http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1372040/Could-Motorolas-Atrix-phone-finnaly-gadget-rivals-iPad.html
I personally don't consider those two items in the same category, but I DO like the phone/keyboard & bigger screen concept. I wish one existed for the Android X (or something like it) for Verizon Wireless.
I am not so sure, my first reaction to the iPad was wow! it is a big iphone.
I could see the benefits of it as another gadget, but wasn't blown away by the concept.
I am not blown away this either, but the concept just makes more sense and could lead to "blown away" status.
All through the development of mobile phones the trend has been to tiny, which I think was good.
then the smart phone thing happens and they get bulky again - hits a UI compromise with screen space.
However - how about the core tech of phones that is getting smaller and more powerful, the only thing that dictates the size of the device you chose to carry around is UI concerns - screen size and power.
So how about you buy the guts of a phone - a tiny device that slots in like a memory stick/card - but robust and neatly and at a very fast bus level.
On it's own it runs with very little power required as it does nothing except maintain state/
Then the device you choose to drive it with depends on what you want to do - could be a tiny little phone thing, an iPhone size thing, and iPad or a Lap Top.
Those devices can provide the extra battery power to power the core device to run fast and hotter and even extra processing grunt for graphics etc.
obviously provides physical antennae stuff as well for 3G or 4G reception if required.
Then you get to choose what suits the occasion,
Most of the time it would probably be the compromise of iphone sized devices.
but sometimes you may only want the cheap tiny little phone option - limited to making calls and texts like the old days.
An iPad on other occasions
the lap top if it is business.
All using the same little key chain type device plugged into the various UI device options.
That as a concept is big and would power the industry for a decade.
Loads of niches - gaming/ graphics/ media/Biz
If you prefer a blackberry type device with a physical KB - or an iphone on screen KB.
Well it is just a choice of "peripheral"
I liked the concept of the iPad but couldn't figure out a way to justify purchasing one. No real use for it.
Then my work bought me one to develop our iOS apps on.
I absolutely love it. It is the best device I have. No phone though (I have the wifi only one). But... it kills.
The new one looks even better. Every week there's a new iPhone or iPad killer. None of them seem to have killed either yet.