In its latest entry into the tablet market, ViewSonic seems to be doing everything right. The ViewPad 10e (an update to the previous model) has a 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 IPS display that should please just about everybody, a 1GHz processor, ample expansion jacks including HDMI, MicroSD and a standard MicroUSB port. It’s got a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera for video chat, and if ViewSonic’s previous Android tablets are anything to go by, the Wi-Fi slate should be priced to move as well.
But wait, why does a Honeycomb tablet need capacitive buttons on the front? Oh, right. The ViewPad 10e is running Gingerbread, much like other non-Google-blessed Android tablets out there. That means you won’t get access to the Android Market or apps like Gmail and YouTube, either. ViewSonic is nice enough to include the Amazon Kindle app, their custom ViewScene 3D user interface and the 1Mobile Apps Store for your software needs.
Other specs include a spacious 5400 mAh battery, 4GB of on-board storage, a microphone (not always a given) and Bluetooth 3.0. The tablet will be able to output 720p video, but that might put the single-core processor and 512Mb of memory to the test. ViewSonic is claiming an impressive 200 hours of standby battery life from the 9.1mm device, which should make e-readers happy. No pricing or availability has been announced, but expect it in Europe soon with a possible North American release to follow.
