Microsoft is hoping to counter the success of Apple’s iPad via the launch of several new tablet computers running its Windows 7 operating system, CEO Steve Ballmer told a conference yesterday. New Windows-powered tablet or slate devices are in the pipeline from Acer, Dell, Samsung, Toshiba, Sony and a dozen other PC makers, Ballmer said at the company’s annual partner conference in Washington, reports Reuters. “This year, one of the most important things that we will do in the smart device category is really push forward with Windows 7-based slates,” said Ballmer. “This is a terribly important area for us.” Apple’s iPad – launched in April – has already sold more than 3 million units worldwide, and threatens to take customers away from the Microsoft-dominated desktop PC market.

The software giant also used the event to announce that online auction firm eBay, tech services company Fujitsu and PC-maker Dell are among the companies testing Microsoft’s new Windows Azure platform appliance, which lets customers implement Microsoft’s new “cloud” server technology in their own data centres. According to a separate Associated Press report, Japan-based Fujitsu will deploy the Windows Azure platform in its data centres, starting at its Tatebayashi centre near Tokyo by the end of 2010, to be followed by other locations around the world.