text: Tablet madness: iPad 2 coming, webOS launch [Updated] - TechBlog
  By Dwight Silverman on February 9, 2011 at 7:55 AM
  The relentless Death March of the Tablets continues. So far, 2011 is living up to its hype as the year when tablet computers become ubiquitous. And there are two stories today that push this narrative further.
  The Wall Street Journal cites "people familiar with the matter" as saying production has begun on Apple's iPad 2. This makes sense, given that Apple is expected to put its iPad on the same annual update cycle as the iPhone.
  The first iPad was launched about this time last year and went on sale in early April. It stands to reason that, if the company planned to sell the iPad 2 within a couple of months, it needs to get those assembly lines rollin'.
  The WSJ also has details about the next iPad's new features, and they're the same things we've been hearing from many of the Apple rumor blogs for some time, with one big difference:
  Yep, those who hoped that the next iPad would have something akin to the iPhone 4's superior Retina Display will be disappointed, and that's too bad. One of the big knocks against Apple's bestselling tablet is that its 1,024-by-768 resolution is not the best for reading text.
  Also, note the fudging on cameras on the iPad 2 in the WSJ story: "at least one camera on the front of the device". There indeed may only be one, which would make sense. A 10-inch tablet is not the best form factor for taking pictures and video with a rear camera, but it would be superb for video chatting. However, a rear camera is helpful during a videochat for showing something other than the person holding the device.
  The WSJ story doesn't offer specifics as to sale dates or firm pricing. But let's put it this way: You'd probably be smart to wait a little while if you're considering buying an iPad.
  And if you are considering buying a tablet, you should pay close attention to HP's announcement event later today, when the company is expected to finally unveil tablet PCs – and possibly other devices – that use the webOS operating system it acquired when it bought Palm.
  I've always thought that webOS – with its smart multitasking and intuitive interface – would make an excellent tablet operating system, so I'm very excited about what we may see here. PC Mag's Sascha Segan has an overview:
  There will also probably be a phone. HP's invitation encourages us to both "think big" and "think small," and my survey of industry contacts says there will probably be some sort of phone at the event. There almost has to be; the Pre and Pixi are looking quite long in the tooth and the Palm Pre 2 seems to be a non-starter. I had a hands-on with it back in October, and it still hasn't come to market with a U.S. carrier. HP/Palm needs a phone to bring WebOS back into the popular mind.
  Cloud computing services may play a role. New HP CEO Leo Apotheker is a services guy, and HP recently made a big announcement about enterprise cloud computing. WebOS has always been a "cloud-oriented" OS, so new Web services accessible from both WebOS devices and PCs would fit with HP's current trajectory.
  If you have not seen the images in the Engadget piece linked above, take a moment to check 'em out. They're pretty cool. And after the tech blog ran that piece, HP re-sent invitations to its event today with something of a teaser:
  Except for the nearly irrelevant Palm Pre 2, HP has done virtually nothing with webOS since its Palm acquisition. In terms of mindshare, the platform is just barely on life support. I think HP has one shot at making it hot again. If the devices HP shows off are as lackluster as its Slate 500 Windows tablet, you may as well stick a fork in webOS, because it'll be done.
  The one caveat to that: HP could use webOS in other devices, such as printers. Imagine using something as cool as webOS to navigate the process of scanning photos or printing documents on an all-in-one printer. That might be a mundane use of webOS, but it could end up making an often frustrating chore much easier.
  I'll update this post later today after the noon CST announcement. You can find liveblogs of the event at CNet, PreCentral, Ars Technica, webOSroundup, Engadget.
  Update: At its event today, HP announced three new products that use webOS, but the company hasn't yet given exact shipping dates or pricing for them.
  But we do have details about the devices themselves.
  • Palm Touchpad. This is a 9.7-inch 1.6-pound tablet running webOS and sporting some impressive hardware. It's got a dual-core, 1.2-GHz Snapdragon processor, a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera and comes with either 16- or 32-gigabytes o
  f storage memory. It will come in Wi-Fi-only and 3G+Wi-Fi models. The 3G models will have assisted GPS, and both models will have Bluetooth connectivity.
  Some items that might disappoint: It has no SD slot for increasing the memory capacity, and the resolution is the same as the iPad, 1,024×768. It also will not have a rear camera.
  • Palm Pre3. The successor to the original Pre and Pre 2 smartphones is larger, with a 3.8-inch touchscreen and a roomier, slide-out keyboard. It's also go some muscle, with a 1.4-MHz processor and a 5-megapixel, rear-facing camera. It will have Wi-Fi, and will include a hotspot feature for tethering up to five devices.
  • Palm Veer. This one is smaller than the original Pre, sized more like the Pixi, but it also has a slide-out keyboard. It's got a slower, 800-MHz processor and a 2.6-inch touchscreen
  All three devices use the Touchstone-style magnetic charger, and Palm/HP has taken this technology a step farther. You'll be able to touch one of the phones to the TouchPad to sync saved URLs and share other information.
  At first glance, these products don't seem to push the envelope that much. The TouchPad looks like an iPad clone, and other than the operating system, there doesn't seem to be that much to differentiate it. I'll reserve judgment until I actually have one in my hands, but frankly, I was hoping for more compelling hardware.