GADGETS AND GIZMO SPECIAL......... Tablet Ringing

GADGETS AND GIZMO SPECIAL Tablet Ringing

The Asus FonePad is a 7-inch tablet that can make calls

HIGHLIGHTS 7-inch 1280 x 800 IPS display, Intel Atom Z2420 1.2 GHz processors 1GB RAM, 8GB Internal storage, approx. 4 available. 32GB SD card slot, unlimited paid cloud storage, 2G, 3G plus Wifi, Bluetooth, A-GPS, no NFC, Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2, 4.2.2 promised, 5MP primary camera, 3.1MP front facing 

There are few people who will adopt the Asus FonePad as their primary calling device; it’s just too big to hold up to one’s ear, not on the fringe like a phablet, which is big, but just about usable.

Holding up a 7-inch device to the ear is going to look outlandish and while you may not be bothered by the looks people give you, it’s just not convenient, especially if you’re rushing about. You could even end up dropping it because the grip is nowhere close to what it would be for a phone.
 

But to think of the calling facility as a bonus or use it as a second phone is much more understandable. The ideal combo would be if you have a small phone and the Asus FonePad. That way you will have the option of using the phone on the go and using the FonePad when you’re in one place, say, with the tablet resting and in speaker mode. Of course, that does mean two sim cards, but in India, we seem to be fond of them anyway.
 

Asus can’t seem to get away from the Fonepad-Padfone naming pattern, and that’s what they decided to name their twin to the Google Nexus 7 tablet (also made by Asus). It’s a little heavier and has a different back panel plus a strip at the top that can be removed, with some considerable damage to your nails, to insert the sim card and SD card. You can’t get at the battery, but that’s the norm with tablets and you don’t need to as it lasts a good nine hours. If you use it occasionally, you can stretch it over a couple of days. The Intel processor it uses is supposed to be optimised for longer battery life and for Android.
 

The FonePad is a perfectly workable tablet, but it’s getting tough to choose with so many of them being so very alike. In the cause of the FonePad, it has its own Google version to compete with.

The Nexus 7 is available at the same price, Rs, 15,999, on the Google Play store, but the specs of the two are different. The Nexus uses a Tegra 3 processor, doesn’t have 3G at this price, and, of course, doesn’t have calling. The version of Android it uses is the very latest, which is the reason why people buy the Nexus in any case, while the FonePad’s is a notch behind with the update promised. A warning about what you may hear about the “pure Android” experience. While it’s well suited to tech-savvy youngsters who know how to customise it and even develop apps, the average user is likely to be much happier with a device on which the manufacturer has put in some features and apps already, making it easier to use. The FonePad has some very light touches from Asus because they have put in some useful apps such as a note taker and a translate feature, but is otherwise quite “pure” in its Androidness anyway.
 

Instead you may consider whether it’s the FonePad you want or another 7-inch tablet, such as a low-cost one or one from Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 P3100 or successor or even the iPad Mini, which is a different experience from Android because of its universe of apps and, of course, its interface and system.
 

The FonePad has a nice though not overly crisp screen and the colours look pleasing and vibrant. It performs well too but the benchmark tests put it somewhere close to the Galaxy SIII. The cameras, front and back, are low-end and meant to be functional rather than for photography.
 

Mala Bhargava- See more at: http://www.businessworld.in/news/after-hours/tablet-ringing/982941/page-1.html#sthash.GWFW7UCM.dpuf