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That’s One Big Tablet: The Kno

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Wow. I guess size can matter. At least that’s what the folks behind the Kno Tablet think. This dual screen Tablet has two 14.1 inch screens. That’s a lot of real estate, and as Technology Review says it feels like you’re cracking open a MacBook Pro when you open it. But that’s not stopping the folks behind the Kno.

This is aimed squarely at the education sector and one of the big selling points is that publishers don’t have to change what they already do to have their textbooks display properly in PDF format. Both screens are touch screens and both accept pen input. Battery life is supposedly all day and you can carry 8 terms (semesters) of books, notes, etc… on the device. It’s not out yet, and the Kno website says they are looking for folks to help them shape the future.

The Kno will be available to 100 students spread across three unnamed colleges or universities this fall. Although I don’t think something this size will be too easy to keep a secret. There’s a lot we don’t know about the Kno, so we’d love to hear from anyone who sees one.

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. HG

    08/11/2010 at 8:25 pm

    One thing forsure, you won’t be putting The Kno in your back pocket. ;)

  2. Mike

    08/11/2010 at 8:28 pm

    That’s fantastic !
    I would be all over that as a student… all other things being good.
    How the screens react to glare is going to be a big deal for the education market.

    But those huge screens!!
    Love that!!!

  3. acerbic

    08/11/2010 at 11:42 pm

    How would the publishers have to change what they already do to have their textbooks display properly in PDF format even if that massive, flopping, unwieldy freak was transformed into a nifty tablet by cutting it in half?

    • Mike

      08/12/2010 at 4:48 pm

      Not much I think.

      A better question is – when will the idea of open-source permeate the textbook market enough that groups of universities or educators start banding together to write/edit/release free (or very cheap) text books – which cost next to nothing for digital copies to be “made”.
      And thus bring an end to the forcible rape of poor students everywhere, which is the current state of the pricing of text books.

      • ChrisRS

        08/12/2010 at 6:30 pm

        “Groups of universities and educators” WILL NOT band together to write/edit/release free (or very cheap) text books.

        There is too much profit for the educators that Write, Revise, Update, Edit, Proof Read, etc. each book over and over and over. The Universities like the status of haveing published professors, and benefit by haveing the textbook sales subsidize their proferssors salaries – “We can pay you this much but you get to write and profit from your text book sales.”

        Welcome to Conflict ofIntereest U!

        I am a parent, not a student.

  4. ChrisRS

    08/12/2010 at 6:34 pm

    What OS? This looks like it will be very expensive as a companion device. I hope it is Windows 7 but doubt it.

  5. Nameless

    08/14/2010 at 2:01 pm

    I’m very interested since this is the closest to Courier we’re going to get right now, and most importantly, they take pen input seriously with this device, apparently featuring Wacom digitizers on both screens along with capacitive multi-touch.

    However, dual 14.1″ screens have given me cause for concern. My Gateway E-295C already has a single 14″ screen along with a hefty base and battery that total up to anywhere between 6.2 and 7.5 pounds, and I find it very unwieldy in slate mode unless I have a stand to prop it up against. I’m already thinking of getting a Motion LS800 because of that.

    Then again, I suppose an E-295C + Kno is much better off weight-wise than an E-295C + several hardcover dead tree textbooks, and e-books on the Kno would be easier to navigate.

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