born leta: Hands-on with Vivitar's kid-friendly Camelio tablet

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Hands-on with Vivitar's kid-friendly Camelio tablet

In addition to announcing availability for the XO tablet, Vivitar is outing the new 7-inch Camelio slate at CES. Like the XO, it has a family-friendly bent, with optional $20-$30 "personality kits" that customize the user experience with themes like Thomas the Tank Engine. Vivitar had the slate on hand -- and even provided approximate pricing and availability info -- but it's mum on specs for the moment, as it still considers this device to be in the prototype phase. About that MSRP: it will be about $129, with a release date in late spring.

We spent a few minutes playing with the Camelio, and though there were no pre-loaded kiddie apps or personality kits to play with, it's clear that this device is made for the younger set. The slate isn't incredibly thin, but its rounded edges and textured backing make for a grippable design that looks ready to withstand a few drops. The 7-inch screen doesn't dazzle with bright images; we'd guess the resolution is a standard 1,024 x 600. When the device ships, expect it to run Android 4.2. At least on the version we saw today, there's not as much of a personalized skin as you'd expect with a child-friendly tablet. That's likely because most of the customization comes via the optional theme kits. Each of those kits includes a case for the tablet along with a code that unlocks wallpapers, widgets and other branded content.

Along the edges are the standard volume toggle, power button and headphone jack, along with a microSD card slot and a micro-USB port. This is a WiFi-enabled device, and Vivitar said battery life is rated for seven to nine hours. Check out our hands-on gallery, and check back for a video soon.

Gallery: Vivitar Camelio tablet hands-on