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Viewsonic Viewpad 10e review

The tablet market is currently dominated by the Apple iPad family, although a number of other companies are attempting to muscle in on its share with equally powerful devices running the rival Android 3.0 operating system. Chief amongst these contenders is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, although it is difficult to take on Apple when the price of the competing device is equal to or greater than that of an iPad.

This is where the Viewsonic Viewpad 10e comes into play. It will be sold in the UK for just under £200 and yet will still have an iPad-matching 9.7 inch touchscreen display and a host of additional features you will not find on an Apple device.

What has helped Viewsonic keep the price of the Viewpad 10e so low is the fact that it will feature Android 2.3 rather than version 3.0. This means it will be running software intended for smartphones rather than tablets and as such does not need the dual core processors found in the likes of the Motorola Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1 to deliver smooth performance. What you do get is a single core 1GHz processor that uses the same architecture as you would find in the Apple iPhone 4. This is combined with 4GB of DDR3 RAM to give it plenty of poke for multitasking and app operation.

You might be concerned that the Viewpad 10e will therefore provide a scaled-down tablet experience which is not up to the task of competing with tablets twice its retail price. Thankfully Viewsonic has taken Android 2.3 and spruced it up with its own Viewscene 3D interface. This makes intelligent use of Android`s famous homescreens, making them even more interactive, engaging and packed with embedded widgets and features. It also makes the transitions between each look good with 3D effects, which is fun rather than functional but definitely a nice touch.

A device this price cannot be expected to have too many added extras and there is indeed a lack of 3D connectivity on the Viewsonic Viewpad 10e`s specifications list. However, you still get Wi-Fi for web browsing and GPS for positioning. You also get a mini HDMI output, which can be used to hook it up to your TV and mirror the onscreen content in your living room. Given that it is an Android device you can also expect support for Flash content in the web browser, making it possible to view videos and play games.

With a micro USB input it is possible to transfer data to and from the Viewsonic Viewpad 10e and also charge it once the battery is exhausted.

The Viewsonic Viewpad 10e may seem cheap and cheerful based on its pricing, but it should prove to be a compelling option in the increasingly crowded tablet market. The HDMI output means you could use it in place of a Freeview DVD player or indeed as a supplement to your home entertainment equipment, so the possibilities are expansive.