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Lego bot built to test Kno's tablet textbook, human overlords watch gleefully (video)
Just because the first few tablet textbooks have shipped doesn't mean that members of Kno's development team are resting on their laurels. Product testing on the Kno tablet continues -- and it looks like Lego is doing the heavy lifting. They've put our favorite plastic building blocks to work by constructing a Kno stress tester out of Lego Technic parts. The robot checks both the Kno's ambient light sensor and the ability of its touchscreen to accurately track the system's pen swipes and flicks. Though not as intricate as a Lego replica of a 2000+ year old mechanical computer, the robot -- with its hypnotic pendulum-like motion -- is still a sight to behold. Check the video after the break.
Kno tablets start shipping this week: quick, make desk space!
Did you happen to pre-order a single- or dual-screen 14.1-inch Kno tablet textbook? Alright, we're assuming that schools and wealthy students were the only ones that actually did, but regardless, the monster-sized tablets are starting to ship out this week. According to the press release after the break, both the single- and dual-display versions are being boxed up and will be sent out to those early pre-orderers over the next couple of weeks. However, if you were hoping that this would mark the launch of the general availability of the enlarged tablets, that's just not the case yet -- you still have to receive an "invitation" and complete a "request for purchase" form on its website. That means even we'll be waiting longer to get one of these our hands, but if you're one of the lucky ones to receive one of these bad boys this week, let us what you think of it in the comments!
Kno prices tablet textbooks: $599 for single-screen, $899 for double
Looks like Kno kept to its "under $1,000" MSRP promise, after all, and by more than just a penny. The company says its flagship tablet textbook is still on track for release by the end of this year -- with limited available, at least -- tagged at $899 for the original double-screen model and $599 for the single-screener. Speaking to All Things D, CEO Osman Rashid estimates first-run production "in the thousands" and also claims ten as-of-now unnamed universities will be the first targets for the device. Less than eight weeks to go -- just worry about getting through fall semester finals for now.
