Is Notion Ink Smartpad A Preview of Apple's Tablet?

[Michael Essany]

This weekend the world is getting its first look at a tablet that could rock consumer electronics in the new year. And it isn't made by Apple. But, sans the iPhone operating system, it could be an indication of what the Mac world will witness if and when Cupertino finally validates the endless speculation rampant on the world wide web.

CES 2010 is likely to see a fair few internet tablets being announced, but SlashGear has heard about one particular model that has more than a little promise.

Slashgear has bestowed our inaugural impression of Notion Ink's "Smartpad" tablet, which is presently stealing some thunder from Apple's rumored tablet project because, well, we know for sure that the Notion Ink tablet actually exists.

Slashgear has published the impressive specs on the forthcoming tablet. Some of the details include:

• 6.3 x 9.7 x 0.6 inches and 1.7 lbs
• Android OS with Gesture Support
• WiFi b/g, Bluetooth, UMTS/HSDPA
• Digital Compass, Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient light, Water sensors
• USB, HDMI, 3-megapixel autofocus camera, video recording
• 32GB SSD, SD Slot

One of the coolest attributes of the device is that it's one of the first to utilize Pixel Qi's 3qi screen, which has been previously been rumored to be on the drawing board for inclusion in Apple's tablet.

Navigation is either via the touchscreen or a trackpad, and Notion Ink have added a matte-finish anti-glare, oleophobic and scratch-resistant coating to the Pixel Qi display. Of course, the panel itself can be viewed indoors as a regular LCD, or outdoors in either transflective mode with reduced color vibrancy or fully reflective 64-level grayscale mode.

No one knows for sure what the yet-to-be released device will ultimately cost, but Slashgear presents industry estimates at approximately $300, which seems a little on the low side for the punch this tablet appears to pack. Then again, I'm not complaining.

Image via Slashgear

[SirTimothy1]

You can faintly see a rounded rectangle on the bottom of the picture suggesting an iPhone-like power/home button. Maybe it actually is the apple tablet.

[hollow0]

Looks like a stylish device. I'm curious as to who will offer it.

No more iPhone/iTouch home buttons please... I'd like to see a Tablet not some over gloried iPhone/iTouch device.

[Melech518]

Tablet already, ugh!

[juggz143]

I'd like to see ram + proc specs but for $300 I'd probably be all over it, if just to see what hacks the community comes with....

[Peemcgee]

looks cool

[rhekt]

i dont much like the shape of it. reminds me of middle '90's electronics trying to be space agey

[billchase2]

Looks nice, but I still have no need for a tablet...