UK retailer Tesco has announced the Hudl 2, the sequel to its Kindle Fire-challenging Hudl tablet, which went on sale this time last year. On paper, the new model is a considerable improvement, with a higher resolution screen, a faster processor, and a sleek design. What’s more, Tesco has kept the keen pricing to entice would-be tablet owners away from Amazon’s popular range.
The screen measures 8.3-inches, and the resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels, returning a pixel density of about 265ppi. While the similarly priced Kindle Fire HDX has a higher pixel density, it has a smaller, 7-inch screen. Tesco has shunned the quad-core ARM chip powering the first Hudl, and replaced it with a quad-core Intel chip with 2GB of RAM. Tesco claims this combination makes the Hudl 2 three-times faster than the original.
Android 4.4 KitKat is installed, and it comes with Google Play and all the usual array of Google apps. Tesco’s Blinkbox media portal is also present, offering streaming movies and TV, plus downloadable books and music. Interestingly, Tesco is aiming the Hudl 2 at families, and has included a selection of parental controls, so separate, safer accounts can be made for children. Also, for the technically challenged, a Tesco Hudl telephone helpline will be available to solve any little problems.
The Hudl 2 has a 5-megapixel camera on the rear, and a 1.2-megapixel lens above the screen. There’s 16GB of internal memory, and a MicroSD card slot, stereo Dolby speakers, and a battery set to last around eight hours on a single charge. The tablet will be sold in eight bright colors, and has been priced at £130, which is around $210 and slightly more than the original Hudl. The launch date is October 8, and it’ll be sold both online and inside Tesco stores.
