14 DAY TRIAL // Users still muling over the prospect of buying a tablet now have an extra model to consider, one that ViewSonic unveiled months ago but which has only about a day ago made its official appearance.
One might say that the tablet market of today is no longer so varied, especially when it comes to those loaded with the Android OS.
Most such products have the same performance level and a similar price point, leaving it to company imagination to actually try to stand apart.
Fortunately, there are a few ways to establish a distinguishing feature, such as giving a product not one but two operating systems.
It is this very tactic that ViewSonic enacted when it developed the ViewPad 10pro, a dual OS product based on the Atom Z670 Intel central processing unit.
"The new Intel Atom processor-based tablet from ViewSonic is a cool, and distinguished product that brings a personalized and flexible experience," said Bill Kircos, general manager of marketing for Intel's Netbook and Tablet Group.
"Our Intel platform supports multiple operating systems, and this tablet shows how consumers can move between Windows and Android experiences in a way that offers rich graphics, high-definition audio, easy Internet browsing and longer battery life in a slick form factor."
The product has Windows 7 and Android 2.3 on the same 16 GB of internal storage space (an extra 32 GB can be had for an additional $100).
WiFi is present, as is a 1.3 megapixel webcam (on the front), a microSD slot, HDMI and the 10-inch LCD with a native resolution of 1,024 x 600 pixels.
The base price is $599 and Bluestack's virtualization layer for Windows is what lets Android be run, at least according to previous hands on.
"We listened to our customers. We made the ViewPad 10pro dual OS interface as quick and intuitive as possible, while partnering with industry CPU leader Intel to deliver the latest in design and innovation across all fronts," said Michael Holstein, vice president of business development, ViewSonic.