ExoPC Slate is a 11.6-inch Atom-powered, Windows 7 tablet. It is wider in size
(11.6 x 7.6 x 0.6) and heavier (2.2 pounds) than most other tablets,
but it is also surprisingly thin. It has an Intel Atom N450 processor and runs Windows 7 Home Premium.
The ExoPC features two USB ports, an SD card reader, a mini
HDMI socket, a SIM card slot for connecting to 3G GSM networks and a front-facing webcam. The
storage memory is a 32GB or a 64GB SSD (solid state drive). The ExoPC Slate is not your typical Windows 7 tablet. It covers Microsoft's desktop
with an innovative custom interface that includes its own app store.
The
screen of the ExoPC Slate is very glossy and it attracts fingerprints quite easily. It is nice that you
will get a screen cleaner and a cloth when you purchase the slate. The 1366 x 768-resolution is great for
watching 720p content and for surfing the web in horizontal mode. You have the option of turning off the
automatic rotation. The viewing angles are good, but they could still be improved. The ExoPC slate has a capacitive touchscreen that supports two-fingered gestures
and the pinch-to-zoom capability. The touchscreen is quite resonponsive and accurate.
There
are 2 1.5 watt speakers, which are quite loud and will provide good quality audio when
watching a movie or listening to music. The 1.3-megapixel webcam provides images of acceptable quality, though the picture
turned dark and shadowy in areas without a great deal of ambient light.
The ExoPC Slate runs Windows 7 Home Premium, which means it comes with a number of touch-friendly
optimizations Microsoft built into the higher-end versions of Windows 7 (which you won’t find in Starter
Edition). You can simulate the act of clicking the right mouse button by tapping and holding on the
screen to pull up a context menu. The ExoPC comes preloaded with Games, Education, Books, Tools, and
Music folders, and each of them is stocked with a variety of applications, all which will be
available through the ExoStore when it launches sometime later. The apps range from everything from Flash
games, Bing Maps, sample books, and useful tools like a calculator or stopwatch.
Because of the size and the resolution of the screen you are able to view most web pages
without zooming at all. The pinch-to-zoom feature woks good, but it is somewhat slower to respond to zoom
gestures. There is no support for bookmarks, multiple tabs or windows in the browser which is a issue for
some people. It is nice that the ExoPC slate supports Adobe Flash so you can play games, watch videos on
YouTube or browse flash content on the web.
ExoPC
set out to design software that was extremely easy and intuitive to navigate with a finger, and it
certainly accomplishes that task. The grid of icons/shortcuts is straddled by two columns of basic
controls, which includes a home button, Windows icon to take you back to the desktop, application store,
and power button to shut off the layer altogether. Launching one of the applications or folders on the
grid doesn't only launch said app or folder on the center of the screen, but also displays a small
circular icon on the right side. You can then toggle to different applications within the UI by hitting
the little circles or close a specific program by sliding the icon off the right of the screen.
The battery life is poor (it lasts for about 3:30 hours) and it is not user
replaceable.
Event though the EXoPC slate has some minor issues, it is one of
the best and coolest tablets in the Atom-powered, Windows 7 market. The ExoPC is still in development and
it will get better and better.
ExoPC
Slate PROS AND CONS
PROS:
Slim profile
Unique user interface
Large, hi-resolution capacitive touchscreen (perfect for watching 720p and surfing the
web)
Fast boot time
Great sound
Broadcom Crystal HD chip (allows for smooth, high-definition playback of
movies and streaming media, up to 1080p)
Micro HDMI port (you can watch video on your HDTV)
USB 2.0 ports (two of them - you can download photos and videos from your camera, wirelessly
or directly fron an SD card)
MicroSD card reader
SIM card slot (for connecting to GSM networks)
2GB of memory (allows for multitasking)
Good web browsing experience
Full Flash support (play games, watch YouTube videos, etc..)
Read electronic books (store and read electronic books in any format)
Musci and Radio (listen to your music or radio from around the world with your headphones or
the integrated speakers)
Apps (The ExoPC UI Layer Development Kit makes it possible to create multi-touch
applications using JavaScript and Flash, or to add touch screen support for existing applications
written in any format)
CONS:
Heavy
Jerky HD video playback
Slow accelerometer (you will see a delay when the screen changes
orientations)
Poor battery life (about 3-4 hours)
No user replaceable battery (you need to recharge the battery with the
proprietary AC adapter - won't charge via USB)
Poor viewing angles in landscape mode (in portrait mode they are much
better)
Glossy screen reflects glare (it is a problem when viewing the screen in
bright light or sun)
Windows 7 is not the best operating system for tablets
ExoPC Slate Video
Reviews
Where can you find the best deals on ExoPC Slate?
Amazon usually has the best prices and free
shipping.
ExoPC
Slate Technical Specifications
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
UI Layer
ExoPC UI Layer
App Store
Yes
Multi-touch
Capacitive dual-touch, Pressure sensitive
Display
11,6 inches
1366 x 768
135 pixels per inch
RAM (installed / max)
2GB / 2GB DDR2
CPU
Intel Atom Pineview-M N450
1.66 GHz - 64 bit support
This video features the new tablet from Motorola - Motorola XOOM. It is one of the first
tablets to run Google's Android 3.0 (Honeycomb). Click here to see a full review of Motorola XOOM.
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The ExoPC features two USB ports, an SD card reader, a mini
HDMI socket, a SIM card slot for connecting to 3G GSM networks and a front-facing webcam. The
storage memory is a 32GB or a 64GB SSD (solid state drive). 
