Intel unveils Tizen tablets at CES

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Tizen powered tablet showcased at the CES, and Intel believes it to be one of the top three tablet OS after Windows 8 and ICS

Pallab Jyotee Hazarika, Published 01/15/2012

Intel believes their Linux based OS Tizen which evolved from MeeGo would be one of the top three OSs this year, along with Windows 8 and Android 4.0 or the Ice Cream Sandwich. According to Mark Miller, director of marketing for Intel Netbook and tablet segments, Intel has made a commitment to move faster in the tablet business.

At the CES a slim, light Lenovo Android-powered tablet, which run on Intel’s new Medfield Atom Z2460 chipset is being showcased. The Lenovo tablet is under 9mm thick and runs for up to eight hours on a charge. It will arrive in the market by midyear as commented by Miller.

In the US the Motorola devices will follow the same as recently Intel CEO Paul Otellini announced a multiyear relationship with Motorola to build phones and tablets based on Intel chips.

Nokia pulled out of its alliance with Intel to promote the MeeGo operating system last year, and Intel shortly afterwards evolved the OS to Tizen in an alliance with Samsung. Although after that much is not heard about that OS since then.

It was mostly used by tablets sold by wireless carriers. The carriers are interested in Tizen as it enables them to differentiate as mentioned by miller. He also added that a lot more cab be added to the UI and they are looking at Tizen as they can’t skin Android enough.

In order to ramp up the number applications quickly the new OS will have to rely on HTML 5. Miller also hinted that more information about the Tizen will be out of mobile World Congress next month.

The transition to Tizen is expected to happen by next quarter and development plans are still being worked on.