After the arrival of Apple iPad in the market, various other PC makers are following the same path to explore options in the new tablet field. Apple has been quite successful in creating much hype around its Touchscreen charmer. However, the device is still in infancy and lot more have to be done.

The company has recently introduced its iPhone 4 OS, which would be available on iPad by the year-end. The new software will add true multitasking in the iPad along with other features. At present, the device lacks video camera, expandable memory, browser option and true multitasking. Running on Apple iPhone 3.2 operating system, Safari browser and 1 GHz Apple A4 processor, the iPad offers a transition between smartphone and computer.

Latest achievement by iPad

At the launch of iPhone 4 OS, Apple has announced that the company has sold 450,000 iPads in first six days out of which 250,000 sold on the very first day. iPad customers have downloaded over 1 million apps on the first day and about 600,000 iBooks from its stores.

iPad rivals

HP’s Slate: Hewlett Packard’s upcoming Slate tablet will compete with the iPad and will feature a built-in video camera, USB ports and support for SD cards. Further, the device will have music player software, direct integration with social media and file-sharing sites like Facebook and Flickr. With an option for Google’s Android and Windows 7 operating system, the tablet will have support for Adobe's Flash and Air systems. The device will have a slightly smaller screen of 8.9" as compared to iPad’s 9.7”. However, it is reported that the device would offer only 5 hours battery backup as compared to iPad’s 10 hours. It is predicted that the device will be available in September with a price tag of $540.

Microsoft’s Courier: Microsoft Courier is the name of Redmond giant's much rumored tablet project. It is reported that the device will have dual multi-touch 7-inches dual screen, 3.0 megapixel camera and the ability to charge wirelessly. With 3G connectivity, the device will have a book form factor, and will utilize a stylus and finger touch for input. Courier will be powered by a specialized version of Microsoft Windows CE and an Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. Further, the device would be loaded with lot of multimedia features along with the needs of enterprises.

Dell’s Tablet PC aka Streak: Dell, the world’s number two PC maker has showcased its 5-inches tablet at CES event. It is reported that the device would be called as Mini 5 or Streak. Channel insiders reported that the device would have capacitive Touchscreen with 800x480 pixels resolution, front-facing VGA camera, a 5-megapixel camera with a flash and autofocus, and a 30-pin dock connector. Also, the device will be powered by Google’s Android and support 3G connectivity.

Nokia’s rumoured tablet PC: Recently, it is reported that the world’s largest mobile phone maker, Nokia Corp is also working on its own Internet tablet to follow Apple’s move. Last year, Nokia had re-entered in the laptop segment and also introduced N900, its mobile internet device. It is assumed that the company will use MeeGo platform for the tablet, which will be available later this year. In January, Nokia and Intel jointly announced MeeGo platform, which will combine Intel’s Moblin and Nokia’s Maemo platforms.

Anuj Kumar/ITvoir Network