Viewsonic’s G tablet might be the sweet spot for those who are looking for an Android powered iPad alternative.
Laptop Magazine did a quick review of the $429 Viewsonic G 10.1 inch Android 2.2 tablet. From a hardware perspective it matches up pretty well with the iPad. The 1024×600 screen has a few fewer pixels but a wider aspect ratio which is great for watching movies. The processor is the Nvidia Tegra 2 ARM Cortex A9 which is a generation beyond the iPad’s Cortex A8 – based A4. That helps Viewsonic’s tablet do 1080P video out over HDMI and some pretty impressive gaming.
Viewsonic will sell it as a standalone product in the US but its has a SIM slot and hardware for 3G access on GSM networks (T-Mobile and AT&T in the US).
A lot of people will like the 1.3 megapixel front facing camera and USB slots for additional storage and peripherals. They also claim the iPad’s 10 hours of battery life which is helped by the latest Froyo version of Android without a pesky overlay.
Check the video below:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8S3dvWms38&w=600&h=375]
Although the Viewsonic’s screen is slightly larger than the iPad’s measured diagonally, it will have a similarly-sized (narrower but slightly longer) bezel at 9.96 x 6.5 x 0.5 inches vs. 9.56 x 7.47 x .5 inch for the iPad.
You’ll be able to pick one up at Sams Club, Sears, Kmart and other big retailers in mid to late October. Competition should drive the price below $500 pretty quickly.