Google nexus 7



Built by Asus, Google’s own-brand Nexus 7 was the first high-end tablet with an affordable price tag, giving a boost to the Android platform’s popularity .

“Google’s Nexus 7 sets the benchmark for inexpensive 7in tablets”

  
● Price From £159 ● comPany GooGLe 
● WeBSiTe    play.google.com

 Google’s Asus-manufactured Nexus 7 is still the benchmark for  inexpensive 7in tablets. It runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and has a   7in (1280x800) screen. It’s relatively thin and light at 10.9mm and 336g. Designed to be predominantly used in portrait mode, we found   one-handed use in either orientation comfortable. Its compact 120x199mm chassis makes the Nexus 7 pocketable, too. The front takes the form of a single sheet of glass, surrounded by a silver metal frame. 

                               On the rear is a dark brown textured cover with a rubbery feel. It aids grip and feels nice to the touch. Buttons and ports are kept to a minimum: on the right are a power button and volume rocker, while a Micro-USB port and headphone jack are found at the bottom. A four-pin side dock will be useful for accessories; speakers are concealed behind a long slot.


 Build quality

 We’ve come to expect sub-£200 tablets to display lousy build quality. The Nexus 7 bucks the trend, and this well-made slate feels like a premium product. Scratch-resistant Corning glass lies flush with the  metal frame, and the buttons and ports feel solid. The Nexus 7 has a surprisingly good specification for the money.  It uses the same 1.3GHz nVidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor found 
in many top-spec Android devices, backed with a healthy 1GB of RAM. As such, the Nexus 7 scored highly in Geekbench 2, with 1,452 points. This result was refl ected in its smooth operation. The Nexus 7’s in-plane switching (IPS) panel is a highlight, and provides excellent contrast, brightness and viewing angles. A 1280x800 resolution and 216ppi pixel density translates to very good detail levels. We found the screen good for web surfi ng and playing games, but even more so for watching fi lms. The 16GB Nexus 7 costs just £159 but, since you can’t add to this capacity, it makes more sense to opt for the new 32GB version for £40 more. And for a further £40 you can add cellular connectivity. Note that the Android OS gobbles up around 2GB. Bluetooth, GPS and near-fi eld communications (NFC) are included, but there’s no rear-facing camera for quick snaps. A 1.2Mp front-facing camera is adequate for video chat.

Software

 The Nexus 7 runs the very latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system. Google has improved the OS’ performance and responsiveness. Jelly Bean is slick, and closes the gap between Android and iOS. 
          
                                We experienced no lag when moving between home screens, navigating menus and scrolling through video. Web surfi ng with the default Chrome browser is smooth; pages load quickly, while zooming and scrolling are similarly speedy. Enhancements have been made to the Notifi cation bar, now showing more information about each alert and letting you carry out tasks without launching the associated app. 

                                                  For example, Gmail notifi cations group emails and display subject lines. Widgets automatically resize to fi ll the available space, while app shortcuts and other widgets tidy themselves out the way when you place a new widget over the top. Few are preloaded, but the Play Store offers plenty. Dictation is now available offl ine, and Google Search gives results in information cards – you can ask questions and receive answers in spoken form. Google Now is another addition, and taps into the data Google holds about you.

                                           It aims to stay a step ahead, predicting the information you need before it’s requested. For example, it might offer train times. We found Google Now very useful, offering us the information we’d usually search for and more, including local attractions based on our location. Its downfall is the need for an active internet connection; when you’re on the road and out of range of a Wi-Fi hotspot you’ll need to tether the Nexus 7 to your phone. Missing from Android 4.2 is any Flash support. 

                                 The free BBC Media Player app offers a workaround for iPlayer content, but it won’t assist you with inline video content on websites. Google touts a 10-hour battery life when browsing the web, and we recorded a whopping 9 hours 40 minutes in our video-looping test.

Bottom line

 Google sets a new standard for budget tablets with the Nexus 7. It’s an unbelievably well-equipped device for the price. Silky-smooth performance and a high-resolution IPS screen are highlights in the best budget tablet we’ve seen yet. The Nexus 7 remains one of the best choices for those who don’t want or need a 10in tablet.

Specifications

 7in (1280x800) capacitive multitouch screen; Android 4.2 Jelly Bean; 1.3GHz quad-core nVidia Tegra 3 processor; Quad-core ULP GeForce graphics; 1GB RAM; 16/32GB storage; 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz); Bluetooth 4.0; 3G optional (32GB model only); 1.2Mp front camera, 720p video; GPS; Micro USB; 3.5mm headphone jack; 16Wh battery; 120x199x10.6mm; 336g




 

 

 
 

                  
                         Apple iPad mini


Apple has finally made its move into the small-tablet market with the iPad mini. But can all that iPad greatness be squeezed into such a tiny package?


“The A5 chip is getting a bit old, but our benchmark results show it can still rub shoulders with the current crop of 7in tablets”


Smaller than an iPad, but bigger than an iPod touch, the Apple iPad mini is the long-awaited and much-rumoured new tablet from Apple. Of particular  note to UK users is the fact that only this tablet and its bigger brother natively support 4G LTE mobile connectivity. That alone may be enough to sway you. Although the mini is the same physical size as its 7in rivals, it packs a bigger 7.9in screen. 

                       You wouldn't think it, but this extra space gives the iPad mini around 35 percent more screen area than a 7in tablet, and the difference is noticeable. We like the 4:3 form-factor, which is only a disadvantage when it comes to watching videos, since 16:9 content is displays a letterbox effect. To keep things simple, and likely to keep down costs, the screen has the same 1024x768 resolution as the iPad 2. This means it can run Apple's existing catalogue of iPad-specific apps. Most Android tablet owners have to put up with the phone versions of apps. 

                                  The iPad mini's display has a higher pixel density than the original iPad and iPad 2 because it's around 2in smaller, but it's obvious that it's not as crisp as the iPhone or larger iPad's Retina displays. Fortunately, it's still an IPS panel, so colours are vibrant and viewing angles excellent.

Build quality

What strikes you as you pick up the iPad mini is how light it is. It's less than half the weight of a third- or fourth-generation iPad, and 23 percent thinner. Despite  this, build quality is spectacular and the mini feels as solid as a rock. The mini is also noticeably thinner and lighter than most of its 7in rivals, including the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD. 

                                     It uses the new Lightning dock connector, so you'll need an adaptor to use 30-pin accessories - not all of which will work (and there's currently no HDMI adaptor available). The button layout is identical to that of a 9.7in iPad. Like all recent Apple iPads, the iPad mini has dual-band Wi-Fi, allowing it to roam across the less crowded 5GHz radio band. Apple also lists channel bonding in its spec, where two adjacent 20MHz channels are combined to make a 40Hz channel for potentially greater throughput. 

                        Most people won't get this benefi t, though, as few have a router with a 5GHz radio, or one that can simultaneously operate on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

 Cameras
  
Both cameras are brilliant, the rear one especially so. It takes sharp photos in dingy conditions, and great-looking images with accurate colours in good light. The rear camera is great for capturing video, too, and you'll feel more comfortable taking photos with this smaller iPad than its bigger brother. Plus, there's face recognition on both cameras for photos and videos.

 Performance

 Another similarity with the iPad 2 is the processor. The A5 chip is getting a bit old, but our benchmark results show it can still rub shoulders with the current crop of 7in tablets. Importantly, the iPad mini feels snappy in use, whether loading apps, scrolling around maps or browsing the web.

                                          In the SunSpider JavaScript test the iPad mini scored 1,442ms, which puts it toward the head of the pack, but in the synthetic Geekbench it managed only 752 - not a great score compared to the Nexus 7 (1,452) or even the Kindle Fire HD (1124). For gaming the mini is a capable device, and it mustered 24fps in GLBenchmark 2.5.1. In the same test the Kindle Fire HD scored just 8.2fps, while the Nexus 7 managed 14fps. When it comes to more demanding games, the iPad mini leads the way.

 Software

 A slight surprise is the presence of Apple's voice assistant Siri, as it was previously thought that the processor was to blame for its absence in the iPad 2. The mini has most of the other headline iOS 6.0 features, too, including fl yover maps and VIP mail, but there's no panorama mode in the Camera app. You can, of course, download any number of apps that do the same job. One neat addition to iOS is that it recognises if you're resting your thumb on the side of the screen or interacting with an app. The side bezels are just 5mm wide so touching the screen is inevitable, especially when reading an e-book.

 Bottom line

 The iPad mini is a premium small tablet, with a price to match. It's a shame Apple couldn't have included a Retina screen and newer processor - expect the next iPad mini to get those updates. This Wi-Fi-only model also lacks GPS. It's not cheap by any stretch, especially if you want more storage space or a cellular version, but it offers great value when compared to a full-size iPad. You can save £70 on a Nexus 7, which has double the storage, GPS and NFC, but if you must have an iDevice, it won't disappoint. 


Specifications

 7.9in (1024x768, 163ppi) capacitive multitouch IPS screen; Apple iOS 6.0; Apple A5 dual-core processor; 512MB RAM; 16/32/64GB storage; PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics; 802.11a/b/g/n with channel bonding; Bluetooth 4.0; 5Mp rear camera, 1080p video; 1.2Mp front camera; 3.5mm headphone jack; Lightning connector;  16.3Wh lithium- polymer battery; 200x134.8x7.4mm; 307g

 

                         
                              Disgo 9104


Before the Google Nexus 10 came along, the Disgo 9104 was the
first budget large-screen Android tablet actually worth a look


“Many will write off the Disgo as a  no-name brand, but  the 9104 is worth a second look”


● Price £179 ● comPany DiSGo ● WeBSiTe mydisgo.com


Many will write off the Disgo as a no-name brand, but the 9104 is worth a second look. It's the first budget Ice Cream Sandwich tablet to emulate the  iPad's 9.7in screen, but this 1024x768 capacitive IPS screen has a 4:3 ratio. The screen itself is an impressive panel in such a cheap tablet: relatively bright,  with good contrast and wide viewing angles. It isn't on a par with the iPad 2's screen, and the resolution is yesterday's, but don't forget that low price. Build quality is significantly better than that of Disgo's 8104 (a tablet the company is likely to want to forget), and rivals Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1. However, the Galaxy has a plastic back, whereas the Disgo has an aluminium panel. 

                            The 9104 is reasonably light at 630g and feels thin, despite measuring 10.4mm. All the buttons and ports are consigned to the right edge: power and volume controls sit above the power socket, mini-USB and mini-HDMI connectors. There's also a 3.5mm headphone output and a microSD slot for boosting the 16GB of internal storage. A rear-facing 2Mp camera is twinned with a front-facing VGA version for video chat. It seems the corners have instead been cut on the inside. The Disgo’s 1.2GHz single-core processor is paired with 1GB of RAM but, even with Android 4.0 installed, the 9104 isn't as slick as we'd like. Disgo has personalised Ice Cream Sandwich so it feels more welcoming to new users; as this is likely to be a first tablet, that's a good thing. Shortcuts to the browser, email, camera and settings apps are on the desktop. 

                              There's no access to the Google Play store, though, and no Google apps are installed by default. Browsing the web is one of the 9104's strengths. There's enough resolution to view the desktop versions of websites, and Flash is supported. Battery life isn't fantastic, with the 7,000mAh slab lasting just under five hours in our video-looping test. It's better than most budget laptops, though, and fine  as long as you carry the power supply with you. Wireless 802.11n is supported, but there’s no GPS receiver or Bluetooth.  This is worth noting if case you planned to use the 9104 as a satnav.

Specitations

9.7in (1024x768) capacitive multitouch  IPS screen; Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich; 1.2GHz Cortex A8 processor; 1GB RAM; 16GB storage; 802.11bgn;  2Mp, 0.3Mp cameras;  mini-USB; mini-HDMI; 243x190x10.4mm; 630g

             

             
                        Goclever Tab R974


It’s cheap, but is it cheerful? The GoClever Tab R974 is proof that –  in the tablet market, at least – you generally get what you pay for


“Given the low price, the GoClever’s specification isn’t bad”


● Price £179 ● comPany GocLeVer ● WeBSiTe goclever.com



The Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD and Barnes & Noble Nook HD are all proof that decent budget tablets do exist. But these tablets are all loss-leaders, designed  to encourage content sales or boost Android platform popularity; the GoClever is not. Unlike the Fire and Nook, though, it does offer access to Google Play. Mainly plastic in construction, the rear panel has a faux metallic silver finish that gives a fleeting impression of quality. It's by no means a thin device, but the edges taper off and make it feel thinner than it is. The screen bezel is also larger than those of premium tablets, but our main concern with the GoClever's build is the amount of flex in its plastic sides, and the loose plastic construction of the volume switch and on/off button. 

                              The GoClever has some great connectivity options, including micro USB, mini HDMI and a microSD slot. The latter lets you boost the 16GB storage with a further 32GB. There are front- and back-facing 2Mp cameras; both capture video. A single 1W speaker is found on the rear, situated exactly where you'd typically place your hand, so any movie watching or music listening will likely make use of the 3.5mm headphone jack. The GoClever boasts a 9.7in, TFT capacitative touchscreen LCD. Its 1024x768 resolution makes it far from the crispest screen we've seen, but we found it zippy and responsive, with decent viewing angles. Given the low price, the specification isn't bad. 

                             The CPU is a RockChip RK3066 dual-core Cortex A9 chip running at 1.6GHz, and it's backed with a healthy 1GB of DDR3 memory. There's also 802.11n wireless, an accelerometer and a 6,800mAh lithium-polymer battery. Subjectively, the GoClever Tab R974 feels like a responsive and snappy device, and this is born out by our performance benchmarks. In GeekBench the GoClever recorded 1,178 points, and we saw 1,267ms in the SunSpider JavaScript test, placing it not too far behind tablets costing a lot more. The GoClever Tab R974 runs Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. This is no longer the very latest Android OS, but it's as near as dammit.

Specifications

9.7in (1024x768) capacitive multitouch screen; Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean; 1.6GHz RockChip RK3066 processor; 1GB RAM; 16GB storage; 802.11b/g/n; 2x 2Mp  cameras; mini HDMI 1.4;  micro USB 2.0; 6,800mAh lithium-polymer battery

               
                   Barnes & noble nook HD


The Nook HD is a cheap 7in tablet with a stunning HD screen. We take a closer look to find out how it stacks up against its rivals, including the Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7

 “The Nook HD loads apps and web pages quickly, rarely leaves you waiting, and the interface never feels jerky”


Barnes & Noble is an established chain of bookstores in the US. Its 7in Nook HD weighs about the same as an iPad mini, and is comfortable to hold in one  hand. It’s available in white or grey, and with 8- or 16GB of storage. A microSD card slot lets you boost this capacity. The Nook HD is has its sights set on the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, and Barnes & Noble is quick to point out that you won’t get bombarded by adverts on the lock screen and that there’s a mains charger in the box.  It’s also thinner and lighter than the Fire HD, but it's the screen that's the star of the show. This IPS display has 1440x900 pixels, giving it a pixel density of 243ppi – almost as high as the Retina iPad. 

                   In fact, it’s hard to tell the difference in terms of clarity, and the colours and contrast of the Nook HD’s screen are excellent, as are viewing angles. One annoyance is the proprietary dock connector, which means you'll have to carry the charger around with you. An HDMI adaptor cable is said to be in the works, but we prefer Amazon's industry-standard micro USB and HDMI ports. It's also a shame there's no camera for Skype, but this is a device purely for content consumption, and Barnes & Noble makes no bones about that.

                             Like the Fire HD, the Nook HD runs Android Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s so heavily customised that it’s unrecognisable as Android, save for a few clues such as the volume slider. Press the power button on the left side and you immediately find a feature we’ve been waiting a long time for on a tablet: user profiles.

                                          You can create up to six profiles, and you drag an avatar on to the padlock to load that profile. Naturally, you can assign passwords so your kids (or your other half) can’t access your stuff. You can choose which apps and features are available to each person. Backgrounds can also be personalised for each user, and things like bookmarks and notes are user-specific, even though several family members could be reading the same content. 

                             You can even have separate email accounts – there's support for Microsoft Exchange, too, which means you can access work email if your firm uses Exchange. The main menu is similar to Amazon’s, with a carousel of recently used apps, books and magazines, but not web pages. Below this is space for a few shortcuts to apps, books, videos and magazines.

 Content

 The book selection is vast, although there are holes – no Gruffalo for kids, nor any Jamie Oliver cookbooks, for example. Things are less impressive when it comes to magazines and newspapers, with few UK titles on offer. At the time of writing the film store had yet to launch. When it comes to apps, your only option is the Nook store,  which has a limited selection of popular titles, but they are at least  curated. There's Angry Birds Star Wars and Words With Friends, but  no BBC iPlayer or Lovefilm. There is Netflix, which is a consolation  if you have a subscription to that service. A Flash app has been added to the Nook store, which you'll have to install  to watch Flash videos or use Flash-based websites. The system is locked down so tightly it makes the Kindle Fire HD look like  an open platform.

                            You can't install any app that's not in the Nook store, so it  isn't possible to side-load the Amazon Appstore or Google Play. Music fans are out of luck as there's no music store, but the built-in Music Player will play your MP3s, while the Gallery app can show your photos. Books and magazines from the Nook store look amazing, with high-resolution images that look lifelike on the HD screen. Page turns in magazines are slick 3D affairs, while in books, you simply swipe to instantly slide to the next page. With kids' books, you can double-tap  to enlarge the text panel on each page to  make it more readable, and it's possible to record your voice so they can listen  to someone read aloud the book.

  
Performance

 The dual-core 1.3GHz processor is a slightly slower version than the one used  in Archos' 101 XS, but the Nook HD is still a powerhouse. It completed the SunSpider JavaScript test in 1,248ms and web browsing is a speedy affair. The Nook HD managed 1,199 in Geekbench 2, which is a reasonable result and higher than that of the Kindle Fire HD (which scored 1,124), but lower than the Nexus 7 (1,452). In our graphics benchmark, GLBenchmark 2.5.1, the Nook HD produced 14fps. Not a bad result but, again, slightly behind the competition. 

                              Subjectively, the Nook HD is fast. It loads apps and web pages quickly, rarely leaves you waiting and the interface never feels jerky. Plus, in casual games such  as Angry Birds Star Wars, the framerate is very smooth. The high screen brightness immediately puts the Nook HD at a disadvantage compared to dimmer tablets, and it lasted 5 hours and 25 minutes with maximum brightness in our video-looping test. If you drop the brightness to a more sensible level you could get an extra couple of hours.

Specifications

 7in (1440x900) capacitive multitouch IPS screen; Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich; 1.3GHz TI Omap 4470 dual-core processor; 1GB RAM; 8GB storage; microSDXC; 802.11b/g/n;Bluetooth 3.0; HDMI via optional adaptor; proprietary sync/charge port;  accelerometer; lithium-ion  battery; 127x194x11mm; 315g

 

               
                          iPad mini vs iPad 4

 We compare iPad with iPad to fi nd out whether there’s more than just a size differential between the fourth-generation iPad and iPad mini

 For a long time Apple refrained from creating a small-screen tablet, but it’s no longer content with dominating only the large-screen tablet market: it wants the lot. But has it compromised on quality to create the mini, or is it possible  that great things really do come in small packages? Apple has stuck to its usual pricing structure for its fourth-generation iPad,  which starts at £399 and goes up to £659. Meanwhile, the iPad mini starts at a more affordable £269 for the most basic model, which extends to £529. There are no prizes for guessing that the iPad mini is smaller and lighter than the iPad. 

                               The former measures 135x200mm, and the latter 186x241mm. The mini is also thinner and lighter, at 7.2mm and 308g versus 9.4mm and 652g. The full-size iPad takes Apple’s tried-and-tested 9.7in IPS panel. Swap around the numbers and you get the mini’s screen size: 7.9in. Both sport a 4:3 aspect ratio, but differ in their resolution. Whereas the big iPad has a Retina-quality 2048x1536 screen, the mini matches that of the iPad 2 with 1024x768 pixels. The full-size iPad’s 264ppi pixel density is more impressive than the mini’s 163ppi. 

                           Apple tends to share very little information on its processors, but the iPad takes its latest 1.39GHz A6X dual-core chip with quad-core graphics, and the mini runs the iPad 2’s 1GHz A5. As is always the case with iPads, both are available with 16-, 32- or 64GB of storage, and neither has an expansion slot. The cameras in use by the iPad and iPad mini are identical. You get a 1.2Mp front-facing FaceTime HD (720p) camera, and a 5Mp rear-facing iSight snapper that can also capture full-HD (1080p) video. 

                               Connectivity specifications are like for like between these iPads. Both use Apple’s new Lightning connector, and both support dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. The iPad and iPad mini also offer the same support for 3G or 4G LTE connectivity in the UK, although its offered via a Micro-SIM in the fourthgeneration iPad and a Nano-SIM in the mini. The similarities continue with the battery life. Apple claims a 10-hour battery life for each of its iPads when surfi ng the web over Wi-Fi.

                   
               iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7

Apple’s iPad set the standard for 10in tablets, so how does its pint-sized mini fare against the best of the smaller-screen tablets?

“We never expected Apple to match Google’s pricing with its mini”


Google's taken a hit on the pricing of its Nexus 7, hoping to encourage take-up of the Android platform and content sales. We never expected Apple to match that price with its iPad mini, which costs £110 more than  the Nexus 7 at the same 16GB capacity. The Nexus 7 is the smaller tablet at 120x199mm versus 135x200mm, but  the mini is both thinner and lighter: the Nexus 7 is 10.5mm and 340g; the iPad mini measures 7.2mm and weighs in at 308g. Given this slightly larger chassis, it's no surprise to fi nd a larger 7.9in screen on the mini. Its 1024x768 resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio matches that of the iPad 2, whereas the 7in Google panel offers a higher resolution of 1280x800 pixels.

                               This results in a 216ppi pixel pitch for Google's tablet; 163ppi for the mini. In our testing the Nexus 7 was also the faster of the two tablets, with its quad-core nVidia Tegra 3 chip able to offer more oomph than the iPad mini's 1GHz Apple A5 dual-core processor. Neither tablet accepts removable memory cards to boost the internal storage capacity, although the iPad mini offers a 64GB option where the Nexus 7 maxes out at 32GB. Google's Nexus 7 has a front-facing 1.2Mp camera; the iPad mini matches this and gets one up with a 5Mp rear-facing iSight camera. The iPad mini is charged through Apple's new Lightning connector, introduced with the iPhone 5, while the Nexus 7 takes universal Micro USB. Both have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity onboard, although Apple’s tablet is dual-band and the fi rm is touting faster speeds via channel bonding. 

                                The Nexus 7, meanwhile, adds NFC to the spec sheet. Mobile 3G connectivity is an option for both tablets, and the mini also supports 4G LTE in the UK. The major difference between these two tablets is the software they run – that's Android 4.2 Jelly Bean for the Nexus 7, and iOS 6.0 for the mini. You can read our reviews of each on pages 10 and 12 respectively. With similar battery packs inside, expect both tablets to last around 10 hours when surfing the web.

             Acer Iconia Tab A510

The games are over, but this special Olympic Edition tablet with winning battery life could still be a gold medallist in your eyes.

“The A510 proudly displays the Olympic rings, but these look dated now the games are over”

 ● PRICE FROM £370 ● COMPANY ACER ● WEBSITE acer.co.uk

                                         Style-wise, the A510 looks and feels much like the original iPad, although its 10.1in screen has a wider aspect ratio. The resolution is higher at 1280x800,  but this is standard for an 10in Ice Cream Sandwich tablet. At 680g and 11mm thick, it's no featherweight and isn't all that comfortable to  hold after a while. The plastic back panel looks like metal, but lacks the reassuring feel you get with real aluminium. This panel proudly displays the Olympic rings, but these look dated now the games have fi nished. A quad-core 1.4GHz nVidia Tegra 3 T30 processor powers the A510. 

                             This quad-core chip means Android runs smoothly, even with several apps open. It's also adept at playing games – even intensive titles such as Grand Theft Auto III. The Acer averaged 1,258 points in GeekBench, making it a fair bit slower than the Toshiba AT300. In real-world usage, though, web pages load quickly and browsing the web is a decent experience. Image quality is good, but the screen's brightness is average and colours are slightly more muted than some Android tablets. Viewing angles aren't restrictive;  it's the glossy, refl ective screen fi nish that's the main problem. 

                                  There's 32GB of internal memory, which can be expanded via a microSD slot, while a micro-HDMI output lets you hook up the A510 to a large-screen telly. The rear 5Mp camera and front-facing 1Mp twin aren't great. Technically, the rear snapper can capture 1080p footage, but the resulting quality is good only for Facebook or YouTube. Similarly, photos lack detail, and the sweep panorama mode produced blurry images with conspicuous joins. 

                                Acer has made several changes to Android, including an HTC-style lock screen where you can drag the lock icon to one of four customisable apps to instantly launch them. Another addition is the ring interface, which is launched by a circular icon in the bottom status bar. This also provides four shortcuts, which are customisable, but default to screenshot, Gallery, Settings and Browser. Both Wi-Fi (802.11n) and Bluetooth 2.1 are integrated, as is a GPS receiver. Battery life is respectable at 9.5 hours of video playback. 

SPECIFICATIONS

 10.1in (1280x800) capacitive multiotouch screen; Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich; 1.4GHz nVidia Tegra 3 T30 quad-core processor; 1GB RAM; 16/32GB storage;  microSD; 802.11n;  Bluetooth 2.1; GPS; 259x10x15mm; 680g

             
                Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1


The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 offers Ice Cream Sandwich at a much lower price than its predecessor – which makes it a bargain, right?

“Subjectively the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 feels like a better-quality device than its predecessor”


● Price £299 ● comPany SamSUnG ● WeBSiTe samsung.com/uk

                               The first-generation Galaxy Tab 10.1 was the iPad's closest rival of the time. If you didn’t want an iPad, you bought the Tab 10.1. But Samsung has a lot more competition in the large-tablet market now, including from its own Note 10.1. Sporting a 1GHz dual-core TI Omap 4430 processor, the Tab 2 10.1 has a 10.1in, 1200x800-pixel capacitative multitouch display. Onboard storage is limited to 16GB this time around (the previous Tab 10.1 also had a 32GB storage option), but there’s an SD card slot for expansion. A 3G version is also available. 
                             
                                   There are some cosmetic changes from the original, but they are surprisingly similar devices. Indeed, the only major upgrade the Tab 2 10.1 can claim over the original 10in tablet is its operating system: whereas the Tab 10.1 was one of the first major players to run Android 3.1 Honeycomb, the second-gen Android tablet sports Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. We’d like to see 4.2 Jelly Bean, though.

 Build quality

 The most notable change is in the dimensions. The Tab 2 is marginally thicker, and has a metallic finish to its back. We measured it at 9.7mm; it’s also a few grammes heavier than the original Tab. It’s both thinner and lighter than the iPad. The black bezel is slightly thinner, but the screen remains the same size. Whereas the speakers previously sat recessed in the side of the Tab, now they are front-facing. The SD card slot sits at the top, next to the power and volume switches. To the right on the top is the 3.5mm headphone jack.      

                                     Subjectively, the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 feels like  a better-quality device than its predecessor. The Tab 2 uses the same colourful and bright, 1280x800 capacitative multitouch display. Viewing angles are pretty decent, too, although the screen is prone to finger smudges. Don't expect Apple-like detail levels, though. This Tab offers just 149ppi, and you’ll notice the difference next to the Retina-quality iPad.

 Performance

 The Tab’s dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM pales next to tablets such as Samsung’s own Galaxy Note 10.1, and the Nexus 7 and 10, all  of which are quad-core devices. It's a fast enough device, and we had no problems in terms of general navigation, web browsing and even HD video playback, but there is no doubt that the Nexus devices are much zippier. Waking up from standby takes perceptively longer, as does opening apps. In Geekbench the Tab 2 scored a disappointing 908 points.

                              This is by no means disastrous but, to put it in context, the £159 Nexus 7 scored an average of 1,561. The 7,000mAh battery held up well in our tests, comfortably dealing with a full working day of use, which chimes with Samsung's claimed nine hours of battery life. In our video-looping test it held out for five hours 48 minutes. In the SunSpider JavaScript test, which measures web-browsing performance, the Tab 2 10.1 averaged 2,369ms. This is a pretty poor result.

  Camera

 The Tab 2 has a 3Mp rear-facing camera with no flash. We're not sure how many people would feel comfortable holding up a 10in tablet to take a photo, but we're assuming it's not many. And that's probably just as well: the Tab's camera is perfectly adequate for the occasional snap, but it's never going to replace your dedicated camera. Images are grainy and flat. However, the 1080p full-HD video recording is worth having.

 Software

 The biggest update from the original Tab 10.1 is the move from Honeycomb to Ice Cream Sandwich, although this has since been rolled out to the original Tab, too. Android 4.0 is  a much more mature tablet OS, offering a level of slickness previously absent from Android. It's customisable, stable and consumer-friendly. The interface looks neater, crisper and sleeker throughout. Android 4.0 offers new features, including notifications that can be accessed from the lock screen, better text input with a spell-checker and enhanced email handling. 

                      There’s also a data-usage monitor. Typically, Samsung has laid over the top of ICS its TouchWiz UI. Honestly, we could live without Samsung's apps dominating our home screen, but that at least is customisable. And although Google Play Movies & TV is a better app than Samsung's Video Hub, the latter contains a lot more content, and the opportunity to buy, rather than simply rent movies. A year ago we liked the Tab 10.1. 

                                 For the second generation the hardware specs remain broadly the same, but it’s £100 cheaper. We love the bright screen, and adding SD support and 1080p video capture are both improvements. The problem is the competition: the Nexus 7, in particular, has changed the game for Android tablets, and is a little more than half the price of the Tab (albeit with a smaller screen, half the storage and no front-facing camera). Meanwhile, the iPad remains a cut above for £100 more than the Tab 2 10.1. But if you absolutely require a 10in Android tablet, spend £20 more on the Nexus 10. 

Specifications

 10.1in (1280x800) capacitive multitouch PLS screen; Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich; 1GHz TI Omap 4430 processor; 1GB RAM; 16GB storage; microSD; Wi-Fi; Bluetooth  3.0; 3Mp rear camera;  175.3x256.6x9.7mm; 587g.

 

 

           Samsung Galaxy note 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.

“Whether you need a stylus or not is debatable, but it’s something no other 10in tablet offers”


● Price £500 ● comPany SamSUnG ● WeBSiTe samsung.com/uk

With pen input and a highly customised version of Android 4.0, the Galaxy Note 10.1 distinguishes itself in a crowded market. You’d be forgiven  for confusing the Note 10.1 with the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, as both look extremely similar. Both are 10in Android tablets, and both come in white or grey.

S Pen stylus

What’s unique about the Note, just as with the original 5.3in Galaxy Note, is its stylus. The screen responds to your fingers as usual, but also works like a Wacom tablet when you write with the pressure-sensitive stylus. Whether you need a stylus or not is debatable, but there’s no doubt that if you need to annotate documents or draw onscreen, 
                                  
                                it’s something no other 10in tablet offers. When you remove the stylus from the bottom of the Note 10.1 a shortcut bar appears where you can launch, among other apps, Samsung’s Note app. This is probably the best of all those preloaded, letting you write notes, sketch and even write formulae. Text and equations can then be converted to editable text.

Hardware and build

Inside the Note is a fast 1.4GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM.  This version has 16GB of storage, but a 32GB model is also available.  There’s built-in GPS, Bluetooth and also Wi-Fi direct for sharing photos  and other files with compatible devices.

                                        The Note 10.1 has a distinctive, but not especially premium look. The tablet is neither the thinnest nor the lightest tablet, but it compares respectably to others in its size class. It measures 256.7x175.3x8.9mm, and weighs 583g – noticeably lighter than the iPad. It’s designed with the intent of holding it horizontally in two hands, with the front-facing 1.9Mp camera centred above the display, and stereo speakers mounted on either side.
                                                   
                                                          We like the front-firing stereo speakers, which are surprisingly loud and  well-positioned for holding the Note and watching videos. HD clips look great, too, and motion is crisp. There’s no USB in or HDMI out port, but a microSD  slot lets you add up to 64GB of extra storage and, oddly, an infrared emitter means you can control your TV.

                                                                  The screen is a mixed bag. Despite having the same 1280x800-pixel resolution as the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, it’s sharper and has more vivid colours. Viewing angles are good, too. Next to an iPad, though, it looks inferior.

Performance

The Note 10.1 excelled in our lab tests, setting new benchmarks for graphics performance on Android tablets, and for web browsing across all tablets. In SunSpider, for example, it blasted through the test in 1.2 seconds, compared  with the Google Nexus 7’s 1.7 seconds.

Software

 With the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, Samsung offers its most tailored operating system and locked-and-loaded app selection yet. Samsung ships the Note 10.1 with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, but Jelly Bean is expected to be rolled out to devices in the near future. Like other Samsung devices, this tablet is not for Android purists. Most of the overlays and modifications make for a more friendly experience.

                                       Samsung does its most far-reaching TouchWiz overhaul of the Android OS seen on one of its tablets yet. Among the tweaks: it replaces such basics as the Settings menu and the layout of the Notify launcher. The trade-off is you get more control over  many options, but in other cases Samsung clutters the interface. Also changed  is the stock Android keyboard, which is now a Samsung keyboard with off-white buttons with black letters, and a dedicated number row. 

                                      Some of our favourite additions include the resizable pop-up video player (which launches a video into a separate overlay window that can be placed anywhere on the screen) and the dual-screen option that Samsung’s enabled  for side-by-side views. Currently, the dual-screen mode is available for just  six apps: Samsung’s own native S Note app, the web browser, video player,  a Note-enhanced version of Polaris Office, and Google’s Gallery and email apps.

 Specifications

 10.1in (1280x800) PLS TFT capacitive multitouch screen; Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich; 1.4GHz dual-core processor;  1GB RAM; 64GB storage; microSD; dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n; Wi-Fi Direct; Wi-Fi channel bonding; Bluetooth 3.0; A-GPS; Glonass; USB 2.0; 3Mp rear, 2Mp front cameras, 1080p video; 3.5mm headphone jack; 256.7x175.3x8.9mm; 583g.



 
                                                              

         
          

 The Nexus 10, Surface RT and fourth-gen iPad represent the best of each tablet operating system, but how do they stack up against each other?

“In most cases, people choose and operating system and stick with it”

 “The Surface RT’s display looks low-res in the face of the iPad’s beautiful Retina-quality screen, but the Nexus 10 is  the real star of the show here”

 Smartphone and tablet users tend to fall into two categories: those who are diehard Apple fans and seemingly willing to pay any price for its fashionable hardware, and those who prefer the semi-open approach of Google's Android operating system and the less costly hardware on which it runs. 
                                      Now there's a third category, which champions Windows RT. In most cases, people choose an operating system and stick with it. The OS feels familiar, you already know your media collection is supported, and if you have more than one such device you can expect them to play well together. 
                                     
                             So, if you have an iPhone you'll probably want an iPad; if you have a Galaxy S III or Nexus 4 you'll likely want the Nexus 10; and if you're a Windows Phone user, perhaps the most loyal of the lot, you'll almost certainly be eyeing up the Surface. 

             But what if you don't have a particular preference in terms of the operating system? Here, we put head-to-head the best each platform has to offer.

Price

Microsoft's Surface RT starts at £399 with 32GB of storage, whereas this amount of cash will net you only a 16GB iPad. Add a Touch Cover, though, and the Surface RT matches Apple's 32GB slate at £479. The Nexus 10 offers great value, with a 16GB model costing £319, and 32GB £389.

Dimensions

Somewhat surprisingly, the iPad is the chunkiest tablet in this trio. The Nexus 10 is the slimmest, at 8.9mm; the Surface RT is also slightly thinner than the iPad at 9.3mm versus 9.4mm. The Nexus is a relative lightweight, at 603g, although the 662g iPad and 678g Surface don't tip the scales much further.

Screen

Every full-size iPad released by Apple has had a 9.7in screen, which is ever so slightly smaller than that of the 10.1in Nexus and 10.6in Surface. Until the Nexus 10 launched, the iPad had by far the best tablet screen resolution on the market. The Surface RT's 1366x768, 148ppi ClearType display looks comparatively low-res in the face of the iPad's beautiful 2048x1536, 264ppi Retina-quality screen, but the Nexus 10 is the real star of the show here, with a 2560x1600, 300ppi display.

Processor and memory

It's difficult to compare the Surface's nVidia Tegra 3 quad-core chip with the dual-core 1.39GHz A6X CPU selected by Apple and 1.7GHz ARM Cortex A-15 preferred by Google, since our usual benchmarks are incompatible with Microsoft's tablet. 
                                  
                            In Geekbench, the iPad scored 1,769 points, and the Nexus 10 recorded a massive 2,505 – the best we've seen yet. In real-world use, the Surface felt like the slower tablet – not that it's by any means slow. Animations are smooth and demanding tasks, such as pinch-zooming in Internet Explorer and Bing Maps, is responsive. This is no doubt helped by the 2GB of RAM. Nexus 10 vs Surface RT vs iPad  REVIEWS On the iPad and Nexus 10 we also ran the SunSpider JavaScript benchmark and GLBenchmark graphics test.
                              
                         The iPad fared better in both, recording 854ms against the Nexus 10's 1,329ms in SunSpider, and 39fps versus 27fps in GLBenchmark. The latter result is perhaps to be expected, given that the  iPad sports quad-core graphics. However, it's equipped with just 1GB of RAM, whereas the  Nexus 10 has 2GB.

Storage

Neither iPad nor Nexus allow you to add to the storage capacity through removable media, so it’s important to carefully calculate what capacity you’re likely to need – the iPad is available from 16- to 64GB, the Nexus is 16- or 32GB. The Surface RT, by comparison, has a microSDXC slot, which lets you add up to 64GB to its 32- or 64GB of internal storage.

Cameras

On the photography side of things the Nexus 10 and iPad 4 have a similar setup, and both are better than that of the Surface RT in our subjective tests. Both iPad and Nexus have a 5Mp rear-facing camera capable of 1080p video, and front-facing webcams – the Nexus' offers a slightly higher megapixel rating, at 1.9Mp versus 1.2Mp. Meanwhile, the Surface supports only 720p video, but when propped up with its kickstand the front-facing cam is cleverly angled such that it's level.

Connectivity

 Apple's latest iPad replaces the 30-pin docking port with a Lightning connector.  This means existing iPad accessories will work only with a £25 adaptor. Both the Nexus 10 and Microsoft Surface RT are more user-friendly in this regard: the Nexus 10 charges via Micro USB and offers a Micro HDMI slot, while the Surface RT has a full-size USB 2.0 port, a microSDXC slot and an HD video-out port. All three tablets support Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11n Wi-Fi, although the Nexus 10 and iPad can cope with both 2.4- and 5GHz frequency bands. The Nexus also caters for NFC, while the iPad supports 3G and 4G LTE in the UK.

 Battery

 The iPad has a 42.5Wh battery, while the Nexus 10 has a lower-capacity 33.3Wh pack and the Surface’s is lower still, at 31.5Wh. The results are as you would expect: the iPad can keep going for around 10 hours, while the Nexus can manage nine and the Surface eight.