[metamatt]

The forces in HP's favor in the tablet market are pretty different from the forces in Android's favor in the phone market.

But that said, I agree the tablet market is just heating up. The iPad is a pretty formidable competitor, not just because of its existing market share but really because it's a good product. Still, there's room for more than one product.

My impression (from reading press, not from firsthand experience) is that a few Android vendors (notably Samsung and Motorola) and RIM have all stepped up to the plate, took a swing, and pretty much struck out. Maybe they'll get better over time -- probably they will -- but it looks like they shipped too early and quality suffered as a result; the reviews I've read have been largely negative. Meanwhile Microsoft doesn't have anything coming soon.

All that means HP has a really good shot at the #2 spot right out of the gate.

If that's enough to get developers to return to webOS, the platform might still have a chance.