Freescale Semiconductor has designs on new "smartbook" tablet computers and to prove it it's rolling out a second-generation reference design at the Consumer Electronics Show.

To say that tablet concepts are all the rage right now is, of course, an understatement. With a media frenzy over a reportedly imminent Apple tablet, companies like Freescale, which will supply the silicon guts of these newfangled computers, are eager to show concepts that they are peddling to device makers.

Freescale is pushing designs "with prices less than $200"--according to a statement--that integrate its version of the power-efficient ARM processor: the i.MX515 chip based on ARM Cortex-A8 technology.

Here's how Freescale describes the design: it will "provide instant-on functionality, persistent connectivity and all-day battery life." The tablet that the chipmaker will show at CES will run both the Android and Linux operating systems.

An overview of the Freescale reference design:

• Display: 7-inch (1024 x 600) touch screen
• Processor: Freescale i.MX515 processor based on ARM Cortex-A8 core
• Connectivity: 3G modem (option) 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS
• Memory: 512 MB DDR2
• Storage: from 4GB to 64GB internal storage; removable micro SD
• Camera: 3 Mpixel (video recording up to VGA 30fps)
• Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer and an ambient light sensor
• Adobe Flash Player support
• Operating system: Android or Linux
• Price: under $200

Partners include Inventec Appliance for design and manufacturing services and Thundersoft for software integration customization and optimization.

The erstwhile chip manufacturing arm of Motorola (spun off in 2004) calls its technology platform Smart Application Blueprint for Rapid Engineering or SABRE. "The SABRE tablet platform for smartbooks incorporates feedback from a recently completed end-user research study conducted in conjunction with Savannah College of Art and Design's prestigious Industrial Design program," the company said.

And availability? The smartbook reference design is expected to be available for evaluation beginning in February, according to the company.

Source: CNET: The $199 tablet according to Freescale

What does that mean?

Even though I wish them luck with a finished product, they almost always start out at $199 (Crunchpad, OLPC) and end up way north of that in price.

Glad to see tablets get their due; just wished at least one of them ran Maemo 5... and was built by Nokia... and didn't have cellphone radios in it... and didn't cost as much as the N900.

Guess I want too much... oh well.

... and had a 4"- 4.5" screen in the smallest possible form factor so it was still pocketable ....

Being a reference platform enabling fast physical reimplementation by OEMs (of any tier) we might see several variations on this theme.

We could dig up the naively optimistic humongous thread detailing tablet users' hopes and wishes for the N8x successor's up-to-date hardware... Given that some tablets using modern hardware are likely to start hitting the streets this spring, maybe something hits the sweet spots.

I do like choice.

GK: I'm in the same pocketable camp, although a compact and bezel-less 7-incher with the greater 1024x600 resolution may also be worth consideration. 4"- 5" format is still a great compromise for both viewing 800x480 content and thumb-keyboarding.

Krisse: I doubt it means either Nokia or Nokia's Maemo so these are unlikely to be of much interest to you. Moblin is a remote possibility although they're Intel's baby, so I suspect it'll simply mean yet more Android-based devices and maybe some based on the Debian/Ubuntu netbook/tablet efforts. Both of them have significant developer backing and already wide (albeit different) selection of apps.

Hobbyist Mer ports may also happen, but with its hip-ties to Nokia's partially closed and corporate needs-driven Maemo I'm not sure if any 3rd party would seriously consider preloading and supporting it.

Liliputing has another one of various takes on Freescale's tablet reference platform with more than enough chunky base-keyboardness.

Meanwhile Engadget covers HTC 'touch tablets' for Android and Chrome OS?

Summary: ... not content with giving us the roomy 4.3-inch HD2 (warning: MS-Wince), HTC is now said to be actively testing out fully fledged tablet devices... to be driven by Google's Android and minimalist Chrome OS... word is that Qualcomm and Adobe are engaged... strictly uncorroborated, one-source rumormongering.

I suppose the smaller the package, the harder it is to keep the 3G/cellular radio truly modular rather than integrated.

enlarge it to a 10" display, maybe with 1280x800 resolution,
expand the memory options to 1GB or 2GB RAM
put a DVI-I or DisplayPort port on it

and I'd be interested.

They have an un-named "conventional" Linux dist (not sure if it's homespun, or one of the standards (Ubuntu, Xandros, Linpus, etc.)) ... or you can have Android.

Wish they'd give some indication of the size range for these tablets.

A waste of money