HP confirms 2011 launch for webOS tablet

Rumours about an HP webOS tablet or smartphone have been circulating for some time

HP has confirmed that it will release a tablet device in 2011 based on the recently acquired Palm webOS operating system.

The vendor had been expected to release a tablet or smartphone based on webOS ever since it bought ailing smartphone maker Palm earlier this year.

At the end of July it emerged that HP had filed a trademark application with the US Patent and Trademark Office for the name 'Palmpad'.

The application describes the upcoming device as a handheld, portable and mobile computer.

Rumours surfaced last week that HP executive vice president Todd Bradley had let slip internally that the project is codenamed 'Hurricane'.

Bradley has now provided public confirmation of a real product behind the speculation during HP's latest investor relations Q&A call, according to widespread reports.

"You'll see us with a Microsoft product out in the near future and a webOS-based product in early 2011," he said.

HP's webOS and tablet roadmaps have been the subject of much industry chatter, but its plans have been up in the air, with speculation that HP's initial slate will be shipped to enterprise customers with a Windows operating system.