Samsung is added to list of companies that will try to steal some of Apple's glory in the tablet PC market, with the release of its own device as early as July. "We are developing a tablet pad-related product and plan to release it in the market after the first half (of this year)," a Samsung executive was qoted to say analysts during a conference call, Yonap News agency reported today.

Samsung has not replied to an inquiry for a comment.

Apple's iPad is provoking many players in the hardware and software industry to respond with new devices that could compete with Apple's move into the market.

HP has already given tiny glimpses of the HP slate device coming out later this year. According to HP, the slate essentially represents a brand new product category that sits between smartphones and netbooks, which the company call minis. Slates are thin, light, touch-enabled multimedia devices with a screen size somewhere between 6 and 10-inches. It is expected to be released by midyear.

Nokia is also planning its own entry to the digital book reader market. The phone maker has already entered the netbook market with the release of its Booklet 3G model last August.

Microsoft also plans to release its own version of HP's slate. Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer unveiled the new HP tablet computer at the end of his keynote speech at the CES technology show in Las Vegas last January.

Finally Google, is also expected to begin selling its version of a computer like Apple's iPad. The company has been reportedly experimenting with a few publishers to explore delivery of books, magazines and other content on a tablet.