PC Makers Rush to Build Windows 8 Tablets

Microsoft yesterday confirmed that Windows 8 will be entirely released by the end of October

By Kartik Sharma, Bangalore | Thursday, 12 July 2012
Microsoft yesterday confirmed that Windows 8 will be entirely released by the end of October, signaling when Windows 8 laptops, PCs and tablet will start hitting the market.

Soon after Microsoft's announcement of Windows 8 launch, the PC makers started planning to build tablets customized to Windows RT. Now this announcement that Windows 8 will hit its RTM milestone in early August will create more ripples among PC makers to come up with a Windows 8 tablet in the market as soon as possible.

Microsoft itself will release two tablets called Surface RT and Surface Pro. Here is the list of some other PC vendors that are also reportedly set to build their own Windows 8-enabled Tablet.

Samsung

The Korean technology giant has been working on a tablet device running Windows RT which works with ARM processors, according to Bloomberg. The handheld PC will supposedly arrive in October along with Windows 8.
Microsoft and Samsung had no comment on the report of a Windows RT tablet being built by Samsung. Samsung's tablet will use a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

HP

HP, too, is planning to launch a Windows 8 tablet running on an x86 chip.

Hewlett-Packard recently said that it would not build, at least initially, a Windows RT tablet, and would focus on the Windows 8 versions. However, now the company has reportedly tabled plans for a consumer-targeted Windows RT tablet powered by a Qualcomm-designed ARM processor. Their focus is still on a business slate using Windows 8 operating system optimized for x86-based chipsets.

Acer

Acer introduced two Windows 8-enabled tablets -- Iconia W510 and W700 -- that run on Intel processors. The W510 has a 10.1-inch screen, while the high-performance W700 ranges between $799 and $999. Acer's new Aspire S7 touch ultrabooks come in an 11.6-inch model, which offers nine hours of battery, and a 13.3-inch model, which offers up to 12 hours. Acer will also introduce new Windows RT devices with ARM processors in the first quarter next year, according to the media reports.

Fujitsu

Fujitsu has recently launched two devices optimized for Windows 8. The business-friendly Stylistic Q702 slate tablet, which has an optional keyboard dock, and the 13.3-inch Lifebook T902 convertible laptop.

According to the media sources, compared to the upcoming Windows Surface Pro tablet from Microsoft, the Stylistic Q702 is a bit lighter (1.88 pounds versus the Surface Pro's 1.99 pounds) despite the larger display size (the Surface Pro is a 10.6-inch tablet), and it features comparable storage options.

Asus

Asus showed a Tablet 600 running Windows RT at Computex, a computer tradeshow in Taiwan in early June, with an Nvidia quad-core Tegra 3 chip. While the Samsung Windows RT tablet is expected in October, Acer has said to media that it won't ship Windows RT tablets until the first quarter of 2013.