Tablet PCs: Spoilt for Choice
Wasn’t it confusing enough to choose your next smartphone out of the already crowded lot with different OSes(Android-2.3, 2.2, 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich,4.1 Gingerbread; iOS-iOS 6; Windows: Windows Phone 7, Windows 7.5 Mango, more recently Windows 8) and amazing specs, that the confusion regarding the next Tablet PC arrived to #WhatThe____ the minds of all Christmasseason buyers? Now the world has Tablets with a host of differentiating features, screen sizes (7-inch or 10”), brands, performance, and the most important- prices.
| Things, like Tablet PCs, are more than the number you'll find at your local shop... |
The crowded market of Tablet PCs is too large to be talked about, and hence we pick for you the top 4 (slightly) affordable Tablet PCs for a great buy in India.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 Starts @ ` 19,500
I have always been awestruck by Samsung’s range of best-looking Android tablet offerings, and Galaxy Tab 2 is no exception. It sports a 7-inch PLS display and is accommodated in a plastic body, the hallmark of Samsung’s design portfolio.
The fine speeds of the Galaxy Tab 2 are thanks to the 1 GHz Dual Core TI OMAP 4430 chip, which is enough for daily tasks and the occasional gaming. The Tablet delivers a good Android 4.0 experience and differentiates itself from the horde of me-too tablets with its extras like dual cameras, TV remote-control functionality and expandable memory [a reason why many buyers prefer buying a tablet powered by Android rather than an Ipad, since the iPad comes in fixed memory sizes and has no scope for expansion via a microSD card]. The Tab 2 ships in with 2 versions-8GB (which costs ` 19,500) and 16GB. As said earlier, the memory is expandable via a microSD card. The Galaxy Tab 2’s resolution is 1024*600 pixels, which is lower than that of the Apple Ipad Mini.
Galaxy Tab 2 users can pass photos with the 3-megapixel (3MP) rear camera in the device, and the front-facing VGA camera is enough for basic video-conferencing and self-portraits (which are grainy, given the quality of the front-cam).
The tablet’s Android Ice Cream Sandwich version will feel a bit rough if one has used a Google Nexus 7 earlier (which packs in Android’s latest version, Jelly Bean 4.1), otherwise it’ll be quite hard to point faults in the Android experience. Something great about Android’s new version is that the new Jelly Bean Android buffering software works to create a smoother user experience (which is best felt on Google Nexus 7), removing a number of software issues which hampered Android 4.0 ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich).
Overall, the Galaxy Tab 2 proves to be an economical device when compared to the iPad Mini, and will surely get many votes in its favour (favor) from those who want a reasonably-rich featured branded device without going too ahead of their budgets.
Apple iPad Mini Starts @ ` 21,900
Apple entered into a market bursting with tough competition with its 7.9 inch iPad Mini some time ago. But, the big question is, “is it really in a whole different league from the other 7-in tablets?” The answer is, as it seems, not a simple one.
In terms of cost, the premium-priced iPad Mini may still struggle to find its rightful space among all low-cost Android tablet clutter. But, considering number of huge Apple followers in the upper-middle class Indians, this tablet may still become the hottest holiday gift this season.
Subtle additions like palm detection, a narrower bezel and thinness underline how the Apple iPad Mini stands out from the others. This screen is now smaller by one-third of a regular iPad, and sits in an aluminium (aluminum) cased frame. The 308 g device is lighter by half as much as a full-sized iPad, which makes it easier to hold it in one hand. The Apple A5 dual-core processors power the iPad Mini, and the same processors power the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2.
Just about everything on the iTunes App Store has been tailored to or adapted for the tablet and, thus, users get a ready-made library of games and tools for the iPad Mini. Another plus point in the tablet is its battery life, which varies between 6.5 hours and 10 hours, depending on the device usage. iPad Mini’s photo-taking quality is decidedly beneath iPhone 5, given that the iPad Mini has a 5-megapixel onboard camera packed in it. Consequently, the iPad Mini is not recommended as your primary camera device.
Overall, it’s beautiful and light, but Apple is a late-entrant in the 7-inch tablet market and a premium price-tag is not going to make it dearer to many. Those who haven’t bough a Tablet PC yet should definitely give the iPad Mini a try.
Google Nexus 7 ` 19, 999
Google teamed up with Asus to create the Nexus 7. The pretty basic looking tablet runs on Android’s latest version, Android Jelly Bean (version 4.1), backed by Nvidia Tegra 3 processor that clocks at 1.3GHz. Nexus 7 comes with 7-inch IPS display screen with a resolution of 1280*800 pixels, along with a gig of RAM (in easy words, 1GB), 1.2 MP front camera (that means there’s no back camera in the Nexus 7) and 4325 mAh battery, which gives up to 8 hours of good performance. The price alone guarantees that this tablet challenges the iPad Mini.
The rubberised (rubberized) back fits beautifully in the hand, thanks to a dotted panel design on the Nexus 7. When using the tablet and the Jelly Bean version of Android, you would surely realise (realize) how flawless it is, coupled with smooth touch operations. Google has tweaked a lot of things between the older Ice Cream Sandwich version (which is Android 4.0) and now. Even the most commonly used Google services like Gmail, Google Maps, Chrome browser, Calendar, etc., seem to have benefitted from the OS refinement.
Overall, the Nexus 7 is the right software that works perfectly on the hardware, at a price that is definitely competitive.
These were the top tablet PCs which you might consider buying this Christmas season, but for Indians, there is a good affordable tablet PC built by a local company (which means the company is Indian), Micromax. Maybe the product is available internationally, but you can check at the manufacturer’s official website.
Micromax Funbook Talk ` 7,200
It is easier to brush aside homegrown innovation, but Micromax has grown into a reliable brand with sturdy devices and it’s hard to ignore the latest tablet offering in Micromax’s Funbook series of tablets. The Funbook Talk (P350) is a 7-inch tablet and will certainly delight first-time tablet users. Just like Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, Funbook Talk also allows users to make voice calls, which is a definite plus point for many users.
This tablet PC runs on Android Ice Cream Sandwich update and sports a capacitive TFT LCD display with a resolution of 800*480. The display may not be the best in class, but on recalling the price tag these issues will seem minor to you. Further, the Funbook Talk is powered by a 1GHz processor with 512MB of RAM, and has 4GB of internal memory. Users can use a microSD card to expand the memory capacity by up to 32GB. Funbook Talk comes packed with a 2800 mAh battery which gives a browsing time of a little over 5 hours. While hardware specifications may not be worthy of boasting about, but should suffice a user for average browsing or media consumption apps. The device also supports USB dongles to surf internet on 3G.
Moving between apps seems to be a less-than-smooth operation, but speed is not why people would prefer the Funbook Talk. It is affordability and the free pre-bundled apps that Micromax provides that shine through. Being part of the Funbook family, the device is pre-loaded with educational apps and data for primary-undergraduate students along with sample papers for engineering, medical and MBA entrance exams.
Overall, Funbook Talk does not hit too many highs in performance, but if you are in need of a reliable tablet PC for younger family members and a secondary calling device for the family, then Micromax Funbook Talk is hard to skip by.
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This post was written by Yashraj Talan
Yashraj Talan is a teen who loves to write and express himself! Loves technology, philosophy, psychology, music and the beauty of life.
