Qualcomm showed off a convertible tablet netbook design based on its Snapdragon chipset. The prototype netbook runs an ARM-type CPU, a processor family often found in PDAs rather than full computers. As a result, the operating system choices will be limited to Linux or Windows Mobile; Windows XP doesn't run on ARM chips. It's not clear what specs the netbook will have, as Qualcomm is in the process of introducing a major Snapdragon refresh, increasing clock speeds and adding a second core to the design.

Qualcomm's demo model has a swiveling touchscreen for input, and lacks a secondary touchpad altogether. The screen looks a little small, bordered by quite a large bezel, but this is only a prototype, and production models may feature a more attractive display. In addition to the convertible tablet, Qualcomm displayed a demo of a full-tablet mobile internet device, a simplified netbook focusing solely on web browsing. It looks like these devices could be part of the Kayak design Qualcomm talked about last month. Few hard details are available on the pair, but they should include 3G access, and Qualcomm says to expect between four and six hours of battery life from the devices.

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