T-Mobile G-Slate Unboxing

The Motorola XOOM might have held onto the spotlight for some time, especially considering that it was the first to bring Android 3.0 Honeycomb to the masses, but it appears that its time under the microscope is short lived as a host of other new Android tablets aim to intrude in this space.

One of those tablets vying for the piece of the pie early on is none other than the T-Mobile G-Slate – or simply known as the LG Optimus Pad overseas. Its arrival on T-Mobile’s lineup signals a revitalizing change of scenery from previously offered tablets, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Dell Streak 7, mainly because it brings forth a more suitable Android tablet experience. However, it’s testing the line by essentially offering a key novel feature with its arrival – the ability to shoot high-definition 3D videos. Right now, you can pick one up for $529.99 with a 2-year contract or simply $749.99 no-contract through T-Mobile's retail stores or online.

Packaging wise, there isn’t much to say about it, except for the tablet’s figure plastered on the front with the “G-Slate with Google” logo not too far away. Inside, we find none other than the very widescreen looking G-Slate, microUSB cable, wall charger, usual set of documentation, and one pair of retro-looking 3D glasses – the latter of which enables you to watch 3D content on the G-Slate itself or high-definition television set. Interestingly enough, it’s mentioned in the back that the battery is “preinstalled,” but it’s rather strange for them to say that because the battery isn’t accessible at all. Although the included accessories are fairly standard, except for the 3D glasses, it would’ve been nice for them to pack on an HDMI cable.

If you have literally been inundated with tablet madness and simply forgot about this one, the T-Mobile G-Slate features an 8.9” capacitive touchscreen with a detailed resolution of 1280 x 768 pixels, dual-core 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, two 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash, 1080p video recording, 720 3D video recording, 2-megapixel front-facing camera, 32GB of internal storage, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and a stock Android 3.0 Honeycomb experience. Naturally, the coolest thing is its ability to shoot 3D videos in 720p – albeit, you’ll need to put on the included 3D glasses to experience it directly on the tablet. Still, you can change the video recording settings so it’ll play properly on just about any 3D high-definition television out there. Expect our in-depth review shortly!