HTC testing out 'touch tablets' for Android and Chrome OS?
By Vlad Savov 
posted January 3rd 2010 10:22PM
posted January 3rd 2010 10:22PM
What good would the rumor mill be if it didn't voice our innermost desires? Apparently not content with giving us the roomy 4.3-inch HD2, HTC is now said to be actively testing out fully fledged tablet devices. Slated (get it?) to be driven by Google's Android and minimalist Chrome OS, multiple varieties are currently being run through their paces and there's even word that "core HTC customers" will get to check them out at CES. Who these doyens are and whether they'll be so kind as to leak us a few photos is unknown, but word is that Qualcomm and Adobe are engaged to provide their hardware and software knowhow -- making for an impressive corporate combo if nothing else. This is still strictly uncorroborated, one-source rumormongering, but ain't it fun?
Whats a rumor article without a tablet...errrr...I mean Slate. Except this won't make HTC's stock jump up 20%.
@redspear
That's probably because, despite selling a ton of handsets, HTC isn't really producing great earnings. Their stock is down for the year after briefly matching it's 5 year high. As an investor that's not a great sign. You're going to be a lot less likely to get bullish over new products if you're not making (much) money off the company. Apple on the other hand has been very successful and very profitable. Investors like that sort of thing for some reason.
@(Unverified) Daytraders like that crap. "Investors" as you call them, could easily look at HTC's current corporate pairings, their ever maturing GUIs, and the build quality developments that are lustworthy and find a company worth "investing" in. They're traded on the Taiwan stock exchange, and they don't have the brand zealotry/narcissism in advertising that apple does, so that's likely why they go under the radar. HTC for the moment would be a solid long term play, considering they make some of, if not the best, WM and Android mobile experiences. But yes, on the day to day, play Apple for all it's throes.
@redspear
Really starting with the Hero, HTC is trying to become more of a household name instead of just a company that makes products everyone else rebrands. They already are the biggest producer of WinMo and Android phones, and with the expected success of the Nexus, and eventual release of WinMo 7, they have good hopes ahead
really, HTC can make whatever they want, their success has mostly become a question of if WinMo can keep up with Blackberry, and if Android can keep up with iPhoneOS and webOS
@JeremyBenthem
I Love HTC, After my Palm Smart phones my next phone was a T mobile MDA3 and then I got a G1 and I am definitely looking the Nexus one unsubsidized or an HD2(though the X10 has my attention as well).
In no way am I making fun of HTC. Instead I was commenting on wall street follow the trend swooning over rumors that have little substantiation. Even the article(that is linked) can't help but call it an iSlate competitor before even apple announces one(if they even do).
@White Noise
did you just suggest that investors were interested in 'maturing GUIs' and 'build quality' when decided whether or not to buy the stock?
Dear God...
@JeremyBenthem exactly. HTC is obviously spending a lot of money right now on R&D and brand development. This stuff is very expensive and will have a long term payout for them as they keep cranking out the quality, buzzworthy handsets they have been. Anyone who can't see that shouldn't call themselves an "investor", just go buy your shares of AAPL and leave the long term investing to the big boys.
I won't be happy until I have a 27" Palm PreSlate
@eli daaaaaamn boi, that'd be off da hook!
@eli
Leaked pre tablet photos here!
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo205/0sacapuntas/pretablet.jpg
@eli
You may want to check out our presentation on Thursday, just letting you know...
@Jon Rubinstein
Geek
I think HTC is getting a little too trigger happy with Google.
@jordanbiffle I know... Isn't it great?
I definitely think android belongs on tablets... It's a great OS, but it needs more screen real estate (thought the DROID and Nexus One work out nicely).
@Jonathan K
that's where chrome os comes in
I always loved htc phones and this would be great for it !!!
A 4.3 inch tablet Luke or iPod touch like device??
Hmmmmh. The only way it would even remotely compare to iPod touch at $149 is if this htc pmp/ mp3 would be priced at $120 or lower.
I mean seriously who in the world would choose a iPod touch wannabee for same price as iPod touch ?$149-199.
Anyone?
Exactly. I'm afraid to say this is htc/ android partnerships would fail hard to steal thunder from touch/apple/iTunes n app store.
Just because apple n Steve jobs revolutionized doesn't mean anyone or a search engine can. Btw htc devices r still AGes behind iPod n iPhone when it comes to media movie n music player. I would say about 4 years behind.
@logic thinker
There's some market for it just due to the flexibility of Android but, yeah, it's tough to compete against Apple in this space with the aggressive pricing on the iPod Touch. One thing HTC could do is produce a model with a 1.8" HD. It's going to be a little bulkier of course but there's definitely a market for it and it's a space Apple does not compete in.
@logic thinker
I would.
Htc phones r only good for one thing. Making n receiving calls. A dumbphone function.
@logic thinker
That's one function it has over the iPhone. Even the trolls realize it.
"AH HA ur fone maek teh callz that iz so dumbz"
Htc android take my advice n stick to making iPhone clone wannabees. Trust me. Work on an iphonekiller.
Oh wait I see this is android n htcs reponse to the apple islate????
Lol !!!!!!!
Come on u can do better than that.
Take a lesson from nokia tablets that failed miserably to thr pint they had to be discontinued. A little thing called iPhone n touch(iPhone os) that have raped n owned since 062907.
"Testing" = "Counting the days until January 26th for Design Ideas and praying the iSlate doesn't have 200 patents like the iPhone"
For a device that so many tech-heads and pundits believe will be a dismal failure, there sure are a lot of companies starting to offer tablets geared for the general consumer. Don't they do any advance marketing? Why would a company like HTC, that has a few bad sales quarters be sticking their neck out by building a tablet that supposedly no one is going to buy? It seems like they would be taking a fairly large risk for no reason at all. Maybe companies should just give up building tablets entirely because they have no future for sale to the general public.
Somewhere, there are a couple of million people using Kindles, so I guess they haven't been told that it's too heavy or too expensive or it doesn't fit in their pockets. I'd sure like to ask somebody that owned one why they decided to buy it when they could have bought a smartphone or netbook instead.
Droid doesn't Kill or replace an iPod touch Sad but true.
As powerful as it suposedly is droid still lacks the human ergonomic factor that android just doesn't understand. Apple is on a wholenew level. Fanboyism aside.
I am sure Google will put a big camera in it to determine how advertise to your family. All hail Google.
@stonecoldstevejobs
sure keep dreamin.
Apple already revolutionized when nano now does video cam. Too late google from here on out u just a iclone wannabee.
@logic thinker Yeah that awesome still photo camera, oh wait. Sorry I'll go pull out out my RAZR from 5 years ago and take the same quality of video. Not to mention the iPhone, which I have FYI, having a massive 3 megapixel camera. Although, I will contend that the iPhone makes up for it in autofocus. But saying having a weak video camera on a Nano is "revolutionary" is proposterous.
@logic thinker Please learn to spell.
Logic Thinker- Learn how to spell, this isn't AIM or YouTube.
@stonecoldstevejobs
wow so I gotta work on speling huh?
I wonder if that will change my product knowledge. I'm glad to see u agree with my comments though.
@logic thinker I have a bit of Apple fanboyism, but solely for the iPhone. You are the biggest fanboy I have seen on the interwebs.
@logic thinker
Product knowledge? 3 consecutive lowest ranked posts make me question that statement.
@stonecoldstevejobs
You must be new to engadget.
@zsmorr Yessir, I am but a noob.
Trolls are out in full force tonight, Jim.
@N900 Agreed and its quite sad really...
@N900
Safety off, aim high, and burn the corpses, right?
@N900 Break out the shotguns.
Or more effective, the "downrank" button. Good to see its being used to effect.
@N900
Nope 'tis a single fanboy who is writing an identical concept and putting it in different ways.
coughlogicthinkercough
@JW
No it's just one person saying the same thing but restating it differently.
@JW
You missed Wess. not surprising, he was blotted out pretty quick.
@N900
Nothing but a bunch of pissed off Apple fanatics that are going around attacking every tablet device in sight.
The internet's equivalent of brown shirts.
@LAY
Of course after Apple does not announce a tablet. Then tablets won't exist again until the next apple rumors and the fan boys will come out again.
@N900
I hear trolls taste like steak, let them come :D
If only it will be for verizon! (If its a phone)
see also...
http://web.me.com/roonie.mark/Project_Orion/Tech_News/Entries/2010/1/1_HTC_Planning_to_out_do_the_Apple_Tablet.html