When you look at most of the Android tablets that are on the market today, they typically boast a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:10. The iPad family is entirely different with its 4:3 aspect ratio, but that’s what the newly announced ZTE V81 tablet is mirroring. This is an 8-inch Android tablet with a 1024×768 resolution display, rocking that same “standard” 4:3 aspect ratio as its Cupertino competitor.

ZTE may not exactly be a household name for most people, but it has become the fifth largest smartphone company in the world. The Chinese company has quietly slipped itself mostly into the more affordable end of the market and snatched up quite a bit of market share as a result.

Not surprisingly, the specs on the ZTE V81 aren’t exactly flagship material, but it does seem perfectly adequate for someone who wants a contemporary tablet. You get a dual core 1.4GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB storage, microSD, 2MP rear camera, VGA front camera, 21Mbps HSPA cellular, WiFi-N, Bluetooth, GPS, HDMI out, and a 3700mAh battery. It ships with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box.

Of course, it won’t be the only 8-inch tablet on the market. The Galaxy Note 8.0 should be on its way soon too, but that’ll likely be more expensive than this ZTE counterpart. Pricing and availability are still up in the air at the moment, but more information may be provided at MWC next month.

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[CES 2013] So far, CES seems to be ushering in a new era of budget-priced tablets. First we saw the Acer B1-A71, and now with the new Alcatel One Touch Tab family.

There are three devices in this new series, each planning to arrive in Q3 with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in tow. While this is a long ways to wait, we will say that these are certainly interesting options for those looking for sub-$200 devices.

The cheapest of these is the $129 One Touch Tab 7, a very basic tablet with a 1GHz CPU and 1GB of RAM. Other specs for this base model include a 7-inch 1024×600 TFT display, a VGA front cam and 4GB of storage. There is also microSD for expansion.

Next up we have the $149 One Touch Tab 7 HD. This tablet has a 1280×800 resolution display, 1GB of RAM and a dual-core 1.6GHz GPU.

Looking for a bigger screen? That is where the One Touch Tab 8 HD comes in, with its 8-inch 1024×768 IPS display. Like the 7-inch HD model, you also get 1GB of RAM, 8GB storage, microSD, 2MP rear cam and a VGA front cam.

Besides “3rd quarter” as a launch target, we don’t know much more about when or what markets Alcatel is aiming for. What do you think, any of these three budget devices should up your alley?

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It seems that Archos is hoping to expand its presence with yet another new tablet, this one an 8-inch device called the Archos 80 Cobalt. While nothing that ‘amazing’ its low price and reasonable specs could make it a worthwhile consideration this holiday season.

The Archos 80 Cobalt is a Wi-Fi only device that has an 8-inch capacitive screen, a 1024 x 768 resolution, a 1.6GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. Other specs include 8GB internal storage, microSD expansion, 2MP rear cam, a .3MP front cam and the older Android 4.0 ICS operating system.

There is nothing marvelous about this device but it could certainly be a great budget option this holiday season— if the price is right. No word on the release or pricing, but it is pretty much guaranteed that it will arrive in time for last minute shopping and will likely price under $200 to make it appealing enough for those that might otherwise go with the Nexus 7.

If Archos could manage a price between $100-$175, would you consider something like this or is it just too weak to compete with so many other more powerful 7-inch devices being priced on a little higher?

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