Given my love for 7-inch tablets, I had to swing by Huawei’s booth at the Consumer Electronics Show. In addition to the high-end Ascend P1 S smartphone, the Chinese company is showing off its MediaPad tablet that comes pre-loaded with Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich.
Here’s a look at the small and light tablet, which will launch in selected markets within the next two or three months.
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From a form-factor and feel standpoint, I like how this slate fits in the hand. It’s thin and — as the Apple fans will quickly and correctly point out — is designed just like a small iPad. At 390 grams, it’s very light and would be easy to carry or put in a back pants pocket.
Although I only spent a little time with the MediaPad, it generally ran Android 4.0 very well with a Qualcomm dual-core 1.2 GHz processor inside. The IPS screen, with a 1280 x 800 resolution, is crisp and clear. And pictures taken with the tablet’s 5-megapixel rear camera looked decent as well. Battery life may be relatively low, however, due to the small size and thinness.
We’ll have to wait for availability and pricing details, which will likely come from carriers; the MediaPad has a 14.4 Mbps HSPA mobile broadband radio, so it’s a sure bet to come with a contract.
I’m not thrilled about that prospect and would personally like to see a Wi-Fi version. And I suspect the pricing should be competitive with other comparable 7-inch slates, such as those from Samsung, HTC and others.
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