Notion Ink’s Rohan Shravan has uploaded some of the first photos of production samples of the company’s upcoming Adam tablet. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In a blog post this weekend, Shravan also described one of the key features of Notion Ink’s custom user interface for Google Android.

While most Android apps are designed to run in full-screen mode, they’re also designed to run on handheld devices such as smartphones. The Notion Ink Adam tablet has a 10 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display. The company decided to take advantage of that large display and Android’s multitasking capabilities to let you run up to three apps at a time side by side on a screen, in three separate panels.

Only one app will really be in the foreground at a time, with other apps sort of running in the background, but this layout will let you see three apps at a time, while allowing apps to look much the same as they would on a phone. Shravan says they’re running in something Notion Ink calls “light mode.” You can also run apps in full screen if you like.

Of course, the user interface is only one of the things that makes the Adam tablet stand out. It’s also one of the few tablets designed with a dual core NVIDIA Tegra chip, and an optional Pixel Qi transflective display which is readable in direct sunlight with the backlight off or viewable in full color LCD mode with the backlight on.

The tablet has yet to start shipping, but it should be out later this year or early next year.

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11 replies on “Notion Ink tweaks Android multitasking features to play well with tablets”

  1. give up already
    -just a bunch of geeks who will never launch it as a consumer product

  2. I would write this off as vapourware, as it’s 9 months late and (I think) looking like it’s still 6 months away, but it’s not like the market is full of high-quality, affordable Android tablets yet so maybe its window is still open.
    What I’d really like to know is, why is it so late? Is it due to nVidia (as far as I know there aren’t any other Tegra-2 products actually available yet)? I’ll presume it’s not Pixel Qi, given that they’re selling their panels as DIY ugrades. I guess it could all be Notion Ink’s problems.

    1. it´s so late because they changed their investor in sommer….
      the old one got cold feet and wanted to change adam to a netbook…..

    2. That window is about to be slammed shut in the coming weeks when a load of tablets come crashing through the door.

      Also by the time Notion Ink get to the point where they say “Tadaaaa!” there is definitely going to be an Apple in the way in the form of a new iPad.

      It either comes out in 2010 or it is toast.

      Considering it has not even been submitted to the FCC for approval, it’s not looking good.

      1. Supposed to be going to the FCC in beginning of Nov. Possibly end of Oct. They have a partnership with Longbox, inc. Which is for digital comic books. The CEO had this to say . “We’re releasing v1.1 of the Mac and PC client app this weekend, with a number of enhancements and new features. v1.2 will be released around the coming holiday season to coincide with the release of the ADAM tablet.” So, they’re expecting it by the end of the year.
        Also, what other tablets have the features that adam has? Can you point to one that has Pixel Qi and 1080p out? All the other ones are just being thrown out there with no thought to features or compatibility with other android apps. They figure android’s hot so they’ll put something out. I don’t see how you think the adam would lose out when other tablets come out.

  3. I wonder why I was thinking the Adam would have a 1366×768 screen? 🙁

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