It's official: the educational tablet maker Kno is officially abandoning hardware manufacturing, licensing the design to Intel, and switching its focus to its "robust software and services."
If the story sounds familiar, indeed, it's confirmation of what All Things D's Kara Swisher reported in February. No more Kno tablet.
I wrote a good piece back then -- "No Kno (Not Now, Not Ever)" -- in which I looked at the challenges of building hardware aimed solely at the student (tablet) market. Back then I questioned whether, in fact, software would really be the easier path for the company to take. Today's news that Kno has taken on an additional $30 million in investment (from Intel Capital and Cond� Nast) will, I suppose, make that path somewhat easier. But I still have little confidence. Kno confidence. Whatever.
So instead of just regurgitating what's really been my refrain since I first caught wind of the dedicated student tablet, I'm going to run through a list of alternative Kno headlines. I'm looking for your suggestions too, because I'm running out of witty things to say about student tablets:
- Oh Kno!
- Hell Kno!
- No Kno
- No One Kno's
- (K)No More Tablet
- What Do You Kno?
- Kno Way!
- Knoing is Overrated
- Kno Knows Bounds
- Hey Kno, You Forgot the W
- Now You Kno: Was Kno-ing Half the Battle?
- There's No Business like Kno Business
- We Don't Need Kno Stinking Tablets
With thanks to those who offered their suggestions via Twitter