Perhaps overshadowed by the Samsung Galaxy Tab and its fanfare launch earlier this week, the Toshiba Folio 100 is no less an important addition to the UK's tablet line-up. Especially as it has hit shops for £329, a considerably cheaper price point than the Tab and Apple's iPad.

The 10.1-inch device sports an interface built around Android 2.2 (Froyo), and apps are available from the brand's own Toshiba Marketplace, accessible from the tablet itself. With that kind of screen real estate, it's really aimed at those who want an iPad but are looking for a more budget-friendly option, rather than the Tab, although, because of its operating system, the Folio 100 can play Flash-generated content, supporting Adobe Flash 10.1 - something, obviously, that Apple's device lacks.

For your money, you get a generous 16GB of onboard storage, plus an SD card slot to expand the overall capacity by (up to) an extra 32GB. And an integrated HDMI slot allows for hook up to a flatscreen TV for media playback, including Full HD (1080p) compatibility.

The display is a capacity touchscreen, with a resolution of 1024 x 600, and there's a front-mounted 1.3-megapixel webcam for video calls. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies are both on board, but there's no 3G connectivity at the moment. A 3G version of the Folio 100 will come along with the second wave around Easter time next year. This specific model is not upgradable.

Pre-installed apps include Music Place, a link to an on-demand music catalogue maintained by the online store 7Digital, Fring, Opera Mobile and Toshiba's own media player.

Claimed battery life is a healthy 7 hours for normal use, and the Toshiba Folio 100 is available in UK stores now.

Would you consider this as an alternative to the iPad or Tab? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below...