, audio and video player, FM radio, maps (with external dongle) GPS.

You tube doesn't seem to work anymore. Other codecs also out of date :(

I'm wondering does anyone here know if hacking it is a possibility? Stuff I've found out there not too impressive.

[Anonymous Coward]

Some scope.

There is a Maemo community out there still adding stuff to the older Maemo devices. Garage projects to update the OS even to MeeGo that sort of stuff. Since it runs a version of Debian Linux there is scope for future use if enough people still want to tinker with it.

No sign of Nokia producing another tablet, (the N900 is smaller and a phone.) Meego is the direct successor OS, and I've seen a couple of other companies announcing tablets for that. Looks like Meego will be able to run both Flash and Android apps asd well as Nokia's QT based apps. Intel also has a demo of a nice looking Meego tablet but it will only be a reference design.

[Anonymous Coward]

We create our own molecules!

"We create our own A4 chip, our own software, our own battery chemistry, our own enclosure, our own everything. And this results in an incredible product at a great price."

And I guess then Asus does not build apple's laptops for them, or foxconn the ip*ds.

Are they arranging each individual molecule in a way that they naturally want to form into the perfect form of an iPod and its larger cousin? Sounds like something only Steve would say..

[Player_16]

He has a special way of speaking...

...so you'll understand ...especially IF you're a reporter. (His RDF easily affects them than mere mortals listening.) But on stage, his presence (visually), the RDF is in full swing.

Designed in California.

[Bill Gould]

Really?

" And this results in an incredible product at a great price."

O.o

Bwah-ha-ha-ha!

[Mahou Saru]

Need small fingers....

for the iPhone too?

[Markus Wallett]

Who's Steve Jobs?

I've had the pleasure (and displeasure) of using and trying out virtually every tablet ever been made -- plus some of which are only two or three months away -- and I have to say that personally the 7 inch hi-res (not 800x480) 16:9 form factor has the most going for it, not only from a practical standpoint, but in terms of usability as well. Yes, the ipad is a great device and deserves all the plaudits, but I think Samsung have a machine in the Tab that could easily outsell the ipad, as long as the price is right, that is £399.

[Brian Gannon]

Too big and dated OS

I had the pleasure of spending the day using an iPad at an Apple event and have to say for me it was too big and too heavy. Also the iOS on a tablet seemed a bit crap to be honest. I don't mind it on a phone but for some reason I didn't take to it on a tablet. I would actually like to see Windows 7 phone OS on a 7 inch tablet, the icons on a home screen model of iOS and Android feels a bit dated to me.

[Morten Bjoernsvik]

Stylus????

I have for the last 10 years been using palm devices, now I've unfortunately moved on to Android, but I love using the stylus instead of my butterfingers. I would have loved seeing more stylus apps on the android, and also a place to put it on the device.

7inch is like heaven with a stylus.

And where is that grafitti1

[Mips]

What's that you've got in your pocket?

A 7-inch tablet? Never heard it called that before. Something new every day. And there's me thinking you were pleased to see me.