It's the latest competitor in an arena that is getting more crowded by the month.
Hewlett-Packard has unveiled its entry in the tablet race, doubtless hoping to steal some of the thunder away from Apple's iPad.
Its TouchPad is due for a U.S. release in the summer and will be 'competitively priced' against the iPad, which has a starting price of $499, or £440 in Britain.
The 9.7inch TouchPad runs off Palm's well-regarded webOS operating system.
HP is gambling that there remains room for yet another mobile software platform -- a risk underscored by news that Nokia may abandon its own software in favour of competitors including Google's Android.
An array of tablet computers were unveiled at the 44th International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month as the technology industry seeks to mimic the phenomenal success of the iPad.
The 1.5lb tablet features a fast dual-core Qualcomm chip, supports video calling, and Adobe's Flash software.
HP will launch with a WiFi-only model in the summer, followed by a 3G-compatible version later in the year.
The Palo Alto, California, company also announced two new smartphones - the Veer and the Pre3 - both also based on the webOS software that HP acquired last summer in its $1.2billion purchase of handheld device pioneer Palm.
HP declined to provide details on wireless carrier agreements for any of its new devices.
© Daily Mail, London |
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