While much of the tablet-interested world was waiting for the latest iteration of the iPad to be announced today, there was another launch of a great looking “tablet” device yesterday. Vernier.com announced the next version of their LabQuest, the LabQuest 2.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNyKZaPFwXQ[/youtube]

Back in 2007, still years before the iPad was even in diapers, Vernier launched the LabQuest as stand-alone computer interface for their sensors that was more than a LabPro or TI84 graphing calculator, but less than a laptop computer. While revolutionary, and truly a game changer, science education continued advance over the past five years making a second version necessary.

The LabQuest 2 is a completely different form factor and appears to have embraced many of the features, operations, and shape we are used to with our other handheld devices.

It also appears that the fine folks at Vernier have not forgotten about the rest of our devices in that the LabQuest 2 can work with them as well through several connectivity options further changing the game. In fact, I’d go so far as to suggest that that very feature, called the Connected Science System, is an excellent example of a “disruptive technology” and will surely become an industry standard option in for all other similar devices in the future.

I cannot wait to get my hands on one! The release date is in April, but I suspect there will some on hand at our National Conference at the end of this month.

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