Telstra launches first 4G tablet hybrid

GADGET lovers who want the best of both worlds could embrace the Toshiba tablet-laptop device, which Telstra says is the first of its kind.

Australia?s first Windows 8 Pro tablet with built-in 4G connectivity. Picture: Supplied

TELSTRA is targeting gadget lovers who want the best of both worlds with the launch today of a 4G hybrid device.

Telstra has teamed up with Toshiba to launch Portege Z10t, Australia's first Windows 8 Pro tablet with built-in 4G connectivity.

The Portege Z10t is one of the new breeds of tablets that has 4GB RAM and a 128GB hard disk and plugs into a keyboard that gives you notebook computer with extra USB ports and a HDMI connection.

Telstra launched the Portege Z10t, which will be exclusive on Telstra for three months from the June 11 release date, as it also released statistics that show the depth of Australia's love affair with tablets.

The Telstra research shows one in three Australians now own a tablet, with 3 in 4 of those people buying their tablet more than six months ago.

Telstra says the tablet market is expected to grow, with 15 per cent of Australians thinking of buying their first tablet within the next 6 months.

Yet despite the obsession with the tablet form, unlike the stagnate desktop market the laptop market still shows signs of growth.

The Telstra research shows 75 per cent of Australian households own a laptop, up from 69 per cent in 2011.

Telstra is offering the Portege Z10t through several options. The consumer options begin at $90 a month and comes with 8GB of data of month. The tablet is also available with a Telstra services bundle.