Marvell promising $99 all-in-one HD tablet computer for students

Zdnet ^ | March 19th, 2010 @ 3:39 am | Rachel King

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Marvell has announced that they are in the works of developing a tablet computer named Moby that will “change the way students learn.”

That’s a bold statement, but at $99 a pop for a high-performance device, it’s just crazy enough to work.

The 10-inch Moby tablet promises a lot for the price, including 1080p HD video playback, full Flash support, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/FM/GPS connectivity and even 3D-capability. Not to mention it will be powered by the Marvell ARMADA 600 series of application processors.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[hsrazorback1]

Further proof of the power of free-market economics.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Marvell Shows a New Android Tablet Design

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By Harry McCracken | Posted at 8:02 am on Tuesday, March 16, 2010

I’m spending the day at the Future of Publishing Summit in New York City, a conference on the digital transformation of books, magazines, and newspapers. The room is packed with execs from the New York publishing industry, plus a few Silicon Valley types. Among the latter are the folks from chipmaker Marvell, who are showing off some prototype devices based on the company’s low-cost, power-efficient Armada processors.

The newest of these is a reference design for a 10.1″ Android-based color tablet that Marvell just finished putting together. Here it is:

As a reference design, this (rather chunky) tablet is mostly about technological guts rather than industrial design: I’d expect the companies who build devices based on it to make them sleeker and sexier.

Marvell says that it expects tablets based on this design to go on sale by the end of this year. It’s not talking about pricetags yet, but with the iPad starting at $499, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the starting price for tablets from other companies will be substantially lower. Manufacturers should certainly be able to sell an Armada-based tablet running the free Android OS for less than a “Slate PC” running full-blown Windows 7.

[Williams]

Bingo! I love looking at digital camcorders today for under $200 with great capabilities.

I have a monster size VHS camcorder cost me $1300 in 1987.

The problem is that unlewss we repeal Obamacare our health services in 25 years will still be like that 1987 camcorder.

Profits and competition drive innovation and lower prices.

[Defiant]

Someone is subsidizing that price. Either there are ads for the chillren on that pad, or the government is expected to pay for it in some way. With that screen and the internal parts, it costs a minimum of $220 to produce.

[ShadowAce]

[CriticalJ]

Interesting.

A $99.00 tablet could really take a bite out of the iPad’s sales. Many people look at price first. A $400 difference is something that is hard to ignore even if the iPad is much more powerful or versatile. Especially if the pad is going to a kid.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

What you say makes sense....but a school system could unwrite some large costs just by saving on textbook costs...

Publishers could have a problem if this approach takes off.

They revise textbooks every few years and students have to shell out big money...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I doubt the $99 device would be very portable....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Lots of info on various "Tablet" news at this link:

I4U News--Tablet

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Wired has a short article:

Marvell Teases with $100 Tablet for Students

Would use Marvell’s ARMADA 600.

[martin_fierro]

Marvell promising $99 all-in-one HD tablet computer for students

OOGPC: "One Overpriced Gadget Per Child"

[Quix]

PING

[ErnBatavia]

I have a monster size VHS camcorder cost me $1300 in 1987.

We had similar until last year when we made a Goodwill run.....it was really something to lug that guy around the world.

[edh]

“Someone is subsidizing that price.... it costs a minimum of $220 to produce.”

I’m not arguing, but where are you getting that $220 number?

I know nothing of the Armada chipset, but if it is a complete SoC with only memory required, I can see how you’d make a tiny profit on something like this. Keep in mind that what Marvell would charge itself for its own SoC is next to nothing.

I wouldn’t expect the iPad’s resolution or refresh rate, but you can drive the cost of LCDs down if you reduce their max. frame rate. Most video is acceptable at 30FPS.

I just don’t understand where you are getting your $220 number, that’s all :-)!

[MediaMole]

Considering textbook prices, it could be subsidized with a subscription to updated textbooks.

But, any device aimed at a school age audience would have to be built like a tank to survive. Lock two ten year olds in a room with two supposedly unbreakable computers for ten minutes and they will manage to lose one and break the other.

[TxAg1981]

The publishers will win big time.
However, the binderies that actually print and build the books will be in big trouble. when I worked at a book distribution house, I found out that upwards of 60% of the printed books were later destroyed because they were out of date and not purchased.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

http://www.marvell.com/

[hsrazorback1]

Marvell is the manufacturer. Apple is a middleman.