Massive retailer Tesco is said to be working on a tablet for British shopping carts. Yes, the company aims the tablet to fall somewhere in the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 category which would most likely make it a 7-incher. It’s said to go for about US$200 (R2000) — considerably cheap compared to other tablets currently on the market.
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Although the specs haven’t surfaced yet, the “high quality” tablet is aiming to be an entertainment and consumer device for Tesco products. Just like the Kindle Fire is geared for accessing Amazon content, this tablet will be pre-loaded with apps such as Tesco’s online grocery and banking services, books, films and music.
It will also have Blinkbox which is a streaming service that is competing with Netflix and UK’s Lovefilm.
The Sunday Times suggests that this tablet is part of the company’s efforts to “regain customers lost to Amazon and Apple, which has eroded its in-store media sales for a number of years.”
Walmart, which faced similar predicament, responded with the debut of an exclusive US$150 (R1500) XO tablet aimed at children. This stirred-up a lot of mixed feelings with The Gaurdian saying the company is “missing the point.”
Online shopping company Asda also started selling the Arnova 8 back in 2010 but it is no longer on sale. As CNET notes, Fashion retailer Next started selling its own tablet in 2010, also with little success.
None of these retailer-turned-hardware companies has made massive dents in the tablet markets as of yet. Except maybe Amazon with its Kindle Fire. Whatever Tesco’s “high quality” tablet might be, lets just hope it’s not like this.
Image via CNET
