AT&T today just announced a head-turner of a deal for tablet enthusiasts: The carrier will be offering the Pantech Element Android LTE tablet for just $299.99. When it launches (exclusively at the carrier) on January 22, this would make 4G tablet connectivity available for what’s technically a sub-$300 price, a first for AT&T (though it does come with a two-year contract).
Packing Android 3.2 (Honeycomb), the Element is a waterproof device with an 8-inch display, dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 16GB of built-in storage, two cameras (rear 5MP with 1080p video recording, 2MP front). The most intriguing characteristic of the device is that it’s waterproof. While it has an IP57 waterproof rating, I still wouldn’t recommend diving into a swimming pool with it. But at least it should be able to handle a quick splashy splash tossed at it. The carrier also announced the impending launch of the Pantech Burst smartphone on January 22 as well. The 4-inch Android device will be packing a Super AMOLED display, 4G/LTE support and two color options in titanium or ruby red, for just $49.99.
While Pantech offerings may generally not get a ton of attention, these announcements might be a different story, since they’ll make LTE connectivity available to AT&T subscribers for less money — which gets even cheaper if the gadgets are bought together. Special bundle pricing will knock $100 off the price tag, making the two available for $249.99 total.
If you’re interested in either of these budget devices, stay tuned. If any more details emerge, we’ll be here to cover it for you.
