Nearly every piece of new technology has its competitor, or clone, and the iPad is no exception. The little device that is likely to steal at least a few Apple customers is called the P88. Made by the Shenzhen Great Long Brother Industrial Co., this notepad device looks very much like the half-brother of the iPad. Although not as sleek or slim looking, the P88 does compete with iPad in a few different ways:
Weight: The iPad is lighter, weighting in at about 1.5 lbs. The P88 weighs nearly 2.5 lbs.
Screen Size: In this class, the P88 boasts of a 10.2” viewing screen as compared to iPad’s 9.2 viewing screen.
Battery Life: In this class, the P88 takes a major hit; its battery lasts only for 1.5 hours…so sad! The iPad boasts a lengthy 10 hours…only time will tell.
Ports: For what the P88 lacks in battery life, it makes up for in ports. The P88 comes with three different USB ports, one VGA port, one RJ-45, one card reader, one ear phone and one mic. The iPad is decked out with one 30 pin port that can be attached to several different adapters, based on your need.
HD Space: Another winning class for the P88, as it comes with a 160GB spinning disc hard drive. The iPad only has 64GB flash drive…at the most.
Cost: The one that everyone is interested in…the P88 will generally cost $440, while the iPad starts at $499.
The P88 is a respectable clone of the iPad, especially for people who are diehard PC fans/Apple loathers. While it will not perform the same as an iPad (it is an entirely separate device, so what can you expect) it will be able to perform many of the same tablet functions that the iPad is capable of running.
Another type of iPad clone is the ExoPC Slate. This device is slated to come out in March (like the iPad) and will be slightly cheaper than some versions of the iPad, but more expensive than the P88. The ExoPC Slate has a slightly smaller screen than the iPad (8.9” rather than 9.2”) and a battery life of about 4.5 hours. The ExoPC Slate offers users 2 GB of RAM, a micro SD slot and 32 GB SSD. So, if you are not picky about what kind of tablet you want, this one is definitely worth checking out. Although not an Apple product, the ExoPC Slate will still run many of the same programs and functions as an iPad and will only cost users $599. The biggest fault of this product is that it does not have 3G capabilities so you will not be able to have internet access everywhere you go.
Hands down, the iPad will probably be the hottest selling tablet device on the market. But, given time, there will probably be several different styles of tablets to choose from in the future. For now the iPad is the dominate device that is wowing crowds and causing people to line up for their new toy months before Christmas is even in sight.
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