Apple iPad, currently the most dominant tablet(over 95%) in this newly emerged market, hasn’t really made a huge impact in Asian region, mainly due to lack of Apple’s ground presence and non-availability of iPads in major asian countries.

On the other side, Samsung is a well trusted brand in Asian regions and sells way more mobile handsets in Asian markets than Apple. Due to that, it took no long delays for Samsung to bring its flagship tablet device, Samsung Galaxy Tab, in fast growing Asian markets, even before Apple iPad.

After having our first hands-on experience with Samsung Galaxy Tab recently, we are certain that Samsung is surely going to compete hard with Apple in tablet space and will come as a refreshingly beautiful option to prospective tablet buyers.

This solid 7″ tablet, comparatively smaller than iPad, comes as a more handy option for carrying it along and brings all the goodness of Android ecosystem with it. The only problem with Samsung’s tablet, especially in Asian markets appears to be the ‘price tag’.

In Asian markets, Samsung has priced its tablet device at Rs.37k($800), even costlier than an imported iPad(16GB) from U.S. That makes it a tough choice for Asian masses who’re far more price conscious than western counterparts.

But Samsung Galaxy Tab, due to its sheer presence in India and other neighboring Asian countries, is more likely to dominate Asian markets and stay ahead in the quest of gaining a decent market share in tablet space.

Anyways, the tablet game has just begun and many other Android tablets will likely be announced by other major hardware vendors. Heck, even Chrome OS launch is around the corner and there’s a good possibility that Chrome OS may also come to tablets pretty soon.

With Google TV, Google’s main interest is to capture the time, people spend in their living room, not just on PC and laptops. The more people buy Google TV, the more likely they will use Google search, view web videos(Youtube) and other integrated services that Google provides. Just like mobile landscape, Google charges nothing for licensing Google TV software to hardware manufacturers, so its a win-win situation for hardware vendors as well as Google.

But this whole concept of ‘Web meets TV’ is bugging TV network broadcasters, who are already facing a decline in advertising revenues as more brands are shifting their large chunk of spending on Internet rather than television. The general notion among TV network broadcasters is that Google singlehandedly controls the Internet and the advertising revenues goes straight into Google’s pocket. If, by any chance, Google takes over the TV viewers courtesy Google TV, just like it took over the Internet viewers, then TV Network broadcasters will be doomed, with zero hopes of fat money that they currently flows into their bank accounts.

On the other side, HBO and MTV Networks have collaborated with Google in making their site experience, specifically customized for Google TV. So overall, the opinion is not unanimous among all the network broadcasters but one thing is pretty clear. Network broadcasters don’t want to get screwed up by Google.

With this move by NBC, ABC and CBS, their ultimate aim is not to have a permanent block but make Google agree to broadcaster’s several demands. This move appears to be strategic enough, to be able to arm-twist Google and make it agree to what broadcasters really want.

Google is already in talks with all the three notorious broadcasters over the block and may probably reach some consensus with them over the lifting of the block.

Stay tuned for more on this…

This phone is rumored to be coming with 5mp camera and WiFi support but that’s not enough. The phone will most probably come unlocked and shouldn’t be more than $199 by any chance. According to the rumor mill, this phone is going to join the Greenheart line, which is good coz the manufacturing and packaging of the phone would be eco-friendly but the lame approach towards eco-friendly J10 isn’t something to appreciate about Sony Ericsson.

“This Android powered e-book reader will interoperate with other Android smartphones /Netbooks” said Arthur Lu,chairman, Netronix. Now, this statement can make a great impact as it means that the in-progress ebook reader will be able to share files with Android machines(smartphones and netbooks).

There was also a slight hint over the e-reader to behave like a PDA, meaning that the wireless data connectivity may well be used for SMS, emails and may be phone calls rather than just being an ebook reader.

This reminds us of Apple Tablet or may be CrunchPad. Those devices (although not in production so far) were very much aimed at browsing web on the go and possibly support voice services as well. Tablet machines are probably the most suitable candidates to function as ebook reader as well simply because of the ideal shape and size.

Now, if we get to have an Android tablet  by mid of next year that lets us browse the web(as good as laptop), read ebooks (as good as kindle) and lets us make voice calls then it’s the best combo one can think of. Being Android as the Mobile OS will help cutting expenses for sure.

Although there are only hints but no conformity over the assumptions made above, things can turn either way for the first ever Android powered ebook Reader. Stay tuned for more updates on this.