Covering World: Gadgets

Showing posts with label Gadgets. Show all posts

LG G2 review

<br />

<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI3dtQkaBrYAfBb1Fwi4zue7DZLJhQs9Nsgd1k9lDeJKG7g6QSgryAE9pMwvKnztWESD4pEQ5mwYOawz_LZtBMmHficwGOxYYwg5LWnReRJEjeJLC0eOnnZ0nFi9Klph6hZZH15CMp30/s1600/lg-g2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI3dtQkaBrYAfBb1Fwi4zue7DZLJhQs9Nsgd1k9lDeJKG7g6QSgryAE9pMwvKnztWESD4pEQ5mwYOawz_LZtBMmHficwGOxYYwg5LWnReRJEjeJLC0eOnnZ0nFi9Klph6hZZH15CMp30/s640/lg-g2-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
The UK hasn't seen many of LG's more impressive
Android smartphones, but now following in the footsteps of the super-successful
Google Nexus 4 comes the high-end G2. There's no pricing or release date
available yet for the G2, but Carphone Warehouse does expect to have the phone
on its shelves some time in October. The impressive specs lineup suggests the
phone will likely be over £500.</div>
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable" style="tab-stops: 63.75pt;">
<b>Design<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">          </span></b></div>
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
The G2 is formed almost exactly like the Nexus 4,
offering a plastic unibody with slightly rounded corners and top edges. While
not as solid as the likes of the aluminium HTC One, the G2 nevertheless feels
sturdy, although its shiny plastic back is a magnet for dirt and fingerprints.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMorESyTPvykAdiaoekJyMCx6j376ngOvVWnlIxnnSQDRR9IhnoMtDN9l_BkSIW7c9E0UQNSeMjhWLieRUauPnhgAObWCO5ZDJeNZHWcePySs7_Ybg8ljsNcG3BV_y-rAIvuV3D27sxZQ/s1600/lg-g2-2_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMorESyTPvykAdiaoekJyMCx6j376ngOvVWnlIxnnSQDRR9IhnoMtDN9l_BkSIW7c9E0UQNSeMjhWLieRUauPnhgAObWCO5ZDJeNZHWcePySs7_Ybg8ljsNcG3BV_y-rAIvuV3D27sxZQ/s640/lg-g2-2_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The most distinctive element of the G2's design is the volume rocker switch
the power button sandwiched in the middle that sits almost flush on the back of
the phone. This is part of the strategy to make the G2 easier to use with one
hand. It's quite unusual, but does work to an extent, favouring lefties and
righties equally, keeping the edges smooth and making it easy to find the
controls with your index finger. It felt a little unnatural at first, but it's
likely that once you overcome the force of habit that leads you to feel towards
the phone's edges for the controls, it'll quite quickly stop being fiddly.<br />
On the bottom of the phone are a Micro-USB port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Like the Nexus 4, there's no microSD slot here for expandable storage --
something you'll have to bear in mind when choosing between the 16GB and 32GB
models.<br />
LG really fits a lot of screen into the G2's body, with an almost
edge-to-edge panel and a very slim bezel. Even though the 5.2-inch display is
larger than the <a href="http://worldcovering.blogspot.com/2013/12/sony-xperia-z1-review.html" target="_blank">SonyXperia Z1</a>'s 5-inch screen, the handset itself is significantly smaller.
While at 8.9mm it's not thinner that the Z1, the sloping sides do make it seem
as though it is, and at 143g, it weighs in at nearly 30g lighter than its Sony
rival, matching the HTC One exactly.<br />
<b>Features and performance</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8_tk02-LqQzUiEhWVzOoNMzxkff8wxYpht3qaslm1tEjEhfIeyhEcQay66SurOpum8IDVu39qbdCXF8K-LqkG6Co0zumqmPfYGyZTF80rPAl1q_Rba84gW4kCn9ntdOclgwDxN9vrhs/s1600/lg-g2-3_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8_tk02-LqQzUiEhWVzOoNMzxkff8wxYpht3qaslm1tEjEhfIeyhEcQay66SurOpum8IDVu39qbdCXF8K-LqkG6Co0zumqmPfYGyZTF80rPAl1q_Rba84gW4kCn9ntdOclgwDxN9vrhs/s640/lg-g2-3_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The stunning screen is one of the main selling points of this phone. It
offers the same 1080x1920-pixel resolution as most of its high-end Android
rivals, but being about 0.2 inches bigger, the pixel density does drop to about
424 pixels per inch (ppi). In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Sony
Xperia Z1 both offer a ppi of 441 and the HTC One trumps the lot with 469 ppi.
It's unlikely you'll ever notice the difference. The display is still sharp and
bright, and if you tend to watch a lot video or do a lot of gaming, you might
appreciate the slightly larger size of it.<br />
Inside the G2 is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 processor with a 2.3GHz quad-core
chip along with 2GB of RAM -- a promising lineup of specs, which lived up to
expectations during testing.<br />
On the AnTuTu benchmark test, the G2 scored a whopping 28,668, the highest
we've seen from any Android phone, beating the Galaxy S4 Active -- the next
highest at 25,964 -- hands down. The phone handled strenuous multi-tasking with
ease and <i>Real Racing 3</i> was a joy to play, with no lag or stutter.<br />
AnTuTu's 3D benchmarking test didn't produce quite the same impressive
results unfortunately, with the phone offering up a score of 3,476 to the
Samsung Galaxy S4's 6,063. The phone did also warm up significantly when
running the test, and to a lesser degree when playing demanding games.<br />
The phone runs Jelly Bean 4.2.2, the latest-but-one version of Google's
Android software, and also on board are a range of software features added by
LG. Unlike many Android skins, LG's software doesn't make you feel like you're
being constantly advertised to by your phone's manufacturer and clutter up your
device with a bunch of pre-installed apps you'll probably never use. One of its
homescreens seems to be permanently occupied though by immovable panels of
instructions for various elements of the phone's software, which is the kind of
thing you really need to only see once.<br />
The features that proved most convenient and intuitive during general use
were KnockON, which allows you to double tap the phone's display to turn the
screen on and off, and Answer Me, which allows you to adjust the settings so
you can answer calls simply by raising the ringing phone to your face.<br />
A "Guest Mode" provides a similar function to Windows Phone's
"Kid's Corner", allowing you to hand your phone to friends, offspring
and strangers alike without fear of your Google Drive folder being accidentally
emptied.<br />
Inside the G2 is a 3,000 mAh battery -- a cut above the 2,600 mAh power pack
tucked inside most of its rivals -- and Graphic RAM (GRAM), which supposedly
reduces the display's energy use by up to 26 percent on a still frame. As with
all high-end phones, you should presume you'll have to charge it every day, but
also don't be surprised if the G2 gives you a little extra juice than you're
used to. After a night and a day's heavy use I found the phone was still going
strong, which was a surprise given that I had downloaded and streamed using
both Wi-Fi and 3G pretty consistently.<br />
<b>Photography</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRsAHQwwmMM8T9MAqpzzAOzGsHcycuqYD0b8W2vGO7euQTc4zSWWTstxpXXGzm6Jky8qkcoPZ7InXkVDngPc8p9pRCOVC7Z2eL2e4nYA43yq-Q0Lik73kv2NaNmS3eN5q6Pw9UNeSCMM/s1600/lg-g2-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRsAHQwwmMM8T9MAqpzzAOzGsHcycuqYD0b8W2vGO7euQTc4zSWWTstxpXXGzm6Jky8qkcoPZ7InXkVDngPc8p9pRCOVC7Z2eL2e4nYA43yq-Q0Lik73kv2NaNmS3eN5q6Pw9UNeSCMM/s320/lg-g2-6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
On the back of the phone above the curious volume rockers sits a
13-megapixel camera with LED flash -- the same as the Galaxy S4. It shoots
1080p video at 60fps and can be launched quickly by pressing and holding the
volume down key. On the front is a 2.1-megapixel camera for those all-important
selfies, and it too can shoot video at 1080p, but at 30fps.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35BaODmOA0D9jI2uwqTOzV8WPQg1GLGFf_7zK8t9TIXPt8NvAl0lKhVkHGkStpaC5RGYGJK6hN4tArqsLo5_5Z3bHNdqv2eYJxfarwMt8WeSOhmejRYgOaE0he45tFt8r9vVLd0W2YSo/s1600/lg-g2-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35BaODmOA0D9jI2uwqTOzV8WPQg1GLGFf_7zK8t9TIXPt8NvAl0lKhVkHGkStpaC5RGYGJK6hN4tArqsLo5_5Z3bHNdqv2eYJxfarwMt8WeSOhmejRYgOaE0he45tFt8r9vVLd0W2YSo/s320/lg-g2-5.jpg" width="320" /></a>There are a bunch of different shooting modes you can play around with that
allow you to capture panoramas, picture-within-picture shots, time-catch photos
and others. Colours and contrast were generally very good, but the camera
struggled with exposure and focusing in low light, and in overcast conditions,
big patches of white-grey sky were completely washed out.<br />
According to LG, the G2's OIS camera prevents blur when taking pictures from
moving vehicles. I tested this out by photographing London's Battersea Power
Station from a moving train. Overall the results were pretty impressive,
particularly along the skyline, although there was still evidence of blur
across the tracks and railings, which were much closer to the camera.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0LXutVW2MYznQ-JXRqZoCsEZ_XgkNfCt5m80_CqVAaQ4ICThgwkKgza2NBc9Smds8RIM9LTZvW_JUjjFnYvmEvMMAoFvAo9zo27UFuON4mPQYq0kQGk_ulQOMkOq23qcVH2UyRzL-zQ/s1600/lg-g2-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0LXutVW2MYznQ-JXRqZoCsEZ_XgkNfCt5m80_CqVAaQ4ICThgwkKgza2NBc9Smds8RIM9LTZvW_JUjjFnYvmEvMMAoFvAo9zo27UFuON4mPQYq0kQGk_ulQOMkOq23qcVH2UyRzL-zQ/s320/lg-g2-4.jpg" width="320" /></a>If you're looking for a high-end Android phone that offers a
big, bright display you can use without stretching the tendons in your hand,
the G2 is pretty much ideal. The G2 sports more screen than its main Android
rivals, and yet remains sleek and light, steering well clear of phablet
territory. With all that processing power to whizz through your games, videos
and music, you'll probably become frustrated with a mere 16GB of non-expandable
storage, but the 32GB model is very tempting proposition indeed.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9qP-zdrDwEIieJKJY3IxDyuGoQ6QVEDMf0kk3-xrvUZ80fVxbdc4RnWeyIJxPrfZtOUM90RAhHZAbBiQivL7mfpskEeT4I6j3S-hWoj2OBykGL99HxSiEk3TNewoKAs7yUjgJQUbs6c/s1600/lg-g2-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9qP-zdrDwEIieJKJY3IxDyuGoQ6QVEDMf0kk3-xrvUZ80fVxbdc4RnWeyIJxPrfZtOUM90RAhHZAbBiQivL7mfpskEeT4I6j3S-hWoj2OBykGL99HxSiEk3TNewoKAs7yUjgJQUbs6c/s640/lg-g2-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eyefLa7v0q2iYpkDc32XMfwaiFZc8MuwnZW9Ouxzb2_e5X-Nm1VdHaut13F-W9p0yOz-lVEb0fchWOfPEddEHGiIUg02aUBbMqunJznrJSNntHouOtkzf4ZV0sK2iJaiALsT_MmcUBI/s1600/lg-g2-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eyefLa7v0q2iYpkDc32XMfwaiFZc8MuwnZW9Ouxzb2_e5X-Nm1VdHaut13F-W9p0yOz-lVEb0fchWOfPEddEHGiIUg02aUBbMqunJznrJSNntHouOtkzf4ZV0sK2iJaiALsT_MmcUBI/s640/lg-g2-8.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewYZpfSimnPrNPVqodYerqQjPqWcF288eu-y_bQYZzALKxUCRCoUJfyb-hL-haMDUOeRC62HF8miprhz_QUtdSfaj1VspTEI63l6QZL2kToev0LQq8lCzeu4HCoe0BCY8RhtrY3trsLU/s1600/lg-g2-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewYZpfSimnPrNPVqodYerqQjPqWcF288eu-y_bQYZzALKxUCRCoUJfyb-hL-haMDUOeRC62HF8miprhz_QUtdSfaj1VspTEI63l6QZL2kToev0LQq8lCzeu4HCoe0BCY8RhtrY3trsLU/s640/lg-g2-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>

LG G2 review

The UK hasn't seen many of LG's more impressive Android smartphones, but now following in the footsteps of the super-successf...

00:12

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 range gains upgraded 10-inch and 8-inch variants

<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSEQzjln5Qc2a0dYkUM65Lrh3E3U1HNxbbonD9nrXTTuMQh-_PmCWFOF0SVFp2Aa23UhmpXnZk_su5hBGYXjvH-z8OPqo1XaV_HPqjmSmIS-c1y0MK-6_YpH2CIM1uT-Yr8lFZBJaZCU/s1600/1GALAXY+Tab+3+8.0+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSEQzjln5Qc2a0dYkUM65Lrh3E3U1HNxbbonD9nrXTTuMQh-_PmCWFOF0SVFp2Aa23UhmpXnZk_su5hBGYXjvH-z8OPqo1XaV_HPqjmSmIS-c1y0MK-6_YpH2CIM1uT-Yr8lFZBJaZCU/s640/1GALAXY+Tab+3+8.0+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>

<br />
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
Samsung has announced eight-inch and ten-inch
additions to its Galaxy Tab 3 range.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ip0Y-yvswU7CSftZeeBEpB-_TZQboOGeseH7KjjRkutfOx0SWn1oJjaUHxNZNCmUlZopofeMqSJ0CoJYWm1ruygS4pehexG7sjiCnj97Bvq8w77S1Xd5FGJxp_j_Xju4jvzCnOgu4dY/s1600/1GALAXY+Tab+3+8.0+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ip0Y-yvswU7CSftZeeBEpB-_TZQboOGeseH7KjjRkutfOx0SWn1oJjaUHxNZNCmUlZopofeMqSJ0CoJYWm1ruygS4pehexG7sjiCnj97Bvq8w77S1Xd5FGJxp_j_Xju4jvzCnOgu4dY/s640/1GALAXY+Tab+3+8.0+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
The Galaxy Tab 3 8-inch runs Android 4.2 on top
of a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, with 1.5GB of RAM, up to 32GB of internal
storage, 4G and 3G options in addition to Wi-Fi, and it has a five-megapixel
camera to the rear. Its eight-inch screen houses a 1,280x800-pixel
display.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-PfRW24bT2tGXgWl-mdT3HkHKjOQMOkencu5JYitKsemvDdz3sO6e5Zilu6myCj3e_gcabrvLyQlJa6TdqwLxyhFVUrvq4l1SAvVprBhXt4vMOGi8EcSW-G3crEP7tpHT11RMcWzzCU/s1600/1GALAXY+Tab+3+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-PfRW24bT2tGXgWl-mdT3HkHKjOQMOkencu5JYitKsemvDdz3sO6e5Zilu6myCj3e_gcabrvLyQlJa6TdqwLxyhFVUrvq4l1SAvVprBhXt4vMOGi8EcSW-G3crEP7tpHT11RMcWzzCU/s640/1GALAXY+Tab+3+8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
It's an odd positioning in some ways as it sits
next to the eight-inch Glaxy Note 8, which also has an eight-inch screen, also
runs Android and also has a five-megapixel camera and up to 32GB of storage.
Even the screen resolutions are identical.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyldV7kWKfpLW4JnGHZ6ieCE_ObfgVC1G3LHtEXka-25NVKG6p4s7QWnBtL-1_mlJS8A99kbM14sUt09FWV1oTh4bouN38aUhpzCscd2ScZ_sDsBDdQIkPYwTJgCyQRIYmjQQCh1oTEI/s1600/1GALAXY+Tab+3+10.1+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyldV7kWKfpLW4JnGHZ6ieCE_ObfgVC1G3LHtEXka-25NVKG6p4s7QWnBtL-1_mlJS8A99kbM14sUt09FWV1oTh4bouN38aUhpzCscd2ScZ_sDsBDdQIkPYwTJgCyQRIYmjQQCh1oTEI/s640/1GALAXY+Tab+3+10.1+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
But the Note has the edge in terms of performance, with a quad-core 1.6GHz
processor in place of the Tab's dual-core, and has a little extra RAM at 2GB.
It also supports the S Pen for hand-writing recognition.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_B6a3WpXokVQNBwa4tkJ8vuU1fOWWXtGKY14WOpz4C-9d-V7aTmm_kFoVPRsK8bQNatSd6_Zr8sk-BQIFI7KWeKT6bFvyjXnnFBNFkJMpqfFBbVtHzDZzLfR8a4pt3Q-F3eK-SB8dQc/s1600/1GALAXY+Tab+3+10.1+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_B6a3WpXokVQNBwa4tkJ8vuU1fOWWXtGKY14WOpz4C-9d-V7aTmm_kFoVPRsK8bQNatSd6_Zr8sk-BQIFI7KWeKT6bFvyjXnnFBNFkJMpqfFBbVtHzDZzLfR8a4pt3Q-F3eK-SB8dQc/s640/1GALAXY+Tab+3+10.1+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Also announced today was the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, which takes over from the Tab
2 10.1 inch and improves on its internal specifications considerably. The 1GHz
processor now clocks in at 1.6GHz, Android 4.0 has been bumped up to 4.2, and
4G LTE is an option in addition to Wi-Fi. RAM has remained the same for the Tab
10.1 at 1GB and the screen resolution is the same as the Note 8: 1,280x800-pixel.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAon6tQEAcSUEgElgNM4SZ3QxF9ln0-t6JWzhi601QBLKKkcByK-QYBYUu0Dzt0JmDuwKyoR29YlfR18ZUcQFLZyLN790aajREu7y145yQ-ZulP6vqnMJvwAhyD8VLgV-uvA9I03aRcnU/s1600/1GALAXY+Tab+3+10.1+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAon6tQEAcSUEgElgNM4SZ3QxF9ln0-t6JWzhi601QBLKKkcByK-QYBYUu0Dzt0JmDuwKyoR29YlfR18ZUcQFLZyLN790aajREu7y145yQ-ZulP6vqnMJvwAhyD8VLgV-uvA9I03aRcnU/s640/1GALAXY+Tab+3+10.1+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
Both new models will go on sale in the UK later
this year, although no launch date has been confirmed.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisiqizSN6IKoaHjkcNAdQ_-OK6cxxTgg5NFndeHrXECikJi_O9zNAUoPP1UthXTiYwfZ6tsB6SAdqIuP_ycHtmGJIIS7-aNdjL8Hg-duhxFAUvrYa-nRnswq4zT62vRLn3Kw2HtUyMPm0/s1600/1GALAXY+Tab+3+10.1+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisiqizSN6IKoaHjkcNAdQ_-OK6cxxTgg5NFndeHrXECikJi_O9zNAUoPP1UthXTiYwfZ6tsB6SAdqIuP_ycHtmGJIIS7-aNdjL8Hg-duhxFAUvrYa-nRnswq4zT62vRLn3Kw2HtUyMPm0/s640/1GALAXY+Tab+3+10.1+.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 range gains upgraded 10-inch and 8-inch variants

Samsung has announced eight-inch and ten-inch additions to its Galaxy Tab 3 range. The Galaxy Tab 3 8-inch runs Android 4.2 on to...

00:10

Apple iPad Air review

<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58RMSXrAziA6JX-fHCOAqb6EFhqX4OK3iC3hqmjGlC29RlURUtZeyjC5z18b6Kbs1UikZtgpvgm40Z-N9x9fFAq-F3f8DLGUSmFcKpoDMtlXBYMRXEawlGShNc7DwIahPlc0cz3eD1po/s1600/ipadiar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58RMSXrAziA6JX-fHCOAqb6EFhqX4OK3iC3hqmjGlC29RlURUtZeyjC5z18b6Kbs1UikZtgpvgm40Z-N9x9fFAq-F3f8DLGUSmFcKpoDMtlXBYMRXEawlGShNc7DwIahPlc0cz3eD1po/s640/ipadiar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>

<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Wired.co.uk's
in-depth review of the new iPad Air shows the device is Apple's best tablet to
date.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Thinner,
lighter, less bulky, faster, more refined. These are all words reviewers are
typically able to apply to new Apple products when comparing them to a
predecessor. Few times has this felt more appropriate than with the iPad Air versus
the iPad 4; Apple's 10-inch tablet has reached a new milestone with the Air.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It's on
sale now from £399 (16GB, Wi-Fi-only).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Design</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">When
Apple released the iPad mini, it did so hand-in-hand with the iPad 4. Such was
the dramatic difference in size, weight and bulk, the iPad mini almost felt it
had overshadowed Apple's own flagship model. The mini is a tremendous product,
but alongside the iPad 4 it was also a more portable one. Its bigger brother
was a slab-like hunk of a product; it was a powerful class-leader, but heavy,
and an obvious choice to leave out of a bag if shoulders began to complain.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It is
this issue that Apple has addressed more obviously than any other with the iPad
Air. Upon first being held, it's obvious you are using a markedly different
product. It's almost 30 percent lighter than the 4, and 20 percent thinner. The
9.7-inch screen remains, but the bezel around the edges has been reduced. The
reduction in bulk is profound. You can comfortably hold this device in one
hand, which was not easily the case with the previous model.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Screen
quality has improved slightly, too. The pixel count is still 2,048x1,536, but
the colours are more accurate. Side-by-side with an iPad 4, whites on the Air
were "whiter" than the past model, which in comparison had a very
slight yellow/green tint. As a proofing tool for photographers, this is a point
worth keeping in mind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The
Retina brand lives on with the iPad Air thanks to the screen's resolution
staying the same. Many phones, including the iPhone 5s and to a greater extent
the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 have far higher pixels-per-inch counts, but
the size of the iPad's screen means that it's often being used further away
from the face. The result is a screen that appears just as sharp, anecdotally
at least.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It's a
good size to type on, too. Although not full-size compared to a laptop, the
screen is easy to type at speed on. We have written this entire review
exclusively on the device to put this claim to the test and although we are
making slightly more errors, most of them are down to iOS choosing the wrong
autocorrect for certain keystrokes (most commonly choosing to opt for
"in" when we intended in writing "on" -- goodness knows
why). Writing every day on the Air is not preferable over a laptop, but for
single days of writing out in the field (or in a field) it's extremely
responsive and enjoyable. Plus Apple's Pages word processor, which by no means
full-featured for super-pro users, is a capable app with fantastic usability,
and it's free with the iPad Air by default along with Numbers (basically Excel)
and Keynote (basically PowerPoint, only far more fun and less time-consuming).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In short,
it's by far one of the best screens on the market in a tablet, and in our
testing an improvement over the predecessor to boot in terms of colour
accuracy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Features and performance</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">To the
naked eye very few, if any, features have been added to the outside of the
iPad. The rear camera -- which we will test later in this review -- has the
same five megapixels and there is no flash; the front-facing camera also
remains externally identical.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Apple has
also not included the Touch ID fingerprint sensor it introduced with much
fanfare on the iPhone 5s. This came as something of a surprise, and having used
the 5s for some time now it's a shame this feature hasn't made it across. We
would suspect this is to do with the fact that most tablets live at home and so
security outdoors is less of a pressing concern, so it was an area Apple could
leave out in order to save costs. Once the company starts using Touch ID more
deeply for purchases, or with third-party apps in future, this is a hardware
feature we may see introduced to support that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Processor</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Internally
Apple has used the 64-bit A7 processor, which was introduced with the iPhone
5s. Except there's a bonus: it's ever so slightly faster. The version in the
iPad Air runs at 1.4Ghz, according to our benchmarking with GeekBench 3; in the
iPhone 5s it runs at 1.3Ghz. This is likely to compensate for the fact that the
resolution of the iPad's screen is getting on for double that of the iPhone, so
some extra power was needed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And power
it has, even versus the iPad 4's A6X processor. Even though both are 1.4GHz
chips, the A7 is almost twice as fast at the previous model. Often the
differences this sort of improvement makes on day one is negligible for all but
the most demanding user, as apps and developers need time to take advantage of
the speed improvements available to them. On the iPad Air you can see the
difference immediately.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">A good
example is not <i>Infinity Blade 3</i>, which many people use as performance
demonstrations. It's actually <i>Asphalt 8</i>, the free-to-play 3D racing
game. Played side-by-side against an iPad 4 we were genuinely surprised to see
how much better it ran on the new iPad. Graphics were by and large the same to
our eye, but the frame rate (smoothness) was dramatically better on the Air by
what looked like several frames per second. Whether or not this is down to poor
coding by the team that developed <i>Asphalt</i> (the iPad 4 is hardly
under-powered), there was no argument that the iPad Air ran this high-end game
better.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Certainly,
though, playing <i>Infinity Blade 3</i> is a great way to see the difference in
graphical capabilities of the new model. Textures are richer, lighting is more
realistic and subtle effects that are typically confined to consoles and PC
gaming are now emerging in the tablet world with this title. It's a good sign,
if nothing else, that the power of the iPad Air for gaming is strong. It's a
welcome fact as more and more amazing games are being released for iOS.
Recently, aside from the two games mentioned, high-end titles from the <i>Call
of Duty</i> and <i>Batman "Arkham"</i> franchise have landed on the
App Store. The store continues to be strong in general, although Android has
done a fantastic job at closing that gap. Many top-tier releases are available
on Android now, and look incredible on flagship devices such as Google's Nexus
7, Nexus 5 or Samsung's Galaxy line. But iOS still seems to be a developer's
first choice, and as such continues to be the recommended ecosystem to be a
part of if high-end gaming is an absolute necessity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In terms
of raw numbers the iPad Air's processor scored well compared to its
predecessor. GeekBench 3 runs a series of demanding tasks through the device's
processor to see how quickly it can complete them. A higher number means a more
powerful processor. The results for the Air, using both of its CPU cores, was
2,693 (and 1,482 using a single core). For the iPad 4, that number was 1,427
for both cores (and 783 with one core only). This means that just one of the
iPad Air's processing cores is faster than the combined power of the iPad 4 -
and the Air has two of them working in tandem. In our test that's an 89 percent
performance increase between the two iPads.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Battery life</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The iPad
has always had some of the best battery life in the tablet world and the iPad
Air continues this. Apple rates the Air as having ten hours of life for
continued usage under general conditions. We can certainly believe this, and
perhaps claim Apple's number is on the modest side. For example, we took the
Air off charge at 100 percent at about 2pm one afternoon and used it most of
that evening for music and podcasts, installing apps, browsing the web and
doing some email. The following day we did not put it on charge, but still used
it for several hours here and there throughout the day and evening, finally
falling asleep to a TV programme downloaded from iTunes. The following morning
the battery still had 20 percent charge left.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Although
by no means a scientific test, this is a solid result. It's in line with what
we expect, based on Apple's claims, and is no worse than the iPad 4 despite one
major, very surprising fact: the battery is much smaller than the iPad 4's. You
can't access it without ripping open the device, but the iPad Air has a
32-watt-hour battery; the iPad 4 had a much higher 42-watt-hour battery.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The
difference in the battery capacity answers two questions. Firstly, it shows how
Apple was able to get the size of the device down by such a significant volume:
the battery, which takes up about 80 percent of the internal volume of an iPad,
is far smaller. But the second question it answers is why the 1.4GHz A7 is so
much better than the 1.4Ghz A6X: it's far, far more efficient, both in terms of
performance and power efficiency. The A7 is an incredibly capable processor.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">That
processor has some help though. For starters, motion sensing duties
(accelerometer, gyroscopes etc) are handled by the dedicated M7
"coprocessor". This discrete chip handles a certain set of tasks more
efficiently than a CPU, in a similar way to how a dedicated graphics card in a
PC handles 3D graphics better than a regular processor, and that helps save
energy. We suspect iOS 7 has a hand in this too, as there are certain quirks
noticeable when using the device in low light that affect battery life. In
particular, the screen will dynamically lower it's backlight during dark scenes
of a movie, say, and increase it when brighter scenes appear. This helps
conserve power, but also aids in keeping black levels deep. Some regular
television sets do the same thing to prevent dark, moody parts of a film being
overshadowed (literally) by a backlight blazing underneath a soft nighttime
image.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Camera performance</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Apple
hasn't changed the external properties of the iPad's rear-facing five-megapixel
camera; there is no flash and the lens hasn't been upgraded. But image quality
has nonetheless seen a modest improvement, specifically in terms of detail and
colour depth.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Take a
look at the following photographs. One was taken on the iPad 4; one was
captured on the iPad Air. Both photographs were taken with the aperture set at
f2.4, shutter speed at 1/120th of a second and light sensitivity fixed at ISO
64. You can see that one image is notably more detailed, with slightly richer
blue and red visible on the coloured objects in the picture.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3oIlCfGJqj0EN0Ajxrktp4ISao1bot1zT2RLaBDdfHtXmJtQOlwxgucDCXZtkEESehj4UgJzqJqTjRp5uP17RDT3LRKh7NH0hM5xTuzTIahTbWFRmAhDkBYOoyHdytTFCh88jbl0qN4/s1600/ipadiar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3oIlCfGJqj0EN0Ajxrktp4ISao1bot1zT2RLaBDdfHtXmJtQOlwxgucDCXZtkEESehj4UgJzqJqTjRp5uP17RDT3LRKh7NH0hM5xTuzTIahTbWFRmAhDkBYOoyHdytTFCh88jbl0qN4/s640/ipadiar1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
It's not a radical improvement as was seen with the iPhone 5 versus 5s (the
improvement there was far greater than this), but it is a notable improvement.
Our low-light test produced very little difference in quality, however. It
wasn't worth presenting the comparison photos in this review, even. But in
daylight there's an improvement.<br />
<h3>
Conclusion</h3>
We have no hesitation in saying that this the best 10-inch iPad Apple has
ever made. It feels like a milestone: the first iPad was a game-changer, but it
was bulky and slow. The iPad 2 refined the design but didn't radically alter
our perception of what an iPad could be. The iPad 3 and 4 refined the internal
performance to the point that the iPad could replace a laptop for many uses,
but it got fatter and bulkier in the process. The iPad Air, then, feels like
the peak of all of that development. It's blazingly fast, but beautiful; it's
frequently as capable as a laptop, but it's compact, lightweight and bakes in
stunning battery life.<br />
Advocates for open platforms and flexibility will easily criticise Apple's
consistent ring-fencing of apps with its App Store, and it's easy to complain
that the camera isn't as good as on the iPhone 5s, that it doesn't have
fingerprint tech, that it's still expensive compared to some of the
competition.<br />
But here's what matters: it's still insane value for money when you consider
the performance and capability of the computational horsepower hiding behind
the higher-than-HD screen, and when you factor in the vast software options
available in the App Store store that only becomes more important.<br />
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
It's a stunning tablet and a worthwhile upgrade
even from the iPad 4 if weight or performance is remotely an issue.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />

Apple iPad Air review

Wired.co.uk's in-depth review of the new iPad Air shows the device is Apple's best tablet to date. Thinner, lighter, less b...

00:05

Best Android tablets under £200 on the UK market for December 2013

<br />
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
<em>Discover the best Android tablets for under
£200 for the holiday buying season in Wired.co.uk's buying guide.</em></div>
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
Do you really need to shell out the big bucks to
get a terrific tablet? Not if you're smart about it. Some sub-£200 tablets may
be a bell or a whistle short of the high-enders but they have the good stuff
where it counts. </div>
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
<a href="http://worldcovering.blogspot.com/2013/12/google-nexus-7-review-autumn-2013.html" target="_blank"><b>GoogleNexus 7</b></a><br />
The 2013 version of Google's party piece beefs up the original's spec with a
hugely impressive HD screen, more powerful processor and a new camera while
keeping the price low.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCFF2VredjIzeYMv30nzFhD7I3S9nwcU1QvleQ4bPJ3WjH3l4JgPiABqCi8rjdlMpyXNn7BhWmgjD6vGSyAuisEGHBt6HOiiPsURlPnBuPiedNfjgNFF0gmgOtgR8D_EmApkx1kE2NkI/s1600/Best+Android+tablets+under+%C2%A3200+on+the+UK+market+for+December+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCFF2VredjIzeYMv30nzFhD7I3S9nwcU1QvleQ4bPJ3WjH3l4JgPiABqCi8rjdlMpyXNn7BhWmgjD6vGSyAuisEGHBt6HOiiPsURlPnBuPiedNfjgNFF0gmgOtgR8D_EmApkx1kE2NkI/s640/Best+Android+tablets+under+%C2%A3200+on+the+UK+market+for+December+2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
The 7 inch screen now boasts a pin-sharp HD
resolution of 1,920x1,200 pixels and of course it will be the first device to
get the very latest Android version 4.4 KitKat as soon as it becomes available.</div>
The quad-core 1.5GHz processor is very fast indeed and there's now a 5
megapixel camera, with a 1.2 megapixel version on the front. Nexus beats just
about anything at this price on features, and it offers better value for money
than just about any other tablet out there -- it's still the one to beat.<br />
<strong>Wired</strong>: Terrific screen, powerful processor, new camera, low
price<br />
<strong>Tired</strong>: Bigger than the original, no expandable memory<br />
<strong>Cost</strong>: £199<br />
<strong>Score</strong>: 9/10<br />
<strong>Read our full review of the</strong> <a href="http://worldcovering.blogspot.com/2013/12/google-nexus-7-review-autumn-2013.html" target="_blank">GoogleNexus 7</a><br />
<a href="http://worldcovering.blogspot.com/2013/12/amazon-kindle-fire-hdx-7-review.html" target="_blank"><b>AmazonKindle Fire HDX 7</b></a><br />
If you choose a Kindle tablet you probably don't want to bother with the
sometimes confusing world of standard Android, and Amazon's simplified,
iOS-style interpretation of the interface delivers that.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWrW6KTelTRO4sfP-gZrMRHNpdFiQgAdFwh8WE07IGAPAh_JknQOiNUP_YTouBbZtpehX5B7jC4QHsDnh76O5e6wVtisPwWuMNIzihrfFeYBpQNBm81K6V1wqxtw5Ao6HCU0SLrGouZ0/s1600/Best+Android+tablets+under+%C2%A3200+on+the+UK+market+for+December+20131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWrW6KTelTRO4sfP-gZrMRHNpdFiQgAdFwh8WE07IGAPAh_JknQOiNUP_YTouBbZtpehX5B7jC4QHsDnh76O5e6wVtisPwWuMNIzihrfFeYBpQNBm81K6V1wqxtw5Ao6HCU0SLrGouZ0/s400/Best+Android+tablets+under+%C2%A3200+on+the+UK+market+for+December+20131.jpg" width="400" /></a>Yes, you can add the Kindle app to any other Android tablet, but with the
Fire HDX you also get access to Amazon's lending library and the Mayday button
-- instant video assistance from an Amazon employee, very handy for tablet
newbies.<br />
Its 7 inch screen matches the Nexus 7 with its sharp 1,920x1,200 resolution
and the quad-core 2.2GHz processor means it's very fast indeed.<br />
This one has 32GB of memory on board and you can get it even cheaper if you
go for the 16GB version (there's no option to add more memory though). And
although there's plenty of content available from Amazon, you don't get access
to the myriad app delights of Google Play.<br />
<strong>Wired</strong>: Sturdy but lightweight, terrific screen, slimmed
down UI, fast processor<br />
<strong>Tired</strong>: No Google Play, no expandable memory<br />
<strong>Cost</strong>: £199<br />
<strong>Score</strong>: 8/10<br />
<strong>Read our full review of the </strong> <a href="http://worldcovering.blogspot.com/2013/12/amazon-kindle-fire-hdx-7-review.html" target="_blank">AmazonKindle Fire HDX 7</a><br />
<a href="http://worldcovering.blogspot.com/2013/12/lenovo-yoga-tablet-8-review.html" target="_blank"><b>LenovoYoga Tablet 8</b></a><br />
It looks a little weird but that cylindrical bulge not only makes it easy to
hold single-handed, it also holds an outsize battery which should keep you
going for around three days -- considerably longer than most tablets.<br />
It also houses a brace of Dolby Digital Plus DS1 stereo speakers which pump
out a sound that's better than expected -- certainly better than most tablets
-- and a sturdy fold-out metal kick stand.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX45ozuAh7cnXhXXDnaJP1E7MHnOLbDpaVRDAsDCy5sDWJKeyk3z5PY7E5OOkRASnGEohvdWUc0LMShATjV885rz6PnHQbUu9Dqo4B2aRGTXTyjrLc7l5dTfU36nqICeEy4q6YQ0tckdI/s1600/Best+Android+tablets+under+%C2%A3200+on+the+UK+market+for+December+20132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX45ozuAh7cnXhXXDnaJP1E7MHnOLbDpaVRDAsDCy5sDWJKeyk3z5PY7E5OOkRASnGEohvdWUc0LMShATjV885rz6PnHQbUu9Dqo4B2aRGTXTyjrLc7l5dTfU36nqICeEy4q6YQ0tckdI/s640/Best+Android+tablets+under+%C2%A3200+on+the+UK+market+for+December+20132.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The 8 inch screen offers a perfectly fine 1,280x800 pixels -- not quite as
sharp as some others here, but then it is bigger. The quad-core processor is
clocked at 1.2GHz and backed by 1GB Ram -- not bad, but it's a bit sluggish
compared to the Nexus 7 and other big guns in this space.<br />
<strong>Wired</strong>: Sturdy build and kick stand, okay camera, long
battery life<br />
<strong>Tired</strong>: Odd shape, processor could be better<br />
<strong>Cost</strong>: £199<br />
<strong>Score</strong>: 7/10<br />
<strong>Read our full review of the </strong> <strong><a href="http://worldcovering.blogspot.com/2013/12/lenovo-yoga-tablet-8-review.html" target="_blank">LenovoYoga Tablet 8</a></strong><br />
<a href="http://worldcovering.blogspot.com/2013/12/tesco-hudl-tablet-review.html" target="_blank"><b>Tesco Hudl</b></a><br />
You can actually get the Hudl for less than £100 if you have Tesco ClubCard
vouchers, but even at the full price of £119 it's still a bargain.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCS6UPCERrmkAezxIx9ZpZh3g3GWkqikXMT3BMMTXxlFs0xGUVFP2GYcDCetiYVeoHW6UYXw1Y3nxy7ZiN9vcN10STPHwxWt5smooc-jalncTRPQ9oRxbQR5kGAvmMbm5hjN4uDeGwvs/s1600/Best+Android+tablets+under+%C2%A3200+on+the+UK+market+for+December+20133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCS6UPCERrmkAezxIx9ZpZh3g3GWkqikXMT3BMMTXxlFs0xGUVFP2GYcDCetiYVeoHW6UYXw1Y3nxy7ZiN9vcN10STPHwxWt5smooc-jalncTRPQ9oRxbQR5kGAvmMbm5hjN4uDeGwvs/s640/Best+Android+tablets+under+%C2%A3200+on+the+UK+market+for+December+20133.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
It's sturdily built -- essential for a family-friendly device. The 7 inch
ten-point multitouch screen offers a decently sharp 1,440x900 pixel resolution
and its 1.5GHz quad-core processor is fast too, capable of HD movie viewing,
fast browsing and even HD gameplay. There's a low-quality 3 megapixel camera on
the back plus a 2 megapixel one on the front for video calls and unlike the
Kindle, you can beef up the 16GB of onboard memory via microSD card.<br />
<strong>Wired</strong>: Decent screen, quad-core processor, expandable
memory, low price<br />
<strong>Tired</strong>: Poor camera, processor could be faster<br />
<strong>Cost</strong>: £119 (or less with ClubCard vouchers)<br />
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
<strong>Score</strong>: 7/10</div>
<div class="adavoidedbutflowable">
<strong>Read our full review of the </strong>
<a href="http://worldcovering.blogspot.com/2013/12/tesco-hudl-tablet-review.html" target="_blank">Tesco Hudl</a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />

Best Android tablets under £200 on the UK market for December 2013

Discover the best Android tablets for under £200 for the holiday buying season in Wired.co.uk's buying guide. Do you really need ...

23:53

Covering World

LG G2 review

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 range gains upgraded 10-inch and 8-inch variants

Apple iPad Air review

Best Android tablets under £200 on the UK market for December 2013

Popular Posts

Blog Archive