Is 2011 the year of the tablet?

Will this be the year that tablet computers become hugely popular? Many manufacturers are betting on it.

Tomorrow the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) begins in Las Vegas. This annual exhibition is the venue where makes of computers, home electronics, cell phones and other toys launch new products. Early intelligence indicates that at least 47 new tablet computers are set to be launched at this year’s show.

One of the eagerly anticipated entries is the new tablet from RIM, maker of the Blackberry. RIM has invested heavily in tablet development, so this launch will be a major test of their ability to move beyond their handheld Blackberry market.

Apple’s market leading iPad dominates the tablet market, but that could change. In my opinion, the iPad is vulnerable due to some of its weaknesses, such as the lack of common ports for physical connectivity, small storage capacity, and its slowness in switching between applications (unlike faster netbooks).

Whatever happens, I think that seeing a bunch of new tablet models, and likely manufacturers new to the market, is good for the category. Differing combinations of features and physical form will appeal to different consumers, and help to grow the market and open up new possibilities for tablet use.