Tablet rumour roundup: MSI, NEC to enter market; Apple to call its �Slate� - Mobile Phone

Posted on 28-10-2009

It’s getting impossible to go anywhere on the Web without having to read about some new tablet PC or Apple’s much-vaunted upcoming tablet device. So to save you the trouble of scouring news everywhere, here’s a quick roundup of all that’s happening in the world of touch-sensitive computers.

MSI to get into tablet market, Gigabyte has no plans

DigiTimes is reporting that Joseph Hsu, Chairman of Micro-Star International (MSI), has said that the company is actively working on coming out with an e-book reader. The device is also going to be based on the Nvidia Tegra chipset, which is a bit of overkill for an e-reader. In all probability, this will be another tablet disguised as an e-reader.

Meanwhile, Gigabyte Technology VP Richard Ma has stated that the company is not looking at that segment.

NEC to make Android tablet for business users

CrunchGear is quoting Nikkei News as saying that Japanese electronics giant NEC is getting ready to launch a 7- or 8-inch mobile PC with a touchscreen display.

In a picture, the quick-boot gadget – which has three main buttons for operating – was shown to be running Google’s Android operating system.

NEC plans to target business users with this device, and hopes to sell 1-2 lakh units every year.

Apple’s tablet to be named Slate?

What is a tablet rumour roundup without mention of Apple’s much-awaited reported entry into the market.

In a speech last week, New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller may have accidentally let slip the name of the device when he said: “I'm hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in the challenge of delivering our best journalism in the form of Times Reader, iPhone apps, WAP, or the impending Apple slate, or whatever comes after that.”

Apple Slate. Catchy, isn’t it?

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