LG executives have confirmed to SmartHouse that they will release a tablet that sits between the 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab and the 10-inch Apple iPad. The new device will run Android 3.0, an OS specifically designed for tablet devices.
The 8.9-inch tablet will be launched in the first quarter overseas and in the second quarter in Australia. The device will ship with Honeycomb, which will be the new “tablet PC” version of Google’s, LG executives told SmartHouse in Asia yesterday.
According to Electronista, Google has never formally detailed what Honeycomb would entail other than acknowledging its presence, but it has advised against using Android 2.2 and made no mention of a change in Gingerbread. A lack of native tablet support has been considered a weakness of Android and a limitation of the Galaxy Tab. LG chose to skip Android 2.2 likely for similar reasons.
When it ships, the Optimus Pad is expected to use a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor.
According to LG their new Optimus tablet will be superior to the Apple iPad with dual cameras, HDMI connectivity and room for additional storage.
While the Optimus Pad should be just one of many Android tablets launching in the period, the official reiterated that LG’s model is designed to be more productive than the iPad. Most tablets are focused on content consumption like books and videos, but the Optimus Pad should be “more diverse,” he said
