HP tablet coming in Q1 2011.

After months of anticipation and speculation , HP finally confirmed that they will introduce a WebOS running tablet by February HP is planning to debut its WebOS running tablet in Feb. 9 event in San Francisco. HP made a huge splash when it announced it will launch a WebOS powered tablet. It was confirmed by HP Executive Vice President Todd Bradley during a recent TV interview by CNBC’s Maria Bartiroma.  HP has a set of public announcement planned for it will speak broadly about the future of WebOS and the breadth of product. Will HP beat the competition? Is HP tablet better? The tech titan thinks it can take on Apple, Cisco, Dell, HTC, Motorola, RIM and Samsung selling tablets. It is the buzz of the tech world: HP may soon try selling tablet

Converged devices such as the tablet are expected to have a major impact across entire other industries. It’s already the center of tech convergence. The table represents convergence of computers, consumer devices and a communication that’s expected to spur competition among not only various product types but entire industries. HP’s prized mobile operating system-WebOS is the first truly web based operating system and it’s the only true multitasking operating system, where you can have 20 different applications open simultaneously. WebOS is the strategic reason for HP purchased Palm in 2010.With WebOS, HP planned to deliver a unique and compelling experience across tablets, smartphone and other connected devices, these products however have been slower to come to market that expected and even as late as December 2009, HP would only offer a vague early 201as a time frame. Since HP first hinted its WebOS powered tablet, a number of competitors have already introduced tablet including the powerhouse Samsung Galaxy Tab. But most of these tablet vendors were still playing catch up to Apple iPad-the market leading tablet and the device that created the media tablet market. It’s still a big question, how will HP plans to compete.

Despite of its huge scale, HP would definitely without a doubt, face a very brutal competition here. It will face some of the world’s most ferocious competitors like Apple, Cisco, Acer, Dell, Motorola, HTC and Samsung. This could be a tough battle for the tech company. Competitors got huge advantages over HP they got huge head start while HP is still working on a battle plan. It still figuring out how to market it tablet. The market for tablets will likely be strong by 2011 and impact different segments of PC sales at that time, the tablets ha already cannibalized more than 50 percent of the laptop and notebook sales. And Apple’s iPad is the king of the tablet world. The iPad is also the market’s key driver. A slew of tablet PC from various companies like Dell, Cisco, Motorola, Rim and Samsung are making them way into the market in an attempt to take on, and potentially beat, the iPad. Unfortunately for those companies like Samsung’s Galaxy Tab beating the iPad is a tall order that doesn’t mean, however, that it’s impossible. Its possible for a company like HP, with a solid vision can keep up with iPad in the tablet market. It’s just going to take some incredible focus and extraordinary will. HP will definitely face an uphill battle with Apple and other competitors like Samsung.        

HP WebOS Running Tablet
Image Courtesy:Free PC Guides

RIM vs. Apple:Cage match. Can RIM beat Apple?

To most tech companies, tablet PCs are a fast growing part of the industry that will continue to be what they calls an “additive form factors”, a device that people will use for a number of functions but that won’t necessarily replace their need for a more robust notebook. ABI Research has already estimates that tablet sales could hit 11 million this year, while In-stat believes it could grow to 58 million by 2014. The market for tablets will likely be strong in 2011 and may impact different segments of PC sales. There are reports that tablet had already cannibalized more than 50 percent of the laptop and notebook sales. And Apple’s iPad is on the lead, it’s the market’s key driver. Tablet is the fastest and perhaps the most promising area in the tech industry. Companies are scrambling t introduce their own tablet; they want a piece of the pie.

A slew of tablet from various companies like Acer, Dell, Cisco, Motorola, LG, RIM, and Samsung are making their way in an attempt to seize their own piece of pie, and potentially beat the iPad. Unfortunately for those companies like Samsung’ Galaxy Tab, beating iPad is a tall order that doesn’t mean, however, that it’s impossible. The iPad is so popular and successful that they are reports that the iPad is destroying the PC market, the iPad cannibalizing netbooks sales story had already gained widespread attention across the world. But few companies in the tech world never lost hope, they still believes that they have the shot to thrive in the iPad dominated environment. It’s quite possible that, with the right plan, any company with solid vision can keep up with iPad competition. It’s just going to take some incredible focus, tremendous strength and tenacity.

A good example of this company is Canadian based, Research in Motion (RIM, the maker of BlackBerry), RIM is marketing the PlayBook, a 7 inch tablet PC, primarily to enterprise customers. RIM unveiled the blackberry-themed PlayBook; it’s a 7-inch salvo in the tablet market. RIM’s PlayBook, its BlackBerry themed competitor to the Apple’s iPad, is aimed first and foremost at the enterprise market. RIM strong position in the business market makes it an ideal iPad competitor and it will also allow PlayBook to succeed in tablet market. The worst thing for Apple, BlackBerry brand still holds substantial sway among enterprise customer, despite the inroads made by Google Android and Apple iPhone over the past several quarters. The consumer side of the tablet market will become increasingly crowded in coming quarters, while the consumer in coming is crowding up, though a dedicated enterprise market for tablets remains relatively untapped ( a goldmine waiting to be explore), it’s a huge opportunity for business focused PlayBook. RIM could face an uphill battle against Apple and fierce competitors such as Samsung (Galaxy Tab maker). But RIM’s tablet could have an advantage in a business area, that’s RIM staple or stronghold-business context. This could be the company main strategy, by focusing on business centric consumers; RIM could thrive and potentially succeed in tablet market. The Apple vs. RIM tablet war could be a real fight, and some analyst believes that RIM’s PlayBook could succeed against Apple in the enterprise market. RIM got something that Apple doesn’t have, it PlayBook boast some features that will make it a serious iPad competitor, Adobe Flash support, front and rear cameras for video conferencing, the ability to sync with user’ BlackBerry smartphone and multitasking and multimedia capabilities. For enterprise customers already bound to the BlackBerry platform, the PlayBook has much to recommend. In addition to its 3G connectivity via an existing BlackBerry service plan, the PlayBook also boasts out of the box compatibility with RIM’s BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Leveraging BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry smartphone could always appeal heavily to those enterprise users who want a business tablet but have not taken a plunge with the iPad  When it come to enterprise market, RIM could be the king here-it’s the company turf! Enterprise market, this is the ground where RIM’s PlayBook could succeed and potentially beat Apple’s iPad. RIM’s marketing strategy here is quite simple, to move toward business users, that what the company’s strength.  Enterprise customers have already begun evaluating iPad for their use in their business, and they like it so much.   

     

Image Courtesy of: GottaBeMobile

Sony to challenge Apple iPad.

For months people have speculated that Sony would use some of its credible capacity to build its own tablet PC and join the tablet war. Hints that such a project is in the works have popped up time and time again, but some interesting new question have emerged lately. Why would you like a Sony tablet? Tech pundits are torn on the idea that Sony is joining the already crowded tablet market. Tech site eWeek ignited the blogosphere when it reported the company was planning to launch a tablet, aim to battle Apple’s iPad and other tablet vendors, the company is shooting for no.2 spot position just behind Apple. It was one of the most interesting stories right now in the tech world. But in this day it’s a kind of a challenging and that it’s fraught with risks. Those risky moves come always with hundred of millions of dollars in engineering costs and could put Sony’s reputation at great risk. Despite of its enormous size and global reach, Sony will face an uphill battle here, something brutal and fierce. What will a Sony tablet do in the market? In fact Sony is shooting for the no.2 spot behind industry leading Apple. Sony has yet to join that tablet market, but in a months or even year it nonetheless plans to become the no.2 player behind Apple or Samsung. It’s a surprise thing Sony has its sight on no.2 spot behind Apple. Sony admitted that it was keeping an eye on the tablet space and the company won’t just watch them and playing sitting duck, Sony will join the tablet market.

Beating Apple is a tough works. Apple iPad is the top tablet in the world. It also the market’s key driver. A slew of tablet from various vendors like Dell, Samsung, Cisco, Motorola and RIM are making their way into the tablet space in an attempt to seize their own piece of pie, and potentially beat iPad. Unfortunately for those companies like RIM beating the iPad is a tall order.  It requires tremendous works and incredible focus to succeed. But few companies never lost hope, they still believes they have the chance to thrive in the iPad dominated environment. It’s quite possible that, with the right plan, any company with a solid vision can keep up with iPad in the tablet space.  Despite Sony’s enormous size, I think Sony will find it quiet hard to become the no.2 tablet manufacturer, it’s impossible. Well it one of the world’ most leading consumer electronics manufacturer. What exactly Sony wants? Sony is eyeing the tablet market, which suggests that the company may be planning to displace Apple as the leading tablet manufacturer. But that would also mean taking on archrival Samsung, which has its own aspirations to steal Apple’s tablet business. It’s a jungle out there. Bypassing Samsung is not easy, we do believe that Samsung as result of its huge scale and massive marketing muscles and mobile operator partners, will become the leading tablet manufacturer going forward, it has all the shot to displace Apple as a leader in the highly lucrative tablet space. This mean that Sony, in order to hit second place, will have to dethrone fist Samsung, and it would be a very tall order. Sony arrives late to the game, its impossible and one that will hardly be tailing off any time soon. Research companies expected tablet sales to rise from 57 million in 2011 to 171 million by 2014. And Samsung, which made an aggressive entry into the market, is on fire. It already sell more 9 million Galaxy Tabs within the first two months of the tablet release is working now on a 4G version for Verizon Wireless. Even if a rumored PSP/phone/tablet due get rolled out, simply smashing a PSP with a phone or tablet won’t work, it doesn't really do much for creating a software platform that third party developers can get behind. This could be the shot in the arm the entire tech sector have been waiting for. The tablet market has new member, a new kid on the block-Sony. It’s a tough challenge for a new entrant like Sony. After all who would have believed that either Google or Apple would succeed in the mobile space market a few years ago. No one expect that Apple would come and dominate the mobile space market for years. No one knows that one day Sony would come and if the God forbid! Dominate the market.

Sony Corp. (image courtesy of modmyi)