Chinese chip maker Rockchip plans to show off tablets from 35 to 40 different brands at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The company’s 1.2 GHz RK2918 ARM-based processor supports Android 4. Ice Cream Sandwich and it’s likely that at least some of the new devices will use Google’s new operating system.
Most of the companies that produce tablets with Rockchip CPUs are Chinese white-box manufacturers that crank out cheap tablets for sale in China. Every now and again some of these devices are sold internationally, often under different brand names.
Rockchip had a pretty strong presence at CES 2011 as well, with a few dozen different items on display. But most of those tablets ran Android 2.2 or earlier and few were ever seen again in the US once the company packed up and left the Las Vegas Convention Center.
I’ve always said that the real action in tablets is at the low end. The  combination of the RK2918 and ICS really looks like “good enough” is getting around to “all you need”. Hopefully these will be the Casios and Seikos to the present Rolex vs Bulova market.Â
Right on * A lot of the “all you need” will be all over eBay when they roll it out. Luv it!!