Moonse developing mini iPad clone running Android
Based on the reception to the rumor that Apple may be launching a smaller iPad early next year, it sounds like many of you would welcome a 5- to 7-inch iPad to your gadget collections. Bearing in mind that we may have to wait a while (if not forever) before an "iPad Nano" shows up, a Chinese company called Moonse has something in the works for those of us who just can't wait. And taking one look at the Moonse E-7001 above, it's pretty obvious where they got their design inspiration from!
The E-7001 is a 7-inch tablet with a WVGA capacitive multi-touch screen, currently running Android 1.5 on the Rockchip RK2808 clocked at 600MHz. There is also some information that suggests the processor may be upgraded to a more powerful ARM Cortex-A8 chip. In the meantime, the device features b/g WiFi and external support for WCDMA/EVDO 3G through a USB connection. Other specifications include a microSD card slot for up to 32GB of storage, 1.3MP front-facing web cam, built-in microphone, stereo speakers, and a headphone jack.
Using the Rockchip CPU also means that the E-7001 is capable of playing back 720p HD video with support for a large range of audio and video codecs. A 3000mAh battery gives a battery life of about 5 hours worth of continuous use, with dimensions measuring a compact 9.33 x 4.92 x 0.56 inches and weighing only 11.7 ounces.
While there isn't any concrete information on the E-7001's launch date, a very appealing price has been quoted of 900 Yuan, working out to around US$132. Upon further investigation it appears that the tablet is available for order now on Chinese auction site Taobao.com and ebay for 1350 Yuan (US$197.65) and US$164.99 respectively. Anyone interested in taking the plunge?
