Asus, maker of the hit Android tablet Nexus 7, has officially rolled out its answer to the Google signature tablet - the 7-inch Asus MeMO Pad 7 that retails for only $US149.

It's not the best slate out there, obviously, its specs definite no match to the biggies like the iPad Mini and Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 but the price alone is a magnet enough, especially for parents looking to get the first slate for their pre-teenage kids.

For the price mark, buyers will get a new JellyBean 4.1 device that serves both as an educational and amusement tool, the functions, of course, will depend on the apps that parents will allow their kids to download.

Providing might for the MeMO Pad is a single-core VIA CPU chip that spins away at top speed of 1.0GHz, which taps on 1GB of RAM. The device is definitely entry-level but will likely deliver the juice for parents wanting to introduce their young brood on the advantages of mobile computing technology.

The tablet sports a 1024 x 600 resolution on its display screen and lacks a rear-shooting camera. It has, however, a 1MP front cam that is capable of recording 720p video clips.

Of course, the camera's main function is for parents to have clear glimpse on their kids while checking.

Asus pretty much covered what children would prefer on their tablet as the MeMO Pad comes in three colour options - white and gray that appeal for both boys and girls and the more feminine pink.

Compared to other tablets in the market, the MeMO Pad is the cheapest to date, even beating out HP's Slate 7 that is expected to start selling at around $US180.

It may not be a lure for most tablet users but the Asus MeMO Pad 7 presents a good choice for buyers with limited budget and well-defined purpose for tablet use, which likely is a mix of web surfing, casual gaming and media playing.

Bundled by Asus with the MeMO Pad are productivity apps like Asus Studio for photo editing, MyPainter for device-based sketching and SuperNote, which as the name suggests if for taking e-notes.

Asus also offers free online storage of 5GB for buyers who can create their accounts on Asus WebStorage Space.