A California company has announced it's selling a 7in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tablet for an unbelievable $98 (£62).

The IdolPad Plus, created by Idolian Mobile, runs on a 1.2GHz processor and ships with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, upgradeable through a handy microSD slot.

The device is powered by a 2,800mAh battery and can handle Google Play and Adobe Flash. It features a touchscreen with a resolution of an underwhelming 800 x 480 pixels.

The tablet admittedly lacks GPS and Bluetooth, and its front-facing camera has an almost laughable 1.3-megapixel resolution. The IdolPad Plus is clearly not the most powerful of tablets, but is wholly impressive for a device whose pricetag is so low. It's available from Idolian's website and also on Amazon, Sears and Buy.com.

As the tablet market continues to grow exponentially, it appears more and more manufacturers are gearing up to compete with the still-dominant iPad by offering lower-cost alternatives. The forthcoming Google Asus Nexus 7, for instance, is rumoured to be priced at under $250 (£160), to undermine Apple's pricey tablet.