Samsung Planning 7" Tablet PC For Q3 Launch...Using Android

Does the world have room for another tablet PC? Considering that there are only a few of these new slates in the market, led of course by Apple's iPad, we suspect the answer is "yes" for now. But by this time next year, we may all be singing a different tune. Microsoft has already revealed that they are "hardcore" about tablets, and plan to have a variety of options for consumers just as soon as possible. But Windows 7 still doesn't seem primed for tablet PC use, though many smaller companies are already using one particular lightweight OS in order to get their slates to market faster: Android.

According to a new Reuters report, Samsung Electronics is planning to launch a tablet PC in Q3 of this year in order to compete with the iPad, but that's not all. It will also be competing against all of those Windows tablets that Steve Ballmer is talking up. It's a rather surprising move, but Samsung's tablet (which we have heard may be called the 'Galaxy Tab') will run Google's Android operating system.


Another strange, albeit unique, aspect of Samsung's forthcoming device is the size. Instead of using a 9.7" screen as with the iPad, it will use a 7" display. That's just 2" larger than the Dell Streak, but it will fill a niche with people looking for something in between the two slate extremes. No further details are being provided by the company just yet, but if Android 2.2 is loaded on, a 7" slate priced lower than the competition could be quite attractive. We only have a few months until we find out for sure either way.