BARCELONA, SPAIN — A handful of tablets launched at the Mobile World Congress includes the industry’s first tablet with 4K video capture from Sony and more LTE-equipped models.
Sony launched the 4K video-capture tablet, which will be available in Wi-Fi and LTE versions, and Archos and Huawei unveiled LTE-equipped tablets.
Hewlett Packard unveiled business-oriented Windows tablets sold direct to enterprises and smalland medium-sized businesses, through resellers, and through HP.com.
Here’s what attendees found:
Archos’ first cellular-equipped tablet is promoted as the industry’s first 8-inch 4G tablet for less than $250. A U.S. availability date wasn’t announced.
The $249 Archos 80 Helium tablet features Android 4.3, Qualcomm 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, 8-inch 1024×768 IPS screen, 1GB RAM, 8GB memory, 150/50Mbps Category 4 LTE, Bluetooth 4.0 with EDR, 3,500 mAh battery, 2-megapixel front camera, and 5-megapixel main camera with 1080p video capture, BSI sensor, autofocus and LED flash.
Huawei has a 8-inch MediaPad M1 that will be available in multiple foreign markets in the first quarter and rolled out to other markets later. It features 1,280 by 800 HD IPS multitouch capacitive screen, dual front-facing speakers, dual microphones, multi-window viewing, 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 4,800 mAh battery, 7.9mm-thick aluminum body, and Category 4 LTE to enable peak download speeds of 150Mbps. It also features built-in Wi-Fi router.
Lenovo’s Android 4.3 Yoga 10 HD+ multimode tablet will be available from major U.S. retailers as a Wi-Fi-only model at $349. A version with 3G W-CDMA voice and data will be available outside the U.S.
Lenovo launched its first Yoga multimode Android tablets last October in the U.S. in 8- and 10-inch versions at a suggested $249 and $299.
Like its predecessor, the new 10.1-inch Yoga tablet features multimode positioning. A cylindrical battery enables a back flap to rotate into different positions to provide a better viewing angle and to use its virtual keyboard at a more comfortable angle.
Key tablet features include Android 4.3, planned over-the-air Android 4.4 update, quad-core 1.6GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB or 32GB embedded memory, and 64GB MicroSD card slot.
The tablet also features dual speakers, Dolby audio suite of technologies, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, and 8-megapixel rear camera.
Sony introduced the 10.1-inch Xperia Z2 Tablet is the company’s first with 4K video capture. It’s also promoted as the world’s slimmest and lightest waterproof tablet in the 8-inch-and-larger class. The tablet, which will be available in a Wi-Fi and 3G/LTE versions, is 6.4mm thick and weighs 426 grams in the Wi-Fi version and 439 grams in the 3G/LTE version.
The tablet features 2.3 GHz processor quad-core Krait CPU, Adreno 330 GPU, 3GB RAM, and integrated Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 technology, and 6,000 mAh lithium-polymer battery with battery stamina mode to deliver up to 10 hours of uninterrupted multimedia usage.
For business users, the tablet is loaded with OfficeSuite Pro 7 to view, edit and share native Microsoft Office files.
