Mobile Computing News

Photo: HTC

We know that a Google Chrome tablet is incoming. Google has been fairly open about it. But what was not known until now, that is, is that Google would commission its own tablet and have their trusty partners at HTC build in, if a recent report is to be believed.

November release date?

The Download Squad, citing a source, says the Chrome Pad would drop 26 November in the US – which is incidentally Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year in the US. Hmm. US carrier Verizon will supposedly be offering the tablet on a two year data contract, which means the tablet may be free under contract. Double hmm!

If our hopes pan out, then the Google Chrome tablet may be released worldwide – read: key markets around the globe – on the same day so as to give Google’s new operating system the international catwalk treatment. The UK usually falls under the ‘key markets’ heading, so we’re hoping a carrier like Vodafone could offer a similar deal here.

Disruptive purchasing model

If this pricing model proves true, it would make for a compelling reason for fence sitters to take the plunge. Unlike the iPad where you buy the device and the requisite data bundle separate of each other, here you can spread the cost of the device over the life of your contract, making it much easier for this to become an impulse purchase. It’s a clever model to overcome iPad-inflicted trepidation, especially if the economics play out for all concerned – Google, HTC and the carriers.

BFFs

Photo: HTC

HTC’s involvement in building the Chrome Pad is little surprise either, since they and Google have become BFFs as a result of the mutual success they’ve had with the Google Android platform. HTC built the Google Nexus One, too, so the two companies have experience working on a device together. What is notable, though, is that Google clearly learnt from its botched ‘we’ll sell our hardware ourselves’ experiment that saw the Nexus One returning disappointing sales figures. Leave it to those who know what they’re doing, huh?

‘C’mon Chrome Pad! Bring it!’ – iPad

What’s particularly interesting about this Google Chrome tablet rumour if true is that it puts itself right in the way of the freight train that is the iPad. And, if the respective successes of Google Android and the iPhone are any indication, it could be a case of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.
And watching Google and Apple slug it out like this makes for riveting stuff. The two companies have the brightest engineering minds on the planet coupled with an uncanny ability to inspire mass adoption that makes watching their growing conflict so much fun.

I’ll go out on a limb and say never in the history of technology have we had two such colossal, brilliant organisations going at each other full-bloodedly in a war that could swing either way. Perhaps the technology historians among you can school me a bit.

What are your thoughts on the Chrome Pad and does it stand a chance against the iPad sales freight train?