Apple iPad Launch Generating Interest in Many Rival Chinese Tablet Computers
In view of the upcoing Apple iPad launch on April 3, Saturday, many companies in China have announced their own tablet computers.
There are some Chinese companies already selling slate-style, touchscreen devices while many are planning to launch soon.
Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics is one such company. It is a chip design company and one of its products is a package of hardware and software on top of which clients can design portable devices with Google's Android operating system, is attracting lot of interest since Apple announced the iPad.
There are many companies who are using its package including a microprocessor with an Arm core, to develop Android devices such as tablets, media players and digital picture frames. Many other companies have shown interest in the package sine Apple iPad announcement.
Added attraction is the price. The retail price of an android device based on this package will be under US$199 without 3G connectivity. So a tablet PC at that cost would be less than half the cost of an Apple iPad starting at $499.
Chinese device maker Teso displayed two soon to be launched tablet computers at a trade show, which included one running Android and another looking like a big-screen iPhone.
Already selling are many Chinese tablets ranging from simple devices like GPS units between 4-10 inches screen sizes to stylus controlled, one inch thick tablet computer priced at about 2,200 yuan (US$320). The brand names were eSuper and FSL.
The Chinese companies that have announced tablet computer include Hanvon Technology and Huawei Technologies. Another company Shenzhen Great Loong Brother Industrial, already selling tablet computer is considering suing Apple for the similar outer design of the iPad. How about that!
While Apple iPad will be available in markets Saturday onwards, it is not clear if it Apple will be selling it in China.
