HP has introduced a $100 mini tablet with below average specs in the U.S. market.
HP is an insignificant player in the tablet market and the new HP 7 Plus device is unlikely to send consumers into a swoon.
HP 7 Plus – $99.99
Running the older Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean), the 7-inch tablet has a 1024×600 display, 1GB RAM and 8GB storage.
Real storage will likely be a mere 5GB after taking into account system software. Continue reading »
Surface Pro 3 Tablet
I swear on pregnant Scarlett Johansson’s unborn child that I’m not making up the $1,549 figure for Microsoft’s new Surface Pro 3 tablet.
Indeed that is the price for one of the high-end versions of Surface Pro 3.
No, don’t even ask. For $1,549, you will not get the Type Cover.
Be prepared to fork out additional dollars for those must have add-ons since Microsoft is pitching Surface Pro 3 as a laptop replacement for businesses.
I can’t say for sure but just between you and me I suspect the Surface team at Microsoft is really high on Sonoma County Sour Diesel, a popular strain of weed among developers on the West Coast.
Now don’t get me wrong.
I don’t want to piss on the Surface parade but sales of Surface tablets that were far cheaper than $1,549 have not exactly been gangbusters.
Some 19-months after the launch of the first Surface tablet in October 2012, market-share for Surface tablets languishes around a piffling 2%.
Nomura Securities estimates Microsoft has incurred operating loses of $2 billion on the Surface mis-adventure.
So can Microsoft jump-start sales of Surface by calling its new tablet a laptop in tablet garb and targeting it at businesses?
I don’t think so because I fail to see businesses clamoring for tablets in a big way.
Second, these are pricey devices with limited storage (system software usually take away a big chunk of advertised storage). For instance, a 64GB version of Surface Pro 3 will provide buyers only 36GB of usable storage.
There’s ‘Think Big.’
And then there’s ‘Think Bigger.’
Microsoft opted for the latter today. Continue reading »
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 Tablets – Fails to Excite Consumers
Nomura Securities has estimated operating losses from Microsoft’s ill-fated foray into tablets at $2 billion, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Microsoft jumped into the tablet business in October 2012 with Surface, followed four months later by the Surface Pro.
Both models failed to gain traction with customers.
Two new Surface models (Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2) released in October 2013 also failed to enthuse customers.
Nokia also sells the 10.1-inch Windows RT 8.1 based Lumia 2520 tablet whose fate now remains uncertain following the unit’s acquisition by Microsoft.
Later today, Microsoft will unveil new models of Surface at an event in New York.
It’s unclear if a mini version of Surface is part of today’s launch.
If you believe the rumors, Microsoft will Tuesday announce an expansion of its Surface line of tablets by adding a mini version.
I expect the mini version of Surface will have a screen size of 7-inches to 8-inches.
The current lot of Surface tablets have a screen size of 10.6-inches.
Microsoft arrived late to the tablet market with an expensive product. Further, its ecosystem of apps and peripherals pale into insignificance compared to the Apple iPad.
Like the larger-screen models, Surface Mini will also be based on Windows.
If history offers any lessons, it’s that Surface Mini faces a daunting challenge from iPad Mini and the several Android mini tablets. Continue reading »
If tablet history teaches us anything it’s that Android and Windows tablet vendors are loath to learn from the lessons of their costly past errors.
Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition
$549.99 (16GB model)
Samsung announced pricing for its Galaxy Note 10.1-2014 Edition, repeating the mistake it, Microsoft, Motorola and so many other tablet vendors have made in the past – Pricing their tablet at or above the level of the market leading Apple iPad tablets.
Samsung’s starting price for the new Galaxy Note 10.1-2014 Edition is $549.99 (16GB), $50 more than the entry-level iPad, and $599.99 for the 32GB version (same as Apple’s 32GB model). Continue reading »
Market researcher IDC today modestly lowered its worldwide tablet shipment forecast for 2013 citing diversion in consumer spending on larger screen smartphones and new categories such as wearable devices like smart watches.
IDC’s revised tablet shipments forecast for 2013 is 227.4 million units, down from its earlier estimate of 229.3 million but still 57.7% above 2012 shipments.
But I think IDC has been conservative in lowering its estimates for the remainder of 2013.
Mature markets like North America, Western Europe and Japan are not likely to witness a big spurt in tablet sales in the second half of 2013 given the absence of significant innovations from both Apple and Android tablet vendors.
Current tablet owners in mature markets are also not replacing their devices at a fast enough pace to justify the high forecast.
Compounding the problem of tablet vendors, emerging markets like China and India are witnessing an economic slowdown that will dampen consumer enthusiasm for high-priced gadgets like tablets. The sharp fall of the Rupee against the dollar in recent months means Indians will have to fork out more for tablets. Continue reading »