The Wind Pad Joins the Eee Pad to Take on the iPad

[Michael Essany]

Competition in the global marketplace for tablet computers is growing. And while Apple isn't necessarily looking over its shoulder just yet, the era of the "pad" is clearly taking hold as everyone seems to be gearing up for an attempt at capturing some of the iPad's gargantuan market share.

On Monday, MMi covered Netbook PC pioneer Asus' first tablet offering, the Eee Pad, which is gratuitously boasting iPad alternative attributes like Adobe Flash compatibility, a USB port, and even a camera. But the Eee Pad is now joined by another tablet similarly introduced at the Computex trade show in Taipei, Taiwan this week. And, together, these two fresh offerings have some industry analysts speculating that Asia may soon give rise to the next big thing in tablet computers - at least in overseas markets.

When it comes to challenging the iPad, MSI professes to be ready for battle with its "Wind Pad," a tablet that will be available with Windows 7 or Google's Android operating system. Either versions sport a 10-inch touchscreen, a 1.66-GHz Intel Atom processor, 2 GB of system memory, and a 32-GB SSD. The MSI product will reportedly run less than $500 and be available this year. Makers of the Eee Pad, on the other hand, have not yet announced a potential release time frame for its new device. But both new "pads" are expected to be priced well below Apple's iPad.

Although no one knows for sure if MSI and Asus will strike gold with their tablet PCs, in a world where two million iPads are sold within the first 60 days of launch, there is clearly major market demand for these products. And, as a result, the environment should prove friendly to any substantive tablet offering.

Of course, it's yet to be seen just how "substantive" the Wind Pad and Eee Pad will ultimately be.

Image via Geeky Gadgets

[delusion950]

Y pay that much for windows based tablet when i can have ipad for the same money those people dont think. things i can do ipad and things i cant do with windows tablet if u know what i nmean.

they gotta stop SSD cards those are old school.

[adp]

Y pay that much for windows based tablet when i can have ipad for the same money those people dont think. things i can do ipad and things i cant do with windows tablet if u know what i nmean.

they gotta stop SSD cards those are old school.

Here's why (I assume):

iPad = 1Ghz A4 Processor
This = 1.6Ghz Intel Atom Processor

iPad = 256Mb RAM
This = 2GB RAM

iPad price (32Gb) = $599
This (same storage) = $499

This: Native Multitasking
iPad: No

This: 2 USB ports
iPad: no

This: HDMI Output (720p)
iPad: no

This: Camera
iPad: no

This: Windows 7 OS
iPad: Modified iPhone OS

[eg6motion]

Y pay that much for windows based tablet when i can have ipad for the same money those people dont think. things i can do ipad and things i cant do with windows tablet if u know what i nmean.

they gotta stop SSD cards those are old school.

delusion is the perfect screen name for you.

[CaptainChaos]

Y pay that much for windows based tablet when i can have ipad for the same money those people dont think. things i can do ipad and things i cant do with windows tablet if u know what i nmean.

they gotta stop SSD cards those are old school.

You have it backwards...why pay the same price for an iPad when you can get a better tablet with more functionality, better specs, and an uncrippled OS.

I find it amazing that people are reporting that "people are gearing up" to tackle the iPad. I could understand a year or two from now, but these things don't happen overnight. The development takes a long time so these companies are not trying to mimic Apple. Apple just happened to be able to release a cool product first. This is where the future of computing is and I predict the more flexible the product is, the better it will sell...to Apple's dismay.

[M4tt Dam0n]

Apart from delusion950 I'm glad the first posts are from people that aren't brainwashed by apple. iPad is really an overrated piece of s***.

[juggz143]

Lol I was just about to go in on the first post, but u guys already handled it!!!

[eg6motion]

Apart from delusion950 I'm glad the first posts are from people that aren't brainwashed by apple. iPad is really an overrated piece of s***.

I actually own an iPad as well. It's certainly not a POS as you so intelligently implied, but it's not the savior of tablets that Jobs tries to sell it as.

[CaptainChaos]

I actually own an iPad as well. It's certainly not a POS as you so intelligently implied, but it's not the savior of tablets that Jobs tries to sell it as.

I agree. I had a chance to play with one and it is actually pretty cool.

[powa]

IMO this is better than iPad.

Come to think of this, iphone OS only allow specific apps that made for the OS to work. So current existing programs (ie. Games) doesn't work unless they port the game over to ipad. Nothing more enjoyable to be able to play some EXISTING games on the pad, such as the sims series, roller coaster tycoon and etc... Though i doubt they will have a GPU in there, so until they have that, i will hold off my pocket until then.

[jokerg7]

Ok so i have an iPad...jailbroken its not the most amazing thing ever, but definately pretty cool...camera connection kit gives me the external hard drive space i crave.

Although i would without a doubt get that msi windpad if it does hold up well. My only issue is windows 7...its gonna be slow with just 2gb?

Besides i reckon if you give the ipad a couple of generations it will be stellar! (i hope)

[mikerlx]

Stellar?nope. GB increase? Yes

[indyracer05]

Looks Great I will take it anything better than that damn ipad, I think Apple has made a big mistake on the iPad that every other company is seeing as an opportunity to dominate this ****** iPad. THat is a camera, more formats, more ports, more memory, and LOWER PRICE!!

it also gives opportunity for the owners of this pad which is CUSTOMIZING THE INSIDES. example-the hard drive, ram... u cant do that with the iPad

[tsatryan]

Why don't we save some time here and just copy the whole eeePad thread into this thread, since everyone will end up saying the same things over again.

[Poseidon79]

Windows 7 with a 1.66 Ghz single core Atom processor = FAIL. This is barely enough power to run XP on a netbook. The OS itself may not be "crippled" as you all say above compared to the iPad OS but the processing power required to run multitasking or gaming or any significant program WILL be crippled by these specs. Also the touch support for W7 sucks at the moment.

The second this is released is the second everyone will start complaining about it's sucky battery life and lack of performance.

[adp]

I agree. I had a chance to play with one and it is actually pretty cool.

Yea I played with one in the Apple Store for about 10min.

Then I was thought to myself...ok what's next?...

The iPad definitely has better looks than this, but this is everything that we had hoped the iPad had, which didn't (remember the January disappointment release date???)

[CaptainChaos]

I am not sold on looks. I want perks!

[adp]

Windows 7 with a 1.66 Ghz single core Atom processor = FAIL. This is barely enough power to run XP on a netbook. The OS itself may not be "crippled" as you all say above compared to the iPad OS but the processing power required to run multitasking or gaming or any significant program WILL be crippled by these specs. Also the touch support for W7 sucks at the moment.

The second this is released is the second everyone will start complaining about it's sucky battery life and lack of performance.

I'm guessing it's a modified windows 7 OS, not the actual one which you would run in your PC. Similar to the modified Win7 they use for NetBooks. They also modified the UI touch layer

[tsatryan]

Looks Great I will take it anything better than that **** ipad, I think Apple has made a big mistake on the iPad that every other company is seeing as an opportunity to dominate this ****** iPad. THat is a camera, more formats, more ports, more memory, and LOWER PRICE!!

it also gives opportunity for the owners of this pad which is CUSTOMIZING THE INSIDES. example-the hard drive, ram... u cant do that with the iPad

"Apple made a big mistake" - you think? Two million people in the US would disagree, and voted so with at least $500 of their money.

[Poseidon79]

It doesn't look like W7 is modified for netbooks based on this:

Windows 7 for Netbooks - Buy and download from Microsoft Store