Cisco has announced that it will take on Apple and its iPad with the launch of a new Android powered offering called the Cisco Cius.

The new gadget, aimed at business users rather than those bored around the house will weigh just 520g and offers HD video streaming and real-time video, multi-party conferencing, email, messaging, browsing, and the ability to produce, edit and share content stored locally or centrally in the cloud.

"Based on the Android operating system, Cisco Cius is an open platform for communication and collaboration whose form factor and applications are designed to more securely connect employees on-the-go with the right people in real-time, and to provide those workers with the ability to access and share the content they need from any place on the network", says Cisco.

Tech specs of the new device include; a front mounted 720p HD camera, which refreshes at up to 30 frames per second; a 5-megapixel rear facing camera, that can transmit streaming VGA quality video and capture still images, dual noise-cancelling microphones for audio conferencing and a 7-inch, high-resolution widescreen super VGA touch-target display.

Elsewhere there is an on-board accelerometer, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity offered. Bluetooth and Micro-USB means users can work untethered and share data with a PC, while a detachable and serviceable battery offers 8 hours life under normal usage.

Cisco is even promising a 4G version will be launched at a later date.