GADGET GIZMO REVIEW .........................TABLET PHONES

GADGET GIZMO REVIEW TABLET PHONES

 

The question is no longer about whether a 7-inch tablet can serve as a phone — a lot of people want one. So what are your options

Take a look at three tablet-phones at different prices 

LENOVO IDEAPAD A1000
    The Ideapad A1000 has dual speakers on the front and a plastic back that provides for a nice grip. And you’ll need it, given how heavy this tablet is – definitely the heaviest 7-incher I have used. The weight and the size combine to make it a device that you can’t comfortably hold with one hand.
    The call quality on the A1000 is unimpressive, with people on neither end hearing the other properly. Plus, the tablet picks up a lot of background noise. And the biggest problem with phone calls is the size again, as we wanted to hang up on everyone after 10 minutes of talking, given the stress on our hands.
    The 7-inch screen is bright and responsive. But it doesn’t have Gorilla Glass, so it needs a scratch-guard; and this picks up more scratches than usual, making your screen difficult to use. Additionally, one of the long sides distorts colours when tilted.
    The A1000 is a fine performer for regular games, but the large screen really shines for watching videos and browsing. And it’s decent for multi-tasking with regular apps, but not HD games or movies.
    The tablet does not have a rear camera, and the front-facing camera is usable only for video calls. You still need to carry a regular camera in your pocket for snaps.
    The lack of 3G means that you can’t watch YouTube or anything that requires a fast Internet connection on the go.
    The custom Android skin isn’t very pretty, but you can fix that by installing a new launcher.
    The Ideapad’s battery can get you through a day, lasting for about 15-16 hours on average.
The Lenovo Ideapad A1000 is a good device if you want a tablet with voice-calling under Rs 10,000, but you really have to want that. Because if you’re willing to do away with the voice-calling, you can pick up the Google Nexus 7 for the same price, which is far, far better value for money.
SPECS 

 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 7-inch screen (1024x600), GSM SIM support, 0.3MP front camera, 1GB RAM, 4GB memory, upto 32GB via MicroSD, GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth
PRICE: RS 9,499 

RATING: 5/10 

SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 3 T211
    The new Galaxy Tab 3 T211 has the best screen of the lot, with bright colours and great viewing angles. The screen is better than the other tablets here too, especially for reading. However, the lack of scratch-resistant glass is disappointing. And once you put a screen guard, it isn’t legible under sunlight.
    The custom TouchWiz interface isn’t very smooth on the tablet, often lagging and freezing up. It’s a pity because it actually has some decent features, like the easy-to-use music player.
    Overall, the performance of the device is decent. All of the games tested were playable, although resource-intensive games like FIFA 14 were sluggish at times. And multi-tasking was all right, except when switching between heavy apps.
    The back of the Tab 3 has a 3MP camera that seems like a token add-on. The images you get aren’t usable, so you will be better off only using the front cam for video calls.
    The call quality of the T211 is good and it’s got an especially good antenna, picking up network in areas where other tablets and some phones don’t.
    On average usage, the 7-inch Tab 3 will last for 15 hours, getting you through a regular day of usage without a recharge.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 is the best choice if you want a tablet that is also a phone. It has its shortcomings—the lack of a scratch-resistant screen, playing HD games, and the useless rear camera —but regardless, it’s still decent value for money.
SPECS 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 7-inch screen (1024x600), GSM SIM support, 3MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera, 1GB RAM, 8GB memory, upto 32GB via MicroSD, GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth PRICE: RS. 15,999 

RATING: 6/10 

DATAWIND UBISLATE 7CX
    The Ubislate 7CX looks like pretty much any other tablet out there. It’s chunky and it’s made out of plastic, but it feels solid, like it will take the bumps of everyday life in its stride. In fact, a drop off the bed didn’t hurt it at all.
    For some reason, the 7CX works only in landscape mode – i.e. held horizontally. The screen doesn’t flip when held in portrait mode – i.e. vertically. This is abnormal since you can’t use any app, like the web browser, in portrait. But apps like the phone dialer still open only in portrait, making you change how you hold the device on a regular basis. It’s an unpleasant and limiting experience.
    The screen has poor viewing angles on the long sides, which means that tilting the device in landscape causes the colours to distort and makes the display illegible. There is no camera on the 7CX. Basic games like Angry Birds ran fine. The built-in apps and software works well too. But resource-intensive apps cause trouble – with 10 tabs open, the Chrome and Dolphin browsers crashed. It has only EDGE for Internet, no 3G or WiFi. Even then, Whatsapp does not work. Talking on the 7CX, people on the other end of the line complained that the voice sounded tinny. And network coverage was often an issue in areas where other phones showed bars. The battery life of the tablet is quite low, lasting about 3 hours of continuous usage and 3.5 hours of video.
The Datawind Ubislate 7CX is the cheapest voice-calling tablet around, but with all its shortcomings, it’s not worth even the small price it asks for. There are other tablets around, like the Karbonn Smart Tab 2, which are better value for the same money.
SPECS 1GHz single-core processor, 7-inch screen (800x400), GSM SIM support, 512MB RAM, 2GB memory, upto 32GB via MicroSD 

PRICE: RS 3,999 

RATING: 4/10

Mihir Patkar MM 131205