MIPS launches ICS powered $99 tablet

So you thought Aakash was going to be the only tablet of its kind in that price bracket? Well, there’s competition, going by the name of Novo 7, the world’s first $99 Android 4.0 aka Ice Cream Sandwich tablet by MIPS.  It’s got a 7-inch capacitive multi-touch screen and is powered by a 1GHz single core MIPS-based XBurst CPU with Vivante GC860 GPU core. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and external 3G support and it comes with a 2 megapixel rear camera along with a front camera for video calling. Other features include, HDMI out, a microSD card slot and Google Compatibility Test Suite certification, which means Android applications will be perfectly compatible with the tablet.

The ICS powered Novo 7

What’s more Senior Vice President of mobile at Google, Andy Rubin, has praised this new entrant in the Android line up stating, “I’m thrilled to see the entrance of MIPS-Based Android 4.0 tablets into the market. Low cost, high performance tablets are a big win for mobile consumers and a strong illustration of how Android’s openness drives innovation and competition for the benefit of consumers around the world.”

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The new Android 4.0 tablet is available in China and is available online, too through Ainol Electronics Co., Ltd. It will be available in the United States and other geographies within the next several months. Availability for India hasn’t been disclosed yet, so stay tuned to this space for more details.