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Android Tablets – Coby Kyros ,HeroTab , ASUS Eeepad Review

With the advent of Apple’s iPad the tablet market was wide open, and addition of Android has brought several worthy alternatives to Apple’s iPad. Most of the devices provide a good set of features and a capable hardware. Though most of the devices wont match the leading tablets in every sense, but they all satisfy some of the more common functionality like Web Browsing ,ebooks , Email, Video, Music and Apps. Lets have a look at the alternatives.  We will look at HeroTab C8, Coby Kyros and ASUS Eee pad.

HeroTab C8 – $189 , 7″ Capacitive Multitouch, Android 2.3, 1GHz processor, 4GB Memory (+32GB expandable)
An Android device with Samsung S5PV210 1GHz processor, 512 MB SD RAM  the HeroTab is the possibly the lowest priced Capacitive screen Android tablet in the market. It does all it claims to do, Web browsing, Movies and much more with access to Android market. The specification has been kept low to maintain the final price and seems a reasonable device. It has mini USB and HDMI out port. Considering the 4 star review in Amazon, it does seem many have found the device worthy.

Some of the key disadvantages include 1.3 MP camera (more than enough for video chat), Poor display in Sun Light , Lack of GPS etc which are understandable for the price. Overall it is a good buy for the price.

Coby Kyros 7″ Tabler – $136  –  7″ Resistive Touch Screen , Android 2.1, 800 MHz Intel Pentium 4, 4GB Memory (+16GB expandable)
Another Android device but this one is running on an ARM1176 processor @ 800MHz with 512MB SD RAM, From the low end device manufacturer Coby, the 7 inch tablet also does what it claims.

The screen feels like plastic, Touch screen is responsive and works but not like the High end devices. But other than that the device is very good for the price, the processor more than enough for running Android, most applications run smooth and most games play fine as well. The device is good for Music, Movies and Reading. As with most devices it has a problem reading in the sunlight. Coby Kyros also support 720p and 1080p output through the HDMI cable and you can use it a HD player for your TV.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer – $394 – 10.1″ IPS Capacitive LED Screen, Dual Core Tegra2 1 GHZ, 1GB RAM
ASUS Eee Pad is not another low end device, rather a strong iPad competitor with a better than specs of Apple iPad 2. Eee pad has mini HDMI out, 5 MP rear camera, 1.2 MP front camera, 16GB internal Memory and SD Card slot.

It also features GPS and Bluetooth 2.1. ASUS tablet runs on latest Android 3.2 OS. Apart from the regular apps and games on Android, ASUS has a impressive remote desktop feature supporting PC and Mac. And another key feature is the docking accessory (extra) which makes the Eeepad as the a full functional Laptop. The ASUS is definitely a popular alternative to iPad.

We will look at other devices like Samsung Galaxy Tab, Dell Streak,Motorola Xoom , Acer Iconia Tab, Toshiba Thrive etc in the next article.

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Sony Tablet S Review | Sony Tablet S vs Ipad 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Finally Sony has entered the Tablet market after Apple has sold over millions of iPads and after HP decided its time is over in hardware space. But Sony’s device seems to be a worthy addition to the mix, but will upset current trend is a big question. But it does bring a few new features to the table for customers.

Priced at $499 pits the Sony Tablet S directly against Apple ipad 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. In terms of specifications it is nothing different from what is available in iPad2 and Galaxy Tab. But considering that the device is coming so late and by the time Sony Tablet S will be available in market, Apple iPad’s next revision (iPad 3 ) is expected to be available it seems a very much a below par device at this price.

But we have to agree that the Sony Tablet S has very good finish and rich 1280×800 resolution on 9.4 inch screen.The battery at 5000 mAh has lesser juice compared to Samsung’s 7000 mAh, but the hours of usage seems more or less equivalent to Samsung galaxy Tab 10.1 and iPad2.

In terms of new features, Sony has brought universal remote feature in the Tablet S and also integrated its PlayStation Network for Gaming. Also Sony brings its thousands of movies and Music to the tablet, which will be a tipping point for many. Other than that the device is yet another Android tablet.

Going by HP’s recent fire sale, one would have expected Sony to debut at a lower price than Apple and try to conquer the market, but it seems Sony wants to maintain its premium tag and want to compete as yet another also ran device.

Technical Specifications

Camera Front – 0.3 Megapixel
Camera Rear – 5.0 Megapixel
Operating System : Android Honeycomb
External Memory : Full-size SD Card slot (for media exchange only)
Installed Memory : 16GB
Internal Memory : 1GB


Dimensions (Approx.) : 9.5” L x 6.8” W x 0.3”D

Sony Tablet S –  9.5  x 6.8  x 0.3
Apple iPad 2 – 9.5 x 7.31 x 0.34
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 – 10.1 x 6.89 x 0.34
in terms of dimensions the device closely matches ipad and is slightly thinner.

Weight (Approx.) : 1lb. 5oz. (595 g)

Sony Tablet S –  595 g
Apple iPad 2 – 601 g
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 – 565 g
Sony tablet S is slightly heavier than Galaxy Tab 10.1 and lighter than ipad2 but will be unnoticeable in either case

Battery Type : Li-Ion 5000 mAh
Headphone Standard Audio jack
MicroUSB Slot (1)
Bluetooth version 2.1 + EDR
IEEE802.11b/g/n

Overall it is yet another Android tablet and some will definitely like it, but it doesn’t bring much new to the table except the Sony quality and Brand Name.