ViewPad 10 Pro [Close Up]

Whilst sitting in a press conference atop the ViewSonic booth at this weeks Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, we were treated to a close look at their upcoming ViewPad 10 Pro. ViewSonic says that this version will effectively replace the ViewPad 10, and that the this new version will be running both Windows 7 and Android. The switch between operating systems will be made with a simple switch, with Windows 7 working primarily, and Android running in virtualization on top.

This tablet, ViewSonic says, is made to work as a tablet, with a processor made specifically for a tablet. They also mention that this devices is fanless, though we would expect such a thing from basically every device in the future, no big deal. Android, they say, runs in its own shell above Windows 7, but they share the same storage via microSD. Both operating systems may run on the tablet, but only one can be working at once.

This tablet should cost less than 500 pounds, which translates to essentially less than $800, which isn’t encouraging. It will be running Android 2.2 Froyo, which if you ask us is essentially signing its death sentence for purchases by early adopters, but for those super excited about having both Windows 7 and Android for whatever reason, we think this’ll be good enough.

We weren’t allowed to get any closer than a couple feet away from the actual tablet, but were assured that this version would be essentially exactly the same on the outside as the ViewPad 10 S which we’d already photographed (the collection of which is included below.)

BONUS: In speaking on how ViewPad 10 would be replaced by this Pro version, the presenter did let loose the fact that Android 2.2 would be sent OTA to ViewPad 10 some time in March of this year.

Have a peek here at both a gallery of hands-on images as well as a video demo of this device connected to a big fat HD TV: