budget tablets – Tech Raman

Mercury mTab10 launched, the company's first 10-inch tablet

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 17:42:53 +0000

After moderate success with a series of affordable 7-inch budget tablets, Kobian has announced the launch of its first 10-inch tablet, Mercury mTab10, running on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The mTab comes with a 10.1-inch multi-touch LED HD display with a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution with a 16:9 screen ratio. The tablet is powered with a dual-core 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A7 fast speed processor combined with a 1GB DDR3 RAM. Storage options include a 8GB internal storage, expandable by 32GB via microSD card slot. Featuring a dual camera with a 2MP rear shooter and a front-facing VGA camera, the tablet has a 4800mAh Li-ion polymer battery. The mTab10 supports 2G SIM with calling feature and also can add up a 3G dongle. Other connectivity options include WiFi, multiple I/O ports of 1 mini USB, TF card slot, HDMI, 3.5mm stereo port and DC Jack. Commenting on the mTab10 launch, Sushmita Das, Country Manager – India at Kobian Pte Ltd said “mTAB10 is a gigantic entry in our advanced technology tablets. This tablet will address the growing demands of youth seeking light, stylish and comfortable device at competitive process. Mercury range of tablets ensures superior performance, power management and exciting features allowing the user with an enriched experience.” There is no pricing information and we have sought additional details we will keep the article updated. ]]>

Micromax Funbook P255 tablet listed online for Rs 4,499

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 07:07:14 +0000

Even before the official roll out, Micromax Funbook P255, a budget tablet offering from the leading India mobile device company is spotted on various e-commerce sites for Rs 4,499. As per the listing, the 7-inch the Funbook P255 tablet comes with a 800×480 pixel resolution and is powered by a 1.2GHz Cortex-A8 processor with Mali-400 GPU mated to a 512MB RAM. A meager available internal storage of 1.15GB can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card. It sports a 2-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front facing camera. The Funbook P255 runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which is now a retired Android version with the current flavour being Jelly Bean and Google expected to release KitKat version soon. The tablet includes a 2600mAh battery which the listing claims to provide up to 150 hours of standby time and up to 4 hours of Internet browsing time. Connectivity options on the tablet include Wi-Fi, Micro-USB and 3G via dongle. The tablet is up for pre-orders on Snapdeal for Rs. 4,499 while the device is also available on Infibeam and Flipkart.

Micromax Funbook P255 specs

7-inch capacitive display with a resolution of 800×480 pixels
1.2GHz Cortex-A8 processor with Mali-400 GPU
512MB of RAM
1.15GB of built-in storage, expandable up to 32GB
2-megapixel rear camera
0.3-megapixel front-facing camera
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
2600 mAh battery

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Lava eTab Xtron Tablet – A budget Android tablet with the 'Xtra' something

Lakshmi Rajan — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:32:29 +0000

7-inch budget android tablet- ETAB XTRON to its ‘Future Now’ line-up. Etab xTron is powered by a dual-core, 1.5 GHz Cortex-A9 processor mated to a 1 GB RAM and laced with Android Jelly Bean 4.1.1 flavour. The 7 inch IPS TFT LCD display comes with a 1024 x 600 pixels resolution. The company claims that the screen offers a great wider viewing angles and is also readable under direct sunlight due to its IPS (In plane switching) display panel technology. The screen has multi-touch sensitivity and also features G-sensor. [gallery ids="2754,2755,2756,2757"]

The inbuilt storage includes 8 GB RAM which is expandable by upto 32 GB via microSD card. On the camera side, the tablet comes with a 2 MP front facing camera. Connectivity options include WiFi 802.11 b/g, micro USB port and 3G/EVDO USB Dongle Support. Since the tablet is pre-dominantly used as a media device Lava eTab Xtron supports wide range of video and audio formats. The power needs of tablet is taken care of by a massive 3500mAh battery. Buyers of Lava eTab Xtron can also avail value ad-on benefits like entertainment package worth Rs.2,000 from Hungama.com, Vedic Maths Package Free + Upto discounts worth Rs 4000 from meritnation.com, free career booster package + 20% Discount on Edukart courses from Edukart.com, unlimited movies online for a month @Rs 1 from BigFlix etc.

Lava eTab Xtron – Specifications

7-inch IPS display
1024 x 600 pixels resolution
1.5 GHz Cortex-A9 dual-core processor
1 GB RAM
8 GB internal storage, expandable by upto 32 GB via microSD card
2 MP front facing camera
3500 mAh battery
Connectivity options: WiFi 802.11 b/g, micro USB port and 3G/EVDO USB Dongle Support

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Lava Etab Connect Tablet with 3G Calling Feature

Lakshmi Rajan — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 06:15:16 +0000

Lava Etab Connect tablet comes with a SIM slot thus enabling user to make calls from the tablet. It has a 7-inch WVGA screen with a 800 x 480 resolution. The 1 Ghz Qualcomm ARM Cortex A5 processor is combined with a 512 MB RAM and an internal memory of 4 GB expandable by upto 32 GB via microSD card. The tablet has a dual camera with a 2 MB in the rear and a VGA front camera for video calling needs. The power is backed bu a 3000 mAh battery, which might not fire the tablet for long hours on single charge. On the plus side, Etab Connect Tablet supports 3G network. Usually, we see tablet at sub-10K bracket sporting a 2G network, so it is kind of advantage Etab Connect if you are looking for a budget 3G tablet and don’t want to invest or carry around a 3G dongle. Etab comes bundled with pre-installed apps like Hungama, Bigflix, Edukart, Meritnation, Diamond Comics and Readwhere. Lava Etab Connect is priced less than Rs.10,000 (US $ 180)

Lava Etab Connect specifications and features

7-inch WVGA scree
800 x 480 resolution
Android 4.0 ICS
1 Ghz Qualcomm ARM Cortex A5 processor
512 RAM
4 GB internal storage, expandable upto 32 GB via microSD card
2 MP rear camera, VGA front camera
3000 mAh battery
Connectivity: 3G SIM, WiFi, Bluetooth v.3.0

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HP Slate 7 Android tablet with built-in Beats Audio, priced at $169

Lakshmi Rajan — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:55:56 +0000

Talk music of the device of course its the built-in Beats audio. Ofcourse, the real driving sales would be the smart price with a $169 tag. The device would hit the racks of US in April. HP Slate 7 features a dual camera with a 3 MP camera in the rear and a VGA one at the front for video calling and chatting needs. There is only a mention of WiFi connectivity. Slate 7 also has a microUSB support. The slate also comes with a HP ePrint (2) application enables the users to print conveniently and easily even on the move to your printer. Carrying forward their HP Care Pack services that it offers for laptops and PC’s, Slate 7 also enjoys the extended warranty benefits. For $29, one can avail a 2 year HP care pack, while paying a $49 ensures a two-year HP Care Pack with Accidental Damage Protection. So got a greasy palms? Go for it. Love reading PR contents? Read below.

HP Unveils Android Consumer Tablet

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 24, 2013 — HP today announced the HP Slate⁷, an affordable Android Jelly Bean consumer tablet that provides customers with easy access to Google Mobile services. With a 7-inch diagonal screen and weighing 13 ounces, the HP Slate⁷ is an ideal trusted personal companion, featuring a stainless-steel frame and soft black paint in gray or red on the back. It also is the industry’s first tablet to offer embedded Beats Audio, for the best-sounding, richest audio experience available on a tablet. The HP Slate⁷ delivers the Google experience with services like Google Now, Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive and Google+ Hangouts for multiperson video chat as well as access to apps and digital content through Google Play.⁽¹⁾ “To address the growing interest in tablets among consumers and businesses alike, HP will offer a range of form factors and leverage an array of operating systems,” said Alberto Torres, senior vice president, Mobility Global Business Unit, HP. “Our new HP Slate⁷ on Android represents a compelling entry point for consumer tablets, while our ground-breaking, business-ready HP ElitePad on Windows® 8 is ideal for enterprises and governments. Both deliver the service and support people expect from HP.” The HP Slate⁷ joins the recently introduced HP Chromebook as part of HP’s push to offer access to the Google experience. HP’s tablet offerings reside in the company’s newly formed Mobility Global Business Unit, established in September 2012 with the hiring of Torres. Torres joined HP from Nokia, where he was executive vice president and oversaw the MeeGo products and platform. HP Slate⁷ makes computing easy while on the go Powered by an ARM Dual Core Cortex-A9 1.6 GHz processor, the HP Slate⁷ is fast and responsive. Integrated wireless allows customers to access email, the internet and key applications, while the High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) panel offers wide viewing angles that provide easy viewing of documents, games, photos and videos—even in outdoor lighting conditions. The HP Slate⁷ includes a 3-megapixel camera on the back and a VGA camera on the front for chatting, videos and photos. With the HP ePrint ⁽²⁾ application, customers can easily print while at home or on the go, and the exclusive native printing capability enables customers to print directly from most applications. A micro USB port allows customers to easily transfer files, and a suite of applications from HP spans exclusive games to productivity tools. HP will provide an array of simple and easy-to-access support tools and resources to help customers take full advantage of all of the features the HP Slate⁷ has to offer. In addition to extensive phone and online support offerings included with the HP Slate⁷, HP is offering customers the opportunity to add to the standard product limited warranty with its HP Care Pack services. HP Slate⁷ customers will have the option to protect their investment with a two-year HP Care Pack for $29 or a two-year HP Care Pack with Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) for $49.⁽³⁾ Pricing and availability⁽³⁾ The HP Slate⁷ is expected to be available in the United States in April with a starting price of $169.Additional information about the HP Slate⁷ is available at www.hp.com/slate and The Next Bench.

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Micromax Funbook P600 with voice calling, priced at Rs. 9,499

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 06:59:42 +0000

snapdeal for Rs. 9,499. Micromax Funbook P600 is a 7-inch tablet running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Powered by Qualcomm MSM8225A ARM Cortex A5 1GHz dual-core processor along with 512 MB of RAM, the tablet only comes with a 2 GB of internal storage of which only 0.96 GB is available for users. Ofcourse it can be expanded upto 32 GB through a microSD card. The tablet sports a dual camera with a VGA camera in the front and a 2 MP camera at the rear. Not much information is available on the type of battery included and since the Micromax site itself has not listed the model yet, we await the update from the company. The snapdeal page states the tablet gives a talk-time of 10 hours, video playback time of 4 hours and standby time of 224 hours. Connectivity options include 3.5mm audio jack, 3G and Wi-Fi. Surprisingly, Micromax Funbook P600 does not include bluetooth option.

Micromax Funbook P600 specifications

7-inch capacitive multi-point touch screen
Android Ice Cream Sandwich
1GHz dual-core processor
512 MB RAM
2-megapixel rear and front camera
2GB internal storage, expandable to up to 32 GB
119.5×193.5×11.5
370 grams
Supports voice-calling

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Mercury mTab 7 – Entry level budget friendly Tablet review

Lakshmi Rajan — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 09:47:06 +0000

The tablet market is expected to have shipped almost 120 million units in 2012 and is expected to grow to over 180 million units in 2013. India accounted for 3 million devices and the tablet market is expected to grow by 100% in 2013 here. It is predicted that in 2013, the tablet market in India would cryztalize into three price points – Rs 5,000-10,000; Rs 15,000-20,000 and over Rs. 35,000

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ercury, a leading player in computer peripherals entered the Tablet market in 2011 and since then has expanded its mTab range with several models. mTab 7, an entry level tablet was released a couple of months back in October 2012. Since then, there have been a newer competing models from other makers, lets find out if mTab 7 is still relevant in this review.

mTab 7 box contents:

No surprises here, the box contents are pretty as expected

The tablet
Charger
USB cable
Headset
Manual

Oh ya, the box is pretty neat too without any frills.

Look and feel of Mercury mTab 7

What really got me interested in this 7 inch tablet is its form factor. For an entry level tablet, mTab looks pretty good. A pleasing black front and an attractive white rear body, bezel width that is not awkward for the 7-inch size and more importantly the curved edges that not only adds a perception of slimness to the tablet but also makes it easy to hold on hands. Measuring 192mm x 117mm x 12mm and weighing 300 gms, mTab 7 looks dapper thanks to the dual colour and the curved edges… All the ports, slots plus the power and volume rocker are nested on the right hand side… The plastic bodied white rear is shiny as well as pleasant… The rear also indicates the various ports and slots – power on/off button, volume rocker, earphone port, micro USB port, charging port, microSD slot and a reset button, incase of emergency.

Tech Specifications and Performance of mTab 7:

mTab 7 sports a 7″ TFT LCD capacitive touch screen with a screen resolution of 800×480. The tablet is powered by a 1.2 GHz Cortex A8 processor with a 512 MB RAM. It runs on Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich and I don’t think it would ever see the flavour of Jelly Bean on it in future. It has a 4 GB internal storage and an expandable memory upto 32 GB through microSD card. On the front it has a VGA camera for the basic video calls through apps. It supports a full HD video playback and has a 2300 mAh battery. Network connectivity options include Wi-Fi and 3G through micro USB dongle. At the time of launch the specs could have been pretty decent for the entry level budget tablet but technology is growing at a knee jerk speed and just a few months down the lane there are serious and spec-wise more powerful tablets in the similar price range from the likes of Karbonn and Micromax. So the going gets tougher for mTab 7 when we bring out the spec sheet comparison. Otherwise, if you still opt for mTab 7 the tablet does have a decent performance. The touch is good for the segment and the video playback quality is appreciable. Along with a decent browsing experience and ability to handle the most common apps, it does fit the needs of an average entry level customer. [gallery columns="4" ids="1424,1425,1426,1427,1428,1429,1430"]

Kobian Mercury mTab 7 price

mTab 7 retails at Rs. 6,499. The tablet seems to be sensibly priced for the decent build quality and performance it delivers. It faces stiff competition from the home grown Tablet makers like Karbonn and Micromax to the newly launched low cost tablet Iconia B1 from Asus. [pros]

Pretty impressive form factor in this segment
Decent touch experience
Decent performance

[/pros] [cons]

Stiff competition with better specs at comparable pricing

[/cons]]]>