Gallery: Windows Ill-Suited to Touchscreens, New Tablets Show
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Most of the tablets released in 2011 will be Android-based, but a few stalwarts are sticking with Windows. We recently got a closer look at two tablets shown off in [Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's CES 2011 keynote](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/01/microsoft-keynote-2/): The Acer Iconia and the Asus Eee Slate EP121. Together, they show the potential -- and the limitations -- of a Windows-based tablet strategy. It's not that surprising to see Windows tablets, given that computer makers have been making them since 2001. In a sense, the Tablet PC never went away. But in another respect, these tablets show just how wrong-headed Microsoft's plan to use Windows for everything is. The company recently announced plans to create versions of Windows for ARM-based processors like the Qualcomm Snapdragon and Nvidia Tegra 2, which are found in a lot of upcoming tablets and high-end smartphones. Microsoft division president Steven Sinofsky, speaking at CES last week, pointed to a convergence between the hardware requirements for Windows (the desktop OS) and most smartphones. Windows 7 requires no more resources than its predecessors, Windows Vista (in fact, slightly less) and he anticipates that its hardware requirements will remain level. Meanwhile, smartphones are gaining features previously found only in PCs: dual-core processors, gigabytes of RAM, heavy-duty graphics-processing capabilities. "This convergence is pretty interesting to us as we think about the next generation of Windows," Sinofsky said. But the hardware convergence is only part of the story. The fact is, the [Windows interface is not designed for touchscreens](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/12/7-reasons-windows-slate-stinks/), a fact that was immediately obvious after spending a few minutes with the Asus and Acer tablets. __Above:__ The Acer Iconia is an unusual, dual-screen laptop. Its design echoes that of last year's [twin-screen Toshiba Libretto](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2010/07/pr_fetish_toshiba_libretto_w105/), except the Acer has two 14-inch displays, making it a full-size notebook.
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In place of a keyboard, the Acer Iconia has a second screen that can display either applications or a keyboard. Under the hood, there's an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a 750-GB hard drive. Dolby audio rounds out the multimedia features. Acer introduced the Iconia in November, 2010. However, it does not appear to be available for purchase yet.
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The Iconia clearly impressed the crowd at CES, based on the audible reaction when Ballmer showed it off during his keynote. Being able to scroll a window and see it seamlessly move from the lower screen to the upper one is pretty nifty, and it opens up a huge amount of screen real estate. But in practice, it's difficult to use. Applications made for Windows don't understand that they can be stretched across two screens, so it's more difficult to extend your workspace across both screens than you might think. Some controls (like the corners of windows) are difficult to "grab" with a finger. The on-screen keyboard is far more challenging to use than a traditional, mechanical keyboard. And the whole thing weighs more than 6 pounds, making it a heavyweight among portables.
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The Asus Eee Slate EP121 is a more traditional tablet, with a 12.1-inch screen. It's got a full-fledged, dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of solid-state storage. It costs $1,100, and you can [order one from Amazon.com now](http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Slate-EP121-1A010M-12-1-Inch-Tablet/dp/B004HKIIFI).
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The Eee Slate EP121 weighs 2.5 pounds (less than most laptops, but more than most tablets) making it a little too bulky to hold easily with one hand. There's no doubt that the Eee Slate has more power than the vast majority of tablets coming to the market in 2011. But the success of the iPad compared to earlier tablet computers shows that computing power may be less important than a trim profile, a super-simple interface and an easy (albeit locked-down) app model. Will Windows-based tablets like the Eee Slate survive the onslaught of dozens of different Android tablets this year? Possibly, for a niche market -- but for mainstream customers, my initial impression is that it's too big and too complex to outlast the year. Microsoft would do well to focus its tablet efforts on Windows Phone 7, a mobile operating system that's built for touchscreens and [has a lot going for it](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2010/10/focus_win_7/).
