7 inch or 10 inch Tablet?

It’s a question avoided by most tech reviewers. It could be because they don’t want to be biased and to be honest everyone has his own answer on the issue. So which one should you go for, a 7 inch slate or a 10 inch one? Its true there is no clear answer but depending on your needs picking the wrong size may have its consequences. It all depends on the kind of user you are. I’ll try and break it down.

Before embarking on the tablet journey you need to first clearly know what exactly you intend to do with your tablet. Do you want to browse on the go and manage all your social networks or do you want to just sit back on the couch and do the same? Are you a hardcore gamer? Are you a media junkie? Will you be moving around a lot with your tablet? Is productivity what you aim for? These are the questions that will help you decide on the right screen size.

Ideally if you will just use your tablet in the house then a 10 inch tablet won’t sound so bad. On the other hand if you travel a lot with your tablet then you need something more portable hence the 7 inch tablet. Notice I’ve used the words “more portable” meaning that the 10 inch slate is still portable but you have more options of carrying the 7 inch one.

If you are a gamer then get a powerful 7 inch slate and the Nexus 7 automatically comes to mind. It is easier to use the virtual controls on a 7 inch tablet than on a 10 inch one. As for media consumption a 10 inch tablet reigns supreme. A 7 inch screen may appear tiny when watching movies and it’s a fact that most people prefer watching movies on bigger screens.

The 10.1 inch Motorola Xoom

Productivity people not only need a 10 inch tablet but they need extra accessories to go with it. They may need a Bluetooth keyboard for typing those word documents. I know this isn’t about operating systems but it would be better to get a windows 8 tablet which has full office among other productivity softwares and tools. All in all it would be rather slow and stressful typing documents on a 7 inch tablet.

Asus Transformer Windows 8 tablet

The choice is never this easy though. You may have conflicting desires that require both the 7 inch and the 10 inch. If this happens you go with what’s you think is more important to you. For instance I love gaming but I may give up the Nexus 7 for a 10 inch slate with fair specs but comes with a keyboard dock or has 3G connectivity. For me what’s important is productivity (writing these articles) and 3G internet on the go for quick blogging.

Asus Google Nexus 7

What’s not to like about the Nexus 7? It’s the first device to run Jelly Bean and updates will definitely come. There are 4 cores at the centre of the show and that’s pretty rare in a 7 inch tablet. The only other 7 inch tablet with Quad Core processor is the Toshiba Excite 7.7 and you will only go for it if your pockets are deep enough.

The Nexus 7 design doesn’t scream cheap in any way. In fact it has a premium finish to beat even the most expensive tablets out there. It also fits perfectly in the hand and even though tablets cannot be used in one hand, you won’t get tired holding up this guy. It’s also light weighing about 340g which is the same as holding two phones. There is a front facing camera for video chat. There is no rear camera and that’s a big deal for only a few. There is no SD slot so 16GB will be most storage you will ever get. That will definitely limit your media files and apps but it really isn’t a deal breaker. Remember the famous iPad series? Well, those don’t have SD support either. But the Nexus 7 is really pretty. I bet you will spend more time staring at it than actually using it. If you want a tablet you can show off with then look nowhere else.

Back of the nexus 7- No camera but a pretty design

The software on the Nexus 7 is Vanilla Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) meaning there is no Touchwiz or Timescape or HTC Sense….there are no manufacturer customizations. Geeks love pure android and that’s exactly what they get with the Nexus 7. The only downside, at least for me, is that the software is phone-like. If you have used a phone running Ice Cream Sandwich then it’s pretty much the same outlook only that there is much more functionality including a new drop down notifications menu. If you don’t like the phone-like overlay then you can root the Nexus 7 and do a few things that will enable you get that refined tablet look. The tablet look is absolutely stunning. Jelly Bean is really fluid and thanks to project butter, the Nexus 7 is very fluid. Add the quad core processor and the fluidity is unparalleled. Games will play with no lag at all and thanks to Tegra 3 gaming is a pleasure and very graphic intense.

fits well in one hand

Chrome browser is the stock choice and it brings the full desktop experience to the tablet. You will never go wrong with the browser. Heavy websites load fast and scrolling and pinch to zoom is fluid. I know I’ve used the word fluid a lot but it really is.

The Play Store has an ever increasing dedicated tablet apps and games. You will easily be tempted to fill up your storage with apps. Get the right apps and your experience becomes even better.

The Nexus 7 has a lot to like, it has a very fast processor, nice build quality and it’s affordable. Of course there are downsides like no rear camera, no SD slot and there will be no 3G version. But again you think of the $200 price tag and you feel better again. This is the best 7 inch tablet at the moment. It is also the best affordable tablet.

There is major bad news though. The Asus Nexus 7 will not launch in Kenya. That means you won’t walk into Safaricom or PhoneXpress shops and pick it up like you would with the Samsung Galaxy S3. But I have a good feeling about this. I think independent Smartphone and Tablet importers will bring it to our market. The prices may be higher but it shouldn’t be too high to break the deal. Also if more importers import it then prices will go down. The S3 is also imported by these independent traders and prices are lower than Safaricom prices. Now we can only admire from far and hope that the Nexus 7 makes an appearance.

~Eddy

7 inch shootout

They say size matters. No it’s not what you think. Tablet screen sizes range from 7 inches to 10 inches, oh no wait, Toshiba have a 13 inch slate, the Excite 13. Those who prefer portability will always go for the small tablets in the 7 inch range which includes 7.7.  That category has become very competitive and subject to this post. They are also generally cheap and sufferers like me can be able to afford them.

The main culprits here are the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, Toshiba Excite 7.7, Blackberry Playbook and of course the recently announced Asus Google Nexus 7. It’s a tough face off and I can easily pick any one of them. So let’s look at each one of them briefly.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus runs on a dual core processor clocked at 1.2GHz with 1GB Ram. It has a 7 inch screen and has 3G connectivity and ability to make calls. It runs on Honeycomb but Samsung have promised an ICS update this or next month. Price is around KShs. 40,000 or less second hand. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 has the brightest 7.7 inch screen and its dual core processor is clocked at 1.4GHz. It also has a GB of Ram and 3G connectivity with an option for Wi-Fi only. It has the best battery though the most expensive of the bunch. The Toshiba Excite 7.7 has a 7.7 screen and it’s also as good as the Tab 7.7 screen given that they are both super AMOLED. It runs on quad core Tegra 3 processor with a Gig of Ram. It runs ICS out of the box. Not sure about its price but Toshiba tablets still haven’t found their way to the Kenyan market. Hope things will be different with their Excite line up.

The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 has a dual core processor clocked at 1GHz with 1GB Ram. It runs ICS out the box and its price should be around KShs. 20,000. It also has 3G with support for voice calls. The Blackberry Playbook has a 7 inch screen, 1GB ram and a 1GHz dual core processor. It runs on Blackberry Tablet OS and you can find it for less than KShs. 40,000. Finally the Nexus 7, it’s a quad core 7 inch slate with a price tag of around KShs. 20,000. It also runs Android’s latest OS, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Asus Google Nexus 7

If money is the issue then we only have two tablets to consider, the Tab 2 7.0 and the Nexus 7. If you want performance go for the Nexus 7 but if you want connectivity go for the Tab 2 7.0. The Nexus 7 is powerful but lacks SD card support, 3G and rear camera. The Tab 2 7.0 is less powerful but offers full connectivity including SD card support for those who will want to store more. It also has a rear 3.2 MP camera. Both tablets have a nice build quality even at that low price point.

If money is not the issue then you can choose from the remaining tablets. The Excite 7.7 has a bigger screen and one of the fastest quad core processor. It has a rear 5 MP camera, SD card support and runs on ICS. A clear winner on paper but performance is what matters and where the Galaxy Tab 7.7 comes in. It only has a dual core processor though the 1.4GHz can compete with quad core tablets. It has a better build quality and boasts the best battery with up to 12 hours of video playback. The only downside is that it still runs on honeycomb though an ICS update is coming soon

Toshiba Excite 7.7 and the Galaxy Tab 7.7 Below

We also have tablets that are in between the cheap and the expensive ones. The Tab 7.0 plus sits between the Tab 2 7.0 and the Tab 7.7. It’s one of those tablets that seem to please everyone. If budget is the issue then you can still go for it and if you need performance you still go for it. The Playbook seems to be in a league of its own. It’s a good tablet but may be let down by the OS if you are crazy about applications since it still has few. But for ordinary tablet usage such as web browsing and media consumption then it does well. Also, if you are Blackberry person you may want to crown it with a Blackberry tablet. Oh, and the Playbook can run Android applications via a software.

Blackberry Playbook

It’s a tough competition and that only means consumer sovereignty. But even though we have a choice we still don’t have the perfect choice. The perfect choice would be the Nexus 7/Toshiba Excite performance with Galaxy Tab 7.7 screen and design , Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 connectivity, Galaxy Tab 7.7 battery life and Nexus 7/Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 price. The best we can do now is identifying the tablet that suits us best. No point in choosing an expensive powerful tablet if we will only browse the web and social network.  7 inch tablets are built around mobility so it’s good to choose a tablet that will have full connectivity such as 3G, SD support and maybe USB on the go (OTG) support. The choice is always yours.

Update: ICS update started rolling out this week the galaxy tab line up

~Eddy

Choosing the Right Tablet

The Kenyan market may still be dry of tablets but that doesn’t mean you can just go out and pick any of the few. You still have to be wise and choose the one which suites you best. The right tablet will depend on the user. Therefore we need to classify the users and see how they fit into the different tablet categories. Operating systems will also come into play.

As for the users I will broadly categorize them into light users, medium users and heavy users. The light users will only need to check their mails, maybe browse the web a bit and check on news either via the web or through RSS feeds. They may also need to type a few documents.

Medium users also happen to be media consumers. These users will browse the web, check email, log in to social sites, play music and also watch movies. Heavy users will play games and multitask thereby stretching the RAM, processor and the battery.

Light users can use any tablet though it has to be user friendly. The Blackberry playbook should do the job. The first iPad is user friendly and much cheaper now. There are also cheap android tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 which runs ICS. I am not sure about its availability though, but I don’t see any reason Samsung should not bring it to the Kenyan market following the success of cheap smartphones like the Galaxy mini, Galaxy Y and Galaxy Pocket. Windows 8 haven’t landed yet but would have been appropriate for this category especially with the full Microsoft office experience.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0

Media consumers really make use of the tablet but in a non exhaustive way as compared to power users. Any first generation (Tegra 2) tablet would do just fine. These include the original Motorola Xoom, the original Asus Transformer, Samsung Galaxy tab 10.1 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9. The original iPad fits in well also. Those into social networks will probably require physical keyboards. They may therefore need to purchase Bluetooth keyboards or just buy the Asus Transformer which comes with the keyboard dock. Its keyboard dock has an additional battery for more up time. Windows 8 tablets would also fit here perfectly and same is the case with second generation android tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1.

Heavy users will need quad core tablets such as the Asus Transformer Prime and Acer Iconia Tab A510. Both the iPad 2 and iPad 3 are in this category with the difference being your budget. As for the dedicated gamers you will probably need to use a gamepad just on an Xbox or PlayStation. It is possible to use gamepads on tablets provided they run android and have USB host capability. You cannot use game controllers on the iPad. Windows 8 tablets should be able to support game controllers but I am yet to find out. Some tablets such as most Acer tablets have dedicated full size USB 2.0 ports. With the Asus Transformer you will need the keyboard dock while with other tablets you will need a separate cable.

Acer Iconia Tab A200

I thought about classifying the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 in the media consumer category since it still runs Honeycomb but its 1.4GHz processor puts it way above the Tegra 2 tablets and also an ICS update is coming soon.

Galaxy Tab 7.7

Almost all tablets are categorized into Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G. I recommend the Wi-Fi + 3G slates since Kenya is still not a Wi-Fi country and creating your own Wi-Fi network maybe stressful.

So, know your category and find the tablet that suites you. Oh, and I haven’t delved into the screen size debate since that’s a personal choice. Personally 10.1 inch tablets do it for me as I consider 7 inches too small. If, however you want portability then find a 7 inch or maybe a 7.7 inch slate.

 

~Eddy

Time to Embrace Tablets

They first came out as a rebel community in the phone world. The iPad for instance ran the same iOS that was running on iPhones. It only had a bigger screen and a few apps meant for the larger screen. It was the same case with Android slates and they did flood the market. Indeed tablets were inventions of the future and it’s only now that the future has arrived. We have three main choices, Android tablets, Windows 8 tablets and the iPads. But of course the main issue is whether they are available for the local market.

Windows 8 tablets were just announced recently so we still have to wait until the end of the year. Android slates have matured from Honeycomb which provided a real tablet experience though it was laggy and now they run ICS. ICS provides the ultimate tablet experience. The iOS tablets simply work and have tonnes of apps and games. The iPad is always a safe alternative and flawless due to the simple operating system or firmware. The only problem is usually the cost.

The list of affordable decent tablets is overwhelming. The Acer Iconia tab is $300, Asus Eee Pad transformer TF101 as cheap as $250, the new Samsung Galaxy tab 2 7.0 is also $250, while first generation tablets like the Motorola xoom are way cheaper. Notice I’ve given the prices in dollars and not in shillings. This is because those tablets are hard to find locally despite being that cheap. The dealers that have them sell them expensively. I came across the Asus transformer TF101 selling for KShs. 45,000 yet the figure given above is about KShs. 21000.

Don’t frown, we still have good deals. The second generation Galaxy tablets like the Samsung Galaxy tab 10.1, Galaxy tab 8.9 are available on shops such as Safaricom. The more advanced Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is also available for around KShs. 40,000. The blackberry playbook is not the coolest tablet but good enough and is also available.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus

If you need to save on cost then second hand deals are also good since I’ve come across a number. The Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus can be found at around KShs. 30,000 which is a good deal. For the same price you can also get the first iPad. I’ve also seen the iPad 2 selling for around KShs. 40,000. Just make use of sites like dealfish but be careful of scams. And also if you could, buy them abroad.

The New iPad or just iPad 3

It’s only a matter of time and soon tablets will hit the KShs. 20,000 mark. Tablets may never get to replace our computers but they will always have a special place. Already they are replacing books and being used in flight control checks.