Tablet PCs the new bandwagon
It’s tough being a PC maker. A year ago netbook PCs were all the rage. Close on the heels of Asus releasing its EEE PC, every major manufacturer jumped on the bandwagon and rushed out their own version of the lightweight portable PCs. Some were good and some were terrible, but any PC maker wanting to keep its head above water had to offer one.
And then Apple introduced the iPad. Suddenly everyone had to have a tablet PC offering. And already almost everyone, including software makers have declared their readiness for the tablet market.
On the hardware side Asus, naturally, is already well advanced with its tablet PC lineup. The Eee Pad is being built with Microsoft’s Windows 7 in mind but the company has said that an Android version is also in the works.
Nokia can also be expected to rollout a new tablet soon. The company already has tablet-like devices in its lineup, including the 770, but is likely to produce newer versions in the near future. Its particular tablets will undoubtedly run MeeGo the Linux-based operating system the company created together with Intel.
Dell, a faithful follower of consumer trends, has announced the Dell Streak. The initial Streak is somewhere between a smartphone and a tablet PC, but larger versions with a 7- and 10-inch touchscreen are on their way. The Streak runs a customised version of Google’s Android OS.
Acer, the company which had good success with its Aspire One netbook PC, is also getting into the game. The company recently announced the LumiReader, a cross between an e-reader and a tablet PC.
Lenovo also has tablet PC ambitions, although its IdeaPad U1 offers a slightly different take on the idea. The IdeaPad ships in a clamshell netbook format but has a detachable screen that can be used as a standalone tablet PC.
Not to be outdone the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project has also decided to drop its sub-$100 notebook plans in favour of producing a sub-$100 tablet PC. The organisation, which aims to provide computers to children in developing nations, is planning to rework the Marvell Moby tablet PC to this end.
On the software front Ubuntu Linux has said that it has plans for a tablet-focused version of its operating system. Similarly, Suse Linux has said that it is readying a version of Suse MeeGo for tablet PCs. Windows 7 from Microsoft has also been widely used on tablet PCs including the IdeaPad U1.
Tablet PCs << hype or the next big thing? Give your views
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