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OpenPeak is the latest manufacturer to further the tablet trend, with the introduction of the OpenTablet 7.
A touch-screen tablet vaguely resembling a digital photo frame, OpenTablet 7, unveiled Feb. 16, pairs telephony features and communications services and applications in a package that seems an easy fit for homes or various enterprise sectors.
OpenTablet 7 runs an operating platform from OpenPeak and Intel’s “Moorestown” processor platform. Moorestown is the name given to the next version of the Atom processor, which targets the MID (mobile Internet device) space. The display is a 7-inch multitouch TFT LCD with LED backlighting and a few dedicated navigation buttons below it. The tablet measures 9 by 5 by 0.59 inches and weighs 1.15 pounds-which may not be a real issue for a device that users will likely prop up, set down or dock on an end table.
Connectivity options include 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and cellular connectivity. There’s an HDMI output port, dual cameras for capturing high-definition video and still images, a USB interface, a microSD slot, built-in speakers, and a microphone.
“The OpenTablet is the ultimate control panel, delivering the most commonly accessed multimedia services right to your fingertips anywhere,” Dan Gittleman, OpenPeak’s CEO, said in a statement. “The all-in-one device allows you to sync schedules, check movie times, listen to music, watch videos, get weather updates and even monitor energy usage and home security, all from a single, easy-to-use device.”
OpenPeak is designing the tablet as a command center for families, much as PC manufacturers-such as Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Dell, with its Studio One 19 all-in-one, which features a large touch screen and Cozi Family Organizer software, for managing schedules and sharing notes-are designing with living rooms and the kitchen counters of on-the-go families in mind.
Just as easily, however, executives view the tablet-adopted by branded customers-as pairing telephony and multimedia services for enterprise purposes.
“Hospitality providers can use it to increase hotel revenue and guest loyalty by delivering in-room dining options, information about spa services, nearby attractions, airlines and travel services, and more right to the bedside table in an ultra-modern touch-screen device,” Gittleman said.
The OpenPeak platform enables developers and designers to create applications using Adobe Flash CS4, and its integrated device management services will allow providers to remotely monitor devices and update software.
While OpenPeak describes the OpenTablet 7’s price point as “affordable,” it offered no specifics, beyond saying that it will ship in the second half of the year.