Another OS for tablet PCs
Not content to run with the crowd, HP is planning to release a WebOS-based tablet PC.
The WebOS operating system was acquired by HP when it bought Palm earlier this year and was developed specifically with mobile devices in mind.
Most current tablet PC makers, apart from Apple naturally, are jumping onto the Android train. Dell, Samsung, Toshiba, Asus and others are already in the process of rolling out their range of Android-based tablet PCs.
When HP initially purchased Palm there were questions over what the company planned to do with the WebOS platform. Now it is becoming clear that HP plans to release both a Windows-based and a WebOS-based tablet PC. HP’s personal systems chief Todd Bradley said in the company’s recent results announcement that the WebOS-based version of its tablet strategy would be made available in early 2011.
HP’s tablet strategy to date has been unclear. Despite initial reports of a Windows-based tablet PC HP has still to release such a device. And with the purchase of Palm there was speculation that the Windows tablet would be dropped in favour of a WebOS one.
However, HP has now decided to pursue a dual strategy and market the two different versions at specific market sectors. HP has said that the Windows version will be aimed at the enterprise market while the lighter WebOS version would be aimed at the consumer market. The Windows version is known as the Slate.
One of the advantages WebOS has over some of its rivals is that it was built with web-based applications in mind, as its name suggests. Most applications on WebOS are built using HTML and Javascript and already there are many applications available for the platform. WebOS supports native multi-touch and multi-tasking.
Android, however, has a significant headstart when it comes to applications. Its applications marketplace is now stocked with more than 50 000 applications.
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