14 DAY TRIAL // Intel recently released its Atom Z6xx 'Moorestown' central processors for tablets and smartphones and, despite what NVIDIA had to say about it, there seems to be genuine interest in the new platform. In fact, Micro-Star International is actually planning on showcasing a tablet based on this CPU at Computex, at the start of June. Known as the Slatebook, this device will be one of the few more 'unusual' slates drifting in a sea of ARM-powered models.
Ever since the iPad debuted, ARM Holding has repeatedly stated that its architecture would be at the heart of at least half of all shipped tablets. Intel, on the other hand, hopes that its Atom Z6xx processors will gain traction in this field, as well as that of smartphones, as soon as it starts shipping (during the third quarter in the US and Europe). MSI's Slatebook, pre-loaded with Windows 7, seems poised to be one, if not the first test subject in this endeavor.
The Slatebook will weigh roughly 800 grams, will feature multi-touch input and, as consumers likely expect (and require) will include WiFi and 3G wireless connectivity. There will also be an HDMI output, as well as one or multiple USB ports, which the iPad lacks. Unfortunately, Digitmes (the source of the report) was unable to provide details on the amount of memory and internal storage, which means interested individuals will have to wait for the actual event to take place.
Rumors have placed the Slatebook's price at around the $500 point, but there is no way to know for certain what the final tag will be. There should also be carriers willing to offer it bundled with a mobile broadband plan. As for future plans, MSI is expected to show off a dual-touchscreen tablet by the end of the fourth quarter.