You might be rocking Windows 8 Consumer Preview on your laptop or desktop PC, but manufacturers are also planning on packing this OS onto an array of tablet devices due later this year. Because we don't know a whole lot about these upcoming devices, we're left to speculate about the specs and manufacturers that will uncover Windows 8 tablets in the latter half of this year.
One of the big questions is who will be first. Dell has said it will release a Windows 8 tablet the day Windows 8 ships to customers, but it seems Dell isn't the only one with lofty plans of being the first horse out the gate. According to the latest rumors, Lenovo is also gunning for the leading spot. The Verge reports that the company is internally planning to be the very first manufacturer to release a Windows 8 tablet and that it believes October will be the month Windows 8 ships.
"Our source wouldn't provide any details on the slate, save that it will use an Intel chip," writes The Verge's Sean Hollister, adding that Lenovo showed off the 13.3-inch IdeaPad Yoga at CES 2012.
The IdeaPad Yoga won one of our CES 2012 awards in January of this year. This unique notebook measures just 0.76-inches thick and weighs 3.1 lbs. Powered by Intel Core family of processors and Windows 8, the device also packs up to 8 GB of RAM, and up to a 256 GB SSD. It will also feature soft touch rubber paint on the exterior for strong grip, a leather cover on the palm rest, and side buttons designed for ease of use across the range of usage modes.
Could the IdeaPad Yoga be the first Windows 8 tablet? Time will tell, but Lenovo said in January that the Yoga would be available in the second half of 2012 with an estimated starting retail price of $1,199, so it's certainly possible.
