Demonstration of Michael Arrington’s CrunchPad Prototype

File this under “this looks frakin’ awesome.” Can TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington do what Apple can’t do? Take a peek at the below video, and it seems he’s getting close. Even if it does cost $299 (instead of originally $200) — the CrunchPad would be a killer device. As I’m an iPhone fan, as are my friends, all we keep on saying is “Wouldn’t it be great if Apple releases the same device, but larger, in the tablet format?” I, for one, am tired of squinting at the tiny NY Times iPhone App. And, who needs a douchebaggy Kindle? Well, Arrington has done what others can’t. I can’t wait to see this product in stores.

The device has a 12-inch touchscreen with a 4:3 aspect ratio (which is ideal for web browsing in my opinion). It is powered with a Via Nano processor, which has performed at par with the Intel Atom in our testing. 1 GB of ram (its more than we need) and a 4 GB flash drive to store the OS and browser and any cache. Resolution is 1024×768, which means the vast majority of websites are viewed in full width without scrolling. The device also has wifi, an accelerometer (so when you turn the screen on its side you can view more of a web page), a camera and a four cell battery. Total cost of the device, when we include estimates for the case, codecs and other miscellaneous items, is just over $200. Prototype B is actually much less expensive because the screen we used isn’t very good. The price estimate includes a much better, more expensive LCD. – from Techcrunch

Here’s the responses from the Internets:

They don’t seem to be heading toward production anytime soon, so don’t cross your fingers, but you’ll undoubtedley want to see if it’s any good for yourself in the breathtaking video after the break. – from Engadget

Finally, the design of the case in prototype B sucks. It’s thick and unwieldy. Mike says that “It’s about twice as thick as is needs to be without further engineering – we just built in a safety thickness in case of heat or other issues.” Getting it down to .7″ thick and removing much of the unnecessary border around the screen will go a long way to making it consumer friendly. From the screens, it also looks like the bezel rides quite a bit higher than the screen surface. The iPhone face is one smooth surface, something that make it feel like a quality product a person would want to own. – from Elliotback

I’ve been wanting a simple PC-style device to surf the web quickly and easily in front of the TV or in the kitchen. Laptops are so-so for this, netbooks are a step in the right direction, but this touchscreen tablet prototype would be perfect. If it actually makes it into production, that is. – from Post Gazette