14 DAY TRIAL // We've seen tablets being promoted based on their looks, their performance, the content they can access and any combination of these three, but never for their ability to grant control to a network-attached storage device.
It so happens that Thecus has launched a slate whose main purpose is to help owners of Thecus NAS devices better manage their centralized storage.
Called ThecusPAD, it does not seem to have been given a price yet, even though the product page lists everything else worth knowing.
Measuring 7 inches (1024x600 resolution), it relies on the Tegra 2 dual-core platform and runs the Android 3.2 operating system (Honeycomb).
1 GB of low-power DDR2 memory backs up the Tegra 2, but the storage capacity of 8 GB (eMMC) isn't exactly astounding.
Fortunately, a microSD card slot allows for up to 32 GB more to be added at any time.
That said, the multi-touch device has 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi , Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, GPS and two cameras: 2Mpixel on the front (supports up to 720p HD Video Recording) and 5M on the back (Auto-Focus with Flash Light and support for 720p recording).
Furthermore, Thecus tossed in an eCompass, a g-sensor, stereo speaker, ambient light sensor, a gyro-sensor, audio/mic jacks (3.5mm), USB 2.0 and a micro-HDMI port.
The Thecus Utility software is the one that streams data from the NAS to a TV. This ability actually justifies the low on-board storage space.
Still, don't believe what it says that “streaming seamless data from your NAS to your TV does not even require an adapter anymore.” Unless that TV has a micro-HDMI input or comes with its own converters, you'll need a micro-HDMI to HDMI adapter.
We aren't sure what selling chances the ThecusPAD has. The specs aren't so bad, but Android 3.2 isn't Ice Cream Sandwich, Tegra 2 is pretty outdated now and the tablet isn't exactly thin. The price will have to make the difference, whatever it is.