Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
They’ve just announced the release of the 8.9” version in the Galaxy Tab family but don’t rush out to buy it just yet. The upcoming version of the original 7-inch screen tab has hit US shores and should come to us very soon. The CPU is faster and runs the latest Android platform version. At 7”, you may even use it as your phone, if you don’t mind looking like a huge geek.
Spec: 7” PLS LCD 1024×600 screen | 345g | 1.2GHz dual-core processor | 16GB, 32GB | 1GB RAM | Android 3.2 Honeycomb
Price: Starts from US$399. Singapore availability TBA.
Sony Tablet S
Another Android-based tablet, Sony’s wedge shape design offers better handling and actually slightly tilts the screen towards you when laid on a flat surface, for easier viewing. Of course, there’s a 0.3MP webcam and 5.11MP camera on the back. An added bonus is the device also comes with an infrared remote control function and is PlayStation Certified meaning you’ll be able to play a handful of games unavailable on other Android devices.
Spec: 9.4” TFT LCD 1280×800 | 598-625g. | 1GHz dual-core processor | 16GB, 32GB | 1GB RAM | Android 3.1-3.2 Honeycomb
Price: $668-798 from Sony Store.
ASUS EEE Slate B121
Most tablets try to avoid head-on competition with the iPad by boasting smaller, more portable 7” screens. Not the Asus, whose 12.1” LED backlit display and 178 degree viewing angle make for a more pleasant outdoor read. This one’s a powerful business tool too—you can fix it up with an external display in seconds via mini HDMI and it also supports Adobe Flash 10.3, so chances of you getting an error message while trying to present a cleverly embedded video is close to zilch. The one-year unlimited ASUS Web Storage is also pretty nifty for working in the “cloud”. It’s a hefty load but offers impressive storage space.
Spec: 12.1” LED-backlit WXGA screen | 1.16kg | 1.33 GHz dual-core processor |64GB SSD | 4GB RAM | Windows 7 Professional
Price: $1,699 from Best Denki
Amazon Kindle Fire
It’s been a tough few months for Apple with Steve Jobs dying and the iPhone 4S disappointment. The Kindle Fire also came out, with a color multi-touch, anti-reflective screen that’s a far-cry from the black and white Kindles of yore. Apart from the low price, the Amazon store is the big draw.
Spec: 7” IPS 1024×600 | 413g. | 1GHz dual-core processor | 8GB | 512MB RAM
Price: US$199, from Amazon.com
