webOS tablet due by March [rumor] 45
Wed, 19 Jan 2011 8:36 am EST
Thus rumor comes from DigiTimes, so just get out your salt shakers now, but if they’re to believed, we could be seeing the first webOS tablets shipped as early as March. This may or may not conflict with yesterday’s report from Engadget that showed the 7-inch Opal tablet wasn’t due out until September; for all we know DigiTimes is talking about the 9-inch Topaz. This does match up with HP’s statements to expect the webOS tablet to arrive early in 2011, and DigiTimes previously reported that HP had contracted Inventec (makers of the Barnes & Noble Nook eReader tablet) for 6-7 million webOS tablets in 2011. We’ve got less than three weeks until we hopefully find out for sure.
Source: DigiTimes; Via: Electronista; Thanks to akitayo in our forums for the tip!
45 Comments
Party time!
Relevant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxHNztg0X3s#t=31s
waiting for Feb. 9th to get excited... But it's nice to imagine!
COME ON HP! Don't fell us now.
I'd jump on a WebOS 2.0 tablet, it would be just about the best mobile gaming/reading/internet device on the market. Also with HP pushing a new burst of life, I expect the market to grow, and actually command a decent user base.
I wish we would get some rumours about smartphone release dates on Sprint. I have until the end of January to return this Evo and preserve my upgrade eligibility. If I'd be waiting until June for a webOS phone, well, that would leave me plenty of time to save money to buy it off contract. But, if the desired newness is coming in March, I might just have to return the Evo now. Decisions decisions. Will someone please just give us a hint!
I agree, Tablet Teasers are OK ... but WE really want to hear a little bit of info on upcoming phones! 3 more weeks!
Can't wait to compare the Topaz with the BlackBerry PlayBook... I'm currently leaning toward the BB.
seriously, the playbook? a product that has never been built or tried and tested by a public user. a product who's OS has not been completely written yet. a product with not one single third party app.
You're absolutely right!! No one has EVER built or used a BB playbook....just like no one has EVER:
- built and used a webOS tablet
- completely finished the webOS OS
- made 3rd party apps for a webOS tablet
Sheesh....
The playbook has a new operating system that is not compatible with existing BB apps.
A WebOS tablet has the same benefit that the ipad had on release. It builds on an existing operating system (WebOS just like the IOS) and can use existing apps for WebOS (just like the ipad)
This is a distinct advantage for the WebOS tablets.
As for a finished WebOS, I have a Palm Pre and the os is complete, running on millions of devices, and thus had substantial real world usage.
WebOS will be updated for tablets but, updating an OS is quite different from creating a new one. HP chose to buy Palm instead of developing a completely new OS. Blackberry chose to develop a completely new OS.
Which is better? HP will have an advantage initially. Long term? Who knows.
what about a Sprint phone??!!
Im not sure but if there isnt a new Sprint phone out come March (or atleast the prospect of one) Im banging out... Still love my Pre tho!
Sad to say, as much as I don't want to leave WebOS I am on the same boat as you.
My Pre just keeps freezing on me and the oreo effect is getting worse.
If my pre breaks before a new sprint webos phone is released I guess i'm jumping to android :(
I feel your pain because my launch day Pre broke down and I had to switch to the Evo few weeks ago. Let me tell you after experiencing Android for the first time, what HP needs the most are APPS.... For the first time I am using apps that do something for me like LogMeIn and Dish Network app and an app for my home security system and I will not return to WebOS until these apps and others are available. It turns out multitasking and Synergy are not that important as apps.
Inventec also built the Centro.
Return the evo, wait, two weeks, buy it again if you don't get your answer.
Alot of ifs and buts around here...
Oh well still excited about the future of WebOS.
"Coming Months" why can't they just put together a realistic timeline. Honestly, who throws a shoe? I just want concrete facts, a new webOS phone and another device that will knock the skin off apple, throw a monkey at the robot and put a dent in crackberry.
Announcing a product and not having it for sale until 6 months later worked so well for them with the original Pre. Why give their competitors a head's up concerning their product line up?
I'm sure we'll have some hardware by March. At the very least a phone. If HP wants to tout interconnectivity, they'll need some devices, so I wouldn't expect the topaz to be too far behind.
FINALLY! It seems like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. ::crossing fingers:: hoping for good news for Sprint. If not, I'll have to see if my employer offers a Verizon discount since I'm out of contract with Sprint come June.
by the way...put out your webOS 2.0 Update already. Hopefully that would be an easy transition for all of us waiting.
If I was a betting person, I suspect WebOS 2.0 is in flux right now as it is updated for tablets. Phone carriers (like Sprint) might choose to not roll out WebOS 2.0 until closer to tablet release in order to avoid a multitude of small OS updates as it is tweaked to accommodate tablets.
Not to mention -- WebOS 2.0 isn't yet fully compatible with everything we have for 1.4.5. I know it frustrates a lot of people to wait, but, if a half-baked 1.4.5 --> 2.0 conversion lands on the older devices (ie: everything other than the Pre2), I guarantee the comments here & in the forums will be much more negative vs. waiting a bit longer.
Feb 9 should prove to be exciting -- I'm looking forward to watching Pre|Central explode (in a good way)! This reminds me of the original 2009 CES live-blogging on TreoCentral in-terms of an eagerly-anticipated update.
the blackberry playbook may well come to market as the first webOS tablet. :P
this I can get behind. please don't tempt me, ipad 2!
I would buy two of these if they are under $400
Feb 9 can't come fast enough!
I'm ready for whatever HP has in store for us loyalists. Think about it, one of the top, most powerful pc producers are launching the newest of webOS hardware. We are in for a treat!!! >:-)
HP really needs to have a phone and tablet out by the end of March. September or even June would be a mistake. I think the 9" device first would be smart.
The iPad 2 is coming, and almost certainly in the first half of the year. Apple already dominates the segment, don't allow them to increase their lead even further before jumping into the race.
Great news! Having and still using my June of 09 Pre, I love webOS and will be having a launch day Palm Pad to complement my launch day Pre. My Pre still works great and I am not worried about my Pre lasting another 6 months if necessary, patchrd and overclocked, it serves me well.
I wish I could say the same. Mine is constantly freezing and stammering even with the 500/800 overclock and automatic restart every day.
I didn't jump at the $99 EVO in December because I was waiting for CES, only to have HP make me wait another month.
I'm not going to put up with a badly performing device for another 4 months.
Derek, time to add a countdown timer to the website for the February 9th event. This is getting exciting!
HP is dominant in the printers and PC sector for personal systems.
IMHO the webos devices priorities for massive productions are:
1.-notebooks
2.-slates
3.-smartphones.
However they will start with smartphones and slates for a popular demand of Palm webos in Feb 9 announcements, but they know how is the market on those sectors and the first launched production will not be high as the notebooks will in a very near future.
Slates and smartphones demand for new shipments orders to taiwan mfgs will be subject to the market demand in a conservative way.Will depend on the consumer buying reaction to the new devices.
precentral was behind engadget in getting WebOS news and now digitimes beats Precentral.
Common Dieter, get some news for us the Palm fans.
During the webcast last night he mentioned something about a hot tip that he needed to verify with the tipster. I hope that he gets the chance today to do that.
It just hit me! I'll bet they've blended the netbook with the tablet. Think about it - the Palm Pre has a physical keyboard. Just imagine a tablet that has a fold-out keyboard and viola, the netbook-tablet!!!
More moving parts for a Palm device? No thanks. Oreo on the Pre was bad enough, can only wonder what oreo on a tablet would be...
And yes, I know you said "fold out", but I just see that taking up too much room and if it has bluetooth, why not just get a bluetooth keyboard?
Don't forget. It's now HP - the largest computer manufacturer in the world. Have you used an HP Mini 110? IMHO it's the best netbook I've used - the keyboard feels fantastic! Who wants to carry around multiple pieces of hardware? Integration rocks! I'm not a big fan of software keyboards - slows me right down - there really is no substitute for the real thing!
I'm not beliving this rumor until we get the official word from Palm or hp. I've heard a lot of rumors but almost none were true.
All I know is I am saving my $ already. HPalm PLEASE don't let us down! A WebOS tab would be the BEST thing for me right now, but also please keep it afforable. I love my Pre- and would love a SWEET new phone but if I have to choose I will have to go with the Tab and keep "exchanging" my Pre evertime it fails (I am on #7 so far) since 9/09!
I want to hold my breath but just don't see that as smart as of yet!
Please don't announce some sweet devices but then NOT make them available for months!!!
Feel like a little kid on Christmas Eve!!!! :)
My pre-Launch Prē just died on me last week. It decided it no longer wanted to act like it was on the network... Couldn't call, email, text or anything but I took it to Sprint and they send me another one the next day. I'm praying that HP announces new webOS hardware ON SPRINT! If not, then who knows how many more Prē's Sprint is going to keep in stock? The tablets sound nice and I know I will get one but my FIRST priority is a new phone ON SPRINT. Can someone leak that?!? :) Unless one of the tablets will be a phone as well ON SPRINT. Then I can kill two birds with one stone.
I just bought an Epic 4G and it surpasses my Sprint Pre by far. The only thing I miss is the true multitasking. I still have my Pre but I think I will stick with my Epic since there is no new hardware for Sprint and the WebOS tablet does not impress me even with WebOS 2.0.
Ahh, the good old days when the future was looking bright for WebOS!