Tablet World.pdf

Should you want a ‘proper’ tablet at this size, the iPad
mini is possibly better even than the Google Nexus 7.
But it costs more than £100 more, and we’re not sure
that it’s worth the extra cash. Buy one, however, and
you won’t be disappointed.
There are other, cheaper, 7in Android tablets, such
as the Acer Iconia Tab A110. There’s nothing wrong
with such devices, but in the tablet world you get
what you pay for and we think that in the list above
there is a device for everyone.
Full-size tablets
The iPad remains the best full-spec, full-sized tablet there
is. If you want the best tablet on the market, get Apple’s
fourth-generation iPad with Retina display. It is a beautiful
device with unsurpassed build quality, and the iTunes
market offers more quality apps than any other platform.
But you pay a premium for quality, and you will find that
you are pretty much locked into Apple’s world when it
comes to purchasing music and movies.
Apple still sells the iPad 2 at a discounted rate, and it
remains a great tablet. So if you want an iPad, but don’t
want to pay the full price, it’s worth checking out.
The list of alternative 10in tablets starts with the
Nexus 10. Google’s new Nexus 10 Android tablet has
an impressive PLS screen with a resolution of 2560x1600. The Samsungmanufactured
device is also thinner and lighter than Apple’s iPad, runs Jelly Bean
4.2 and, with prices starting at £319, is a bargain.
Samsung has two other 10in tablets in the Android tablet market, both are
solid competitors: the Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. With pen input
and a highly customised version of Android 4.0, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
distinguishes itself in a crowded market, but at £500 you’ll have to really want pen
input before it makes sense to choose the Note. Meanwhile, the Tab 2 10.1 is like
the iPad and the Nexus 10, only not as good. Unlike its predecessors, however, it
is cheaper. For £299 it will make all but the most stringent tablet fans happy.
Honestly, unless price is your primary driver, we wouldn’t recommend devices
such as the GoClever Tab R974, Toshiba AT300, Archos 101 XS and Disgo 9104.
In the 10in tablet market you get what you pay for. It doesn’t make them bad
devices, but you should know that you are making a compromise.
There is an alternative, however, and an intriguing one. The Barnes & Noble
Nook HD+ is a 10in tablet with expandable storage that costs only £229. It runs
Barnes & Noble’s locked-down, stripped-down version of Android, and shares the
Nook HD’s high build quality. Like that device and the Kindle Fire HD, the price
you pay for such value is that the Nook HD+ locks you into Barnes & Noble’s
world, all-but forcing you to buy books, music and movies via its store. But it is
a quality device at a great price, and less technical users may actively enjoy the
ease of use in a closed market.
Operating system
TabletWorld categorises devices in three main camps: full-size, mini and
children’s tablets. However, within these categories are three more: those
running Android, iOS and Windows RT, the version of Windows 8 written for
ARM processors. Also look out for tablets running BlackBerry 10.0, which is
set to be released in 2013. Over the following pages we explain the ins and
outs of each major tablet platform.
Which tablet is right for you? FEATURE
The iPad 2 is still
available at a discounted
price, and may be worth
a look
TABLETWORLD 9