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Mobile World Congress will probably be Android’s main event of the year. All manufacturers are showing off their best products, and we are seeing the smaller guys rising out of the ground. A good example is Viewsonic, which is said to release some good low-to-mid tier devices, including an Android 4.0 tablet and 3 phones.
The tablet is rumored to be called the Viewsonic ViewPad G70. Specs include a dual-core processor, a 7-inch (1024x600p) display, 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage and two cameras (front being a 2 MP shooter). Ports will include a microSD card, HDMI, micro USB and mini USB.
According to the rumors, all of this will amount to a good $350 price tag, for the 3G version. It is not a bad price, but with devices like the ASUS MeMo 370T coming at $250 with a Tegra 3 processor, it is hard to compete. (I have a feeling we will be saying this for a while).
On the smartphone side, Viewsonic is targetting a completely different market. These devices are considered low-end, but the lure is that they pack dual-SIM capabilities. This means that the device can work with two GSM networks simultaneously.
Many of you may find no use in such a feature, but it is actually something that can help many travelers. As a San Diego, CA resident, I know a handful of people that come and go to/from Mexico. They usually own two devices, one for each side of the border, and have a dual-SIM device may simplify their lifestyles.
Let’s take a look at them:
ViewPhone 4S
This device has a 3.5-inch IPS 640 x 960 display, a 1 GHz processor, a 5 MP rear-facing camera and a VGA front-facing camera. It is not the best phone around, but it is certainly the best out of Viewsonic’s selection.
ViewPhone 4E
This one has a 3.5-inch display, as well, but the definition is lower (320 x 480). It is also weak on other specifications, packing a 650 MHz processor and a 5 MP camera.
ViewPhone 5E
There are not many details about this one, aside from the fact that it has a 5-inch 480x800p display. We assume that it will be as good as the 4S, though, as it is aimed at business users. It would be a good purchase for someone that likes larger screens and dual-SIM capabilities.
Conclusion
As mentioned, none of these are top-notch. Such is the case for most dual-SIM devices, though. And the general consumer doesn’t always need a powerhouse. They are not as bad-looking as we would expect, also. So if you are in the market for one of these, stay tuned for more details come MWC.
Are any of you interested in these affordable gadgets?
[Source: Kisplay Via: Android Central]
Cool looking devices, wish I could say the same about the UI. I won’t knock it until I try them.
ViewSonic hasn’t wowed me with anything since 2001… when they made nice “flat screen” CRT monitors. :)
Does anyone remember Viewsonic from the late 90s? Their monitors were the best, and I loved that tropical bird logo. I still have a Viewsonic monitor with a Trinitron tube inside sitting in my garage. Viewsonic was the bomb, what happened to them?
Are they still leaders in display technology? I haven’t had to buy a display in many years, so I wouldn’t know.
When you ask around what type of flat panel monitor to buy these days, Viewsonic never enters the conversation. Viewsonic is also one of the worst companies when it comes to supporting their Android products, meaning they do not support their products at all. All you have to do is look at how they treat their gTablet.
I totally agree about the Android support statement! After the horrible g-tablet release and how they pointed all support to xda-devs, I thought they were just greedy scum at the end. No one should ever buy their Android products ever again after that fiasco.
What’s the weather widget shown on screen?