As well as a number of interesting hybrid and two-in-one computers, this year’s Computex Taipei conference is notable for the number of tablets — and in particular, low-price Android slates — on show. ASUS in particular has been busy in this regard, unveiling the MeMoPad HD7 and FHD 10.
HD7
Starting at $129 the HD7 offers a quad-core processor supported by 1GB of RAM, a 7-inch HD (720p) display plus a 5-megapixel rear-facing and 1.2-magapixel front-facing camera. It boasts a 10-hour battery life, an 8GB or 16GB hard drive (plus MicroSD Card support for expansion) plus 16GB of cloud storage (free for the first year of ownership). The HD7 is scheduled for launch in July.
The FHD10 measures 264.6 x 182.4 x 9.5mm and features stereo speakers with SonicMaster technology.
FHD10
Its bigger brother, the MeMoPad FHD 10, uses the latest generation of Intel Atom processor to power its 10.1-inch full HD screen and is available with a 16GB or 32GB hard drive plus 5GB of free-for-life cloud storage. The FHD10 won’t hit the shops until September, when the company will also release official pricing for the device (expected to be less than $199).
Asus is yet to confirm which version of Android the tablets will run, but it is safe to assume that, as the maker of Google’s own Nexus 7 tablet, the latest editions to the MeMoPad range will come with Jelly Bean preinstalled.
2013 is shaping up to be the year of the sub-$100, branded Android tablet. Consumers can expect even cheaper, mid-range products to start hitting the market in the run-up to the holiday season.