• Read more about Is Mobile Computing Getting Too Fragmented Device-Wise?

If the increasing number of tablet computer options hasn't caught your interest, maybe the one HTC is planning will. If you're a woman. The idea is that women do a great deal of social networking, such as on Facebook, and HTC thinks this is something they might like to do while watching TV. They're considering an Android-based HD tablet aimed at women.

Now does HTC really want to fragment their potential market share like that? I mean, I use my iPad to check email and Facebook while I watch all the programs recorded on my DVR -- multitasking. Does that mean I need a special man-version? What about all the women who want a tablet computer but not for social networking while watching TV? What version do they use? Doesn't it make more sense to have a single tablet but with specialized configurable features? Or special cases in different colors and patterns? What compelling features will such a female-specific HTC tablet have that would persuade the numerous women I know who use netbooks to check Facebook while watching TV?

While competition is always a good thing, it seems to me that HTC's approach is just fragmenting the mobile computing market a little too much. What do you think?

Trying to make sense of your mobile device and apps options? Want to discuss a mobile Web or native mobile app for your business or projects? Feel free to contact us to discuss your app or mobile campaign needs.

• Read more about Next OLPC Not a Laptop, Not a Netbook

Remember the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) campaign aimed at providing children in developing nations with affordable computing devices? It ended up costing way too much, but there's a new, relatively inexpensive option. The next version of the campaign's device won't even be a laptop, it'll be a tablet computer.

According to specs in Fortune, the XO-3 will be a 9-inch, Android-based tablet made by Marvell. It'll have one or two cameras, Wi-Fi, and a multi-touch screen. It'll also work with a plugin mouse and keyboard. Apparently it'll be capable of playing HD video, too.

One of the benefits of this device is that it'll be easier to support a variety of languages than was the case with the previous OLPC because of the physical keyboard. A virtual keyboard, on the other hand, can be switched, for example, to non-Latin characters on the fly.

The hardware is expected to cost $99 initially, but drop to $75 by 2011. Sounds pretty cheap, but at least one Asian manufacturer is planning Android-based tablet computers for $100-150, to be released by the second half of 2010.

Who knows? They might even have a similar deal as with the old OLPC, where you could buy two devices for a fairly reasonable price -- by N. American standards -- and one device would be given as a gift to a student in a developing country. If they manage the $75 price tag, I'm looking forward to getting a couple of these for my twin nieces -- who were addicted to my iPad within minutes of trying it -- as well as maybe contributing some.

• Read more about Send in the (Apple iPad) Clones

Even if you have no interest in Apple's new iPad tablet computer, you probably can't get away from news about it, so you probably already know that it's pretty hard to get your hands on one, even in the United States. International availability will be done in phases, and it seems the date keeps getting pushed forwards, making a longer wait. But if you're not sold on the iPad, there'll be a number of competitors offering similar devices, and probably fairly quickly.

Currently, no less than Sony, Google, Nokia, RIM and BT (British Telecom), are considering releasing an iPad competitor, according to various online sources. Dell's Streak tablet (5", 7", 10" versions) will be out fairly soon, especially in Europe. HP just bought Palm and seemingly scrapped their Windows 7 tablet project shortly afterwards. I wouldn't be surprised if they soon have a tablet with Palm WebOS out in the future. And of course there are a while slew of other companies with tablet devices already out, including Fusion Garage's JooJoo and Aigo's N700.