We're as flummoxed as the next blog when it comes to suggestions for newspapers trying to stay afloat in the digital world, and the answers that media companies have come up with (such as obnoxious paywalls and ill-considered iPad apps) haven't set the bar very high. Maybe that's why we were so tickled to hear that the Philadelphia Media Group is planning on bundling its Daily News and Inquirer newspapers with its own branded Android tablets, and that the devices could hit the streets as early as mid-August.

First reported by Ad Week, the project will start out small, with 2,000 of the as yet unspecified tablets. The idea is that by selling the hardware and offering the digital subscriptions at a discount, the paper will be able to both grab some market share and use the devices to gather valuable consumer data. At launch it looks like these bad boys are going to be Wi-Fi only, so make sure you sync yours before you run to catch the bus. For more info, check out the video after the break.

Sources: Ad Week, Liliputing, Philly.com