Notion Ink smartpad is first tablet to use Pixel Qi screen
8:45 AM, Dec 18th, 2009 
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The Notion Ink smartpad with Pixel Qi -- it's only a model
SlashGear broke the goods on the Notion Ink smartpad this morning. It looks to be a rather complete slab tablet — running a Tegra T20 chipset and Android OS — and is the first tablet announced that will be using a Pixel Qi screen. We’ve been talking up Pixel Qi displays for a while now. They allow users to switch from an emmitive LCD screen to a reflective E-Ink screen with the click of a button. This allows for better power management and makes the Norton Ink a perfect multi-use tablet with eReader capability.
Aside from the 10.1-inch 1024×600 resolution Pixel Qi display, the Norton Ink smartpad will use an Nvidia Tegra T20 and operate off an Android OS. It has two storage options — a 16GB and 32GB flash drive — with an additional SD card slot. If features WiFi b/g, Bluetooth, triband UMTS/HSDPA, GPS, accelerometer, digital compass, water, ambient light and proximity sensors. As far as inputs/outputs go, the tablet has a USB ports, HDMI, headphone and mic jacks. There’s also a 3MP camera with autofocus, video recording, geotagging, mic and speakers. The display itself is capable of playing 1080p H.264 and 720p H.264 files, has flash acceleration and will (naturally) play audio and photo files. The smartpad measures 9.8 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches and weights 1.7 lbs.
The specs are very impressive. Of course a lot of these tablets look impressive on paper but fail to perform up to expectations in the real world. While we only have a rendering of the device right now, expect full device shots and possibly a demo piece at the CES show. Notion Ink claims the battery lasts up to 48 hours on standby, 8 hours watching HD video and 16 hours while surfing the internet via WiFi. If true, those are phenomenal benchmarks.
No word on price or availability yet, but we’re sure it will be slightly higher than what most people want to pay (as it is with every other device). Still, it looks like Notion Ink could usher in the first wave of new display tablets and finally be the convergence between eReader and tablet PC.
Source: SlashGear
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They are saying in the mere $300 range but I expect more like $400 for the 64 and by then I am hoping we see 128GB SD cards. Up till now the Archos is leading the pack, but this one blows them all away. Like everyone is saying, Adam ate the apple, and the ipad is truly ijunk by comparison.