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Seven-inch Android 2.1 tablet targets Indian market
2010-07-27 Article Rating:  / 1
Indian retailer Infibeam.com is readying two seven-inch tablet computers to be sold in India, one running Android 2.1, and one running Windows CE 6.0. Both known as the "Phi," the devices have different CPUs and dimensions, but both offer 800 x 480 pixel resistive touchscreens and up to five hours of battery life, the company says.
Both versions of Infibeam.com's Phi have seven-inch touchscreens with resolutions of 800 x 480 pixels, and both sell for approximately 15,000 Rupees (about $320). But, as the retailer's specifications make clear, the two tablets do not offer exactly the same hardware. The Android Phi The Android 2.1 version of the device is built around an ARM9 processor clocked at 600MHz said to be capable of HD video. However, with an ARM9 processor, and with no additional multimedia processor help, at most it could handle 720p half HD video. Tellingly, there's no HDMI port listed for this version, as there is with the ARM11-based Windows CE version. The Android tablet is equipped with 256MB of memory, 8GB of flash storage, and a microSD slot that accepts up to 32GB of RAM, according to the company.  The Android version of Infibeam.com's Phi Features and specifications cited by Infibeam.com for the Android Phi include:
The Windows CE 6.0-based version of the Phi is said to have an 800MHz "TCC" processor. We take this to be the Telechips TCC8901 (with an ARM1176JZF-S core), which has previously featured in similar Windows CE-based tablets such as the PandaWill X10 and the Airis iTab7. Infibeam.com says the Windows CE-based Phi can play high-definition video, like its Android cousin.  The Windows version of Infibeam.com's Phi According to Infibeam.com, the Windows Phi (above) includes 256MB of RAM and 8GB of flash storage, plus a microSD expansion slot that accepts up to 32GB of memory. Other hardware features are said to include two USB 2.0 ports, Wi-Fi, an HDMI interface, and stereo speakers. Infibeam.com says the Windows Phi supports high-definition video "including education and Bollywood digital content," plus Flash-based games. Built-in Microsoft Office software permits reading Word, Excel, and .PDF files as well as presenting PowerPoint slides, the company adds.
It's possible that the Windows Phi is, in fact, the same device as the PandaWill X10. Most specs match up, but Infibeam.com lists different dimensions. Meanwhile, the Phi's battery is said to last five hours during music playback, whereas the PandaWill's was said to provide up to seven hours of operation. Features and specifications cited by Infibeam.com for the Windows Phi include:
According to Infibeam.com, both versions of the Phi will be available at the end of this month for approximately 15,000 Rupees (about $320). The devices will only be shipped to India, the company adds. Related Stories:
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Looking at the Windows Phi's user interface, we're struck by the strong resemblance to the PandaWill X10 (right), which is also sold as the Kinstone KS-UMD-070NA. The Adobe Flash-based UI featured on that tablet looks modern but reportedly restricts the number of third-party Windows CE applications that may be installed. 
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