Lenovo IdeaPad K1
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Since the release of the first Android Honeycomb tablet (the Motorola Xoom), we've seen a parade of more or less identical devices. Some are thinner or sport better cameras or extra ports, but they all run the same software on the same 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad K1 is no exception. Priced at $499 (32GB) and available in three color options (red, white, and black), Lenovo's Honeycomb (upgradeable to Android 4.0) tablet is neither the thinnest, the cheapest, the prettiest, nor the best equipped. Instead, Lenovo's tablet sits modestly in the middle of the pack.
Editors note: For the differences between Honeycomb and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) check out the Android 4.0 breakdown comparison on the "="" and="" though="" we="" thought="" it="" was="" a="" useful="" addition,="" you="" have="" the="" freedom="" to="" delete="" if="" choose.<="" p="" target="_self">
"="" and="" though="" we="" thought="" it="" was="" a="" useful="" addition,="" you="" have="" the="" freedom="" to="" delete="" if="" choose.<="" p="" target="_self"> Unfortunately, there is one Lenovo customization you can't change. On the bottom of the screen, positioned at the center of the navigation bar is an odd speech bubble icon that launches an overlay of your favorite apps. Lenovo calls this feature the "App Wheel" and as the name implies, you navigate through these apps by spinning through the overlay like a Lazy Susan. An additional icon at the center of the wheel allows you to add or delete apps from this quick list. We like the concept, but it ultimately ends up creating more clutter and confusion. With the standard app drawer accessible from the upper-right corner, and recently used apps accessible from the bottom-left corner, Honeycomb has no need for a third app menu in a third corner.
Performance
The worst thing we can say about the Lenovo IdeaPad K1's performance is that the screen isn't as bright or vibrant as on the iPad 2 or as on our current top Honeycomb tablet pick, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Its resolution is crisp and the screen's responsiveness is right in line with its competition, but the overall viewing experience isn't the best.
Everything else, from the browser load time to the keyboard typing performance, is all right in line with the other Honeycomb tablets we've tested. It's to be expected, considering they're more or less all running on the same processor and memory configuration. Still, it's worth mentioning.
Lenovo rates the IdeaPad's battery performance at 10 hours of mixed use. Here are our official CNET Labs-tested battery life results. More tablet testing results can be found here.