Is Android stealing the future of tablets from Apple?

There has been a lot of talk, recently, about the Apple iPad, with many people saying it's going to revolutionise not just the computer industry, but other industries such as publishing and news media. Whether it will achieve that goal or not is debatable, but one thing it has achieved is to get people talking. However, an interesting opinion has been put forward by vice president of Dell, John Thode, which seems very pertinent in the case of the iPad.

His statement, broadly claiming the future of the technology was unknown,  forms part of the larger debate that is currently going on about a type of device known as the tablet (traditionally, and more formally, known as the tablet PC), of which the Apple iPad is one of the most well publicised examples. However, while many people have lauded its abilities, as many commentators have stated that it isn't the world-shattering device that Apple claim it to be. Many of these same commentators have highlighted a different operating system as being perfect for the modern tablet: Android.

On the face of it, that seems to be a sensible suggestion. The operating system is a key component of any computing device, be it a mobile phone, laptop, or tablet, and Android certainly seems to have the most potential to grow into this area. The iPhone OS, a modified version of which is used in the Apple iPad, has been said to be too limited to produce a powerful tablet, by many commentators, and Windows has thus far been unsuccessful at providing a user experience appropriate to the tablet form factor. It should be noted, however, that Windows 7 does show some potential in this area, and may well be able to successfully make the transition to tablet PCs.

Android, however, seems perfect for use in tablets. Initially designed for mobile phones (see the Nexus One for the best example of it in action, so far), it was optimised to be efficient, and not take up a lot of room on the storage device of whatever gadget it was used in. However, despite being small and efficient, it was also designed to deliver a more powerful, desktop-like experience than something like the iPhone OS. As such, it certainly seems to be the most sensible choice for use in tablets, from the operating systems currently on the market.

Dell must agree with this viewpoint, as they are currently working on their own tablet, the Dell Mini 5, which will run on Android. The Dell Mini 5 itself is an unusual device, in that it combines a tablet form factor and screen size of five inches, with the full functionality of Android, including phone software. Because of that, it may be viewed more as a mobile phone than a tablet PC, but the sheer size of the device marks it out instantly as a tablet. Because it stands as a hybrid between the two types of gadget, it should sell well, but it's debatable whether it can viewed as a pure tablet.

However, the Dell Mini 5 is not the only Android tablet that's due to be released. Archos are rumoured to be working on two separate Android tablets, one of which is rumoured to be the follow-up to the current Archos 7, which runs on Linux. Foxconn are also working on an Android-powered tablet, called the iWonder, and this one definitely falls under the heading of tablet PC, as it includes a ten inch screen.

Whatever else happens in the tablet category, one thing is for certain: Android is, right now, the operating system that most commentators (and manufacturers) are saying is the way to go.