Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ Mint-lounge / Features/  Gizmo Guru | A tablet comes calling
BackBack

Gizmo Guru | A tablet comes calling

Using a tablet as a phone feels strange, but it could be the next big trend in Android

The Amtrak MyPad 712G is a 7-inch Android tablet with voice callingPremium
The Amtrak MyPad 712G is a 7-inch Android tablet with voice calling

Do people want to use tablets as phones? The popularity of the Galaxy Note and its low-cost clones from various companies would suggest that yes, there is a market for larger screens on phones. The phablet is a thing, no matter how silly the word sounds.

The iPad Mini, the Kindle Fire and the Nexus 7 meanwhile prove that people definitely like smaller tablets too. With the gap between the two getting smaller and smaller—just a little over an inch now, it was inevitable that people would think of combining the two.

The hardware is basic—a 1gigahertz processor, with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of built in storage. This is fairly basic stuff, but at 8,299, it’s not very bad. The real problem is that the 7-inch screen also runs at a very low resolution, and so the added space seems wasted; you will get more content on some phones which are half the size!

A 3200mAh battery lasts pretty long, though since you’ll be using this device for both calls and as a tablet, you might see it dying faster than your phone normally does. The camera meanwhile is really bad —the pictures aren’t good and they’re low resolution too, so honestly, they should have just dropped it to cut the price a little.

Running Android Ice Cream Sandwich, the phone-tablet is really not something many are ready for yet—looking at it as just a tablet, it falls a little short on the value spectrum; you can get better hardware for the same price, minus the calling option. Viewed as a phone, it falls short on comfort and ease of use. If you’re okay with the compromises that this design represents though, then you could check this tablet out as a decent budget option.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Published: 10 May 2013, 09:32 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App