ViewSonic boots up Windows-Android tablet

ViewSonic has unveiled the ViewPad 10pro, a business-focused tablet that runs both Microsoft's Windows 7 and Google's Android operating system.

The 10pro, which runs on a 1.5GHz Intel Atom Z670 processor, uses Windows 7 as its primary OS. If an Android icon is tapped, Android 2.3 Gingerbread pops up as an application running on top of Microsoft's system.

"We listened to our customers," ViewSonic business development vice president Michael Holstein said in a statement on Monday. "We made the ViewPad 10pro dual OS interface as quick and intuitive as possible, while partnering with industry CPU leader Intel to deliver the latest in design and innovation across all fronts."

ViewSonic is pitching the Windows 7 functionality as being for "business productivity", and Android for "ultimate entertainment".

As its name suggests, the ViewPad 10pro has a 10.1-inch 1024x600 pixel screen.

In common with some other tablet manufacturers, ViewSonic claims its device's screen can provide "Full HD 1080p video playback". The screen does not actually have high enough resolution to do so accurately. 

ViewSonic's ViewPad 10pro has 2GB of RAM and several connectivity options.

The tablet has 801.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, HDMI-out and a microSD slot, which allows for both expanded storage and the easy importing of data from other sources.

The 10pro also has a 1.3-megapixel front camera and a battery that — according to ViewSonic — supports up to eight hours of usage.

ViewSonic has not announced official UK pricing and availability for the ViewPad 10pro, although a couple of online retailers are already offering the tablet for between £500-£600.

In the US, there are two configurations: a version with a 32GB SSD and Windows 7 Professional for $699 (£425); and a version with a 16GB SSD and Windows 7 Home Premium for $599. The company said only limited numbers are currently available, but both configurations would be "widely available in late August".

ViewSonic also has a docking station for the tablet, costing $59.

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