Norhtec looks to enter the tablet PC market at a sub-$300 price with Info Pad

Norhtec’s new Info Pad tablet PC looks spotty but is quick to lay down the promises. Most important: promising to keep to a sub-$300 price point and be available in November or December 2009. You’ll have to forgive us Norhtec. Our ears have heard these words before and our hearts have broken under their weight many times (I’m looking at you non-call returning CrunchPad). But let’s give Norhtec the benefit of the doubt and hear them out.

The Info Pad will be a Linux Ubuntu (or Windows XP) based tablet with an 8.9″ resistive touchscreen. It runs off AC power, AA batteries (I wonder how fast it will drain those) and a car power option (8-16 volts). Supposedly it will offer panel PC configuration — meaning you could plug it into a dock or keyboard to use as a more desktop-friendly device or use as an additional monitor. Further promises include a rugged design and the ability to run in hot and cool temperatures. Finally they’ll introduce it at $295.

Our favorite part, however, is when the presenter talks about how cumbersome netbooks are because you have to use two hands… right after complaining he can’t pick up the Info Pad device because he’s “only using one hand.”

Engadget’s writeup is available after the break.

NorhTec shows off sub-$300, AA-powered Info Pad tablet

Upstart NorhTec has already manged to pull off a pretty impressive feat by actually getting its $200 Gecko EduBook out the door, but it looks like it’s now setting its sights a bit higher, and has taken to the intertubes once again to show off its now-in-development Info Pad tablet PC. As you might expect, this one is more or less just a tablet version of the EduBook, right down to the same 1GHz Xcore86 processor and rechargeable AA NiMH batteries for a power supply. Of course, it does also get a new 8.9-inch resistive touchscreen to make up for that whole lack of a keyboard part, which will apparently only bump the price up to $295.95 (making it the least expensive x86-based tablet, according to the company). Head on past the break for the video overview, and look for the tablet itself to be available in November or December.