Picking up where it left off just a month ago at CES, NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 processor continues to fuel the supertablet revolution here at MWC 2011 in Barcelona. This morning, LG took the wraps off of the Tegra 2 powered Optimus Pad tablet, the world’s first to feature a 3D camera for capture and sharing of three-dimensional video.
Optimus Pad features a unique 8.9″ display with a 15:9 aspect ratio. With full 1280 x 768 WXGA resolution, the screen packs plenty of pixels but makes the tablet easier to grip and use with one hand. With Tegra 2 inside, Optimus Pad can handle 1080p video playback and also deliver 3D video to big screens via integrated HDMI out. The tablet also features a 2MP front-facing camera for high definition videoconferencing applications.
LG’s presentation showed off the enhanced speed afforded by the dual-core processor, depicting a side-by-side Web browsing speed test with a single-core tablet competitor. They also highlighted Pad’s full 1080p video capture and playback capabilities and, of course, the 3D capture abilities made possible by a stereoscopic dual 5MP camera (with flash) on the back of the device.
Optimus Pad’s uniquely sized form factor was also highlighted as a standout feature. With an 8.9″ screen and weighing 644 grams, LG claims the device is optimally sized for two-thumb and full touch typing and one-handed use without leaving it too small to be productive – or fun – to use.
My hands-on time with the device – running pre-production software, I should point out – bore out LG’s claims about the Pad’s unique shape and lightweight being both practical and sized for one-handed use. The tablet felt good in the hand, looked spiffy, and was narrow enough to facilitate two-thumb typing in portrait orientation. While the Pad I played with wasn’t hooked up to an external 3D monitor, I did get a look at the 3D camcorder app, and am looking forward to checking out some Optimus-generated videos on YouTube 3D.
Tagged: Corporate, Events, Mobile, mwc, mwc2011, super tablet, Tegra
