Hasta La Gadget!

The show floor is still under construction, but when Computex 2010 opens its doors tomorrow in Taipei, Taiwan, expect to see a parade of netbooks, 3D displays, and lot of would-be competitors to the Apple iPad. 

One of the key trends at Computex this year is expected to be tablet computers designed to go head to head with the iPad. Last week, Acer showed off an Android-based tablet at its annual sales conference in Beijing, and that device will probably make an appearance in here in Taipei as well. What’s more, both Asus and MSI are expected to debut Windows 7-based tablets at the show. Dell and Sony also plan to launch tablets this year, although they probably won’t make the show floor.

Granted, the tablet market has been downright dormant for years, but the iPad has given the segment a big boost; and vendors here at Computex sense an opportunity. Although tablets are still a small part of the overall computer industry, they could grow fast. According to ABI Research new-generation tablet PCs will reach 4 million units this year and could swell to 58 million by 2015.

This is the 30th anniversary of Computex, Asia’s largest technology trade show. According to the Computex organizers, there will be more than 1,700 manufacturers on the show floor, filling more than 4,600 booths.

The show extends across the city of Taipei, from the Taipei’s World Trade Center and Nangang Exhibition Hall. The show opens officially tomorrow, June 1st, and runs through June 5th.

Take a look at our Computex 2010 slideshow at PCMag.com.