14 DAY TRIAL // Not all companies that have what it takes to make a slate seem as willing to try their luck in this new market segment, and it looks like Clevo is one of these cautious types, according to reports.
When it comes to tablets, one could say that more or less every name on the notebook and smartphone market at least considered making a model of their own.
Then again, this only happened after the Apple iPad showed that, indeed, slates were not going to end up as just a niche market.
Now that there are Android, MeeGo and Windows models on sale or in development, the tablet segment is poised to grow substantially as far as sales go.
As such, one would think that yet more notebook and smartphone makers would jump at the chance, especially now that better ARM and x86 platforms are arriving.
Still, there are those that don't feel it will pay off to get into the thick of things, especially with price wars on the horizon.
First-tier IT companies like ASUS, Acer, Samsung, etc. might be willing to try and show each other off, but second-tier outfits don't have that big an incentive.
Clevo is one of these IT players, having resolved to focus on the notebook segment, something that could prove fortuitous if analysts beliefs about the year 2013 prove true.
It hopes to ship about 820,000 units during the first half of the ongoing year (2011) and means to somehow reach a full 2 million by its end.
Nevertheless, Clevo won't be completely cut off from the slate industry, as it has decided to undertake some R&D (research and development) projects for tablets customized for very specific purposes.
What remains is to see how many other companies decide to steer away from the fight that will likely ensue between Android, MeeGo and Windows slates.