MWC: LG takes on Galaxy Tab and iPad with Optimus Pad

BARCELONA: LG has officially announced its entry into the tablet market with an Android device that offers a form factor in between the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Apple iPad.

The Optimus Pad will come with an 8.9in WXGA 3D HD-enabled display with a 1,280 x 768 resolution. The 15:9 aspect ratio allows users to access the full range of applications from the Android Market, LG said at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

A 1GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor will power the device, making it one of the fastest tablets on the market.

Business users could also be attracted by the inclusion of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system, which is expected to give a more desktop-like experience.

The built-in webcam for videoconferencing, 32GB of storage, USB port and HDMI connector are also attractive enterprise features.

A 3D camera, meanwhile, will allow users to take 3D video and transfer it to 3D TVs or upload to YouTube 3D, much like the Optimus 3D smartphone.

The Optimus Pad is expected to become available in March, but UK shipping dates have yet to be confirmed.

LG also announced the Optimus 2X, the world's first dual-core smartphone, and the Optimus Black, which is one of the lightest smartphones on the market.