Marvell Introduces $99 Tablet Aimed at Students

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Marvell is currently pitching a $99 tablet that's aimed at students and supposed to replace textbooks.

When the Kindle DX came out, Amazon said it could replace all those heavy text books students have to carry around. Test markets soon showed that students at one of the pilot schools found the device disappointing. So how would they feel about Marvell's new, $99 Moby tablet that supports both Android and Windows Mobile?

The device uses an Armada 600 series processor and offers Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and Flash support. It's also capable of full 1080p HD playback and boasts an FM radio. Marvell says the device should go on sale by the end of this year.

Marvell is hoping to "drive the education revolution" with the Moby, targeting heavy school bags and out of date and expensive textbooks. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

*Image via Technologizer

Jane McEntegart
56 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Luker3
    Just yesterday I was thinking about what would make a good tablet for students. Started putting down possible specs and laying out requirements. Looks like someone was looking over my shoulder. :D
    Reply
  • thlillyr
    Thats awsome. fo 99 bucks! I'd buy one and use it everyday. I've been wanting a decent tablet but i can't afford 800$ as a student. I'd settle for the android version.
    Reply
  • insider3
    Now this is actually a great idea and a great price.. Since this is a book replacement, I wonder how much the e-books (or whatever they use) will be going to go for since the price of this device is almost equivalent to just one book already.
    Reply
  • rigaudio
    That sounds like a great way to spend 99 bucks.
    Reply
  • ravicai
    Geeze, only $99 and it sounds better equipped then an iPad.
    Reply
  • Onus
    This could be a great reference to any technical person on the job; load it up with drawings, diagrams, pointers, current procedures, settings, etc. What's the battery life? Memory expansion? I can definitely see this making my Christmas list, quite possibly at the top.
    Reply
  • dgingeri
    Most of the expense of textbooks is the writing and producing of them. the cost of manufacturing them is minimal. My current intro to business class book is $150, and the writers likely get $50 of that, with the publisher taking about $70. That actual manufacturing of them is likely only about $10-12, and the remaining $18-20 goes to distribution. That's why most book stores make most of their money from used books. They make almost nothing from new books.
    Reply
  • gwolfman
    At $99 I'll get at least one, probably 3
    Reply
  • shin0bi272
    dgingeriMost of the expense of textbooks is the writing and producing of them. the cost of manufacturing them is minimal.
    What youre missing there is that every time they rewrite that book and put out a new issue those same people get the same amounts for doing less work.


    This is similar to an idea I was pitching to a friend of mine here in NC. Instead of a laptop for all students 7-12th grades give them an e-reader and put all their books on it so they dont have to lug a 100lb backpack home every day. The only issue was the e-readers are $300+ and only in black and white (this was a couple of years ago). They would still be cheaper than a laptop and lighter but thats still quite a bit.

    The only other issue with this is that the textbook writers will argue that it will cut into their profits (arent the leftists saying to get the profits out of healthcare? will they say the same thing about education next?) unless you charge the same price for the e-book version of the book as the paper copy. That could put a dent in the adoption of this e-textbook concept.


    I also read the article that you linked to Jane and it didnt mention prices. Where did you see the 99 dollar price tag.
    Reply
  • ash0573
    I think the biggest issue with e-readers and tables are not the devices them selves but how the documents are published. For example a book may have references that may refer to pages at the bottom of the page or the end of the book. Yet most documents done anchors to and from those locations when one refers to the notes. Being able to copy and paste from a document to notes, highlight, mark pages with tabs, etc. is important and that is what e-readers and tablets are not very good at. Yes there is more functionality in a e-reader/tablet but texts primary purpose is for referencing specific places in documents an being able to quickly a refer and access to those locations. I use Adobe professional for work related items and the time involved for sighting, noting, highlighting document take me more time than paper versions. I just hope that they can come up with an intuitive interface and a standard for such tasks across multiple e-reader/tablet document formats and platforms.

    Ash
    Reply