Malata SMB-A1011 Android tablet steals the show at Computex

The best iPad rival on display comes from unlikely source

Malata SMB-A1011 Android tablet steals the show at Computex

4 June 2010 10:00 GMT / By Lars-Göran Nilsson

Trade shows can be extremely dull when you’re walking the show floors trying to find something new and exciting, but then you bump into something unexpected like the Malata SMB-A1011 tablet and it’s all worth it. Okay, so the name is anything but memorable, but it doesn’t matter, this is by far the best tablet we’ve seen at this year’s Computex. 

Malata is what is known as an ODM in the business, which stands for Original Design Manufacturer. The company makes products and then sells them on to other companies, who put their branding on them. As such, the SMB-A1011 will retail as something entirely different, so keep your eyes open for announcements of this tablet under various brand names. 

What makes it so special? Well, for starters, this is the first Android 2.1 tablet that we’ve seen that’s production-ready and fully working without any odd glitches. It’s powered by the Nvidia Tegra 2 processor (one of the fastest ARM processors currently on the market) with the added bonus of having very high-end graphics - for an ARM processor. 

It also has a 10.1-inch screen with 1024 x 600 resolution with capacitive multi-touch which puts it right up there with the iPad. It can be kitted out with up to 1GB of RAM, 1GB of storage memory for Android, and up to 32GB of storage memory for user content. It also has a mini HDMI port and a microSD card slot. 

It does, of course, also feature Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as well as a motion sensor, although sadly it appears to lack support for 3G connectivity. It measures 253 x 164 x 12.5mm and weighs in at 660g which is slimmer and a hair lighter than Apple's device.

Sure, the design isn’t as good, but it feels well built and it does offer some advantages that the iPad doesn’t have. Now can someone please start selling it?

Full tags
Hardware, Tablets, Matala, SMB-A1011, Android, Computex 2010

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