While everyone’s waiting for big named companies to reveal their upcoming tablet offerings (Apple, Microsoft, HP to name a few), Freescale has unveiled their tablet PC offering targeted for netbook market.
The design is still on paper but I’m pretty sure you’ll be very pleased to see that the target price for this nifty gadget is the low price of $200 (around Php 9,000). The Smartbook Tablet carries a 7″ touch panel with 1024 x 600 resolution and will be powered by an ARM-based core that will come from Freescale’s shelves. This shaves quite a bit on the gadget’s expected price since, instead of buying processors from Intel or AMD or any other ARM manufacturer, Freescale will simply send their own and the savings go straight to the consumer 😀
The Smartbook tablet is set to market with a custom Linux build that carries applications that a typical netbook would use (Internet browser, basic office suite, etc) and provide an “all day battery life” (that’ll prolly work out at 8 hours and up).
Now go back to the fact that the target price for this tablet is $200. Appealing isn’t it? Very appealing considering that upcoming tablet models (iSlate? Courier?) are expected to have a price point upwards of $700.
Tentatively release date for Freescale’s Smartbook Tablet is February along with the following specifications:
- Size: 200mm by 128mm by 14.9cm and weighing 376 grams; no need for fan or heat sink
- Processor: Freescale i.MX515 applications processor provides high performance and low power
- ARM Cortex-A8 1GHz
- OpenVG & OpenGL/ES graphics cores
- HD video decoder hardware
- Memory: 512 MB DDR2
- Display: 7-inch (1024 by 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 Megapixel (video recording up to VGA @ 30fps)
- Battery: 1900mAh, USB charging
- Sensors: the MMA8450Q three-axis accelerometer and an ambient light sensor
- Power management IC
Smartbook reference design features
- Size: small/thin form factor (200mm x 128mm x 14.9cm and weighing 376 grams); no need for fan or heat sink
- Processor: Freescale i.MX515 applications processor provides high performance and low power
- ARM Cortex-A8 core
- OpenVG & OpenGL/ES graphics cores
- HD video decoder hardware
- Power management IC:
- Battery charging system for both USB and wall charging
- Output buck converters for the processor core and memory
- Boost converters for LCD backlighting
- Serial backlight drivers for displays and keypad, plus RGB LED drivers
- Display: 7-inch (1024 x 600) touch screen
- Memory: 512 MB DDR2
- 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: MMA8450Q 3-axis accelerometer and an ambient light sensor
Partners
Freescale and its partners offer a range of support, including turnkey designs. Inventec Appliance Corporation (IAC) provides expertise in design and manufacturing services for handhelds and netbooks. Freescale has also partnered with Thundersoft for software integration customization and optimization. For companies wishing to manage their projects internally, Freescale offers design aids including block diagrams, schematics, lists of materials and a Linux board support package.
Availability
The smartbook reference design is expected to be available for evaluation beginning February 2010 through local Freescale sales representatives. Reference design details are available at www.freescale.com/smartbook.
