HP set for webOS tablets in February: Could the Slate drop Windows 7?

HP is set to announce one or more webOS tablets on 9 February. An HP boss has confirmed that a range of products will make an appearance at a launch event in San Francisco.

HP VP for personal systems Todd Bradley went on US telly to discuss the "ecosystem" of HP's devices, which will include tablets and smart phones based on a new version of the slick webOS mobile operating system.

webOS was developed by Palm and first seen on the Palm Pre. HP bought Palm in 2010 and is set to launch webOS smart phones, and it seems it'll stick the software in tablets and printers too.

HP's Slate 500 tablet is nearing release and has been set to run Windows 7, but Windows is not a mobile operating system and is a little unwieldy on tablets. It's possible that HP could opt for webOS 2.0 in the Slate instead.

HP is at pains to point out that the tablet market is "adjacent" to the PC market, but it would say that as it makes both desktop and mobile devices.

Bradley was speaking at US techfest CES 2011, but new HP tablets were conspicuous by their absence. HP has taken a leaf out of the Apple's marketing handbook by holding its own event, and distinguishing itself from the hundred  or so tablets on show in Las Vegas. But will HP's slate have the chops to take on the iPad and the best tablets from CES? Keep it Crave on 9 February to find out.