While rumors are strong that we will finally see the Apple tablet device before the end of the month, other major companies aren’t waiting. Several tablet-like devices are being announced, demoed and even launched at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week.
Microsoft showed off the HP Slate tablet during a keynote event. The slate looks like what a lot of us have been expecting from Apple: a large iPod touch without a keyboard. It supports multi-touch. What’s interesting about it is that it runs Windows 7, which means it runs Windows applications. Can an Apple Slate that only runs iPhone OS compete with that?
Dell is also getting in on the act, with the expected launch today of a tablet called the “Streak.” But this one runs the Google Android operating system, much more similar to an iPhone or an iPod Touch.
Two other companies, Archos and Pegatron are also coming out with tablets. The first also using Android OS, but the second appears that it may run Windows.
Where Apple beat all the major companies to the market with the touch-screen iPhone, it appears it will lag behind them when it comes to the new tablet devices. Of course announcements and promises are different than actually having them in the stores. And Apple’s marketing lead may overshadow another device even if it ships first.
But it appears that even before we have these devices in our hands, 2010 will be the year of the tablet.
Other Tablets Beat Apple to the Punch
Comments: 5 Responses to “Other Tablets Beat Apple to the Punch”
Comments Closed.
Even though it's not looking that way, I hope the apple tablet runs a mini OS X. If it don't, it's just a big iPod Touch.
I wonder where in the line of Smartphones, Netbooks, Laptops and Desktops, any of the recently announced tablet devices would fit? My guess is they'll all flop. The situation is similar to those pre-iPod and pre-iPhone: the market already exists, but Apple comes up with something that blows the competition away with unique features. The Apple Tablet will have such unique features, otherwise Apple wouldn't enter the market. My guess is that it'll run iPhone OS, and that it comes with some kind of media content deal.
Im a Huge Apple fan-boy... but if the tablet is an Over sized iphone ill not bother thank you!.... ok so i will but id rather it have OSX.
I doubt the rumored tablet will run the iPhone OS. It will run something between Snow Leopard and the iPhone OS. Everything will be a version of OS-X and should be all relative to one another in terms of scale.
I can also image the iTunes store having apps specific to the tablet. Image the growth of the iTunes store with this new device.
This pseudo computer hybrid is interesting...I mean, what might this piece do that i) a Macbook cannot, and ii) that an iPod cannot? Where is the middle ground?
My biggest question is this: What will word processing look like on this machine? With no keyboard, will it truly be a laptop replacement? I can't see giving up my macbook for this machine if I cannot word process on it.
Thoughts?