Last month at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, OpenPeak took the wraps off its OpenTablet 7, a 7-inch color tablet computing device based on Intel’s “Moorestown” Atom processor. Now, AT&T has announced plans to bring a device based on the OpenTablet to the U.S. market later this year—and it’ll feature not only Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, but 3G service from AT&T as well.
“OpenTablet is an exciting multipurpose device with all the benefits and flexibility of a wirelessly connected personal computing and entertainment device,” said AT&T’s president for emerging devices, resale, and partnerships Glenn Lurie, in a statement. “When you combine the capabilities of OpenTablet with AT&T’s 3G mobile broadband service and AT&T Wi-Fi service, we’re able to provide consumers wireless access to content they most desire, right at their fingertips.”
The AT&T device will feature Intel’s Atom chipset, the 7-inch TFT LED-backlit display, microSD storage, USB connectivity, and HDMI output for connecting up to a HDTV. AT&T envisions the device as a general purpose gadget for keeping up with social networking services, reading books, enjoying music and video, sharing photos, and even monitoring home security systems and acting as a dashboard for a home.
OpenPeak’s OpenTablet isn’t exactly “open” on the developer side: it doesn’t run Windows or even a Linux distribution, but instead uses an Adobe Flash runtime environment. However, there will be an OpenPeak App Shop where users can buy applications for the OpenTablet developed using Adobe Flash CS4…and the store will provide ways for developers to get updated apps and content to their customers.
AT&T hasn’t announced any pricing, but expects the OpenTablet-based device to get on the market in time for the end-of-year holiday buying season.
