Despite being the only brick and mortar retailer currently offering the Apple iPad, Best Buy reportedly is still developing its own tablet to try to sell directly to consumers.
Robert Stephens, Best Buy chief technology officer and GeekSquad founder, recently posted a couple of revealing tweets and pictures about the prototype tablet. These tweets were posted on August 4 and included the following picture:
It typically proves interesting when a retailer tries to manufacture products, but Best Buy has some experience with similar efforts. The company has its Insignia line of electronics, and has its own Rocketfish lineup of re-branded products. These products receive mixed reviews, as some work better than others.
Stevens later clarified and said he had been posting tablet photos for quite some time. However, he also posed the following question to a Twitter user: "the question is: Is 2.2 ready for the tablet interface?" in reference to Google Android 2.2.
I’m hopeful -- maybe optimistically so -- that Best Buy will be able to teach its PC salespeople about a Best Buy-branded tablet. After all, what good will a tablet be if you have an ineffective sales staff? Even so, it's interesting to hear rumors that a retailer wants to develop its own tablet to offer to consumers at a time when so many rivals are launching similar devices.
Acer, Asus, Lenovo, Toshiba and LG have all promised tablet devices, among other manufacturers, but very few products have been released to the market. One of the more interesting tablet launches as of late has been a 7 inch Android tablet for $149 arriving at Kmart stores.
The Apple iPad has helped generate a high level of interest in tablet devices, and now manufacturers are trying to scramble into the market.
I think this is a clever way for Best Buy to try to get some attention to a possible tablet, but I refuse to believe we'll see an actual product launch until we see more than just a shell.
