Lenovo has recently clarified their slate tablet plans, unequivocally stating they are skipping Windows 7 for slates and waiting for the upcoming release of Android codenamed “Honeycomb.”
The LePad, Lenovo’s revised slate PC, announced in September with intentions to ship in December, but only in China. Plans to release Android products outside of China were mum, but it now appears those plans may materialize by summer 2011.
Regardless, these timeframes are all dependent on the slate-specific version of Google’s Android OS, codenamed Honeycomb. Lenovo has no interest in shipping a slate with the current Android 2.2, aka Froyo, just as they wouldn’t use Windows 7. While Froyo is clearly a touch-optimized OS, it is not optimized for the larger screens in slates and would present a problematic experience.
Windows 7, on the other hand, is optimized around mouse and keyboard input. While recent changes make Windows 7 the most touch-friendly Windows OS to date, it is still far from ideal. In this market, with the sheer amount of competition in the slate space, one must have a well polished solution to have any chance of being competitive.
Source: [PCMag]
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m not sure that opting for a Google operating system is a good idea. Sort of like letting a Vampire in to your house….
However, for Slate PCs to be booted you need something other than Windows 7. It’s Microsoft trying once again to force the Windows idea in to another application. It didn’t work with Windows Mobile.
Rather than thinking how to squeeze Windows in to a new device, Microsoft would be better served thinking how a user would use the device and programming round it. It’s not difficult, Apple did.
I don’t think it is a good idea to wait till summer to launch a tablet. All important brands will settle their share of the market way before that date….
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