Those lucky folks at Techcrunch I tell ya’. Not only have they produced a pretty cool looking internet tablet, but they’ve also managed to snag a ride in the new Tesla Model S sedan. But first up is the CrunchPad.
Mike Arrington has responded to the picture leak yesterday that depicted a finished looking CrunchPad web tablet, fancy packaging and all. He’s not spilling the beans regarding commercial availability at the moment, but he did clarify the new specs. The latest prototype has a fully customized Linux operating system as well as a new custom Webkit browser. It’s powered by an Intel Atom CPU as opposed to the Via Nano used in the previous prototype, and the entire software footprint is only 100 MB as the tablet loads straight to a web browser and the majority of the software is stored on an external USB drive. When all is said and done, the cost to build the CrunchPad including packaging is less than $250. Arrington says a ticket price of $300 is pretty reasonable. So all’s we can do is wait now.
On to the Tesla. According to Techcrunch, the Tesla has a 17-inch (!) haptic touch navigation and entertainment system embedded in the center console. That puts the 12-inch Range Rover system we showed you yesterday to shame. Along with the LCD display, the Linux-based navigation system boasts 3G/Wi-Fi connectivity and the ability to feature Google Maps, Pandora Music and other useful and entertainment internet platforms.
