Can a 4G Android tablet pose a worthy challenger to Apple's iPad?
While the iPad continues to sell at a rapid pace,?AT&T customers looking for an Android-powered tablet for their mobile data needs have been few and far between. The carrier hopes to change that with the reveal of the HTC Jetstream, a brand new?4G slate running Android?Honeycomb which will retail for a probably-higher-than-it-should-be price of $699 and launch on September 4.
Like almost every other Honeycomb tablet on the market, the Jetstream will sport a 10.1" screen and the speedy 1.5 GHz Snapdragon processor. Familiar front- and rear-facing cameras are also in place, as well as Flash video support. The main draw of the Jetstream is its compatibility with AT&T's brand new 4G LTE data network, which will hopefully up the ante in terms of mobile computing.?The tablet will work with HTC Scribe, a digital stylus accessory that allows for more precision than your finger might.
As HTC's first Honeycomb tablet, the Jetstream looks like a solid offering, but that doesn't mean it's destined for the best seller list. Other Android slates like the Xoom have had?a tough run so far, and customers may be hesitant to dive in with yet another similar tablet. At $699 with a 2-year data contract, HTC's offering is a full $70 more than the 16GB iPad 2 with 3G capabilities (which doesn't require a commitment), so asking prospective tablet buyers to pay a premium might not be the best solution.
Another issue is AT&T's spotty track record with its 3G service. The carrier's data network has come under fire many times for being unreliable, and introducing a 4G network could backfire. Much of the Jetstream's future may lie in whether AT&T's new network ? which is slowly rolling out to major cities right now ? can handle the weight.
[via?GigaOM]
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