[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] BarryH_GEG:
Of course not. It's just got a lot of catching up to do. If you think about it, the launch of the Zoom on 3.0 as the first "real" Android tablet (GB doesn't count) was a complete bust. Pricing it as high (or higher) than an iPad, limiting it to 3G initially and offering it only via a carrier, and having virtually no apps at launch was really stupid. So was limiting it to run only on Teg2 which meant that every tablet offered was mechanically the same. People looking to pay that kind of money saw the iPad as far superior and complete.

Things are very different today. Apps are still way behind Apple in quality and quantity but are starting to get better. 3.2 was certainly more refined and usable than earlier versions and unifying on ICS will make a big difference by offering a consistent user experience across phones and tablets. It also allows developers to code once for both form factors. The KF and NookC are doing a lot to help attract people to Android even if it's hidden. Eventually they'll want to do more with their tablets and want more freedom making them candidates to step up to a "real" Android tablet.

Easy access to content and having it seem integrated is important to the average user. Similarly, device manufacturers sharing in the content profit helps make tablets more lucrative for them. Amazon's offering the KF at cost because they're sure that they'll make it up by people buying it spending more on amazon.com. Of the "real" Android tablet makers, the only three guaranteed to exist going forward are Sony, Samsung, and Motorola. Sony because they're a content owner and also have the PS3 franchise to leverage. Samsung because of their sheer scale, resources, and volume creating the ability to leverage content partnerships for profit. Motorola because, assuming the Google acquisition goes through, Google will use them as a vehicle to continue to pummel Apple. Also, while not a content owner, Google books, music, and video makes them a leading distributor. Once they own Motorola it's expected that the level of content integration on their devices will be far cleaner and deeper than exists today. While not said aloud, part of the logic of Google now owning the h/w as well as the s/w is to control the overall user experience a’ la Apple. They've also said that getting in to the h/w business isn't a threat to other manufacturers. It is though. Google will lead by example setting a high bar and basically dictating "best practices." Others will still be able to do what they want but they'll end up following Google's lead rather than the other way around.

As for the others, Lenovo's focusing on sales in China and the business market. Acer's publically said they're not sure if they want to remain in the Android tablet business and cut staff devoted to it in half. HTC's said their committed to Android tablets but has nothing to show that's not over six months old (Jetstream). Asus is interesting because they appear ready to flood the market with tablets. If you add up their volume projections between their 7" and 10.1" offerings they expect to sell close to 4MM tablets. Based on analysts’ projections that's over 50% of the market and today they only own 10%. With all Android tablets perceived to be the same (and they mostly are), Asus having weak consumer brand recognition (compared to others), no carrier relationships (3/4G), and historically poor marketing analysts are scratching their heads. “Build it and they will come” strategies historically don’t do well unless you have incredibly deep pockets, are preared to lose lots of money in the short-term, and have a unique selling proposition (other than price, tablets are low-margin).

So tell Adrian that lots of companies with lots of money are committed to making Android tablets successful and the h/w and s/w components are finally coming together. The end of the year’s going to look a lot different than the beginning.

P.S. – The impact of W8 on the tablet market’s still not quantified. MS obviously wants it to be a major player and all the manufacturers have announced some level of support. It could be successful in the consumer space or it could end up being viewed as a business product. If it take off with consumers, Android will be the victim not Apple. Especially in the beginning.