Discussion on:

Why Android tablets failed: A postmortem

The lesson of nook and Fire is that Android can capture the sweet spot that's below $300 and under 8". Apple famously dissed that when Steve Jobs wrote off anything smaller than 10" as too small.

The 7 and 8 inch form factor is perfect for people who want a little more than what their e-ink reader provides but at the same size so that it can fit in a woman's purse and be held in one hand. Even Samsung's 5" Note has become a surprise hit in Europe, selling over 1 million units.

Android manufacturers should concentrate on locking in the market at that size and price with ICS on them before Apple changes their mind.

I guess I fit in that group that enjoys using the smaller 7 inch tablets. I have a Kindle ereader, Nook Color and soon will be adding the Kindle Fire to my collection. I frequently surf, check my email and watch videos with no issues. I have one small bag that I can easily carry all of these smaller devices along with the accessories and my personal stuff (wallet, cell phone, etc). I'm sure the iPad is alot more powerful than the smaller tablets but after sampling the ones in the store and at my friends house, I found the iPad too large for my needs and cumbersome to tote around.

Just a question... If you have the Nook Color, why add the Kindle Fire? Unless it's important to you that you are in both the B&N and Amazon ecosystems, they are practically the same thing, just with different clouds behind them...

To answer your question, yes I want both so I can compare and utilize each one for their specific strengths. Another reason: I get bored sticking with one item too long and feel the need to switch when that happens

I woundn't put Kindle nor Nook as tablets they are e-book readers, in another note I think the playbook it is a pretty good alternative as tablet if RIM keep the current price $199.99.

other than the restricted amazon app space (it can be side loaded anyway)
what apps or functions does it not have? Does it need the camera's to make it a useful device? Watched some video during our Christmas drive, listen to the new album i bought just fine, does her face book without a hitch.

I think a camera would be a nice addition as would GPS. I would love to be able to use my wife's fire as a GPS unit while we are out driving. You can load the navigation data before you leave, or tether it to a smartphone if you can. The larger screen would be nice for that. As far as the camera...it would be good not only to just take pics with, but also for video chats and apps like skype.

If you have an Android phone, you can use tethergps to connect the two. I used to do it on my nook color. Of course, aside from the bigger screen, it isn't much better than just using the phone gps.

Is the Playbook the same size as the Kindle and Nook?

I think it is the same size, right now Playbook has Kobo app for e-books they might relase a version 2 on Feb, so it can runs Android apps. I have to said I bought this in instead of the Fire 'cos the multitasking is good. There is a lack of app ( I'm not sure how many ppl actually use) in the bright side there is angry birds app for playbook.
http://ca.blackberry.com/playbook-tablet/

The Playbook IS the Fire. Amazon needed a design quick and used the Playbook as a jumping-off point. Phyiscally, they are virtually identical in size and shape. The Nook is not quite the same size and not remotely the same shape.

It's not hard to do, and turns them into a much more affordable tablet. The only issue I have with Tablets is their difficulty interfacing with larger storage devices, their not so ease of use for loading/transferring data files from other sources (especially your computer or phone) and issues with printing, when it's needed.

The new update (1.41) broke the ability to root the Tablet - which means mine might be going back. Hardware-wise it has the ability to be a full fledged tablet, but if it can't be easily rooted that is a game changer.

I can't speak for the Kindle but Nook goes anything that any android tablet can do.

Just bought latest-greatest color Nook - could NOT *EVER* get simple POP mail working on it - basic, Comcast.net pop-mail - not even Gmail pop-mail would work. Could have been a 'bad tablet;' so I sent it back as 'non-functional.' I will NOT have a tablet that cannot do basic Comcast or gmail pop mail! Especially when it SAYS IT WORKS! RMAd.

The fire is Kindle's entry-level tablet, in case you were asleep during that whole intro. Fire HD is the newer, beefier, and 8.9 HD still bigger and badder. Kindle (non-Fire) is a reader, but Fire and Fire HDs are real, live Tablets.

Nooks and Fires have about the same viewable area as a paperback book has printed text area. They're just fine for reading. iPads have about the same viewing area as a Trade Paperback book. That makes them a bit easier to use for other tasks beyond simply reading or casual surfing. If you need massive (relatively speaking) viewing area, then maybe a Samsung Galaxy or Acer eee Slate.

It all depends on what you intend to do with it.

Now as to Androids "Failing", I'd hardly call the 6-8 million units (depending on who you use as source) sold as a fail. It's still 20-40% (again depending on your source) of the total tablet market.

Not a fail. Not great, but Not. A. Fail.

Why is nothing but a device close to what an IPAD is considered a tablet? I thought a tablet is just a device that does not fold but has some computing like ablity

...about anything smaller than 10" is too small.

But otherwise, it's up to the user. If all one does is check email, play games and watch movies on the subway, 5"-7" is better than "lugging around" a 10" tablet. Someone who uses it in bed, on the sofa, etc, then bigger could be better.

Funny I was just reading Enders Game (Which i believe is where Steve Jobs took the idea for the tablet) and came across this same quote from Steve Jobs http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=1943

But I'm sure that wasn't what you meant here.

I'm thinking the 7" would suit my personal and professional needs just fine. I tested the iPad and the format was simply too bulky and unfriendly for me. I kept wishing for a third hand whenever I wasn't able to lay it down somewhere to use it.

I have a desktop PC for 'serious' work.... a Laptop for on-the-go and (I had) a 10" android tablet for casual use... (but always found slightly 'wrong')... and a 4.3" Android Smart Phone. I certainly agree with Jason's Point 4 regarding the display size on the 16:9 tablets. Besides, I could do most of what I needed (including business apps) on my Phone .

I recently became the proud owner of a Samsung Galaxy Note and (having played with it extensively for a couple of weeks) have to say its brilliant!

Apparently (for me t least) 5.3" is "Big Enough". And besides being a mini tablet, it's quite usable as a phone..... so I ditched my HTC Sensation. One less device to carry around.

I think Samsung is definitely onto something here.

I don't know. The Samsung Galaxy Note just seems to me to be too big as a phone (and my last three phones were the HTC EVO 4G, the Samsung/Google Nexus S, and the Motorola Droid RAZR, so I have a tolerance for big phones...) and too small to be a useful tablet. If I can't do it on my RAZR, I need at least a 7" tablet, and indeed, I carry one of my 7" tablets every day. At home, iPad is a better tablet fit.

The Samsung Galaxy Note is exactly where I want to be where ever I am be it work, home or in my caravan. I dont want to be carrying around 2 devices.

A tablet is not enough for me to ditch my note book sized laptop and I need a smart phone where ever I go. The Note is exactly what I need.

The 'big difference' with the Note is the amazing screen. At 1280x800 pixels, it can hold the same amount of info as most full sized tablets and even many smaller laptops..... as long as you have good eyes!

It may be smaller than other tablets but (because of the screen resolution) its functionally much bigger than most smart phones.

The included S-Pen make navigation (clicking on tiny links) a breeze.

I love it!

I am another proud proponent for the Samsung Note! ALL "phablets" should mimic this thing! (phablet, of course is "phone / tablet"). I disagree that it is 'too big' to use as a phone - but then, if you use a bluetooth headset, even an iPad or ASUS Transformer (10-inch tablets) with 4G can be good phones.

TechRepublic:
"Why Android Tablets Failed: A Postmortem"
"Why Tablets Will Beat Laptops In 2012"
Or in other words, "This just in: Having Babies Causes Cancer, Film at 11"

ROFL, Yea, that caught my attention as well. I though it was pretty funny when one article in the newsletter tells me why Android tablets failed, another article tell me how simple and elegant tablets are showing me a picture of an Android tablets.

With the number of Android tablet manufacturers, Android can have the luxury to be available on all screen sizes and all price points so customers can choose the tablet that meet their needs and their budgets.

Thanks for the entertaining article from an alternate universe. It makes a stark contrast to the real world, where Android tablets have been a huge success and continue to grow in popularity.

*applause* you said it better than i ever could have. hear, hear!

I have been using this 10 inch Android Tablet for most of 2011 and LOVE IT. Can't do enough business with it! So I read this and wondered why this thing is so easy and productive for me and so down graded in this article.
While any product could use improvement, I don't believe that Android is such a horrible product.

Ipad has been replaced so many times hard to keep count of how many of the Android tablets have blown it away when they all have. The iOS GUI sucks, It is a relic from 2008. Samsung has just finished the best quarter they have had in their company's existence and Android activations are at a staggering 20 million a month. This site doesn't see that kind of volume.

If they were smart they would derail from the Apple train and jump on the Android at the rate of activations that could easily equal volume of users coming to this site if whoever runs it has the mind to leave Apple where it should be left in 2008. Apple is not the industry standard and the numbers are dwindling down fast. Consumers have moved on and this site and Apple are practically irrelevant.

Wow, I thought Isheep were lost before, but now, without a shepherd they've moved to another dimension.

You should try the 8" Vizio vtab. I bought mine about 3 months ago and it is great. It's just big enough to read and work with easily and it is quite responsive. I love mine. I have had NO problems with it being slow or unstable.

When they bought an Android tablet went the cheap cheap route, and picked up an low end one. Might have the best OS on it, but if the hardware is crap... you get what you paid for.

Just because people are not in line because there buddy in a turtle neck says he as something new to purchase does not make it a failure. I think the Android tablets will take off just like the phones... It will take the phone carriers to push it. With everyone carrying them and more in the general public, I think 2012 will tell a different store.

I tried a cheap Amazon-sourced 2.3 Chinese droid tab. After the third replacement I gave up and tried an Archos G9 8" running Honeycomb. Love it! It's not a complete laptop replacement but I can do most things I need to on it including using LogMeIn to remote control my various pc's. The size is about right as it's still portable enough to carry about but also better for browsing etc than my HTC Desire HD Gingerbread phone which I always have with me. I can tether the tab to my phone for true portability where wi-fi is not an option but no need to use the optional 3G dongle (and consequently a further sim card). O2 (my phone provider) have tightened down iPad tethering a bit but Android tabs are fine. I would never go the iPad route even though we have several Apple devices in our household.

Although it was a late comer to the party, the Kindle Fire at only $200 plus the cost of all your Amazon stuff sparked a lot of interest. And it wasn't designed to compete with iPad but to complement it.

It competes with it... It's not designed to compete with it, but it is... case in point... I got my wife a Kindle Fire instead of an iPad. If the Kindle Fire wasn't around (or the Nook Color), I probably would've been forking over $499 for an iPad... Instead, it was much more worth it to get the Fire for $199, Prime Subscription and a $200 amazon card for her... I prefer Android tablets myself... but for my wife, I needed something simpler and meant for consumption... Fire fit that role perfect. iPad would have too, but I got more value in the end (for her purposes) going Amazon...

Kindle Fire will suit many users' needs, particularly non-geek types. I liked it a lot (prefer it to my Nook Color, which I gave away), but needing more control I am much happier with my HTC EVO View 4G, which I got for about the same price. (Also have a Xoom, but don't use it much since getting the View 4G, and don't like devices with proprietary charge connectors, as with Xoom, Galaxy Tab 7 and iDevices.)

I'm an Android guy all the way, but generally I agree with this article. I am seriously disappointed in what Android tablets have offered when compared with iPads. I just can't stand iOS (except for its stark facility with music production apps) and so far won't spend the money on an iPad. (I've got an iTouch, just to have one.) The only "real" Android tablet app is Google Body, which isn't going to move the dial a bit. You cannot deny that iPads have apps that make you want to have an iPad because they aren't on Android devices (or aren't of comparable quality). I consciously chose Android over iOS, but often feel "left out" as far as choice and functionality. (And I'm sick of Android apps that will only run on *some* of my devices.)

2012 is going to be a crucial year for Android tablets. I hope they are up to the challenge.

Android Tablets have been growing in usage within our company (specifically our non-US locations), and other companies where I'm familiar with the IT teams. In fact, more IT teams are prepared to support and create customized apps for Android teams than for iPad; since it's far less costly.

Within many US-only companies this seems to be the opposite; mostly since corporate culture is slow to adopt anything new.

Late last year, iPads were everywhere at our company. Two of us have Android tablets. We both have Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. However, there is one guy who rooted his Nook. So, ok 3 of us. But I got the Galaxy Tab because it looked great, and the other Galaxy Tab owner saw mine and bought his own.

Now also take into account that I also have an iPad 2. So, I use both. Right now I feel I sort of wasted my money on the Galaxy since I hardly use it lately. The most irritating thing is that it won't charge while using it. In fact if you don't use the adapter that came with the Galaxy, it won't even charge when sleeping. I've tried charging it in the car. It won't charge in the car unless it is off. Well, a powered off tablet is not useful. I also now have to carry that adapter with me or I have to find a way to get another one; at least to leave one at work and one at home. Ok, you may think this is one point, but I have two multi USB port bricks, since I have a number of gadgets (iPad, Nook, 2 iPhones and a Clear hot spot, digital camera) and everything charges off of that except the Galaxy Tab.

I spend most of my time on the iPad since I have more of my work stuff on it. When I'm not using the iPad I'm using my Nook Tablet with side loaded apps (like the Kindle reader app). But that Nook is mainly for reading. I need the Kindle app because most of my tech e-books are there. If you're not sure whether to get Nook or Fire, and you don't want to root it, get the Fire, but wait until the next version, it will have better features and I don't think you have to wait too long. I have found books that I wanted to buy were often times not available on the Nook, but were available on the Kindle (I even had some where they weren't on Barnes and Noble but were in the iBookstore!). Also, I find that the e-books are sometimes cheaper in the Kindle Bookstore, than the identically priced iBookstore and Nook Store.

Indeed, Sammy has rigged these up to charge ONLY with their charger! It's not a voltage or amperage thing, and I've HAD IT! When I travel I carry multi-usb chargers for my many gadgets, and Sammy's inability to make Galaxy Tab, in either 7" or 10", charge with a standard charger EVEN WHEN IT MATCHES VOLTAGE AND AMPERAGE resulted in my ditching my Galaxy Tab entirely!

BTW, rooting is dead stupid simple on the Nook (and easily reversible) and the hardware is fantastic, but the Fire is a great little device too. iPad is still the frontrunner, though.

With practically every tablet on the market, in fact more so since the iPad simply will not charge without original Apple chargers, or should I say "endorsed" chargers. The Galaxy tab chargers however are all identical, so you can use a 7" charger with the 10" tablet. The Galaxy actually uses that slot though, so that you can get true HD out of the devic if you choose to hook it to a tv for movies/etc.