Samsung is reportedly among the numerous manufacturers who plan to enter the tablet market this year, with a slate PC due in the latter half of 2010. According to Philip Newton, director of Samsung Australia's IT division, the company's device will boast PC-grade processing and connectivity – areas in which Newton feels Apple's iPad falls short.

Newton believes there is room in the market for a tablet-like device, but he thinks they need to be more powerful than Apple's offering. Without confirming that Intel chips power Sammy's upcoming tablet, Newton said an Atom-based device would be far more flexible, and has more potential than the iPad.

Another Samsung exec said the company's slate device would focus on the consumer market, unlike its Q1 UMPC. Commenting on the future of tablets, product and marketing manager Emmanuele Silanesu said smartphones will be a secondary device, and consumers will favor the extra horsepower offered by their larger siblings.

Most of us agree on the iPad's shortcomings, but how would you feel about a tablet that's on par with the power and general functionality of a netbook?