ViewSonic sets UK launch for Smart Displays

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

NEWS
The first gadgets based on Microsoft's "Smart Displays" concept are arriving in the UK, but their price tags may cause some potential buyers to hesitate. Smart Displays can function as a flat-screen monitor or a wireless tablet that controls a base PC from around the home or office. ViewSonic, the first Smart Display manufacturer to have its devices on the market in Europe, is planning a launch event for 20 February, and said that its first two displays would be available for preorder on Amazon's e-commerce site. The devices are expected to be available in UK retail outlets in March, during the CeBIT trade show in Germany. Viewsonic said the Airpanel V110 and V150, measuring 10 and 15 inches respectively, will cost £999 and £1,299 inc. VAT in the UK. The price includes an upgrade to Windows XP Professional, which is necessary for the Remote Desktop Protocol used by the displays, and the Wi-Fi gear needed for the wireless connection. In the second quarter, a lower-priced version will be available for customers who already have the needed wireless hardware and Windows software. Consumers may find the price tag a bit steep for devices that cannot be used independently of a PC. The V110 can only be used remotely while the V150 doubles as a monitor, but neither can be used as a stand-alone computer, unlike laptops and tablet PCs available in a similar price range. A new review conducted by ZDNet Labs concluded that the US pricing for the two Airpanel devices was already steep at $999 and $1,299, or about £609 and £792. The higher UK pricing is partly due to VAT (not included in the US price) and partly to higher margins demanded by UK retailers, according to a ViewSonic spokeswoman. Microsoft product manager Megan Kidd previously told ZDNet UK that prices are probably too high for mainstream adopters at the moment, but said that they would come down along with the prices of other LCD components. Microsoft expects that only early-adopters and the wealthy will purchase the initial devices, she said. However, this base price doesn't include the screen's docking station, necessary for using the unit as a primary monitor, and this costs an extra $149 in the US. If this add-on is sold for £149 in the UK (ViewSonic hasn't yet confirmed this), it will mean a significant extra expense. In comparison, a regular 15-inch LCD screen can cost as little as £250, and some notebooks offer integrated wireless for around £750. ZDNet Labs found that aside from the price, the device was appealing, with a strong wireless connection, easy-to-use interface and fast Web browsing. Another limitation of the displays is that Another limitation of the displays is that the base PC is "locked" while a Smart Display is controlling it, so two people cannot use the PC at the same time. Industry observers have noted that this limitation might make Smart Displays less attractive than wireless-equipped notebooks or tablet PCs. Some versions of Windows support multi-user configurations, but this feature was removed from desktop Windows operating systems for licensing reasons, according to Microsoft. The devices have a battery that lasts up to four hours, run on a 400MHz Intel Xscale processor, and include 32MB of ROM and 64MB of SDRAM. The displays were first shown at Comdex last autumn, and Bill Gates highlighted Viewsonic's models in a keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show last month.
See the Hardware News Section for the latest update on everything from MP3 players and PDAs to supercomputing. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

Moley

@GrueMaster. I prefer horses for courses rather than one size fits all. I, and I suspect most other computer users, do not really wish to have...

50 minutes ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
greycynic

The product that scares me every time I have to use it is the Office 2007 version of Excel. The first bug that I found was applying the median...

54 minutes ago by greycynic on Ten flawed products that derail productivity
GrueMaster

Nice review and very informative. One thing I'd like to add (in reply to whs001's 1st question), the main reason to have the same interface from...

2 hours ago by GrueMaster on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Frederick Wrigley

I'be been using Mint 12 since the RC came out, and I am far more happy with the Cinnamon, the Mate, and, yes (with extensions), theGnome 3...

3 hours ago by Frederick Wrigley via Facebook on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
bdantas

Excellent article. One small correction, though--although a fresh installation of Linux Mint 12 will, indeed, provide the user with a version of...

4 hours ago by bdantas on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Alan Ralph

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

4 hours ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material
Alan Ralph

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

4 hours ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material
Moley

For Gnome 2 die-hards, it is possible to add icons to the bottom panel (or top top panel, if you prefer) which provide the exact Gnome 2...

5 hours ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
ramwellian

Your comments would seem pretty naive and immature. Your 'solution' appears to be, "gee, let's all just give in to the hackers and give them...

5 hours ago by ramwellian on Cloud computing security: no more oxymoron?
BugStalker

"Interesting thought ... If you installed Win7 as a dual boot on a machine that previously only had Linux, and it wrecked your Linux installation,...

6 hours ago by BugStalker on Windows 7 Declares War on GRUB
whs001

This is an excellent summary of Ubuntu and Mint and the interface differences between them. Most such articles take a very partisan position for...

6 hours ago by whs001 on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Moley

@ewallace. Not so clear. Anyone can obtain the text, for example from here http://www.ustr.gov/webfm_send/2379. I support ACTA so long as it and...

6 hours ago by Moley on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions
45283

I think WinRT is fantastic. I just wish it was an option for people that didn't want to go through Microsoft's App Store with its attendant...

9 hours ago by 45283 on Why Windows 8 needs architectural hygiene for WOA
Burn-IT

Nine people? £30m? Who's back pocket is that lot going in? And IF they say it is for new buildings, what about all the ones the government has...

10 hours ago by Burn-IT on Police set to launch three £30m e-crime hubs
ewallace

Just to be clear, nobody knows what is in the text of ACTA, here is a photograph of the text of ACTA http://twitpic.com/8h9iju as submitted to the...

10 hours ago by ewallace on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions
fgvrg56

Unfortunately main issue is that ASUS is refusing to accept that they make some mistake on this version of asus Transformer prime. 1 - GPS sensor...

12 hours ago by fgvrg56 on Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime Wi-Fi & GPS problems?
Ben Woods

@Marcus A fair question. Just talked with Archos which said it was working on an announcement for next week....

13 hours ago by Ben Woods on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule
Marcus Karlsson

Any update on this, considering the claimed "first week of February"?

14 hours ago by Marcus Karlsson via Facebook on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule
apexwm

Bill Goodrich : Just as al_langevin pointed out, with Windows Server 2008 there is no Services for Macintosh anymore. It's gone, not available....

22 hours ago by apexwm on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility
txtrainguy

Replying to an old topic that I'm currently facing with my CEO (who is on a Mac). Our servers are primarily Windows Servers, office is about...

1 day ago by txtrainguy on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility