14 DAY TRIAL // ViewSonic may have already taken its first actual step on the tablet market, but this doesn't mean that it isn't working on other things, especially according to recent rumors dealing with a 7-inch model.
Now that it has gotten its engines running, the tablet market is not bound to drop dead any time soon, especially with how Intel and Microsoft both plan to get serious within the next several months.
Nonetheless, Intel still needs to make some successors to the Z670 Oak Trail CPU, while Microsoft still has to finish the Windows 8 OS.
In the meantime, companies that want to play the tablet game have to rely on what already exists and they know to be working.
ViewSonic has already developed a slate, one that actually stands out from most others thanks to the comparatively low price of $249.99.
Turns out that the same company also has a 7-inch slate on the way, one loaded with the Google Honeycomb OS (Android 3.0 or 3.1).
As stated by a report made by Dgitimes, the outfit wants to start shipping, at least in Taiwan, a WiFi-equipped product built on the dual-core ARM-based NVIDIA Tegra 2 SoC (system-on-chip).
One might frown at the lack of 3G, but the company reportedly argued that, since any phone with Android 2.2 or above can be used as a wireless router for slates, WiFi will be sufficient for web connectivity, at least at first.
The main problem that ViewSonic is facing at the moment is the fact that Android isn't exactly perfectly compatible with the 7-inch form factor.
Fortunately, Google is working on resolving this and should be done by the end of the month (July, 2011). Also, Google is doing its best to optimize the Android Market as well, though this will mostly be relevant for 10-inch tablets.
It is unclear when it will happen, but ViewSonic will eventually release a 3G-ready 7-inch slate in Taiwan and other countries.