Google’s Own ‘Seaboard’ – A Tegra 2 Powered Chrome OS Touch Device

Google is testing a new Touch UI for Chrome OS. This is not a secret these days. I saw some bug fixing even today, on this touch UI. But where are they testing this new touch UI? There should be a touch-enabled device right? a tablet ? or a netbook with a touch screen?

Yes, there is one such device, and they call it “Seaboard”

After reading about the ZGB device from Acer, I spent a few hours reading a lot of Chromium bugs and found this device being mentioned in a lot of bugs. Oh, remember that Cr48 was called “Mario” internally? Seaboard sounds like a similar code name.

Hardware Specs

I couldn’t get much info about this, but here is what I found.

1. Tegra 2 processor from Nvidia
2.  Atmel MXT Touch Screen
3.  2MB of SPI storage –  ( whatever that means — )
4.  DRAM:  1 GiB
5. Two USB Ports

Is This a Tablet or Netbook With Touch Interface?

I’m 100% sure that this device is touch. But is this a tablet? I couldn’t confirm that. Maybe some of you may be able to read the code better and interpret it. Why am I confused if its a tablet or a netbook with touch? Here is some info from those bugs I read.

know we only have the traditional models, no clamshells,” one bug says. A netbook with a keyboard should be a clamshell right? So, that sounds like a tablet.

What steps will reproduce the problem? 1. Start seaboard.2. Press ctrl+alt+f2” does that sound like a netbook with a keyboard or a tablet? ( with a keyboard connected for development purpose ? or maybe on-screen keyboard ?)

Here is another “suspend (flip lid switch)6. wait until backlight is out7. resume (flip lid switch)” that’s a method to test bug. Flip lid switch? sounds like a tablet?

I’m still looking for more info on this. If you find something cool, please drop a comment. Oh, and if you want to dig deeper into this code base, click here.

ps: Those few hours I spent researching on these devices have given me some more good stuff. I will post them soon.


22 responses to “Google’s Own ‘Seaboard’ – A Tegra 2 Powered Chrome OS Touch Device”

  1. I hope this test pilot program hits the UK and not US 😉

    1. LOL !! yes, and India too please !!

      1. And the Netherlands too please !!

      2. yeah, Netherlands!
        maybe some arrangement with ChromeStory readers 😉 and our writer too of course @Dinu

      3. LOL .. I wish someone gives me one piece for free, for review or some promotion 😀

      4. Ask people for donations (via PayPal?). Something like “Want to see more reviews of Google Products. Click the “donate” button below”

  2. thanks !!

    1. morocarlo Avatar
      morocarlo

      Mentioned also in engadget!

      1. yes, saw that .. ( was waiting for it .. sssh !!! )

  3. Well, it’s only fair. I received an email saying I was invited to the program, then was told it was US only!!

    1. I received one too !!

  4. morocarlo Avatar
    morocarlo

    Maybe it will be like asus eee pad transformer 🙂
    http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_TF101/

    1. thanks for that link ! I just saw one bug that says “seaboard with clamshell” 🙂

      1. morocarlo Avatar
        morocarlo

        thank you for all this good information 🙂
        This is my italian blog about Chrome OS.
        http://www.chromeos.eu/2011/04/28/seabord-il-tablet-con-chrome-os-potrebbe-essere-come-lasus-eee-pad-transformer/

        p.s. sorry for my bad english

      2. hey ! welcome aboard 😀 hmm, you English is not bad at all ! 😀

        will keep an eye on your blog too 😉

  5. @ Daniel

    na ! that’s not fair 🙂

    1. I have seen many WP plugins do it! And at the end of the day, it is always the users decision if they wish to part with their money 😉

      1. btw, I can’t take paypal money to my bank account here in India now .. I am ok to invest a $300 more .. with hopes that some day adsense will pay me back ..

      2. Well there goes that idea, let’s hope you earn money from the ads.
        I thought they sent cheques out every 1 month?

      3. only when you make $100

  6. 3. 2MB of SPI storage – ( whatever that means — )

    The SPI is probably where the boot loader code resides. The fact they called out 2MB leads me to believe they have more boot loader code than a normal tablet. This would be consistent with other Chrome OS platforms that also have more BIOS code than normal netbooks or notebooks.

  7. morocarlo Avatar
    morocarlo

    Look this, asus say me that on Computex in Taipei we see the first Chrome OS tablet and netbooks 🙂

    http://www.chromeos.eu/2011/05/01/asus-presentera-i-tablet-con-chrome-os-al-computex-di-taipei/

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