HTC Flyer
Price: $315
Website: htc.com
With many new tablets opting for a large
10-inch screen, along with the increased footprint it requires, the HTC Flyer
looks like a breath of fresh air. And the digital pen it comes with gives it an
edge. However, it doesn’t come with the designed for tablet 3.0 Honeycomb
version of Android and it also lacks a dual-core processor. Performance is
still very good, but Android 2.3 wasn’t made for use on screens this big.
The
HTC Flyer looks like a breath of fresh air. And the digital pen it comes with
gives it an edge.
Specifications
·
OS Android 2.3 Gingerbread
·
Screen 7-inch LCD
·
Resolution 600 x 1024 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8255T
·
Memory 1GB
·
Storage 16/32GB, MicroSD
·
Camera 5MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facing
·
Flash No
·
Video 720p HD
·
Wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi Bluetooth 3.0
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack,
·
Micro USB 2.0
·
Standby time 1470 hours
·
Use time TBC
·
Size 195x122 x 13mm
·
Weight 421g
·
Verdict: it has a neat pen gimmick, but the lack
of android 3.0 is an unfortunate flaw.
Microsoft Surface
Price: $599
Website: microsoft.com
Microsoft
Surface
As much a Victom of Microsoft’s Hype
machine as anything, the Surface is Windows 8/RT’s flagship tablet device.
While it is a technologically solid device (a nice screen and decent processor
encased in a nice body) It unfortunately doesn’t know if it’s a laptop or a
tablet, the interface is difficult to learn and the app offerings are
non-existent.
Specifications
·
Networks: None, Wi-Fi only
·
Dimensions 275x 172x 9.4mm
·
Weight 680g
·
OS Windows RT
·
Screen TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
·
Resolution 1366 x 768 - 148
·
pixels per inch density
·
Processor Nvidia T30 quad core at 1.3GHz
·
Memory 2GB of RAM
·
GPU GeForce ULP
·
Storage 32GB,4 (3B, MicroSD slot expandable to
54GB
·
Camera Front and back 1.2MP Video 720P
·
Wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct,
dual
·
Verdict: full of potential, but a device let
down by its poor software, windows 8/rt.
Motorola Xoom 2 Media
Price: $300
Website: motorola.com
While the original Xoom 2 struggled to
stand out against its similar-sized rivals, largely because they include the
iPad, at 8.2-inches and around $120 cheaper, the smaller Xoom 2 Media edition
is a much better proposition. It’s the best mini- edition tablet we’ve seen,
offering more performance per pound than efforts from Samsung, RIM and Sony.
And it’s even cheaper than buying the full size Xoom 2.
Specifications
·
OS Android 3.2 Honeycomb
·
Screen 8.2-inch TFT
·
Resolution 800 x 1280 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 1.2GHz Cortex-A9
·
Memory 1GB
·
Storage 16GB, MicroSD
·
Camera 5MP rear-facing, 1 .3MP front-facing
·
Flash Yes
·
Video720pHD
·
Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack,
·
Micro USB 2.0
·
Standby time 548 hours
·
Use time 6 hours
·
Size 216x 139x9mm
·
Weight 386g
·
Verdict: small but fully featured - the xoom 2
media edition is a tablet triumph.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
Price: $599
Website: samsung.com
The
problem is it is priced to target the iPad and while it is certainly a great
tablet, it’s not quite good enough to rival Apple’s masterpiece device.
Arriving in the shadow of the third iPad,
it’s to Samsung’s credit that the Galaxy Note 10.1 isn’t completely dwarfed by
its rival. Combining a strong specification, unique usability and some
excellent features, it is one of the best devices you can buy in the
ever-growing tablet market. The problem is it is priced to target the iPad and
while it is certainly a great tablet, it’s not quite good enough to rival
Apple’s masterpiece device.
Specifications
·
OS Android 4.0 ICS
·
Screen 10.1-inch TFT
·
Resolution 800x 1280 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 1.4GHz quad-core
·
Memory 2GB
·
Storage 16/32/64GB internal, MicroSD up to 64GB
·
Camera 5MP rear-facing, 1.9MP front-facing
·
Flash LED
·
Video 720p HD at 30fps
·
Wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi,
·
Bluetooth 4.0
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack,
·
Micro USB 2.0
·
Standby time 1500 hours
·
Use time 33 hours
·
Size 258 x 175 x 9mm
·
Weight 583g
·
Verdict: a fantastic tablet but it can’t quite
match up to the latest apple ipad.
Scroll Extreme Tablet
Price: $270
Website: storageoptions.com
Scroll
Extreme Tablet
While there are plenty of great Android
tablets on the market, finding one that packs the latest Android 4.0 OS at a
sub-f200 price point has been a bit more difficult. Until the release of the
Scroll Extreme Tablet, that is. Packing plenty of style, good usability and
ample features alongside its cutting-edge operating system, the icing on the
cake is its pleasingly responsive 9.7-inch touchscreen.
Specifications
·
OS Android 4.0 ICS
·
Screen 9.7-inch LCD
·
Resolution 768 x 1024 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 1.2GHz Cortex-A8
·
Memory 1GB
·
Storage 8GB, MicroSD
·
Camera 2MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front facing
·
Flash No
·
Video Yes
·
Wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack,
·
Micro USB 2.0
·
Standby time TBC
·
Use time TBC
·
Size 243 x 189 x 9mm
·
Weight 610g
·
Verdict: if you’re after a reliable android 4.0
tablet, then this device is hard to beat.
Sony Tablet S
Price: $449
Screen
9.4-inch TFT
One of the greatest Android tablets yet,
the Sony Tablet S is a must for Android users and home entertainment purists.
You won’t see a sharper screen or a better looking Android tablet. And whether
you simply must have a Sony tablet or you want to use your tablet as the heart
of your home media hub, the Tablet S even has the rare ability to turn heads on
the train. It’s one of the very best iPad alternatives we’ve seen recently.
Specifications
·
OS Android 3.1 Honeycomb
·
Screen 9.4-inch TFT
·
Resolution 800 x 1280 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 1 GHz Cortex-A9
·
Memory 1GB
·
Storage 16/32GB, SD
·
Camera SMP rear-facing, 0.3MP front facing
·
Flash No
·
Video 720p HD
·
Wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
·
Standby time TBC
·
Use time TBC
·
Size 241 x 174 x 10mm
·
Weight 598g
·
Verdict: alongside the Samsung galaxy tab 10.1,
this is the hero tablet for android.
Toshiba AT200
Price: $599
Toshiba
AT200
As Android tablets go, the Toshiba AT200
sits in the top tier and has plenty to offer for the price. There’s no 3G data
connection, so it’s Wi-Fi only for web browsing. But with 802.lln Wi-Fi in
place, it’s as fast as it gets. The screen delivers sharp, vivid images and clean
color reproduction, which is ideal for video playback. And the dual-core 1.2GHz
processor and 1GB of memory helps to put your daily tasks firmly in the fast
lane.
Specifications
·
OS Android 3.1 Honeycomb
·
Screen 10.1-inch LCD
·
Resolution 800 x 1280 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 1.2GHz
·
Memory 1GB
·
Storage 16/32GB, MìcroSD
·
Camera 5MP rear-facing, 2MP front facing
·
Flash Yes
·
Video 720p HD
·
Wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Mini USB 2.0
·
Standby time TBC
·
Use time 8 hours
·
Size 256x176 x 8mm
·
Weight 558g
·
Verdict: a thin, light and fast android tablet
that looks great and works well.
Toshiba AT300
Price: $494
On
its own merits Toshiba’s AT300 easily stands out as a high-quality,
feature-packed tablet.
On its own merits Toshiba’s AT300 easily
stands out as a high-quality, feature-packed tablet. Its excellent usability,
decent screen, strong features and ample quad-core power all offer good value
for money, putting this device high up the list of quality Android tablets. But
with outstanding rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and Google Nexus
7, the competition is very strong and Toshiba’s tablet can’t quite measure up.
Specifications
·
OS Android 4.0 les
·
Screen 10.1-inch TFT
·
Resolution 800 x 1280 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 1.3GHz quad-core
·
Memory 1GB
·
Storage 16/32GB internal,
·
Storage cards up to 32GB
·
Camera 5MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing
·
Flash LED
·
Video Yes
·
Wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi Bluetooth 3.0
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack.
·
Micro USB 2.0, Micro HDMI
·
Standby time 168 hours
·
Use time 12 hours
·
Size 261 x 179 x 9mm
·
Weight 590g
·
Verdict: a high-quality tablet but it can’t
quite measure up to the competition.
