Qubit web tablet that runs BeIA or Embeded linux

Qubit Technology Wireless Web Tablet Device
(May 15)

In 1999, Qubit Technology previewed the Qubit system, a handheld Internet device that included a wireless Web tablet, charging cradle, wireless keyboard and modem receiver, to enable home users Internet connectivity without a personal computer. The company is now preparing to market the Qubit, which will be released in the 4th quarter of this year.

The Qubit cradle plugs into a kitchen outlet and a phone or cable jack and acts as a home base for the tablet, containing the circuitry for recharging the tablet's batteries, which can run up to three hours between recharges, and the housing for the wireless infrared keyboard. It also contains a radio frequency transceiver and 56K, digital subscriber line or cable modem interface to the Internet. With a range of several hundred feet and the power of a 2.4 GHz RF link exceeding a T1, the Qubit cradle can also act as the wireless local area network hub for up to 8 computing platforms in the home, including existing PCs. The infrared capabilities of the system also allows printing from the tablet by pointing the tablet at the printer and pushing a print button.

The Qubit tablet features a 10.4-inch, 800 x 600 color LCD display with a high-resolution touch screen and a stand on the back of the tablet for tabletop viewing. The tablet weighs less than two and a half pounds and features built-in stereo speakers and a microphone, and can accommodate full streaming audio and video.

The company has announced that it has selected National Semiconductor's National Geode WebPAD reference platform as the enabling hardware for the Tablet. The device runs an embedded Linux or the BeIA operating system.

Qubit will use several distribution channels for the Qubit device. The company will first market to high-end consumers through ISPs and directly from the Web. For these applications, the tablet's initial screen will feature a shared family calendar, grocery and to do list and links for each family member. Links will lead to age/gender specific content – some chosen by the family, and others fixed by content provider sponsorships. E-mail and instant messaging will also be available on the device and there will be flash memory slots for image storage. The Tablet is expected to make its debut in the 4th quarter for $800 but they will likely be subsidized by providers (prices as low as $399) with a branded portal home page.

Qubit is also working with financial institutions and telecommunications companies to bring these Internet access devices to market. Deals are in the works with Whirlpool as well, which has demonstrated a refrigerator designed to hold a Qubit Tablet in the door. Whirlpool, along with Cisco, Sun Microsystems, and GTE have all made Qubit a cornerstone of their "connected home."