The racing glove inspired pin cushioned back of the Asus Nexus 7 is the most luxurious tablet we've ever fondled.
The Verge is reporting this morning that Asus is readying an 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet with Wacom digitizer. The device will supposedly feature an Intel Baytrail Atom processor, 1280 x 800 display, 2 GB of RAM and 32- or 64 GB of storage.
This should be a great device for One Note or doodling on the go. But its true usefulness will be hampered by the mismatch between new Windows hardware and software development.
I like small tablets for casual gaming and media consumption. But ironically, after the dismal start of Windows RT, manufacturers are determined to cram full Windows 8.1 desktops into the smaller form factor.
I'm convinced this is a strategy that will fail as consumers discover what a miserable experience the desktop is on a tiny display.
The only thing that can salvage this situation is the development of a new breed of Windows store applications (Metro) that are actually useful compared to the majority of what's currently available.
It's criminal that more than a full year after the release of Windows 8, Adobe has yet to release anything more capable than Photoshop Express or that Autodesk hasn't moved Sketchbook Pro onto the Windows store.
Without knowing any sales figures, it appears that Surfaces are doing well this holiday season, as is the Dell Venue 8. Based on its price and premium pen support, I suspect this Asus tablet will sell well too.
Will this groundswell of new users be the push that developers need to get their butts in gear?
