Vizio Tablet gets VIA Plus 1.2 software update

The Vizio Tablet has gotten a software update that promises to enhance overall performance. A somewhat laggy interface was a major issue that plagued the otherwise favorable budget-friendly tablet. The update brings the Vizio Internet Apps Plus (VIA Plus) custom interface up to version 1.2, while it continues to run on top of Android 2.3.2 Gingerbread.

We reviewed the Vizio Tablet back in August and generally liked the 8-inch size and the unique hardware features, including an integrated IR blaster and three speakers for proper stereo sound in both landscape and portrait orientations. Its customized VIA Plus interface completely disguises the Android underneath, but looks pleasing and is intuitive. However, performance benchmarks were a bummer and the interface was noticeably sluggish at times.

The VIA Plus 1.2 update hopes to fix that. It brings a slew of improvements, including better graphics performance, faster navigation and scrolling, longer battery life, and more device compatibilities for the tablet's universal remote functionality. The interface is noticeably snappier after the update, as we're trying it on our own unit, but we'll update with benchmarks for a better comparison.

The Vizio Tablet is priced at around $289. For the more details make sure to check out our full review. The tablet was also recently announced to support Hulu Plus, making it one of the first.