ViewSonic's Dual-Boot Windows 7/Android Tablet
Mobile World Congress is getting ready to kick off in Barcelona, Spain but you don’t have to be there to get all hot under the collar about the devices expect to appear on the show floor. ViewSonic is expected to display a dual-boot Android and Windows Phone 7 tablet and an Android phone that will support dual-SIMs.
The company gave us all a little sneaky-peek at the V350 smartphone, which boasts a 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen, Android 2.2, five megapixel camera and support for dual-SIMs. Nifty as that may be, its the dual-boot ViewPad that is catching our eye this morning.
Packing a 10-inch display and running on one of Intel’s Oak Trail CPUs, the ViewPad 10Pro is both an Android and a Windows device. ViewSonic is touting this one as a professional tablet, if that does anything for you, and says that when launched, it will be running Windows 7 Professional for business-related tasks and Android 2.2 for users’ more casual tasks. ViewSonic said in a release that it was offering dual-boot because many users are too attached to the familiarity of Windows to switch away from the OS completely, but they also want to get a feel for Android too.
Specswise, the ViewPad’s got that 10-inch, 1024x600 LED backlit capacitive multi-touch display; 3G; Wi-Fi; Bluetooth; and supports Flash 10.1. ViewSonic says we’ll get at least six hours out of battery but, as usual, we’ll have to wait and see about that one. No word on pricing or a release date, but sure, you can’t have it all, can you? We’ll keep our eyes peeled!
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That's obviously "Windows 7", not "Windows Phone 7"
Thats great. I so wish they add WACOM pen feature to these tablets
iPad what?????
iPad what?????
iPad killer that's what
Runs a full desktop OS + Android with all of it's fun app's.
You get the best of both worlds!
I'm sorry, but why are these companies still using Android 2.2? it's 3.0 that's built for tablets. I love the idea of this, but it isn't even out yet and it's already out-dated.
Why are these companies constantly making an inferior product in some way. The first iPad didn't have a front facing camera, the Samsung Galaxy tab is reviewed as being slightly under-powered and as mentioned above, not on android 3.0. Same goes here, this could have been a condender to be end-all discussion on king of tablets, and they cripple it by not putting the highest version of android on it.
I feel like I'm constantly waiting for the perfect tablet and nobody is getting it right. I was looking very much forward to LG's G-Slate for T-Mobile, which will be running 3.0 and can record in 3D. However now that I've heard about the possibility of dual boot ups to windows 7 - that has now crushed my enthusiasm for LG's tablet... and the wait continues.
iPad killer that's what Runs a full desktop OS + Android with all of it's fun app's.You get the best of both worlds!
There is no iPad killer. When iPad 2 comes out it'll easily take the top spot while everyone else fights for the table scraps left over.
I have to admit, the dual boot option is nice but in looking at the specs on http://www.tabletpccomparison.com I can't see why someone would choose this over something like the Xoom or iPad 2 when ti comes out.
The ipad is a mere toy. The viewsonic tablet is a full fledged computer.
@elemento911
If you look closely at that website it clearly says "Viewsonic Viewpad 7" this article is about the "ViewPad 10Pro". So yeah... read the article first before posting.
Why are dual sim phones so rare in North America? It seems I can get a foreign knockoff with quad sim support a hell of a lot easier.
I like the dual boot idea though. Does it run ARM, VIA or Atom? I've seen a Chinese knockoff tablet claiming to run Android with a VIA chip.
Adding Windows 7 support will only add 200 dollars to the price tag.
Absurd idea. Windows 7 is too slow and too clunky to be used on a touch based and performance limited enviornment such as a tablet, as dozens of W7 tablets have demonstrated already.
The HP WebOS tablet, that looks to be a veritable iPad competitor. Android 3.0 could do it as well. But not W7 or current gen Android. MS should really make a WP7 for tablets, a bit like Google did with Honeycomb.
Even if they did Honeycomb, they still have a tablet with only 6 hours battery life and a low resolution display. Unless the price is under $400 (unlikely), this is dead on arrival.
A company in Australia (http://www.pioneercomputers.com.au) offers a 11.6 tablet using an Atom CPU with Win7 that can also run Android. The same tablet is also offered by Greek Plaisio under the TuboX stamp. If you get these to run Android 3 then I guess you have the best of both worlds. A proper laptop (once you add a keyboard) and a nice portable web enabled device for light tasks and reading. As one other reader added if they'll add WACOM pen functionality then these would be the best machines ever!
For me I'd love a slate device that can act as a proper laptop when needed.
As an owner of a Viewsonic Viewpad 10, for a short time, I really will not be buying this machine after Viewsonic sold a standard oem machine for more $$$, with such a low spec. (I got mine for free).
I WANT 8 hours battery life, at least etcx768 resolution (for 125% DPI).
These companies are DAMN lazy and thats why they should fail. Here's an idea, have a tablet with an optional second battery on the back (Like the Envy series) or a great big speaker on the back like the HTC Surround phone.
Oh well, carry on releasing the generic stuff while Apple laughs
There is no iPad killer. When iPad 2 comes out it'll easily take the top spot while everyone else fights for the table scraps left over.
...and that's why you picked that nickname.
Hopefully it will out last the Mac brand ipads in battery life...I know a few people that own Mac ipads & they say that their Mac ipads battery life is fairly short lived...The dual boot ViewPad 10Pro is a fantastic idea as I reguarly dual boot my own desk top computers...At least people that will buy this product will have the choice of experimenting & using both or just one (window 7 professional) or the other (android 2.2)...I think this is a good idea even though some people that may have tried this think otherwise about the windows 7 professional...
Apple WILL FAIL because of their POOR support on their devices the way they mess up warranty items without properly registering said item when issued as replacement, IPAD IS OVER PRICED AND WEAK ON THE ABILITIES TO HANDLE EVEN FLASH.
IPAD AND APPLE SUCK... THE WIN 7 OS OR THE WIN OS IN GENERAL IS THE BEST WAY TO GO FOR 100% COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE 2 ITEMS.
The ipad is a mere toy. The viewsonic tablet is a full fledged computer.
A full fledged computer with a 10" screen and no keyboard or mouse. Still a toy.
Tablets are not meant to be used like laptops. They are toys or fancy e-reader/note taking devices.
The market for tablets with desktop operating systems is still as small as it has been before the iPad was released.
A full fledged computer with a 10" screen and no keyboard or mouse. Still a toy.Tablets are not meant to be used like laptops. They are toys or fancy e-reader/note taking devices.The market for tablets with desktop operating systems is still as small as it has been before the iPad was released.
yes, but it doesn't have to be like that. You can have 2 in 1. A dual boot tablet with decent memory and CPU can act in many cases as a laptop by attaching a mouse and keyboard. Personally, I always use a mouse when I use my laptop so I will always carry a mouse with me (of the small wireless variety). If I envisage that I'll do some typing or other work I can always get a small and light keyboard (bluetooth). Plenty devices that exist already can be used for proper work. Perhaps not for mathematical modelling and image/video processing but for most other office type uses they are powerful enough.
I'm waiting for a dual boot Android 3 + Win7..... for me this would be a killer tablet.
unless it can type what i'm thinking, I'm sticking with laptops.
If I had my own business,I would buy it for sure...
Sweet!! Hope it's not too expensive.
A fusion CPU would have been better suited for something like this
iPad is good unless you want to store confidential files on it. Terrible for enterprise environments except as thin clients.
one thing tho asus ep121
dual sim it's nice. but... where's gps?
don't worry the government can still track you, they made it a mandate for every phone to have gps over a decade ago " for 911 emergency reasons"
So I have two choices here eh?
1. Boot to Android for ~5 hours of battery life, decent user experience.
2. Boot Windows 7 for ~2 of battery life, horribly sluggish experience.
Why even offer the second option? It drives up the price just including the license.
they shouldnt have the Win7 on the viewpad. it will be hellishly slow. just release it with andoid 3.0 and everyone will be happy.
when Windows 8 comes, use that
Viewsonic make phones and ipad clones now? where have i been? i cant wait till all this iCrap-Toy-Pad fad blows over and everyone realises how crap they are........
iPad is good unless you want to store confidential files on it. Terrible for enterprise environments except as thin clients.
How about add administration, tech support, reliability and security for instance. It's just a few items in a quite big list of items companies demand, its a reason windows have over 90% of the computer OS market.
Apple did one smart thing to market their stuff thoo, gave a huge discount to some media companies and schools. The bias effect can be quite obvious, just look on this media site for instance. Just count the numbers of articles that are referring to a painfully low percent of the market compared to the ones about the big fish!