eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
AT&T will launch sales of the new Asus MeMO Pad 7 LTE tablet on April 10, giving customers the option for the first time to get the device at a discount with a two-year contract or to buy it outright and then prepay for monthly data packages without a contract.
The Asus MeMO Pad 7 LTE tablet is an Android machine with a 7-inch HD IPS+ display that has a wide (178-degree) viewing angle, 16GB of built-in storage, a micro SD card slot that accepts a maximum card of 64GB of expanded storage and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with advanced shooting modes like Time Rewind and Selfie, according to AT&T.
The MeMO Pad 7 LTE, which runs on a 1.3GHz quad-core Intel Atom processor, is the first Android tablet from AT&T to use an Intel CPU, according to the carrier. The tablet runs on Android KitKat 4.4.4 and also features dual front stereo speakers and an anti-fingerprint coating on its display to help keep it free of smudges.
The new tablet will be available in AT&T stores, on AT&T’s Website or through select retailers.
Starting April 10, customers will be able to get the MeMO Pad 7 LTE with a two-year contract for $74.99 plus $10 a month on a new or existing Mobile Share Value plan, or for $8.75 per month for 20 months under an AT&T Tablet Installment plan ($175 in total payments).
The tablet can also be purchased for just 99 cents when a customer buys any smartphone on an AT&T Next payment plan, according to AT&T.
If a customer wants a MeMO Pad 7 LTE without a contract commitment, they can buy one for $174.99 under a prepaid monthly GoPhone option starting on April 24, according to AT&T. GoPhone customers then can prepay for 2GB of data service for $25 per month, 5GB for $50 per month or 8GB for $75 per month.
“The ASUS MeMO Pad 7 LTE is a strong addition to AT&T’s connected tablet portfolio,” Jeff Bradley, senior vice president of device marketing and developer services for AT&T Mobility, said in a statement. “It was built to keep you entertained beyond the limits of WiFi with the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network. If you’re looking for a tablet that you can watch video and play games on without breaking the bank, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option.”
AT&T and other carriers frequently add new devices to their consumer mobile offerings. Back in January, AT&T announced the coming availability of a special AT&T-only rounded version of the BlackBerry Passport smartphone phone, which differed from the typical Passport and its distinctive squared-off edges and corners. The rounded Passport model internally features the same specifications as the phone’s original model, including a 4.5-inch square full HD touch-screen display with a QWERTY keyboard, a 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor, a 13-megapixel main camera and 32GB of on-board storage.
Also in January, AT&T announced the availability of its AT&T Modio Smartcase, which adds 4G LTE services to iPads that came from the factory only with WiFi capabilities. The Modio Smartcases include built-in 4,600mAh batteries that give users up to 10 hours of continuous use and a micro SD card slot that allows users to give their iPads up to 32GB of additional storage space.