As far as Hewlett-Packard is concerned, Research in Motion's PlayBook tablet hits awfully close to home. Never mind that the PlayBook sports a 7-inch screen compared to the TouchPad's 9.7-inch display, it's the PlayBook's operating system, powered by QNX, that reminds HP a little too much of webOS. You could say the similarities are uncanny, and in fact those are the exact words HP's Jon Oakes, director of product marketing, used when comparing the two tablets.
If you always wanted an iPad and could care less about the upgraded features of the iPad 2, you're in luck. Apple has gone and slashed $100 off the price of every original Pad model. That means you can pick up the 16GB for $399, 32GB for $499, and 64GB for $599, while the 3G models of the same capacities now run $529, $629, and $729, respectively.
Apple declined Maximum Tech entry into its temporary ivory tower at the Yerba Buena Gardens for today's iPad 2 announcement. However, our own Susie Ochs from sister site Mac|Life scored a ticket to savor the sights and sounds of the latest "it" gadget. 
Sorry folks, but if you invested in a first generation iPad, your tablet is officially old news, behind the times, yesterday's headline, and all that jazz. As expected, Apple officially announced the iPad 2 today during a much anticipated press event in which everyone knew what was coming. What wasn't known, however, is what exactly would separate the iPad 2 from Apple's first generation tablet, or how the pricing would shake out. We have all of those details after the break.
Those of you disappointed that Motorola didn't seriously undercut the competition with its Xoom pricing, it turns out there's good reason they didn't. Perhaps Motorola couldn't. According to a teardown analysis by TechInsights, the estimated bill of materials (BOM) on the Xoom comes to $278. That's $33 more than Apple's iPad, which carries an estimated BOM of $245 for its 3G, 32GB model, The Wall Street Journal reports.
After months of ballyhooing, we're finally starting to see the tablet market unfold beyond just the iPad and one or two ill-equipped devices. With the recent release of Motorola's Xoom and several other next-generation slates on the horizon, it's going to be a busy year. How busy? According to JP Morgan Securities, tablet revenue in 2011 will reach $26.1 billion, and then $35.2 billion in 2012. This, JP Morgan says, is a bad sign for PCs.Five days into our magical journey of discovery with the Motorola Xoom, we’ve made the following three conclusions: (1) The web browsing and email functions of the Honeycomb OS are fantastic, (2) live Android widgets on a 1280x800, 10.1-inch touch screen are a revelation, and (3) people who complain about the Xoom’s weight and power button location either passed judgment too soon, or still haven’t overcome their iPad separation anxiety.
You may remember Dr. Raymond Soneira, President of DisplayMate Technologies, who's helped us explain why so many advertised display specs are hokum and misdirection. Now, the respected display scientist is offering his own predictions about the future of the iPad.
The Motorola Xoom has only been on store shelves since Thursday, but Google’s new flagship tablet is already facing off against a challenger even more menacing than the iPad, 
On March 2, Apple is holding a press event in which many believe the Cupertino outfit will officially introduce its second generation iPad tablet. Knowing this, if you already own an iPad and don't have any interest in switching platforms, you might be tempted to toss your tablet up on Craigslist or eBay before the value takes a nosedive. But will it be worth upgrading to the iPad 2?
