We can expect devices featuring OMAP 5 chips next year, and we might even see some preview devices later this year. There's a slightly less powerful version within the range for cellphones too.

Should a tablet manufacturer decide to go down the OMAP 5 route (and there are offering similar ARM offers), they'll be able to produce devices that--in terms of power, at least-- we use our desktop and laptop computers for.

Such devices won't be cheap, of course. At least for the next few years, OMAP 5 is destined only for high-end devices. But in their capability to offer the kind of computing power required for truly seamless tablet computing, OMAP 5 devices might just be worth the price.

Keir Thomas has been writing about computing since the last century, and more recently has written several best-selling books. You can learn more about him at and his Twitter feed is .