Tired of waiting for your PC to turn on when you just want to do a quick web search or watch a YouTube video? ViewSonic has two new Smart Displays that you can use with or without a PC.
In fact, ViewSonic is pushing these displays as standalone devices which run Android. The fact that you can use them as PC displays is almost an afterthought in the press release. The company also offers models that can be used as locked-down, thin client devices with a pre-loaded Citrix XenMobile for logging into a remote machine.
The 1080p screens feature NVIDIA Tegra 3 processors, Android 4.2 software, WiFi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, speakers, cameras, and 2-point multitouch.
Here’s a roundup of tech news from around the web.
- ViewSonic Smart Display is a 22 to 24″ touchscreen display which also works like a huge Android device for $399 and up
Ever wish you could use your desktop monitor without a PC plugged in? ViewSonic’s got a few new models that blur the lines between displays and tablets. [ViewSonic] - i-Buddie 10 inch tablet w/Intel Clovertrail+ processor hits the FCC
The tablet sports a 1280 x 800 pixel display, an Intel Atom processor, and generally pretty mediocre specs. It’s built by ECS. [FCC] - Amazon’s rumored (but not officially confirmed) TV box is reportedly delayed until 2014
Amazon’s probably working on a TV box that will do for the living room what the Kindle Fire line of tablets did for… wherever you use your tablet. But it won’t be out in time for the holidays. [AllThingsD] - Chinese tablet maker Cube may be working on an Intel Core i5-powered MacBook Air clone
Like the look of the MacBook Air, but not interested in buying one for full price? (Or one that runs OS X?) Chinese knockoffs to the rescue.[1Pad] - MediaTek MT6588, MT6592 quad, octa-core CPU details leaked
Chip maker MediaTek is expected to launch its first octa-core processor by year’s end. While you’re waiting, you can read a leaked spec sheet to learn that it runs at 1.7 GHz to 2 GHz, supports 666 MHz memory, 13MP cameras, and features ARM Mali 450 graphics. [GizChina] - It’s official: Dell’s a privately owned company
Dell founder Michael Dell has taken back the company that bears his name… along with investors from Silver Lake Partners. [Dell/Business Wire] - Firefox 25 for Android gets guest browsing, desktop/mobile get Web Audio support, more
The biggest new feature in the desktop browser is probably Web Audio support, but the mobile app also now gets guest browsing, support for additional languages, and remote debugging with desktop Firefox. [Mozilla] - Google smartwatch launch could come within months
Google, like nearly every other major tech company, is rumored to be working on a smartwatch. Now it looks like it could be ready to ship soon. [WSJ]
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Its a good idea. But why does it have that thick, ugly bottom part of the bezel?
Its not like that tiny ARM SOC wouldn’t fit in the back with ease.
And I hope its not for some ridiculously poor speakers squeezed in.
Why is an Android device with a 24″ monitor “huge?” This is just the future of desktop computing for the masses. The images clearly show a “2 foot interface” GUI so this isn’t some dedicated “smart TV” but an all-in-one PC. The fact that it can be used as an external monitor for a laptop, etc. is quite secondary and shouldn’t be all that notable.
This reminds me of the Hyperspace product from Phoenix Technologies, of Phoenix BIOS fame (oddly, http://www.hyperspace.com now brings you to HP’s shopping site). (Aside: I submitted feedback to Phoenix saying their idea of an annually renewable license for Hyperspace was a dealbreaker). A similar idea was Splashtop (www.splashtop.com).
Both products tried to dual boot a Windows PC (typically a laptop) into Windows or Linux. the latter was to quickly access the Internet, email. Android wasn’t mature at the time.
Viewsonic’s idea is a good one, provided the extra cost to make the monitor a full-fledged Android tablet (touch screen, motherboard, CPU, memory, ports, etc) doesn’t add too much to its cost.
My personal premium would be no more than $100 for a > 20″ product, $50 for 20″ monitor around.
I can see all-in-one PCs and eventually monitors becoming dual-boot devices.
The two-point touch alone tells you these aren’t “tablets” but desktop systems. I doubt anyone would use them without a BT or USB keyboard and mouse. Since you’d never log these around no battery is needed anymore than in any desktop PC.