HCL has announced the launch of its new range of ME branded tablets in India. The range consists of three models the ME AE7, The ME AM 7 and the ME AP10. These new tablets are claimed to be the first in the country to come preloaded with localized content for the Indian market. They also boast of a unique one touch access to customer service which is touted as a worlds first. All the tablets are based on Google’s Android operating system. The prices of these new models start from 14,990 for the base model the ME AE7 and goes up to Rs.32,990 for the top of the line ME AP10 model. Now let’s take a look at the features on each of these products.
We start with the base model; the MEAE7. This tablet runs an 800 Mhz processor his and has a 7 inch display boasting of a pretty decent 800×480 pixel resolution. It gets 256MB DDR2 RAM and an internal memory of 2GB. You can expand the memory using microSD cards. It gets a VGA front camera as well as a microphone for video calling purposes. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) and Bluetooth 2.0. With a 2400 mAH battery expect this one to last for 5 hours of moderate usage.
Next up is the mid-range ME AM7. This tablet sports a similar 7 inch display albeit with a higher resolution. It is powered by an 800 MHz processor like on the AE7. The amount of RAM however is doubled to 512 MB. It comes with 8gb of internal memory Of course, you can also expand the memory using microSD cards. The AM7 also has a SIM card slot that can take in a 3G capable sim card. Connectivity options include USB 2.0 port, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1. The AM7 has a larger 4200mAh battery and will set you back by Rs. 25,790.
Finally, we have the top of the line model – the the AP10. This tablet features a full sized 10 inch display capable of 1024*600 pixel resolution. It is powered by a 1Ghz processor supported by 1 GB of RAM. Like all its siblings this one too runs Android 2.2. This tablets has 3650 mAH battery and will be priced at Rs. 32, 990/-.
All of these tablets will go on sale in Delhi first before reacing other parts of the country in the weeks to come.
It will be interesting to see how this homegrown range of tablets would fare against foreign competition that include the likes of the Apple iPad, the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the soon to be launched Motorola Xoom. The only are where we think HCL could have an edge is when it comes to price. If they can price these new devices much lower, it might sure get some attention.
