Apple,Google,and Amazon which earlier used to compete in separate technology segments are now competing head to head with each other in Smartphones,Digital Ebooks,SAAS,Music Players etc. You can see the technology consolidation around five to ten major technology behemoths which are now straddling large parts of the the technology spectrum. Google is bringing its open source software to this Tablet Battle which it hopes will attract more developers while Apple brings it marketing strength and hardware/software integration which has made it a iconic success .While Google mostly hope to defends it “search” turf here , Apple is in it for both the hardware and software revs from the sale of these tablet devicies.Amazon which was flying high with Kindle will become an also-ran like Nokia has become in the smartphone segment

Google, Verizon Wireless in Talks About a Tablet to Take On Apple’s IPad – Bloomberg

Google Inc. is in talks with Verizon Wireless to develop a tablet computer that would compete with Apple Inc.’s hit iPad.

The tablet will run on Google’s Android operating system, Marquett Smith, a spokesman for Verizon, said today in a phone interview. He declined to elaborate and said the carrier will release more details later this week.

The device would accelerate the rivalry between Apple and Google, which already compete in wireless software and mobile advertising. Apple released the iPad in the U.S. on April 3 and sold a million of them in 28 days. Mountain View, California- based Google has worked to move beyond its core business of Internet search and into mobile services.

“Everyone is going to have a device that is going to compete with the iPad,” said Al Hilwa, an analyst at research firm IDC in Seattle. “Apple created that market, legitimized it. Everybody has seen that this is going to be huge.”

Google has nothing to announce at this time, the company said in an e-mailed statement.

“Anyone can take the Android platform and add code or download it to create a mobile device without restrictions,” the company said. “We look forward to seeing what contributions are made and how an open platform spurs innovation.”