More time with the Viliv X70 Windows 7 slate
After my brief affair with the Viliv X70 Windows 7 slate yesterday, I was eager to meet with the device again today and get a feel for what it was really all about, especially since it's been confirmed to have the new 1.5GHz Intel Oak Trail processor nestled inside its ultra slim 14.3mm body.
The X70 I met today was outfitted with just 1GB of RAM and Windows 7 Home Premium, so I know that it wasn't as fast as it could be.
The capacitive mouse buttons worked better than I thought they would, though I did have to tap them more than once sometimes when they either didn't register or they there was enough of a delay that I just thought the tap didn't register. Navigating the 1024 x 600 capacitive multitouch-enabled screen with a finger isn't terribly precise when you're dealing with Windows 7, but it was accurate enough to be usable. I did find myself wishing that an optical mouse or trackpad were included on the bezel, though, as it would have made navigation much easier.
Build quality is great, though as you can see from the photos, your fingers will leave their prints all over the entire glossy face of the unit.
One of the four touch buttons on the right side of the display has the sole task of launching and hiding the on-screen split keypad. The capacitive screen and built-in multitouch make thumb typing on this keyboard quite pleasant. Spilt layouts work really well on 7" landscape devices and the X70 is no exception.
I'm not sure if it can be remapped, but the FN touch button on the bottom of the right side was set up to control the screen orientation when I saw it. The tablet has an accelerometer so I'm not sure why the button would need to be used for mode switching.
As one of the only new 7" slates running full-blown Windows to be showcased at CES, I think the Viliv X70 will find its way into the lives of many mobile professionals later this year. Oak Trail alone is enough to make a lot of people interested, though 2GB of RAM should really be the minimum. Even with 1GB, though, it's still a significant upgrade to the existing Atom-based X70EX.
I really like how Viliv is making similar products for consumers (X7 Android) and professionals (X70 Windows 7). There's something for everyone!
