New gadgets comparison

Well, I guess I can't resist talking about the Apple iPad. After all I have been interested in tablets for a while and I was tempted to buy a tablet instead of the EEE 701. I clearly remember the times when I wondered why Nokia could not sell a N800 with a bigger screen so I could browse on my couch.
So I really welcome the iPad even though it's not for me. That's because it defines a market that is quite close to what I wanted: a simple and reasonably cheap device that is touch enabled, can run additional programs, access the web and can be used on my couch.
To explain why the iPad is not for me, let's say I use my EEE 701 to code (python, Java), do some Skype, watch some videos, connect to USB devices and memory cards and seldom browse (because I don't have network access on the train).
Things I miss on my EEE:

• fast browsing (at home)
• instant on (the suspend to RAM uses too much electricity)
• bigger screen
• a lot of storage (to be able to have all my pictures with me)
• good drawing capabilities (touch sounds nice)
  

So, even though the iPad does score a few points it's still not quite right for me and since Android tablets were available before the iPad (thanks Archos) and many new ones are going to be sold thanks to the iPad, it's pretty clear I should be able to get a cheap, light tablet where I can draw and code.

Old hardware is cool

I have a working prototype of my son's firefighting helicopter game in J2ME. It runs on my old Blackberry 8700. That's pretty cool as it means I might be able to find old J2ME-capable phones so that the kids can run the games easily.

The Leapfrog Didj has been sold by woot for 20$ and then 15$. That's cheap for a 393MHz ARM, 32MB of RAM and a QVGA screen... The first time around nobody was hacking it but now it has seen quite a bit of cool hacks (plug a serial console, SD card etc.) and was feature on Hack A day as part of their partnership with Woot. I think the machine could run little 2D games like the one I wrote for my son. I wonder if it would be easier to use pygames or try to run J2ME (gcj maybe?).

I also found my wife's old Palm Tungsten E in a drawer and it still works! The CPU is rather slow but it's a touch screen, and the device is really cute and pleasant. The IO possibilities are rather limited unfortunately: no WIFI, no Bluetooth, no camera, no accelerometers, no GPS, no USB host. I think I'll just install some drawing software for the kids and maybe put some MP3 on a card. There is also some IR capability so this could be used as a remote and maybe other fun uses.