Lenovo brings LePad to fight Apple

SHANGHAI, CHINA: Lenovo Group today  launched its new tablet computer LePad to take on Apple's iPad and plans to launch two or three more new tablet computers later this year.

LePad, which is based on the Android 2.2 operating system, was launched in Shanghai with a starting price of 3,499 yuan ($533) against the iPad's $800 price tag.

Also read: Apple may launch iPad2 in India soon?

LePad comes in two versions that support Wi-Fi and 3G services. For the time being, Lenovo said LePad will be sold only in China, but it will be marketed internationally from June.

Chen Xudong, the vice-president of the company, refused to provide sales forecasts for the LePad, but said the company plans to capture than 30 per cent of China's tablet computer market during the next two to three years. He also said that Lenovo's tablet computers will run between 5,000 and 8,000 applications by the end of the year.

Since its debut in April last year, iPad sales have reached 15 million. On March 2, Apple launched the iPad 2, which includes a major hardware upgrade and cut the price of the iPad 1. (AFP)

Also read: HCL launches its tablet