14 DAY TRIAL // Now that it is clear which version of Windows 8 will go where, companies involved in the tablet market have started offering information about their future devices loaded with the operating system.
The info we are going to provide here wasn't actually released officially though. Instead, it reached the web as part of this report.
Apparently, Hewlett-Packard and Dell have decided when to release their first Windows RT 10.1-inch tablets, as well as the processing platforms for them.
The time of arrival isn't surprising. In fact, it would have been strange if the two corporations didn't choose that particular time frame (the fourth quarter).
Since Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system won't be out until October or November, the only alternative would have been a delay until early 2013, which would not have worked in their favor at all.
As for the processors, HP will use a chip from Texas Instruments, while Dell will call on Qualcomm to provide a suitable CPU.
The prices weren't specified, not exactly. Instead, Digitimes provided the range in which all Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets/tablet PCs will try to stay.
The cheapest 10.1-inch models will need a payment of $599, which means 483 Euro, according to exchange rates. The highest price is said to be $1,000 / 807 Euro.
Besides Dell and HP, ASUS, Toshiba and Lenovo will bring out Windows RT slates. Acer has similar plans, but not for 2012.
All that is left is to wait and see how sales go and if the market really succeeds in making prices count less in determining competitiveness. Brand vendors hope that the familiarity with Windows, as well as its wide program compatibility, will reel in more consumers and enterprise/business users.
Where that leaves Apple's iOS and Android is unclear, but neither is going to up and disappear, especially the former.