VIZIO launches sub-$300 Android tablet

By on Aug 10, 2011 at 2:02 AM
Tablets August 10, 2011

VIZIO on Monday evening announced that its affordable 8-inch VIZIO Tablet is now available from numerous retailers nationwide. The Gingerbread-powered device is VIZIO’s first foray into the tablet space, and while the slate’s specs aren’t cutting edge, it’s unsubsidized $299 price tag makes it a great option for tablet buyers on a budget. Spec highlights include an 8-inch 1024 x 768-pixel display, Android 2.3.2 Gingerbread, 2GB of storage and support for up to 32GB of removable storage, a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and a front-facing VGA camera for video chats. “VIZIO set out to build an innovative tablet that breaks new ground and addresses the gaps in current offerings in the market,” said VIZIO CTO Matt McRae in a statement. “The VIZIO Tablet offers a superior multimedia experience with its three speaker design, home theater integration with IR, and a perfect size for typing, eBooks, gaming and portability. These innovations and our ground breaking price push the category forward and deliver on our brand promise of Entertainment Freedom for All.” VIZIO’s 8-inch tablet is now available at Sam’s Club, Walmart, Costco, Amazon and other VIZIO retailers across the country for under $300. VIZIO’s full press release follows below.

VIZIO’s New 8″ Tablet Delivers Knock Out Video, Audio and App-Based Entertainment at Sub-$300 Price Point

  • VIZIO Tablet to shake up the marketplace by offering intuitive tablet experience at a price point that extends availability to the masses
  • Unique three-speaker design delivers stereo audio in both landscape and portrait modes
  • Control Your Entire Home Theater with the VIZIO Tablet’s built-in universal remote control app
  • Built-in 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth® capabilities offer optimum connectivity with multiple devices

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – VIZIO, America’s #1 LCD HDTV company, announced today the new VIZIO 8″ Tablet with WiFi is arriving at retailers nationwide.  As part of VIZIO’s continued commitment to deliver great technology at a superior value, the sleek, feature-filled, Android-powered VIZIO Tablet is now available at Sam’s Club, Walmart, Costco, Amazon, and other VIZIO retailers at a breakthrough price of $299.

The VIZIO Tablet features VIZIO Internet Apps® Plus which combines the latest technologies with a unified, easy-to-use and fun user interface across select future VIZIO HDTV’s, Blu-ray® players and other devices — further differentiating the sleek VIZIO Tablet.  In addition, the new Tablet is able to control nearly every element of a user’s home theater with a universal remote app and includes a built-in HDMI port with HDCP support for content protected HD playback on the big screen.

“We are excited that VIZIO is listening, once again, to what the marketplace is asking for with a high performance sub $300 Tablet,” said Tim Farmer, Costco.  ”VIZIO’s reputation is built on affordable technology and entertainment and this product is expected to generate a strong consumer response.”

By offering cutting edge technology and exceptional features at a competitive category price, the VIZIO Tablet is ideal for a wide range of users.  With support for Adobe® Flash®, casual gamers, movie, TV and music enthusiasts are able to enjoy rich content and applications on the go.  It also comes equipped with a unique three-speaker configuration, strategically placed for stereo sound in landscape or portrait mode.

Additionally, parents looking to entertain their children on-the-go can quickly access the Android Marketâ„¢ which gives access to hundreds of thousands of apps, including educational programs, games and eBooks.**

With back-to-school season in full swing, students will also find the sleek VIZIO Tablet an ideal and fun compliment to a busy year as it makes checking email, news and social networks as simple as ever.  Multiple storage options make saving assignments and downloading music a breeze with a MicroSD™ slot that allows consumers the freedom to expand memory up to 32GB for optimal organization and entertainment.

“VIZIO set out to build an innovative tablet that breaks new ground and addresses the gaps in current offerings in the market,” said Matt McRae, Chief Technology Officer, VIZIO. “The VIZIO Tablet offers a superior multimedia experience with its three speaker design, home theater integration with IR, and a perfect size for typing, eBooks, gaming and portability.  These innovations and our ground breaking price push the category forward and deliver on our brand promise of Entertainment Freedom for All.”

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  • Anonymous

    Seriously, gingerbread…because honeycomb is too expensive right (it’s fucking free)…these companies are fucking crazy

    • Yoogene

      it’s running a single core 1ghz proc, i don’t think you’d want to be running honeycomb on a slate with that…

    • Bradfordms

      I think you’re missing the point.  Vizio is targeting a larger group of consumers who aren’t going to mind what version of Android powers this tablet.  This is an entry-level tablet for the casual user, and they are probably going to do very well in this market segment, just as they do with their televisions.

    • Anonymous

      Too slow of a spec to run Honeycomb.

  • Anonymous

    I like it. It looks much better than all these Honeybomb tablets

  • John

    These companies producing google products are ridiculous         You believe that your getting a good deal based on price     However this system is out of date and the specs of the machine aren’t going to make it another 6 months when it comes to using upcoming apps.

    Your sales pitch is universal remote control?    WE HAVE THAT ALREADY

    This is why people have a huge problem with technology companies       You can’t really compete    You have no original ideas and on top of that your over charging for your out of date products

    • Fatty Bunter

      You’re* (half the time)

    • serpentor

      You know, the Nook Color seems to be doing alright even being an underpowered Android tablet.

      • http://twitter.com/ricklman Rick Mantooth

        We’re still loving our NC running CM7. For $250US, this little 7″ tablet has cured our itch and is holding out nicely. I was commenting to the better half last night after putting the NC down and picking up my Captivate at how small it made my phone seem after playing with the tablet for a while.

        It’s not the monster tab(s) we’re all reading about and watching for, but for us, it’s doing the job nicely.

      • Relaxed01

        My NC has lessened my itch for an iPad.  I did get my wife one and I must admit that I have not touched it very much.  Does any one have any info on the tablets that Lenovo is launching or has launched?

  • Theo

    I know people are going to get upset at this comment…    But one thing that you can say about IPAD/Iphone compared to google is when you buy it NEW…   Your going to get a piece of hardware that will last a couple years with guaranteed updates

    This Vizio wont make it a couple months     Doesn’t even have the hardware to run the current version of Google OS much less get an upgrade to the nextThis is truly the problem with google        They have so many hands in the “cookie” jar when it comes to selling there product…  There is no set standard      So it appears that they are ALWAYS behind on specs and innovation

  • Travis “CityBoy” Sinclair

    Can we get a review on this product BGR please??? :)

  • Bobofango

    lol 2GB…. they cant be serious. Get a 16gb eee pad for 100 dollars more

  • Bringit

    Here come “PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE US OUT OF THE STORE” Android tablet price drops.  Still won’t work.

  • Noemail

    I have no doubt that this device is a test bed for Vizio devices yet to come.  In the near future, Vizio will likely be selling televisions which include an IR+Bluetooth Android remote.  This is not a tablet, it is a Unverisal Remote Control, that has tablet capabilities.  And as such, it is a freaking genius move by Vizio.

  • http://www.apexcarpentryinc.com/blog/ Craig

    A universal remote can cost $300. I review of its cababolities would be nice. I can see this tablet staying next to the tv.

  • Anonymous

    What is AMAZING is: a company like VIZIO can launch a tablet with full microSD support and a company like MOTOROLA still can’t get microSD support on that damn X°°m six months after its’ demonic release -
    Fact not Fiction™®©

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001272551741 Ogami Itto

    Besides consumers who already have or will be buying a Vizio TV, I don’t think many people want this. After having a Honeycomb tablet, there’s no way in hell I’m going back to a Gingerbread tablet.

  • Anonymous

    i was seriously looking to get some kind of ereader (the wife got the kindle-loves it but sadly, no color); now this might be the next step up without springing for a full-on tablet with the requisite price tag.  still, i’m going to wait and see what the holiday shopping season will bring in the form of deals, should be quite good this year.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3C5X3OFKC3OTXQC4KDVWJGLTNI Tom Bates

    I paid $22.85 for an iPhone 4-32GB and my girlfriend loves her Panasonic Lumix GF 1 Camera that we got for $38.76 there arriving tomorrow by UPS. I will never pay such expensive retail prices in stores again. Especially when I also sold a 40 inch LED TV to my boss for $674 which only cost me $62.81 to buy. Here is the website we use to get it all from, CentHub.com

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