The Rise of the walking tablets (HP Slate vs iPads)

In January Steve Ballmer showcased a HP Slate running on Windows 7, while some weeks later
Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad. We can say the race is on.

A new niche of multi-touch tablet devices means a new platform to port what there's already out there, and a new platform for innovation. Applications families we envision as suitable to be ported, meaning they could see some sort of benefit from this type of device are:

• Occasionally connected systems. Anyone with a door to door, on site, information retrieval task to do. Call it insurance agent, survey man, or visiting doctor (granted the iPad will miss a camera for this sort of apps).


• Document Management, in particular document browsing apps for every CMS in town.


• Reporting clients. Imagine eye candy interactive charts, olap client style.

Some innovation fronts we think are good candidates are:

• e-Learning. Have little Jim scribble his homework on the new device, copying diagrams and everything from the whiteboard, without having to type it in, and then share his work with his online e-tutor in ... India?
  
• Photo & Video editing/retouching. Zoom in that pic with both hands, then change those pixels, nice. Video editing could work as well if the horse power were enough, or shared with a ad hoc server.
  
• Art apps. Try new electronic music instruments, have a whole synthesizer on the tablet, create, compose, mix and share.
  

The good thing from our perspective is that the two biggest players in this new market so far (HP Slate, Apple iPad) work with technologies we have good expertise in, placing SouthLabs in a good position to take advantage of this opportunities.

(this post is the second in a series titled technology watch for 2010)