14 DAY TRIAL // While the iPad and Kindle are running rampant on the tablet and e-reader markets, respectively, other companies are getting ready to join in on the fun, and Velocity Micro seems to be on the verge of finally causing some waves of its own, now that its two Cruz devices are available for pre-order.
The company, for some time, has been working on an e-reader and tablet, both branded under the Cruz name, and both should start shipping next month.
The two siblings have one thing in common, namely their screen size of 7 inches, but the rest of their specifications are different, fitting for their differing purposes.
The resistive touchscreen of the Cruz Reader has color support, something not common for this kind of device, and a native resolution of 800 x 600 pixels.
The rest of the e-readers specifications are 2GB of internal storage, with an extra 4GB available through an included SD card, 802.11b/g wifi, as well as 256 MB of RAM and the Android 2.0 operating system.
The list of features also mentions 720p High res video and high quality audio playback, plus Built-in Dictionary, Notepad, Calendar and Alarm Clock, among other things.
The Cruz Tablet predictably has somewhat better capabilities, with 512MB of RAM, 4GB of built-in storage, 802.11b/g WiFi, USB, a native resolution of 800 x 480 pixels and multi-touch support.
Finally, the tablet runs the Android 2.1 OS, comes with an accelerometer and has a battery life of up to 10 hours.
"We've spent nearly one year designing and refining the Cruz Reader to make it both remarkable and affordable," said Randy Copeland, President and CEO of Velocity Micro.
"We're excited to see that hard work coming to fruition. We know the marketplace will be as well, due to the tremendous interest and support we have received from our customers and numerous retail partners,” he added.
"We've combined the color screen and functionality of a tablet with the affordability and portability of an e-reader, which is exactly what the market is craving," the CEO concluded.
The Cruz Reader and Tablet are priced at $199.99 and $300, respectively, and will begin shipping in September.