TechCrunch has been teasing readers with pictures and video of a prototype touchscreen Web tablet (also known as the "CrunchPad" or "Crunch Tablet") for several months. The most recent photos, released in April, show a slim, Atom-powered device that has an on-screen keyboard and even packaging.

The CrunchGear post brags that "it’s real and it’s spectacular," but a new hardware launch in a market crowded with sub-$400 netbooks, iPod touches, and the Kindle 2 will be a challenge. Manufacturing, distribution, and sales all have to be worked out before launch can occur.