During the LG Cinema 3D TV press event last week, I was able to grab hold of the LG Optimus Pad they got there as a demo interface for their TV. I wanted to play with it some more but they’re pretty protective about it not letting it out of their sight. Still, the time I had with this unique tablet is enough for first impressions.
The LG Optimus Pad sits comfortably between the 7-inch Galaxy Tab and the 9.7-inch iPad 2 with its 8.9-inch display. It’s not exactly pocketable but you can still grasp the whole width with one hand. It also has a comfortable 1280 x 800 display that you would appreciate when browsing the web but it uses an unconventional 15:9 aspect ratio.
Like most Android tablets out there, the Optimus Pad is powered by an Nvidia Tegra 2 dual core 1GHz processor and runs on Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS. I wasn’t able to try some HD gaming (non were present) but Angry Birds played smoothly as expected. HD viewing was handled pretty well also. I did get a little bit of unresponsiveness at times when swiping between homescreens. I’m not sure if it’s because of the concurrent tasks running but it was still noticeable.
Perhaps what sets the Optimus Pad apart from other tablets is its ability to shoot stereoscopic 3D stills and video with its dual rear cameras. Unfortunately, its display cannot provide 3D glassless viewing unlike its smaller brother, the Optimus 3D phone. You need 3D glasses or hook it up to a 3D TV.
You would probably get the LG Optimus Pad not for its 3D capability but more for its unique size and tight integration to the LG Smart TV if you have one.
I’m still waiting from LG reps on the pricing and availability of this Optimus Pad so I’ll keep you posted once I got it.
LG Optimus Pad Specs: |
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Nvidia Tegra 2 T250 Cortex A9 1GHz |
Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) |
8.9-inch LCD display (1280 x 800), 15:9 aspect ratio |
32GB internal storage |
UMTS, GSM, HSPA+ |
5mp dual-rear camera (stereoscopic 3D) |
2mp front camera |
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n |
GPS + aGPS |
Ambient light sensor, gyroscope, compass |
HDMI out |
1.38 lbs |
6400mAh Li-Ion battery |
Price: TBA |