HP 'Project Hurricane' webOS tablet due Q1 2011

HP is developing slate PCs running on Windows 7, Android and Palm's webOS
HP is developing slate PCs running on Windows 7, Android and Palm's webOS

HP is having something of an up-and-down week, with news that the company is set to launch a webOS tablet in the first quarter of 2011 following the shock departure of the company's CEO earlier this month.

According to a number of sources at a recent company meeting, HP's webOS is set to be made available on a tablet PC next year.

The news hardly comes as a shock, as developing and monetising webOS was clearly one of the major reasons why HP acquired Palm earlier in July this year

Project Hurricane

Engadget cites "trusted sources" that were in attendance at a recent employee meeting where HP Senior Vice President Todd Bradley mentioned a planned first quarter of 2011 launch for a webOS tablet.

The sources added that the internal code name for the project is Hurricane.

HP plans to develop and use Palm's webOS in various ways across a number of consumer product lines, from tablet PCs through to web-connected printers and smartphones.

So in addition to the new webOS tablet, HP is currently working on a Windows 7-based slate PC for the enterprise sector and an Android-based Zeen e-reader for consumers.

And who was it that said tablet PCs were a flash in the pan?

Via Engadget

Adam Hartley