Post date: Jan 07, 2011 5:40:1 PM
A slew of technology companies including Research in Motion, Motorola and Samgsung are rolling out new tablet devices at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas aimed at catching up with the success of the Apple iPad.
USA-IPAD COMPETITION - 2011 may well be the year of the tablet.
The Apple iPad, today's gotta-have-it-gadget, with, by some estimates, more than 12 million sold since the April launch, is the one to beat at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
There are plenty of rivals intending to do just that.
Research in Motion's PlayBook is garnering a lot of interest, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab has been dubbed a potential iPad killer by some analysts.
The tablet market is expected to explode, topping 50 million units this year. And there will be a wave of new devices hitting the market in the coming months.
Research in Motion plans to launch a 4G version of the 7-inch PlayBook this summer and Motorola will roll out the Xoom in the first quarter, with offerings from LG and Toshiba as well.
Molly Wood, Executive Editor at CNET:
SOUNDBITE: MOLLY WOOD, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, CNET SAYING:
"When Apple first announced the iPad the big question was why do I need a tablet and then people started using it and realized that it's a really useful personal entertainment device, it can be your own personal television if someone else is watching tv, it's a great baby-sitter, because you can put tons of games on in for kids, you can stream tv and play games and watch movies when you're on the plane."
Maybe not a tablet in the traditional sense - Microsoft unveiled a dual-screen PC from Acer with two 14-inch touch screens, basically giving users two tablets in one.
So far, rival tablets on the market, including Samsung's, have failed to beat the iPad's price point. But the true test for consumer loyalty may come down to innovation, over sticker price.
Jill Bennett, Reuters