Google pad coming, company confirms

BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Google has officially confirmed that it is working on a tablet computer that will likely rival Apple's recently launched iPad.

Speaking to friends at a party in Los Angeles, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said the new device would run on Google's Android platform, the New York Times reported.

There has been much speculation that the tablet would run on Google’s Chrome OS in order to make it more like a computer and less like an oversized mobile phone. However it appears that the company is classifying the tablet as more of a mobile device, just as Apple has done with its iPad OS.

According to reports the company had been experimenting in “stealth mode” with a few publishers to explore delivery of books, magazines and other content on a tablet.

Details of the Google tablet is under a cloak of secrecy and little is known about the tablet’s costs or features.

After Google angered Apple by introducing its own smartphone, which had an effect on the iPhone’s market share, Google seems poised to do the same with its tablet.

While much of the discussion surrounds Android on a Google pad, the Chrome OS still appears to be in development and will likely end up being used on netbooks.

During a question-and-answer session following Google's Atmosphere 2010 conference, Schmidt spoke about the company's commitment to tighten security on its cloud services and to roll out Web-based computing products--like Chrome OS-which he said would improve online security.

Google was "particularly paranoid" about security following attacks last year on its systems, Schmidt said.

As such the company would be introducing products like Chrome OS sooner rather than later. "Our Web services and Web platforms will be inherently more secure" than alternatives, Schmidt said. "Hold us to this."

As regards tablet devices, no clear date is set. However, several other companies are also entering the fray with HP, Microsoft and Dell all developing such products. Cell phone giant Nokia is also said to be developing some type of tablet device. This may be good news for consumers who will soon have more choices than ever when it comes to tablet devices.