OpenPeak’s OpenTablet 7 to combine Moorestown with AT&T 3G
Tablets, tablets everywhere! If you thought the tablet frenzy was already boiling over with plenty of Android entries, not to mention the actual release of the iPad less than a week away, then you may want to skip the rest of this post. But if the above picture piques your interest, then wait until you hear the specs and possibilities of the upcoming OpenTablet 7 from OpenPeak.
For starters, the long-awaited Moorestown platform is being used, with the power-sipping processor running at 1.9GHz, which will put it right into battle with what Qualcomm has planned in the Snapdragon line. As the trick up its sleeve, AT&T has been tapped to provide 3G mobile broadband service and hotspot access at its thousands of locations nationwide.
Things have certainly progressed quickly since I saw this device in the "prototypes that will probably never be released" section at Intel's booth during CES, and in the nearly three months since, OpenPeak has gotten that much closer to finalizing the specs and is almost ready to set sail with the OT7. Of interest is the home automation slant they are taking, which could be just the thing for the niche tablet.
Running on the OpenPeak platform that allows the use of Adobe Flash CS4 for development, the OT7 also features OpenPeak Device Management Services, which will allow providers to monitor and update the device remotely over 3G or WiFi networks. In addition, the App Shop will allow the user to download a variety of third-party multimedia or home automation apps, such as Pandora, YouTube, and even a thermostat and energy use app.
Here is a rundown of the known specs, with RAM, flash storage, and resolution still unclear:
- 1.9GHz Moorestown, Atom-based processor
- 7-inch multitouch, LED-backlit high-resolution LCD
- 802.11bgn & Bluetooth 2.1
- 3G HSDPA (AT&T)
- Dual cameras (1080p front-facing, 5MP rear)
- HDMI output
- microSDHC slot
- 9.0"W x 5.0"H x .59"D
- 1.15 lbs.
The dual cameras will enable either HD videos or high-quality still images to be shared via Facebook and email, or even act as a remote monitoring station with additonal hardware. OpenPeak is clearly aiming for the home automation nut who likes to control everything from the lighting and security, to entertainment systems. As an AT&T Uverse subscriber, if AT&T can merge my service with the OT7 so that it allows me to remotely control or download recordings, plus view schedules, then they will have my complete attention.
With an expected release date of late 2010, I would expect a few minor changes to the specs and software between now and then, but the OT7 should be one device to keep an eye on as it ventures out on its own, without an Android safety vest.
[OpenPeak]
