Skip to main content

UK supermarket Tesco launches the Hudl tablet, takes aim at Amazon’s Kindle Fire

Tesco Hudl
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Tesco, a Walmart-style supermarket chain in the UK with more than 3,000 stores, has decided it wants a piece of the tech market, and has announced a challenger to the Amazon Kindle. Called the Hudl, it’s a 7-inch slate which will provide owners with Google goodness and quick access to Tesco’s own range of online stores and services. Sound familiar? It’s the same business model employed by Amazon, Kobo, and until recently, Barnes & Noble too.

The Hudl name is a confusing one, and although Tesco’s marketing types will probably tell us it has something to do with bringing customers together through one device, it doesn’t strike a particularly techy note. Still, the tablet’s specification is rather good, and far from the disaster it could have been.

Tesco Hudl RearLike the Kindle Fire and most other basic Android tablets, the Hudl has a 7-inch screen, but the resolution is a decent 1440 x 900. Inside is a quad-core processor with a speed of 1.5GHz, however Tesco hasn’t stated which firm produces it. There’s 16GB of internal storage space, plus a microSD card slot to up this by 32GB, and the chassis has a pair of stereo speakers built in.

Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean is installed as standard, and while there is a Tesco button at the bottom of the screen, the OS looks surprisingly skin-free. The standard app store is Google Play, which is excellent news. Tesco provides access to its streaming video service, plus it offers downloadable music, access to its loyalty card scheme, and even its own online bank. The battery should last for nine hours per charge, and the spec sheet is closed out with GPS and Bluetooth 4.0.

Tesco will sell the Hudl for just £120, or about $190, undercutting the Kindle Fire HD by £30/$50 and the new Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 by £50/80. So, round one in the battle for Christmas tablet sales in the UK may have gone to newcomer Tesco, but Amazon is expected to release its new Kindle hardware very soon, and thanks to its established reputation in the field, it’s going to be a tough opponent to defeat.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Google Pixel Watch 2 just got its first proper discount
Someone wearing the Google Pixel Watch 2 with a yellow/green fabric band.

If you're on the hunt for smartwatch deals, here's an offer that you should definitely consider -- the Google Pixel Watch 2 for $300, down from $350 at Best Buy We think there's a lot of shoppers who have been waiting for the wearable device's first proper discount since its October 2023 release, so if you want to pocket the $50 in savings, you're going to have to be quick with your purchase.

Why you should buy the Google Pixel Watch 2
The Google Pixel Watch 2, Google's follow-up to the Google Pixel Watch, lets you access your favorite Google apps like Google Maps and Google Calendar on your wrist, on a 1.2-inch screen with a 320 pixel-per-inch density and a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits. It comes with Fitbit as its fitness platform, and emergency features such as fall detection and real-time location sharing. The Google Pixel Watch 2 just received an update to enable notifications to your Android phone when it's fully charged, which is a sign that owners can look forward to more additions in the future.

Read more
This new Withings smartwatch puts the Apple Watch to shame
A render of the Withings ScanWatch Nova watch.

Withings has announced a new addition to its smartwatch collection, the ScanWatch Nova. This luxury version of the ScanWatch 2 hybrid smartwatch, introduced earlier this year, features a traditional diver-style design and advanced health and activity tracking capabilities.

The ScanWatch Nova comes equipped with all the essential health features of the ScanWatch 2, including an on-demand electrocardiogram, SpO2, 24/7 body temperature monitoring, advanced activity tracking, and detailed sleep analysis. It also boasts a battery life of up to 30 days between charges.

Read more
Something amazing happened to folding phones in 2023
OnePlus Open from the back unfolded.

Samsung has been in charge of leading the foldable segment for too long. For years, Samsung dominated the foldable landscape with little to no competition. But that changed in 2023.

While the company put in the work to improve the Galaxy Z Flip 5 with a bigger cover display, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 seemed to remain an afterthought. Fortunately, other smartphone manufacturers started rolling out more foldable phones globally this year, and now, Samsung’s aren’t the go-to choice anymore. There's finally healthy competition and choice for folding phones, and I'm so here for it.
Finally, some real competition

Read more