It is almost like every on and their brother waited for this week to announce their up and coming devices. It is almost like Apple has something planned this week and they want to make the hype cycle as short as possible. Rydeen gPad is a 7-inch resistive touchscreen tablet with 800×480 resolution, Marvell ARMADA 166-800MHz processor, Bluetooth, and GPS running some version of Android.
I played with a resistive touch screen recently and let me say that device found its way back to the store after several minutes of frustration and having to go back to using a stylus. The device does have a front facing 2 megapixel camera for video chat. Pricing on this will be key but I would rather pay more money and get a device with great performance.
Press Release
Rydeen Introduces the “gPad” GCOM701
Android-based Device Features 7-inch Touch Screen, 2MP Front-facing Camera
Torrance, Calif., August 31, 2010 – Rydeen Mobile Electronics today introduced the GCOM701, a “slate” form factor device utilizing the Android® operating system. Powered by the Marvell® ARMADA™ 166 application processor, the GCOM701 delivers seamless connectivity; live, real-time content; rich and immersive media experiences — all with very long battery life. The new device exceeds innovation and availability standards in the Android based MID (Mobile Internet Device) market today. The new device features a front-facing camera, removable memory and direct-access hardware buttons. The GCOM701 is expected to ship in November 2010 and will be available in two colors, black and white.
The GCOM701 comes to market at a time when large-screen tablets with virtual keyboards are the talk of consumer electronics blogs and coverage. With a 7-inch TFT touch panel and 800×480-pixel resolution, the GCOM701 offers ample screen space for Web surfing, reading eBooks and viewing images, video and e-mail, in portrait or landscape mode. Its slim form factor makes it easy to carry in an oversized pocket or bag.
When it comes to features and connectivity, the GCOM701 delivers. WiFi connectivity (802.11 b/g) and GPS are built in. Bluetooth capability, along with an internal microphone and speaker, enable usage with Internet-based communications services such as Skype™. A front-facing camera enhances communications capabilities with video. The microSD slot accepts SDHC cards up to 32GB, giving ample space to store songs, pictures and videos, and both standard and mini USB plugs allow jump drives and portable devices to plug right in. For private listening, users can plug their favorite headphones into the standard 3.5mm headphone jack.
On the road, the GCOM701 functions as a Portable Navigation Device (PND), complete with 4 million Points of Interest (POIs), powered by Navteq™.
Central to the new GCOM701 is the ARMADA 166 processor running at 800 MHz with 2Gbit of on-board RAM. An internal 7.4-volt battery delivers ample standby and up to 6-hour of operational time at full power mode (normal usage condition, up to 8-hour).
