WePad - iPad killer from Germany

Here is the rival (killer) for iPad ..... read on....

The German maker of a new tablet PC is setting out to rival Apple’s iPad with the promise of even more technology such as a bigger screen, a webcam and USB ports.

Two USB ports allow users to connect all kinds of devices with the WePad, from external keyboards to data sticks.People who want to put music on their WePad do not have to have any particular software - a blow at Apple’s devices that require particular Apple software like iTunes.The WePad’s basic version, which comes with Wi-Fi and 16-gigabyte storage, is set to cost euro449 ($600), the larger 32-gigabyte version with a fast 3G modem is euro569.

The iPad - which hit stores in the U.S. less than a month ago - is on sale there starting at $499 for the smallest version, coming with Wi-Fi and 16 GB storage.The WePad, with its 11.6-inch (29.5-centimeter) screen, is powered by an Intel chip and relies on a Linux software basis which is compatible with Google’s Android and all Flash applications.

When it hits stores starting in late July, it will also boast a complete open source office package.The WePad is to be assembled by a manufacturer in Asia .

WePad will help the media industry find a way to market paid content and hopes to appeal to publishers, some of whom are disgruntled with Apple’s pricing policy and restrictions.The device would allow publishers to sell their content on its platform without monopolizing the customer relationship, as Apple’s iTunes or Amazon’s Kindle do, the company said.

Apple’s iPad will go on sale in Germany at the end of April, according to the company’s Web site. This would give the iPad roughly a three month lead on its German competitor.