If I'm honest, I'll admit that I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Apple's iPad, but I'm equally interested in seeing what the PC industry can throw out in retort.
Literally following right on the heels of Apple's device is British manufacturer X2 Mobile Computers, who has jumped on the tablet bandwagon with a product it candidly calls the iTablet.
The iPad-like device, pictured above with an Apple-esque white finish, will become available in either 10.2in or 12in form factors, with both models offering a 1,024x768 resolution.
There's a 1.6GHz Intel processor inside - presumably of the Atom variety - along with 250GB of storage and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. The latter, of course, is something the Apple iPad sorely misses.
X2MC's iTablet offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and optional 3G connectivity, and although pictured with Windows XP, will ship with Microsoft's latest operating system Windows 7 as standard. To all those opposed to Apple's alternative, that means full support for Flash and Silverlight, as well as the ability to run multiple applications at any one time. There are even three USB ports present, and HDMI output is an optional extra.
So far so good, but there are a few negatives to be aware of. X2MC hasn't yet divulged any information on the type of screen used - including whether or not it supports multi-touch input - and the iTablet isn't quite as sleek as the iPad. Measuring 252mm x 192mm x 35mm, it's almost an inch-and-a-half thick, and it weighs 1.18kg - that's almost twice the weigh of Apple's alternative.
The device is said to become available in April, but there's no word on pricing yet.
