brian_chee
Contributing Editor

Web Tablets, is smaller really better?

analysis
Jan 12, 20072 mins

Web tablets seem to be split into pocket size like the Sony Mylo, and the Nokia 770/800 which are a bit too big for a pocket but still pretty small. I feel both seem to compromise on screen size while both being a bit too big to fit into a pocket comfortably. If I'm going to suffer with such a small screen, why not just stay with a smart phone like the S620 (aka the Dash from T-Mobile) from HTC. M

Web tablets seem to be split into pocket size like the Sony Mylo, and the Nokia 770/800 which are a bit too big for a pocket but still pretty small. I feel both seem to compromise on screen size while both being a bit too big to fit into a pocket comfortably. If I’m going to suffer with such a small screen, why not just stay with a smart phone like the S620 (aka the Dash from T-Mobile) from HTC. More to my liking was a web tablet being shown off by Pepper Computer, inc. in their booth at CES. Pepper Linux is a Fedora variant used by Hanbit for the PepperPAD, the Minibox by FIS and a touch screen LCD by DT Research.

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What makes the Pepper Linux different is the level of integration they’ve done for you. Instead of going through the learning curve on concepts like toolchain, cross compiling and flash write cycle conservation; Pepper is offering an easy to integrate web device for kiosks, and other specialized internet access devices. So with relatively little effort you can have a web appliance easily customizable for your specific application.

If you really are willing to spend the time to eat the learning curve on building your own embedded application, make a visit to the folks at Linuxdevices.com

Brian Chee is a Senior Contributing Editor with InfoWorld Magazine and is a researcher with the University of Hawaii’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST).