Details of Samsung's first Chrome OS netbook escaped late Wednesday with a code page (since pulled) for Chromium OS. Codenamed Alex, it would have the same 1280x800 screen resolution as the Cr-48 but pack a significantly newer dual-core, 1.5GHz Atom N550. Also spotted were 2GB of RAM and one of SanDisk's P4 mini-SSDs supplying storage.
Barnes & Noble on Wednesday decided to reach a settlement with Spring Design and avoid a trial over claims it stole the design of the Alex e-reader for the Nook. Under the deal, Barnes & Noble will pay an unspecified royalty amount up front but will otherwise have a royalty-free license for all of Spring Design's patents. The exact payout was kept secret.
Spring Design on Monday told prospective buyers of the Alex e-reader late Monday that the device was at an end. It explained that it was "phasing out" the dual-screen Android slate sometime within the next six months. The replacement hadn't been unveiled yet, it told eBook Reader.
Spring Design's lawsuit against Barnes & Noble for allegedly copying its designs for an e-book reader was upheld by a US District Court Judge late on Monday. Barnes & Noble has now failed to win a dismissal and will have to face the complaints Spring Design is bringing to a judge, including breach of contract, unfair competition and misappropriating trade secrets.
Spring Design tonight said the Alex will start shipping as of tomorrow. The dual-screen Android e-reader has faced multiple delays since February but will finally arrive for pre-orders at its lowered $399 price. It will only support Wi-Fi for Internet access at first but should get 3G over EVDO and HSPA later this year.
The delayed Alex e-book reader from Spring Design may become available from the company's website on March 16th, according to an unnamed source. Previously, the device was due for a February 22nd release as well as another one during the first week in March, which was also missed. SlashGear hasn't heard what triggered the extended delay.
The small Alex e-book reader introduced at CES has missed its February 22nd launch and its maker, Spring Design, has announced it will be available for pre-order in the first week of March. The dual-screen device has a larger, 6-inch e-paper screen up top and a 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD and allows for reading e-books while browsing the web at the same time. The Alex has a built-in EVDO/HSPA 3G modem as well as Wi-Fi.
The UK's Broadband Computer Company is going after a niche market of computer users with an easy-to-use 15.4-inch notebook called Alex. Meant for users who don't know how to, don't want to learn or don't want to bother learning how to use a computer, Alex is a rebranded Clevo M760T notebook with a 1.66GHz Celeron CPU and 1GB of RAM. Users log into a custom, Linux-based OS by inserting a USB drive BCC calls a latchkey and typing in a password. The idea gives each member of the family their own latchkey for logging in and accessing their own files.
