Telstra has announced their second Essentials Android tablet, the Telstra Essentials Tab Plus. The 8.0-inch HD device will sell for $149 and ships with Android 5.1.1. For $149, you need to have modest expectations, along the lines of the Snapdragon 210 processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of system memory included here.
However, the inclusion of 4GX LTE compatibility is rather unique at this price point, meaning this tablet will be as at home in your home and out on the road, making it a good choice perhaps for those who get around a bit, or if you’re travelling around the country.
Check out the full device specs below:
| Key Specifications: | Telstra Essentials Tab Plus |
|---|---|
| Screen size | 8.0-inch |
| Screen technology | LCD |
| Resolution | 1,080 x 800 |
| PPI | 168 |
| Rear camera | 5MP |
| Front camera | 2MP |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 210 |
| Core config | 4 x 1.1GHz |
| RAM | 1GB |
| Storage | 8GB |
| MicroSD | Yes, up to 32GB |
| Battery | 3,240 mAh |
| Battery removable | — |
| Connector | MicroUSB |
| Cellular | Yes |
| NFC | — |
| Android OS | Android 5.1.1 |
| Vendor skin | — |
| Dimensions | 209 x 124.9 x 8.4 mm |
| Weight | 330g |
| Colours | Black |
| Accessories | — |
It’s interesting to see both Telstra and Optus begin to roll out their own rebranded devices. This specific tablet seems to be a rebadge of an Alcatel Pixi 3 (8) 4G device. With Both Telstra and Optus offering carrier branded devices it seems the Australian telcos are trying to lure consumers with packaged deals.
At this price point, launching with Android 5.1.1, it’s unlikely this tablet from Telstra will ever see an update, and that means any security issues identified in Android 5.1.1 (and there are a couple) are unlikely to be fixed. Should this put you off buying the tablet? Probably not, but it is something to bear in mind. The biggest risk for Android 5.1.1 is probably things like StageFright, but equally, on a tablet it’s probably not a major issue.
On the plus side, this is a tablet that comes in under $150, and gives you 4G LTE connectivity on the go. While it might not be the most powerful tablet, it will be perfectly capable of checking your email, browsing the web, enjoying some casual gaming, and consuming videos, TV shows and music. That’s probably all anyone really uses a tablet for, anyway, so you should probably consider this a bit of a bargain.
Is this a tablet you’d consider? Let us know below.
a Nexus 7 2013 still kills this and that 3 years old you would think things would have improved in the tablet space
Anthrox I’d have to disagree with that. You’ve brought up a 7-inch WiFi only tablet with a 1.3MP camera. This is an 8-inch tablet with 3G/4G connectivity and a 5MP camera………….