It's not due to be released until the end of the year, but the Asus MeMO Pad 10 (and its smaller sibling, the MeMO Pad 8) is highly anticipated. With a 1.6GHz quad-core processor housed in a decent sized 10-inch plastic casing, the word on the street is it will be a star performer that's also very wallet friendly.

Of course, that's merely speculation -- Asus hasn't released pricing details as of yet. But, here's what we know so far - I promise you'll like it!

Design

The MeMO Pad 10, as previously mentioned, comes in a plastic case, the main reason people assume it will be budget-friendly. Despite being made of plastic, it is very easy on the eyes!

On the back of the tablet is the camera, a mere 2-megapixels, so don't rely on this to be your next mobile photography solution. It's smaller version, the MeMO Pad 8, offers a 5-megapixel camera. This is probably just to keep costs down. The camera also records 720p HD video, so at least you can have decent video quality. Want to video chat? Put to use the 1.2-megapixel front camera. Located on both the left and right sides of the device are speakers that feature Asus' SonicMaster technology.

With the 5,070mAh battery, you can expect about 9.5 hours of tablet playtime before you have to plug it in for a recharge.

Specs

If portability is key, the MeMO Pad 10 doesn't disappoint (however, the plastic case feels a bit flimsy, so it might be wise to invest in a decent case if you'll be traveling with it a lot). Measuring 256 x 174.6 x 10.5mm, it is definitely slim, although not the slimmest on the market, and weighs in at 522g. The screen (which is actually a hair over 10 inches -- it measures 10.1 inches) offers a resolution of 1280 x 800p. It's not that great of a display, but at the very least it is bright and the colors bold.

It features 802.11n wireless and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, as well as a Micro-USB port and standard headphone and mic jack. There's 1GB RAM, and a choice between 8GB or 16GB of storage. The microSDXC card slot adds even more storage capacity. It all runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, and since it is Google's latest mobile phone and tablet software, you have access to the apps available in the Google Play store.

Additional Information

The built-in e-compass, A-GPS with GLONASS, and accelerometer help you put to use those nifty location and map apps! It will be offered in white, grey, and pink.

These tablets are not what one would consider top-of-the-line, but definitely work well and add more options to the Memo Pad line. It's a perfect choice for someone who doesn't need all the bells and whistles of popular tablets, students, or someone just wanting to dip their toes into the tablet waters who doesn't want to spend a fortune. Watch for its release at some point at the end of the year.