Well, Cisco did make good on their promise to get out a certain business tablet by the first quarter of this year. Those who don’t plan to go knocking at Verizon’s doors for the Cisco Cius can look forward to picking up the slate through AT&T later this year.
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and 3G/4G go down smoothly with this device. So do mobile broadband networks like the carrier’s HSPA+ service. There are plans to support the building of productivity tools for the slate with help from the AT&T Foundry initiative, a dedicated developers’ program.
“Business professionals today demand mobile devices that combine communication, collaboration, and a powerful computing solution,” expressed Steve Slattery, vice president and general manager, IP Communications business unit, Cisco. “The Cisco Cius united with AT&T’s world-class network helps provide just the interaction and information they need to fundamentally change how employees go about their work.”
“We are mobilizing the day to day activities of our business and government customers, helping them act quicker for maximum agility and profitability,” averred Shawn Conroy, VP of voice, collaboration and unified communications services, AT&T Business Solutions. “The Cisco Cius further extends our leading portfolio of enterprise mobility devices, and this is the latest example of our commitment to helping organizations of all sizes increase business velocity.”
The tablet rides the Android mobile OS and offers Adobe Flash support. A 7” multi-touch display and camera sit on the front face, while the back panel embeds another camera. It fits itself into a 225mm x 140mm x 15mm body and weighs around 0.5kg. Boasting of multi-tasking abilities, the device also accommodates Bluetooth, a microUSB port and 32GB internal flash.
The AT&T Cisco Cius can be expected to drop in sometime this fall. We’ll have to wait a bit longer for the precise availability details and price plans.
