Lenovo launched an Android phone called the LePhone in Asian markets last year and now they’ve got a tablet called the Lenovo LePad they’re on the brink of releasing. We already knew the IdeaPad U1 Android/Windows hybrid would launch in June for $999 and now we’re hearing the LePad will be priced at $400 or so and also see a June release.
Check out our preview of the LePad at CES:
I find it hard to believe the LePad will only cost $400 but I’d be pleasantly surprised if that ends up being the price. Whether or not it’ll run (or upgrade to) Android 3.0 is also a concern of mine. I just don’t see how the LePad would cost 2.5 times the Hybrid – and keep in mind most higher end Android tablets are going for much more than $400.
I’ve always liked Lenovo devices but, beyond their laptops, they don’t have much of an American focus. Even in the states, Lenovo hardware seems to be quite rare and doesn’t enjoy the type of brand equity others have created. While the product is great, it isn’t always easy to break into foreign markets regardless of your international reputation – just ask Nokia.
Either way, we’ll be excited for both the Ideapad and LePad to launch in the United States and it’ll be interesting to see how they fare against the other newly announced Android tablets. As we’ve seen with the excitement of the Atrix, there seems to be a market for the tablet/laptop/phone hybrid and Lenovo’s devices seem to mix the environments quite well.
[Via PCworld, CrunchGear]