This morning my Tech Talk Global TV segment was on the newest Android-based Tablets. They are getting incrementally better with features that set them apart from the crowded Android Tablet field and with some new tricks that even iPads would envy.
The Google Nexus 10, like its Nexus 4 smartphone, is a pure Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS with no added features that brand Tablet makers like Samsung, Acer, Asus, Toshiba and others distinguish themselves apart with.
Google’s Nexus series are for purists but are aggressively priced Tablets. The Nexus 10 stands out with a brilliant 10.055” 2560 x 1600 (300 ppi) Gorilla Glass screen, similar sharpness to the iPad with Retina display, only $91 cheaper for the 16 GB in a nicely designed form factor by Samsung.
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It comes in 16Gb or 32GB internal memory, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n (MIMO+HT40), Bluetooth, NFC (Android Beam), Dual side NFC, Micro USB, Magnetic Pogo pin charger, Micro HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, huge 9000 mAh Lithium polymer battery, Accelerometer, GPS, Gyroscope, Barometer, Ambient Light, Compass and 5 MP (main) and 1.9 MP (front) cameras. It runs on a Dual-core A15 CPU and Quad-core Mali T604GPU and 2GB RAM.
It does everything other Tablets do but in drop-dead stunning HD resolution and you can set different users on it. Whether you are reading, enjoying photos or movies, this is one sweet tablet.
Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 8.0, arriving second quarter, will meet the iPad mini head-on with cooler features and aesthetics. It is one impressive Tablet with a multi-pressure enhanced S Pen stylus and some unique Samsung tricks. Hovering over screen items, the stylus shows smaller windows of information, such as email text body or a live link keeping the running app view in the background.
In essence it behaves like the Note 2.0 but with larger screen real estate which Samsung has taken special advantage of. For example, Multi Window feature is a dual view split screen that let’s you see and work two apps simultaneously, even adjusting the size between them. Very cool, no one does that. It’s a more manageable size than the previous Note 10.
In addition to the S Note app, the free aNote HD is included for organizing your work and home life quickly with easy access tabs. It’s very intuitive and a perfect fit for the Note 8.0.
Its powered by the 1.6 GHz Exynos quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and has a 5MP back and 1.3 MP front-facing camera with a 4,600mAh battery, good for 120 hours of music listening. There is also a phone or “phablet” version but unfortunately not for North America.
Prices in Canada have not been announced yet, but based on the early UK selling price, it may cost up to a few hundred dollars more than the mini. Despite the better hardware and features, the Note 8.0 will be a tough sell. Google has indicated it will be selling its next-gen tablets later this year at cost just to attract more users for its huge advertising base.
Samsung is not saying much about this neck of the woods, but Google Galaxy 8.0 for more info.
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