The impending tablet war is heating up fast in Australia, with three of the major players releasing fresh announcements in the past hour. Here's a brief look at what's new.
Apple iPad 2 pricing announced
First off the rank is the hotly anticipated Apple iPad 2, which will be available in Australia from this Friday, while stocks last (which should be about five minutes). Apple has just announced the Australian RRP for the iPad 2, with prices starting at $579 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model.
Here's the full price breakdown:
iPad 2, Wi-Fi only:
- 16GB - $579
- 32GB - $689
- 64GB - $799
iPad 2 Wi-Fi and 3G:
- 16GB - $729
- 32GB - $839
- 64GB - $949
The iPad 2’s dual-core A5 processor packs twice the computing horsepower of the single-engine A4 chip used in the original iPad. It also has double the RAM (512MB), is slimmer and lighter, and adds a pair of low resolution cameras.
Apple is taking orders on its web site from 1am this Friday, with in-store sales beginning at 5pm on the same day. Get in fast, or you could be in for a long wait.
Samsung announce flagship Galaxy Tab 10.1v
The original Samsung Galaxy Tab will soon be joined by three new tablets: the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, 10.1 and the just-announced 10.1v, which will be the first of the three models to be released in Australia.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v is an Android 3.0-based Dual Core smart media device that will court the same audience as Apple's iPad 2. Highlights include a 10.1in WXGA display, an 8-megapixel AF camera, a 1GHz Dual Core application processor and 16GB of inbuilt memory.
The main differences to the previously announced Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are an improved camera (8.0MP vs. 3.0MP), thinner dimensions (246.2x170.4x10.9mm vs. 256.6x172.9x8.6mm) and 1080p Full HD video recording (compared to 720p video on the Galaxy Tab 10.1).
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v will be available to purchase from mid-April for $729 outright. Alternatively, it can be bundled as part of a Vodafone plan ($259 upfront payment, plus $39 per month over 12 months, which includes 1.5GB data per month).
Viewsonic announce three Viewpad tablets for Australia
Not to be outdone, Viewsonic today announced three Viewpad tablets for the Australian market. The model details are as follows:
- ViewPad 7 – 7in form factor with 3G and WiFi
- ViewPad 10 – 10in with dual operating system
- ViewPad 10s – 10in HD entertainment tablet
Featuring Android 2.2 operating system and powered by a NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor, the premium-level ViewPad 10s supports high-resolution 1080p video, Flash 10.1 and internet TV/broadcast streaming. Crucially, it also comes equipped with HDMI out, USB and a MicroSD card slot.
The ViewPad 10s is available now for an RRP of AU$599 from Harvey Norman.
Which tablet do you think offers the best balance between price and features? Let us know in the comments section below...
