Available in x86 with Windows 7 and Tegra 2 with Android
During MSI’s Computex 2010 press conference this morning, the
company unveiled its 10-inch tablet dubbed the Wind Pad 100. The device has
been a mystery to journalists for the past few hours since the end of the announcement.
The story goes that the company only officially unveiled an Intel Atom-powered
version of the tablet running Windows 7. However, several members of the press were
able to spot the same device at the MSI demonstration booth with an Nvidia
Tegra 2 processor running the Android 2.1 mobile operating system.
Let’s do a double take on this scenario. Processors and
operating systems aside, the MSI Wind Pad 100 features a 10.1-inch capacitive
multi-touch display with a 1024×600 resolution. Based on initial feedback, the
device seems responsive, although many wish it were offered in a higher
resolution. It also features two USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI connector with 720p
output capability, a 3G SIM slot, Bluetooth, and a front-facing webcam for
video conferencing.
In particular, the x86 version of the Wind Pad 100 is powered
by an Intel Atom Z530 1.60GHz processor and runs Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate,
but will feature MSI’s Wind Touch user interface layer over the Windows
explorer shell. Initial reports have stated that the speed of the custom UI is
incredibly sluggish, however, with applications taking several seconds to
launch as opposed to the relatively snappy responses found on an Apple iPad
running iPhone OS 3.2. This version of the device is expected to launch later this year for around $499.
The ARM version of the device is powered by the dual Cortex
A9-based Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and runs Google’s Android 2.1 operating
system. It has exactly the same 10-inch capacitive multi-touch screen featured in the x86 model and
features only one USB 2.0 port and HDMI 720p output capability, and we are currently
uncertain about 3G connectivity. According to Engadget, one product manager stated that the company "hasn’t decided if it will bring this device to market,"
while another mentioned that they plan to sell it "for $399 by the end of the
year.”
All in all, we are hopeful that both devices will be
introduced before the end of the year and that MSI learns to incorporate larger
display resolutions into its forthcoming tablets.
More pictures at Engadget
and AllTouchTablet.
