Google Android Cruz Reader, Tablet Coming from Velocity Micro

by Clint Boulton

Slated for an August launch, the Cruz Reader measures 7.55 inches by 5.6 inches by 0.57 inches with a 800-by-600 resolution, 4GB of memory, a USB port and an SD slot for $199. 256MB of RAM and built-in storage are also included. The device enables Web browsing and e-mail.

The mobile reader is 0.6 inches thick and weighs less than a pound. The non-skid rubberized back will help users keep a steady grip on the gadget while on the go. It supports reader file formats ePub, PDF, TXT and HTML for reading.

The Reader, which offers 6 hours of reading time, comes with a docking station so users can check out content in landscape mode. MP3 and MPEG-4 are supported for audio and video playback, respectively.

There are 100 preinstalled ebooks to get readers started, and users can multitask with the device.

Cruz Reader will compete with the basic Amazon Kindle, which costs $189 but weighs only 10.2 ounces and holds up to 1,500 books. Users have more than 620,000 titles to choose from.

The Cruz Tablet is 7.49 inches by 5.6 inches by 0.59 inches. Velocity Micro has not offered a release date for the device, which will cost $299.

The Cruz Tablet has all the features and functionality of the Cruz Reader, and was built to display pictures and ebooks and play video and music, according to the company. However, it’s got more memory: 512 MB RAM, 4 GB of built-in storage, and an 8 GB SD card.

The screen is capacitive touch and sports a resolution of 800 by 480, supporting 6 hours of video play.

At $499 for starters, the iPad is twice the cost of the Cruz Reader. But is it twice as good? We’ll have to wait and see until the Cruz Tablet drops to the market later this year.