ViewSonic Announces Prices, Ship Dates For ViewPad 7 And 10 Tablets

And the tablet craze continues. The entire industry seems to be trying hard to catch up with the momentum that Apple's iPad has gained throughout this year, and while Samsung's Galaxy Tab is definitely the most highly anticipated Android tablet on the market, there are plenty of competitors available if you dig deep. ViewSonic has  been invested in the handheld market for some time, and there's been rumors of a ViewPad in the past.


Today, those rumors are being quelled by way of an official introduction by the company. The ViewPad 7 and ViewPad 10 are both being formally introduced, with the 7 offering Android 2.2, 3.5G internet, a 7" touch panel, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB connectivity and 2 built-in cameras: a 3-megapixel, auto focus camera in the rear and a 0.3 megapixel camera in the front.


It also has 512MB of memory and a MicroSD slot (for up to 32GB extra of storage) and a battery that can last up to 10 hours. The ViewPad 7 will be available in late Q4 2010 for an estimated retail price of $479, slightly undercutting the Galaxy Tab and iPad.


The ViewPad 10 is definitely the more interesting of the two. It's a 10.1" dual-boot Wi-Fi device that uses Windows 7 Home Premium as well as Android 1.6. It's more powerful too, with a 1.66GHz Atom processor, 16GB SSD, microSD card slot, 1024x600 LED-backlit touch panel, a G-sensor, 1.3MP webcam (with built-in microphone) and a estimated price of $629. It will be available in Q1 2011. We definitely wish the dual-boot device included Froyo, but hopefully that will come in an update.

ViewSonic Unveils Android™-based ViewPads®

Thousands of open-sourced apps available for 7” Android 2.2 3.5G capable ViewPad 7
and 10.1” dual-boot Win 7 and Android 1.6 ViewPad 10

WALNUT, Calif. – November 1, 2010 – ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today announced its ViewPad line of Android-based devices, featuring the ViewPad 7 and ViewPad 10.

“Leveraging our 20-year display heritage, these new ViewPad solutions provide users with anytime anywhere connectivity,” said Jeff Volpe, vice president and general manager for ViewSonic Americas. “With access to the universe of Android apps, our new ViewPads are perfectly suited for enjoying digital entertainment and social media. Office productivity is also a snap with robust web browsing functionality.”

ViewPad 7 – The Android 2.2 ViewPad 7 combines a powerful processor with 3.5G capable data technology in a lightweight, pocket-sized 7” form factor. With an 800x480 WVGA LCD screen, this device is one of the only 7” tablet solutions with Android Google Mobile Services (GMS). As a result, consumers can connect to a selection of more than 100,000 apps and games along with Gmail, YouTube and more for a superior and convenient entertainment solution that fits today’s mobile lifestyle.
 
With its wireless 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth® connectivity the ViewPad 7 supports instant messaging, VoIP, and all the web browsing and USB connectivity functions of a capacitive multi-touch device. The ViewPad 7 features 2 built-in cameras: a 3-megapixel, auto focus camera in the rear and a 0.3 megapixel camera in the front. In addition to the integrated 512MB of memory, the ViewPad 7 offers up to an additional 32GB of storage capacity via the micro SD card slot, along with battery life of up to 10 hours. The result is the ultimate device for connected fun and multitasking – in a compact size easier to carry than a netbook and with better media performance than a smartphone.

The ViewPad 7 will be available in late Q4 2010 for an ESP of $479. Third-party accessories and ViewCare™ extended warranties will also be available at launch.

ViewPad 10 – Innovative and productive, this 10.1” dual-boot Wi-Fi device gives users a choice between Windows® 7 Home Premium and Google Android 1.6 within the same device. With a high performance, high speed Intel® Atom™ 1.66GHz processor, integrated 1GB of memory, 16GB SSD hard drive and expandable micro SD slot, the ViewPad 10 is ideally designed to view Flash-based content and Office programs with Windows, and for an optimized mobile entertainment experience with Android. Additionally, the 1024x600 LED backlit panel includes a G-sensor and capacitive multi-touch for intuitive navigation across multiple applications. Teamed with a 1.3-megapixel webcam with built-in microphone, the ViewPad 10 is great for videoconferencing as well.

The ViewPad 10 with dual-boot OS will be available in Q1 2011 for an ESP of $629. Third-party accessories and ViewCare™ extended warranties will be available at launch.