Toshiba announced “the world's thinnest 10-inch tablet,” measuring 0.3 inches (7.7mm) thick and weighing 1.18 pounds (535 grams). Heading for a 1Q U.S. release, the Excite X10 runs the “latest” Android build on a 1.2GHz TI OMAP4430 processor, has 1GB RAM and either 16GB or 32GB of storage, offers a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 IPS display, and includes five- and two-megapixel cameras.

The Excite X10 was pre-announced as the AT200 at the IFA Berlin trade show in September. It was then reintroduced in Japan as the Regza AT200 in October, and apparently shipped there in December. The tablet has now been announced for a U.S. release under the new Excite X10 name.

Excite X10

The Excite X10 might lack four cores like the Asus Transformer Prime, but it still fits clearly in the upper echelon of Android tablets. Not only can Toshiba legitimately call the device "the world's thinnest 10-inch tablet," as it measures 0.3 inches (7.7mm) thick, the tablet also weighs a mere 1.18 pounds (535 grams), according to the company.

These specs appear to be a direct response to the criticism over Toshiba's earlier Thrive "Honeycomb" tablet. The tubby Thrive measured over 0.6 inches thick and weighed a groan-inducing 1.6 pounds. 

The Excite X10 offers a very similar feature set to the Thrive, but slims down in part by sacrificing the full-sized SD slot, as well as fully-sized HDMI and USB ports, instead settling for the usual micro versions of those connectors. The tablet appears to be almost identical to the AT200 (pictured at right), and is even a bit lighter than the originally listed 1.23 pounds. Otherwise, all the original specs still hold.

Refusing to commit to Android 4.0 — or possibly moving up to a future Android 4.1 — Toshiba says only that the table will run the "latest" Android build. Whatever the version, it runs on a 1.2GHz Texas Instruments (TI) OMAP4430 processor, a dual-core Cortex-A9 model accompanied here with 1GB of dual-channel LPDDR2 RAM. Either 16GB or 32GB of storage are available internally in addition to the microSD expansion, which could take it up to 64GB.

The Excite X10's 10.1-inch display offers IPS and "AutoBrite" technology, 1280 x 800 pixels, and a 16:10 aspect ratio, says Toshiba. The display is further equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass, LED backlighting, anti-smudge protection, and 10-finger capacitive touch support, says the company.

Along with the usual accelerometer and light sensor capabilities, the device includes dual cameras (five megapixels with LED flash at the rear, two megapixel at the front) a gyrometer, an electronic compass, and a GPS receiver, according to the company. Additional features are said to include Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and stereo speakers with Toshiba and SRS Labs audio enhancements.

The Excite X10 is equipped with a 25 Watt-hour rechargeable lithium ion battery, says the company. Toshiba did not list battery life, but previously said the AT200 provides eight hours, even with continual video playback.

Pre-installed apps are said to include Google Mobile Services such as Android Market, YouTube, Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Music. Selected third-party applications are said to include Netflix.

In September, Toshiba also announced the Thrive 7" Tablet. This seven-inch Android 3.2 tablet features an Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor and a 1280 x 800-pixel resolution.

Stated Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division, "Excite X10 pushes the boundaries of what a thin and light tablet is capable of, delivering elegant styling without sacrificing features or durability."

Availability

The Excite X10 tablet will be available in mid-Q1 2012 for a starting price of $530 for the 16GB model and $600 with 32GB at major U.S. retailers, e-tailers, and ToshibaDirect.com, says the company. More information should eventually appear on Toshiba's tablet page.

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