Microsoft announces Windows tablet PC plans

Tablet devices which run the Windows 7 operating system will launch in the coming months, according to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer.

Asus, Dell, Samsung, Toshiba, and Sony are among the manufacturers working on Windows slate PCs, he told delegates at a company conference.

Mr Ballmer said the area was "terribly important" to Microsoft, but did not mention any specific release dates.

Rumors of a BlackBerry tablet have been circulating for months, and statements from Rodman & Renshaw analyst Ashok Kumar on Friday have rekindled the discussion with a little bit more accuracy.

A source close to RIM confirmed to Betanews that Kumar's statements were accurate, including the screen size, and the dual camera setup. But they gave us a bit of additional information that the rumors haven't covered yet: Flash support.

Quote by NFG:

Yeah, I'm not convinced there's a market for a 'me too' ipad clone.

Quote by BBC:

Microsoft signs deal on mobile processors

Microsoft has signed a deal with chip designer Arm that will give it in-depth access to processor blueprints.

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In a statement, Microsoft said of the deal: "With closer access to the Arm technology we will be able to enhance our research and development activities for Arm-based products."


the rest here

Quote by ars:

The message was clear: Microsoft still doesn't understand why its Tablet PC concept has repeatedly bombed over the best part of a decade. Apple sold more iPads in its first three months of availability than PC vendors sold Tablet PCs in the whole of last year; in fact, the number of iPads sold in that period is likely to eclipse the number of Tablet PCs sold both last year and this. But still the company is persevering: stick a regular PC operating system on a laptop, give it a touchscreen, and then take away the keyboard and pixel-perfect pointing device. Ballmer even reiterated the company's position: slates are just another PC form factor.

The iPad is a neat package. It's not a device for everyone. There are lots of things the iPad doesn't do well; there are many things the iPad doesn't do at all. But it's not trying to be these things; it's a conveniently sized, highly portable, long-lasting media-consumption device. It's ideal for browsing the Internet, reading e-mail (with the occasional short reply), looking at photos, playing music and videos, and casual gaming. It doesn't need much in the way of configuration. It doesn't run Mac software. Every single piece of software on it is designed to be used with fingers. In no way is the iPad striving to be a PC, but it is because of this—because it's not running software designed for keyboards and pixel-perfect pointers, because it's running software that's simple and restricted, because it uses a slow, but low-power, ARM processor—because of these things that it is so good at the things it does do.

it uses a slow, but low-power, ARM processor

Quote by BBC:

Galaxy Tab unveiled as Samsung's first tablet computer

Samsung has become the latest challenger to enter the tablet computer battle, unveiling its Galaxy Tab at the IFA conference in Berlin.

The device will run on Google's Android operating system, with a capacity of 16 or 32Gb, expandable by 32Gb more.

It weighs 380g (14oz), and has an 18cm (7in) screen - smaller and lighter than its principal rival the iPad.

Vodafone has announced that it will distribute the device in European markets including the UK in October.

The tablet can connect via 3G networks, as well as wi-fi and Bluetooth.

It will employ Samsung's "Reader's Hub" for e-books and the "Media Hub" for music and videos. It supports Flash video and will be able to stream content to a TV.

Samsung called it "the first of the company's tablet devices", suggesting further models will be forthcoming.

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