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Tesco officially calls time on the Hudl
Last week, it became apparent that Tesco wasn't gearing up to release a new low-cost Hudl tablet, as it had done in October in years past. When asked about the future of the Hudl brand, Tesco confirmed it had no current plans for a third-generation tablet, but it did say: "We continue to sell our Hudl2 and it remains a popular device with our customers." And so it appeared Tesco wasn't quite ready to call it quits on own-brand hardware, even if a new device wasn't in the cards, and probably never would be. A lot can change in a week, however, and it now looks like we've heard the last of Hudl, with Tesco no longer stocking its tablet in bricks-and-mortar and online stores.
Blinkbox extends offline movie and TV playback to Android tablets
When offline playback arrived for Blinkbox's video streaming service on the iPad, we knew that Android support couldn't be far behind. After all, Tesco has plenty of Hudl 2 tablets to sell this Christmas, which all heavily promote its services. So for your next commute or agonising car journey with the little ones, Blinkbox now lets you queue up some sweet flicks in advance. Unlike Apple's tablets, you can both purchase titles and manage your downloads from inside the Blinkbox app, although offline playback isn't supported on Android 4.4.3 and higher. Early Lollipop adopters might be left out in the cold, but Tesco hopes to make amends with new movies via Entertainment Film Distributors, including American Hustle, Transcendence and Her -- plenty to keep you occupied during the wet and chilly winter months.
Tesco Hudl2 review: The UK's best value tablet
A supermarket turned tablet maker doesn't sound like the wisest of career progressions. Tesco's not your average supermarket, though. When you consider the Tesco machine also operates video- and music-streaming services, an e-book store and an online emporium selling everything from garden furniture to jewelry, having a low-cost, own-brand tablet to publicise them on makes a considerable amount of sense. Amazon makes it work with a similar potpourri of digital properties, after all. Tesco first explored the idea with its £119 Hudl tablet, launched around this time last year. And, having shifted over three quarters of a million units during that period, it's hoping to keep the ball rolling with the new Hudl2, which boasts a bigger display, upgraded hardware, a more refined look and a similarly wallet-friendly £129 price tag. Tesco's still a fish in the tablet game, and yet, with the Hudl2, it's managed to deliver not just another great value product, but also the best affordable slate on the market right now.
Tesco now offers digital copies of movies you've bought in any store
Tesco's Blinkbox video streaming service might be facing a less-than-certain future, but that doesn't mean the supermarket giant is ready concede defeat just yet. Mirroring similar moves by Amazon and Sky, the company today announced become the first major UK retailer to let customers grab digital copies of their DVDs and Blu-rays via Ultraviolet, which can be stored inside a Blinkbox account. Tesco isn't just limiting the locker service to movies bought in its own supermarkets, either, making all of your Ultraviolet-enabled titles available to instantly stream or download across a wide number of devices, including the new Hudl2. To get started, you'll need to create your Ultraviolet library, link your Blinkbox account and then get streamin'.
Tesco opens Hudl2 pre-orders
Suitably impressed by last week's Hudl2 launch? Tesco is now ready to take your money. The supermarket giant has opened orders on its Direct store, allowing you to put aside one (or more) of its eight vividly coloured tablets for pick up tomorrow. For £129, you'll enjoy an 8.3-inch Full HD display, 1.83GHz Intel Atom quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, stock Android 4.4.2 KitKat, 5-megapixel and 1.2-megapixel rear and front-facing cameras, Dolby-optimised rear-facing speakers, HDMI-out, dual-band Wi-Fi, 16GB of internal storage (with support for 32GB microSD) and upto 8 hours on a full battery charge. Tesco is currently offering 33 percent off Hudl2 cases if you redeem the relevant eCoupon, but make sure you cash in those Clubcard points to bring the total cost down even further.
Hands-on with Tesco's Hudl2
Tesco announced its Hudl2 tablet today, and by now you already know what it's about and how it stacks up against the original Hudl. Well, we've had a chance to play around with the device, and it's immediately clear this is a significant upgrade. Despite a notably larger 8.3-inch screen, the Hudl2 saves on width and thickness, with a taller frame accommodating all those extra pixels. The chunky bezels of Tesco's first tablet have all but disappeared, giving the Hudl2 a much sleeker look that betrays its £129 price point.
Tesco's Hudl2 vs. Hudl: what's changed?
The Hudl2 has finally been unveiled. Sticking to what it knows, Tesco has retained much of what made the original Hudl unique, but it's now bigger, thinner and a lot more powerful. Wondering how the specs compare to its predecessor, though? Well, we're glad you asked because we've laid everything out for you below.
Tesco launches the £129 Hudl2: bigger, better, faster
A popular supermarket chain isn't the first place you'd expect to find an own-brand tablet, but with its low price and a prime spot next to the beans, Tesco's Hudl has sold over 750,000 units since launch. While plans to also enter the smartphone racket have been put on hold, today Tesco's spilled all the details on its second-gen slate: the Hudl2.
Tesco's Hudl 2 tablet to be unveiled on October 3rd
In addition to announcing its smartphone plans had been put on ice, Tesco said at the start of September its second-generation Hudl tablet would be revealed in a matter of weeks. And today we've received a not-so-subtle invite from the supermarket chain for a morning event on October 3rd. Considering the invite is blazoned with the hashtag #Letshudl, it's pretty clear we'll be introduced to Tesco's next tablet on that date, and we'll be there to bring you the news. The supermarket's dedicated Hudl page now has a new section where you can register for updates on the Hudl 2, and a colour-changing banner also suggests the device will arrive in multiple hues, or will at least have several vibrant cases. Tesco already let slip the second-gen slate improves "on just about every area of its predecessor, from screen size to speed, design and accessories." One of the Hudl's best features was its low price-point, so let's hope this successor continues that trend and isn't marked up so Tesco can actually make some of the money it's been pulling out of thin air.
Tesco shelves its smartphone plans to focus on Hudl 2 tablet
Tesco makes its own affordable range of everyday products for penny-conscious consumers, and last year the supermarket extended this concept to tablets. The Hudl slate wasn't just cheap, but also the perfect vehicle for showcasing Tesco's various streaming services. Despite a few hardware teething problems, the Hudl has gone on to sell over half a million units, prompting the commission of a sequel earlier this year. Alongside the Hudl 2, Tesco also said it would launch an affordable Android smartphone, but now the chain's announced those plans have been shelved while it focuses on the new tablet, which is due out "in the next few weeks." As Robin Terrell, Group Multi-Channel Director at Tesco explains, since the plan was revealed "the mobile market has become even more competitive," leading the supermarket to "put the phone on hold."
