There’s no I in pad. Only we, of course. Yeah, we’ve been wanting to make that joke for awhile — but in all seriousness, Neofonie, makers of the 11.6-inch WePad, held a press conference in Berlin today to reveal a bit more about its Linux-based slate. According to our German counterparts there will be two versions of the Intel Atom N450-powered tablet, which has two USB ports and an onboard webcam — the 16GB / WiFi version will go for €450 and the 64GB / HD capable model for €569. We’re a bit intrigued by the promised “full HD” support of the larger version, but Neofonie was quick to say that there is no NVIDIA inside. Hmm… Broadcom’s Crystal HD, perhaps? The company wasn’t willing to let reporters play with the early build of the multitouch device, but they did show off some videos of the Linux interface. You can watch a few after the break, but the live widget-based GUI looks extremely attractive and amongst other things, the browser supports Flash. It sort of hurts that we won’t be able to get our hands on one until August, but we’re happy to hear that the company, unlike some others, is taking the time to get things right.

The new 'WePad' tablet PC is photographed during a news conference in Berlin, Germany,Monday April 12, 2010. The German maker of a new tablet computer is setting out to rival Apple's iPad with the promise of even more sophisticated technology. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

BERLIN (AP) -- The German maker of a new tablet PC is setting out to rival Apple's iPad with the promise of even more technology such as a bigger screen, a webcam and USB ports.

It is not, however, an "iPad killer" as it has been dubbed by some blogs but an alternative to its bigger rival, Neofonie GmbH's founder and managing director Helmut Hoffer von Ankershoffen told reporters on Monday in Berlin.

Ankershoffen stressed the system's openness: Two USB ports allow users to connect all kinds of devices with the WePad, from external keyboards to data sticks.

People who want to put music on their WePad do not have to have any particular software, Ankershoffen said -- a blow at Apple's devices that require particular Apple software like iTunes.

The WePad's basic version, which comes with Wi-Fi and 16-gigabyte storage, is set to cost euro449 ($600), the larger 32-gigabyte version with a fast 3G modem is euro569.

Ankershoffen claimed that given its technological superiority and greater openness, "that's a bargain compared with the iPad."

The iPad -- which hit stores in the U.S. less than a month ago -- is on sale there starting at $499 for the smallest version, coming with Wi-Fi and a 16 GB storage.

The WePad, with its 11.6-inch screen, is powered by an Intel chip and relies on a Linux software basis which is compatible with Google's Android and all Flash applications, Ankershoffen said.

When it hits stores starting late July, it will also boast a complete open source office package, he said.

Reporters could not test the device at the press conference.

Berlin-based Neofonie -- a small company of some 180 employees -- claims it already has some 20,000 people interested in signing up for a pre-order, even though orders won't be formally accepted before April 27.