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Blake Griffin gets Vizio Tablet before you can, proves famous people get special treatment (updated)
Being Blake Griffin has its perks -- he's NBA Rookie of the Year and a millionaire, plus he's got the adoration of millions and the ability to posterize fools with prodigious power dunks. He also got the Vizio tablet before it goes on sale to the general public, and posted a video showing off his new VIA Plus-equipped slate. We're glad that Blake Superior's enjoying the tablet's portrait and landscape stereo speakers and its universal remote function... really, we are. But, we'd rather be watching him catch alley-oops and throw down windmills on a tablet of our very own -- c'mon Vizio, quit playing favorites. [Thanks, Ben] Update: Looks like you'll be able to join Blake on the Vizio bandwagon soon, as the folks at This is my next got a pic showing that Walmart's already putting the tablet's $349 price tag on store shelves.
Vizio's VTAB1008 tablet hits the FCC: your $349 slate now one step closer to shipping
Vizio hasn't had much to say about its tablet plans since it entered the fray at CES in January, but it looks like things are now starting to pick up again, and fast. We just got wind of a listing for a Vizio VTAB1008 tablet priced at just $349 in Walmart's system earlier this week, and now that same device has passed through the FCC -- which, if you place the two together, could well indicate that a launch may finally be imminent. Unfortunately, the FCC listing doesn't provide much in the way of details beyond the crude outline above and some expected specs (WiFi, Bluetooth and HDMI), but the agency has only been asked to hold back the confidential parts of the filing until August 30th, so we should at least know more by then at the latest.
Vizio Tablet (VTAB1008) priced at $349 within Walmart's system
Wait, Vizio's concocting a tablet? For those with chronic short-term memory loss, you may have forgotten that America's so-called low-cost TV leader branched out a bit during this year's Super Bowl, but it's been dead quiet on the tablet front ever since dropping the Via and sticking with Tablet. Looks like that's about to change, though -- a courteous tipster handed off the screenshot you see above, highlighting the appearance of a 'VTAB1008' within Walmart's inventory system. The device was just added a couple of weeks ago, and while we're still no closer to knowing if Vizio's done the right thing and settled on Honeycomb, we do know that it'll be pricing this thing competitively. How competitively? $349... competitively. We'll keep you abreast of any release dates we see, but for now, catch up by having a gander at our preview video from a few months back. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Vizio Tablet hands-on preview
We just had our first in-depth experience with the Vizio Tablet, the company's opening overture into the world of Android slates, and we've got to say -- we like what we see. The device -- which was just announced Monday afternoon along with the company's new smartphone, the Vizio Phone -- is still rather unfinished (the model we looked at was a hand-built device), but based on this early look, the company is moving down the right roads. We had a good chance to play around with the tablet, and we've got all the details, specs, and an in-depth video after the break! %Gallery-112617%
Vizio details specs on Vizio Tablet and Vizio Phone, reveals VIA Plus is Google TV
Vizio has unveiled more about its plans for the new year which seem to consist largely of a huge push on Android, from the 4-inch phone and 8-inch tablet running a (still unspecified) flavor on their 1 GHz processors, to new VIA Plus HDTVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV built in. The VIA Tablet and VIA Phone (not necessarily final names, judging from the PR) have a few other details mentioned -- though we don't know if the phone is GSM or CDMA, it does have a 4-inch screen, WiFi N, GPS, MicroSD slot, dual cameras and HDMI output, while the 8-inch tablet brings similar chops minus any sort of 3G connectivity. With the new Vizio Internet Apps Plus, it aims to provide a seamless experience from the handheld to the big screen, including the ability to pause and resume content across devices. Judging by the screenshot, it looks like the company may be wrapping its own Yahoo! Widgets-like skin around the Google TV experience in a way we haven't seen from Sony or Logitech yet. Another pic and the full press releases await after the break, the rest will have to wait until we get our hands on the devices in Las Vegas. Update: Vizio's quietly dropped the VIA naming -- now it's just the Vizio Phone and Vizio Tablet with the VIA Plus ecosystem.
Vizio reveals Via Tablet and Phone with Android, sub-$300 3DTVs ahead of CES (update: pic!)
Vizio made its name by packing high end features into value-priced HDTVs and it's taking that mentality to new areas, revealing the tablet we spotted in last night's Rose Bowl ad as the 8-inch Via Tablet and a 4-inch Via Phone. Both will be running Android and while CTO Matthew McRae didn't spill any OS details to the Wall Street Journal, the combination of confirmed Market access and odd button configuration has us thinking Honeycomb is in the works when they are released this summer. The only Via Phone details mentioned are screen size and its front and 5MP rear cameras, while the tablet promises a "high resolution" screen, WiFi, three speakers, HDMI out and front facing camera -- but no cellular service. Expect TV manufacturers to be on their toes as well, since Vizio says it will bring 3DTVs to market that start at less than $300. The new mobile products will also tie into its TV business through the Via Plus internet service, which sounds a lot like Samsung Apps by allowing access to Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, Android market access (to go along with its new Google TVs) and even a new Vizio On Demand movie services across all of its devices. We'll temper our excitement slightly remembering the new TVs and iPhone app shown off last year that never quite made it to shelves, but this trip to Vegas has already gotten even more interesting. Update: Get a peek at the Via Tablet and Via Phone immediately above, and get a load of those front-facing cameras!
