Google and Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC are working together on a tablet-style computer to compete with Apple's iPad, according to reports.

The search engine company and the smartphone maker have already partnered to produce Google's Nexus One phone. Neither have commented on the rumoured tablet.

The planned tablet computer will run Google's Chrome operating system, making it the first commercial device to employ the software. It is likely to be released in the market in November, possibly soon after Thanksgiving Day in the US.

Chrome is designed for the next generation of cloud-based web services, where applications run in the browser, rather than on a computer's hard drive.

According to technology blog Downloadsquad, the tablet will be initially available on the Verizon mobile network in the US and may be priced cheaper than the Apple iPad.