Rydeen gPad GCOM701 – a 7-inch Tablet – Attempts to Impress

The tablet market is just about to burst at its seams, and with the rapid approach to a world with bigger Androids comes yet another tablet. Rydeen’s 7-inch Android tablet has a resistive touchscreen with a resolution of 800×480 – something we know won’t stand well with the extreme tablet followers. Aesthetically, it doesn’t look like much to talk about, but most are of the opinion that beauty’s only skin deep.

The device comes with an 800MHz ARMADA 166 processor inside, up to 8 hours of battery life, WiFi up to G, Bluetooth, GPS and 2GB of “on-board RAM” (we wouldn’t be surprised if they meant to say internal storage). Memory can be expanded via the microSD card and music can be enjoyed with the device’s 3.5mm headphone jack.

Rydeen will be marketing this as a tablet/GPS hybrid as it comes preloaded with 4-million points of interest courtesy of Navteq. No pricing, but we should be seeing this one come November so we’ll likely learn more once October rolls around. Read on for the full press details.

“Rydeen Introduces the “gPad” GCOM701
Android-based Device Features 7-inch Touch Screen, 2MP Front-facing Camera
Torrance, Calif., August 31, 2010 – Rydeen Mobile Electronics today introduced the GCOM701, a “slate” form factor device utilizing the Android® operating system. Powered by the Marvell® ARMADA™ 166 application processor, the GCOM701 delivers seamless connectivity; live, real-time content; rich and immersive media experiences — all with very long battery life. The new device exceeds innovation and availability standards in the Android based MID (Mobile Internet Device) market today. The new device features a front-facing camera, removable memory and direct-access hardware buttons. The GCOM701 is expected to ship in November 2010 and will be available in two colors, black and white.
The GCOM701 comes to market at a time when large-screen tablets with virtual keyboards are the talk of consumer electronics blogs and coverage. With a 7-inch TFT touch panel and 800×480-pixel resolution, the GCOM701 offers ample screen space for Web surfing, reading eBooks and viewing images, video and e-mail, in portrait or landscape mode. Its slim form factor makes it easy to carry in an oversized pocket or bag.
When it comes to features and connectivity, the GCOM701 delivers. WiFi connectivity (802.11 b/g) and GPS are built in. Bluetooth capability, along with an internal microphone and speaker, enable usage with Internet-based communications services such as Skype™. A front-facing camera enhances communications capabilities with video. The microSD slot accepts SDHC cards up to 32GB, giving ample space to store songs, pictures and videos, and both standard and mini USB plugs allow jump drives and portable devices to plug right in. For private listening, users can plug their favorite headphones into the standard 3.5mm headphone jack.
On the road, the GCOM701 functions as a Portable Navigation Device (PND), complete with 4 million Points of Interest (POIs), powered by Navteq™.
Central to the new GCOM701 is the ARMADA 166 processor running at 800 MHz with 2Gbit of on-board RAM. An internal 7.4-volt battery delivers ample standby and up to 6-hour of operational time at full power mode (normal usage condition, up to 8-hour).”