Portland-based CTL, previously notable for selling a version of Intel's kid-oriented Classmate netbook, now gives the lie to those who claim that Windows 7 tablets aren't available. The company claims shipments of its new 2goPad SL10 will begin this Friday, Oct. 15.

CTL's 2goPad SL10

Like other such devices to date, the device is essentially a netbook with its keyboard lopped off and a touchscreen grafted on. (Of course, this means purchasers can use the tablet as a netbook simply by adding a USB keyboard.) The 2goPad SL10's screen offers capacitive multi-touch and a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, says CTL.

Inside, there's Intel's 1.66GHz Atom N450 CPU, the NM10 I/O controller, and -- again like a netbook -- a 250GB, 5400rpm hard disk drive. To its credit, CTL has already fitted the maximum possible 2GB of DDR2 RAM, and it also provides the 2goPad SL10 with Windows 7 Home Premium, instead of the crippled Windows 7 Starter that most netbook vendors ship.

According to CTL, networking on the SL10 includes a 10/100 Ethernet port, Bluetooth, and 802.11b/g/n. The tablet also includes two USB ports, a microSD slot, audio I/O (microphone and headphone jacks), and a mini-VGA port for which an adapter cable is included, the company says.

The SL10 also trumps Apple's iPad and some other tablets by including a 1.3 megapixel camera for videoconferencing. Also offered are an accelerometer plus four touch-sensitive buttons on the right side of the bezel for changing settings, entering OK, or invoking the Windows Start menu.

CTL, which naturally touts the SL10's compatibility with productivity applications as well as Adobe Flash, has supplemented Windows 7 with EasyBits software, adding finger-friendly icons. The device's four-cell lithium-ion battery lasts for up to five hours, the company claims.

Features and specifications listed by CTL for the 2GoPad SL10 include:

• Processor -- 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450
• Chipset -- NM10
• Memory -- 2GB of DDR2 RAM
• Display -- 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen with 1024 x 600 resolution
• Camera -- 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Storage -- 250GB hard disk drive
• Expansion -- microSD slot
• Networking:
  • LAN -- 10/100 Ethernet
  • WLAN -- 802.11b/g/n
  • PAN -- Bluetooth
• Other I/O:
  • VGA (via adapter and mini-VGA port)
  • 2 x USB 2.0
  • audio -- headphone jack and microphone input
• Battery -- four-cell lithium-ion battery with up to five hours' life
• Dimensions -- 10.3 x 6.6 x 0.72 inches
• Weight -- 2.6 pounds

Erik Stromquist, vice president and chief operating offer of CTL, stated, "We are very excited to bring this innovative product to market. The 2goPad has better features and more horsepower than our competitors while running all the business applications that makes it essential for the professional user."

Further information

According to CTL, the 2goPad SL10 is orderable now for approximately $500 and will begin shipping Oct. 15. More information may be found on the company's website, here.

A Laptop review of the SL10 may be found here.

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