First genuine iPad clone runs Windows 7 on Atom

Just to remind us all that truth is often stranger than fiction, the first honest attempt at an iPad clone will be manufactured in Shenzhen by a company called Superman Industrial. The device surfaced today, and unlike the forthcoming tablet from Apple, the 10.1 inch EPad will run Windows 7 on Intel's latest Atom platform. Read on to learn more.....

In reality of course we've seen dozens of iPad clones, most of them have been available on the streets of Shenzhen for months and were originally marketed as 'bloody big iPhones'. I bet sales of these have gone through the roof in recent weeks. The EPad however is what we would regard as a true iPad clone and one of the very first shanzhai products actually adorned with the iPad moniker - which is strange as the product itself is called the EPad.

Details are still hazy but so far we can divine that the EPad will run Windows 7 - no idea about which version yet but the markets of Shenzhen tend to favor the Ultimate Edition if you catch my drift. Superman Industrial has also opted not to custom develop their own SoC so instead you find an Intel Atom N450 clocked at 1.66 GHz. Intel reduced power consumption on these Pine Trail chips by putting most of the north bridge chipset in to the actual CPU, but while the power reduction afforded by this change was quietly applauded by the netbook crowd, it will unfortunately offer only modest gains for a tablet. Battery life will remain an issue for sure, especially with the slightly limted 3000mAh battery that you're getting here.

In terms of dimensions the touch screen is apparently 10.2 inches with a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution. The device is apparently 2 cm thick and weighs around 1.3 kg, which is contrast to the iPad which will be 1.34 cm thick and only 0.73 kg for the heavier 3G version. Still, I expect that Apple will remain the thinnest of the thin for some time - we've seen the Shanzhai play catch up to Apple in the thinness stakes with the iPhone, and I expect this trend to continue.

The OS and the processor platform are the two things that will hold back this EPad design. Windows 7 is not designed for tablets, even if it does have improved touch capability. Microsoft are great at desktop and notebook PC environments, but as we can see from their smart phone offerings they clearly still have a long way to go outside of the PC. The alternative is Android, but right now I reckon it still needs work before it can become a truly compelling OS that can compete with Apple on the tablet.

Finally, the Intel processor still sucks way too much juice. Juice that will be needed to power the substantial ten inch screen. Apple will have squeezed every last drop out of their custom built 1GHz A4 chip including software optimizations and deep power down for extended standby times. In fact I expect that all x86 tablet designs will suffer the fate of crap battery life, and that is one feature that the new breed of tablet users will demand.

Time will tell if Superman Industrial can tempt consumers with this EPad design. A lot will of course be dependant on price. So far there's been no word on expected price points.

Disclaimer:
*Shanzai.com is a news and reviews website, we do not specifically promote the purchase or sale of the products and services mentioned in our content. 

 

Articles - News