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Krisando

84 posts

Master Geek
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#59002 24-Mar-2010 19:50
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I have recently been looking at smartphones/netbooks and tablets, I was not impressed with the price or the features. On this note I stumbled across the most amazing, capable PC/smart phone/tablet/GPS/Gaming hand held device for such an astonishing price. It runs the Android operating system, has support for 3G and ontop of that comes with Google chromium (linux distribution).

I'd like to point out through the Android operating system, you may text via voice. ;) And having googles apps/services such as google maps with GPS and email services it makes for a handy toolset.

They say 2010 is the year of the tablet, with Apple charging $499 US for their cheapest (worst) model. Googles own Android phone Nexus one for $800-900ish NZ.

Tablets are generally very expensive, you can spend large funds on a pretty low grade pc without 3G capabilities. I just googled and found them from $500-5000 US.

The Archos 9 tablet device was going to be its rival, but every aspect of this device is far from comparable. Selling for $550 US.

--

The device I am extremely excited about is the "Freescale Smartbook Tablet".

Specs:

- ARM Cortex-A8 1GHz
- OpenVG & OpenGL/ES graphics cores
- HD video decoder hardware
· Memory: 512 MB DDR2
· Display: 7-inch (1024 x 600) touch screen
· Storage: 4-64 GB internal storage; removable micro SD
· Connectivity: 3G modem (option) 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, RF4CE (option)
· Ports: USB 2.0 and USB mini (also for charging), audio in/audio out, SIM card
· Audio: speaker, microphone
· Camera: 3 Mpixel (video recording up to VGA @ 30fps)
· Battery: 1900mAh, USB charging
· Sensors: the MMA8450Q 3-axis accelerometer and an ambient light sensor
· Power management IC

Even for a tablet or even more so a smart phone these are extreme. The battery rumored to last around 10 hours, quoted all day from the manufacturers. 1900mAh is a massive amount.

Lets have a look at this baby: ;D-<

YUMMMY

YUMMMY2

The price is a nice: $199-249 US, $283.10 NZ!!! depending on configuration *Faints* Even if NZ does not get or price increase in NZ, there are ways to import via a middle man service. :)

 

Sources:

http://www.slashgear.com/freescale-smartbook-tablet-reference-revealed-200-all-day-3g-slate-0467477

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2010/01/freescale-tablet.html

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Linuxluver
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  #311325 25-Mar-2010 16:04
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This looks awesome. I have a couple of Android phones and love'em to bits. So powerful...and you can do anything with them. But it would be great to have the same OS on a larger device that could run the SAME software. 

That would be serioulsy awesome.....potentially unifying the apps on smartphone *and* de facto "desktop" tablet (let's face it....this is what it actually is).

I guess the problem I see is Google have Chrome OS lined up for larger devices....while Android may actually be the better bet given it already has a big user base. 

I see shades of the Windows 3.0 / OS/2 paradigm emerging......with the later hotness being sidelined by the first piece of awesome that was 'good enough'.  

Having played with the Chromium OS beta from 17yo "Hexxa" In my judgement, Chrome is a more restricted environment and I'd PREFER to have Android on one of these devices.   




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plod
272 posts

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  #311327 25-Mar-2010 16:08
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So is this vaporware, or is there actually some of these out in the wild being tested? All looks very promising but until I see it officially released I won't be holding my breath. Competition is great, it brings down the prices.

Asmodeus
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  #311330 25-Mar-2010 16:10
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Wow that's cheap! A lot cheaper than a maxi-pad. I suppose you need to factor in the cost of a micro-SD card (unless you already have one) but even then... Would be awesome if there was a great app for controlling/viewing your htpc. Hell it's cheaper than a top-end harmony remote...



Krisando

84 posts

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  #311391 25-Mar-2010 18:20
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Linuxluver: Having played with the Chromium OS beta from 17yo "Hexxa" In my judgement, Chrome is a more restricted environment and I'd PREFER to have Android on one of these devices.

Personally I haven't used Chromium but how is it restrictive? Is it like windows 95 without a modem and a connection. Or Symbian S40 firmware on a smartphone of which can do nothing amazing except texting, videos and camera.

I think a nice combination of using both is the way to go, these phone OS's are lacking many features/architecture for which PC's are known for. I'm totally sick of buying the top of the line (crabby) Nokia phones with a crabby firmware or OS which has very few features, no real development environment or thought put into the phone and its uses other then texting and calling.

Having the brute power of a PC's architecture on such a portable and capable device is a dream.

Asmodeus: Wow that's cheap! A lot cheaper than a maxi-pad. I suppose you need to factor in the cost of a micro-SD card (unless you already have one) but even then...


Well an 4gb SDHC class 6 is easily obtainable for $15 now (when I got mine a year ago), 8gb is similar pricing. They are rather affordable, sometimes it is cheaper to buy a bulk of small ones and use one card for a specific use. I'd stash up my Genesis roms. =D

Plod: So is this vaporware, or is there actually some of these out in the wild being tested? All looks very promising but until I see it officially released I won't be holding my breath. Competition is great, it brings down the prices.


The name freescale is written everywhere, even the official website is freescale so I presume it is a freescale product. :P

--

Also the cool thing about this not been primarily a smartphone is it would be unlocked!!

MikeyPI
450 posts

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  #311466 25-Mar-2010 22:26
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by vapourware he means does it actually exist? Or just concept

Linuxluver
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  #311480 25-Mar-2010 23:49
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plod: It looks like a prototype / technology demo.




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Linuxluver
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  #311481 25-Mar-2010 23:53
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Krisando: Chromium -so far - is an operating system version of the Chrome web browser. It's a linux variant with the browser as the UI. There are a series of tabs. Each tab is a discreet task 'space'. There is a reserved system tab. The apps are Chrome "extensions". It works fairly well even at this early stage. Hexxah has set it up so you can make a USB-bootable thumb drive of the OS from an iso image easily and quickly.

If you Google "Hexxah" and "Chromium" you'll have no trouble finding it. Remember...this guy is 17yo. Incredible.




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Krisando

84 posts

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  #311749 26-Mar-2010 21:22
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No it's not a concept, it just has been labeled the features. If you saw a Nintendo ds labeling all the parts such as microphone you wouldn't necessarily think it was a concept. Businesses have access to this tech for testing purposes and showing off. =)

gadgetmannz
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  #314531 4-Apr-2010 04:29
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I'm hanging out to see the new HP slate and how much they sell them for. They're supposed to be affordable for the mainstream public. Well I guess we'll wait and see. The Archos 9 has been getting some pretty bad reviews.




jjnz1
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  #315585 6-Apr-2010 23:40
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I'm not sure if too much has been said within GeekZone about this little beauty - a tablet with full HD and HDMI out.

Here is a little run down before you go and look at the website http://www.notionink.in/adamtechspecs.php


160 hours of audio/e-book reading (with screen in Mono E-Ink mode)
16 hours 1080p FULL HD movie time
10.1" WSVGA (1024*600) with 3 modes
AGPS
3G/Bluetooth/Wifi a/b/g
Mouse track pad on the back
USBx2
SD Card (eMMC)
DUAL Core 1Ghz Nivida Tegra
3.2MP Swivel Camera
600-650 grams
Google Android OS with Multi-Touch
Adam Tablet
I'm pretty sure a price hasn't been made public but some sources (YouTube) say $500-$600US, with the product to be released possibly 4th Q 2010.

If enough Android apps becomes available, this would be the top in my Xmas list, far above any other tablet.

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