Telstra launches $299 T-Touch Tab

 

Budget-minded Android tablet introduced.

Telstra has launched a budget-minded, Android-based tablet computer aimed at the average Australian family.

The T-Touch Tab was priced at $299 -- cheaper than many smartphones -- which could mean several compromises that might have tech enthusiasts thinking twice.

The T-Touch Tab also raised several other questions about the emerging crop of new tablet devices.

What is the ideal screen size? At 7 inches, the T-Touch Tab was one of several tablets smaller than an iPad.

And is it useful to be able to make phone calls and texts from your tablet? Like the Dell Streak, Telstra's device came with a data and voice/text allowance, though Telstra has not yet said whether this would involve a dock/speakerphone arrangement.

The T-Touch Tab weighed 500 grams, making it larger and more than twice as heavy as the Dell Streak, though a touch lighter than the iPad, which weighed 730 grams for the WiFi and 3G model.

It used a 768MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a resistive rather than capacitive touchscreen. It ran Android 2.1 rather than 2.2, and was not yet capable of playing Flash videos from web sites.

Pricing was another major consideration. Telstra launched the T-Touch Tab for $299 with 3GB of data and $10 of talk/texts. After the first 30 days, however, it would cost $40 a month for 1GB of pre-paid data.

By comparison, Optus pre-paid starter packs for the iPad cost $30 for 3GB, with recharges costing $20 for 2GB.

Copyright © PC & Tech Authority. All rights reserved.


Telstra launches $299 T-Touch Tab
"Agree rycrozier, the upfront cash price seems damn good, bit what comes after is pretty scary!"
By Lonecrow
 
 
 
Comments: 4
mbd
Oct 28, 2010 9:47 AM
You get what you pay for. Those looking for a full experience of the Android OS are best to save a little longer and buy something with more power and the current OS. We are trialling iPads at the moment at our organisation (http://ipadpilot.wordpress.com) but are keen to have a look at the Android as an option as well. We'll wait for the upcoming Galaxy Tab when it's released, so at least it's a fair comparison.
Mark D
Oct 29, 2010 9:55 AM
who cares what it doesn't do or have (including the apple logo). Its $300, makes phone calls and browses the web all on a large screen running a solid OS.

win.
rycrozier
Oct 29, 2010 10:51 AM
@ Mark D - it's the ongoing costs for 3G data that would be a concern. $40 per GB isn't cheap.
Lonecrow
Nov 3, 2010 9:27 AM
Agree rycrozier, the upfront cash price seems damn good, bit what comes after is pretty scary!
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