Toshiba pops a 10" Android tablet with HDMI port and 1280x800 resolution

Toshiba, as all computer (and TV) manufacturers was rumored to have a high-end Android tablet in the works, and here it is. The company is very careful not to name this one in any way, considering the troubles with its Folio 100 Android tablet, but we should know more when we hit the floor at CES in the next few days.

Specswise Tosh's creation is at the upper end of the Android echelon - 10" screen with the pretty high resolution of 1280x800 pixels, 5MP camera on the back and 2MP one in the front, USB and HDMI ports, plus the obligatory dual-core Tegra 2 chipset, which hints that this thing will most likely ship with Android Honeycomb onboard. Toshiba promises to out it in the first half of 2011.

According to the Washington Post Toshiba is still looking to ink a deal with carriers, so no wireless connectivity is built-in at that point, but the company is considering it as a possibility. Of course, Toshiba is planning its own app store, besides Android Market, called Toshiba Places, where it will provide authored content, such as the BookPlace library for Toshiba's BookPlace e-reader app.

Those who have handled it, report that the back is rubberized, very easy to grip and hold, and the slate itself is slim enough at 0.6", with the decent 1.7 pounds of weight. Toshiba says they will include a battery enough for seven hours of video playback. Honestly we don't see what the much-hyped Motorola DROID Xoom will be offering more than this unnamed Toshiba tablet, but with competition heating up like this, we are only drooling at the perspectives of a nice little price war that will end for us with a tablet in each room of the house.

source: Engadget & WashingtonPost