Chinese device maker ZTE is rolling out a new 8 inch tablet with a 1024 x 768 pixel display, a 1.4 GHz dual-core processor, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean software.
In other words, the ZTE V81 is about the size and shape of an iPad Mini, although I have a feeling it will carry a lower price tag than Apple’s tablet.
The ZTE V81 has 1GB of RAM, 4GB of built-in storage, and a microSD card slot for additional storage space. It has a 2MP rear camer and a 0.3MP front-facing camera, and the tablet features a 3700mAh battery.
ZTE’s tablet supports 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and GPS. It also has a UMTS/GSM modem for mobile broadband.
Ports include HDMI, USB, and audio, and the tablet measures 7.9″ x 6.1″ x 0.4″.
While ZTE is based on China, the company is one of the top 5 phone makers around the globe, and ZTE has been pushing hard to get into the US market. So there’s no guarantee the ZTE V81 will be available in the US anytime soon… but there’s also no guarantee that it won’t.
via Unwired View
unless it’s <$200, I doubt it'll stand a chance of selling much.
edit: didn't notice the HSPA modem, so add another 50 to that price.
ZTE makes some decent economy Android phones. This choice of aspect ratio shows they know their onions.
Too many low-end tablet makers failed to do the study themselves to see why Apple chose 4:3 (or close) ratios. The truth is wide-screen has a serious downside: they make terrible e-readers in portrait orientation!
Micrsoft’s “Surface” devices are an even more extreme case.
You end up with a long, skinny “page” with inadequate horizontal resolution. The result is teeny text that not even a hi-res display compensates for (who really reads a book wearing a jeweler’s loupe?).
I wholeheartedly agree, widescreen aspect ratios are for movie theaters not handheld devices. The 4:3 ratio is preferable for a tablet IMO ….
1> ZTE is proud of servng up garbage to their customers. Anyone who buys a ZTE product after reading the bad reviews most certainly deserves the headaches that they ultimately receive. ZTE Lixin Cheng screwed me out of a android warp phone.
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