The Tablet PC market is heating up with new contenders entering the market to compete for your consideration. Apple has clearly set the bar and grabbed an early market share. The question is will other vendors throwing their hat in the ring have significant offerings to entice Tablet PC Users?
Samsung introduces a potentially strong contender with the Galaxy. I’m not sure where they came up with the name — but I digress. The main draw to the Galaxy is it runs Android OS and will be offered by the 4 major cellular providers. The Galaxy offers a very responsive 7 inch screen. Support for Flash is built-in to Samsung’s browser providing a rich web experience people are used to.
HP enters the game with the HP Slate. The HP Slate is slated for business applications which will surely interest the business community. While the Slate looks to be an interesting option it comes loaded with Windows 7. Windows 7 reception has exceeded Windows Vista and most adoptees are pleased by the enhancements. But I’m concerned about the performance on a Tablet as Microsoft has always been a memory hog in my book. The real verdict on Windows 7 remains to be seen.
While RIM has announced the BlackBerry PlayBook there as of yet as been no announcement regarding price or a firm release date yet. RIM brings a brand-new OS to the tablet which is based on QNX Neutrino, a UNIX-like operating system. Developers will be able to build apps based on a range of technologies, including Java, Flash, Adobe Air, OpenGL, and RIM’s “WebWorks” HTML widget platform.
I hesitate to include the Barne’s & Noble’s Nook Color since it is marketed as a eBook Reader. But if you look closer it’s a full 7 inch Tablet running Android OS extending it’s capabilities beyond an eBook reader.
Here is a recent comparison of the Tablet PC devices.
Source - PC World
While Tablets have been around for many years they are finally evolving, led by Apple, to the point of offering real usability for business and personal use. Which flavor are you leaning towards?
I’ll take the iPad.