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View Full Version : ViewSonic Announces New Portable MovieBook Players

Reid Kistler
01-10-2010, 03:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Viewsonic-Corp-1098506.html' target='_blank'>http://www.marketwire.com/press-rel...rp-1098506.html</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Consumers want limitless access to all their preferred media," said Jeff Volpe, vice president and general manager of ViewSonic Americas. "Our MovieBook products are the ideal portable entertainment solution. From Full HD 1080p performance to HDMI connectivity and touch technology in a variety of sizes, ViewSonic is offering our customers a fun, easy to use way to</em><em> mobilize their digital content experience." </em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1263100070.usr19541.jpg" style="border: 0;" /></p><p>ViewSonic's press release promises "Touch-Enabled Enjoyment of Full HD 1080p Digital Content," but the screen specification for the top of the line VPD550T, pictured above, is a 5" 800x480 LCD touchscreen, which suggests that 1080p content will require an external screen, connected via the included HDMI port. The other three new models offer 720p output, with either reduced screen size, lower screen resolution, or both. Pricing ranges from $199.99 to $139.99.&nbsp; <a href="http://www.viewsonic.com/ces/moviebooks/" target="_blank">Viewsonic's CES page</a> shows three of the announced models, with an interesting feature range, but with no mention of wireless connectivity. Would you be tempted by a MovieBook, or is WiFi a requirement for such devices now?</p>
Steve Jordan
01-10-2010, 04:36 PM
I'd be interested in seeing what OS it was running, as well as which e-book formats it can read, and how you get content into it. But at that price, I'd check it out.
Reid Kistler
01-13-2010, 01:16 AM
Viewsonic's literature is surprisingly short on details: at least the high-end model runs an Intel Atom processor, and is "Windows 7 Compatible" - but that is about all the "details" they provide! (Or, at least, all I've been able to turn up....)

Even if the price is Very Competitive, cannot help but wonder about the lack of WiFi - that seems to be a feature that is coveted by all of the "Gen X" (or "Y") individuals I know....