{"id":111272,"date":"2009-12-29T11:26:45","date_gmt":"2009-12-29T16:26:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gigaom.com\/?p=88509"},"modified":"2009-12-29T11:26:45","modified_gmt":"2009-12-29T16:26:45","slug":"why-a-google-slate-could-dominate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/111272","title":{"rendered":"Why a Google Slate Could Dominate"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/a>Next year is shaping up to be the year of the slate computer: Verizon Wireless expects<\/a> slates to come to market in a big way in 2010; Apple appears to be mere weeks away<\/a> from introducing its much-hyped tablet<\/a>, rumored to be dubbed iSlate; and a handful of Android-based devices are already making their way to retail shelves<\/a>. Google could move the needle with a rumored no-frills slate <\/a>that would be available on the cheap — or even free — to users willing to sign up for 2-year data plans. And with its Chrome OS, the company is well-positioned to quickly become a leader in the space.<\/p>\n

Like netbooks, slates have an obvious appeal, combining intuitive touchscreen interfaces with improved processing power and better screens than most phones can boast. Apple’s iPod touch has proven there’s a market for such gadgets. The question, though, is which operating systems are best positioned to gain traction as slate sales ramp up? Apple’s entry<\/a> is likely to have either a full Mac OS X operating system or a modified version of the iPhone platform. Jolicloud, a startup that pocketed $4.2 million in venture capital earlier this year, is negotiating with manufacturers<\/a> to package its impressive OS <\/a>with their hardware. Moblin is garnering positive reviews for the latest release of its mobile operating system, which Kevin at jkOnTheRun believes is particularly well-suited for devices that are smaller than netbooks. Fusion Garage’s JooJoo is also receiving praise<\/a> for its proprietary, Linux-based OS, although the gadget’s $500 price tag will surely limit its appeal.<\/p>\n