Apple’s popular iPad is getting its strongest competition thus far as consumer-electronics manufacturers unveil tablet computers with bigger screens, front-facing cameras for video chatting, and more. The iPad has been a smashing success since its April launch, leaving other companies to play catch-up in the suddenly hot market for the keyboardless, touch-screen devices. Rivals are making an especially big push at this week’s International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, betting they can challenge Apple with such features as Android, the popular smart phone software Google developed to compete with the iPhone; high-definition touch screens; and cameras for video chatting and taking photos.
The competition is going to be fierce. DisplaySearch analyst Richard Semenza estimated that a hundred different tablet models are in development, though not all of them will reach store shelves. Major companies, including Motorola and Dell, are expected to trot out new models. At least two companies—high-definition TV makers Vizio and AOC—announced tablets Monday, days before the show’s official opening Thursday. Toshiba also plans to unveil one this week. Tentatively called the Toshiba Tablet, it will include two cameras for video chatting and taking photos, a high-definition screen that is larger than the iPad’s, and the upcoming Honeycomb version of Android that is optimized for tablets.
