ACER ICONIA TAB A110

       Acer has come up with a new budget tablet which is rumored to be priced at 199$. When it was announced by Acer they said it would run Android 4.0 icecream sandwich but now there are some rumours about Android 4.1 jelly bean running the show. Acer Iconia A110 packs a 1.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad core processor and a 1 GB RAM. Its main rival is the Google’s own tablet Nexus 7. Unlike Nexus 7 this tablet provides a micro SD slot and HDMI out. So this could be a serious competitor to the Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. The launch of this tablet is expected to be in October this year.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Android 4.0 icecream sandwich (rumour says jelly bean)
*  1.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  7” display
*  1024 x 600 screen resolution
*  Memory: internal 8 GB and expandable upto 32 GB
*  Camera: 2 MP front and no rear camera
*  3420 mAh battery
*  Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass
*  Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, micro USB, Bluetooth 3.0, micro HDMI, GPS

       At this time more details are not available. But surely this will be a great competitor in the 7” market. Most of the customers who were disappointed with the absence of expansion slot and HDMI out in Nexus 7 will be happy to see this new tablet. But screen resolution and ppi are lesser than Nexus 7 and sometimes battery life also will be a problem. But enough with the assumptions, let’s see more about this tablet when it actually arrives in the market. We will be back with the detailed review soon…  

                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                          

ARCHOS 97 CARBON - $250 (Rs.13000)

       Archos has unveiled its new android tablet for its new ‘Element series’ named Archos 97 carbon. It comes with a 9.7” IPS display and is priced just above the 16 GB Nexus 7. This comes with android icecream sandwich rather than android 4.1 jellybean which its rival Nexus 7 is packed with. From the price it is clear that it is a budget tablet but yet it offers a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 and has an aluminium finish. It is packed with a 1 GHz single core processor and 1 GB RAM. The device also provides a full size USB port and mini HDMI out port. Archos 97 carbon also comes with full google certification. Archos has given a pretty good start with its new ‘Element series’.

ARCHOS 97 CARBON
[Image Source : www.archos.com]

SPECIFICATIONS:
*Android 4.0 icecream sandwich OS
*1 GHz single core processor
*1 GB RAM
*9.7” IPS display
*1024 x 768 screen resolution
*Memory: 16 GB internal and expandable upto 32 GB
*Camera: 2 MP rear and 0.3 MP front
*Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, micro USB, mini HDMI, GPS

PROS:
*Good processing speed and RAM
*Low price
*9.7” screen
*USB and HDMI out present
*Good build quality with aluminium finish

CONS:
*Pixel density of screen is low
*Single core processor
*Low resolution camera
*Could have been come with jellybean OS

        For a tablet in this price range Archos has really done a good job with 97 Carbon. It gives us all the features and also has a bigger screen and a good aluminum finish rather than plastic finish in other low budget tablets. But the single core processor is a bit disappointing. Its main rival is clearly Nexus 7 which packs a quad core 1.3 GHz processor and comes with android 4.1 jellybean. With all these features can Archos 97 carbon outshine Google’s Nexus 7? Let’s wait and see..

ASUS TRANSFORMER PAD INFINITY TF700 - $500 (Rs.28000)

Asus Transformer Pad Infinity
[Image source : www.asus.com] 

       Asus had added yet another member to their Transformer series of tablets. Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 looks very similar to its predecessor Transformer Prime with only small changes. Thickness has increased very slightly and there is also a small change in the back cover. But is there any need for Transformer Prime users to upgrade? Well let’s see about that, TF700 has a sharper screen resolution than the Prime, that is, 1920 x 1200 to be exact and processing speed has now become 1.6 GHz from the existing 1.3 GHz of Prime. TF700 has the same 8 MP camera as that of the Prime with a LED flash. Signal reception problem in Prime is also not present in the case of TF300. RAM is still 1 GB but now it is DDR3. Overall when you consider TF300 it is one of the best 10” android tablets in the market today.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*  Android 4.0.3 icecream sandwich OS

*  1.6 GHz Tegra 3 quad core processor

*  1 GB DDR3 RAM

*  10.1” S-IPS, LED backlit display

*  1920 x 1200 screen resolution

*  Memory: 32 or 64 GB and can be expanded using micro SD

*  Camera: 8 MP rear with LED flash and 2 MP front

*  25 Wh battery and 19.5 Wh battery in keyboard dock (should be bought extra)

*  Wi-Fi, GPS, micro HDMI, Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0

*  Sensors: Gravity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Gyro sensor, Digital compass

PROS:

*  High resolution display

*  Good camera

*  Good quad core performance

*  Smooth gaming

*  Long battery life

CONS:

*  Distorted display when touch pressure is increased

*  Less apps for this greater resolution

*  Some performance problems

       Even if TF700 is a quad core tablet there is some performance issues, but it does not happen too often. However we do not want any lag for a 500$ tablet. So is an upgrade from Transformer Prime to TF700 necessary? If you want a sharper and crisp display and a greater processor speed then you can go for TF700. But if you are after display then don’t forget the ipad with retina display. You can also consider Acer iconia A700 which is 50$ less than TF300 and almost has the same hardware under the hood. In summary, if you are after a 10” android tablet with good performance and gaming then keep this tablet in your mind.

LG OPTIMUS 4X HD - $700 (Rs.34000)

LG Optimus 4X

      LG is finally back in the smartphone market with its Optimus 4X to compete for the quad core crown which now rests with Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X. Optimus 4X is a huge phone having a square shape and has a 4.7” HD screen. Build quality is very good but definitely it is not a competitor to the HTC One X which has a stunning polycarbonate body. It has a 1.5 GHz Tegra 3 quad core processor and 1 GB RAM under the hood. The back portion of Optimus 4X is textured and thus easy to grip in our hands. There is 8 MP camera with a single LED flash and 1.2 MP front camera. LG has done a good work with its True IPS HD display but not good enough to compete with HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S3. With the great hardware specs there is no lag or other problems thanks to the Tegra 3 chip. It has a 2150 mAh battery but the battery life was not so good. Another problem is with the speaker which has a very low sound output. It means that you can listen to the phone speakers only in quiet places. But considering other facts LG Optimus 4X is a cool smartphone a great hardware and awesome performance.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*   Android 4.0.3 icecream sandwich OS

*   1.5 GHz quad core Tegra 3 processor

*   1 GB RAM

*   4.7” True IPS HD display

*   1280 x 720 screen resolution

*   Memory: 16 GB internal and expandable upto 32 GB

*   Camera: 8 MP rear with single LED flash and 1.2 MP front

*   2150 mAh battery

*   Sensors: Ambient light, proximity, compass, accelerometer, gyroscope

*   Wi-Fi, GPS, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0

      LG has really made a great leap by introducing Optimus 4X. But if this phone was introduced a few months ago this would have been a huge success in the market. We have already seen HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S3 which are the winners in the quad core phones. Optimus 4X is priced slightly below them but the screen is not good as the other two and speakers are also not loud enough. Heavy users would also want to carry the charger with them always but for average users it will last for one day. In summary, LG has at last got everything right with this cracking handset. This may not be the best in the market but it will surely find a spot near top android phones.

SONY TABLET S - $400 (Rs.22000)

SONY TABLET S [Image Source : www.sony.co.in]

        Sony entered the tablet field very recently and to catch everyone’s attention all their tablets are uniquely designed. Sony tablet S looks like an open magazine. Due to this unique design this tablet is comfortable to hold and dimpled textured surface makes it easy to grip also. So in the case of comfortably holding a tablet with one hand doing all the works there is no competition to this one. But due to this reason thickness has also increased. Its specifications are similar to its rivals and will not disappoint you. This is the first tablet to get PlayStation certificate and there are many apps designed by Sony also.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Android 3.2 honeycomb OS
*  1 GHz Tegra 2 dual core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  9.4” display
*  1280 x 800 screen resolution
*  16 and 32 GB variants (expandable memory)
*  Camera: 5 MP back and 0.3 MP front
*  5000 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, micro USB, Bluetooth, GPS

PROS:
*  Nice design
*  Very easy to hold and has a good grip
*  PlayStation certificate, Universal remote
*  Good display

CONS:
*  No HDMI
*  Apps are less
*  Charging adaptor is proprietary
*  Does not have 3G

             When we compare Sony tablet S with its rivals it has its own unique features. It has got a good design but does not look so thin. It’s pretty good on the hardware side and performance is good too. But android honeycomb is not at all user friendly as before. Anyway if you are an android fan you will not be disappointed with Sony tablet S. But on the other side if you are considering ipad 2 also then it’s a better option than this.

GALAXY TAB 2 310 7” - $250 (Rs.19000)

    
       Samsung has come up again with a new 7” tablet for medium range customers. It comes with 1 GHz processor and 1 GB RAM and also has android 4.10 icecream sandwich as its OS. It is mostly made of plastic but it has a premium feel and back portion is finger print resistant. Its main rival is the Amazon Kindle Fire which currently rules the 7” segment and also priced much lower. Samsung has really tried to add many features to the new tab and considering the price tag you will not get any good tablet than this with android ics. It has also got sim slot which is rarely seen in tablets. If there is any downside to it then it is the poor quality of camera. However with all the new nice features and the updates OS tab 2 310 is definitely an awesome tablet.

SPECIFICATIONS:

GALAXY TAB 2 310 [Image source: www.samsung.com]

*  Android 4.0 icecream sandwich OS
*  1 GHz dual core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  7” PLS TFT display
*  1024 x 600 screen resolution
*  Memory: 16 GB internal and expandable upto 32 GB
*  Camera: 3 MP rear and 0.3 MP front
*  4000 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth 3.0, USB, GPS

PROS:
*  Comes with android 4.0 ics
*  Good performance
*  Nice design and look
*  Can be used as universal remote
*  Good battery life
*Has sim card slot

CONS:
*  Camera quality is not good
*  No USB charging

       
       At the given price range Galaxy tab 2 310 is one pf the best. It provides a good performance and is reliable. But many users will find Amazon’s Kindle Fire better than this tablet with a lower price tag. But if you are looking for a 3G tablet which is portable and having android ics then this is definitely your buy.

GOOGLE NEXUS 7 - $200(Rs.11000) – 8 GB, $250 (Rs.13750) – 16 GB

       Finally Google decided to step out to the market directly to challenge all its rivals with the introduction of Nexus 7. The much awaited Tablet PC is manufactured by Asus. It is a low cost tablet with the features which are way ahead of its price. Nexus 7 is also the first device to come out with android 4.1 Jellybean. It has a 1 GHz Tegra 3 processor and 1 GB RAM. It is mostly made of plastic but it feels like a premium product in our hands. 8 GB and 16 GB models are available, but an expansion slot is not provided. Some users will find this irritating. Unlike Amazon Google has created an awesome low cost tablet without sacrificing many features. Anyway with the arrival of Nexus 7 Google has definitely made a good stand in the market.

Google Nexus 7 [Image Source:  www.google.com/nexus]

SPECIFICATIONS
*  Android 4.1 Jellybean OS
*  1 GHz Tegra 3 quad core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  7” Backlit IPS HD display
*  1280 x 800 screen resolution
*  8 GB or 16 GB internal memory available
*  Camera: 1.2 MP front and no rear
*  4325 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, micro USB. NFC, GPS
*  Sensors: Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Gyroscope

PROS:
*  First device with android 4.1 Jellybean
*  Premium design and feel
*  Quad core Tegra 3 processor
*  Beautiful, crisp and responsive screen
*  Low price
*  NFC support
*  Very good performance

CONS:
*  Storage option limited
*  No HDMI out
*  No 3G

     Google Nexus 7 is really a game changer in the 7” tablet segment. Nexus is a rival mainly to Amazon Kindle Fire. But many high priced tablets are also challenged by thus tablet. The only disadvantage that bothers the users is the limitation of storage space. But if you consider the price at which it is offered you will not mind it at all. Without any doubt we can easily say that Nexus 7 is the best 7 incher available in the tablet at present. So if you want a 7” tablet you can definitely choose Nexus 7 without any further concerns.

LENOVO THINKPAD - starts at $430 (Rs.29500)

          ThinkPad was introduced by Lenovo after the ideapad. It is a tablet which offers many features to IT based business people and has a stylus also. It’s a bit bulky and its dimensions are larger than the other similar tablets. It’s very much improved from the previous tablet ideapad but its performance is not good when compared to other tablets in the same price range. The main attraction is the pen which can be used to input data into the tablet. But the handwriting recognition is not so optimized for regular use. It has a 1 GHz dual core processor with 1 GB RAM and works with Android 3.2 honeycomb OS. Anyway Lenovo tries to impress the business class with the introduction of thinkpad.

LENOVO THINKPAD [Image Source: www.lenovo.com]

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Android 3.2 honeycomb (upgrade to android 4.0 ics coming soon)
*  1 GHz dual core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  10.1” display
*  1280 x 800 screen resolution
*  Memory: 16 GB internal, expansion slot present
*  Camera: 5 MP rear and 2 MP front
*  3250 mAh battery
*  Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Gyro sensor
*  Wi-Fi, USB, mini HDMI, Bluetooth 2.0

PROS:
*  Many business features for IT employees
*  Pen input is present
*  Can play 1080p videos

CONS:
*  Screen is not so responsive
*  Occasional sluggish performance
*  Bulky design
*  Handwriting recognition is not so good
*  Hardware buttons are hard to press
*  Highly priced

        Lenovo’s thinkpad was introduced to attract the business class but it seems that it will not meet the required expectations. Thinkpad is advanced when compared to its first tablet but it cannot compete with other good tablets in the market. So if you want a tablet that has got pen input then thinkpad is definitely your buy because there are not many tablets with that feature out there. But if u want a tablet with good performance and awesome looks then you may not want to spend your money on this one.

iBALL SLIDE i7011 - $200 (Rs.12000)

iBall Slide i7011 [Image Source : www.iballslide.com]

           iball Slide is another low budget tablet which was introduced with 1 GHz processor and an android gingerbread OS. It is mainly made of plastic and has metal side casing. It is a 7” tablet with all features such as mini HDMI, USB, Bluetooth etc. It’s got enough hardware to play full HD videos flawlessly. But the tablet sometimes shows lagging and capacitive screen is not so fun to use. Audio quality of the slide is also not so good. But considering the price range Slide is promising.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Android 2.3 gingerbread OS
*  1 GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor
*  512 MB RAM
*  Memory: 8 GB internal, expandable upto 32 GB
*  7” display
*  800 x 480 screen resolution
*  Camera: 2 MP rear and VGA front
*  4400 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, mini HDMI, USB

PROS:

*  Good design
*  Android 3.2 honeycomb similar User Interface
*  Has mini HDMI and USB
*  Comes with many preloaded apps

CONS:
*  Lagging is experienced sometimes
*  Touch screen response not so good
*  Does not support PDF files
*  Casing made with plastic

        
         Slide is a low budget tablet with a good hardware under the hood but the performance was not seen upto the expectation. USB on the go is really a good advantage but the absence of sim slot forces the user to buy USB dongle for internet access other than Wi-Fi. The touch screen was also not so smooth to use. So overall if you consider the tablets in the market you will get better tablets for the same price.

KINDLE FIRE - $200 (Rs 13000)

Kindle Fire [Image source: www.amazon.com]

        With the introduction Kindle fire Amazon has definitely attracted many people around the world who were looking for a low budget tablet but with all facilities. Amazon has done exceptionally well about the Kindle fire. It is a 7” tablet which integrates Amazons awesome collection of music, video, books and magazine services into a single package. Apps will not be present as in android market but you can always rely upon Amazon who prefers quality over quantity. When we consider the display quality it is so great than many other highly priced tablets. But anyway due to the very low price it lacks many features such as 3G, Bluetooth, camera, GPS. One of the main problems is the absence of expansion slot and internal memory is just 8 GB. Overall Kindle fire provides outstanding value for money.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Android 2.3 gingerbread OS
*  1 GHz dual core processor
*  512 MB RAM
*  7” display
*  1024 x 600 screen resolution
*  8 GB internal memory (No expansion slot)
*  No camera
*  Wi-Fi, micro USB
*  Battery life: 8 hours
*  Preloaded apps: Email, Amazon silk browser
*  Supported text formats: AZW, PRC (Mobipocket), PDF, DOC, TXT, DOCX

PROS:
*  Ultra affordable price
*  Awesome screen quality in this range
*  Solid build quality
*  Access to Amazon’s large media
*  Amazon also offers cloud drive service

CONS:
*  No google play access
*  Only 8 GB internal memory and no expansion slot
*  No 3G, Bluetooth
*  Apps are less
*  Occasional sluggish performance
*  Amazon prime subscription is needed to fully utilize the Kindle fire

           Kindle fire is a perfect tablet for low budget customers with great value for money. It feels good in hand and also looks good. It wins over many tablets which are priced higher but when we compare it with high end tablets we can see the difference. Its performance is sometimes slow, it has no 3G, Bluetooth and its memory is limited. The absence of google play access is a huge disadvantage. High end tablets has many other features than Kindle and performance is also better but you should keep the fact in mind that these tablets are priced 3 or 4 times Kindle’s cost! All in all its not as perfect as an ipad but it’s definitely worth buying.

SONY TABLET P - $560 (Rs. 32000)

SONY TABLET P [Image source : www.sony.co.in]

            Sony tablet P is a dual screen tablet which runs on android 3.2 honeycomb. Since it is a foldable tablet it can be easily carried and even be crammed into jeans pocket. This tablet comes with Wi-Fi and it also has 3G connectivity. It’s both screens are 5.5 inches each. The bottom part of tablet is pointed and does not feel good while holding for a long time. We can use the top display alone or we can use both top and bottom displays. But the huge drawback is the screens themselves. There is a giant gap between 2 screens and this is definitely annoying. It completely breaks the continuity of the page. Another drawback is the speaker which is not loud enough. Actually most of the android apps are not optimized for working in this screen, so we get a poor experience.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*  Android 3.2 honeycomb OS (can be updated to android 4.0 ics)
*  1 GHz Tegra 2 dual core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  11” display (two 5.5” displays)
*  1024 x 480 screen resolution
*  4 GB internal memory (expandable upto 32 GB)
*  Camera: 5 MP rear and 0.3 MP front
*  3080 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, 3G, micro USB, GPS
*  Sensors: accelerometer, gyro, compass

PROS:

*  Light and compact
*  Can play PS1 games
*  Good processor performance
*  New dual screen display

CONS:
*  Most android apps works poorly in dual screens
*  Wi-Fi experience not good
*  The giant gap between two screens is a great disappointment
*  Pointed corners of the device make it hard to use

                Sony has surely introduced a unique tablet into the market. Its new folding design makes it easy to carry and use. Its dual screens provide a good online experience but watching movies will not be entertaining. PS1 games can be played in this but still it’s not so good. To make things worse it is also priced high. Considering this price range you will easily get many other good tablets even below this. But if you want to try something unique and easy to carry then you can go for Sony tablet P.

Microsoft launches Surface tablets

Microsoft launches Surface Tablets. [Image Source : www.microsoft.com]

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on 18 June,2012 unveiled Surface Tablets at Hollywood's Milk Studios , Los Angels. Panos Panay is the general manager of the Microsoft Surface. The Surface tablet will run on Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8 operating system. It has a 10.6-inch (27cm) screen and comes in 32GB and 64GB variant memory sizes. Surface is a 9.3mm thick tablet which weighs under 1.5 pounds. It comes with a kickstand to hold it upright and the keyboard is part of the device's cover. Microsoft is expecting a strong position in Tablet market by introducing the Surface Tablet. The Surface Tablets are expected to compete with the Apple iPad . Microsoft is also planning to introduce Ultrabook which runs on Intel Corp chips in the near future. Ultabooks also arrives in the heavy tablet segment.

Go to the Official Review.
http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en/us/default.aspx

BLACKBERRY PLAYBOOK -$250 (Rs 13500)

                Playbook was first introduced into the market at a price of $500 but the tablet didn’t gain much attention and later its price was dropped to half its original price. It runs on playbook OS 2.0 and has 1 GHz dual core processor and 1 GB RAM. It is available in 16, 32 and 64 GB models. Actually this is a tablet which is very much suitable for business men. There are many business oriented apps and features such as spreadsheet work very well in this device. The power button is not placed rightly and pressing it is difficult. The other great thing is that this tablet may be considered the best in multitasking. There is also a feature called Blackberry Bridge to connect blackberry Smartphone with this tablet. But the less number of apps is a downside. But for the price mentioned it is actually a pretty good deal.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Blackberry Playbook OS 2.0
*  1 GHz dual core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  16, 32 and 64 GB versions available
*  7” display
*  1024 x 600 screen resolution
*  Camera: 5 mp rear and 3 MP front
*  Wi-Fi, micro USB, micro HDMI, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1
*  5300 mAh battery

PROS:
*  Advanced multitasking
*  Fast dual core processor and solid hardware
*   Secure email
*  Good business tablet
*  Blackberry Bridge

CONS:
*  Lack of apps
*  Does not support Blackberry Messenger
*  No 3G
*  Can be fully utilized only if you have Blackberry Smartphone
*  Power button is very difficult to press
            Blackberry Playbook is really a solid business tablet. If you buy this tablet you will not be disappointed with its performance but soon you will realize the lack of apps. But the RIM is working very hard with the apps section and updates for playbook is coming every day. If you want a tablet with lot of apps and games to play then this is not your tablet. But who knows whether android apps will be compatible in the near future.!

Tablets supporting 23 Indian languages launched

Wishtel, a Mumbai-based company, on March 25,2012 launched a 7-inch Android tablet of its kind which supports 23 Indian languages. The company launched two versions namely 'Ira' and 'Ira Thing' with a few differences in specifications. The only considerable difference between these two versions is that Ira has Resistive touch screen and Ira Thing has got Capacitance touch screen. These tablets are launched targeting middle class customers with affordable prices. Ira is available at Rs. 4,000 and Ira Thing is available at Rs. 5,500. 

India's First CDMA Android Tablet Launched

                One of India's Telecom majors, Reliance Communications, on March 12,2012 launched country's first CDMA tablet. Dubbed Reliance CDMA Tab, the slate is available for Rs. 12.999 ($260 or 200 EUR). The 7-inch capacitive touch screen Tab with Android 2.3 OS comes with a 512 MB RAM and micro SD external storage. Weighing 397 gram, it has a 2 MP rear camera and a front camera. The company, which launched 3G Tab in 2011, is offering a free 4GB SD card with the CDMA version. THe device supports up to 32GB storage. The CDMA tab was launched in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune.

ACER ICONIA A500 - $450 (Rs 22000)

            Iconia A500 comes with android 3.2 which can be updated to android 4.0 ics. It comes with front and rear cameras and also has full USB port and HDMI out. It was released as a competitor to Motorola xoom and Asus transformer pad. It has a surprisingly good LCD screen and speakers. But it is bulkier than its rivals. This tab comes with Nvidia Tegra 2 1 GHz dual core processor and 1 GB RAM. At this price this tablet is definitely a good buy.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Android 3.2 honeycomb (can be upgraded to android 4.0 ics)
*  Nvidia Tegra 2, 1 GHz dual core processor
*  1 GB DDR2 RAM
*  16 GB internal memory, expandable upto 32 GB
*  10.1” display
*  1280 x 800 screen resolution
*  Camera: 5 MP rear with LED flash and 2 MP front
*  3260 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, USB, HDMI, GPS
* Sensors: Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Three-axis gyro sensor, Digital compass

PROS:
*  Very good LCD screen and speakers
*  Reasonable price
*  Solid build quality
*  Has front and rear cameras
*  Has full sized USB and HDMI

CONS:
*  It is thick and bulky
*  Less native software
*  Battery life below average
*  Some minor crash issues
*  Does not come preloaded with android 4.0 ics

          Acer iconia A500 is overall a good tablet with lot of nice features. It also comes with a reasonable price. But the honeycomb feels like unfinished version. However since it can be upgraded to android ics, it will not be a problem. Bulkiness of this tablet is also a downside. Considering the given price range, ASUS’ EEE Pad Transformer is a good deal than the iconia A500. Anyway you will not be displeased with the performance of iconia A500 once you buy it. But don’t forget to carry the charger with you always.

MOTOROLA XOOM - $449 (Rs 22500)

MOTOROLA XOOM with WiFi. [Image Source : www.motorola.com]

        Motorola xoom was first introduced to the market a huge price of $799. It was one of the first tablets to make use of android 3.2 honeycomb. But it was not so attracted due its price. However its price now dropped to $499 and it can also updated to android 4.0 icecream sandwich. It also comes with 4G LTE connectivity. It has front and back cameras and has 1GHz processor with 1 GB RAM. Xoom was one of the first tablets that had the capability to compete with ipad.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*  Android 3.2 honeycomb (can be upgraded to android 4.0 ics)
*  Nvidia Tegra 2, 1 GHz processor
*   1 GB DDR2 RAM
*  10.1” display
*  1280 x 800 screen resolution
*  32 GB internal memory, expandable upto 32 GB
*  Camera: 5 MP rear with dual LED flash and 2 MP front
*  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, USB 2.0, HDMI, micro USB, GPS
*  24 Wh battery
*  Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light, barometer, gyroscope

PROS:
*  More powerful and capable and can be alternative to ipad
*  Has 4G LTE connectivity
*  Rear and front cameras
*Good sleek design
*Great multitasking

CONS:

*  There are some problems with hardware buttons
*  Native apps are very less
*  Honeycomb feels buggy and unfinished

       The honeycomb OS was actually introduced for tablets but it felt unfinished and was a little buggy. However it can be upgraded to android 4.0 ics. Motorola xoom with its great performance is surely a good rival to ipad. But with the introduction of new ipad, apple has taken a giant step. The availability of 4G LTE is also awesome. Overall xoom is a very good buy for the price at which this is available.

MICROMAX FUNBOOK - $120 (Rs 6400)

        Micromax funtab is one of the cheapest tablets available in the market. It runs on android ics and has 1.2 GHz processor. It has very good specs considering its price. Like all low budget tablets its body is plastic built and its screen is a bit disappointing. It also has hardware buttons which was not actually needed since it runs on android 4.0. It has the capability to play 1080p videos and its pretty smooth. Anyway for a low budget tablet Micromax funbook looks pretty nice.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*  Android 4.0 icecream sandwich OS
*  1.2 GHz cortex A8 processor
*  512 MB RAM
*  Dual Mali -400 2D/3D GPU for Multimedia Processing
*  7” display
*  800 x 480 screen resolution
*  4 GB internal memory and expandable upto 32 GB
*  Camera: 0.3 MP front and no rear camera
*  2800 mAh battery
*  Mini USB, HDMI ports
*  Wi-Fi, 3G via USB dongle
*  Sensors: Gravity sensor, Accelerator sensor
*  Preloaded apps: Read/edit any docs on the go, zip files, text editor, Adobe PDF, Adobe Flash, Youtube…

PROS:
*  Low price
*  Can play 1080p videos
*  Has HDMI port
*  Very slim design
*  Has a good processor

CONS:
*  Touch screen performance is not good
*  Screen is susceptible to glare
*  Poor user experience

         Micromax funbook is a good buy considering its price tag. It has android 4.0, 1.2GHz processor and can also play 1080p videos which are pretty good in this range. But its screen is of sub standard and you will not have a good time using it. But for anyone who is looking for a new tablet at a very low budget this can be considered.

THE NEW IPAD - $500(16GB), $629(4G) (starts at Rs 30500)

       The new ipad comes with a crystal crisp retina display which no other device have in the entire earth and its A5X processor brings quad core graphics. With a good camera, 4G LTE connectivity this is now considered the best tablet in the market. Once you get a look at the retina display of the new ipad then you cannot get back to any others! But 4G LTE version is a little overpriced. The new ipad has also become thicker than ipad2 and has also gained extra go grams.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*  Apple iOS 5.1 OS

*  Apple A5X dual core 1 GHz processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  9.7” display with IPS technology
*  2048 x 1536 screen resolution (retina display)
*  16,32,64 GB internal memories
*  5 MP rear camera, VGA front camera, HD video recording
*  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 (4G for higher end models)
*  42.5 Wh battery
*  Sensors: Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor
*  Audio formats supported: HE-AAC (V1 and V2), AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4, Audible Enhanced Audio,AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV

*  Video formats supported: H.264 video up to 1080p, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats;Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format

PROS:
*  Super retina display
*  High performance processor
*  Simple user interface
*  Oleophobic scratchproof glass
*  Has 4G LTE connectivity and Bluetooth 4.0
*  Has speech recognition
*  Good build quality and premium design

CONS:
*  Can overheat
*  No expandable memory
*  No USB port
*  Thicker than ipad2
*  Highly priced
*  No Adobe Flash support
*  No HDMI video output
       The new ipad is an astonishing device with a variety of new features. Its retina display and A5X processor will attract everyone. But one must consider the downsides also. It has many disadvantages than the tablets in the same price range or below it. Also Apple has its own limited environment to work on unlike Google’s open platform. But anyway if you buy the new ipad you will never regret buying this. If you have 500$ then you can definitely go for the new ipad.

HCL ME U1 - $160 (Rs 8000)

  This is one of the low budget tablets launched by HCL. It works on the latest version of android and gives good value for money. HCL ME U1 provides almost all facilities for low price. It has a 1 GHz processor and 512 MB RAM. Since it is running on android 4.0 there are no hardware buttons also. But non availability of google play is a downside.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*   Android 4.0 icecream sandwich OS
*   Processor : Cortex A8 1GHz
*   512 MB DDR3 RAM
*   4 GB internal memory, expandable upto 32GB
*   Camera: Front 0.3 MP and no rear camera
*   7” display*    480 x 800 screen resolution
*   USB port and mini USB port
*   3600 mAh battery
*   Wi-Fi and 3G(via USB dongle)
*   Sensors: Inbuilt 3-axis Orientation, Motion Detection Sensor
*   Full HD playback
*   Document Support: Document Viewer , Document Editor

PROS:
*  Good build quality

*   Runs on android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwitch
*   Low cost
*   No hardware buttons

CONS:
*   No google play (but can be installed by rooting the tablet)
*   No rear camera 

*  Overall sluggish performance
*   Below average sound output
       HCL ME U1 is a good looking tablet and its 7” capacitive touch screen is very sensitive to use. It has many features considering it price range. Although it has a 512 MB RAM its performance shows lag and fatigue. The pure white colour and the absence of hardware buttons distinguish it from the other low budget tablets. But many users who bought this tab are complaining about its performance. Overall it is a nice tablet at this price.TECHNO STREET suggest this tablet for normal users who are concerned about the price.Its worth buying for those customers as its performance is more than we pay for.