Get a 7-inch Lenovo IdeaPad A1 with Android 2.3 for $169.99
It may not be the hottest Android tablet on the market right now, but the Lenovo IdeaPad A1 is still a very solid offering in the 7-inch space that I have been keeping my eye on. So, when I got a "price alert" from Newegg today telling me that the price had gone below my threshold of $175 to the current price of $169.99 I was intrigued.
For $169.99, the IdeaPad offers a 1GHz single-core processor and lackluster 1024 x 600 display without the IPS technology found in the similarly priced Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet. However, it does have an advantage in that it includes extras such as offline GPS, 16GB of expandable storage, Bluetooth, and dual cameras (3MP rear and 0.3MP front). Although it may not be getting Ice Cream Sandwich yet, the IdeaPad also has a stock advantage over the competition as it comes with very lightly customized Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
Rumor has it that quad-core 7-inch tablets will be hitting the market late this summer, but for now the IdeaPad A1 at this price looks like one of the better deals you can get. The display and processor may be a bit weak, but it has plenty of the extra connectivity you would normally have to upgrade to a Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for. So, for now the A1 is a remarkable deal at $170, especially compared to other less capable stock tablets in the same price range like the Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire. I would head over to the Newegg source link fast if you want one though, because the last time the A1 hit this price it sold out quickly.
[Newegg]
