Palo Alto-Based Hewlett Packard Wants A Piece Of The Tablet Market
PALO ALTO (KCBS)- The world's biggest seller of personal computers is expected to jump into the tablet game.
According to observers, Palo Alto-based Hewlett Packard has plans to debut its tablet computer this Wednesday when they make an announcement at San Francisco's Fort Mason Center.
The new tablet would be based on the Palm operating technology after HP acquired Palm last year.
KCBS Technology Analyst Larry Magid said the Silicon Valley giant would be entering the market late in the game.
KCBS' Betsy Gebhart Reports:
"They can do it, but the question is whether they can build an ecosystem. Will there be enough software for it? Will the developers get excited and will they have enough critical mass of apps to compete with both Apple and the Android crowd," questioned Magid.
Laptops and PC's have long been HP's big seller, but consumers are increasingly buying tablets over laptops.
"A lot of analysts are crediting the Apple iPad for that [and] that the iPad have captured a lot of imagination, they've sold millions of units," added Magid.
Magid said HP's decades-long track record in the Silicon Valley makes it possible for the company to be a formidable player in the tablet market.
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