Which Wins As A Business Tool?

If you are a Travelgeek you either have or are considering one of the latest tablet computers. A lot has been written on this topic, so my focus is on the utility and value of these devices for the pro business traveler. Is it worth the investment?

The iPad or the new iPad2

Before the iPad or the new iPad2, manufacturers attempts at a tablet PC were a dismal failure. The original tablets were too heavy, too slow, the displays were hard to read in portrait mode, and they had poor battery life. During the concept was evidently a good one; the execution in terms of hardware and software was in all seriousness lacking. That all changed with advances in research and the debut of the iPad, which was a sleek, light, hand held computer with a brilliant display. It was everything the original PC tablet tried to be, and more.

I exploit innovation to help me to stay connected wherever I am in the world. I am out of the U.S. a great deal of the time and in this way heavily rely on communications-related techno-tools. Clearly, I bought the iPad 3G when it was first released in May, 2010. There is no question that anything Apple makes is incredibly then designed and engineered, and reeks of imagination. They have figured out how to integrate research with the latest electronics, combined with sleek plastic and metals to make addictive products that have shaped America and the world while the past thirty years.

Apple's ability to develop and market revolutionary innovation does not, nevertheless, mean that these devices are the best choice for business travelers. During apple can take credit for "the tablet,' there is nevertheless serious competition, both from a technical and ergonometric perspective, which may cause many business adapters to look beyond the high research seductiveness of these products and carefully consider their real utility for getting work done. As the "new" adage goes, 'all that glitters in the tech world may not be the same gold for everyone."

The iPod and iPhone obviously set the standard in the industry for mp3 music players and at that time Smartphones. The iPhone even eclipsed the Blackberry for much of the consumer market. The RIM device had been the gold standard until Apple created the first real Smartphone. But straightway came the iPad with communications capabilities; a big brother to the iPhone, now with without the actual phone.

Combination of research

America is built on a combination of research, inventiveness, and clever design, so it was inevitable that the iPad success would spawn like as not a hundred other tablets in a broad price range and configurations. They are the logical extension of Netbooks, which were the rage prior to the introduction of the tablet. For me, I dismissed Netbooks as a gimmick and a fad because I reasoned very quickly that my full-featured 12" laptop weighed the same and had far more functionality. Weight, size, computing power and communications capabilities for me were the critical factors. Netbooks were marginal in their attributes as a business and travel tool.

While the iPad has been an incredibly successful product, I continue to ask myself "what is it?" Afterwards almost a year, I have a better answer, nevertheless the real question is if I actually need it or any other tablet-like device, versus my smart phone. During iPad 2 sales this past weekend exceeded those of the iPad, I suspect that the buyers were, on the whole, not business users. An examination of the Piper Jaffray stats may tend to support this theory.

In this article, I will explore why you may want to invest in and use a tablet computer for a variety of functions as a professional business traveler. Forget all the hype by Apple, Samsung, Blackberry and Motorola about why these are "magical and revolutionary products" or similar claims. The real questions to ask are "what will it do for me, and is it worth the money?" More importantly, you might want to consider just how much clutter it will add to your travel bag, and what do you have to do to make it work the way you need it to in order to justify its investment.

My main focus in choosing which gizmos to carry when I travel, is their utility, first and foremost. As I am detailing in my travel-innovation-security book, virtually all of my techno-tools must enhance my ability to communicate, organize, receive information, and allow me to be more productive. If added benefits are derived, just as for entertainment or leisure, in other words a bonus however not the prime reason for adopting any research, gizmo, operating system, or program. Price is only one factor and rarely determines whether I add a new tech-tool to my arsenal.

A year afterwards purchasing my iPad I am nevertheless assessing its true utility in my world. Apple started a revolution with their tablet and created an entire new personal mode of computing. Ironically, there are but many knock-offs of the concept and some like the Xoom are incredibly powerful devices. Now the most important question in spite of everything remains: do you in effect need the thing?

Tablets run on their own operating systems, with thousands of applications to do just about anything. Nevertheless the OS that runs on a PC for either Windows or Mac is not the same as for your tablet. In reality, most tablets are little more than a Smartphone with a large screen and longer operating time because of the size of the battery. Yet they can be a lot more than a Smartphone as then.

I identify four tiers of mobile computing and telecommunications devices: Smartphones, Netbooks, tablets, and notebook computers. If you dismiss Netbooks as a short-lived fad, you are left with three types of devices which share many of the same characteristics and capabilities, now are fine-tuned to specific applications. Most "real" tablets today are running until further notice 1Ghz or dual-core processors, as are the their smaller Smartphone counterparts, so they are very fast and have incredible capabilities.

There are three primary operating systems to choose from: Apple, Android, and Blackberry. Windows as well has a tablet nevertheless it is not but in the mainstream and has not been considered for this article. The main competition is between Apple and Android. To my way of thinking, Android will ultimately win the operating systems war, yet for the consumer, it is in effect largely irrelevant and one of personal preference. Apple and Android perform in essence the same tasks: how they are organized and executed spells the difference between the systems and devices.

Why do I believe that Android will prevail? It is because nearly all of our lives are however wrapped around Google and its incredible data search and access capabilities. Apple, to my mind, cannot compete with what Google can offer to Smartphone and tablet users: an amazing array of instant information from anywhere in the world which has been integrated into the functionality of a tablet or Smartphone through its Android operating system.

Android has been adopted by scores of hardware manufacturers for Smartphones and tablets. It is a maturing platform and has already surpassed Apple as to implementation around the world. In other words not to diminish the capabilities of the iPhone or iPad, nor its 100,000+ applications that are available, or its incredible hardware. However the Apple OS for tablets is limited to one hardware manufacturer.

For organization and options, I prefer Android, nevertheless they both accomplish nearly the same results, just in different ways. My Xoom seems to run faster than the iPad 2, and has a dual-core processor that runs Honeycomb 3.0, the latest Google-Android operating system which is exactly optimized for a tablet. The graphical user interface is very cool and in the extreme easy to use, yet so is Apple, so it is personal preference as to which you are more comfortable with. The new iPad has a 1Ghz processor, now the clock speed has been slowed down to avoid excessive temperatures.

Apple for your computer or phone

If you are presently utilizing an Apple for your computer or phone, at the time you may want to stick with what you know, and buy an iPad. The same rule applies for the Android. When I travel, I have a Droid-x, an Android Pro dual-mode phone, and a Samsung Nexus S for use with local SIM cards. The Xoom runs on Android so everything is compatible between my phones and tablet. The neat thing is that once you buy an application, either on Apple or Android, you can download it to all devices. This is another reason not to switch operating systems between phones and tablets.

I dislike the strict controls that Apple has placed on its applications, lack of access to internal memory within the iPad, failure to implement Flash Video, and the requirement that everything be routed through iTunes. I understand the logic in such controls, and to some extent this approach may provide for a more secure and reliable operating environment for the consumer. However I as well like the capabilities of Android over both Apple and Blackberry as to versatility and options. Android is an open system and allows more flexibility yet may require more expertise. If the operating system is "rooted" which means gaining access at the programming level, at the time the device can be totally controlled, Apps can be run that are outside of the Android market, and the tablet can perform in effect neat functions.

The Apple operating system

The Apple operating system, at least at first, is much more intuitive than Android. To demonstrate this, I just bought my mother a Verizon iPhone. In a later article, I will explore the use of smart phones for the elderly. My mom is totally non-technical now has figured out how to use her iPhone.  I don't think she would have the same comfort level with Android, either in a phone or tablet.

For ten years, I was a confirmed Blackberry user on two different mobile networks. Last summer, when the Motorola Droid-x was introduced, I switched afterwards having suffered through nearly two years of the Blackberry Storm nightmare Part I and II, and the constant denials by Technology in Motion that there were any problems with the device. Just for the record, my Droids do everything that my Blackberries did, only faster, better, easier, and more reliably. Once you use a smart phone with a four-inch screen, you will never go back to anything smaller, especially the mini-display on most Blackberries. And at that time if you start using a tablet, with a ten-inch display, you have reached technical nirvana.

Great mobile email machine

I came to realize that Blackberry produces a great mobile email machine; making it work as a smart phone was nearly an afterthought. As innovative as the folks at RIM may be, and even with their new Version 6 operating system and Torch-modified version of the Storm, the phones are on the whole primarily for corporate and personal email. For me, the rest is trying to make something of a device that works best for integrated email. I don't think that its devices are as smart or as capable as the Droid or iPhone.

The Xoom has a great 10.1" display at a 1280 x 800 resolution. It is brilliant, and slightly larger than the iPad’s 1024 x 768, even though the reality is that both are excellent. I tested each displays in bright sunlight, side by side, and there is little difference. Physically, both devices are about the same size when in their protective cases, though the new iPad is much thinner than the Xoom.

The Xoom is a CDMA + WiFi device

The Xoom is a CDMA + WiFi device. The iPad has GSM + WiFi and CDMA + WiFi models. That means the iPad can be used anywhere in the world on GSM networks; the CDMA version will only work in those countries that utilize CDMA, which are about forty in number. CDMA is not the predominant international protocol and has as a matter of fact poor coverage except in limited geographic areas. International roaming is possible on CDMA, nevertheless it is nothing like GSM. Verizon, which has the best coverage in the United States, is a CDMA network which is the reason that Apple introduced the iPad CDMA version.

The Xoom will not function on any system other than Verizon, unless Motorola reaches a deal with Sprint, which is as well a CDMA carrier. Opposite, the iPad GSM version will operate on T-Mobile and AT&T in the U.S. and virtually everywhere internationally. All tablets have Wifi, so in some respects the choice of wireless carrier does not matter if you understand how to optimize connectivity. The new iPad is not a 4G device, which may be a definite negative. There is some talk that an Apple Pro tablet may be released with the iPhone 5, but at this stage, this is speculative. Though the Xoom will operate on the 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution, latest standard in the mobile network technology) network later this year, Verizon did not know when the upgrade would be available.

External Bluetooth keyboards are available for both devices. This allows for the tablet to be used for an email machine or browser with a minimum of weight. Each unit, with case and keyboard, weigh in at about one and a half pounds. This is not a bad alternative to a laptop for limited use. Battery life on both the iPad and Xoom appear to be about the same, around ten hours, nevertheless this is as well dependent on several factors, including display brightness, which draws the most current. Again, both devices are about equal for battery life if communications services are turned off. In suspend mode, both devices will stay alive for several weeks without a recharge.

The charging system for the Xoom is non-standard

The charging system for the Xoom is non-standard and employs a tiny coaxial-type connector with a 12VDC input. This is convenient for vehicle charging, however requires you to carry a separate and unparalleled charger. I would imagine that Kensington will make a power supply tip to be available sometime hereafter for the Xoom, just like the iPad. Apple devices are standardized with one charging connector and five-volt system, which is compatible with all USB power supplies. The Motorola Zoom is not compatible with USB supplies. All of my devices run on mini or micro-USB, so this is a definite disadvantage. I try to standardize everything on one connector type so I don't have to carry multiple power adapters.

There are two internal cameras on the Xoom; a 5mp rear-facing, and a lower resolution front-facing one for video chat. The iPad 2 has the same configuration. Front-facing cameras will allow for video conferencing on both devices. Presently, the iPad allows video communications by using its "Face time" or Skype application between iPads and iPhones and desktops. Video conferencing software will be available from Skype to support enhanced communications services on 4G for the Xoom in the nearly future, now presently there is no software to allow video chat on Skype; only on Google Talk.

Controls on the Xoom and iPad are about equal. Each has volume up and down and escape/on/off. There are four primary ports on the Xoom: micro-USB, HDMI out, and audio in/out for a headphone or earphone/microphone combination for VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calls, and power. There are two speakers and stereo audio channels for excellent sound rendition. The iPad only supports single channel audio and one speaker.

A day afterwards the iPad 2 came out I interviewed Chris Perra, a technician at MacPros, an independent Apple dealer in Sioux Falls, about the attributes of the iPad 2.

The Motorola Xoom

The Motorola Xoom and the Apple iPad are very similar with regard to basic hardware design and functionality. Where they differ is in display size and definition, operating systems, frequency bands and their capability for international roaming. Most significantly, the Xoom will allow 4G high-speed connections, where it appears the iPad will not. The real distinction between different tablets is with the applications they will run, and how they do it.

So…did you like the Xoom better than the iPad2? I didn’t quite get your real answer. As well, are either of them real business tools? Or do I have to wait for part II to find out.

In my opinion, one is a business tool, the other is a lesser choice, and actually, in my opinion, a “yuppie” tech-toy! They are both incredible pieces of hardware, nevertheless one wins. And yes, you have to wait until tomorrow for Part II.

Thanks for your comments. If you will wait for Part II of the article, I will discuss which tablet I would recommend for business use, and why. I as well examine certain applications and why I think one tablet is far better than the other. Stay tuned. It will be posted tomorrow morning.

The past forty years

For the past forty years, I have worked investigations, both criminal and civil, first for government agencies and at the time private corporate customers. These cases have mainly involved major insurance fraud, heists, innovation related crimes, exploits of communications systems, and other offenses, some terrible and others more mundane. Along the way, I have written seven books including a primary reference on locks and safes, and have traveled to more than seventy countries, mainly involving cases.

I started picking locks when I was fifteen, much to the chagrin of my parents, and "graduated" to more sophisticated methods of covert entry for government agencies and customers, as then as determining and exploiting vulnerabilities in telecommunications networks. My story was pretty much summed up by Wired Magazine in a feature article in 2009, when I was dubbed the "Keymaster."

I have always believed that full disclosure of security vulnerabilities in locks and related systems should be the rule, unless it involves national security, in order that the consumer, business sector and government understand potential risks. I have been quite vocal in the media with regard to this subject and have exposed many design defects or deficiencies in locks and alarm systems.

I use a variety of research tools when I journey throughout the world in order to get and stay connected securely, inexpensively, easily, and efficiently. For those of you that are non-technical, but need to use the myriad of techno-tools when you travel, I decided to write an e-book so "fellow-travelers" can exploit their gizmos and gadgets to optimize their functionality and promote personal efficiency.