It was only about 6-weeks ago that TechCrunch decided they wanted to build a $200 web tablet, and they were trying to recruit all of the talent they could to get the job done. The image above is showing off the first prototype that has been assembled, but it won’t be nearly as thick as what you see:
Prototype A has been built. It’s in a temporary aluminum case that a local sheet metal shop put together for us that’s at least twice as thick as it needs to be, but the hardware has been defined and is nearing lockdown. We booted the machine in the case for the first time today, accessed the Wifi network and were able to navigate a web page via the touch screen.
They haven’t given out any of the hardware specs for the prototype, but I know they were shooting for 512MB of RAM and a 4GB Solid State Drive. The screen will be either 10 or 12 inches, but which one will likely depend on how much they need to lower costs in order to hit the $200 price point. All of this will be wrapped up with Linux using Firefox as the web browser of choice.
Unfortunately they didn’t put together a video demonstration of the unit working, but I’m sure it’s still pretty rough around the edges. I wonder how long it will be until we actually see one of these babies running in a slim and sleek casing?
Well done I say. I will be picking one up when TechCrunch is done with it, can’t wait. My inner geek is going crazy good thing I have the Eee Box to keep me buys.
I’m thinking of picking one up when all is said and done as well. That’s assuming that they are actually able to build this thing for the $200 that they are targeting. I don’t know if I’d pay much more than that for it.
Its ok, if they dont succeed, someone else will later.
The OLPC failed at their quixotic quest for the 100$ laptop (I think they were somewhere around 180$) but helped give birth to a whole new line of laptops: the netbooks.
Some chinese company annouced the 98$ laptop running Linux this week due in October.
Do you remember who created the 1st mp3 player?
Do you remember who came out with the first touch screen phone?
It doesnt matter. Trailblazers rarely succeed but they are necessary to pave the way forward.
My uncle has the HP TOuchsmart which looks like an iMac and lets you view photos and manipulate things on the big touchscreen. I told him to get ready to hear next year how someone is going to be coming out with the greatest products since his touchscreen computer: a touchscreen computer. And that company will from them be know as the ones who invented this product.