TV darling LG is joining the 4G tab race. The Koreans have revealed its first ever 4G LTE-capable tablet, Optimus Pad LTE.
Launching in Korea this week, the 8.9″ tab has a True HD IPS display (1280 x 720), similar to Optimus LTE smartphone, runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb and is powered by Qualcomm’s 1.5 GHz dual-core processor.
The tab is “the best-in-class” say LG, with HD multimedia and an 8 megapixel camera for shooting high definition video, a 2MP cam out front, HDMI, DLNA for sharing content between devices and easy-to-use controls such as the Smart Movie Editor for editing pictures and videos.
This comes as the 4G explosion commences in Oz next week, when HTC’s Velocity – the first 4G capable smartphone in Australia – will be launched by Telstra.
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The iPad 3, along with Samsung’s next batch of Tab’s due out this year are all said to offer faster web 4G capabilities.
The Optimus Pad LTE also comes with 32GB memory but is the world’s first tablet to support a SD memory card, expanding memory by a further 32GB.
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The 8.9″ Pad also has Web Duet which allows for e-mailing, messaging and SNS sharing with search functions, and On-Screen Phone tool, for compatibility with LG smartphones.
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The “highly portable” LG tab weighs in at a svelte 479g and is slim at 9.34mm, meaning is perfect for users on the go.
No word on local availability or pricing, but LG Australia told SmartHouse it “is reviewing the release of the Optimus Pad LTE in the Australian market and will continue discussions with local operators to assess their needs, release timings and the opportunities for this product locally.”
“With tablets generating five times more traffic than the average smartphone, it’s not a huge jump to assume that tablet users need and want faster connectivity,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications.
“The combination of LG’s LTE technology with the tablet form factor is a clear advantage for consumers who use a tablet as their primary consumption device when on the move.”
