Advent Vega, A Sub-$400 Android Tablet

Disappointed at the projected price of the Samsung Galaxy Tab?  Join the club.  Fortunately, there’s plenty more Android tablets on the pipe, some of which should fall well within your budget.  Here’s one contender: the £249.99 (around $395) Advent Vega.

This sounds like the same machine originally announced many months ago by OEM Converged Devices, rebadged under the Advent brand from UK retail giant Dixons Group.  Regardless of whatever brand it comes in, the slate sounds seriously well-appointed for the price.

At the heart of the Advent Vega is a 1GHz Nvidia T20 Tegra 2 system-on-a-chip, paired with 512MB of RAM (optional 1GB) and 512MB of ROM.  If you’re familiar with the Tegra, then you know that means it can process 1080p video without a hiccup, although the 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen is restricted to showing off 1,024 x 600 pixels.  For enjoying that 1080p goodness, however, you can hook up an HDTV to the integrated mini-HDMI port.

Other details include 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, a 3G-ready SIM-slot, Bluetooth, a micro SD-card slot (with 4GB card supplied), a front-mounted 1.3-megapixel webcam, a microphone, onboard 1.5-watt speakers, a 3.5 mm slot and a USB port.  The included battery can power up the slate for up to six and a half hours of 1080p playback.  Tablet dimensions are 275 x 178 x 13.6 mm, with a weight of 750 grams.

The Advent Vega comes with Android 2.2, which means it gets full Flash support right on the browser – making it a really enticing value for the price.  They used stock Android, though, which means the apps are all smartphone-sized.   Still, this sounds like a potential hit for the holidays, one that Android fans should be looking forward to.

[via Modaco]