Ever since Samsung and Google’s fast, furious and affordable Nexus 10 has seen daylight, people’s expectations from 10-inch Android tablets have risen to unprecedented heights. Unlike before, we were no longer going to accept “meh” quality and above $400 price points. Hell, we weren’t even going to settle for one of the two.
Which is why we can’t say we’re too psyched to hear about the latest in a long line of average Toshiba tabs. The Regza AT501 has been unveiled in Japan earlier today and is expected to start selling on February 15 for around 40,000 yen ($425).
That’s a few bucks more than what Google is charging for the freshly released (in Japan) 16 GB Nexus 10. And while Toshiba’s tab does come with double the internal storage, the rest of the specs are at least one step behind.
For starters, the 10.1-inch IPS panel on the AT501 boasts a run-of-the-mill 1,280 x 800 pixels resolution. The 1.3 GHz quad-core Tegra 3 and 1 GB of RAM sound good… for 2012, the 3 MP rear-facing camera is an even stronger blast from the past, while the connectivity options include the basics and nothing more (Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, microSD, USB 2.0).
You can’t say the new Regza is awfully sleek either. In fact, the fellow is a bit chunky, weighing in at 625 grams and measuring 10.5 mm in thickness.
All in all, the only good things (besides the on-board memory) seem to be the battery (rated at 10 hours of continuous use) and the on-board Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Then again, the N10 comes with Android 4.2 and an equally as, if not more, impressive ticker. So why should you spend your hard-earned money on Toshiba’s new 10-incher? Beats me, but if you find a reason do tell.
Oh, right, almost forgot. Don’t be expecting the AT501 outside Asia soon, because… it’s already out, only with a different moniker – the Excite 10 SE.
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