ViewSonic VSD220 22in Android mega tablet Depending on how you might want to look at it, the ViewSonic VSD220 is either an expensive 22in monitor or an inexpensive tethered Android tablet. But then you'd be missing the point: it's actually both and neither. It's an unusual mashup for which ViewSonic deserves credit simply by giving it a go. ViewSonic VSD220 Android …
reminds me of an early HP screen that used a matrix of IR emitters and detectors to determine the position of an operator finger. When an operator touched the screen, a pair of IR beams, one in either axis, would be broken and the appropriate action would be triggered.
Obviously, in the development labs in California, HP has a paucity of flies and other pests that are attracted to bright screens.
We were in an area where air-con was not needed, with fans quite sufficient to cool the staff, who also left the windows open. Flies and other multi-legged objects would land on the HP screens and go walkabout, which caused the systems to malfunction.
It took some time to determine the reason for the erratic operation, let's hope Viewsonic technology has overcome this hazard.
I'm rather confused - the table of features claims capacitive touchscreen but the text mentions optical sensors - which is it ?
(The optical sensor often picks up your finger proximity without you actually having to touch the screen)
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This is definitely interesting. For several years now we've had an HTPC machine (Shuttle now ION ITX) hooked up to our lounge TV and it's super-convenient for just switching over to look something up on the internet. But I was finding we still had a laptop plugged in somewhere most of the time, with the HTPC ending up being used purely for film, recorded TV and music playback through the surround sound. I was thinking of getting a battle Nexus 7 just to have kicking around the place but something like this somewhere could also be a good option.
If there was an HDMI touchscreen that was about 5"-7" in size, with no Android gubbins, but the same cost/size as a Nexus, then that would be great for some Raspberry Pi projects I've got in mind.
The monitors in your desired size - 5"-7" - tend to use USB for power, signal, and optionally, human input. I've been tempted by them as a way of clearing tool palettes off my main screen, but they don't seem to be great value compared to cheaper tablets, or even a budget 15" monitor.
I like the way this Viewsonic device can function as a vanilla monitor... being able to use 10" IPS tablets in this way is something that would add value to me as a second screen for my laptop, especially the devices with a silly number of pixels from Google or Apple. There are some WiFi + software solutions to accomplish the same, but a cable seems so much easier.
I'd enjoy using this with a USB keyboard and mouse attached - cheap and easy, not a problem. For public use, as a kiosk style terminal, it could do with some device above the screen that sprays and wipes every ten minutes or so. I don't touch my Asus Transformer screen often, but it's still covered in gunge.
You just need to open your eyes.
Was walking round a trade show a couple of weeks ago, and plenty of stands had iPads, laptops, TVs hooked up to DVD players and PCs hooked up to monitors, nearly all being used to display videos or photographs. All of which could be replaced by a single unit like this.
Bigger than an iPad, no keyboard like a laptop, no need for DVD/TV or PC/Monitor combos.
thesykes....
How did they have the iPads hooked up the DVD players? Is it possible to use them as a wired monitor, or had they accomplished it over WiFi?
This Viewsonic device is interesting, but if one doesn't mind a couple of extra cables, there are plenty of cheap ARM devices that could be coupled with a far cheaper 23" touchscreen monitor.
>Chromebooks aren't toys?
No more than an Olivetti typewriter is a toy, or an 8086 running a spreadsheet. Many people can accomplish productive tasks on them, depending upon their job- not everyone is a software developer, video editor, or geologist. Can you give us your definitions of 'toy' and 'tool'?
For a "General Purpose" computer I reckon this sort of machine has a good chance of succeeding. You won't multitask as much as a power computer user; but for general stuff it's probably quite good. Very few viruses to worry about. Easy to install stuff - except printers of course but hey it's paperless office time!
Given people currently have a good familiarity with Android compared to Windows 8; if this product gets off the ground in time it could make a dent in Win8 sales.
Good on 'em :)
Paperless office... hehe, it's still not here, but I must admit that tablets and phones have reduced my domestic printing... I might use a tablet for showing off photos, or use my phone for navigation rather than print a list of directions before leaving the house.
You can print from Android devices if you have a PC or server left on in your house, or a compatible printer.
I can think of loads of uses for this. CCTV viewer at work would be one. But basically I want one in the kitchen - TV and Radio for cooking when the cricket is on, viewing recipes online, displaying photos at a decent resolution.
Just a few odd things with the spec - why microSD? No room for a full size SD slot?
Even if the volume controls are side-mounted, I'm sure you can incorporate a sliver of plastic - about the size of a stick of chewing-gum- into your design, to allow the buttons to be operated from above.
Rather than mess up a table, it might be easier to have a work-surface CNC milled to your specification. A local timber supplier charges about £100 per hour, but a job like this would take minutes.
You might still have a slightly disjointed feeling, depending on how close the screen is to the glass surface. It may well work quite well, but I just have a feeling that it hasn't been tuned for this job. Wacom devices and others use a slightly textured screen, so your stylus doesn't skitter around like a spaniel on an ice rink. That said, they much more expensive than this Viewsonic device.
Did I blind spot the price on this beast, or perhaps does the price only show on the non-print version (Sorry Reg, when I see a multipage article I go straight to the Print version - STOP MAKING ME SCREW AROUND WITH MULTI PAGE ARTICLES).
And as for Freeview - since this has USB master capability, in theory somebody could just write an app to talk to a USB Freeview tuner (at least Freeview is MPEG4 IIRC, and will thus be something this can do hardware decode. Unfortunately, ATSC is MPEG2 and I have yet to see an Android device with hardware accel for MPEG2).
Something like this seems to have much more potential than the stupid ChromeBooks Google is trying to force down our throats. Even as just a cheap, simple PC or thin client in the office. Especially with MS Office coming for Android in a few months.
Add four full-sized SD card slots (so you can add up to 256 GB of flash for media storage), a better stand so you can tilt it between 90 and 0 degrees and you have a great home media system that also works as a simple home PC with or without keyboard and mouse. HP and Dell should be all over this instead of starving while trying to just sell the same old PCs. But they're stupid as well.
I wonder if there is any chance of this getting an upgrade to Android 4.2 with the multi-user capabilities. That would make it wonderful for each householder to be able to check their own E-mails etc.
Also, does it hibernate and go into Android as soon as you switch it on, or do you have to wait for it to boot up?
And does it have wi-fi or not?
What's the point? How would Smart (huge) TVs every be under thread by this inadequacy?
24" is the minimum for new monitors, especially for TV, and this will look VERY dated when 4K TVs arrive.
There are already above 1080HD tablets out at 10".
The price is a joke.
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