MIPS Technologies, the designer of mobile microprocessor technologies, and Ingenic Semiconductor, a China-based CPU provider for mobile multimedia applications, have announced worldwide availability of the world's first tablet based on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), is sold for less than $100. The tablet is powered by Ingenic's JZ4770 mobile applications processor, which leverages a MIPS-BasedTM XBurst CPU running at 1GHz.

The new tablet is available with a 7" capacitive multi-touch screen. 8" and 9" form factors will be available soon. All versions include support for WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, USB 2.0, HDMI 1.3 and microSD, as well as 3D graphics with the Vivante GC860 GPU, 1080p video decoding and dual front/rear cameras. The XBurst processor's power-efficient architecture provides extended battery life-the 7" tablet draws less than 400mA during active web browsing.

The Ingenic JZ4770 SoC inside of the new tablet is one of the first MIPS-Based systems-on-chips (SoCs) targeted for mobile devices that delivers 1GHz+ frequency, increasingly a requirement for tablets and other devices that incorporate rich multimedia and high-performance applications/functionality. The JZ4770 SoC is powered by a MIPS32 compatible XBurst CPU designed by Ingenic. The XBurst CPU core adopts an innovative ultra-low-power pipelining architecture which consumes less than 90mW in 1GHz (with L1 cache), and the entire SoC consumes ~250mW with the CPU and video engine operating under full load. In addition to the XBurst CPU, the JZ4770 SoC integrates an optimized 1080p video processing engine, OpenGL ES 2.0 3D graphics processing unit from Vivante Corp. and numerous on-chip analog and application blocks such as audio codecs and GPS.

"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," said Andy Rubin, senior vice president of mobile at Google.

Ingenic's JZ4770 SoC for Android 4.0 tablets is available now. The new Android 4.0 tablet is available in China and online through Ainol Electronics. The 7" tablet retails for less than $100 (U.S.) non-subsidized.It will be available in the United States and other geographies within the next several months under brands from companies including Leader International and OMG Electronics.

 "The openness of Android is enabling a new level of connectedness and interaction between devices and between people across the globe. We are excited to be a part of the Android ecosystem delivering on that vision. We applaud Ingenic's accomplishment in developing this new high-performance, feature-rich Android 4.0 tablet, and offering it at a price point that makes it widely accessible. We look forward to teaming with Ingenic as it continues to develop MIPS-Based mobile innovations," said Sandeep Vij, president and chief operating officer at MIPS Technologies.

Tags: MIPS, Ingenic, Android, Google, Xburst, OpenGL ES