Take it as a compelling substitute for a laptop or view it as a fancy toy or a cool gadget; the reality is that tablet personal computers have rocked the technology world, and are predicted to storm the fort of modern PCs and other handheld devices soon. Roughly the size of slab or a writing pad; a tablet PC, is essentially a small laptop computer. It has key features of a conventional personal computer and is equipped with a touch screen, 7 to 11 inches wide. Tablet PCs run on a particular operating system whose choice depends on the manufacturer. Numerous tablet PCs have been introduced in the recent past, the popular ones being Apple iPad, Blackberry Playbook, Dell Streak, HP TouchPad, Samsung Galaxy tab, HTC Flyer, and Lenovo Ideapad. Except for iPad and Playbook, most other tablets run on Googles Android operating system. Being high-end, sophisticated and expensive, apparently tablet PCs are not for everyone. This, however, may change with Kindle Fire, the maiden tablet PC launched by Amazon.com. Amazon.com intends to appeal to consumers who want a low-priced machine for reading books and watching movies. The device lacks many high-tech features like camera, sensors and 3G wireless connectivity. Powered by Android, the device is priced at an affordable $199. This is in sharp contrast to Apple iPad and Blackberry Playbook, whose prices start from $499 and go higher with enhanced features. Other tablet manufacturers imitate iPads pricing in the Asia-Pacific region without offering similar value. Tech analysts are still mulling over the impact of this low-priced device on the tablet market. Far from being an iPad-killer, Kindle Fire might have little or no impact on the high-end iPads sales. Tech circles in the US and Asia-Pacific feel that he tablet might disrupt the non-iPad market, especially the Android-enabled tablets made by Asian corporations. As iPad owns the top of the tablet market, Kindle Fire is being heralded to rule the bottom, decimating other tablet makers due to its low price. Globally, the tablet PC market is growing in triple digits. Technology research firm Gartner Inc. noted earlier this month that tablet sales would top 63 million units in 2011, an increase of 261 percent over last year, with iPad leading again with a market share of 73.4 percent. Its nearest competitors, the Android-powered tablets are expected to have a 17.3 percent market share. Going into 2015, the report estimates, tablet sales would reach 326 million per annum. Apple sales would reach 148 million devices - compared to 116 million for Android - and hold the majority of tablet market until 2014. Tech analysts believe that Apple iPad may continue to dominate due to its attractive and unrivalled user-interface and unified user experience vis-à-vis hardware, software, entertainment and services. Pakistani market also seems to be cosying up to tablet PCs. For the tech-savvy and playful smartphone users, having a tablet PC is like driving a Ferrari (fueled by high-speed wireless broadband) on the infotainment highway. In keeping with the penetration of high-speed broadband in major metropolitan regions of Pakistan, telecom operators as well as broadband service providers are trying to pry the lid off the potential tablet PC market. It all started at the end of last year when Mobilink partnered with Samsung to launch the Samsung Galaxy Tab in Pakistan. Ufone also jumped into the fray this July with the launch of HTC Flyer. Then, Wi-tribe sniffed the opportunity and offered various internet packages clubbed with tablet PCs like HTC Flyer, Dell Streak and Samsung Galaxy Tab, in July. Just last month, PTCL launched its first tablet PC, the Android-enabled PTCL 3G Evo Tab, which comes with various wireless broadband packages. Realising the need to regulate the segment, PTA recently instructed telecom and broadband operators to obtain approval prior to the launch and marketing of tablet PCs. Data are the future of telecommunication and devices like tablet PCs bring that future to reality. It would be interesting to see if and when the heightened competition in the tablet market leads to increased affordability and accessibility.
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