QuokkaPad Open-Source Ereader/tablet Almost On Sale

Open-source ereaders aren't exactly new – the txtr promises to give access to its underlying architecture, for instance – but the Australian QuokkaPad may have taken the longest to reach the market.  The 8-inch LCD 800 x 600 touchscreen tablet is based on a 400MHz MIPS processor, and usually runs Linux 2.6.24.3 with the GPE Palmtop Environment UI on top; however, there's also room for two other kernels, such as Android or Windows CE.

Meanwhile the hardware is also pretty flexible, with a removable WiFi card – useful if you want to upgrade the standard b/g to 802.11n – and a user-accessible battery.  Meanwhile the USB 2.0 port is a regular Host port, so you can plug in 3G dongles, digital cameras or pretty much anything else.

The Red Ferret Journal talked to project designer Mike Ottway, and it turns out the QuokkaPad has taken 10 years to reach the stage it's at now, and it's still not quite on the market.  That's expected to finally happen in around a month's time, with prices at AU$400-450 ($330-380).