14 DAY TRIAL // Now that the Apple Tablet has, for better or worse, finally been launched, companies in the IT industry have something to relate to when making their own incursions into the tablet PC market. The iPad's performance will likely show just what chance of survival such devices have on today's market and its marketing performance will help hardware makers decide if joining the tablet bandwagon is in their best interest. With HP having already completed its tablet prototype (demonstrated on video), the tablet gathering may see another member in MSI.
Digitimes has long been a source of rumors and market reports and one of the latest revolves around the likelihood of Micro-Star International preparing to launch a tablet personal computer during the second half of the ongoing year. The report mentions that the product will be based on the NVIDIA Tegra platform and will feature, besides the rather mandatory touchscreen input, equally mandatory wireless support. The device will supposedly have a 10-inch screen and “all the functions of a regular notebook,” while also being thin and lightweight, for a maximum mobility.
Digitimes claims that these plans have been confirmed by the MSI Sales Director, Sambora Chen. Another important piece of information is the company's reported intention to implement “flexible specifications” into the product. This means that MSI will launch its tablet in several models, according to market demand, each with its own specifications meant to cater to the needs of the various market segments.
MSI will launch the Tegra-based tablet sometime during the second half of 2010. While the exact date has not been mentioned, the report did say that the device would cost around US$500. This means that, at least price-wise, it will be able to compete with the Apple iPad. MSI will also have about six months to study consumer reaction to the Apple tablet and find out exactly what the consumer base expects from a tablet device.