The Ainovo-branded MIPS-based NOVO7, which is the world’s first Ice Cream Sandwich-powered tablet, has arrived with a decent price tag of less than $100. Although the new device is only available in China for the moment, it should be released in the U.S. within a few months.

“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.

The NOVO7 comes with a 7-inch capacitive multi-touch screen, with 8- and 9-inch form factors reported to be available soon. The device is powered by a 1GHz single-core MIPS processor and 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 and rear cameras are also available and the new XBurst processor's power-efficient architecture sports extended battery life; the tablet draws less than 400mA during active Web browsing.

We are pleased to join with MIPS to announce these breakthrough high-performance, low-power, low-cost Android 4.0 tablets. Combining the elegance of the MIPS architecture and Ingenic's innovation in processor design, we are bringing a new level of processor technology to mobile devices,” said Qiang Liu, chairman and CEO of Ingenic Semiconductor.

“As we continue to collaborate with MIPS to broaden the mobile ecosystem around the legendary MIPS architecture, we anticipate even broader proliferation of our devices worldwide. We believe the mobile world will be more versatile and colorful with another processor joining in, he added.

China Android China Andy rubin