Always Innovating launching touch-screen Netbook

PALM DESERT, Calif.--I think the most eagerly anticipated demo at Demo 09 here will be Always Innovating's Touch Book, slated for late Monday afternoon. It's yet another Netbook, granted, but it's got a cool detachable (and optional) keyboard, and a magnetic mount for sticking onto a refrigerator.

I got a quick demo video (left) with the company's CEO, Gregoire Gentil, who is French. He couldn't show me the user interface on the prototype hardware he had with him, but says it will be easy to use with big, fat American fingers (he didn't actually say that).

The product will run a Linux OS, Gentil said, and it's the first Netbook based on an ARM CPU, not the typical Atom found in most Netbooks. He says users can expect 10 to 15 hours of battery life. The product will be $299 without the keyboard, $399 with. It ships this spring, but you can preorder now.

The Always Innovating Netbook has a detachable keyboard.

(Credit: Rafe Needleman/CNET)

The back of the tablet is magnetic, so you can stick it on your fridge.

(Credit: Rafe Needleman/CNET)

The touch-screen UI is built on top of a Linux distro.

(Credit: Always Innovating)

[solu1978]

This looks good

[jc364]

Interesting. However, I don't think I would trust the magnet enough to stick the computer to the side of a fridge.

[Berke.h]

If the "whole" back plate is magnetized, I think it would stick pretty well... What I'm wondering is that how the magnet doesn't interfere with the electronic components inside the tablet?

[porscheguy360]

Well, I know that Cisco recently developed a magnet about the size of that backplate for server racks...rated at 300lbs. The network admins I know were pretty impressed. So I'd bet on it working.

[Demerit]

This is what I've been waiting for.

The only thing that makes me hesitant is the Linux OS. Concerned about the learning curve.

This will be great to house all my recipes in and be able to refer to them while cooking.

[Zoasterboy]

Linux is getting easier and easier these days. Most Netbooks come with a version of Linux that is very simplified and intuitive to use.

Besides, the cool thing about Netbooks is they are meant for the web. There are lots of web based recipe storage services, such as recipezaar.com. You won't even have to mess with the OS much, as browsing the web in Linux is just like browsing the web in other Operating systems.

[B4-Bingo]

I've been looking at this machine from a lot of angles. They say that you will most likely be able to put Windows CE on it, but definitely not XP or Vista. Seven is up in the air at this point.

[CoachCasey]

What about cloud computing OSes like Google Chrome OS, gOS, or Cloud? They're supposed to be very easy to use and intended for the masses.

[soulf2]

What does Rafe Needleman have against the French and why is that in ANY way relevant?

[rafe]

I have nothing against the French.

[Reaper0700]

I think Rafe was just setting up that American Fingers joke.

[dragonbite]

I'd be concerned whether it's going to be top-heavy, esp. when you have it plugged into and all the cords are sticking out of the screen like a medusa!

[ZetaZeta_]

I was thinking that, too.
They computer is basically in the monitor, so I'm curious if it's going to be annoying to use when plugged into, say, speakers, power, my mp3 player, etc.
However, it's an interesting system. The UI and everything seem to be geared to make it realy easy to use on the go, where I don't see myself using many cords anyway.

[mrisnow]

I think the bottom will have enough heft. I looked at their site and a second battery is in the keyboard base. This is what actually gives the 10-15 hour battery life. The tablet on its own lasts only 3-4 hours. Pretty cool. I want!

[Hunnter2k3]

That is one sweet Netbook!
I just hope the magnet won't screw around with electronics, not sure how they have managed to do this one.

But i love the detaching screen! Such a fantastic idea.
I love how they have an extended battery in the keyboard base, very smart.
I just wonder if they have made use of all the other space in that bottom base, it could be where the other USBs are, but i doubt it.

[tracy_anne]

quote::I just hope the magnet won't screw around with electronics

The magnet will have no effect whatsoever. It's a permanent magnet, and the device uses SSDs. If the device had a hard disk (with a magnetic medium) it might have a detrimental effect, but it's also highly unlikely, as the case on a Hard disk is designed to protect against magnetic fields, especially those like the one on the case. It takes magents of much higher strength (measured in Gause) to do damage to harddrives, strength found in industrial electro magnets, but not in ceramomagnetic materials found in household permanent magnets such as built into this device.

regards

Tracyanne

[sumguynobuddynoes]

I am most concerned with the fact that typically we carry our netbooks to our sides and it may magnetize those things in our pockets or purse such as anything with a magnetic strip or RFID or even a thumb drive! Definitely not for the owner with a pacemaker!
It would be upsetting to have your gift cards wiped before you are able to use them.

[NYYRule]

What would be great is if they added a way for this to be mounted on the wall with a screw as well.

[Notoapplefanbois]

Now what are the specs and how many video codecs does it support?

They should sell a discrete graphics keyboard base with a 4670 mobility in it and a few extra cells and sell it for $199 which would then put it ahead of the atom based and ion based 'books.

[tadbittipsy]

Hmmm... an Arm processor... similar to the iPhone processor? Could you put OSX on this baby. I'd like to see someone try. Sure better and cheaper than that expensive Matrox, Maltware, Malcotx or whatever it is they have for sale.

[forever4now]

This could be an interesting design for companies to adopt.
- use the full configuration as your desktop computer
- use the tablet for reading work documents (no need to print them)
- take the tablet to meetings for soft copy document reviews & note taking

After thinking about it, it might actually be nice to have at home, where you can use it like a normal computer or sit comfortably on the sofa reading documents, books, etc. with the tablet.

Does it support flash?

[earnestdotcom]

The codec and flash support will largely be tied to the OS the machine is running. I'd love to get ubuntu and boxee running on this. I'd also like to see some book reader software like stanza on this too. If a comic company could put together a nice offline electronic comic reader, that would also be nice, especially if I could follow a storyline across multiple titles without having to chase paperbacks around the comic store (nothing against the comic store, I'm just lazy).

I think netbook-priced tablets could open up a lot of possibilities for electronic text based distribution. I guess we'll just have to see what happens.

[aklootah47]

I wonder, can we install vista on that? maybe vista wont work

[GO ILLINI]

Hah... no, but you know, Windows 7 might not be a longshot...

[BlueMagStorm]

Wow, Rafe, thanks for the download on this way cool machine! I've been kicking around my next purchase- netbook, Kindle, and I think this gadget fits my bill...there's something very attractive about a large portable flat wireless touchscreen computer....and you what comes to mind? New forms of journalism and story telling, like the animated newspapers in the Harry Potter flicks. Thanks again!

[lifefit]

I was looking for a small touch screen notebook when I came across this review. I have an Acer travelmate tablet & love the touch screen & portability, however? the 27 Gb limit is causing problems with space even though I have removed heaps & store photos etc on my 80 Gb drive. Does anyone now the Gb capacity of this netbook? I need to download photos & video images plus would like to edit them.
The idea of animated story telling sounds brilliant for my remote Aboriginal community clients. Do you know any easy to use software that could do this?
Thanks for any advice.

[anthony f wood]

Till now there was no way in the world I was going to even bother with something netbook size ( fat fingers & nervy jumping ), but this is something I think I can use on the move. And I think it would be worth paying retail for, I can think of lotsa uses.

[jimbeam]

I've been wanting a netbook to replace my P2-400 laptop, and this one looks pretty darn sweet. I just can't see paying $400 for the full kit, so I'll probably be a late adopter and pick it up when they come out with version 2 and the full kit version 1 is $200. I love the touch screen aspect -- I think every netbook should have a touch screen.

[rkt]

Does it come with GPS? I wouldn't buy a netbook without GPS. Would be nice if it works as a phone too.

[parder_dade]

Beware of all the hype. I asked these guys where it was made and the reply was: "Unfortunately, I can't disclose details about the manufacturing process at this time." I would assume that this means a Chinese source. Buyer beware!

[kchristop]

For years I have been looking for an affordable, lightweight, colour, tablet pdf reader. Every time you buy some software or an electronic device like a digital camera it comes with hundreds of pages of a manual only as a pdf file. I am sick and tired of sitting at my PC looking at the screen and really want to be able to read manuals lying down in the hammock or elsewhere. To print and bind the manual is really time consuming, wasteful and annoying, especially as the graphic designers of the pdf believe in excessive whitespace and odd page sizes resulting in a truly excessive number of pages. This is really preventing me from getting the most out of the purchases I am already making. which far outweigh the cost of a netbook or laptop. I hope the Always Innovating's Touch Book finally solves this need.

[technurse]

I've been looking for a color e-reader. At this price, it competes with the kindle and promises to do alot more. Only wish I see it missing is a web camera and built in GPS. Wish they had the hardware specs, ie. weight, dimensions. Looks as if I might have to invest in a few 32 GB micro SD cards to install different OS's or perhaps it will boot to a USB device. Has a lot of potential. Guess We'll have to wait to see how the response time and video playback is. Hopefully it can also run java and flash aps as well as citrix clients with whatever the OS that will be shipped with, otherwise I envision alot of time for trial and error. Virus protection/firewall software? Sounds like for basic needs it will beat the kindle and the ereaders hands down. With a 3G/4G USB device, whoa internet everywhere, well almost. $399. I wonder if it will support windows mobile as well. I saw windows CE, but not the new windows mobile mentioned.

Already thinking next generation:
Longer battery life for the tablet portion
Definitely a SVGA output / HDMI to allow it to be hooked up to projectors for presentations or external monitor for dual monitors.
Room for a SSD Drive
Built in 4G & WiMax
GPS and Traffic Antenna
Web Camera
Mutil-touch screen

Of course with all that, comes battery life issues and other technical challenges. Still promising. Probably will pick one up to tinker with. Who knows, I might be able to come up with something to meet the lacking issues. ie. There's USB to SVGA, USB GPS devices, and of course USB webcams, just not sure about what will work with given OS.

[technurse]

I think someone answered it, but I'd also would want to make darn sure that the magnet would not cause issues with all my external USB travel drives and work laptop as I'm not sure how well they are shielded and if I have a WD 320GB USB travel drive next to this "magnet" I would hate to loose or corrupt data.