德国WePad挑战苹果iPad

苹果iPad的推出带动了整个平板市场，其它厂商也不甘示弱。近日，来自德国的厂商Neofonie就试图挑战一下苹果，新推出了一款平板机并给它起了一个有趣的名字WePad。一个“我(i)”，一个“我们(We)”，Neofonie倒是先从文字上下足了功夫。可是说到WePad的功能，也确实不容小觑呢！一起来看一下吧！

This latest starlet in the world of technology got the red carpet treatment at its unveiling in Germany.

Neofonie GmbH, a small German company of some 180 employees, is setting out to take on Apple's iPad with their new tablet PC that promises even more for your money.

The WePad looks pretty much like the iPad, but Neofonie GmbH's founder and managing director Helmut Hoffer von Ankershoffen, insists that the WePad is not an "iPad killer", as it has been dubbed in some blogs.

"We offer a different kind of device, we have more features, we are more flexible."

But what makes the WePad so different from the iPad?

The WePad's 11.6-inch screen is larger than the iPad's 9.7 inch screen. The WePad is powered by an Intel chip and relies on Linux software which is compatible with Google's Android and all Flash applications.

Ankershoffen says its ability to play Flash will be a big advantage.

"It is an alternative device to the Apple iPad, a so-called tablet PC with which you can consume multimedia at home, you can play games and browse the Web, also with Flash applications."

Another difference is the system's openness: two USB ports allow users to connect all kinds of devices with the WePad, from external keyboards to data sticks.

Unlike the iPad, which can only use specific applications, the WePad will come with a complete open source office package.

People who want to put music on their WePad do not have to have any particular software, a blow to Apple's devices that require particular Apple software like iTunes.

The WePad is thus also entering into competition with other e-book readers like the Amazon Kindle. But the competition doesn't just ride on the iPad and the WePad.

Tim Danton, Editor of PC Pro, says Dell is next in line to launch their version of a tablet PC. And the company already has a clear image of the customer they're aiming for - the suburban mum:

"Dell is looking to create its own tablet and they think they found a completely new type of buyer. They think they have found something called a suburban mum and they reckon that this suburban mum, who currently has things like a phone in her bag and she's also got a sat-nav device（卫星导航仪） in her bag and they think they can throw that all away in favour of what Dell is going to be producing, which is a little 5 inch tablet device."

However, all these companies will have to prove that these new touch screen devices will not only amaze tech-savvy early users, but will also appeal to mainstream consumers.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.