Windows 7 Tablet for South Africans

We have the iPad and the Millions of Android Tablets. Please also see the review by Robert Dale here.

I don’t want those. I want a Windows 7 Tablet that I can connect with 3g or with Wireless. I want to be able to sync the documents that I work on in Microsoft Office and I want to be able to edit them in a familiar environment. I want extra slots to plug in a keyboard and mouse if needed or even a USB memory stick. I want my HD TV to be able to show them movies that I have on my tablet. I want to be able to load full versions of the programs that I use on my desktop, like Dreamweaver and Outlook.

The iPad doesn’t work for me. The millions of Android tablets don’t work for me.

So what is left? Well I want a Windows 7 Tablet.

Windows 7 Tablet

Mecer in South Africa now supplies a very nice Windows 7 Tablet.

Windows 7 Tablet Specs

The tablet is solid and runs Windows 7 and has the following specs:

Size : 295mm x 195mm x 14mm
Weight: 990g
Processor Speed 1.66GHz, 667MHz, 512K of L2 (200MHz)
Discrete Graphics Discrete 1080p HD Video Accelerator
Memory 2GB DDR2-667, 1 SO-DIMM slot
Display LCD TFT 11.6” HD Glare (1366*768)
Touch Panel Capacitive Multi-Touch (Real two points)
Battery Embedded Lithium-ion Polymer 2-cell (7.4V, 4800mAh, 2S1P)
Camera 1.3M pixel (fix focus) 640 x 480 webcam (30fps)
Support OS Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium or above

Interface 1x DC-in, 2x USB port, 1x OMTP Jack, 2-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC),
1x SIM Card Slot, 1 x Mini-HDMI (upscaling 1080p from 720p source), 1x Hotkey,
26pins connector for Docking

G-Sensor Display orientation (3-axis sensing)
Audio 2 x Built-in Speakers (1.5W), 1x Mic

It includes the following programs as standard:

Microsoft Security Essentials (Anti-Virus Software)
Office 2010 Starter (Basic Word & Excel)
Windows Live Essentials
This includes Windows Live Mesh which allows 5gb of storage.

The Tablet is finger ready but if you need more precision then it also comes with a Stylus.

Windows 7 Tablet programs

So let’s see what it looks like with the programs running.

It runs the full version of Windows 7 and comes with the Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7. This includes some very cool programs like Surface Collage and Surface Globe.

This is Microsoft Office Basic that comes for free. You can uninstall this and run a full version of Microsoft Office. You see, try that on an iPad.

I love Google Chrome. So when I install it on the Tablet, it syncs with the applications that i use on my desktop. It will also sync your passwords and bookmarks.

Ok, this is all business stuff. What happens when you want to have a bit of off time.

Well it comes with apps. Including Pictures and videos.

There are also music apps.

Yes, but what about the cool things like Facebook and Twitter. Well there’s an app for that.

Well I want to be left alone and I want to read in bed. Can this thing do that? Well of course. Download the Kindle app for Windows PC and you can then sync your kindle or your books with your tablet. The touch works beautifully. You can either just touch either side of the book to go backwards and forwards or you can swipe your finger and it turns the page.

But now I want to talk to my friends on Skype. Ok, well just download the normal version of Skype and you can do that. You can either talk over WiFi or 3g. The tablet comes with a Microphone, Speaker and webcam, so you are completely set.

Ok ok. But what about the Hard drive size, I read that it was only 32gb. What am I going to do with that? Well that one is a small problem. You can connect an external HDD or USB memory stick via the usb or you could work with Google Docs on the internet. This is not going to replace your desktop. You will still need to have your music and video files on your main machine and sync across what you need. I have 60gb of music on my desktop so I haven’t synced that across.

Ok, I am almost convinced. I don’t want to hold the tablet at my desk. Is there a docking station?

Well of course. This is a very one. It charges your tablet and allows connection of keyboards and mice and has audio in and out. It also has an Ethernet connection.