CES 2021 | TCL announces its latest tablets, one of which features the new NXTPAPER panel type

TCL had promised a first-gen NXTPAPER tablet at an upcoming major launch; now, at CES 2021, this has been fulfilled. The OEM's "e-ink alternative" will come to market in the form of a full-color 8-inch FHD tablet. It is slated to address the problems of flicker and blue-light emissions which TCL set out to solve in producing this new sub-category of display.

The NXTPAPER tablet is indeed TÜV Rheinland-certified for eye-safety. It has an (unfortunately unnamed) octa-core processor, which is not graced by further concrete specs at its unveiling. TCL does mention 8MP rear-facing and 5MP front-facing cameras, however. The slate also supports both Wi-Fi and 4G/LTE mobile data for its connectivity.

The slate has a battery capacity of 5500mAh - therefore, it's just as well NXTPAPER is rated for at least 65% gains in power-efficiency compared to typical LCDs. It should become available from April 2021 in certain markets only (Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific) for a price of €349 (~US$425).

The potentially ground-breaking NXTPAPER tablet is accompanied at launch by a new addition to the TCL TAB series. The 10s has specs that include a 10.1-inch display and an 8-core processor, which, again, are not outlined in more detail as yet.

The OEM has revealed that it has an 8000mAh battery at least, and that the slate has 4G/LTE or Wi-Fi only SKUs. They will go for €249 (~$303) or €199 (~US$242) respectively on their March 2021 release, which will occur in North America also in this instance.

It is pretty apparent from this presentation that TCL aims both new devices at children, or rather at their parents. The OEM asserts that, with the officially-recognized harmful light reduction in the NXTPAPER, as well as the "intelligent eye protection" of the TAB 10s, they are poised to protect the user's eye health. The latter also uses a sensor to drive notifications that pop up if the user's face gets to within 9 inches of its display.

TCL also points out that their wireless data options can help with home-learning or video-calls to relatives. Finally, the TAB 10s also supports a TCL T-Pen stylus, which can attach to the device via its handy POGO pins.