Rumours spread of Google tablet to take on Apple’s iPad

Just one week after Apple announced its long-awaited iPad tablet device to the market, rumours suggest internet giant Google may have a similar gadget of its own in the works.

It comes as animosity grows between the once strong allies Google and Apple, with Apple chief executive Steve Jobs reportedly dismissing the search giant’s “don’t be evil” motto as “bullshit”.

Pictures leaked to the Chromium website, along with several other blogs, show the design of a prototype Google tablet running the Chrome operating system, with tech analysts suggesting such a project is in the pipeline for release.

The pictures show a rectangular device, similar in size to the iPad, with a black bezel surrounding the screen with no buttons.

While the Chromium site is not actually a party of Google, it is reported these pictures have been put together by Google Chrome designer Glen Murphy.

Google Chrome OS is a web-based operating system which has been in the works at the company’s labs for some time, and is designed to run on Netbooks and other types of stripped-down computers.

The actual user interface shows a virtual keyboard, similar to the iPad’s, with a number of different web-based programs being used. The pictures also show a simple file system, along with the ability to run different window and programs at once.

In contrast, analysts have criticised the iPad for not including multi-task or Flash plugin support. The Google tablet is expected to have both these features.

It is understood there could be a number of tablet devices created by other manufacturers running the Google Chrome OS, with the company branding one of these as the “official” Google tablet.

This would be similar to how the Google Android operating system runs on a number of mobile handsets, but only the Nexus One handset has been given Google’s support as its official phone.

The rumours are the latest to support the growing trend of the tablet computer. Analysts have pointed out these “slates”, which are essentially laptop computers without a physical keyboard, are growing in popularity and could eventually dominate the Netbook market.

“After seeing what Apple has planned for the iPad, I think more and more companies are going to warm to the idea of offering an Internet-focused tablet or media pad. Chrome OS is in a great position to power some of those devices,” Christian Warren from Mashable wrote.

Google has provided no statement on the Google tablet, or confirmed its existence.