Ever since the announcement of Windows 8 the production of Windows 7-based tablets has virtually halted to a complete stop, and with good reason.
Windows 7 is a solid operating system but when it comes to touch, it leaves a lot to be desired.
Sure, there have been attempts to bring 3rd party applications that make Windows 7 a little better for touch, but a combination of price and inconvenient overall touch-compatibility with apps have really slowed down the adoption of these tablets.
Luckily Windows 8 is changing it all with the addition of a new touch-optimized start-menu replacement, the UI known as Metro.
This new interface also sports an app market that makes Windows 8 more comparable with other touch-centric options like iOS and Android.
Now with CES 2012 only a matter of days away, it seems that the first “Windows 8 ready” tablet running Windows 7 has been unveiled, the Kupa X11. The device will be showing off Windows 8 preview at the CES event.
As far features go, the Kupa X11 features an Intel Oak Trail processor, a 10.1-inch screen with a 1366×768 resolution, up to 10 hours of battery life, 2GB of RAM, a 3G slot (for connecting to a network of your choice), and SSD sizes ranging from 64GB to 128GB.
Honestly this isn’t really much different, spec-wise, than any of the other Windows 7 tablets I’ve seen around. So what makes it special? A little sticker that says “Windows 8 Ready”, other than that not really much.
So will such a ‘new’ Windows 7 tablet from such a less-than-popular brand like Kupa make any difference or even be noteworthy at all? Not really, at least in my opinion.
Depending on what kind of price this thing ends up settling on, there are likely more capable tablets from more well-known brands out there already.
The only way I would consider this tablet to be a ‘value buy’ is if by some miracle it ended up at under $600, which is possible I suppose.
If it ends up nearer to $1000, then there are high-powered i5-based options to be had for only a few hundred more (such as the Samsung Series 7 slate).
Personally, I think that tablet makers should wait off completely on making Windows tablets until 8 arrives.
Sure, there may be some interested in purchasing a tablet just to use Windows 8 Beta, but not enough to justify the development costs for the hardware involved.
Expect to hear more details and see footage of the tablet in action at CES in a few days.
What do you think about Kupa’s new tablet? Will the fact that it is advertised as “Windows 8 Ready” help give it an edge when it comes to sales or will ultimately the tablet be quickly forgotten?
Share your thoughts below.
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Bezel frame to thick and ugly to get my attention 😉