Telus Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE and LG Optimus LTE outright prices unveiled

The LG Optimus LTE and Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE will be among Telus' first LTE devices, and should be released tomorrow, February 10. Although one is a tablet and the other one is a smartphone, both will have about the same price when bought outright: $649.99 for the Galaxy Tab 8.9, and $629.99 for the Optimus LTE. The price for the Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE on contract is not known for now. But we know how much the LG Optimus LTE will be on contract: $99.99 (3-yr), $529.99 (2-yr), or $579.99 (1-yr). Starting February 14, Telus will offer yet another LTE Android device - the Samsung Galaxy Note (which should cost $249.99 with a new 3-y contract agreement).

LG unveils Optimus Pad LTE tablet

LG on Wednesday officially announced its Optimus Pad LTE tablet. The device is equipped with an 8.9-inch True HD IPS display that offers a sharp 1280 x 720-pixel resolution, an 8-megapixel camera, an SD card slot expandable to 32GB, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chats, HDMI-out and a 6,8000 mAh battery. It's powered by a dual-core Qualcomm processor clocked at 1.5GHz and runs Android 3.2 (Honeycomb), although there is no word if it will be upgraded to the newer Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. The Optimus Pad LTE will first make its debut in South Korea but, as was the case with the Optimus LTE, we wouldn't be surprised to see a U.S. model in the future. Pricing and an exact launch date have not been announced but we expect to hear more during Mobile World Congress next month. LG's full press release follows after the break. LG TO INTRODUCE ITS FIRST LTE TABLET (SEOUL–Korea Newswire) January 18, 2012 — LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled its first LTE-capable tablet, the Optimus Pad LTE. Initially launching in Korea, LG has equipped the tablet with both LTE technology and True HD IPS display, the two features that have helped LG differentiate its latest smartphone, Optimus LTE, from the competition. "With tablets generating five times more traffic than the average smartphone, it's not a huge jump to assume that tablet users need and want faster connectivity," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. "The combination of LG's LTE technology with the tablet form factor is a clear advantage for consumers who use a tablet as their primary consumption device when on the move." Boasting the best-in-class in the tablets, LG Optimus Pad LTE provides the ultimate user environment to enjoy HD multimedia with a 1280 x 720 True HD IPS display and 8 megapixel camera for shooting high definition video. The Optimus Pad LTE is also the world's first tablet to support an SD memory card expandable to 32GB, recognizing the importance multimedia would play for owners of this device. Along with these features, the Optimus Pad LTE offers easy-to-use controls and functions such as the Smart Movie Editor for editing pictures and videos more easily. Moreover, Web Duet allows for e-mailing, messaging and SNS sharing with search functions, and On-Screen Phone (OSP) ensures compatibility with LG smartphones. LG Optimus Pad LTE is extremely portable and aesthetically pleasing, weighing in at a svelte 479g and only 9.34mm thin. Equipped with a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor running Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS, LG's newest tablet guarantees superior performance. It also supports High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). Key Specifications: Operating System: Android 3.2 Honeycomb Memory: User 32GB (Micro SD up to 32GB) Size: 245 x 151.4 x 9.34 mm Weight: 497 g Display: 8.9-inch IPS True HD Display Resolution: 1280 x 768 Camera: 8MP (Rear) / 2MP (Front) Processor: Qualcomm 1.5GHz Dual-Core / Dual Channel Processor Battery: 6,800mAh Others: HDMI, DLNA

LG announces Optimus Pad LTE, forgets to include Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

First seen at the beginning of December, the LG Optimus Pad LTE tablet has been official announced in South Korea this morning. The tablet is thinner and lighter than the original Optimus Pad, measuring 245 x 151.4 x 9.34 mm, and weighing 497 grams. It will be launched with Android 3.2 Honeycomb on board, and LG said nothing about a possible update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - which I find weird for a tablet that's coming out in 2012. Apart from LTE connectivity, the new Optimus Pad features an 8.9 inch IPS display with 1280 x 768 pixels, Wi-Fi, DLNA, 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, HDMI, Smart Movie Editor, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing camera, and a 6,800 mAh battery. The Optimus Pad LTE is the first tablet to support SD cards of up to 32GB. The LG Optimus Pad LTE will be initially available in South Korea. There's no word on when exactly, and neither for what price.

LG Optimus Pad LTE announced

Today LG announced the launch of its first LTE-capable tablet, the Optimus Pad LTE. The tablet features LTE connectivity, an 8.9″ True HD (1280 x 720) IPS display, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front facing camera, a Qualcomm 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Android 3.2 Honeycomb, 32GB of internal storage, microSD card slot (up to 32GB), HDMI output, DLNA, and a 6,800mAh battery. No word on whether the tablet will be receiving Ice Cream Sandwich, but the tablet will be initially launched in South Korea before it makes its way to the rest of the world. The True HD display and LTE connectivity will definitely draw a lot of people, but the lack of Ice Cream Sandwich might turn off folks who don't want to wait for an upgrade for the tablet.

LG G-Slate gets Android 3.1 Honeycomb update

The LG G-Slate from T-Mobile has certainly been lacking when it comes to the Android 3.x Honeycomb update race, considering the Motorola XOOM as well as Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 have already received the update some time back. Nice to know that T-Mobile is not going to take things easily, where they just announced the availability of an Android 3.1 Honeycomb update coming our way sometime today at best, or tomorrow if things turn south. While all these hail from LG's official support forums, there has been no official announcement from T-Mobile just yet.

Anyone has already started to press the “Update Now” button just in case you are the first to receive such an update? For those who have received it and gone through the installation process, how has your tablet experience changed – is it for the better or worse?
source: Ubergizmo

Rogers makes the LG Optimus Pad $150 cheaper, now $549.99 sans contract

The LG Optimus Pad with its 3D features is certainly a unique offering (at least so far) in the tablet space in general, and among Android-powered tablets in particular. However, one thing which clearly hasn't helped this tablet sell very well has been its price – it's among the most expensive tablets out there. Now granted, that 3D tech may probably account for the increased price, but the truth is everyone would like to get cheaper tablets.

And everyone likes a good price drop. Which is exactly what has happened to the LG Optimus Pad at Rogers in Canada. The carrier has decided to cut the tablet's price by no less than $150, making it now ‘just' $549.99 sans contract. Of course, it could be even cheaper, but a $150 price drop is not something you should ignore.

So either Rogers is feeling very generous towards prospective tablet customers, or the Optimus Pad wasn't doing that well, sales-wise. Perhaps this will help make it sell better, we'll see. Either way, if you want an Android-powered tablet that can do 3D photo and video capture, this is your only choice on the market right now. And it's just gotten a lot cheaper.
source: Unwired View

LG's 3D-shooting Optimus Pad nabs March 31st retail date in Japan as T-Mobile fiddles

Japan's NTT DOCOMO just announced a March 31st retail offering of LG's Optimus Pad. The Honeycomb tablet listed as model L-06C is the same 8.9-inch 1280 x 768 pixel slab known as the G-Slate 'round T-Mobile subscribers. Besides its 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor and internationally compatible 3G data and GPS, the Optimus Pad's most noteworthy features are the stereoscopic rear-facing video cameras capable of 1080p 3D capture which you can viewed directly on the L-06C with a pair of passive glasses. Unfortunately, NTT DOCOMO is mum on pricing. Remember, although T-Mobile originally hedged with a spring launch (recently rumored for April 20th), LG told us that it'd be arriving on US soil in March. So... T-Mobile, anything you'd like to add before Thursday?

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