iBall launches Android Tablet in India at Rs.13,995/-

Yet another affordable tablet launched in India. iBall launched the ‘Slide”, its first tablet running Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS. The 7-inch tablet which will cost for Rs 13,995 is not so slim with its heavy-weight design and thickness. The Slide is powered by 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor and 3G ready (on dongle) device is also offer WiFi & Bluetooth as connectivity options. It is equipped with a front facing 2.0MP camera, HDMI port for HD quality video, 8GB of internal memory and expandable memory up to 32GB. The 4400 mAh battery enables 6.5 hrs of music playback time and 5 hours of video playback. iBall has signed Hrithik Roshan as brand ambassador for iBall Slide.

Tablet manufacturers likely to reduce prices

Non-Apple tablet brands are facing a situation where their sales figures are lower than expected, leading to a pile up of stocks in their yards. To clear their stocks they are expected to reduce the prices of tablets, Digitimes reported citing sources in tablet manufacturers.

The decision to reduce the price of tablets is also expected to trigger a new price war within the tablet industry.

Asustek, which sells its Transformer tablet in India, had shipments of 700,000 tablets from May to July with actual sales only reaching 500,000 units, according to Digitimes' figures. The tablet, which is selling now for Rs 31,500 in India, is expected, at Rs 25,000, to be cheaper by nearly 20 per cent by December.

BlackBerry Playbook and HTC Flyer are already placing their hopes in 2012 while both Samsung and Motorola are suffering weaker demand for their tablets. The report further added that some the other players, such as Acer, are gradually reducing their orders.

Digitimes expects the current average price of tablets of $370 to come down to $350 in September and to $300 by December, which means a reduction of close to 20 per cent.

If these predictions come true, tablet prices in India will see a correction. The price of BlackBerry PlayBook, which currently costs Rs 28,000 (for the base version with 16 GB memory), is likely to come down to Rs 24,000. And the HTC Flyer, which is one of the most expensive tablets at Rs 37,500, may see a correction of close to Rs 7,000.

Acer also has two tablets under its Iconia brand with W500 (Windows) and A500 (Android). Iconia A500 is currently retailing at an attractive Rs 26,900, and if it comes down to about Rs 22,000 with the price correction it will be all the more attractive.

The price correction is also expected to put pressure on domestic brands like Reliance Communications, Olive, Beetel, MSI, and Viewsonic, and that would mean having tablets at below Rs 10,000. Currently there are two tablets, one from RCom and the other from MSI, which are retailing at around Rs 12,500. A price war among tablet manufacturers may even prompt these players to reduce tablet prices to below Rs 10,000.

This will not just mean better options, it will also mean that more people will be able to benefit from 3G enabled wireless broadband, pushing broadband usage further and popularizing 3G and WiFi networks

ViewSonic unveils the ViewPad 10Pro Dual-OS tablet

ViewSonic Corp. has announced a dual-OS tablet called the ViewPad 10pro. The tablet is powered by a 1.5GHz Intel Atom processor Z670 and has the ability to boot either Windows or Android OS. It has 10.1 inch capacitive multi-touch display with a 1024×600 resolution and is capable of running full HD 1080p videos. It boasts a 2GB of integrated memory which seems to be a real knocker.

The best feature of the tablet is that Android 2.3 runs as an application on top of the Windows 7 operating system so users need to simply tap on the Android icon to make an easy switch between the two OS. Other features of the tablet include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, microSD card slot which supports up to 32GB cards, HDMI port, USB, 3.5mm audio jack, a 1.3 megapixel front camera and a high capacity battery for up to 8 hours of battery life.

“We listened to our customers. 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,” said Michael Holstein, vice president of business development, ViewSonic.

The dual OS ViewPad 10pro is available in two configurations — with Windows 7 Professional (with a 32GB SSD hard drive) and Android 2.3 for $699, or with Windows 7 Home Premium (with a 16GB SSD hard drive) and Android 2.3 for $599. A custom docking station accessory is also available for $59. Both tablet configurations will be widely available in late August, with limited numbers currently available.

Google Catalogs application now for Tablet

Google has launched a new app for all you shoppers called Google Catalogs. It is a free app for tablet devices that enables you to browse all of your favorite catalogs and interact with new layers of rich-media content.

The app features digital versions of catalogs across various categories, including fashion and apparel, beauty, jewellery, home, kids and gifts. Google has partnered with a variety of top brands including Anthropologie, Bare Escentuals, Bergdorf Goodman, Crate and Barrel, L.L. Bean, Lands’ End, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Pottery Barn, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, Sundance, Tea Collection, Urban Outfitters and Williams-Sonoma.

With Google Catalogs, you can:

• Interact: Zoom in to see products up close, tap on tags to learn more about an item or, in some catalogs, view inspiring photo albums and videos.
• Find products in nearby stores: When an item catches your eye, instantly find it in a store near you or tap “Buy on Website” to visit the merchant online.
• Express your creativity: Create a collage of your favorite catalog pages and products. If you need inspiration, you can check out collages created by others.
• Share with friends: Email a product or collage to all your shopping buddies.
• Get instant access to new catalogs: Add catalogs to your Favorites and get notified each time a new issue arrives.
• Discover new products and brands: Search for products within or across multiple catalogs to find exactly what you’re looking for.

For more, visit here.

Viewsonic dual OS tablet to be available in India very soon

Viewsonic is set to launch two tablets including a 7 inch Android 2.2 tablet and a 10 inch Windows/Android dual OS WiFi 3G tablet in the Indian market within 10 days. The company also plans to launch six other tablets by the end of this year.

"We plan to have eight tablets in the Indian market. We are not playing the pricing game here. We are focused on better technology and quality," Ajay Sharma, country manger, Viewsonic, India, told 'The Mobile Indian'.

He added, "We plan to reach consumers with the right product that meets their personal as well as professional requirements."

Although these products were expected to be launched earlier, due to some reason they didn't ship to India. Now they are available and will be in stores within the next 10 days. Viewsonic has also tied-up with Reliance Retail to sell through Reliance Digital outlets.

The 10.1 inch tablet will feature the first dual boot OS aimed at professionals who also use tablets for personal use. The Windows 7 premium will ensure that the tablet is completely in sync with enterprise servers and security issues and Android 2.2 will serve the purpose of personal computing and mobility.

The tablet is based on an Intel Pine Trail N455 1.66 GHz processor, which is the latest version of Intel's Atom processor family, with integrated DDR3 2 GB RAM. The screen is a 10.1 inch capacitive touch display with 1024 x 600 pixel resolution and LED backlight. Other features include up to 32 GB SSD storage capacity, a 1.3 megapixel webcam and full connectivity including a mini VGA port and MicroSD slot.

The WiFi of this tablet is capable of transferring data to the projector, which supports data streaming over WiFi so that you don't need wires to use the projector. It also has remote desktop support that allows the tablet to be connected to computers to access files.

Connectivity options are aplenty with 2 USB ports, a mini VGA port, a microSD slot, Bluetooth and 3G. The tablet weighs 907 grams and includes a 3200mAh battery which is good for 4 hours (a bit short, but then it is a powerful tablet).

The price is expected to be close to Rs 38,000, which is justified looking at the specifications of the tablet.

The other device will be an Android 2.2 based 7 inch tablet with specs similar to those of the Olivepad. It will have a 600 MHz processor, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G (through a dongle), a VGA camera at the front and 3 megapixel camera at the back. The battery is a 3240mAh unit, which is good for 4 hours of heavy use and 40 hours of standby. The tablet will carry a price tag of Rs 19,000.