ViewSonic ViewPad 7x Starts the 7-Inch Honeycomb Tablet Party

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Time for a confession: After more than a year of owning an iPad, I’ve started to look at 10-inch tablets with a bit of disdain. Sure, they’re great for video, and they allow for innovative big-screen apps,  but they can be uncomfortable to hold and a pain to type on.

So in my endless search for a 7-inch alternative, ViewSonic’s ViewPad 7x gave me a tinge of gadget lust. The 7-inch Android Honeycomb tablet isn’t official yet — ViewSonic is reportedly going to announce the product at Computex later this month — but Pocket-Lint has a rendering and some specs to snack on.

The ViewPad 7x has a 7-inch display (of course), an Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and cameras in front and back. There’s also an HDMI output, DLNA support and HSPA+ connectivity, hinting at potential 4G options on AT&T or T-Mobile. Weight is 0.84 pounds — a wee bit lighter than the Blackberry Playbook.

I’m not in love with the funky pattern on the back, but I’d be happy if the ViewPad 7x came in a few colors besides red. My other concerns are battery life, screen viewing angles, storage capacity and pricing. Also, with Pocket-Lint based in the United Kingdom, it’s not clear whether the reported June launch date applies to the rest of the world.

Hopefully Computex will bring some clarity to the matter, because this 10-inch tablet glut is getting a little out of hand.