AT&T Pantech Element LTE slate leaks: $300 on January 8

AT&T is readying a new Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet for launch on January 8, the Pantech Element, according to new leaks, with a somewhat unusual 8-inch touchscreen. The 1.5GHz dual-core slate will include 4G LTE, according to BGR's source, as well as being splashproof to IP57 rating, as long as you've remembered to close all the port doors first.

As well as LTE support for AT&T's fledgling network, there's a 5-megapixel main camera capable of 1080p Full HD video recording and a 2-megapixel front camera for video calls. 16GB of internal storage shares space with a "piezo motor" haptic feedback system, though it's unclear how much that will differ from the current buzz that Android tablets give when you tap them. There's no word on whether it will see an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade, though we'd hope so.

AT&T is supposedly set to include the Pantech Element among its big CES reveal – the carrier is also expected to show off the first LTE Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia 900 "Ace" - at next week's infamous show. Pricing is tipped at $299.99 with a new, two-year data plan agreement, or $449.99 off contract.

If it turns out to be true, that pricing seems surprisingly reasonable given what, say, Verizon is doing with its own 8.2-inch XYBOARD. That Motorola-made slate is almost as much as the contract-free Pantech but in subsidized form, at $429.99 with a two-year agreement. We'll have to wait and see quite how the Element holds up in performance and build quality, but on specs and cost alone it's off to a solid start.