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ViewSonic rolls out $200 ViewPad 7e Android tablet
We've already seen it available for pre-order at Amazon and spent a bit of time with it ourselves last month, but ViewSonic's only just now officially getting its ViewPad 7e Android tablet out the door. It'll be available by the end of the month if it hasn't hit retailers already and, as expected, it will set you back an even $200. That unfortunately only buys you Android 2.3 (with an SPB shell on top) and not Honeycomb, but the specs are otherwise somewhat decent for the price, including a 1GHz ARM A8 processor, dual cameras, a "RiteTouch" 7-inch capacitive display, 4GB of storage with a microSD card slot for expansion, and HDMI output. As is often the case with low-end tablets, however, one key omission is official support for the Android Market, but you do at least get access to Amazon's Appstore, as well as plenty of pre-loaded apps including Twitter, Kindle, and TuneIn Radio.
Viewsonic ViewPad 7e hands-on
ViewSonic ViewPad 10e coming soon to UK and Netherlands? Nook Simple Touch gets $79 limited edition for Black Friday, makes other e-readers vaguely jealous Is this Dell's Windows 7 'Peju' Tablet? The ViewSonic ViewPad 7e isn't exactly what we'd call a barn burner. The 1GHz Samsung chip inside is enough for some basic web browsing and light app duty, but even the ViewSonic reps we spoke to referred to it as an "e-reader on steroids," positioning it more as a competitor to the Nook Color than the iPad. In our brief hands-on, the little tablet ran Gingerbread capably enough that we weren't drumming our fingers on the table, but the 7-inch, 800 x 600 screen was not always particularly responsive -- it took three swipes to unlock the first time. Despite it's noticeable bulk (you can see it resting besides a Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the gallery below) it was surprisingly light in the hand. Of course, it saves precious ounces by going with an all plastic build, but it hardly feels cheap or shoddy (though, the buttons are a bit stiff). On the left-hand edge you'll find a microSD slot for adding to the 4GB of integrated storage, while along the top is the AC plug, a mini USB port and mini HMDI for pumping out 1080p video. As we've mentioned before this budget slate is available to pre-order now for $200. Don't miss the bevy of photos below as well as the PR after the break. %Gallery-133803%
Viewsonic's $200 ViewPad 7e Android tablet now available for pre-order
Viewsonic has been at the low-cost Android tablet for some time now, and it showed no signs of letting up on that effort at IFA last week, where it debuted its new ViewPad 7e. If that managed to pique your interest, you'll be glad to know that the device is now available for pre-order for $199.99 (though there's still no promised ship date). That will buy you a 7-inch screen, a 1GHz Cortex-A8 processor, Android 2.3 for an OS, 4GB of built-in storage, a microSD card slot for further expansion, and even a mini HDMI port that will let you output full 1080p video. [Thanks, Peter]
ViewSonic launches ViewPad 7x and 10pro, budget-friendly 7e to follow in Q4
Viewsonic has been taunting us a slew of slates for months, one of which we even got to manhandle way back in February. It seems the company is finally ready to deliver its ViewPads to the public though, and announced the availability of three models at IFA. The ViewPad 10pro has been around the block a few times by now and, after a limited run earlier, the Android 2.3 and Windows 7-running tablet will hit shelves on September 5th starting at €499 ($714) for the WiFi only version. Next up is the oft-teased ViewPad 7x, a 7-inch slice of Honeycomb that sports the custom, 3D ViewScene skin. A definitive date hasn't been set for this 8GB, Tegra 2-powered device, but it's expected to land before the end of the month for €349 ($499). Last, is the budget-minded ViewPad 7e. We don't know much about this device, outside of the fact that it sports a 4:3 screen, most likely of the 7-inch variety, but it seems safe to assume we're looking at another Android device. One with relatively low-power internals considering its estimated €169 ($242) price when it lands sometime in Q4.
