Computers, Gadgets | featured news

Tablet operating system is set to make its debut on Motorola Mobility's Xoom.

Hewlett-Packard showed the fruits of its acquisition of Palm on Wednesday. The technology giant demonstrated a new tablet device and two new smartphones, as well as disclosing plans to bring its webOS software to computers and printers.

Increased demand for mobile devices like tablets has aided sales growth for this tech giant. In each of the last four quarters, Texas Instruments ($35; TXN) has reported growth of at least 20% for sales and 65% for per-share profits. In that stretch, cash provided by operations surged 30% to $3.59 billion.

Though Apple executives may refuse to talk about it, the introduction of a new and improved iPad is all but a certainty. Every year like clockwork, Apple updates their biggest product lines with new designs and new features, and the iPad is next in line. Fortunately, pre-announcement rumors are equally consistent, and we've already caught wind of a number of tidbits regarding Apple's next tablet.

Spending money on tablet computers may seem an extravagance, but some educators say they are more than just a cool new toy.

Google Mobile Platform VP Andy Rubin literally arrived with a bag full of tricks at the D: Get Into Mobile Conference, showing publicly for the very first time an Android "Honeycomb" tablet. The roughly 10-inch, Motorola device was sleek, black, thin and sported an Android interface unlike any we've seen before. There was a very clean homepage, but the app page looked almost Apple iPad-like. Plus, when Rubin brought up the Gmail app, it looked almost exactly like Gmail on the iPad.

Acer Inc, the world's No. 2 PC manufacturer, unveiled a range of tablet computers to help it compete with Apple Inc's iPad, wading into the fast-growing market.

Apple is reportedly working on a slimmer version for 2011, and one that would be able to run on any of the Big Four wireless carriers' network in the United States, as well as on other networks around the world.

Unleash the tablet PCs! Asustek is planning on launching a whole pack of tablets. As Joe Stalin once said, sometimes quantity has a quality all its own. Research In Motion’s Playbook tablet is coming early next year. Samsung will start selling the Galaxy Tab in November. Now Asustek Computer President Jerry Shen says he plans to launch five — FIVE! — tablets next year. Take that Steve Jobs.

Sprint said it plans to sell Samsung's Galaxy Tab tablet for $400, or a third less than Verizon Wireless, though Sprint will require a two-year service contract.