Fujitsi Unveils Impressive Business-Class Win7 Tablet

Fujitsu may not be the first brand name one thinks of when asked about prominent PC makers, but that could change with the announcement of its upcoming Stylistic Q550, which will be one of the very first Windows 7 tablet computers to hit retail stores.

In a marketplace currently gobbling up tablet devices (to the tune of 4.5 million units during the last financial quarter), Fujitsu has a real opportunity to one-up big name competitors like Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Toshiba.

Fujitsu Q550: Functional, Business-Savvy Hardware

According to Fujitsu, the Q550 -- which is reportedly being built for a business audience -- will boast some impressive hardware, including a 10-inch LED touchscreen panel, 32GB or 64GB of internal memory, one USB port, optional 3D graphics, and loads of security features.

The company also says it plans to include a smartcard input, fingerprint scanner, as well as front- and rear-facing cameras for users to engage in video-link chats. (Source: hothardware.com)

Microsoft Excited About Q550

Fujitsu first unveiled the Q550 at a media event in Tokyo, but plans a more elaborate ceremony for the device at the upcoming CeBIT 2011 conference, which launched March 1st and will continue through March 5th in Hanover, Germany.

Obviously Microsoft is excited about the prospect of a powerful new Windows 7 tablet, a device that might help the company chip away at Apple's enormous lead in a growing marketplace.

"Microsoft welcomes the release of the Sylistic Q550," said Microsoft OEM division corporate vice-president, Steven Guggenheimer. "Windows 7 is a great choice for commercial customers looking for a device that enables the flexibility and mobility their businesses need to succeed." (Source: freshbusinessthinking.com)

Report: Apple Owns 93% of Tablet Market

Just in case anyone was wondering how much potential the tablet computer market offers, a recent report notes that 4.5 million of these devices sold during Q3 2010, 93 per cent of which were Apple iPads.

"Apple is currently benefiting from significant and comprehensive growth from both sectors of the mobile PC spectrum, notebooks and tablet PCs," said analyst Richard Shim, whose company DisplaySearch is responsible for the recent report. (Source: eweek.com)

Fujitsu Q550: April Release Expected

Of course, it's likely Apple's domination will come under fire as 2011 progresses. As for the Q550, Fujitsu says European consumers can expect an April release date, though the company failed to specify a timeline for a North American launch.