Tablet PCs have been wildly overpriced.
Now, however, Intel OEMs are about to come out with convertible tablets starting at $499+, minus possible OS costs.
One more option for e-book lovers?
Granted, the 8.9-inch resistive touch screen is hardly perfect at 1024 x 600 resolution, and this isn’t the lightest machine.
Who might like the CTL 2go Tablet
Still, the CTL 2go Tablet might be right for some people interested in multiple uses and the ability to run programs such as Digital Editions and Mobipocket. For newcomers, yes, “convertible” in this case means the ability to function as both a tablet and laptop like the OLPC XO-1, even if the keyboard might be too small.
From Laptop Magazine—source of the above image (and a video in the linked article):
[CTL] plans to sell a very limited supply starting in mid-December (it will be in retail channels in January 2009) for a starting price of $499. The specs are similar to what Engadget reported a few weeks back: The 8.9-inch system packs a 1.6GHz Atom 270 processor, 1GB of RAM, 60GB HDD and 802.11b/g/n WiFi. The final version will also come with a 6-cell battery (our test unit has a 4-cell). According to CTL, pricing is still being worked out. The hardware without an OS will cost $499. The Ubuntu Linux version will retail for that price, but we assume the Windows XP Home version will be about $50 more…
Until we get a look at ASUS’ touchscreen Eee PCs we can firmly say the 2go tablet looks to be the most promising netbook with tablet capabilities on the market. Though the keyboard is an area of concern, its durable features, accelerometer and responsive touchscreen are all compelling for a $500 price. However, to make our final assessment, we will need to get a production unit.
Related: Techmeme roundup.
I’m looking for an ebook reader AND a netbook, so, yeah, this isn’t too bad. Like the OLPC, but faster and with a keyboard that doesn’t fall apart over time.