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Vizio announces $299 8-inch tablet for your home entertainment tablet

Vizio has announced the VIZIO 8″ Tablet, available at retailers for $299. The tablet is aimed at being a tool to control your home theater with the ability to be paired with many of Vizio’s TVs and Blu-Ray players. Besides the controls, the tablet features the normal set of Android 2.3, featuring the Android Market and pre-loaded Google Apps.

Hardware on the device includes a 8-inch display, 1GHz processor, 802.11n Wi-Fi, 16GB SD card, and a front-facing VGA camera. To interact with your home theater setup the tablet features a HDMI output, an infared transmitter, universal remote app, and HDCP streaming. Check it out over at Vizio.

Press release after the break:

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/  VIZIO, America’s #1 LCD HDTV company, announced today the new VIZIO 8″ Tablet with WiFi is arriving at retailers nationwide.  As part of VIZIO’s continued commitment to deliver great technology at a superior value, the sleek, feature-filled, Android-powered VIZIO Tablet is now available at Sam’s Club, Walmart, Costco, Amazon, and other VIZIO retailers at a breakthrough price of $299.

The VIZIO Tablet features VIZIO Internet Apps® Plus which combines the latest technologies with a unified, easy-to-use and fun user interface across select future VIZIO HDTV’s, Blu-ray® players and other devices — further differentiating the sleek VIZIO Tablet.  In addition, the new Tablet is able to control nearly every element of a user’s home theater with a universal remote app and includes a built-in HDMI port with HDCP support for content protected HD playback on the big screen.

“We are excited that VIZIO is listening, once again, to what the marketplace is asking for with a high performance sub $300Tablet,” said Tim Farmer, Costco.  “VIZIO’s reputation is built on affordable technology and entertainment and this product is expected to generate a strong consumer response.”

By offering cutting edge technology and exceptional features at a competitive category price, the VIZIO Tablet is ideal for a wide range of users.  With support for Adobe® Flash®, casual gamers, movie, TV and music enthusiasts are able to enjoy rich content and applications on the go.  It also comes equipped with a unique three-speaker configuration, strategically placed for stereo sound in landscape or portrait mode.

Additionally, parents looking to entertain their children on-the-go can quickly access the Android Market™ which gives access to hundreds of thousands of apps, including educational programs, games and eBooks.**

With back-to-school season in full swing, students will also find the sleek VIZIO Tablet an ideal and fun compliment to a busy year as it makes checking email, news and social networks as simple as ever.  Multiple storage options make saving assignments and downloading music a breeze with a MicroSD™ slot that allows consumers the freedom to expand memory up to 32GB for optimal organization and entertainment.

“VIZIO set out to build an innovative tablet that breaks new ground and addresses the gaps in current offerings in the market,” said Matt McRae, Chief Technology Officer, VIZIO. “The VIZIO Tablet offers a superior multimedia experience with its three speaker design, home theater integration with IR, and a perfect size for typing, eBooks, gaming and portability.  These innovations and our ground breaking price push the category forward and deliver on our brand promise of Entertainment Freedom for All.”

About VIZIO

VIZIO, Inc., “Entertainment Freedom For All™,” headquartered in Irvine, California, is America’s HDTV and Consumer Electronics Company. In 2007, VIZIO skyrocketed to the top by becoming the #1 selling brand of flat panel HDTVs in North America and became the first American brand in over a decade to lead in U.S. TV shipments. Since 2007, VIZIO LCD HDTV shipments remain in the TOP ranks in the U.S. and was #1 for the total year in both 2009 and 2010.  VIZIO is committed to bringing feature-rich consumer electronics to market at a value through practical innovation. VIZIO offers a broad range of award winning consumer electronics. VIZIO’s products are found at Costco Wholesale, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Target, BJ’s Wholesale, and other retailers nationwide along with authorized online partners. VIZIO has won numerous awards including a #1 ranking in the Inc. 500 for Top Companies in Computers and Electronics, Fast Company’s 6th Most Innovative CE Company of 2009, and made the lists of Ad Age’s Hottest Brands, Good Housekeeping’s Best Big-Screens, CNET’s Editor’s Choice, PC World’s Best Buy and OC Metro’s 10 Most Trustworthy Brands among many other prestigious honors. For more information, please call 888-VIZIOCE or visit on the web at www.VIZIO.com.

The V, VIZIO, VIZIO Internet Apps (V.I.A.), Theater 3D, Full Array TruLED, Edge Lit Razor LED, 240Hz SPS, 480Hz SPS, Entertainment Freedom and Entertainment Freedom For All names, logos and phrase are registered or unregistered trademarks of VIZIO, Inc. All other trademarks may be the property of their respective holders.

Android and Android Market are trademarks of Google, Inc.

* Applies to most home theater devices, which are IR controllable.

**WiFi or 3G/4G connectivity is required to download apps, programs, games and eBooks

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