tablet computer

Samsung decided not just to tease but to irritate Apple with the launch of a precise clone of the Cupertino’s Smart Cover for iPads. For its Galaxy Tab 10.1 the South Korean firm started selling absolutely similar covers with even similar name “Smart Case.”

This week Toshiba introduced its Thrive tablet that comes with a spacious 10.1-inch touch-screen display and version 3.1 of the Google Android (Honeycomb) operating system. Besides, the device features a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, and 1GB of RAM.

A tablet that is aimed to compete Apple and Samsung in the market comes with 1280x800 screen resolution, a rear-facing 5.0 mega-pixel camera, a front-facing 2.0 mega-pixel camera for video chat, SWYPE input, USB and HDMI ports, integrated GPS, memory expansion via microSD. Moreover, the tablet will support Adobe Flash.

Apple plans to introduce its next generation tablet computer iPad 2 with an HD screen. FBR Capital Markets analyst Craig Berger said that the new model will come under the name iPad 2 Plus.

In an investor’s note Berger cited "indications from the supply chain," saying that Apple sent out requests for quotes to different suppliers for the new tablet. The analyst noted that the iPad 2 Plus will come by the end of the year.

Microsoft Corp plans to introduce its own tablet computer running Windows 8. The release of the device will likely be after the official launch of the new operating system which is no earlier than 2012.

According to some reports by the industry sources Microsoft’s tablet computer will be based on Windows 8 and built on the chipset from Texas Instruments ( either TI OMAP 4 or even OMAP 5). The whole device will likely be manufactured by some Taiwanese vendor.

The future of the tablet is ambiguous because there is no full ecosystem so far.
 

The start sales of RIM’s tablet computer PlayBook have turned rather poor as the device launched in thousands of stores this week. By mid-afternoon Tuesday two carriers and two electronic stores in one of downtown Toronto's main shopping malls started the day with no more than 5 PlayBooks each. Previously these stores had long lines of buyers for iPad 2.

According to the latest rumors Google is preparing to launch its own Android based tablet computer. The company is partnering with LG on a Nexus-branded tablet running the Android Honeycomb 3.0 OS.

According to the tech industry observer Eldar Murtazin who writes for Mobile-Review the tablet could ship as early as this summers.

Fresh stats from ABI Research revealed that in the third quarter of 2010 4.5 million tablets were shipped. The research agency’s Netbooks, MIDs, Media Tablets, and Mobile CE Market Data report shows that 93% of these tablets were Apple iPads.

Senior ABI Research practice director Jeff Orr notes that "Over time, Apple's first-to-market iPad advantage will inevitably erode to some extent."

Meantime the first half of 2010 was slow for netbooks, as relatively few new products were introduced.

According to an eyewitness who reported to Reuters the next generation iPad tablet was spotted at a press conference to mark the debut of News Corp's Daily online paper in New York on Wednesday.

The sources cited by Reuters confirm that the device indeed exists adding the final release model could have other features.

The next version of Apple's popular tablet computer is expected to be announced in the next few months.

Resuming the year events and developments Andreas M. Antonopoulos, NetworkWorld, noted that the reality is going weirder than fiction as the world was told about the operation Aurora, the first national-industrial sabotage attack with Stuxnet and in the end we see how “Wikileaks [is] about to become a constitutional crisis between the First amendment and a 1917 espionage law” Talking further on security in 2011 Antonopoulos has made the following predictions.

According to the report made by the New York Times this week, CEO of Microsoft Steve Ballmer is expected to make an announcement of new slate devices next month at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Next year Motorola Mobility will be rolling out a product that enables consumers to stream video to mobile devices such as tablet computers and cellphones in their home. The product was announced at the Reuters Global Media Summit and it will be showcased at the Consumer Electronics show right after Motorola Inc spins off Motorola Mobility, which includes its set-top box and cellphone business, from the rest of the company on January 4.

Tablets won’t displace PCs anytime soon according to a new forecast made by Gartner analyst George Shiffler. He says that despite media shouts about soon “death” of PC market, tablets are only expected to displace around 10% of PCs by 2014. The reason, he says, is that tablets aren't likely to develop the extensive content creation capabilities that users find in PCs.

According to Wednesday announcement, Canonical plans to gladden its customers with new version of the Ubuntu OS for tablet computers. This is a company’s move to extend its presence in the mobile space.  

Experts are divided in opinions on whether it is better to use iPad or Kindle devices when you read before bed. Some experts cite iPad’s bright LCD display as a main factor to reduce your body's ability to produce melatonin, an important compound that helps our bodies fall asleep. And thus they recommend to put down the iPad and pick up a Kindle.