Nvidia continues to expand its hardware offerings beyond GPUs with the release of the much rumored 7-inch Android tablet, the Tegra Note. Back in June at Computex, Nvidia briefly demoed an early version of the device, when it was better known as Tegra Tab. One of the interesting features it introduced was NVIDIA DirectStylus technology, which improves passive stylus performance.

Tegra Note is a a complete tablet platform, designed by NVIDIA and brought to market by Nvidia's partners, which will release tablets based on the Tegra Note. In turn, NVIDIA gains access to their sales and distribution expertise in regions worldwide.

Available in "the next few months," the Tegra Note will be available worldwide by EVGA and PNY Technologies in North America; EVGA, Oysters and ZOTAC in Europe; Colorful, Shenzhen Homecare Technology and ZOTAC in Asia-Pacific; and XOLO in India. They join other partners, including HP, ASUS, Toshiba, Kobo and Xiaomi, that have already announced Tegra 4-based products.

The tablet starts at a suggested retail price of $199.



Here's a rundown on some of the Tegra Note?s features:

- Powered by Tegra 4 with a 72-core GeForce GPU and quad-core Cortex-A15 CPU with a fifth battery-saver core
- NVIDIA DirectStylus technology transforms a normal stylus into a responsive experience with finer point and broader stroke control. It also comes bundled with apps for stroke-based note taking.
- NVIDIA PureAudio technology ensures deep audio - including the widest frequency range in a tablet - through front-facing stereo speakers with a bass-reflex port.
- The camera uses Tegra 4's processing power and Chimera computational photography architecture to deliver new features. Tegra Note also brings SmugMug's Camera Awesome to Android. Already avalilable for iOS, Camera Awesome delivers exclusive Tegra 4 features like tap-to-track and 100 fps video with slow-motion playback.
- NVIDIA TegraZone provides access to Tegra-optimized games. Tegra Note also supports a variety of game controllers.
- 10-plus hours of HD video playback.
- A slide cover flips and bends to support and cover the tablet. It also lets the tablet be set up in three distinct positions using built-in magnets for added flexibility. The DirectStylus Pro Pack enables a variety of writing styles with interchangeable tips. And Bluetooth capabilities turn the tablet into a game controller.

On top of that, users get over-the-air (OTA) software updates provided directly by NVIDIA.

Here's a full set of the specs:

- Processor: Tegra 4 mobile processor with quad-core Cortex-A15 CPU and 72-core GeForce GPU
- Display: 7-inch HD IPS LCD display (1280 x 800)
- Camera: Rear 5MP and front VGA webcam
- Storage: 16GB storage with microSD expandable up to an additional 32GB
- Audio: Front-facing "HD Audio" stereo speakers with a bass-reflex port
- Stylus: Chisel and Brush tips for natural writing and broad strokes
- Peripherals: Micro HDMI connector to drive big screen TV videos and gaming
- OS: 100% Android with latest version of the OS
- Software Updates: Over-the-air software updates directly from NVIDIA
- Battery Life: 10 hours HD video playback