The first 7-inch tablet running on the Android 3.2 Honeycomb has arrived on the planet in the form of Huawei MediPad. The latest version of the Android software is designed specifically for running 7-inch tablets. Currently, the Android tablet market is dominated by larger 10-inch tablets. The Huawei product is expected to rejuvenate the interest of tablet makers and consumers in the smaller tablets.

Huawei MediaPad Features

Design

The sleek and slim lightweight tablet is only 0.4-inch thick and weighs less than a pound. It sports a 7-inch IPS touch screen. This is the same screen that you would find in Apple’s iPad, Lenovo ThinkPad and a handful of high-end tablets. IPS is the abbreviated form of In-Plane Switching. This is a form of LCD technology, which was developed in the last decade by Hitachi. The technology, which was earlier embedded only in high-end monitors, supports wide viewing angle. Hence, it is sufficiently clear from the specifications of the screen that MediaPad will display high-quality visuals. You can watch high-resolution images and 1080p full high-definition videos on the display of the new Huawei tablet.

Processor

Huawei MediaPad is powered by Qualcomm’s 1.2GHz dual core processor. The powerful processor might outperform the robust A4 processor packed in iPad. According to experts, Android Honeycomb powered tablets could work smoothly only when they are equipped with dual core processor. By incorporating two physical processors in a single chip, the processing task is divided between the two processors, which significantly increases the multitasking speed of the device.

Camera

The 7-inch tablet from Huawei carries a 1.3MP front-facing camera. The front-facing camera will support video calling. You can even use this VGA camera for snapping self-portraits. The 5MP primary camera, mounted on the rear side of the tablet, could capture impressive stills and videos. Equipped with auto focus it can swiftly capture the special moments in your life. You can even compose full HD videos with the built-in video recorder of the device.

The full HD videos captured with the video recorder of the tablet could be reviewed on Huawei MediaPad’s 7-inch display. To view the high-definition videos on a larger screen, you can stream the videos to HDTVs through the integrated HDMI port.

Entertainment

Huawei has loaded MediaPad with a wide range of entertainment features. It will enthrall users with high-end games. The powerful processor and the integrated GPU support graphic rich contents and games. Games and apps could be downloaded on MediaPad from Android Market. Users can also enjoy the benefits of cloud computing through Hi-Space, the cloud solution of Huawei Device.

It also features a built-in app store. To aid social networking, Facebook and Twitter apps are preloaded in the tablet. To create, edit and view Microsoft Word and Excel documents, Documents To Go app is preloaded in Huawei MediaPad. The popular golf simulation game, Let’s Golf is also preinstalled in the tablet. Adobe Flash 10.3 embedded in the tablet’s browser displays rich multimedia contents on the webpages.

Connectivity

Huawei MediaPad supports speedy data transfer over HSPA+ network. Theoretically, you can expect to experience a data download speed of 14.4Mbps. MediaPad also comes with Wi-Fi connection that allows users to surf the web in mobile wireless hotspots. You can also connect the tablet to Bluetooth compatible accessories.

Storage

Huawei has added 8GB onboard storage to the tablet. A microSD slot has been included in the device for enabling memory expansion for additional storage.

Battery Power

The 4100mAh Li-Polymer battery powers the tablet for up to six hours on a single charge.

Although the Chinese manufacturer of MediaPad has not revealed the pricing of the 7-inch tablet, but it can be safely concluded, that Huawei MediaPad is a cheaper alternative to the high cost tablets.

Comparison with similar tablets

Huawei MediaPad vs. HTC Flyer

HTC Flyer is another 7-inch Android tablet. Huawei MediaPad is slimmer and lighter than the HTC tablet. Although both the tablets are running on the Android platform, equipped with the latest Gingerbread operating system, Huawei MediaPad would outperform HTC Flyer operating on the older version of the Android software. The dual core processor of Huawei MediaPad is expected to offer a faster computing, browsing and multitasking speed. HTC Flyer is powered by a 1.5GHz single core processor.

Both the tablets are equipped with a 1.3MP front-facing camera and a 5MP rear-facing camera with auto focus. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are present in both the devices. HTC Flyer offers 32GB internal storage space, whereas Huawei is offering only an 8GB version of MediaPad. The Huawei and HTC tablets generate similar browsing and multimedia experience. The Huawei tablet supports 1080p full HD videos. Its built-in video recorder could capture full HD videos. In contrast, the camcorder of HTC Flyer could record 720p HD videos.

Huawei MediaPad vs. BlackBerry PlayBook

Huawei MediaPad is pitted against BlackBerry PlayBook, one of the finest 7-inch tablets on the planet. Both the smartphones are 0.4-inch thick and are less than a pound in weight. However, the different operating systems differentiate the functions of the two tablets. The RIM tablet running on the latest BlackBerry operating system is powered by a 1GHz dual core processor. Huawei has incorporated a 1.3GHz dual core processor in MediaPad. It is unclear whether the slight increase in the clock speed can cause any significant change in the processing power and multitasking speed of the device.

The browsers of both the devices support the latest Adobe Flash software. BlackBerry PlayBook boasts of outstanding battery power. The integrated battery powers the RIM tablet for up to ten hours. In contrast, Huawei MediaPad could run on battery power for up to six hours.

Although both the tablets flaunt a 5MP rear facing camera with full HD video recorder, BlackBerry PlayBook boasts of a higher resolution front facing camera. The 3MP front-facing camera of PlayBook is beyond doubt better than the 1.3MP front camera of the Huawei tablet. The apps from BlackBerry App World enhance the productivity of PlayBook, while Huawei MediaPad users can access millions of apps from the Android Market.