Hands on: Lenovo's Atom-based Android 4.0 IdeaTab tablet
updated 04:00 pm EST, Wed January 11, 2012
K2110 pairs Medfield hardware with ICS
Intel is currently showing off a Lenovo tablet, the IdeaTab K2110, that appears to be the first Atom-based Android device to run the latest Ice Cream Sandwich build. The tablet utilizes the same Atom Z2460 processor that powers Intel's own Medfield smartphone reference design and Lenovo's K800 Android smartphone that are also on hand this week at CES.
An Intel representative noted that Lenovo will likely combine Android 4.0 with some form of custom interface, however the prototype was shown with only slight customizations to the stock OS.
The K2110 seemed to perform well compared to our experience with current 10-inch ARM-based tablets. The interface was snappy and maintained high frame rates when playing games and running graphics demos.
Externally, the IdeaTab is designed with a form similar to many other Android tablets. The metal housing is just 8.8mm thick, matching the iPad 2 specs, while the prototype model offered a subtle graphics on the back panel.
The power efficiency of ARM technology is one of the factors that pushed the architecture to prominence in the mobile space. Intel has reiterated comments regarding optimizations for Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich on Medfield hardware, but we are curios to find if the promises are accurate in real-world tests.
Lenovo has yet to announce launch information for the K2110.
