Android comes to MIPS chips for first time, Ice Cream Sandwich launches on $99 tablet

The world of smartphones and mobile media tablets may be dominated by processors based on the ARM architecture, but other instruction sets are getting their due with Android.

There is development on Android on x86, spearheaded by processor makers AMD and Intel; and this week, MIPS Technologies announced the availability of the first mobile tablet running Android 4.0 on the MIPS architecture.

MIPS Technologies promised an open source release of Ice Cream Sandwich on MIPS sometime in mid-December, and this device gives us the first look at the progress the company has made.

So before that official open source launch takes place, the company has announced the availability of the Ainol Electronics Novo7, a low-cost, low-energy consuming mobile media tablet.

Running a 1GHz Ingenic Semiconductor JZ4770 Xburst applications processor with a 444Mhz Vivante GC860 graphics core capable of 1080p video output, the Novo7 has a 7" touchscreen, 802.11 b/g/n, USB 2.0, HDMI 1.3, microSD, dual cameras, and a suggested retail price of only $99.

"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 CEO, MIPS Technologies in a statement on Monday.