WeTab

WeTab
Manufacturer	WeTab GmbH
Technical specifications
Mass storage	16/32 GB NAND flash (optional 16/32 GB SDHC card)
processor	1.66 GHz Intel Atom N450
random access memory	1 GB
screen	Touchscreen (capacitive) 29.5 cm (11.6  inches ) 1366 × 768 pixels
Current operating system	MeeGo
Connectivity
connections	2 × USB , mini-HDMI , stereo plug 3.5 mm
battery pack
Duration (according to the manufacturer)	Max. 6 hours
measures and weight
Dimensions (H × W × D)	288  mm  × 190 mm × 15 mm
Weight	995/1020 g
Website
wetab.mobi

The WeTab was a tablet PC presented in March 2010 , the production, sale and further development of which was discontinued in 2012. 4tiitoo AG developed the operating concept and the user interfaces. The device has been developed since 2007 on the basis of hardware from Pegatron , product liability and support was taken over by Medion . The market launch took place as part of a joint venture with Neofonie ; the collaboration ended in November 2010. Before it was launched, the device was often compared with the Apple iPad , and the manufacturer later distanced itself from this comparison. After several delays, the device was delivered from September 2010. In tests in the trade press, the device was often criticized as technically unfinished and inferior to the competition. 4tiitoo AG then partially remedied the points of criticism of the OS and software through subsequent updates. The server landscape required for the WeTab is operated by the successor company 42 Abwicklungs AG, since the company filed for bankruptcy in November 2013.

technology

hardware

The Lucid Tablet PC from the Asus subsidiary Pegatron serves as the hardware basis. Pegatron and the design office Pega D & E were awarded the iF product design award 2011 from the iF Industry Forum Design .

The processor of the WeTab is an Intel Atom N450 with a clock rate of 1.66  GHz . It uses an inserted SSD with 16 or 32  GB and has 1 GB of RAM. The screen surface is a 11.6- inch - touch screen with 1366 × 768 pixels . In addition to two integrated USB all connections, SD card reader, audio output, SIM card slot and mini HDMI connector has an additional 1,3 megapixels - Webcam . Integrated Bluetooth 2.1, Wi - n and optional UMTS / HSDPA and a GPS function.

The WeTab has a magnesium - aluminum housing, measures 295 mm × 189.7 mm × 15 mm and weighs a total of 995 or 1020 grams. After the JooJoo from Fusion Garage, it was the largest and heaviest tablet computer in the mass market. The battery life is specified with up to six hours.

software

A MeeGo 1.0 is used as the operating system, with the GUI "WetabOS" developed in-house by the manufacturer 4tiitoo . Native Linux programs as well as Adobe AIR apps can be executed; support for Android apps was announced since the market launch and was implemented as a beta on March 31, 2011 as a virtual machine. According to the manufacturer, Adobe Flash in HD is supported from software version 2.3.

In addition to basic application programs (e.g. file manager, WeTab app store), some internet programs (web browser, e-mail), multimedia programs (e-book reader, media gallery, video player, music player, webcam), Open Office and several web programs are preinstalled -Widgets that integrate RSS content from websites or allow quick access to the website's internal search function. Some of the programs were specially developed or adapted for the WeTab.

It is possible to install other operating systems that support the X86 architecture , e.g. B. Microsoft Windows 8 or Ubuntu . The open source project Android-X86 and its distributions now fully support the WeTab.

history

development

In 2007 Tore Meyer founded 4tiitoo together with Stephan Odörfer with the intention of developing a tablet PC for the mass market. After beta tests with 150 users in 2009, 4tiitoo found a partner in the media sector in the Berlin company Neofonie who brought its e-publishing software “WeMagazine” into the concept. The common intention of "sales activities in the publishing industry" was strengthened by the announcement of cooperations e.g. B. with the publisher Gruner + Jahr , which announced in March 2010 that it would publish some e-magazines in addition to the Apple iPad also on the device now called WePad, namely the star , and possibly followed by GEO and Gala . When it was first announced, the almost unknown company's plan to compete against the announced Apple iPad met with strong, in some cases even international, interest. At that time, WePad GmbH was still planning to start shipping the first devices before Apple with the iPad . However, there was still a lot of reserve and skepticism, especially with regard to the software.

The first press conference on April 12, 2010, however, led to severe criticism, terms such as “fake”, “disaster” or “PR disaster” were used in the reporting. When the prototype was presented, the WePad OS was not shown on the device ; instead, a demo video of the software was shown on a Windows system , giving the appearance of an operational Wetab OS. Only a Windows error message revealed the deception. The reason given later by those responsible was that the pre-series device had been stuck at customs for several days. Therefore it was no longer possible to install the WePad OS in good time before the presentation. The specialist journalists present were extremely skeptical about the market readiness, especially since it was announced that delivery would not start until August.

The corresponding impressions could then be partially corrected with later presentations of operable devices. At a press conference on April 26, 2010, three working pre-series devices with Linux were shown and in June at Linuxtag 2010 a functional model was presented for the first time. On May 7, 2010, the manufacturer announced that the name of the device and company had been changed from the original WePad to WeTab , in order to differentiate the product “even more clearly on the international market for tablet computers”.

Publication and withdrawal of Neofonie

At the end of September 2010 the WeTab was officially published. Amazon and Media-Markt could be won as large distributors, and Medion took over product liability and support . Initial tests and user reports fluctuated between "unusable" to "I like it" ". In general, however, all reviewers noted that the WeTab had numerous incompetence. The manufacturer promised to fix it quickly with updates.

One of the two managing directors, Helmut Hoffer von Ankershoffen, representative of Neofonie, then had to resign from his position on October 4th after it became known that he had written positive reviews on Amazon.com under a false name . A few days later, Gruner + Jahr announced that it would no longer continue its cooperation with Neofonie at WeTab. In November 2010, Neofonie GmbH withdrew completely from WeTab GmbH due to delays in the completion of the e-publishing software, which thus became a 100% subsidiary of 4tiitoo AG. The original intention of offering an e-publishing platform with the device has not been pursued since Neofonie withdrew.

Realignment

Since then, Tore Meyer has run the company together with Stephan Odörfer. Immediately after Ankershoffen's resignation, Meyer promised an end to the mishaps: "We have definitely underestimated it and hardly missed a faux pas," promised to compensate for the device, as it was, with the device as it was he extensive updates.

Since the change in management, several updates have been published that have corrected deficiencies , activated functions and delivered additional features: on October 19, 2010 (including improved multi-touch and Bluetooth , GPS in applications, HDMI activated), on November 8, 2010 (touchscreen firmware ), November 15, 2010 (including DVB-T with app, access to Adobe Air Marketplace, support for UMTS USB sticks) and December 9, 2010 (including printing). Tools for developers were first released on November 11, 2010 (Virtual Machine, Recovery Boot Stick). On December 24, 2010, a software development kit and parts of the source code of the WeTab OS followed.

The reporting gradually improved accordingly. In the opinion of the computer magazine Chip, after the first software update at the end of September, the device was still "at best in the beta stage", other media subsequently acknowledged the high update frequency and corresponding progress. On the hardware side, however, almost all testers complained about the viewing angle-dependent screen, the fan, the weight and the battery life and, on the software side, the meager range of apps, the lack of Android support at that time and a number of minor weaknesses (especially with the touchscreen). The high-performance hardware, numerous connection options and flash support were particularly popular.

At the end of 2010, the WeTab was tested again after the updates. Bild.de compared the WeTab with the iPad again , but still saw no alternative: “The update provides some important functions that were missing when the WeTab was launched. Nevertheless, the tablet offers [...] too little for its high price. "CNET, however, pointed out the completely different profile of the device and came to a different conclusion:" The WeTab is more of a touchscreen netbook than an iPad . It can do a lot, is well equipped and a great companion when traveling. But only those who want to get involved and are computer fans will be happy with it. Multimedia fans should rather stay with Apple. "

Sales of the devices began in the Netherlands in mid-December 2010, partners here were The Phone House and Makro . WeTab GmbH announced that it only sees this as the first step on the way to internationalization of sales and announced the introduction in other countries for 2011.

On February 17th, 2011 the registration for developers for the WeTab-Market began, which however was activated later in the year as a "Community Repository".

Manufacturer 4tiitoo denied during the Computex computer fair 2011 in Taipei that a WeTab2 was planned.

On September 29, 2011, 4tiitoo announced that it would take part in the change from Meego to the new Tizen operating system in the first quarter of 2012 . Compatibility with the platforms supported so far should be preserved. On November 15, 2011, 4tiitoo announced an investment by the “Intel Capital AppUp Fund” to expand the software offering on the WeTab.

On June 27, 2012, 4tiitoo announced in the official forum that it would no longer develop WetabOS in future, but would continue to operate the servers.

Seadot

After 4tiitoo stopped developing the WeTabOS, the Wetab community decided to develop its own Linux distribution for the WeTab. The name was set by a developer after an unsatisfactory vote in the community. Mer served as the basis for Seadot and the // Enigma interface was to be developed as the interface as part of a school project. The developed surface should serve as a proof of concept and therefore later be fully integrated into Seadot. The project never got beyond the beta phase and has not been further developed since mid-2013.

Update history

The following updates have been delivered since the WeTab was released:

version	date	Update description
2.4.1	01/19/2012	new features Kernel update to version 3.2 with support for additional external devices Improved energy management functionalities Increased graphics and video performance Improved position sensor for rotation Improved network stability for WLAN and Bluetooth Performance and stability optimizations Improvement for the “forgotten password” problem that occurs in rare cases Various other bug fixes
2.4	October 27, 2011	new features Increased HD video performance Hardware acceleration for other video formats (MPEG4, MSMPEG, DIX 3/4/5, XVID) Kernel update to version 3.1 with support for additional external devices Improvement of the pin board scrolling with a new configuration mode Apps installed via the root shell or repository browser are now directly available on the pin board Pinboard bouncing at the top and bottom Extended options in the widget creator for your own widgets Automatic switch-off of the on-screen keyboard when an external keyboard is used Automatically turn off the mouse pointer when an external mouse is used Improvement of the implementation of the touchscreen driver New WeTab UI in the splash screens and on the pin board background Bug fixes Performance and stability optimizations
2.3.1	08/04/2011	new features Performance and stability optimizations Various bug fixes
2.3	07/07/2011	new features Performance and stability optimizations HD Flash Video Support New keyboard (multilingualism, gesture support) Optimized touchscreen firmware Improved pin board Numerous updated apps (e.g. Firefox, OpenOffice) new bugs The keyboard does not open the same for all programs
2.2	04/29/2011	new features Performance and stability optimizations New languages ​​(German, English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian and French)
2.1.3	03/17/2011	Maintenance update
2.1.2	02/16/2011	Minor update
2.1.1	02/16/2011	new features Support of network shares for Windows Full Java support Direct integration of Adobe AIR apps in the whiteboard Option to right click in applications
2.1	December 09, 2010	new features Network and USB printer support Extended keyboard (more special characters) Multitouch for gameframe apps Enabling fully automatic updates to be switched off fixed bugs Network components updated (WLAN, 3G, Bluetooth) SD card is constantly displayed as a USB flag Mozilla Thunderbird is now in German new bugs Problem executing the update when Pidgin is installed (or similar) The Bluetooth microphone from the headset is not used, but the WeTab's own microphone Pin board defective ... Cancels during initialization with an error
2.0.3	11/25/2010	new features File browser (insert / copy / etc. controls have been moved to the top bar) new applications in the market: Thunderbird (3.0.4 English) Gimp gedit GCompris Vym Stellarium Brasero (fennec) removed from the market again Media gallery much better (automatic rotation, zoom with correct resolution, loads faster) fixed bugs Claws Mail and other widgets can be removed from the pin board new bugs Update was also made via 3G (mobile internet)
2.0.2	11/15/2010	new features GPS works in BingMaps MeTV (DVB-T works with selected sticks) Support of UMTS USB sticks for the 16 GB model Adobe Air Market Update of Bing Maps, 4Tiitoo browser, e-book reader, file browser, media gallery partially right mouse click fixed bugs Bing Maps finds places with umlauts in the program, but not yet in the widget (on the pin board) new bugs 720p videos that were previously played smoothly are now jerky
1.13	04/10/2010	new features Rotation can be deactivated (Info-> Settings) Renaming of files possible Image viewer can now also open files and reset images (tap once) fixed bugs Calibration of the touchpad improved new bugs Software version number identical to September 30, 2010 update from "Chrome" no longer works for downloads "Show in folder" and "Open" Picture viewer function "Open" unfortunately does not remember the path of the last picture when "Open" again Deactivation of the rotation is not saved The update date is not adjusted in the device information
1.13	09/30/2010	new features Activation of the HDMI connection Multi-touch partially activated (image preview now has the usual functions with pinch & zoom and rotation; browser and media gallery no multi-touch function) Display of the mouse pointer when connecting a mouse before starting up Update of existing applications such as browser, mail, file browser and media gallery Switch on and off sensor key (Settings / Applications / Speed ​​dial key) The update process can be started manually (Settings / General / Update) User reset in the settings (Settings / General / Reset user account) E-book reader now works in portrait mode UMTS / 3G settings are now saved fixed bugs "%" Key set up on keyboard Pin board: Widgets can be moved and deleted again OpenOffice is now in German new bugs Calibration of the touchpad out of order

Web links

• Official website of the WeTab
• Official website of 4tiitoo AG
• WeTab Community

proof

1. ↑ http://peoplecheck.de/handelsregister/BY-HRB_172610-752872
2. ↑ insolvenz-portal.de: 4tiitoo AG in insolvency , December 6, 2013.
3. ↑ http://www.teltarif.de/exopc-tablet-ui-oberflaeche-wetab-technologie/news/x12369.html
4. ↑ Announced on the official website, online , accessed January 22, 2011
5. ↑ ^{a b c d} Current WePad product specifications
6. ↑ ^{a b} Christian Wölbert: WeWait - Das WeTab from 4tiitoo and Neofonie. November 19, 2010, accessed December 29, 2010 . 
7. ↑ Gerd Kamp: wePad resp. tiitoo - A German iPad? March 19, 2010, accessed December 12, 2010 . 
8. ↑ ^{a b c} WeTab GmbH now a wholly owned subsidiary of 4tiitoo AG , joint press release at the end of the joint venture on November 15, 2010, online
9. ↑ Christian Wölbert: iPad, WePad or Telekom? The publishers and the platform puzzle . heise mobil, March 26, 2010
10. ^ Matthias Kremp: Tablet PC - German company wants to compete with the iPad. In: Spiegel Online. March 18, 2010, accessed December 13, 2010 . 
11. ↑ ^{a b} R. Benz: “The WeTab disaster” In: new.online.mf, 3Sat, November 12, 2010, online
12. ↑ WeTab-Papst in an interview with Netzwelt.de , accessed on July 22, 2011
13. ↑ Martin Heller and Matthias Kremp: Tablet computer: The WePad will come later. In: Spiegel Online. April 13, 2010, Retrieved April 25, 2010 . 
14. ↑ ^{a b} Heise - The WePad really does exist
15. ↑ Linuxtag 2010: Wetab presents including interfaces, Flash and Office Linux magazine , June 11, 2010
16. ↑ Volker Briegleb: New name for the WePad. heise online, May 7, 2010.
17. ↑ The half-finished tablet. spiegel.de, September 29, 2010, accessed on September 30, 2010 . 
18. ^ ^{A b} Daniel Kottmair: "Wetab test device in the editorial office - Wetab: First impressions", in: Linux Community, September 24, 2010, online
19. ↑ PR disaster for WeTab: One too much self-praise - article in Spiegel Online , October 4, 2010
20. ^ Christian Wölbert: G + J distances itself from Neofonie and the WeTab . heise mobil, October 7, 2010.
21. ↑ Hans Evert: New WeTab boss is in front of a pile of broken glass In: Welt Online, October 10, 2010, Online
22. ↑ http://archive.is/20130210205646/http://www.chip.de/news/WeTab-Media-Markt-sucht-Beta-Tester_44993288.html ( Memento from February 10, 2013 in the web archive archive.today )
23. ↑ notebookjournal.de: Test WeTab 3G - love at second sight? Test dated December 15, 2010, accessed December 20, 2010.
24. ↑ ^{a b} Hans von der Burchard, Julian Rosin: How good is the WeTab with new software? In: Bild.de, December 27, 2010, online
25. ^ ^{A b} Daniel Schräder: WeTab with new software in the test: more netbook than iPad killer In: CNET, December 29, 2010, online
26. ↑ Press release of December 21, 2010, online , accessed December 29, 2010
27. ↑ WeTab starts software shop In: ntv.de, February 17, 2011, online
28. ↑ 4tiitoo denies planning of a WeTab2 " WETAB 4tiitoo denies Wetab 2 ". In: Golem , June 1, 2011 (accessed June 6, 2011).
29. ↑ wetab.mobi: WeTab - 4tiitoo AG extends the open approach of the WeTab OS with the integration of Tizen ™ and HTML5 , accessed on January 3, 2012
30. ↑ wetab.mobi: WeTab - 4tiitoo AG receives investment from the Intel Capital AppUp Fund℠ to expand the WeTab OS ecosystem , accessed on January 3, 2012
31. ↑ Wetab Community: Questions to ...
32. ↑ Wetab Community: Survey new name for the community OS
33. ↑ [ http://archive.is/20130414162435/http://enigma-project.org/ ( Memento from April 14, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) ]
34. ↑ Wetab Community: New Seadot USB image
35. ↑ Wetab Community: Just a stupid question
36. ↑ wetab.mobi: WeTab - Release Notes , accessed November 4, 2011