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ASUS' 7-inch MeMo Pad now on sale for $150
Cheap tablets are currently on the rise, but not just low-end hardware from manufacturers that you've probably never heard of -- true consumer electronics heavyweights are getting in on the action. Today, ASUS unleashed its $150 MeMo Pad to the frugal masses. This 7-inch slab packs a 1GHz single-core VIA WM8950 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a 1-megapixel front-facing shooter and Android 4.1. While its specs aren't anything to sound-off about, this distant cousin to the highly acclaimed Nexus 7, might be worth considering if your budget happens to fall $50 shy of Google's entry-level slate.
ASUS MeMo Pad makes quiet post-CES debut, offers Jelly Bean and 16GB of storage for $150
Despite a strong showing of slates in 2012, ASUS showed precious few tablets at CES last week. Missing from the show? Its latest MeMo Pad -- a 7-inch 1024 x 600 tablet rocking Jelly Bean, 16GB of storage, a Mali 400 GPU, 1GB of RAM and a 1MP front-facing camera. ASUS didn't name the tablet by model number, but it's a dead ringer for the ME172V that slipped through GLBenchmarks last month, and fits the bill of a recent federal authorization. The new slab isn't quite as nice as the Nexus 7 its predecessor became, but at $150, it's a little easier on the wallet. ASUS also cautions buyers that the MeMo pad is a "tablet-only product," clarifying that it won't be getting a Transformer Pad-like keyboard dock -- assuming you could type on a 7-inch keyboard, that is. Check out the slate's official press release after the break.
Possible Asus ME172V tablet images leak out, give credence to earlier benchmark results
Sometimes, all a good rumor needs to bolster its street cred is a couple of images, and thanks to Notebook Italia and a Russian retailer, the 7-inch Asus ME172V has transformed from mere benchmark figures into a solid possibility. A site called oro1.ru is showing the device up for pre-order at 6,990 rubles (about $225) for a 16GB version, complete with 16GB, 1,024 x 600 screen, Android 4.1 and 1GB RAM. We espied the device earlier on GLBenchmark, which validates those specs while also showing a 1GHz CPU and Mali 400 GPU. Notebook Italia also scoped a photo on Picasa from an apparent 7-inch Asus ME371MG tablet, which allegedly sports a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420 chip, 1,280 x 800 IPS display, 1GB of RAM, 3G and 16GB of storage. Considering the slim evidence, that slate's more doubtful, though, and we can't vouch for the Russian vendor's credibility either -- so you may wanna cool your jets until there's official word from the Nexus 7 maker. [Thanks Daki X]
Benchmarks hint at budget ASUS ME172V Jelly Bean tablet, 1GHz processor Mali 400 GPU
ASUS has been a strong force in the tablet game even before it set a new price-to-quality standard with Google's Nexus 7. It looks like the firm could be tightening the budget screw even further, if some recent GLBenchmarks are to be believed. The details are sparse, but outline a product with model number ME172V (which follows from its pre-Nexus smaller tablet line), that runs Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, sports a 1,024 x 552 (likely 1,024 x 600) resolution powered by a Mali 400 GPU and 1GHz chip. There's no indication on the number of cores, or, well, much else for that matter. Various rumors are keen to suggest there'd be support for microSD, which if true, would make it unlikely to be a Nexus. But a budget tablet by the same manufacturer, is likely enough for many people all the same.
