Some of the remarkable things this sexy beast features are the ability to make phone calls via the built-in 3G, do videoconferencing (thanks to a 2MP camera that faces you), take pictures (thanks to a fancy 5MP camera that faces out), and read from SD cards. It also has a USB connection (yay!) and the user can swap out the battery. It sports a 1366x768 resolution and is capable of playing HD video
Now, I don't want to sell this as an "iPad killer". I don't WANT the iPad killed. What makes me excited about this sort of product hitting the market is that it seems (from its specs anyway) to be a viable alternative to the iPad. The iPad is a great piece of technology, but it worries me because the hype is so great for it that it may choke out all other entries into the tablet market. I want choice in which tablet I want to buy, and I want a competitor to the iPad that forces developers to hopefully push for open standards, so that their software can be used on multiple platforms.
Given the wide range of features, I'm doubtful that the Gemini will have the amazing battery life that the iPad currently boasts (a whopping 11 hours of video, which blows my mind). I'm also not sure how it'll handle, in terms of weight (the Gemini is larger than the iPad) and general touch screen usability. But for a geek like me, who felt that there were several features missing that prevented the iPad from being a viable platform for me, the Gemini is a really exciting piece of hardware.
There's no release date or price for the Gemini yet, but I'm hoping it comes sooner rather than later before Apple completely consumes the tablet market.
Check out the Engadget page for an excellent rundown of the full specs of the device, plus a side-by-side comparison to its direct competitors. http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/06/icds-tegra-2-powered-gemini-is-the-most-feature-complete-tablet/
Other coverage can be found at:
ZDNet
Electronista
photo taken from the Engadget.com site linked above
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