Cisco unveiled a tablet computer

Networking giant Cisco unveiled a tablet computer for business professionals on Tuesday as technology rivals line up to compete with Apple's iPad.

The Cisco Cius, pronounced "see us," is powered by Google's open-source Android operating system and boasts eight hours of battery life.

Cisco said customer trials of the Cius would begin later this year and the device would be available in the first quarter of next year.

It weighs 1.15 pounds (0.52 kilograms), less than the iPad's 1.5 pounds (0.68 kgs), and has a seven-inch (17.8-centimeter) screen, smaller than the 9.7-inch (24.6-cm) screen on the Apple device.

Unlike the iPad, which does not have a camera, the Cius features two -- a front-mounted high-definition camera which allows for HD video streaming and real-time video, and a five-megapixel rear-facing camera.

The Cius also offers email, instant messaging, Web browsing through Wi-Fi and eventually 4G connectivity, and the ability to produce, edit and share content stored locally or on the Internet, Cisco said in a statement.

Cisco said the device was designed to provide workers with "the ability to access and share the content they need from any place on the network."

"This platform can transform how healthcare professionals advance patient care, how retailers deliver service experiences to consumers, or how universities deliver world-class education to their students," said Tony Bates, a Cisco senior vice president.

US computer giant Dell last month unveiled a tablet computer called the "Streak" which is also powered by Google's Android.

Apple said last week that it has sold more than three million iPads since the device went on sale on April 3.

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HP and IBM to face challenge by CISCO Virtualization???

Cisco is getting ready to challenge its very long compatriots HP co and IBM in the playground that they dominate the market.

According to a report in Monday's The New York Times by Reg alumnus Ashlee Vance, Cisco's purported server line's selling point will be its "sophisticated virtualization software."

Cisco already owns 2% of VM Ware.In the present scenario Complex Virtualization schemes are becoming the rule , Cisco is in a strong position to use its networking history or network savvy to bind servers together into one big virtualised family. well this will be a perfect move by cisco to compete its competetors .

But the interesting thing is to look on how IBM and HP Co gonna react on this move by CISCO as they were supporting CISCO networking hardware for years in the market. This is like thier own companion throwing the challenge in their playground.

But CISCO says that this not to "Enter into the new market, but this is just a market transition."But HP and IBM might become aggressive with the move of CISCO when ever it happens

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