Mobile World Conference, held annually in Barcelona, Spain, is sort of like a Consumer Electronics Show that’s just for smartphones and tablets. And Google’s open-source Android operating system has a huge presence there this year, with statues of its robot mascot and plenty of Android gadgets to go around.
Here’s a look at some of the new Android tablets being unveiled at Mobile World Conference, along with their most unique features.
Asus: Padfone, Transformer Pad 300, Transformer Pad Infinity
The Asus Transformer was one of 2011’s best-selling Android tablets, insofar as tablets other than the iPad, the Kindle, and the Nook sold at all. Late last year, Asus followed up with the Transformer Prime, an upgraded version which recently got an update to Ice Cream Sandwich (along with a lawsuit from Hasbro).
Their titular feature was the Transformers’ ability to turn into a laptop, by plugging them into a keyboard-and-touchpad dock that folds flush with the screen. The new Transformer Pad series retains that feature, and comes in two varieties: The budget-friendly Transformer Pad 300, which starts at $399 according to Eric Ravenscraft of Android Police, and the high-end Transformer Pad Infinity, which is expected to sell for $599.
The Transformer Pad 300 comes in red, white, or blue plastic, and has a quad-core processor plus a 4G LTE wireless Internet option. The higher-end Transformer Pad Infinity has MacBook Air stylings with a thin, brushed aluminum case, and a 1920 x 1200 display (better than 1080p HD). Meanwhile, the Padfone — also on display by Asus — is a smartphone that can plug into an optional tablet dock, which itself has an optional Transformer-style keyboard-and-touchpad dock.
Samsung: Galaxy Tab 2, Galaxy Note 10.1
The original 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab was the first Android competitor to the iPad, and was released before Honeycomb — the tablet version of Android — was even ready. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Note is the gigantic 5.3 inch smartphone-tablet that recently debuted on ATT’s network. Its name comes from the included pressure-sensitive stylus, which lets you use it as a notepad.
The Galaxy Tab 2 series, which will be available starting in March in 7-inch and 10.1-inch sizes, is basically an update which now runs Ice Cream Sandwich. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note 10.1 is a roughly iPad-sized tablet which uses an “S Pen” like the original Note, and comes with notetaking and Photoshop software designed for it.
Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.
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