The tablet format has recently (largely due to the Apple's "i-tablet" hype) gained widespread acceptance in the mainstream (and significantly also in the media). Some large manufacturers have already entered the segment or are in the process of introducing their offerings.

The fourth shifts in Chinese sweatshops are churning out a wild range of devices based on an ARM chip (often rev'd-up ARM11) and a touchscreen.

Most manufacturers are joining the Android eco-system, but some large players such as RIM or HP may go with homegrown systems.

On Maemo Planet, EIPI recently highlighted Nokia's abandonment of the "tablet companion" segment, which they basically pioneered some five years ago but gave up on halfway through... apparently RIM are now planning a tablet companion device to tether with their more text-based blackberry phones.

The arguments and opinions in this thread - both pro and con - wrt. tablet companion devices have been interesting, but I still stand by mine.

Nokia with their massive base of S40 and Symbian "sticks" out there (and of course the Maemo and Meego user and developer communities) could have been among the main beneficiaries and leaders of the affordable mobile phone companion device market...

Oh well, the companion device platform still seems to be emerging, but with Nokia and probably also Maemo/Meego safely out of the picture.