LinuxTablet
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Spark Linux tablet specs updated, going up for pre-order next week
We already got a brief introduction to the Spark Linux-based tablet, but details were a little sparse. Since then, a few more key bits of info have been added to its Q&A page, which might help sway your purchasing decision. That KDE Plasma Active UI we knew it'd be sporting will stare out at you via a modest 800 x 480 screen, and there's a 1.3 megapixel snapper tucked in alongside for video calling. The 1GHz / 512 MB internals we initially reported remain unchanged and the two USB ports and 3.5mm audio jack we saw in the pre-release picture above also get the official seal. There's talk of GPS making it into the next iteration, but for now you'll have to find your own way. The main news, however, is that pre-orders are pegged for next week, and shipping set for May. The initial focus is on Europe, but plans for it to arrive in US retailers are apparently underway. If that's suitably tickled your fancy, head on over the break and tap the source for more info.
Canonical making full-fledged Ubuntu tablet push in early 2011
Were Ubuntu Linux ported to any device you could name, it wouldn't be much of a surprise, but developer Canonical intends to release a tablet-specific branch of the OS this time. Like previous efforts on netbook and MID, you can expect the new version to be something of an Ubuntu Light, but with new multitouch gestures and an on-screen keyboard lovingly baked in. Based on Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat," the tablet version will actually be rolled into Ubuntu Light later on, but right now the company's busy romancing hardware providers -- Freescale, Marvell, and Texas Instruments have all signed deals, and both Intel and Pixel Qi will reportedly bring power-saving tech to the table. Time will tell if that means a Armada 618 or OMAP 4 powering the display of our dreams, or yet another ARM-based craptablet with a resistive screen.
Shogo 10-inch Linux tablet is a Qooq minus the recipes -- and the feet (video)
Last year's Qooq tablet hardly made much of a splash in the gadget industry, despite its cooking prowess and silly little feet. Now, the manufacturer behind the device, Realease, is shaving down the appendages and ditching the recipes to create the Shogo, a 10-inch, capacitive-touch Linux tablet. Two models will be offered with Freescale processors, one with the i.MX37 and another with the faster i.MX51, and much of the device's functionality will be provided through a webkit-based browser. We're a little unclear about the distribution plans here, as it really sounds like Realease would prefer to sell this thing in bulk to businesses than individually to shlemiels like us, but the thing apparently could go into mass production within a few months. Will it? Let's just say we're not quite as excited about that possibility as Charbax gets in the demonstration video below.
WePad comes out of tablet hiding, reveals its €450 price and August availability
There's no I in pad. Only we, of course. Yeah, we've been wanting to make that joke for awhile -- but in all seriousness, Neofonie, makers of the 11.6-inch WePad, held a press conference in Berlin today to reveal a bit more about its Linux-based slate. According to our German counterparts there will be two versions of the Intel Atom N450-powered tablet, which has two USB ports and an onboard webcam -- the 16GB / WiFi version will go for €450 and the 64GB / HD capable model for €569. We're a bit intrigued by the promised "full HD" support of the larger version, but Neofonie was quick to say that there is no NVIDIA inside. Hmm... Broadcom's Crystal HD, perhaps? The company wasn't willing to let reporters play with the early build of the multitouch device, but they did show off some videos of the Linux interface. You can watch a few after the break, but the live widget-based GUI looks extremely attractive and amongst other things, the browser supports Flash. It sort of hurts that we won't be able to get our hands on one until August, but we're happy to hear that the company, unlike some others, is taking the time to get things right. Updated: We can't help but laugh at the fact that many sites are reporting that the WePad on display at yesterday's press conference was actually running Windows 7 underneath the Linux-looking UI. Apparently the company has more work to do than we originally thought.
