The Tablet Space - Predictions
Tablets used to be "convertable" laptops, where the screen would swivel around and fold on top of the keyboard for one handed (one-armed) computing - usually with a stylus as the screen didn't support finger touches. They were heavy, bulky and really not very convenient since you had to use some version of Windows or Linux that was certainly not touchscreen-friendly.
Apple, in my estimation, really did to what they intended to ... they created a whole new category of electronics. Sure, the iPad's fate is still in question, but let's assume my other prediction (iPad dominance) is correct and Apple ships 2M iPad's at US Holiday time alone. Then, you can certainly assume that Apple created a market segment for itself, but in order to create a category, others must succeed.
Enter Android, Web OS and Linux.
Linux, while the most unlikely of the three to make a huge impact in the category, is lightweight and already has some finger friendly platforms (Ubuntu Netbook Remix) and has been around the longest. There are plenty of developers for Linux and it's relevance is ramping up fast.
WebOS. HP just purchased Palm, and with it got WebOS. WebOS has been praised for many things - not the least of which is snappiness, ease of development and a great user interface. While the Palm Pre and Pixi have been truly #fail - tastic, that doesn't mean the OS doesn't make a good gaming/productivity platform. Maybe an HP tablet running WebOS with all the trimmings (two webcams, accelerometers, 3G connectivity, ability to make calls from it via cell, all the usual wireless connectivity suspects, etc) would tempt developers to create stunning apps to compete with the iPad.
Android. Here's the best shot so far. Google's Android OS has been in development for over 3 years now and with the adoption of the OS by major phone makers like HTC and Samsung, the OS is on a good trajectory to make some serious waves in the phone market. It's tablet presence is near nothing at the minute, but then so is everyone else's. They're all playing catch up ... but there's been a LOT of development in the Android platform in recent months. Developers see the potential the platform holds, and development is what's going to drive the tablet market.
Making touch-friendly apps is the key for any platform. All the software we use today on our Windows and Mac computers are made for a mouse and keyboard. They COULD develop apps for those operating systems for tablets, but why? We have these great mobile platforms to use, and I for one would love to see them ALL succeed. Only time will tell, but I do predict that at least one will be successful along side Apple and the category will thrive for years to come, if not someday replacing a majority of low end laptop/netbook sales.