LG has released a Google Play edition of its G Pad 8.3 Android tablet, a sister device to its existing G Pad 8.3 already on the market.
The Google-centric 8.3-inch tablet ($349) is among the first devices that will run the new Android operating system 4.4 KitKat.
See also: 25 Best Free Android Apps
This is the first tablet from a third party to receive the Google Play treatment. Google has embraced this concept with smartphones before, including with the HTC Google Play.
Unlike the original version, which was announced in September, the Google Play edition comes pre-installed with Google-focused apps such as Google Now, YouTube, Chrome and Gmail.
Similar to the existing model, the new edition features a 1,920 x 1,200 HD display and a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor. It also includes 2GB of RAM and a rear- and front-facing camera (5.0MP and 1.3MP, respectively). It weighs in at 12 ounces, about as heavy as a newspaper, and comes in indigo black.
When the original G Pad 8.3 was first announced at the IFA 2013 trade show in Berlin in September, the company placed great emphasis on tablet size and the fact that more people would use the devices if they fit in their pockets.
“LG’s working relationship with Google has always been strong and our collaboration on the first-ever Google Play Edition tablet is proof of that commitment,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of the LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition is a device with hardware and software that has been optimized for a truly consumer-friendly experience. There’s nothing else like it out there in the marketplace.”
Image: LG
BONUS: A look at the LG G2 smartphone
One of the stand-out features of the G2 is that it has no buttons on the front or side. The only physical buttons are on the rear of the device. These act as volume buttons and as quick action buttons to launch the camera and QuickNote.
The top of the device is flush and slim.
The headphone jack and microUSB ports are at the bottom of the phone.
The full HD screen is a mind-boggling 5.2-inches. LG says, however, that because the G2 is only 2.7-inches wide, it's still comfortable enough for one-handed use.
We're not so sure. On the one hand, the phone feels physically nearly identical to the Galaxy S4. On the other hand, the Galaxy S4 is still a large phone.
One of the big features of the 13MP camera on the LG G2 is that it features optical image stabilization (OIS). The great thing about OIS is that it means that even if you are doing digital zoom -- or have an unsteady hand -- the image should be more clear and less jittery.
In our brief hands-on tests, that certainly was the case.
Just as Samsung has a line of Smart Cover cases for the GS4, the G2 has its own variation of the windowed cover.
Users can select from music, time and call notifications, all within the window.
Opening up the cover shows the full home screen. When the cover is activated, only the square part of the window is illuminated. The rest of the display is black to save battery life.
The smart cover case can also show the weather.
A nice touch with the smart cover design is that you can also control music, complete with album art and track control.
LG repeatedly touted the thinness of the LG G2.
We're still not sure if the LG G2's rear buttons are a good design decision or a bad one. On the one hand, it's a convenient place to go, especially with a phone this large.
On the other hand, we worry it will make it far too easy to accidentally cover the camear while taking photos/videos