Search
Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
23 comments

VIDEO: Freescale's $200 Chromium Tablet

By - Source: Tom's Hardware US

At Mobile World Congress, Freescale showed off a rather nifty little tablet running Chromium OS. It's the same device we saw running Android at CES, the i.MX51.

The Chrome Source reports that, though the demo shows input via a mouse and keyboard, the device is capable of touch as they also showed a tablet running some variation of Linux that had capacitive input.

With an integrated webcam and a $200 price tag, the device is likely to turn a lot of heads; especially when you have the likes of Apple and HP selling similar, higher end devices for three times that. Tentative early adopters could decide to try something like this rather than go right for the expensive option.

Freescale's Chrome OS tablet

You need to be logged to post a comment

There are 23 Comments. B
Top Comments
  • 10
    Glorian , March 9, 2010 10:07 PM
    Look a USB port!
Other Comments
  • 9
    Tomtompiper , March 9, 2010 9:57 PM
    Great news that it runs native Linux. This will rock when the open source guys get hold of it.
  • 10
    Glorian , March 9, 2010 10:07 PM
    Look a USB port!
  • 1
    rajangel , March 9, 2010 10:11 PM
    I have to admit, I'd purchase one of these if it came with some sort of package manager like synaptic. As long as it had capabilities to port gnome and kde apps... I'd shell out $200 for it. Even if it only had a 1 ghz processor. Chrome source says it has an ARM processor. I'd assume its close to what the nexus runs.

    Well worth it. Especially with all the nintendo ds ports and ps ports. Heh. I'd kill for one of these with a capable emulator port. HOLY COW.
  • 4
    anonymous@guest , March 9, 2010 10:13 PM
    Freescale tablet ($200) vs Ipad (starting at $499) bucks??? And only the first one supports Flash and it is multi-task! Yes, I will buy it!
  • 2
    Abrahm , March 9, 2010 10:19 PM
    Hmmm... I like it, but I'd be more willing to buy one if it ran Android on it instead of Chrome.
  • 1
    JasonAkkerman , March 9, 2010 10:23 PM
    Sign me up.

    /Sure would like to see the specs on that thing.
  • 4
    saaiello , March 9, 2010 10:35 PM
    That looks sweet and linux to boot awesome.
  • 2
    schmich , March 9, 2010 10:44 PM
    The interviewer is annoying -.-
  • -4
    abowlofsoda , March 9, 2010 10:45 PM
    this is so fail. your better off with an iPad!
  • 0
    sliem , March 9, 2010 10:46 PM
    Price is right. Not for people with fat fingers haha unless they have stylus.
  • 1
    bustapr , March 9, 2010 10:58 PM
    It rally doesnt matter what specs this tablet has. It has Chrome OS which isnt made for running games and power consuming apps( except for HD things). All the apps are online and are rendered online. Id definitely spend $200 on one of these.
  • 4
    maxsp33d , March 9, 2010 11:36 PM
    If they manage to optimize the touch-screen interface and run ubuntu on it, I'm sold.
  • 0
    jhansonxi , March 9, 2010 11:38 PM
    These would be nifty extras for when playing games as you could mount them on the wall to keep track of IM, email, or even a game server web interface.
  • 1
    victomofreality , March 9, 2010 11:55 PM
    @JasonAkkerman

    Display: 7-inch (1024 x 600) touch screen
    Processor: Freescale i.MX515 processor based on ARM Cortex-A8 core
    Connectivity: 3G modem (option) 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS
    Memory: 512 MB DDR2
    Storage: from 4GB to 64GB internal storage; removable micro SD
    Camera: 3 Mpixel (video recording up to VGA 30fps)
    Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer and an ambient light sensor
    Adobe Flash Player support
    Operating system: Android or Linux
  • 0
    rembo666 , March 10, 2010 12:46 AM
    The interviewer is a moron:

    P.M.: So, we've hooked up OpenGL ES for accelerating graphics...

    Interviewer (right after the above statement): So, do you guys do hardware graphics acceleration?

    If it was me: SMACK!!!

    I like the concept though. This is a good concept. I think $200 is getting into the realm of acceptable for such a device.

    For all the ppl yelling "this sucks", remember, this is a proof-of-concept. They are saying: "Hey, Chromium can run on our device", not "Hey, we have a device ready to go that runs Chromium". Seriously people, if you want to discuss cutting edge technology, don't act like you're a 9-th grade girl discussing her pink iPhone cover...
  • 1
    chunkymonster , March 10, 2010 1:45 AM
    Would definitely snag one of these running linux.

    Not only does this tablet come with 3G connectivity it's a got a port for a SIM card!

    Only open question for me is battery life?
  • 0
    Charbax , March 10, 2010 2:18 AM
    My question on graphics acceleration is to ask how or if graphics acceleration can speed up Javascripts, Flash, Multiple tabs, displaying of pictures, fonts and other UI elements to thus accelerate the web browsing experience on ARM Powered devices so that it feels just as fast as on Intel.
  • 0
    nevertell , March 10, 2010 2:45 AM
    DO WANT!
  • 1
    warezme , March 10, 2010 2:56 AM
    Every cheap netbook and tablet always have a huge frame around the LCD that looks aweful. Like It can hold a LCD this size but you only get this smaller one instead.
  • 1
    jonnyboyC , March 10, 2010 3:02 AM
    That linux installed tablet looked really sweet, full desktop, multitasking, and all for a fraction, of the ipad, which is just a jumbo itouch
Display more comments
Related Content