If it were ever time for another Android tablet with a thin frame and a 10.1-inch display, it’s now, and it’s Huawei who’s bringing this device into the world. Huawei makes a valiant effort at creating a tablet with the MediaPad 10 FHD, and it does indeed bring on an impressive package, especially for media playback. If you’re looking for the most massively impressive tablet on the market – this isn’t it – but if you do have this device on your radar and wonder if it’s worth the cash, let me give you a spoiler: it’s definitely nice to watch a movie on, but that’s just about where it ends.
Hardware
The 10.1-inch display on this device has 1920 x 1200 pixels and a 16:10 aspect ratio. The tablet is 8.8mm thin and weighs 580g – that’s just a bit heavier than it it seems like it should be given the aesthetics of the device. This just means that the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, which is 20g heavier than the MediaPad, seems light simply because it’s got plastic on the outside, giant-looking speakers on the front, and a pen built-in. The MediaPad 10 FHD on the other hand does too good a job of hiding it all – but the speakers can certainly be heard loud and clear.
The speakers on this device are nice – Dolby Surround Sound back them up and you do indeed get some impressive blasts when you hold the device the right way or have it propped up with a stand or up against a wall. What I mean is that, like the rest of the past generation of tablets out there, the speakers on this unit are facing the back. Even though we would like them to face the front, they still sound nicer than the vast majority of the smart devices out there – and that includes smartphones.
This device is available in 8, 16, or 32GB internal memory configurations – there’s no microSD slot, so choose wisely on that internal number right out of the box. The battery is 6600 mAh large, you’ll be connecting to the device for charging with a unique port at the bottom. The bottom of this tablet also shows a couple of ports that allow for the keyboard accessory which – sadly – we have not worked with at this time.
The display on this device is relatively sharp at 1920 x 1200 pixels, that placing the pixel density at 224 PPI, well below the iPad 4th gen’s 263.92 PPI and in a different league compared to the Google Nexus 10 which has 300 PPI. If you’ve seen neither of these tablets up close and personal before, you’ll find the MediaTab FHD to be rather bright and sharp.
The tablet is not unlike many, many other high-end tablets on the market right this minute, coming rather close to the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in its appearance and feel – it’s as if Huawei has taken a dash of Apple metal-love and placed it in a mixing pot with the Galaxy Tab 10.1, and out popped the MediaPad we’re looking at today.
Software and Performance
The Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich you see here is ever-so-slightly modified beyond its vanilla state. It’s not the abilities you’ll have added, but the slight side-steps you’ll be taking that really show you where Huawei was going with the user interface here. One example is the complete absence of an apps drawer – you’ll have everything out in the open here like MIUI or iOS rather than home screens and an app drawer separate.
There are also some slight changes in your standard settings in how you’ll be able to work with your device, but nothing to absolutely write home about. This device is not made to be competing directly with the US market for tablet dominance, so it’s not difficult to see why Huawei wouldn’t push too hard on the features list, especially in the software. You can play movies you’ve downloaded or transferred to the tablet with the standard movie playing app, you can play some MP3s if you wish, or you can straight up rely on Google’s suite of media-playing apps, which certainly is a viable option with Google’s family as mature as it is at the moment.
Above you’re seeing the Huawei MediaPad 10 FHD next to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and a 3rd generation iPad with Retina display. They don’t look or feel all that different from one another when they’ve got their displays turned off, that’s for sure. See if you can name each tablet by their corners and edges!
Then have a peek at a few benchmarks taking note that this tablet works with Huawei’s own quad-core processor (quad-core 1.4GHz Cortex-A9 to be exact) but doesn’t quite beat out the competition in a standardized competition. You’ll be able to run many high-powered applications here but don’t expect much more power than you had with your NVIDIA Tegra 2 tablet – don’t be fooled by a simple addition of a couple cores to the name. Have a peek once more at the hands-on video above to see how well it does in everyday switching between apps and you’ll see the truth.
Camera and Battery
This device works essentially as well as the rest of the top-tier Android universe as far as battery life goes, with a massive 6600mAh battery under the hood to keep you up all night. What happens with a tablet – unless you carry it with you all day long – is that you leave it asleep for the major part of your day. When you do this, the machine gets a relatively unfair advantage over the smartphone you’ve got in your pocket as far as battery life goes because it’s not getting punched in the gut all day long with mobile data. It’s true too with this Huawei tablet: because you’re not prone to using it all day long, you’ll be getting several days of battery life if you use it regularly (or 26 days if you don’t use it at all). If you’re a heavy user, expect as short a battery life as 8 hours.
The camera is OK, certainly nothing to write home about. It’s utterly blown away by competitors such as the HTC Jetstream and the Google Nexus 10 tablet from Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1‘s camera takes the Huawei MediaPad 10 FHD to the cleaners even though the Note has 5 megapixels under the hood and the MediaPad has 8 – food for thought. The video it captures, on the other hand, is fairly nice.
Wrap-up
This device is a rather nice addition to the Android tablet universe, and certainly offers up a unique option where otherwise you’d be handling either a Samsung tablet or going over to Apple for an iPad. If you’re thinking about grabbing the highest quality Android tablet on the market today, I would still personally point you toward the Galaxy Note 10.1 simply due to its much more well-rounded ecosystem and matured device family. [See: “Smart Device specs are over, long live the ecosystem” column for more information.]
If on the other hand you want to take a fresh look at the Android tablet and don’t mind that your device looks strikingly similar to an original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Huawei is here to back you up. The speaker system is strong, the display is fairly nice, and you’ll definitely be the only one on your block with this tablet, guaranteed. The cost of this device for anyone outside of China will certainly be prohibitive at $600 USD or more, on the other hand, so unless you can get this machine for next-to-nothing, you’ll be better off skipping it and waiting for Huawei to present a more complete package – and a wider release, to boot.
Tablets, tablets, tablets. Everybody’s making them these days, but it seems that only a select few are truly worthy of being taken home. Lenovo has a pair of new IdeaTabs on the market, and with them, the company is ready to vie for both your attention and your dollar. We reviewed the IdeaTab A2109 a little while back, but today it’s all about the IdeaTab S2110A. Is it worth the purchase price, or does is leave us feeling a little let down? Read on to find out.
Design and Build Quality
I have to say, the IdeaTab S2110A looks pretty great. It’s really thin – we’re talking 0.34” – and pretty lightweight to boot. With a weight that sits right around 1 pound, 4 ounces, this 10-incher feels pretty good in the hand, if not a little on the delicate side. It doesn’t feel like it can take a lot of abuse, so if you pick one up, be sure to treat it gently, otherwise it may not be long before you’re flushing your investment down the drain.
Lenovo has opted to go for something of a simplistic design with the S2110, as there aren’t any face buttons. It’s just the 10-inch screen, a black bezel that surrounds the whole thing, and a silver Lenovo logo underneath. On the top (assuming you’re holding the tablet in landscape orientation) is the power button and microphone. On the left side there’s a little more to see, as it’s here that you’ll find a mini HDMI port, the headphone jack, and a SIM card slot you can use for mobile data. On the bottom, the mini USB port for charging, data transfer, and docking has taken up residence, while the volume buttons are the only thing of note on the right side.
You’ve got a nice silver trim on the sides, which goes well with the black. On the back you’ll see another Lenovo logo, but aside from that, the textured surface, and the 5MP camera, there’s isn’t much to see back there. The Lenovo S2110A sure does look sleek, and it’s a good choice if you’re looking for a tablet that’s extremely portable.
We’ll get more into the included keyboard dock a little later, but for now let’s talk about it merely in relation to the overall design of the device. The dock matches the color scheme of the tablet, with a gray, black, and silver scheme that looks really nice. When the tablet is plugged into the dock, you’ve got a miniature laptop that still manages to be incredibly thin, so you may find yourself with the dock on hand at all times. In short, the tablet looks great while connected to the dock, but we’ll talk about the quality of the keyboard later on in the review.
Hold on though, because even though the IdeaTab S2110A is a good looking device, it suffers from some sub-par build quality. Hopefully you’re a fan of pressure spots on your LCD, because you’ll get them whether you like them or not. Just causally holding the device can set these pressure spots off, so it isn’t as if you need to be applying a ton of pressure from the back to get the spots to show up on the LCD screen. Some spots of the tablet seem weaker than others, so these pressure spots won’t be appearing everywhere, but still, the fact that they happen at all is no good.
The pressure spots are bad enough, but the S2110A just feels like a cheaply made product. It seems like it wouldn’t take much to damage this thing, so you’ll need to be careful with it if you pick one up. It’s also worth pointing out that my S2110A had a dead pixel out of the box, but that’s a bit more excusable. After all, dead pixels are going to happen from time to time – that’s just a risk you take when you’re buying products with LCD screens. While the dead pixel is a forgivable issue, the overall build quality is not. I would understand poor build quality in a less expensive tablet, but you’ll spend a considerable amount of dough on the S2110A, and for $400 (at the least), I expect much better build quality.
Hardware
As stated above, the IdeaTab S2110A comes with a 10-inch IPS display, which runs at 1280×800 resolution. I was very impressed with the screen on the S2110A, especially after hearing some less-than-stellar things about the screen on A2190. The viewing angles are really something excellent – it takes a lot to get the screen to appear washed out, which is always a good thing. The screen is bright and colorful too, and on-screen visuals are nice and sharp. I would have preferred a better resolution, but as I said, text and images on screen are still sharp (seriously, reading on this thing is a pleasure), so 1280×800 resolution really isn’t much of a problem.
The screen is glossy, which shouldn’t be a surprise considering that matte screens on tablets (or anything else these days, for that matter) are a rare sight. I don’t know if it’s just me, but the S2110A’s screen seems to attract more fingerprints than other, similar displays. It could just be the fact that the lighting on the IdeaTab’s S2110A screen is really good, but with that black color scheme, finger prints are going to stick out. It’s a problem that can be solved easily with a quick wipe-down, but you’ll want to do that frequently – the screen looks too good to have it covered in ugly fingerprints all the time.
The S2110A is running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060A dual-core processor that’s clocked at 1.5GHz, so you’ve got a quick little CPU working under the hood, despite the fact that it’s only a dual-core. The processor is working in tandem with 1GB of RAM, though it might have been a better idea for Lenovo to include 2GB of RAM, just to make the S2110A a bit more fluid. Things can get pretty choppy when transitioning through homescreens and swiping between screens in the settings menu, so know that you’re not going to get an entirely smooth experience if you pick up the S2110A.
You’ve got two internal storage options when it comes to the IdeaTab S2110A: 16GB and 32GB. The model we received for review came with 16GB, and I don’t really have any complaints about that amount of storage. If Lenovo offered an 8GB version of the tablet, you might run into some issues, but 16GB should be more than enough to tide you over for a while. Of course, if you store music or movies on the tablet, you might run out of free space sooner rather than later, but if that happens, the tablet’s dock has a full-size SD slot to take advantage of. It’s important to note that the tablet itself doesn’t have an SD slot to speak of, so if you buy the tablet alone without paying the extra $100 for the dock, the internal memory you have on the S2110A is what you’re stuck with.
The hardware on the S2110A is decent, but there are some things that leave me scratching my head. I’m bummed that you’ll have to purchase the dock to get an SD slot, and even though the hardware is decent, the choppiness is something that will certainly annoy. Still, the hardware this thing comes packing should be able to handle the apps you download from the Google Play Store, and makes the S2110A a tablet that can at least hold its own in the hardware space.
Software
Like most tablets and phones, the IdeaTab S2110A comes with its share of bloatware, and it appears that you can’t uninstall most of it, meaning you’re stuck with the programs whether you like them or not. We’ve got a bunch of card games installed out of the box, including Solitare, Hearts, and Spades, along with rara.com, Papaya Free, and ooVoo. Naturally, all of Google’s apps are there, as are Norton Security and News Republic.
The majority of users probably won’t touch most of those (expect for Google’s stuff), but thankfully, the IdeaTab S2110A comes with some handy apps installed. These include Amazon Kindle, Evernote, Skype, and SugarSync. I was happy to see all of those installed on the IdeaTab S2110A, and I’m sure that a lot of people will appreciate the fact that Evernote and Skype are present from the start.
The IdeaTab S2110A runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but you’re not getting stock Android with this tablet. Lenovo has put its own home screen layout in place with the S2110A and has filled the screens with its own widgets, which I have feeling contributes to the choppiness you’ll undoubtedly experience at points.
I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised, as manufacturers frequently like to add their own touches to the Android operating system, I just don’t think that decision was for the best this time. In any case, after the operating system and the pre-installed apps are accounted for, you have just about 12GB of free space left on the tablet (remember, we were sent the 16GB model to test), so at least Lenovo hasn’t gone as crazy as some manufacturers do with bloatware.
Keyboard Dock
Lenovo is also offering a keyboard dock alongside the IdeaTab S2110A, and I have to say that the whole package looks really nice once the tablet and the dock are attached. The keyboard dock will help improve battery life, and it actually feels like a solid piece of equipment. The tablet feels a little heavier than the keyboard dock, so as a result, your mini notebook will feel a little top heavy at times – something to watch out for so you can make sure your tablet doesn’t take a spill.
The buttons on the keyboard feel really nice, as does the trackpad, though it’s going to take some time to get used to both. At first, the trackpad feels a little too sensitive, and since Lenovo has crammed a keyboard into such a small space, the keys are not only tiny, but they’re pretty close together too. That’s something I struggled with at first, but that may have more to do with my big hands than anything else. Expect to spend a few days getting used to the keyboard before you can really begin typing up a storm while keeping errors to a minimum.
The dock has a mini USB port for charging, accompanied by two full USB ports so you can use to connect a mouse or jump drive (or any other USB device for that matter). It’s here that you’ll also find the aforementioned SD card slot – it’s a full-size slot too, so microSD cards aren’t going to do you any good unless you have an SD adapter. There’s isn’t too much going on as far as ports on the dock are concerned, but considering that there’s already a number of ports and jacks on the tablet, less is more in this case.
Above the row of number keys is a set of hotkeys that allow you to do all sorts of things on your tablet. You can use these keys to turn on wireless, activate Bluetooth, and lock the tablet, which will help limit the number of times you’ll be reaching for the screen. However, the touchscreen still works while the tablet is connected to the dock, so you’ll have the option of using the S2110A’s touch capabilities if you need to.
I really like the way the whole package looks when the tablet is connected to the dock. The tablet actually locks in place once you connect it to the dock (meaning that you don’t have to worry about it falling out once you’ve connected it), which is definitely a nice touch. In all, I don’t have any major gripes with the dock – yes, it will take some getting used to, but Lenovo actually did a pretty good job considering the small space it had to work with.
Don’t let the fact that the dock with take some getting used to dissuade you though, because in my mind, it’s the dock that really makes this package worth checking out. On its own, the IdeaTab S2110A doesn’t have much to make it stand out from the sea of other tablets out there, but when you’ve got it attached to the dock, you’ve got a solid unit on your hands. It’s a shame that Lenovo isn’t including the dock with every IdeaTab S2110A, because the experience of using the tablet without the dock is vastly different than using it with the dock. If you ask me, it’s worth shelling out that extra $100 for the dock, even if the makes the total price a little difficult to swallow.
Battery
Lenovo has packed the S2110A with a 2 cell Lithium-polymer battery that it says will last for 9-10 hours of surfing with Wi-Fi enabled. Turning the screen down to 50% brightness and using the IdeaTab S2110A to surf, watch video, and play a few games of Solitaire, I was able to get about four hours of use out of a fully charged battery with right around 35% left over. This means that casual users should be able to get right around 6 hours of power out of a full charge, but naturally that all depends on a few variables.
Most importantly, these variables are screen brightness and Wi-Fi. Leaving the Wi-Fi on all the time (as I did) will obviously drain the battery faster, and keeping the tablet on auto brightness will help conserve battery. Aside from auto brightness, the IdeaTab S2110A comes with three brightness settings. The first is a little too dim for my liking, while the second setting, which places it at 50% brightness, is plenty bright. On the third and highest setting, colors will be their most vibrant, but you’ll also drain the battery very fast with the S2110A on that setting.
Lenovo says that you can double the life of the battery by using the dock, and again while those quoted times will vary, getting a full day of heavy use while the tablet is connected to the dock certainly isn’t out of the question. In other words, use the dock, because it makes almost everything about the IdeaTab S2110A much, much better.
Camera
I’ll just say this right away: the five-megapixel rear-facing camera on the IdeaTab S2110A isn’t great, so don’t pick up this tablet expecting to use it as your main-shooter. It also comes equipped with a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, but that’s really only good for video chat and nothing else. The sample shots taken with the rear-facing camera show us that the snapper on this tablet is nothing to get excited about; there pictures aren’t anything special, merely average in quality. I’m not sure that a camera should be one of the key features in your hunt for a tablet, but if for whatever reason it is, keep on looking.
Benchmarks
In Quad and AnTuTu, the IdeaTab S2110A showed some very promising results. It isn’t at the top of it’s league, but it definitely isn’t near the bottom either. These benchmark results show us that dual-core isn’t dead yet, and indeed, the processor on the S2110A is quite speedy, despite the fact that lag on the home and settings screens suggest otherwise.
In Quad, the IdeaTab S2110A was given a score of 4953, which was enough to beat out the Samsung Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Nexus, and Nexus S all by a wide margin. That may not be all that surprising, considering that all three of those devices aren’t exactly considered young and sexy these days, but it’s worth pointing out that the S2110A more than doubled the score of the Galaxy Tab. That certainly isn’t bad.
In AnTuTu, it’s much the same. The S2110A came in under the Galaxy Note II, HTC One X+, Galaxy S III, and Transformer Prime by a significant amount, but managed to beat other devices like the original Galaxy Note, the Galaxy Nexus, and the Galaxy S II. In other words, don’t expect to be blown away by what’s the under the hood, but at the same time, don’t be tricked into thinking that the S2110A is a slouch.
Wrap-Up
I have to say that I have very mixed feelings about the S2110A. The screen is beautiful, and bright colors, sharp images, and wide viewing angles make the tablet a pleasure to use. The optional keyboard dock is also a winner in my book, and I like it so much that I can’t recommend picking up the S2110A without one. There we run into a problem though: the keyboard dock is an optional accessory, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s an integral part of the S2110A experience.
But then there are some issues with the tablet too. Even though the S2110A looks really nice, it’s obvious from the first time you hold it that someone at Lenovo slacked off when it came to build quality. It definitely doesn’t feel as sturdy as it should, and seeing those inevitable pressure spots on the screen is enough to send anyone into a rage.
For that reason, it’s hard for me to recommend the S2110A. If the stellar keyboard dock came standard, then I might be willing to suggest that users overlook the issues with build quality and go for it. As it is, though, the keyboard dock sends the price of the IdeaTab S2110A up well over $500, and that’s simply too much money for a tablet that, aside from the dock, doesn’t have many qualities to make it worth that price tag. Even without the dock, I think the IdeaTab S2110A is still on the expensive side.
You might be able to live with the build quality issues, and if that’s the case, knock yourself out. For most, however, I think it would be a better idea to look at other tablets before settling on the IdeaTab S2110A. There are instances when the S2110A threatens to be a really nice tablet, but unfortunately, the issues with the device hold it back from greatness each and every time.
Apple’s new iPad with Retina display played a bit-role at the iPad mini launch, presenting a familiar face to the crowd and packing a potent new chipset inside. The 9.7-inch tablet has already cornered much of the market, with the late-2012 polish basically pushing the slate to the pinnacle of Apple’s processor development, and outfitting it with a Lightning connector to match the iPhone 5. Read on for our full review.
Hardware
You have to look closely to spot the differences between the third-generation iPad and this new fourth-generation model. In fact, from all angles but the very bottom, it’s the same as before: the only outward difference is that the old, 30-pin Dock Connector has been replaced with the new Lightning port as on the iPhone 5 and latest iPods.
That means compatibility with new accessories moving forward, but not with any old docks or gizmos you might have already bought for previous iOS devices. iPad docks are less common than those for iPhone or iPod touch, though there are still some out there, but Apple is shifting to prioritize AirPlay for streaming audio and video and you’ll need a $29 adapter if you want to use your old, 30-pin add-ons.
Inside, though, it’s a different matter. Apple has thrown out the A5X chipset and replaced it with a new, A6X version, which the company says is it’s fastest yet. On paper, it’s up to twice as fast as the A5X, in both graphics and CPU, as well as including updated image processing technology for better results from the iPad’s 5-megapixel camera.
That’s the same camera as before, but the front facing iSight gets an HD update, stepping up from VGA resolution to 1.2-megapixels and now capable of 720p video. The Wi-Fi also gets a polish, supporting dual-band 802.11n (2.4GHz and 5GHz) for better range and speed with compatible wireless routers.
Overall, though, it’s the same slick tablet we’ve seen before. You still get the beautifully crisp, bright, and responsive Retina display, sturdy construction with glass and aluminum sandwiched together neatly, and the same three options for storage: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB.
Software and Performance
With iOS 6 being pushed out this summer to update the third-gen iPad, it’s no surprise that the iPad with Retina Display runs the same. That means you get all of the usual apps and services – Safari, Apple Maps, Messages, Game Center, the App Store, Siri, and more – it’s just that they’re running on a faster processor.
Day to day, there’s not a significant difference in usability. By its third generation, the iPad was already smooth and showed little in the way of lag, and that same polish is evident here on the A6X powered model. There isn’t the obvious swell in performance that we’ve seen before in, say, stepping from the first-gen iPad to the second, however.
That doesn’t mean the power isn’t there, of course. In Geekbench, which benchmarks processor and memory performance, the 1.4GHz A6X iPad scored 1,768, more than double the A5X iPad’s score of 751. By way of comparison, the iPhone 5 – with its A6 chip – scored 1,616, while the iPad mini, which uses the same A5 chip as in the iPad 2, scores 757.
One place you do get a useful boost is in the browser. We turned to the SunSpider test of JavaScript performance, and were mighty impressed by the iPad 4th-gen’s score of 879.2ms (faster is better); that’s near desktop browser level (286.1ms on MacBoook Pro 13” Retina core i5), and a significant leap ahead of the iPad 3rd-gen’s score of 1,688.9ms.
We then looked to iMovie HD video processing, which is a solid test of CPU and GPU performance. Apple has gradually massaged the video crunching workflow with each generation of iPad, to balance speed and video quality, and the output from the latest model is the best – to our eyes – so far.
In terms of raw speed, the iPad 4th-gen crunched through a 1 minute 720p video in 48.1 seconds and a 1 minute 1080p video in 51.3 seconds. In contrast, the iPad 3rd-gen managed a 1 minute 720p video in 45.0 seconds and a 1 minute 1080p video in 48.2 seconds.
The updated processing abilities became something of an advantage for the iPad 4th-gen when dealing with longer videos, however: a 5 minute 720p clip processed in 3 minutes 57 seconds and a 1080p version in 4 minutes 17 seconds. The iPad 3rd-gen did its 5-minute 720p video in 3 minutes 40 seconds, and its 1080p version in 4 minutes 56 seconds.
With the iPad with Retina, there’s the sense that you’re paying for potential. The current level of apps simply don’t take advantage of the improved chipset – save, perhaps, the browser – but you’re getting the newest connector and the reassurance that your tablet will keep up with whatever App Store developers throw at it over the coming months.
Battery
Apple promises the same 10hrs of browsing, media playback, or music over Wi-Fi from the newest iPad with Retina display, or up to nine hours if you’re doing that over a cellular data connection. In practice, we saw no difference from our iPad 3: that is, in excess of 10hrs of general use from a full charge, suggesting there’s no real penalty for opting for the A6X chipset.
Wrap-up
The third-generation iPad arguably didn’t need refreshing; in fact, if Apple hadn’t opted to change to Lightning, it could realistically have held off changing its largest tablet until early 2013, as per its typical yearly refresh cycle. That makes for a reasonably straightforward upgrade decision if you’re a 3rd-gen iPad owner. Unless you’re desperate for Lightning – perhaps you’ve also got an iPhone 5, and want to use all the same accessories rather than buy the adapter dongle – then we’re yet to see apps that really demand the potent A6X chipset.
On the other hand, it widens the distance between the iPad 2 – which remains on sale as the “budget” full-sized iPad – and the iPad with Retina display. Tomorrow’s battle is the decision between the speed and glorious graphics of the iPad with Retina display, or the portability and convenience of the iPad mini. The incredible, high-resolution screen was already enough to justify the $100 premium over the iPad 2 to our mind; the future-proofing of the speed increase (and the new iPad mini, undercutting the iPad 2 by $70) is simply the coup de grâce.
It’s an iPad, but smaller. Boiling down the iPad mini to its core premise may not tell you everything you need to know about the 7.9-inch tablet, but it does set the scene: Apple’s legendary build quality, iOS and the hundreds of thousands of tablet apps in the App Store, and a guarantee that it’s going to polarize consumers. Steve Jobs memorably dismissed smaller tablets, and yet Apple couldn’t have been more enthusiastic about its mini model at the launch event last week. Read on to find out whether, for a small slate, the iPad mini is actually a big deal.
Hardware
At first glance, the iPad mini’s familial resemblance is obvious. Available in white and black finishes – with matching aluminum rear shells, unlike the full-sized iPad with Retina display, which only changes bezel color – it’s considerably reduced in size, down 23-percent in thickness at 0.28-inches deep, and down 53-percent in weight, at 0.68-pounds for the Wi-Fi-only model.
It’s the width and length which are most notable, however. Held in portrait orientation, the 5.3-inch frame is easy to grip in a single hand, your fingers tucked around the edges without feeling stretched. It makes the iPad mini a legitimate alternative to a Kindle or other, similarly-sized e-reader, light enough and scaled the right way to grip for extended periods in bed. The 7.87-inch length, meanwhile, makes for a tablet that’s great for thumb-typing when held in landscape orientation, the iPad mini cradled in your hands.
Inside, there’s a dual-core 1GHz processor, the same Apple A5 dualcore as in the iPad 2, along with a choice of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage. All versions have the same Wi-Fi a/b/g/n – with dual-band 802.11n support, for improved range and speeds with compatible routers – and Bluetooth 4.0, while Apple also offers Wi-Fi + Cellular models that support LTE on select networks (and HSPA+/DC-HSDPA on others). The cellular iPad mini also has true GPS and GLONASS, while the Wi-Fi-only makes do with assisted-GPS.
Both variants use Apple’s new Lightning connector, and have a mono speaker and a stereo headset jack that, with a wired hands-free kit such as comes with the iPhone 5, can be used for voice calls such as over Skype. The cameras are carried over from the full-sized iPad, with a 1.2-megapixel front-facer above the display that supports 720p HD video recording as well as FaceTime calls over both Wi-Fi and cellular connections.
On the back, there’s a 5-megapixel camera with a backside-illuminated sensor, five-element lens, hybrid IR filter, and autofocus; the size of the iPad mini makes it a far more comfortable device to actually use to take photos with, unlike the 9.7-inch iPad which can feel somewhat unwieldy and seems more suited to the occasional, impromptu shot when your smartphone isn’t immediately to hand. Panoramic shots benefit from the smaller size of the iPad mini, which makes it easier to hold still and steadily pan across the scene.
Display
Given Steve Jobs’ well-known attitude toward 7-inch tablets, Apple was never going to launch an iPad of quite that size. Instead, the company opted for a 7.9-inch screen for the iPad mini; while that 0.9-inch extra on the diagonal may not sound like much, it actually makes for a panel that’s 35-percent larger than a 7-inch screen on, say, Google’s Nexus 7. In total, you get 29.6 square inches of display, versus the 21.9 square inches of a 7-inch panel.
The screen itself is an LCD IPS panel running at the same 1024 x 768 resolution as the iPad 2. It’s bright and clear, with great viewing angles no matter which way round you’re holding the tablet; as with the larger iPad, the iPad mini’s UI will flip to suit any of the four orientations. What you don’t get is “Retina” resolution, Apple’s shorthand for a display where the pixel density is so great that, at a typical operating distance, the average human eye can’t differentiate the individual dots.
Higher-resolution displays of a similar size to that of the iPad mini are available; Apple’s compromise, however, is to maintain compatibility. By sticking to one of the two established resolutions – either 1024 x 768. or 2048 x 1536 as on the iPad with Retina display – it means all of the applications intended for existing iPads will fit properly on the iPad mini.
Had Apple opted for a halfway measure with the ambition of increasing the pixel density from its current 163 ppi – picking a display somewhere between the resolution of the iPad 2 and the Retina version – it would have delivered smoother visuals but at the cost of simple compatibility. Developers would have to update their apps to suit a third resolution; as it stands, even though it’s a different size, the iPad mini has access to the near-300,000 iPad-friendly App Store apps out of the box.
To accommodate that particular 4:3 aspect ratio panel, and achieve that all-important fit in the hand, Apple has dramatically shaved away the bezels on the longer edges. It can leave the iPad mini looking a little unusually proportioned at first glance, compared to the thicker frame of the full-sized 9.7-inch iPad, but it’s a decision that makes sense after a little time with the tablet. As for whether the 1024 x 768 resolution itself has an impact on usability, while it’s lower than 720p HD, video playback still looks solid. Webpages at minimum magnification in the browser inevitably require at least a little zooming in order to make the text a comfortable size for reading, though that’s more down to the sheer size of the text on a display of this scale, than it is the resolution it’s rendered at.
One of the little-recognized reasons for the 9.7-inch iPad’s wider bezel is that it helps keep your thumbs away from the edges of the display when holding it. That avoids mis-touches or swipes, which can be particularly frustrating when they change page in an e-reader app like iBooks or Kindle for iOS. For the iPad mini, Apple has replaced the physical grip-space with software cleverness: the thumb-rejection system promises to differentiate between the touch of a typical grip on the body of the tablet, and a specific point of contact when selecting an app or control.
Not all apps support thumb-rejection, at least initially, and we noticed around 10- to 15-percent of the time it didn’t work as expected. However, the remainder of the time it’s surprisingly effective: you can hold the iPad mini with the edge of your thumb resting along the border of the display, without it being recognized as a touch or swipe. Apple says the number of compatible apps will increase in time, as well.
Apple offers both AirPlay Video for streaming up to 1080p Full HD to an Apple TV, or an optional video output dongle. The Lightning to Digital AV Adapter is compatible with the HDMI port found on most current TVs, while the Lightning to VGA Adapter hooks the iPad mini up to a computer display.
Software and Performance
iOS 6 on the iPad mini may be smaller than we’ve seen it on an Apple tablet before, but it’s a familiar platform and we were quickly up to speed despite the diminished scale. All of Apple’s regular apps are present – Safari, Mail, FaceTime, iTunes, Game Center, Maps, and more – along with Siri, which expanded to the iPad line over the summer. iBooks isn’t preloaded but is available free from the App Store, and now supports auto-scroll for touchless reading; again, it underscores the iPad mini’s suitability as an e-reader alternative.
The iPad mini may not have the A6X processor of the new flagship fourth-gen iPad, but the A5 is sufficient to keep things moving smoothly without making a huge dent in battery life. Navigation around iOS shows no real lag or delay, and apps load quickly; the A5 doesn’t have to drive all the pixels involved in a Retina display, after all, and so it’s overall a satisfactory experience. For those particularly curious about raw benchmarks, the iPad mini scored 757 (higher is better; the iPad with Retina display scored 1,768 in comparison) in Geekbench and completed the SunSpider test of browser JavaScript performance in 1,698.9ms (lower is better; the iPad with Retina display managed an impressive 879.2ms).
One of the more taxing challenges Apple’s tablet faces is video editing, and with its 5-megapixel camera and Full HD video capture, iMovie performance is an important metric. We tested the smaller tablet with both 1 minute and 5 minute video clips, each at both 720p and 1080p resolution. It processed the 720p short clip in 56.8 seconds, and the 1080p short clip in 1 minute 2 seconds. As for the 5-minute clip, that took 4 minutes 31 seconds for the 720p version and 4 minutes 56 seconds for the 1080p.
They’re unsurprisingly slower than the iPad with Retina display managed, but not outlandishly so, flattering to the iPad mini’s potential. Video clips can also be imported using the Lightning to SD Card Adapter or Lightning to USB Camera Adapter, making the whole thing a competent portable movie studio. Opt for a 4G version and you could shoot, edit, process, and upload your entire movie while on the move, without ever having to plug the iPad mini – or your camera – into a computer. Compatibility with Bluetooth keyboards, meanwhile, means entering text is more straightforward, in effect turning the iPad mini into a tiny workstation.
Battery
Apple quotes up to 10hrs of wireless browsing over Wi-Fi for the iPad mini, or up to 9hrs if you’re using the tablet’s cellular connection. In practice, with a mixture of browsing, some video playback, games, music – both locally-stored and streaming – and messaging, we comfortably exceeded Apple’s estimate. In fact, we exceeded 11hrs of use before encountering a battery warning.
Accessories
With the same Lightning connector as on the iPhone 5 and the iPad with Retina display, the iPad mini has access to the same range of accessories as elsewhere in Apple’s range. In addition to the external display adapters for HDMI and VGA, and the SD Card and USB Camera import cables, there’s also a new iPad mini Smart Cover.
The premise is the same as the existing Smart Cover Apple has been offering for its full-sized iPads: a flexible, rollable screen protector that both covers the display when not in use and wakes the tablet from sleep when opened. It can be folded into a stand to prop the iPad mini up at angles suited either for typing or for watching video, and attaches to the side of the slate magnetically.
Unlike the metal bar hinge of the larger Smart Cover, the iPad mini gets a new, fabric-covered design, which is sleeker and doesn’t make the tablet bulky. On the inside there’s a microfiber lining, gentle to the touchscreen, while the outside is available in a choice of six colors: dark gray, light gray, blue, green, pink, and (PRODUCT) RED.
iPad Mini vs Nexus 7
Wrap-up
As the pre-launch rumors proliferated, some questioned whether Apple really needed a product that slotted in-between the 4-inch iPhone and iPod touch, and the 9.7-inch iPad. Others questioned what sort of price bands Apple would target: whether the iPad mini would be a budget option to directly take on the spray of low-cost Android tablets.
Instead, the iPad mini is a product that’s resolutely “Apple”: it distills the essentials of the 9.7-inch iPad – iOS app compatibility, multimedia functionality, premium build quality, and comprehensive connectivity – without diluting them to unnecessarily meet a budget price point the company has no real interest in achieving. The iPad mini isn’t a cheap tablet in comparison to $199 Android-powered options, but it feels better in the hand, has a huge number of applications specifically intended for tablet use, and delivers what it promises to in a cohesive and predictable way.
What it also means is that the iPad mini isn’t the iPad you buy simply because you can’t necessarily afford the larger iPad with Retina display. There are legitimate arguments for the smaller model, not undermined by flimsy construction or compromised capabilities. If you spend much of your time mobile, the iPad mini is easier to transport; if you’re a keen reader, the iPad mini is easier to hold and navigate through. If you’re addicted to the internet and don’t want to view it through the 4-inch window of the iPhone 5 or iPod touch, Safari on the iPad mini delivers more size at a scale that’s still bag or purse-friendly.
In the end, it’s about an overall package, an experience which Apple is offering. Not the fastest tablet, nor the cheapest, nor the one that prioritizes the most pixel-dense display, but the one with the lion’s share of tablet applications, the integration with the iOS/iTunes ecosystem, the familiarity of usability and, yes, the brand cachet. That’s a compelling metric by which to judge a new product, and it’s a set of abilities that single the iPad mini out in the marketplace. If the iPad with Retina display is the flagship of Apple’s tablet range, then the iPad mini is the everyman model, and it’s one that will deservedly sell very well.
Microsoft is no stranger to tablets, though with Windows RT and Surface the company is hoping to have its first tablet success. Borrowing frugal processors from the mobile industry and a distilled version of Windows 8, and pairing it with distinctive and high-quality hardware, Microsoft certainly appears at first glance to have ticked the right boxes. Still, in a market where tablets are generally scaled-up smartphones, does Microsoft’s pared-back desktop OS do enough to rid its reliance on the keyboard and mouse? Read on for the full SlashGear review.
Hardware
Windows on an ARM processor is new territory for Microsoft. With Windows RT, the field is open for companies like NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and others to push the sort of frugal chipsets that are more commonly found in Android tablets, reaping potential benefits in power frugality and reduced heat output.
In the case of Surface, Microsoft opted for NVIDIA’s quadcore Tegra 3, here paired with 2GB of RAM. It’s a chip we’re very familiar with from Android phones and tablets, and in fact much of Surface’s other specifications are par for the course in the mobile world. A choice of 32GB or 64GB of storage – no 16GB option, though Microsoft prices its entry-level Surface directly against the 16GB iPad 3 – with a microSDXC card slot, WiFi a/b/g/n, and Bluetooth 4.0.
As you’d expect there are stereo speakers – which are on the quiet side, even at maximum volume – and dual digital microphones, an HD video output which, with the right $39.99 dongle, hooks up to an HDMI or VGA connection, and a cluster of sensors: ambient light to control screen brightness, an accelerometer, gyroscope, and digital compass, though no GPS. Microsoft also isn’t offering a 3G/4G version of the tablet, claiming that consumer research suggests the vast majority of tablets of a similar size to Surface don’t ever get taken outside of the home or office.
LifeCam video recording demo
LifeCam photo examples
Unlike most rival tablets, however, Microsoft has also outfitted Surface with a full sized USB 2.0 port, opening the door to regular peripherals like printers, keyboards, mice, and other accessories. There’s also a “Cover port” which works with Microsoft’s magnetically attached keyboard covers – more on which later. Finally, there are front and rear “LifeCam” cameras, each capable of 720p HD video recording.
Microsoft currently has three hardware packages: the entry-level $499 Surface with 32GB of storage and no cover; the $599 Surface 32GB with a black Touch Cover; and the $699 Surface 64GB, again with a black Touch Cover.
Design and Construction
You have to give Microsoft its due when it comes to design and build: the company’s hardware division may be best known for its range of simple peripherals – keyboards, mice, and trackpads – along with Xbox, but Surface is another level of focus and thoughtful materials selection. If Microsoft needed to borrow any sort of strategy from Apple in tablets, it was attention to detail, and while Surface is distinctly different in its design and approach to mobile computing to the iPad, both slates share an exacting and rigorous conception.
Where the iPad is all curves and tapers, Surface musters angled edges and bevels to make its design mark. It’s crisp, and clean, and beautifully cohesive: its 676g weight is evenly spread through the chassis, meaning it doesn’t feel top-heavy or biased when you hold it in your hand, no matter the orientation. The “VaporMg” – Microsoft’s name for the specially treated magnesium alloy it has used – casing is both smooth and easily gripped, and though it’s still early days has proved reasonably resilient against scratches. It’s also meant to be fingerprint-resistant, though our unit had little trouble picking up enough prints from us to be a goldmine for law enforcement.
Surface with Windows RT unboxing and Accessories
Surface – and Windows RT – seems intended for landscape orientation use primarily, and so Microsoft has fitted the tablet with one of its most distinctive physical features: the pop-out kickstand on the back. Spanning the whole width of the slate, and almost half of its height, the slice of neatly machined metal clicks out with a thunk that’s both aurally and physically satisfying, propping up Surface at a 22-degree angle for typing or watching video. Closing it is equally pleasing, with hidden magnets making sure the stand snicks into position without vibration or wobble.
It’s not just a design afterthought, either. The rear camera shares the same angle – 22-degrees – as the kickstand, which means that when Surface is standing upright the webcam is pointing straight back, not down at the table. The front camera, meanwhile, points straight out from the fascia of the slate, since users are likely to be looking down at it, even when Surface is stood up.
Display
Beyond Windows RT itself, the display is probably the most contentious aspect of Surface. Microsoft opted for a custom-sized 10.6-inch panel that best fit with its keyboard sizing ambitions and the split-pane multitasking of Windows 8/RT, falling in-between the more typical 10.1- and 11.1-inches we’ve seen on slates from other manufacturers. What the company hasn’t done is go beyond the usual 1,366 x 768 resolution, rather than chasing Apple’s third-gen 9.7-inch iPad with its so-called Retina Display.
So, while other tablets are chasing pixels so densely packed you can hardly make them out individually in normal use, Microsoft refuses to join the resolution arms race despite complaints that Surface isn’t at least HD (oddly, even Microsoft seems to quietly agree on some level, since the Surface with Windows 8 Pro due in a few months time has a 1920 x 1080 display instead). Instead, it’s relying on “ClearType HD”, the latest iteration of Microsoft’s subpixel rendering system.
ClearType in fact dates back to late 1998, though it was only turned on by default in Windows from Vista onwards. It works by individually controlling each of the three subpixels – the red, green, and blue segments – in each overall pixel, and in the process effectively tripling the resolution of the screen. So, rather than just treating each LCD pixel (e.g. block of three subpixels) as a whole, ClearType can individually turn on or off each subpixel, allowing for more granular control.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, ClearType met with mixed reactions. On the one hand, it allows for a greater degree of detail than the on-paper resolution of the display would imply; however, because each of the pixels is a different color there is color fringing introduced. Depending on which subpixel is active, that fringing might be red, green, or blue. Some users find the fringing more noticeable; others complain of fuzziness around text. During our testing, at least one person using Surface found reading extended amounts of text could trigger headaches.
Happily other aspects of the display treatment are more successful all round: for instance, optically bonding the LCD and cover glass so as to reduce the distance between the two layers, increase the amount of light transmission, and cut out internal reflections that can lead to glare. It’s a process that’s increasingly being seen on smartphones, but has been slower to appear on larger devices like tablets due to the cost and complexity of the lamination process.
Overall, then, it’s a mixed bag. If your eyesight and ClearType HD play nicely together, then the combination of that and the optically bonded panel help bypass the need for the sort of huge resolutions Apple and Samsung are chasing on tablets. It’s worth remembering that more pixels require greater backlighting and thus a bigger battery (which adds weight, bulk, and takes longer to charge) too.
However, zoom in on graphics in the browser on the Surface and, side by side with an iPad 3, the difference in resolution is clear. It’s the same when you’re viewing photos in the gallery app: the Surface screen just doesn’t look as good.
Windows RT
To say there’s a lot of confusion about Windows RT is an understatement. Microsoft’s decision to split Windows 8 into two versions – one “full” build for the sort of x86 processors from Intel and AMD that Windows has been running on for years, and one pared-back version for ARM chipsets – makes sense in many ways, but poor communication as to the differences between the two means there are bound to be some tears early on.
Although there are numerous factors that separate Windows 8 and Windows RT, the biggest difference is in how software is handled. Windows 8 gets the full gamut of apps, whether they’re from the Windows Store – the on-device app store – or loaded separately, just as Windows users have been installing software for years now. The OS works with so-called “legacy” software; that is, apps designed and released when older versions of Windows were current.
Windows RT, however, is a cleaner break with the past. It doesn’t even try for compatibility with older apps, with no backward-compatibility. If you want software, it will have to be available in the Windows Store, though obviously with Internet Explorer onboard you have access to webapps too.
Muddying the waters somewhat is the fact that Windows RT still allows access to the traditional desktop, even if you can’t load traditional software to it. This is primarily of use with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview edition, preloaded on Surface, and the key app which uses the more familiar interface. Still, in a way, it’s as if the iPad had an option to peel away the iOS interface and reveal OS X underneath, only an OS X that you couldn’t really do much with. There’s no escaping the feeling that Microsoft left the desktop in place in Windows RT simply because it hadn’t had time to refresh Office with the Metro-style interface; indeed, no third-party apps will be allowed to use it.
So, Surface is a balance between two environments, and they do a good job of reminding where Microsoft struggled with tablets in the past. The Live Tile based homescreen, and apps designed specifically to fit in with it, are clean, clear, and easy to use: the epitome of finger-friendly. As on Windows Phone, they can pull in updates from social networks, the calendar, and other sources, and cycle through those new tidbits automatically. You can pin new apps, bookmarks, contacts, or other content to the homescreen; organize your icons into groups and subgroups; pinch-zoom to see your entire app landscape.
Swipe from the right edge into the middle of the display and you get the Start bar, with a button for the homescreen – mimicking the hardware Windows button below the display – as well as Search, Share, Devices, and Settings shortcuts. Swiping up from the bottom of the screen summons the contextual menu, its contents varying depending on what app you’re using at the time. A swipe in from the left flicks through the stack of open applications, in order of their most recent use.
Somewhat confusingly at first, Microsoft has gathered the search functionality into a single, unified hub. When you open the dialog, you can choose to either search across all areas, or to narrow your query down to a specific app, or the Windows Store, or for a particular setting. In addition to local content, you can access files plugged into the Surface’s full-sized USB port, such as from a thumb-drive. Unlike iPad, which isn’t really set up to handle external storage, Surface and Windows RT have no problem mounting an external drive and copying files to and from the slate’s own storage. Alternatively, if you’ve a folder full of videos, photos, or music, you can play them directly from the external drive itself.
If the new interface is a lesson in touchscreen usability, the legacy desktop shows why Microsoft has struggled for so long with its tablet software. For all its UI finessing, you can draw a line between Windows in traditional mode back to Windows XP: small text that is tricky to accurately hit with a fingertip; drag’n’drop that all too often results in a prematurely dropped file or folder. Those prior versions of Windows were designed for mouse navigation, and while it works well with the trackpad on the Touch Cover and Type Cover, it’s simply not intended for fingers to stab at with any degree of accuracy.
Overall, performance has proved solid from the Tegra 3 chipset. The Metro-style interface is slick and responsive; apps open without delay or lag; and the slide-in dialogs like search appear on a single swipe despite what the current app is doing. Microsoft’s multitasking system works similarly well, pulling in an adjustable second panel to the side of the current app, for side-by-side work or play. It’s particularly useful for keeping an eye on Twitter messages or Skype chats while otherwise browsing.
You’ll be spending a lot of time in the browser, since the Windows Store still lags behind in titles compared to iOS and Android, and webapps are a good alternative (or, indeed, the only option in many cases) to native code, so it’s a good thing it’s fast. Side by side with the iPad 3, the SunSpider browser benchmark test came in with a score of 1,128.0ms on Surface and 1,688.9ms on the iPad (faster is better). HTML5 apps and sites run very well, and streaming sites like Netflix have no issues whatsoever.
There’s limited Flash support – in fact, only those sites Microsoft decides simply have to use Flash to give a good experience get to access it – and, while Windows 8 users will have the choice of the Metro-style IE10 browser or the regular IE10 browser on the desktop, the latter with full Flash support, those running Windows RT have the same Flash limits in both variants. That, and the fact that Microsoft’s Flash access policy demands it actively add permission on a site-by-site basis, means most of the time Flash is a no-go on Surface.
That arguably puts RT – and Surface – somewhere in-between iPad and Android tablets for flexibility. For what it’s supposed to do, Windows RT does well. Problem is, Microsoft has done a pretty appalling job of explaining what it’s supposed to do. The baseline guidance is that with RT you miss out on Windows Media Player and Media Center, lack the ability to create HomeGroups and join Domains, and can’t install apps from anywhere other than the Windows Store. On the flip side, it promises instant-on and inescapable Windows Update and Windows Defender, automatically keeping Surface up-to-date and secure.
How much of those messages actually make it through to consumers is questionable, though, and the at-a-glance similarity between Windows RT and Windows 8 is unlikely to help differentiate between the platforms in stores. Surface Pro will span the divide when it arrives in early 2013, but we can envisage early confusion about the limitations and advantages of Windows RT overshadowing its strengths.
It’s fast and straightforward to use, the live tiles are convenient, and the first batch of apps made according to Microsoft’s Metro-style specifications are distinctive, but many users come to Windows – irrespective or unaware of version – expecting to be able to use the legacy software they’re familiar with. And, unless the developers of that software have cooked up a Windows RT version, they’ll be out of luck.
Touch Cover and Type Cover
Windows-based tablets have a long history of working well with keyboards. In fact, slate form-factors have been the Windows tablet minority so far: more common is the so-called hybrid or convertible, usually consisting of a rotating touchscreen that can flip around and then fold flat on top of the keyboard, switching a notebook into a (usually chunky) slate.
Times change, however, and keyboards have become optional accessories not integral parts of the tablet experience. Nonetheless, Surface and its keyboards have been closely developed: one of the reasons Microsoft chased a screen size larger than 10.1-inches was because it reduced tablet width and therefore made the keyboards cramped.
Right now, there are two keyboards to choose from, Touch Cover and Type Cover. The Touch Cover is the thinner of the two, a 3mm-thick slice of touch-sensitive fabric and plastic that docks to the bottom edge of Surface and functions as both a protective cover for the fascia and as a method of faster text entry. Microsoft says it put in several months of experimentation to ensure the magnetic clasp was both sturdy enough that you could dangle Surface from it, but still be so readily detached that a three-year-old could do it (something we tested ourselves).
There are no moving parts, only the outlines of keys laser-etched onto the plastic. Inside, pressure sensors track each touch of your fingers – all ten can be tracked individually at any one time – and decide whether the weight being applied is indicative of your hands resting on the ‘board or actively pressing a key. That point is around 40g of pressure, apparently, though Surface also uses the touch sensitivity to track whereabouts you’re consistently hitting the keys, so that it can continue to register key-presses even if you’re not dead-on with your aim.
It’s not a perfect alternative to a traditional keyboard, but it’s functional and – while we’re now reasonably speedy with on-screen ‘boards – if you stick with it you can reach higher speeds than when typing on glass. There’s a little give and a little textural feedback involved, and together they’re sufficient to coax a few more words-per-minute out. Microsoft claims it takes less than a week to grow familiar with the system, and that in time you can reach roughly double the speeds of a traditional on-screen layout, and though we didn’t quite achieve that sort of rate we were still able to punch out longer emails and other messages in relative comfort.
Those who simply can’t get the hang of a zero-profile keyboard have the Type Cover to opt for instead. Twice as thick, at 6mm, it has mechanical keys – albeit with minimal travel – and adds 0.55lbs to the weight of the Surface, versus the 0.46lbs of the Touch Cover. You get a full five row ‘board, as well as function keys that double as media and navigation shortcuts, plus a trackpad; as with the Touch Cover, closing it on the screen automatically puts Surface into standby.
Even with the extra depth, this is no buckling-spring keyboard. The feel when typing is akin to some of the more recent ultraportable notebooks: key-travel is noticeably curtailed, though we could quickly achieve a faster rate – with fewer errors – than with the Touch Cover. The broad spacebar is a particular boon.
Perhaps the biggest drawback is availability; Microsoft’s launch bundles mean that the only way to buy a Surface with the Type Cover but not the Touch Cover is to opt for the 32GB model. There’s no way to buy the 64GB variant without the Touch Cover too. Alone, the Type Cover is $129.99 (versus $119.99 for the Touch Cover).
Battery
Microsoft rates the 31.5 Wh battery Surface is equipped with for “all day battery life”; it’s a nebulous term, though it translated to real-world performance reasonably well. With heavy use, we managed a full day out of the slate, with a mixture of web browsing, some app use, local and streaming media, and a little camera work. It’s a good, solid showing for the Microsoft slate.
Where things get shaky is in standby time. While we’re used to plugging in our smartphones overnight, every night, tablets can be more sporadic in their usage. The expectation is that they can hold onto a reasonable charge for a more extended period, so that there’s juice available whenever you pick them up from the coffee table.
On that front, Surface falls behind its better rivals. Whereas you can leave an iPad unused for a few days, and come back to it with a fair expectation of having power left, Surface proved more profligate with its standby power. One time, we left it with a claimed 30-percent left on the battery meter, and after around 6hrs – with no active use in that time – it ran itself down and shut off.
Microsoft is still undoubtedly finessing its power management firmware, and it’s entirely possible that a software fix could stem the more aggressive flow of battery life. As it stands, it’s not an insurmountable problem, nor a deal-breaker – like we said, when active Surface posts admirable runtimes – but it’s something you’re forced to consider in your everyday use.
Wrap-Up
In the end, it all comes down to ecosystem. If you’re already invested in Microsoft then it’s a good solution: if you’re a Windows Phone user, or an Xbox 360 gamer, or simply have a background with Windows 7, then Surface will likely fit into your world more smoothly than an iPad or Android tablet might. If you’ve considered subscribing to Xbox Music, Microsoft’s streaming audio service, then Surface makes sense there, too, considering cross-platform apps for that haven’t been released yet.
Personal reactions of ClearType HD aside, it’s hard to be too critical of Microsoft’s hardware. The Surface team has cribbed some of Apple’s notorious attention to detail and applied it with its own spin, and the result is a well-constructed slate with legitimately useful design elements like the kickstand. You could argue that the focus on the Touch Cover and Type Cover are Microsoft proving reluctant to let go of physical keyboards, but using Surface without them is undoubtedly practical and their convenience (and the fact that Office is preloaded, albeit in preview form) means you get the best of both worlds.
Windows RT will undoubtedly prove the sticking point. That it comes late to the tablet game and thus with fewer apps than competing platforms is a given. That there are some for whom Windows itself is anathema is no surprise. However, the poorly-explained – and not easy to ascertain at first glance – differences in abilities between RT and Windows 8 will need time to bed down before Surface finds its niche. That will happen, but with headaches along the way, and it may not be until Surface Pro arrives with its higher-resolution screen and digital pen that Microsoft’s tablet gets the respect it deserves.
It’s time to have a peek at Lenovo’s next big crack at the tablet game with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and a massive set of built-in apps on a quad-core processor-toting 9-inch tablet by the name of IdeaTab A2109. This device’s NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with 4-plus-1 technology allows it a massive amount of battery life as well a lovely collection of games that are unique to the NVIDIA Tegra architecture. Meanwhile the tablet is one of Lenovo’s best – but is it worth the less than perfect display and device weight?
Hardware
This device is 259.8mm x 178mm x 11.65mm (9.3″ x 6.5″ x 0.46″) in size and 570g, that is, just under 1.3lbs. The device is certainly not the lightest 9-inch tablet on the market, nor is it the thinnest – but it sounds great. It’s got 2 stereo speakers with SRS Surround Sound, both of them with ever-so-slightly raised bits of plastic near their grilles to assure sound delivery even if the device is flat.
You’ve got a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front for video chat and a 3.0 megapixel camera on the back that takes OK photos and video – don’t expect to get too many masterpieces from either unit. See a few examples of the quality of this device’s main camera lower in this review. The sound collection quality is surprisingly decent, on the other hand, with one mic hole on the left and the other on the right of the device, this aiding in sound cancellation.
The ports you get around this device are relatively abundant for how expensive the device is, starting with a microUSB port on the right side near a micro-HDMI port for HD video output. The quality of the video you get here to an HDTV (provided you’ve got the right cable) is generally good – not spectacular, but certainly good enough for basic Google Play video and YouTube viewing. You’ve also got a basic combo jack for your headphones and microphone if you’d like, too.
You can get this device in 8GB and 16GB internal storage iterations and right under the top-back panel you’ve got a microSD card slot where you can expand your memory by another 32GB if you wish. The overall build quality of the tablet is rather high, with Lenovo letting us know that they’re not skimping on the construction just because it’s not a laptop or a desktop unit.
The display, on the other hand, is of a surprisingly lower-quality build than the rest of the device. The viewing angles are OK for the most part save – believe it or not – the top angle which does a color-flip once you’re at about 45 degrees. It’s a bummer, but if you’re the kind of person that keeps your tablet flat on the table most of the time, you’ll have a fine time. You’ll want to check this out in the store before you pick it up for this reason alone.
Software
This unit works with Lenovo’s own flavor of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – this means there are a few modifications in the way you move back and forth between homescreens and you’ve got a vast collection of apps right out of the box. You also have some lovely widgets that are essentially giant folders where you can store your apps, get weather information, access music you’ve got stored on the device, and write notes.
You’ll want to check out our hands-on with the device in the video in this post to see how the software functions – there are a few hiccups here and there due to what we must assume is a firmware build that’ll be updated by Lenovo in the future. Lag here and there and some tiny one-pixel-row skips. Nothing to get too bent out of shape over.
The list of apps that you get in this device, if I’ve not said it enough already, certainly appears large compared to its competition. GO Keyboard, AccuWeather, Amazon Kindle, Lenovo App Shop, Cut the Rope HD, Docs to Go, ES File Explorer, Evernote, GameTanium, Lenovo Registration, LoPokeTALK for low-priced calls (for real, really), News Republic, Norton Security, ooVoo, PrinterShare for Lenovo, Skype, SugarSync, Wi-fi Direct, and Zinio – and these are only the apps added by Lenovo, there’s also the full set of Google apps you get with basically every Android device on the regular – the list also changes based on which region you pick this device up in.
This device is designed for the first-time Android user – one who wants to see what a variety of apps can do without looking for them first on the Google Play app store. If that’s you, you’ll feel perfectly comfortable in this environment. There’s also a lovely app simply called “UI Intro” that shows a video for your benefit – a lovely presentation of the user interface on your device – and it looks nice!
Camera
The camera on the back – all 3 megapixels of it – is in place for basic shooting only. Don’t expect it to perform any miracles. That said, if you’re into the Instagram scene, you’ll have some great success. Have a peek at some examples of highest-definition-possible photos and video.
Battery Life and Benchmarks
With the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor under the hood here with 1.2Ghz clock speed, you’ve got what’s basically the best piece of architecture in the whole device. NVIDIA’s constructed a processor that makes this device run smoothly – for the most part – with its only limits appearing to be the user interface in certain areas which seem to lag upon opening. Having seen the processor in action on several tablets in the past, I’d say these oddities have more to do with the software build than they have to do with the hardware – but in the end it’s always a combination of the two.
Have a peek at the basic benchmarks we’ve run on this device above and check the battery time below as well. This device benefits from the “ninja” 5th core in the processor (the Tegra 3 actually has 5 cores, the 5th only running when the device doesn’t need to be running high-demand tasks) – here the A2109 Lenovo tablet uses this architecture well, with battery life that does great on a regular basis.
Wrap-up
This device is a good effort from Lenovo, but put up in a competition against the rest of the Tegra 3 tablets we’ve seen, it’s just a bit lacking. If you’re looking for a 9-inch tablet with NVIDIA processing power inside it, this is your best bet, that’s for certain – especially if you just want it to be your radio all on its own: the speakers are really worth a listen. The A2109 really does have the power to run next-generation apps too, and you’ll have full access to the NVIDIA TegraZone app collection as well.
This device will run you $299, and for that price you’ll not be finding another tablet like the A2109. You can of course pick up a Nexus 7 for $199 – but that’s smaller than this. You could get an iPad mini (if it does indeed exist in a few weeks), but that won’t have Android, of course, and it certainly wont have a 9-inch display. Basically the final verdict is this: with a unique build, you won’t find Lenovo’s offering here lacking if you want it for a media-delivery system – unless the display will trip you up: check it out in the store, you simply must.
Last year Amazon entered the tablet and hardware market on an entirely different level with their Kindle Fire tablet. Now just 10 short months later we have a completely evolved product from the retail giant. Today we’re taking a look at the new Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tablet. Everything you didn’t like about the original (including that Playbook styling) has been improved for round two so lets take a look and see how it does.
Meet the Kindle Fire HD. This time around everything’s been completely improved. It’s faster, more powerful, lighter, thinner, and even looks a bit better too. The styling has seen a massive change from the original, and the curved edges and aluminum band around back gives it some character. No longer is this just a black squared rectangle that wishes it ran Android.
Hardware
As we mentioned above everything has been improved with the Fire HD. That old and dare I say ugly design of the original has been replaced with a unique, custom, and elegant design that surely will have a few happy. While it could still use some improvements (like a smaller bezel) it certainly is prettier than its older brother.
The Kindle Fire HD measures in at 193 x 137 x 10.3mm in size. Which is about 1.1mm thinner than the original but a little wider and taller. So while it doesn’t offer a huge change in size, the curved edges and smooth corners makes it feel and look much thinner. The designs starting to grow on me although I’ll never get used to those buttons. It’s also slightly lighter than the original while getting a bump in all specs under the hood, but only by a hair. Take a peek at our unboxing and first impressions below.
As you can see from the video everything is quite elegant this time around. The flooding of matte black is nicely changed with the aluminum band around back, and the stereo speaker grills — while odd in design — give it even more character and a unique look we’ve not seen yet from most tablet manufactures. Overall the design is quite calm and looks to by flying under the radar with nothing loud about it. Sleek, dark, and powerful.
As far as internal specs Amazon has stepped it up considerably but still isn’t up to par with recent devices like the Nexus 7. We get a brilliant and vivid 7-inch display (more on that below) with a 1280 x 800 HD resolution. The Fire HD is powered by a Texas Instruments 4470 dual-core processor, it has been stepped up to 1GB of RAM, and of course has 16GB of storage all for $199. A few notable features is the Kindle Fire HD is the first tablet with dual-band MIMO WiFi support (for better, faster connectivity) and it also features Dolby Digital stereo speakers.
If we didn’t make it clear enough in our video above, while we love the design and slim edges, the fact that the power and volume buttons are so hard to find/push was a cause for concern. We were constantly searching for the power button and it will surely take some getting use to. There’s nothing on the left side, around to the top you’ll have a single microphone for video chatting, then the right side houses the buttons just mentioned. You’ll also get micro-USB and micro-HDMI down on the bottom for charging, syncing, and streaming all that Amazon HD content to a bigger screen.
Display and Speakers
As we mentioned above the display has been rather impressive. Amazon made a big deal about their technology and coating to prevent glare for those movie watching or outdoor readers but we’ve hardly noticed a difference. Screen glare remains a problem, but might be less of a problem with the Kindle Fire HD.
As far as actual screen quality however, it is stunningly gorgeous, bright, and crisp. The 1280 x 800 resolution HD display is an IPS panel. This means we have accurate and not overly saturated colors, vivid and crisp text, and excellent viewing angles. Now that we have a higher resolution all that HD content from Amazon can finally be put to use — at a premium. Movies will cost a little extra, plus their size will take up extra space, and the same goes for games and apps. However that is worth the tradeoff because it’s rather fun to look at.
The Stereo speakers are also pretty stellar. The Fire HD is the first tablet with Dolby Digital Plus and stereo speakers. While sound quality wasn’t of the highest we’ve heard, it certainly was loud and crisp and certainly can be heard from a distance. Most tablets don’t have this type of audio quality so we’ll give them a thumbs up for that.
Software
Android… Fire… Ice… What do we have here? The Amazon Kindle Fire is running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but you’d never know from looking at it. Aside from the pulldown notification bar Google’s old Andy is no where to be seen. They’ve got their own Amazon App Store, their own Maps (powered by Nokia) and their own slew of video players and reader solutions. This is nothing new and exactly like the previous Kindle — just a little faster. Their Fire UI has completely put out the blazes of Android.
The user interface in general will either appeal to most, or be bothersome. The content-rich in your face design never fades, and Amazon’s constant nag (recommendation) of other movies, apps, books, videos, or other purchases is as present as ever. Instead of explaining the Fire UI to everyone, since you’ve probably seen it before, enjoy our extended hands-on video review for a better idea of software looks and performance.
As you can see, the interface is largely the same and basically unchanged. However, it’s extremely smooth. Not quite buttery smooth, but a huge increase and certainly smoother than before. While we did experience the occasional hiccup or browser lag, in general performance has remained swift even after hours of usage.
The “customers also bought,” “More products” and “similarly viewed” content is all in your face. We’ve talked a lot about the ads or commercial space, and well, because it’s everywhere. Amazon has stated there will be an opt-out, but we’ll talk more on that another time.
Everything from reading, enjoying a movie, or checking out the latest set of apps has all remained unchanged. Why tweak the reading experience when it’s so excellent. What Amazon has done however is improved it with small additions. We now have X-Ray as shown in the video above. X-Ray gives users an in-depth look at the book their engulfed in, details on every character, and where in the book (or movie) they are mentioned. With videos you’ll be treated with the same awesome X-Ray feature and it’s also integrated with IMDB. From there you can pause the movie you’ve just rented and look up everything you’d ever like to know about that cute girl in the scene. See other movies she’s been in — and of course they’ll obviously recommend more films for you to purchase.
Overall we’ve been rather satisfied with the largely unchanged yet faster software and user experience. Productivity is certainly not on the forefront here as this tablet is all about content consumption and purchases. The awesome and easy-to-use multitasking features of Android, especially 4.0 ICS have been completely removed. There’s a few small multitasking options like music in the dropbown bar but for the most part any sort of multitasking is slow, cumbersome, and a chore.
At the end of the day the software is pretty solid. For those that want a streamlined user interface with everything you need (and might need) directly provided front and center with suggestions and large HD content this is surely for you. For the Android enthusiast this is a long ways from anything Android. Oh and if you don’t like all those ads and suggestions you can opt out for about $15.
Battery Life
As far as battery life is concerned you shouldn’t have much of an issue here. For the occasional users that gets up and reads the occasional webpage, checks a few movie times and sports scores and more this tablet can clearly last a solid 3-4 days of medium usage. When it comes to more intensive things the Fire HD was on par with most recent tablets.
With the Fire HD running a continuous video loop we managed just over 9 hours of usage. Amazon quotes it for 11 but you probably won’t quite be getting that unless you have the brightness pretty low and do light tasks. The Nexus 7 lasted a tiny bit longer with rundown tests, but sadly we weren’t able to fire up the usual Android apps to test most of those things we like to test.
It’s safe to say you can read for hours, enjoy videos for an entire road trip, or casually use this device on the couch all without worrying about a charger too much.
Competition
As far as the competition is concerned, no one can hit this price point except for Google. Most tablets in this size range, even with lower specs, aren’t able to come near the $199 price point Amazon introduced — and now reintroduced while beating out the Nexus 7. With the iPad Mini looming but still not announced we can’t compare that — yet. As far as the Android ecosystem goes the Nexus 7 gives this a pretty good run for its money.
When we reviewed the Google Nexus 7 we said it was the best 7-inch tablet money could buy, if not the best Android tablet in general. Now just 3 months later we have this nipping at its heels. Overall however the Nexus 7 performs better in all tests. The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean speed with the Chrome Browser always won by at least a few seconds. Intensive games seem to handle things better, and the Nexus 7 has the full Google Play Store. In the end though it isn’t about which is better for your $200 crisp dollar bills. It’s about what you need. For those looking for that all around tablet experience the Nexus 7 reigns supremacy simply for the fact that it’s pure unaltered Android. For those looking for an awesome consumption device that doesn’t need the bells and whistles that Google provides — the Kindle Fire HD is a finely tuned content consumption machine.
Wrap-Up
Just like we mentioned above, the Kindle Fire HD is a mighty fine device. Amazon’s increased the speed and performance throughout, improved the display (obviously) and added even more awesome features. If you don’t mind the slightly subsidized feeling, or pay for the opt-out, you’ll surely be in for an enjoyable experience. In the end we can’t help but feel like this tablet is just as much for shopping and browsing Amazon.com than it is for searching the web and enjoying movies.
In terms of Amazon’s complete ecosystem of games, apps, videos, movies, books, music and more this is the perfect tablet. Deep down however for those looking to do more with their tablet like what we see with the iPad and the Nexus 7 — the Kindle Fire still has a little ways to go. If Amazon will ever take it there is a different story.
To many, the war of the eReaders is between Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Though Sony has never managed to get quite as big as either of those two companies in the eReader space, it’s back with a new Reader and looking to become a serious contender. Does Sony’s Reader PRS-T2 help the company stand out in the bigger picture, or does it fall flat in a sea of eReaders vying for your attention, and more importantly, your dollar? Read on to find out.
Screen and pre-installed apps
The Sony Reader PRS-T2 sports a 6-inch pearl E Ink touchscreen, and like nearly every other eReader out there, one of the big draws of the screen is that you can read it in direct sunlight. The screen actually looks great when it’s in direct sunlight, and it looks just as good when you take it indoors. The goal behind E Ink displays is to make it feel like you’re reading the page of an actual book, and the Reader PRS-T2 definitely succeeds in that respect. Reading on this is a pleasure – the text on the screen is always nice and sharp, and as an added bonus, Sony has cut back on screen flashes with this latest in the Reader line. Instead of flashing every time you turn the page, the screen flashes once every 15 page turns. Ghosting can sometimes be an issue as a result, but really it isn’t something that’s noticeable all the time. Most likely, you’ll be too absorbed in the book you’re reading to notice, as it isn’t enough to actually make reading any more difficult.
Having touch capabilities is a nice feature, letting you turn the page by swiping the screen instead of using the physical buttons that have taken up residence along the bottom edge of the screen. Touch will undoubtedly be appreciated by most, but to tell you the truth, I like the fact that the Reader PRS-T2 sports actual buttons. To complement the touch screen, Sony has included a stylus. There isn’t any dock for the stylus like we see on the Samsung Galaxy Note or the Nintendo DS, for example, so you’ll have to keep it in a pocket, which inevitably means that it’s only a matter of time before that sneaky stylus turns up missing (for some of us anyway). The stylus makes navigating easier, especially for someone with big, clunky man hands like me, and there are quite a few instances when the stylus comes in handy, such as when you’re using the Notes app, browsing the web, or highlighting text in a book.
Let’s back track for a minute and focus a little more on those physical buttons toward the bottom of the device. There are five in total: page back, page forward, home, previous, and menu. They’re all pretty much self-explanatory – page back and page forward obviously move through the pages of your book, home takes you to the main menu screen (more on that later), previous takes you back to the last page you were viewing, and menu opens up a little menu packed with options while you’re reading a book. In this menu, you can do things like change the font and its size. There are six or seven different font options (though to be honest I liked the default font the best), and you have a pretty wide range of font sizes to choose from too, from “teeny tiny” all the way up to “you must be legally blind if you need the text to be this big.”
Also in this menu is a navigate page button, which allows you to quickly speed through the pages in your book so you aren’t stuck hitting the page buttons or swiping the screen over and over again. From here, you can also jump back to the book’s table of contents. There are also some shortcuts to the Notes and Handwriting apps, as well as an option that lets you customize your page view, giving you control over the page layout and how the text is displayed. As if those options weren’t enough, there are additional options that allow you to search your book for a specific term, switch between portrait and landscape modes easily, and share what you’re reading to Facebook.
While you’re reading a book, you can highlight a word or a phrase and do a couple of things. In the case of a word, you can look it up in the New Oxford American Dictionary, which comes installed on the PRS-T2. Alternatively, you can also do a Google search for the word, or look it up on Wikipedia, a feature that is nice to have around if you want to know more about a character or place in the book you’re reading. With quotes, you might want to share them to Facebook, or save them in Evernote.
The Reader PRS-T2 boots up relatively quickly, taking a few seconds depending on how big the book you’re currently reading is, and it isn’t long before you find yourself on the main menu screen. From here, you can continue your book right where you left off – it even tells you how many pages you’ve read and when you last read it – or take a look at your four most recently added books or some Reader Store selections. At the bottom of the main menu screen, there are three touch buttons – Bookshelf, Reader Store, and Apps. Bookshelf takes you to a page that displays all the books you have installed in a neat little fashion, whereas Reader Store obviously takes you to the Sony Reader storefront, and Apps takes you to – right again – a page where your installed Apps are displayed.
The PRS-T2 comes with a number of Apps pre-installed ranging from the Public Library app and pictures app, to the aforementioned dictionary, notes, and browser apps. Included are shortcuts to periodicals you’ve downloaded, as well as a handwriting app that allows you to jot down handwritten notes (or drawing maps, as in one of the examples that comes pre-loaded on the PRS-T2). From the Apps screen, you also have the opportunity to set up the PRS-T2’s Facebook integration, or link your Evernote account. Having Evernote integrated is going to be a big draw for a lot of people, considering how popular the service has become. With Evernote, you can add quotes from your favorite books to your collection of notes, or save something you’ve written up with the handwriting app. For many, it’s going to be nice to have Evernote along for the ride, and Sony definitely earns big points for including it in the Reader PRS-T2.
Browsing the Reader Store for new books is simple as well. There are actually a surprising number of books on the Reader Store, meaning that you’re only ever a few taps away from having a brand new book to dive into. Navigating is made easy by the categories the Reader Store is split up in, but if browsing isn’t quite your thing, there is naturally a search function, allowing you to find books based on title, keyword author. While it may not have as many books available as the Amazon Store, the Reader Store still definitely boasts enough to keep any reader satisfied for a long time.
One little bonus that I particularly liked was the fact that the Reader displays the cover of the book you’re currently reading when it’s in sleep mode. This gives you a chance to see how sharp the eReader display actually is, and also has the added benefit of looking really cool. Though we don’t expect ads to be shown on anything that isn’t a Kindle, it has to be said here – Sony doesn’t display any ads on the Reader PRS-T2, meaning that when the Reader is off, the only thing you see is a blank screen. That isn’t much of a surprise, but it’s worth noting, especially considering that Amazon’s Kindle ads have a tendency get people riled up.
As with most eReaders, the battery on this thing lasts a really long time. That is, after all, one of the major benefits of an E Ink screen. Sony says that the Reader PRS-T2’s battery can last for up to 8 weeks, and to be frank about it, I’m going to have to trust them with this one. The battery came about three quarters of the way charged, and despite using it every night for more than a week – I’ve been reading George R.R. Martin’s A Storm of Swords on it, and anyone who has read that book knows it doesn’t let go easily – I still haven’t been able to kill it. Naturally, the battery will go a bit faster if you have Wi-Fi on all the time, but even then, you probably won’t be reaching for the charger all that often.
Wrap-Up
So, by now you know that the Sony Reader PRS-T2 comes packed with a lot of nifty features. That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t matter much if you have a device that isn’t comfortable in use. Thankfully, the Reader PRS-T2 succeeds there as well, and it’s lightweight design (the Reader PRS-T2 comes in at just under 6 ounces) makes it very easy to hold. That’s true even for someone like me, who has hands that may as well belong to Hagrid or Andre the Giant. The only problem is that the PRS-T2’s lightweight design also makes it feel a bit fragile. It’s definitely sleek and minimalistic (no ugly full keyboards here), but it also demands that you treat it gently. Naturally, I’m not going to start hurling it across the room to test its durability, but it’s safe to say that exercising a little extra caution when transporting it isn’t a bad idea, especially with that 6-inch screen taking up most of the front.
It’s easy to fall for the Reader PRS-T2 – that much is definitely true. However, with that being said, we’ve already seen most of these features on other eReaders. There’s no question that the Sony Reader PRS-T2 is a solid eReader, but that unfortunately doesn’t help with the feeling that it’s a little late to the party. Sony is to be commended for releasing a feature-rich eReader like the one I’ve been enjoying recently, but I wish it had done so sooner. It comes with something of a steep price tag too – $130. Of course, it’s important to remember that the price of this Reader isn’t subsidized with ads, but I still feel like the price is a little too high for what you’re ultimately getting. If Sony would bring the price down a little bit, it would do a lot to make the Reader PRS-T2 a hit with the eReader fanatics of the world.
Still, aside from the price, there’s a lot to like about the device. I certainly have no major qualms with it, and in fact I really enjoyed the time I spent with it. If you can get over the price and don’t mind the fact that you won’t have a backlight at your disposal, then I’m sure you’ll be satisfied with the Reader PRS-T2. It comes packed with a lot of extra features and is easy to use – making it a good idea for those who are new to the eReader scene – and it’s a good looking device to boot, so if you’re in the market for a new eReader, definitely give the PRS-T2 a look before you make your decision.
This week we’ve got our hands on the Archos 101 XS tablet (part of the G10 series) with included keyboard dock, featuring a dual-core OMAP 4470 processor and a 10.1-inch display as well as Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This tablet brings on a nearly completely vanilla version of Android, here bringing on an un-skinned version of the software essentially the same as the Google Nexus lineup of tablets and smartphones. The unique build here is the star though, this tablet being rather unique with its keyboard dock that connects magnetically and protects the display when you’re not using the device.
Hardware
This device rolls out with a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 pixel resolution 10.1-inch display surrounded by a rather unique looking bit of chassis. You’ll be working with this device in white with slightly darker gray nearer the display, and the device brings on Archos’ own “Coverboard.” This Coverboard is both a protector for the display and a keyboard dock.
The Coverboard’s keyboard is made up of a collection of chiclet-style keys that are easy to type with when compared to the touchscreen interface. It’ll be difficult for you to get used to this keyboard if you’re used to a MacBook or if you’re using a keyboard on a desktop computer with massive keys – they are indeed physical keys here, so you’ll be able to do real typing, but beware their connection to Android.
While Android does accept the connection to Bluetooth keyboards and has for some time, there’s always a bit of lag that you’ll be dealing with. It’s certainly not the fault of Archos hardware, as we’ve had this situation occur many times with devices using Android, it’s simply the place that Google’s mobile software build is at right this minute. That said, this device is the closest to a real everyday typing machine using Android that we’ve seen thus far.
The Coverboard connects to the tablet using a magnetic interface and a kickstand that rises up from the board itself. This kickstand works well, but you should be careful with it – make sure you’re not letting your kids work with this device as there is a chance that said stand will snap off – watch out!
Archos lets us know that this tablet is 21 ounces light and 0.31″ thin, quite small by any tablet’s standards. The Coverboard adds 0.2″ of thickness and holds tight with magnets to the tablet when you’re ready to put it in your backpack. The Coverboard also has a strange combination of power abilities: when the tablet is docked and the dock is plugged in to the wall, the dock will charge the tablet. When the dock is not plugged in, however, the tablet will charge the dock. Strange stuff!
This device will also be working with accessories in the future with the same docking technology including an ARCHOS Speaker Dock, an ARCHOS Docking Station, and ARCHOS Pouches. We’ll have a peek at those when they’re ready for the market. This device also comes with 16GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot that’s able to take up to SDXC 64GB cards. You’ve also got a miniHDMI port, charging and PC access via a micro USB port, and both Wi-fi and Bluetooth 4.0 for wireless connectivity.
Software
This tablet comes with a nearly vanilla version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s got all your Google favorites like Google Play for digital media purchases, Gmail, Google+, and access to Google Drive right out of the box. Of course all of these apps (minus the Google Play store) are available to download by any Android device just so long as you’ve got the Google Play store and support for said store on your hardware.
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is in full effect with multi-tasking via your recent apps button on the screen in the dock and we’ve been told that Archos will be updating this device to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean by the end of the year. Archos has also added a collection of Media Center apps so you can see codec and format information on your movies and photos. Seeing your codec and format information also allows you to search items like title, series, actor, subtitle, and other information at will – just so long as your media has that information in the first place.
This device also comes with OfficeSuite Pro 6 for your Microsoft Office documents. This app allows you to read and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents as well as read PDF documents at will. Also have a peek at a benchmark or two below to see how this device performs with the OMAP 4470 CPU with PowerVR SGX544 GPU. Note that we’re working with an Engineering Sample here, so these might not be perfect final numbers:
Battery Life
This device works well to bring on an abundance of battery life, that’s for certain. We’ve not yet seen a tablet in the Android universe that didn’t last a full day even with heavy usage, and this Archos slate doesn’t disappoint. With the Coverboard you’ve also got an extension of your battery life- with both, you’ve got at least 10 hours of action even if you’re playing games.
Of course you’ve also got to note that we’re still using an Engineering Sample, so final results on the battery may differ in the end. Standby time, though, will likely remain largely the same. If you’re not using the device at all and leave it to sit on its own, with the display off, you’ll have days of battery time – we’re currently at more than four days without needing to charge – what a whopper!
Wrap-Up
This device presents a rather interesting – and certainly unique – offering to the Android tablet universe. Compared to the ASUS Transformer Prime with keyboard dock, this device doesn’t quite seem as high quality a final product – but it’s a lot less expensive at the same time at $399, dock included. We’re also thinking about how this device is currently set for a November release: this doesn’t bode well for a tablet that’s already slightly behind the times for specifications when compared to devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, for example.
If the Archos 101 XS is released in November sporting Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and essentially the same build we’re seeing here, it might be worth $399. It’s still a slightly surprising combination though now that the 7-inch wave is upon us.
If you’d like to know anything we’ve not covered above about this device, please feel free to let us know in the comments area below!
If you’re one of the few that is looking for a decent mid-range well rounded Android tablet that also manages to come in the same shape as the iPad, we might have something just for you. Today on the SlashGear test bench is the new Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tablet. Running on a standard build of Android, but rocking an iPad-like 9.7-inch 1024 x 768 resolution display check out if this tablet is for you after the break.
What we have here is a tablet that Lenovo has designed to be well built, well priced, and budget friendly. Coming in at just $349 with 16GB of internal storage it’s an ideal offering, although the Nexus 7 severely undercuts it — while being more powerful. First you’ll need to see our hands-on and unboxing, then lets dive into the tablet and see what we think. Shall we?
Hardware
In the very recent past Lenovo’s hardware and build quality has always been one of the low points of their tablets, but with the S2109 they’ve surprisingly done a much better job in that department. Offering it at a low price at the same time doesn’t hurt either. The build quality and hardware is improved, but it still isn’t up to Samsung or Apple standards.
Lenovo’s equipped this S2109 tablet with some pretty poor specs to meet that low price point though. You get an old, aging, and quite grainy 9.7-inch display rocking the same 4:3 aspect ratio and terrible 1024 x 768 resolution that the original (yes as in a few years old) iPad had. Almost all Android tablets come with at least a 1280 x 800 resolution so this is instantly looking worse once you glance into the screen. After using the Acer A700 with a 1920 x 1200 resolution, or our new iPad with Retina display this thing almost hurts my eyes.
Other than that you’ll get a mid-range 1.0 Ghz dual-core TI OMAP 4 processor, 1GB of RAM, and this model comes with 16GB of internal storage — they do offer a 32GB version for those in need too. We would rather of seen the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core here, but we’ll take what we get. Overall however the S2109 both looks and feels smaller than a 9.7-inch tablet because of the curved rounded edges and the sleek unibody design. Sadly the back is a hard plastic and not aluminum and it picked up scratches extremely quick. Lenovo has shipped the tablet with a silicone case right inside the box however, so that is an added bonus.
As for ports and options you’ll quickly notice the micro-HDMI and micro-USB ports on the right side, followed by a reset pinhole, the proprietary jack for charging, and a micro-SD slot for extra storage options. The top is outfitted with a single volume up/down rocker, then the left side is the lone 3.5mm headphone jack and power/wake button. The design is pretty basic, but works great for those who might be just beginning.
Sadly the hardware isn’t anything special. The best part is probably the unibody design (although it’s plastic) and the quad-stereo SRS surround sound speakers. The only camera is the 1.3 MP shooter up front, and they scraped the rear camera in favor of a low price. The speakers offer quite great sound for a little and budget tablet. While they won’t fill an entire room — most tablets don’t — they do have clear and crisp sound. We have mixed feelings on the hardware and build quality, but I guess for $349 it’s ok but we’d rather just buy an iPad 2.
Lenovo S2109 unboxing video
Software
The Lenovo S2109 runs a completely stock version of Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich which is a nice change since their previous attempts had a lot of changes — for the worse. Everything is completely vanilla and they’ve not touched the launcher, settings or notification bar or anything. For some reason however it seems to stutter and lag more than it should.
Lenovo’s pre-loaded AccuWeather, Lenovo App Shop, Documents To Go, Evernote, Adobe Flash Player, Go Keyboard, Movie Studio, Norton Security, Lenovo PrinterShare, Skype, SugarSync, News Republic, and Zinio. More than I’d like to deal with, but a few are quite nice. First thing you’ll want to do however is disable that terrible Go Keyboard and stick with ICS stock option.
Performance and Benchmarks
Unlike many recent tablets the Lenovo doesn’t run an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor. Instead it runs a pretty basic and aging Cortex A9 Texas Instruments chip that lags behind most of the tablet competition, even compared to old Tegra 2 dual-core options. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich had a little lag here and there that wasn’t expected, but that could be due to the old and aging processor under the hood. For the most part performance was fluid and swift, but we had to mention those odd stutters. Operation throughout the OS wasn’t too bad, it was browsing the web, reading RSS feeds, or checking through the market that seemed to struggle more than most.
Benchmarks, as expected, fall far behind most of the competition. Tablets like the Transformer Prime, or even cheaper options like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10 (2) all are a little better in this category. We see where Lenovo was aiming, but they just haven’t quite hit the mark. Scoring lower benchmark tests than all 3 mentioned above. Here’s a quick look at Quadrant and AnTuTu — which speak for themselves.
The boot time is rather long, and has a loud and slightly obnoxious animation and sound that is louder than anything else the tablet puts out, which we found a little odd. Playing your average games was decent although the slow processor and low resolution display gives you a less than stellar experience compared to the competition.
Camera and Battery Life
Now first we’ll start with the camera, since it only has one. Most tablets these days offer both a front and rear camera but here we only have a 1.3 megapixel front camera. It’s capable of 720p video but you’d hardly tell. While I don’t consider it a con that there’s no rear camera, many tablets currently offer one in this same price point — so we’ll take another notch off for that.
Battery life is one area that the Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 does do well though. It comes with a 6,720 mAh battery under the hood that lasted for around 7-8 hours of solid use. They claim 10 hours of video playback but we doubt you’ll make it that far. Stand-by battery was quite excellent too. Using the tablet here and there briefly during the evenings and leaving it at a table nearby we managed great battery life as you can see here. Some tablets no matter what will run out of life after a few days, but not the S2109.
Wrap-Up
When using this tablet over the past few weeks we decided that for $349 you could probably do worse, but at the same time you could easily do better. Overall Lenovo has designed a decent mid-range tablet with ok specs, and a low price. With the iPad 2 being just $399 these days, and powerful quad-core Android tablets being similarly priced we had a hard time giving this a thumbs up of any kind.
If you’d like to stay under the $400 mark we’d easily have to recommend the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T. It rocks a quad-core, higher resolution, and an optional keyboard for only $379, as well as the brand new Google Nexus 7 16GB for just $249. For those looking for a 9.7+ tablet the iPad 2 or even the new Acer Iconia Tab A510 would be a great option.
In the end the Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 is a well built tablet, it functions well and operates smoothly. The mid-range at best specs, low resolution, lack of a rear camera, and occasional stutters makes it hard to justify. For the price you could do better, but if Lenovo drops her down to $299 this might be a slightly different story.
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