MSI, the OG of Atom-powered netbooks, is all set to try the same budget-hardware trick with tablets: behold, the Wind-Pad. This originally-named slate will have a 10-inch, 1024×600 capacitive touch-screen and contain a 1.66GHz Atom processor, 2GB RAM and a 32GB SSD along with HDMI-out, 3G and a claimed eight-hour battery life.
Care to guess which OS the all-plastic computer will run? Android? Chrome? Nope, it will be encumbered with a full-on desktop operating system in the shape of Windows 7. MSI has papered a thin software covering over the top in the shape of the Wind Touch UI, which should make things a little more finger-friendly. Windows 7 does technically support touch out of the box, but I have tried it and it pretty much sucks.
Essentially, then, this is a netbook without a keyboard. On the other hand, the video demonstration shared by TweakTown and shot at the Computex show this year, shows that although this is no slick and sexy iPad, it does seem a lot easier to use than a regular netbook.
And remember, the Wind in its many forms has been a winner in the market, both as the perfect hackintosh machine and as a cheap-o portable computer. Apple certainly doesn’t need to worry about anything, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be a hit – as long as the price is right. Available in the first half of 2010.
MSI Wind-Pad [MSI]
Post a Comment