Ruslan Kogan of Kogan Technology has demonstrated a prototype tablet device to compete with Apple’s iPad that is expected to cost only $200.
The tablet demonstrated was essentially an engineering sample of a product for Chinese market, the SmartQ V7, however the final product to be released by Kogan is expected to have improved specifications to the V7.
The tablet is planned to include a 7-inch 800 x 480 LCD screen, 2GB of flash memory, a 600MHz ARM processor and 512MB RAM as well as Wi-Fi, though there is no mention of 3G support at this stage. The unit also includes HDMI output, and USB (for charging and connecting devices) a 3.5mm headphone jack and a SD slot for storage expansion.
Interestingly the Kogan tablet is expected to ship with the option to run multiple operating systems including both Android and Linux (the demonstration unit also runs Windows CE, but for reasons of cost this is not expected to make the final production version.) This makes the tablet a compelling option as Android developers will release tablet specific applications through the Android App Store.
Ruslan is still unsure about the release of a Kogan branded tablet device and seeks feedback from customers.
“I want to hear from people what they want. Apple has created a lot of hype around the iPad, but what are people actually going to do with it? I’m not sure who the ideal consumer is for it. Maybe my Mum, or my mates and me when we’re around the TV watching funny YouTube clips.”
To capitalise on the tablet announcement, Kogan have also dropped their prices on a number of products. For more information, visit the Kogan Website.
