ASUS may have more planned, but it looks like Viewsonic will be here sooner. The manufacturer - better known for its desktop displays - has announced that it will be launching a pair of Viewpad tablet PCs in the next few weeks.
The Viewpad 10 is by far the most interesting of the two. The 10in 1,024x600px display will be powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 with 1GB DDR3 with a 16GB SSD taking care of storage. There's also onboard Wi-Fi - though no 3G - room for expansion via a microSD slot and a 1.3MP front-facing webcam.
You could probably guess that this thing is going to be running Windows 7, but the twist is that it'll dual-boot into Android. Unfortunately it'll be the antiquated version 1.6 at launch, though hopefully an upgrade will be forthcoming.
Also arriving next month is the 7in Viewpad 7, which looks to be more of what we expect from a large phone/small tablet. The device will be equipped with an 800x480px display and a 600MHz Qualcomm CPU running Android 2.2. Unlike its big brother, this model will get a full range of mobile connectivity options, including 3G, 802.11g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1.
Both are available to pre-order now, with the Viewpad 10 retailing for £429 and the Viewpad 7 listed at £399 with an estimated November 15 shipping date. However, some sources are reporting that the larger model will be available from as early as November 1.
For anyone ready to take the plunge, the manufacturer is running an amnesty on old PCs that will earn you credit towards the purchase of a tablet. Details are available from Viewsonic, but the essence is that any working laptop or netbook under four years old can be sent in and exchanged for up to £125 credit, which will bring both models to around £300.
[Update] The Viewpad 10 is in stock and available from Scan.co.uk* priced at £429.45. The Viewpad 7 can be pre-ordered at a cost of £399.48.
*As always, UK-based HEXUS.community forum members will benefit from the SCAN2HEXUS Free Shipping initiative, which will save you a further few pounds plus also top-notch, priority customer service and technical support backed up by the SCANcare@HEXUS forum.
