Ever since the Apple entered the tablet market with the iPad, the entire category was completely revolutionized. It’s not merely an upgrade in technical specifications but an overhaul of user-experience delivered by an Operating System designed specifically for tablets. Meanwhile, here comes Redfox with their old-school Windows 7 powered tablet: the Wizpad.
In terms of specs, the Redfox Wizpad is on par with similar tablets: the iPad and the Galaxy Tab in almost every category. It even has the fastest processor among the three. Let’s take a quick look on their entry model’s specs:
Redfox Wizpad T1030IW
- Windows 7 Starter
- Intel Atom N455 1.66GHz 512kb L2 Cache
- 1GB DDR3 RAM
- 16GB SSD
- Intel GMA x3150 Graphics
- 10″ LED-backlit (1024×600) capacitive touch screen, G-sensor
- Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth
The Redfox Wizpad T1030IW starts at P31,999. There’s also a higher-model, The Wizpad T1034IW (P40,999), which has twice as much RAM, storage and has multi-touch. Now that’s a pretty steep price considering the prices of tablets these days. The specs can be manually upgraded; however, be reminded that the entry model T1030IW does NOT come with multi-touch display and has no internal modem.
Here is the bottom view of the Redfox WizPad. Unlike its competitors, it features a full suite of ports similar to a netbook- an audio out, microphone jack, SD card reader, VGA output, and 2xUSB 2.0 ports. It even has a sim card slot for 3G connectivity.
The Redfox WizPad feels quite heavy with all the computer parts built inside it. The back panel, which looks like its made with aluminum feels rather hot after prolonged use. They claim that the battery lasts for about 6 hours. It natively runs on Windows 7 (although theoretically, it can support other OSes as well) which is kind of a double edged sword.
Having a Windows 7 OS means that it can virtually run any app or program that you can run on your PC although with a bit of compromise in loading times, graphics quality and responsiveness. The problem, however, is that the OS is not fully optimized for a tablet unlike Android and iOS with almost-instant boot up and specialized apps. At best, you would get a netbook-level experience but with touch.
It’s more of a personal preference I guess. The WizPad really targets those who need a full productive office suite while on the go. It has an amazing library of apps that are readily available and users that are familiar with Windows 7 will surely like this. In this light, the Redfox Wizpad feels more like an ultra portable netbook rather than a tablet. Check out this WizPad setup by Redfox complete with a wireless mouse and keyboard. Now that’s a PC you can literally carry around. Neat-o!