Lenovo’s next tablet has a thick speaker bump and an upgraded kickstand

Lenovo announced a new version of its chonky speaker-filled Tab Plus tablet that once again puts a strong focus on audio. While the original Tab Plus launched two years ago with eight built-in speakers requiring a 13.58mm rear bulge to squeeze them all in, the new Tab Plus Gen 2 bumps that to nine speakers with a circular bump on the back that’s now 22.7mm thick. To help justify the thicker addition, the Gen 2’s speaker bump integrates a fold-out kickstand that rotates 360 degrees to support the tablet in portrait and landscape modes. Lenovo hasn’t confirmed exactly where or when the Tab Plus Gen 2 is expected to launch, but it says it will be “available soon in select global markets.” The original saw a wide global release including the US, where it launched for $289.99, but the new model will start at $399.99. The Gen 2 is now powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 octa-core processor in several configurations that pair it with 6GB to 12GB of RAM and 128GB to 256GB of storage that’s expandable using a microSD card up to 2TB. As with the first-generation Tab Plus, the Gen 2’s Dolby Atmos-tuned speaker array features a mix of tweeters and woofers to boost its bass performance. There are also multiple modes with EQ customizations for movies and music, and you can use the Tab Plus Gen 2 as a standalone Bluetooth speaker with audio streamed from another device. …