HP and Dell have confirmed that they will be releasing Windows 8 based tablet computers in the 3rd quarter of 2012. These two companies are moving in that direction because of the fierce competition in the Android arena.
With the imminent launch of the Amazon Kindle Fire for $199, which runs on the Android OS, is triggering a price war. Many tablet companies are slashing their inventory and reducing their forecast for the 4th quarter of 2011. Companies such as Motorola are releasing the Xoom Family Edition as a way to get a low cost tablet in the marketplace.
From an e-reading point of view, I love the Windows OS over the Android one because of the sheer amount of applications. There is no shortage of official applications such as Kindle for PC, Kobo Desktop App, Sony Reader, Microsoft Reader, Kobo Reader, and many more! A windows based device used to read books gives you more versatility. Android is fine, but growing up in a Windows environment allows me to have on my tablet my main apps I use every day, without looking for knock-off apps for Android.
Digitimes reports companies like Asus, Acer, and Lenovo are committed to the Android platform in a bid to keep OS licensing costs low and offer higher range hardware. Lenovo especially is gravitating their tablet line to focus more on the business side of things, but still makes consumer grade products like the Ideapad A1.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
