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Viewsonic unveils a dual-boot tablet
DISPLAY MANUFACTURER Viewsonic has released details of its 10-inch dual-boot Android and Windows tablet.
Viewsonic has never before deviated from its well-worn path as a display vendor. But the company has recently issued a raft of pre-announcement teasers about its lines of tablets and 3D wares.
We reported last week that Viewsonic announced a 7-inch Viewpad and we even have a video demo hot from the consumer electronics show IFA. But the company hasn't revealed details about its 10-inch dual boot tablet until now.
The Viewpad 100 has a multi-touch LED display with 1024x600 resolution and comes with Windows 7 Home Premium and Google's Android 1.6. Strange choice. Basically, if it can run Windows 7 it has enough power to run anything except CAD/CAM applications so the choice of the outdated Android 1.6 doesn't make much sense. We can only assume that Viewsonic is flogging the mouldy "Donut" to keep costs down and if it manages to sell any of these puppies, it'll offer a free upgrade to Android 2.0, 2.1 or even 2.2.
Viewsonic said users can opt for the speed of Android but use Windows for that old school PC experience. In this case, that means USB connectivity, video output via a mini VGA port and Adobe Flash support.
The kit has a 16GB SSD and comes with an Intel Atom N455 1.66Ghz processor and 1GB of DDR3. You'll also get WiFi, Bluetooth, assisted GPS and a webcam.
"The Viewpad 100 is aimed at those who want the speed and portability of Android without losing the advantages of having a Windows-based system," says Derek Wright, Viewsonic's European product marketing manager.
"We recognise many users may be transitioning from a netbook but will possibly struggle with the learning curve of a new OS, even for simple tasks as uploading photos or using a VPN. Eventually they may choose to favour one over the other, but they will always have the choice."
The Viewpad 100 will be out here in Blighty from October for £549. µ
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Because to run Windows, you need to ditch all the nice things about a slate.
The ARM processor has to go, and get replaced with an energy hungry x86 processor.
The battery life will therefore not be very good. The software will not be that good for geolocation (Android/iPad software is much better).
So, just the fact that Windows is there means the hardware will not be good. Don't buy this failed Tablet PC.
Buy an Android slate or an iPad instead.
If I could afford a tablet, I would be stymied by the choice between Win7 and Android and possibly not buy at all as a result. Giving both options in one package is a smart move in my view.
It's pretty obvious why it has the choice of two OSes.
It's trying to hedge its bets by having a foot in both camps.
No doubt it developed it with Windows 7 in mind over the last 2 years whilst it was getting developed and then saw that Android is getting very popular and so threw together that old standby - Android 1.6 version.
Isn't that the max resolution Intel imposes on NetBook PCs? Could Viewsonic be legally limited to that?
Viewsonic should atleast offer 1024x768 vga resolution. Viewsonic being the display expert could have done much better on resolution.