What do you really want in a tablet device? A large high-res screen? The ability to play 3D games and HD video? A rich ecosystem of apps, perhaps? What about an SD card slot or USB support? The new Viliv X10 Tablet with Android promises all of that and more. We had a chance to spend a few moments with this gorgeous device at Computex 2010 and we came away impressed.
The first thing that strikes you about the X10 is its bright 10-inch, 1366×768 capacitive touch screen. That’s the highest resolution we’ve seen in a 10-inch tablet and it’s a huge benefit over the 1024 x 768 iPad. After all, 1366 x 768 is 16:9 aspect ratio, which means you have more than 720p (1280 x 720) you can use to play games and watch movies.
Speaking of playing games, the ARM-based processor in the demo system we saw was powerful enough to provide an immersive 3D gaming experience at full screen. Watch the video below to see the Viliv X10 playing a racing game that uses the tablet’s built-in accelerometer as a controller. You may not see it in the video, but we were impressed with the shadows and fine details that were visible in the game. Clearly, this tablet has graphics muscle.
The Viliv X10 also delivers the goods when it comes to video playback. We watched a 720p trailer for Toy Story 3 and were blown away by the richness of the colors and the sharpness of the images returned by the glossy screen. Viliv tells us that the X10 should be able to playback even 1080p video without a hitch. This is a playback experience that promises to be better than the iPad.
We’re still waiting for final specs from Viliv, but the Viliv X10 we saw was equipped with an SD card reader, USB port, HDMI out, and a front-facing Webcam. In addition to Wi-Fi, it should also be available with built-in 3G or WiMax. The battery is said to provide up to 10 hours of endurance.
The X10 we saw as running Android 2.1, but Viliv tells us that before this tablet is finished, it will be running Android 2.2. That can only mean one thing: Flash support. There’s no word yet on pricing or availability,though Viliv reps told us the device is coming along nicely and indeed the model we saw looked good enough to sell right now.
There’s also a Windows 7 version of the Viliv X10. Though Viliv was not showing the Windows 7 version of the X10 in their suite, we spied a demo unit working under glass at Microsoft’s booth and took a few pictures. The chassis looks exactly the same as the Android version, though you’ll notice the familiar trappings of Windows 7 on the screen.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on the Viliv X10 and updating you as we learn more. If the final version lives up to the potential we saw demonstrated here at Computex, this could be an incredible iPad alternative.
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