Showing posts with label tablets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tablets. Show all posts
Thursday, April 2, 2015
“Samsung Galaxy Tab A and Tab A Plus specifications revealed” – Tablets Magazine
It’s been a while since we got to see a new Samsung tablet. Yesterday you read on our Web site Samsung brand has registered for different tablets: the Galaxy Tab A Tab Tab E and J. It was likely that we take a number of months more were told about these tablets but today the first information came out about the Samsung Galaxy Tab Samsung Galaxy Tab A and A Plus.
According to SamMobile, the Galaxy Tab Galaxy Tab A and A Plus there faster than we think . An exact date they have not, but the specifications of the tablets: you can choose to either version between an 8 and a 9.7 inch screen, and the Tab A Plus has an S-Pen. That would mean that the Galaxy Tab A Plus Samsung’s first tablet outside the Note Series is a pen. Both tablets would have a resolution of 1024 x 768, sharp enough for a mid-end tablet. Furthermore, the specifications of both tablets are almost identical: a Snapdragon 410 processor with a clock speed of 1.2 GHz, a 5 megapixel camera on the back and a 2 megapixel front camera. Both tablets have according to Sam Mobile a thickness of 7.4 millimeters. In addition to the S-Pen is there not much difference between the Samsung Galaxy Tab Galaxy Tab A and A Plus. However, the Plus version 2 GB of memory, where the normal Galaxy Tab A 1.5 GB of RAM to. If you opt for the 8 inch models get a battery of 4000 mAh, whil e the 9.7-inch variants have a 6000 mAh battery.
An official announcement remains to be seen, but it is clear that this is not high -end tablets are going. It is therefore an interesting move by Samsung to introduce the S-Pen also at mid-end tablets. Recently was Galaxy Tab Active launched with a pen, but that was the so-called C-Pen, a pen with fewer features than the S Pen. The S Pen is a gadget that will allow the brand to stand out in a market where every day new tablets seem to come out. The names of Samsung’s new tablets are striking: and are rumors that Apple will release a Plus version of the iPad
.
Monday, March 30, 2015
‘Samsung Galaxy Tab comes with faster variant S’ – Tablets Magazine
Samsung has the S Galaxy Tab tablets recently new top models in the field of tablets introduced but it seems that there is already slightly improved versions ready. The Korean manufacturer would namely working on new versions with more powerful Exynos processor.
According to the sources of the often well-informed SamMobile and surfaced benchmarks brings Samsung later this month in South Korea new versions of the Galaxy Tab S on the market. The new models would benefit from a more powerful Exynos 5 Octa 5433 processor. This chip is already found in the Galaxy Note 4 phablet from the Korean manufacturer.
The current S Galaxy Tab 8.4 and Galaxy Tab S 10.5 run on a Exynos 5 Octa 5420 processor chip and it can sometimes have some trouble with intensive tasks. The new Exynos 5433 processor provides powerful performance in addition to support for LTE-A, faster mobile internet via 4G connection.
The other specifications appear unchanged. Similarly, the new releases of the Galaxy Tab S an AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,600 by 2,560 pixels, 3GB of RAM, a fingerprint scanner, a microSD card reader and a very sleek and slim design. Both models run on Android 4.4 KitKat.
According SamMobile get the new models, the model number SM-T805S, SM-T805K, and SM-T805L it. So it seems to be only the 10.5-inch model to go. Whether the 8.4-inch version also renewed is unclear, and it is not clear whether the faster variants find their way to Europe.
Read our S Galaxy Tab 8.4 Review and S Galaxy Tab 10.5 Review .
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Latest Airtel and Etisalat BIS Data Plans That Work For Your Android iPhone Smartphones and Tablets
Update:
Effective 3rd of December 2013, Airtel BIS plans will stop working on non BlackBerry phones.
You are advised not to subscribe such plans in your non BlackBerry phone(s)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
It has being observed that as smartphones get better, offering outstanding screen resolution, better camera power and faster modems so also is the data consumed by these smartphones also rising. It may also be due to the what one can achieve with the smartphone when connected to the internet. For example, visiting Facebook and uploading an image that is huge in size, record videos and upload to YouTube, make purchases online, communicate constantly with emails.
The need for more data on our smartphones is surging dramatically but it seem as though Nigerian telecoms network dont want their consumers to have an affordable plan that will cater for their Internet data needs except for BlackBerry devices which enjoy such reasonable prices for data plan.
Anyway, user now use Airtel BlackBerry plans which are affordable and meet needs on their Android, iOS and Windows Phone smartphones.
As far as i know, only Airtel BlackBerry Internet data plan work on these other devices like Android, , iOS and Windows Phone smartphones and tablets without any significant modification to your phone internet settings.
Consequently, if you want to use any of these Airtel BIS plans for your Android device, below is a list of Airtel BIS plans, how to subscribe to them and the duration it will last.
PLAN | Validity Period | Tariffs | USSD Activation | SMS Activation | |
Complete | Monthly | 30 days | 1,400 | *440*1# | bcm |
Weekly | 1 week | 400 | *440*2# | bcw | |
Daily | 24 hours | 100 | *440*3# | bcd | |
Social | Monthly | 30 days | 1,200 | *440*4# | bsm |
Weekly | 1 week | 400 | *440*5# | bsw | |
Daily | 24 hours | 100 | *440*6# | bsd | |
To check status | *440# | Send status to 440 | |||
Also, there is the 1 month get 1 month free package that goes for N1500 and you get about 4.2GB for 60 days. You subscribe with *440*161#
Comparison of Airtel BlackBerry Complete Bundle Offer
COMPLETE | SOCIAL |
Standard BlackBerry Email option BlackBerry Email address (user@airtelng.blackberry.com) One 3rd party Email address (Yahoo; Gmail; Hotmail or any other 3rd party email) BlackBerry-built Social Networking applications Facebook, MySpace & Twitter BlackBerry-built Instant Messaging applications BlackBerry Messenger BlackBerry AppWorld Partner IM app providers: Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger, etc. Access to BlackBerry Maps & 3rd party applications BIS Browser – Internet Browsing | Standard BlackBerry Email option BlackBerry Email address (user@airtelng.blackberry.com) BlackBerry-built Social Networking applications Facebook, MySpace & Twitter BlackBerry-built Instant Messaging applications BlackBerry Messenger BlackBerry AppWorld Partner IM app providers: Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger, etc. Access to BlackBerry Maps & 3rd party applications BIS Browser – Internet Browsing |
As of these writing only Etisalat and Airtel allow you to hotspot your Internet data without removing from your calling credit. So if you are the type that has a Blackberry device with HotSpot capability you can also use your Etisalat and Airtel hotstpot on your phone and share to your devices like tablet, Android & iOS phone and your PC. Etisalat BIS codes are shown below.
While some have argued that they are able to use GLO, Etisalat and MTN BIS on their Android, , iOS and Windows Phone smartphones and tablets, it may require additional tweaking and settings of your phone and its not guaranteed to work.
However, if you are successful in making other telecoms BIS apart from Airtel work for you, we would appreciate if you share how you go it to work on your phone or tablet.
If you still want to subscribe to GLO, MTN and Etisalat BIS plans then the best thing is to visit their web sites to know the latest package codes as these networks tend to change their rates and codes at times. MTN BIS have been reported to work on Android of recent (Sept. 25th 2013)
As promised am constantly monitoring when BlackBerry will release BBM for Android and iOS as a BlackBerry developer and would let you guys know immediately so that you would be among the first to download.
For more tech news, like our Facebook page and follow on Twitter
As promised am constantly monitoring when BlackBerry will release BBM for Android and iOS as a BlackBerry developer and would let you guys know immediately so that you would be among the first to download.
For more tech news, like our Facebook page and follow on Twitter
Friday, March 27, 2015
Best Android Tablets 2014
With Christmas just around the corner, plenty of you are currently on the lookout for a lovely Android tablet thatll bring a smile to the faces of your loved ones. This year has seen plenty of brilliant new models released, including the Tesco Hudl 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5, meaning that purchasing a good tablet is now cheaper and easier than ever. The power on offer in the top-end models has gone through the roof, while budget devices have improved massively. Unfortunately, this means that picking one has now become a very difficult task.
If you know that the iPad Air 2 or a device running Windows isn’t for you, then this is the place to be. Check out all of our top picks from the list below.
If, however, youd like a little more guidance on what to look for when buying a new tablet, you should read our tablet buyers guide, which explains the strengths and weaknesses of each type of tablet and anything else you may need to consider, technical or otherwise.
One of the golden rules you need to remember when looking at Android tablets is that you should steer clear of cheap, no-name models. There are a countless number of them available from various vendors and theyre almost never worth purchasing, mainly because they dont tend to last very long.
As for the best Android tablet, there isnt really one at the moment. What we do have is a number of great Android tablets that perform some tasks better than others, whether thats gaming, work or general entertainment. Whats best for you may be very different from what the person next to you might need.
Best 10-inch Android tablet
Key features:
This has one of the finest screens of any tablet of any type. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5s display is stunning, and a marvel for watching video. Its also among the slimmest and lightest tablets of its size and packs in a few extras like expandable storage and a fingerprint reader, though the latter isnt all that good.
Performance is also excellent, while battery life is fantastic, at over 14 hours. Elsewhere youve got all the usual extras such as front and rear cameras and stereo speakers, while a somewhat clunky but still useful case system seals the detail. Its simply the best 10-inch Android tablet around.
Price: £344 (£399 at time of review) / $374.99
Best 8-inch or 9-inch Android tablet
Key features:
The Nexus 9 looks starkly different to Google’s previous tablets. It is far broader and the 8.9-inch display, with an aspect ratio of 4:3, isn’t as good for viewing widescreen movies as previous Nexuses, but games and apps feel much nicer. Colours are excellent, viewing angles are good and the 281ppi screen is nice and clear. At 425g and 7.9mm thick, it’s also comfortable enough to hold for extended periods of time.
One of the standout features is that, unlike any of its rivals who will have to wait for the software, it ships with Android 5.0 Lollipop. The battery life, combined with the powerful GPU, allow for an excellent gaming experience. The 8- and 1.6-megapixel rear- and front-facing cameras arent the best youll ever come across, but its a terrific piece of kit nonetheless.
Price: £299.99 (£319 at time of review) / $349.99
Best 7-inch Android tablet
Key features:
The Asus-manufactured Nexus 7 (2013) made the 7-inch Android tablet market its own, with its combination of solid specs, excellent performance and tiny price tag. However, it’s not as young as it used to be, and Asus has taken aim at it with the MeMO Pad 7 ME572C. It’s a unique-looking slate, with curved sides and sharp corners, but lacks a soft-touch plastic rear. At 8.3mm thick and 269g, it’s also thinner and lighter than the Nexus, without holding back on battery life and performance.
If you’re after something that’ll keep the family entertained, you might be best off looking elsewhere. The speakers offer solid but unremarkable sound quality and are easy to block with your fingers. While the 1,920 x 1,200 pixel resolution screen delivers excellent viewing angles and good contrast and colours, our review sample suffered from backlight bleed. Its not perfect by any means, and while it’s not as cheap as the Nexus, it’s definitely a better all-round device.
Price: £179 / $326
Best sub-£100 Android tablet
Key features:
When we reviewed the Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176CX, it was selling for almost £150. But with all the competition from tablets like the Hudl 2, it has now been price-dropped to £99.99 by many retailers, making it a bonafide bargain.
Screen resolution is decidedly sub-Retina grade and the design isn’t too flashy, but in most other respects this is a top-notch tablet. The Intel Atom Z2560 provides loads of power, you get a very generous (at the price) 16GB of storage, and while the screen doesn’t offer oodles of pixels, its quality level is otherwise pretty solid. If you can afford to push the boat out a little further, we think the Hudl 2 is better. But if £100 is your strict cut-off point, the Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176CX should be at the top of your list.
Price: £99.99 (£119.99 at time of review) / $124.99
Best sub-£200 tablet
Key features:
Tesco is hardly well-known as a top tablet manufacturer, but its hit the ball out of the park with the Hudl 2. At £129 this is probably the best-value Android tablet ever made, potentially even trumping the Nexus 7. It gets you a great 8.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 display, giving you a bit more screen space than the long-standing Nexus model. This size of screen is great for watching movies on, without being so large that it’s a pain to carry around with you.
The quad-core Intel Atom CPU gets you plenty of power for high-end 3D games too, meaning there are few roadblocks despite the low price. There is, predictably, a bit of Tesco app bloat to deal with and general performance isn’t quite at Nexus 7 level. But for pure hardware value, youll struggle to beat the Hudl 2.
Price: £129
Best Android tablet for work
Key features:
The Transformer series convinced us that an Android tablet can work as a replacement for an ultra-portable laptop. Asus’ Transformer Pad TF701T has been around for a while now, but it’s still the best choice if Android is what you’re after and youre willing to spend enough cash for a real top-quality experience.
The 10.1-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution IGZO IPS screen produces super-sharp visuals and great viewing angles. It has an Nvidia Tegra 4 quad-core processor and apart from some minor jaggedy moments, its a slick operator. One of the most impressive features of the Transformer is the battery life: the TF701T gives you a combined 17 hours, or around 12 hours with just the tablet alone. Now available for under £350 with the keyboard base, it’s a great pick.
Price: £328.99 (£430 at time of review)
Best Android tablet for entertainment
Key features:
If you’re in the market for an Android tablet built for entertainment, you won’t find anything better than Amazons Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 (2014) right now. It boasts the same excellent design qualities as its predecessor, the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9, and at 374g, the Wi-Fi only model is significantly lighter than even the iPad Air 2 (437g).
The 8.9-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution display, with a sharpness level of 339ppi, is brilliant, delivering excellent colour accuracy and a higher level of brightness than the previous HDX model. It’s also great for reading, but can struggle with glare outdoors. The speakers are the best you’ll find on any tablet. With support for Dolby Atmos, they deliver a better, more immersive sense of directional sound than anything else on the market right now. The 2.5GHz Snapdragon 805 processor paired with 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 430 GPU make it excellent for both everyday use and gaming. Fire OS is still divisive, however.
Price: £329 / $379
Best Android tablet for kids
Key features:
The Amazon Fire HD 6 is one of the first sub-7-inch tablets we’ve seen. It uses a 6-inch screen, giving it proportions that kids are more likely to get on with. Just as important, it’s also cheap. At £80 for the 8GB version, you’re not going to have to cancel your kids pocket money for a whole year if they accidentally drop it.
With tablets of this price, you generally have to deal with a great many hardware cuts, but there are remarkably few here. The Fire HD 6 has a good-quality IPS screen, a surprisingly powerful processor and very good battery life. It’s not as slim as we’d like and it uses Amazon’s more restrictive Fire OS rather than normal Android, but it’s still a corker for children or budget buyers.
Price: £79.99 / $99
Best tablet for drawing
Key features:
Artists out there who want to get creative with a tablet need to make sure they get something with an active digitiser stylus. This technology has been around for years, since before modern tablets existed, but only a few of todays best slates actually use the tech.
The Note series of Samsung tablets is where to head to first, and the biggest of the lot at present is the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2. You don’t get the AMOLED screen of Samsung’s latest top-end tablets, but the large display makes a great virtual canvas when you team it up with the S Pen stylus and something like Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, which comes preinstalled.
With a 12.2-inch screen and 750g body, it’s not the smallest or lightest tablet around, but the extra scribble space is worth it for art enthusiasts. If you want something a bit smaller, check out the Note 10.1.
Price: £349 (£649 at time of review) / $599
Best Android tablet for gaming
Key features:
For consumers who are seriously into gaming, look no further than the Nvidia Shield Tablet. It’s far and away the best tablet for gamers on the market right now, having been built to deliver the best experience possible. Under the hood, the custom-built Nvidia Tegra K1 processor clocked at 2.2GHz combined with a 192-core Kepler GPU and 2GB of RAM ensure smooth performance, even while simultaneously running high-end Android games and multiple apps.
In terms of design, it looks slightly like an enlarged HTC One M8, which is no bad thing. The front-facing speakers above and below the screen, along with a pair of speakers on the top and bottom edges, deliver sound that can easily fill a room. At 9.2mm thick, it isn’t the sleekest number we’ve ever seen, but the tapered edges make it comfortable to hold in one hand. The 8-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 display delivers rich colours but isn’t quite bright enough. Premium, Tegra-optimised games and the £49.99 Shield Controller cost extra, but they’re worth it if youre willing to splash the cash.
Price: £240 / $299
Read more »
If you know that the iPad Air 2 or a device running Windows isn’t for you, then this is the place to be. Check out all of our top picks from the list below.
If, however, youd like a little more guidance on what to look for when buying a new tablet, you should read our tablet buyers guide, which explains the strengths and weaknesses of each type of tablet and anything else you may need to consider, technical or otherwise.
One of the golden rules you need to remember when looking at Android tablets is that you should steer clear of cheap, no-name models. There are a countless number of them available from various vendors and theyre almost never worth purchasing, mainly because they dont tend to last very long.
As for the best Android tablet, there isnt really one at the moment. What we do have is a number of great Android tablets that perform some tasks better than others, whether thats gaming, work or general entertainment. Whats best for you may be very different from what the person next to you might need.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5
Best 10-inch Android tablet
Key features:
- 10.5-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 Super AMOLED screen
- Exynos 5 Octa 5420 CPU
- Over 14 hours video playback
This has one of the finest screens of any tablet of any type. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5s display is stunning, and a marvel for watching video. Its also among the slimmest and lightest tablets of its size and packs in a few extras like expandable storage and a fingerprint reader, though the latter isnt all that good.
Performance is also excellent, while battery life is fantastic, at over 14 hours. Elsewhere youve got all the usual extras such as front and rear cameras and stereo speakers, while a somewhat clunky but still useful case system seals the detail. Its simply the best 10-inch Android tablet around.
Price: £344 (£399 at time of review) / $374.99
Nexus 9
Best 8-inch or 9-inch Android tablet
Key features:
- 8.9-inch, 2,048 x 1,536 IPS LCD screen
- Powerful GPU
- Good battery life
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
The Nexus 9 looks starkly different to Google’s previous tablets. It is far broader and the 8.9-inch display, with an aspect ratio of 4:3, isn’t as good for viewing widescreen movies as previous Nexuses, but games and apps feel much nicer. Colours are excellent, viewing angles are good and the 281ppi screen is nice and clear. At 425g and 7.9mm thick, it’s also comfortable enough to hold for extended periods of time.
One of the standout features is that, unlike any of its rivals who will have to wait for the software, it ships with Android 5.0 Lollipop. The battery life, combined with the powerful GPU, allow for an excellent gaming experience. The 8- and 1.6-megapixel rear- and front-facing cameras arent the best youll ever come across, but its a terrific piece of kit nonetheless.
Price: £299.99 (£319 at time of review) / $349.99
Asus MeMO Pad 7 ME572C
Best 7-inch Android tablet
Key features:
- Excellent screen
- Good battery life
- Attractive design
The Asus-manufactured Nexus 7 (2013) made the 7-inch Android tablet market its own, with its combination of solid specs, excellent performance and tiny price tag. However, it’s not as young as it used to be, and Asus has taken aim at it with the MeMO Pad 7 ME572C. It’s a unique-looking slate, with curved sides and sharp corners, but lacks a soft-touch plastic rear. At 8.3mm thick and 269g, it’s also thinner and lighter than the Nexus, without holding back on battery life and performance.
If you’re after something that’ll keep the family entertained, you might be best off looking elsewhere. The speakers offer solid but unremarkable sound quality and are easy to block with your fingers. While the 1,920 x 1,200 pixel resolution screen delivers excellent viewing angles and good contrast and colours, our review sample suffered from backlight bleed. Its not perfect by any means, and while it’s not as cheap as the Nexus, it’s definitely a better all-round device.
Price: £179 / $326
Asus Memo Pad 7
Best sub-£100 Android tablet
Key features:
- 7-inch 1,280 x 800 IPS screen
- Intel Atom Z2560 CPU
- Android 4.4
When we reviewed the Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176CX, it was selling for almost £150. But with all the competition from tablets like the Hudl 2, it has now been price-dropped to £99.99 by many retailers, making it a bonafide bargain.
Screen resolution is decidedly sub-Retina grade and the design isn’t too flashy, but in most other respects this is a top-notch tablet. The Intel Atom Z2560 provides loads of power, you get a very generous (at the price) 16GB of storage, and while the screen doesn’t offer oodles of pixels, its quality level is otherwise pretty solid. If you can afford to push the boat out a little further, we think the Hudl 2 is better. But if £100 is your strict cut-off point, the Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176CX should be at the top of your list.
Price: £99.99 (£119.99 at time of review) / $124.99
Tesco Hudl 2
Best sub-£200 tablet
Key features:
- 8.3-inch 1,920 x 1,200 IPS screen
- Intel Atom Z3735D CPU
- Android 4.4
Tesco is hardly well-known as a top tablet manufacturer, but its hit the ball out of the park with the Hudl 2. At £129 this is probably the best-value Android tablet ever made, potentially even trumping the Nexus 7. It gets you a great 8.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 display, giving you a bit more screen space than the long-standing Nexus model. This size of screen is great for watching movies on, without being so large that it’s a pain to carry around with you.
The quad-core Intel Atom CPU gets you plenty of power for high-end 3D games too, meaning there are few roadblocks despite the low price. There is, predictably, a bit of Tesco app bloat to deal with and general performance isn’t quite at Nexus 7 level. But for pure hardware value, youll struggle to beat the Hudl 2.
Price: £129
Asus Transformer Pad TF701T
Best Android tablet for work
Key features:
- Great 10.1-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 pixel IGZO IPS screen
- Keyboard dock adds extra five hours of battery life
- 32/64GB versions available - expandable
The Transformer series convinced us that an Android tablet can work as a replacement for an ultra-portable laptop. Asus’ Transformer Pad TF701T has been around for a while now, but it’s still the best choice if Android is what you’re after and youre willing to spend enough cash for a real top-quality experience.
The 10.1-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution IGZO IPS screen produces super-sharp visuals and great viewing angles. It has an Nvidia Tegra 4 quad-core processor and apart from some minor jaggedy moments, its a slick operator. One of the most impressive features of the Transformer is the battery life: the TF701T gives you a combined 17 hours, or around 12 hours with just the tablet alone. Now available for under £350 with the keyboard base, it’s a great pick.
Price: £328.99 (£430 at time of review)
Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 (2014)
Best Android tablet for entertainment
Key features:
- Brilliant speakers
- Excellent 8.9-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 resolution screen
- Attractive, lightweight design
If you’re in the market for an Android tablet built for entertainment, you won’t find anything better than Amazons Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 (2014) right now. It boasts the same excellent design qualities as its predecessor, the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9, and at 374g, the Wi-Fi only model is significantly lighter than even the iPad Air 2 (437g).
The 8.9-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution display, with a sharpness level of 339ppi, is brilliant, delivering excellent colour accuracy and a higher level of brightness than the previous HDX model. It’s also great for reading, but can struggle with glare outdoors. The speakers are the best you’ll find on any tablet. With support for Dolby Atmos, they deliver a better, more immersive sense of directional sound than anything else on the market right now. The 2.5GHz Snapdragon 805 processor paired with 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 430 GPU make it excellent for both everyday use and gaming. Fire OS is still divisive, however.
Price: £329 / $379
Amazon Fire HD 6
Best Android tablet for kids
Key features:
- 6-inch, 1,280 x 800 pixel IPS screen
- Mediatek CPU
- 8/16GB storage
- Fire OS
The Amazon Fire HD 6 is one of the first sub-7-inch tablets we’ve seen. It uses a 6-inch screen, giving it proportions that kids are more likely to get on with. Just as important, it’s also cheap. At £80 for the 8GB version, you’re not going to have to cancel your kids pocket money for a whole year if they accidentally drop it.
With tablets of this price, you generally have to deal with a great many hardware cuts, but there are remarkably few here. The Fire HD 6 has a good-quality IPS screen, a surprisingly powerful processor and very good battery life. It’s not as slim as we’d like and it uses Amazon’s more restrictive Fire OS rather than normal Android, but it’s still a corker for children or budget buyers.
Price: £79.99 / $99
Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
Best tablet for drawing
Key features:
- 12.2-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 LCD screen
- Exynos 5 Octa 5420 CPU
- S Pen digitiser stylus
Artists out there who want to get creative with a tablet need to make sure they get something with an active digitiser stylus. This technology has been around for years, since before modern tablets existed, but only a few of todays best slates actually use the tech.
The Note series of Samsung tablets is where to head to first, and the biggest of the lot at present is the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2. You don’t get the AMOLED screen of Samsung’s latest top-end tablets, but the large display makes a great virtual canvas when you team it up with the S Pen stylus and something like Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, which comes preinstalled.
With a 12.2-inch screen and 750g body, it’s not the smallest or lightest tablet around, but the extra scribble space is worth it for art enthusiasts. If you want something a bit smaller, check out the Note 10.1.
Price: £349 (£649 at time of review) / $599
Nvidia Shield Tablet
Best Android tablet for gaming
Key features:
- Brilliant gaming experience
- Impressive build quality
- Excellent display
For consumers who are seriously into gaming, look no further than the Nvidia Shield Tablet. It’s far and away the best tablet for gamers on the market right now, having been built to deliver the best experience possible. Under the hood, the custom-built Nvidia Tegra K1 processor clocked at 2.2GHz combined with a 192-core Kepler GPU and 2GB of RAM ensure smooth performance, even while simultaneously running high-end Android games and multiple apps.
In terms of design, it looks slightly like an enlarged HTC One M8, which is no bad thing. The front-facing speakers above and below the screen, along with a pair of speakers on the top and bottom edges, deliver sound that can easily fill a room. At 9.2mm thick, it isn’t the sleekest number we’ve ever seen, but the tapered edges make it comfortable to hold in one hand. The 8-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 display delivers rich colours but isn’t quite bright enough. Premium, Tegra-optimised games and the £49.99 Shield Controller cost extra, but they’re worth it if youre willing to splash the cash.
Price: £240 / $299
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)