*** UPDATE 2.7.12 *** I apologize for the confusion.  The Plasma Active and, what’s being referred to here as the “Ubuntu Tablet”, are two different tablets – two different Linux builds.  The Ubuntu tablet is of course going to run Ubuntu and the Plasma Active will run Mer Linux and KDE.  Thank you to those who pointed this out!  I appreciate your input and keeping me straight.

There’s been a lot of buzz building up around the release of the Ubuntu tablet.  What’s expected to be called the Plasma Active 2, this Linux Ubuntu tablet will be the running same KDE used on desktops and netbooks.  According to Aaron Seigo, the lead of the KDE team and the Ubuntu tablet project, said “We expect to start shipping Sparks to you starting in May 2012. We have a lot of pieces to coordinate, and not just technical issues like the OS image and the content add-on store, but things like packaging design, manufacturing, shipping, import, retail channel coordination. So far we’re on track, but I don’t want to offer a more precise date than “May” until we pull the trigger on production.”  Aaron went on to say they will be focusing initially on the European markets, but the tablet will be available online to be shipped anywhere in the world.  That Ubuntu tablet is expected to have a price tag of €200 (or $262.90 USD).

You can check out some demo videos of the Plasma Active 2 Ubuntu tablet here.

via muktware