This is the year of the Tablet computer. Even Google is rumored to be planning a Tablet. The Microsft-HP tablet is also there, to mixed reviews . We have had tablet before but this boom in Tablets is fueled by the rise of smart phones and internet on mobiles becoming ubiquitous.

1. From now on, four devices will clamor for users' attention - e-book readers, net books, smartphones and tablets - all four have their own USPs. We will cover that some other time. Meanwhile, methinks Tablets will appeal to the graphic industry people (remember, these people are long-term Mac fans) as well as those of us who like to read on the screens. For many, Tablet computers will serve as Media centers where they store all their movies, music, photos, books etc. and access them wherever they want.
2. The Apple Tablet will probably be launched on Jan 27, 2010.
3. A former Google China President says Apple has ordered 10 million Tablets from a Chinese manufacturer. Yes, even Apple is made in China.
4. Apparently, Apple is already working some mobile operators, like Orange for example.
Update: Macrumors.com, no pun intended quotes some sources that the Apple table will have no camera.
5. The guys at iSuppli estimate that the Apple tablet would costs $340 in parts. Since many think the Tablet is actually a bigger version of the iPhone (larger screen, bigger battery), iSuppli had earlier estimated cost of 16 GB iPhone 3GS at $180. That was the starting point for cost estimation.
- CPU is big component isuppli says using an Intel Atom processor would add $100 to the cost, while using an ARM-based processor would lower the cost by $50
6. The current rumor about the price of the Apple Tablet is $1000, which some say is too high for "an iPhone on steroids" For that price, you can get 3 Netbooks.
7. Some say Apple is deliberately fueling rumors about pricing. They believe Apple is going to blow people away with the new product and then purposefully reduce the price to drive sales resulting from praise from all over.
8. One key feature users will like with a tablet is an easy Docking station and Apple apparently has filed a patent for one some time back.
9. The media industry wants Tablets to succeed, so that they can sell their stuff in more salable forms. Witness the success of iPhone app store, for example.
Alan Mutter, a respected news 2.0 analyst, says media companies must harness the full interactive capabilities of tablet machines and lists out 5 ways how to go about it.
10. Finally, does the rise of the Tablet means the end of typing and writing - hardly. For heavy typists (like this writer) or people who must do a lot of note-taking and offline grunt work, Tablets will hold secondary importance.

After all, it is just the age of personal entertainment.

Related read:
How Apple Works the Press, How it does controlled News leaks
After talking with a former Apple employee, this writer says ahat Apple method is geared towards promotion of rumors which the company will go on to deny and thus keep the cycle of controlled misinformation going.

... orchestrated in a way as to make it easy for Apple to deny that they ever said anything.