Google Tablet / Slate - Chrome OS

[Mad_Man_Moon]

http://gizmodo.com/5615724/google-ta...6th-on-verizon [via Download Squad]

Today brings a glut of rumored information on Google's iPad rival: the Chrome OS tablet will be manufactured by HTC, launched on Verizon, and go on sale on November 26th, according to Download Squad. Black Friday.

The rumor originates from an unnamed source, but it also adds up given what we'd previously heard and know. It's been rumored that Google and HTC are partnering on tablet hardware since January, and clearly Google and Verizon have gotten awfully cozy of late. And launching a major new product on Black Friday—the busiest shopping day of the year—would generate a lot of attention and, more importantly, hands-on time if they end up selling them in brick and mortars.

Download Squad also lists some "likely" specs, and it's not clear whether that's also from their source or just pure speculation. But let's hope for the former: Chrome OS, Tegra 2 graphics, a 1280x720 multitouch display, 2GB RAM, 32GB SSD, WiFi/Bluetooth/3G connectivity, and webcam are all listed as possibilities.

So far we'll take this with a grain of salt. We don't know how far the source is removed from the companies involved, and nothing here falls out of what "educated guess" territory would be. Still, the iPad's gone a long time without any real competition—if the rumor holds up, this holiday should make for quite a reckoning.

The above image is a Chrome tablet UI concept posted by Google in February. [Download Squad]

This is great news.
Whether it is what I want or not it pushes the platform forward. It'll mean that more money will flow in to the development of tablets, and just maybe we'll all get the tablet that we want somewhere.

You can guess the next bit, turn away now if you don't want to see my sickly trolling on tablet specs:
Please Google-Santa; bring me Pixel Qi, Nvidia Tegra2, Dual Core faster than 1ghz proc, 64Gb disk, and at least 2 Gb ram. Oh, and make it sexy.

[Nicholas Smith]

If it's from Google HTC it won't be sexy, but it'll be attractive in a super clean engineering sort of way

[Mad_Man_Moon]

Oh well ... as long as it gives the tablet rush a little injection (which the NotionInk Adam won't do even if it IS the best thing since sliced bread) ... I'm all for it.

[Nicholas Smith]

Way of the tech world now, Apple launches something, other manufacturers poop, release substandard devices, finally get going and release better. I'm hoping a Google Tablet would be pretty awesome, the couple of Android tablets I've seen are pretty shady.

[iclimb1998]

what are the benefits of this gadget over say... a locomotive which I could also afford?
_____________________
star wars

[Rootfireember]

You can park yourself with a tablet just about anywhere. The same cannot be said of a locomotive. Unless it came with some ginormous carmen sandiego style helicopter...

[Peter J Poole]

You can park yourself with a tablet just about anywhere. The same cannot be said of a locomotive. Unless it came with some ginormous carmen sandiego style helicopter...

Well, I for one am definitely not buying a locomotive that doesn't come with a ginormous Carmen Sandiego helicopter option...

Or better!



Cheers

[Nicholas Smith]

I'd prefer a locomotive with a helipad. Never know when you'll be stuck in train-traffic.

[martin.maurice]

Google hasn't come out with a tablet yet, its just chinese manufactuerers using android on their tablets they build.

Many too choose from, android 2.1 hd ones, android 1.7 ones etc.

[Rootfireember]

I want a helicopter locomotive.
Speaking of Google stuff, anyone end up getting one of their test OS laptops?
I applied, but apparently didn't 'win'.