Animoca gave out its results from a study conducted on 9,78,000 monthly users. After the two Samsung tablets, the third and fourth in line for the most popular Android tablets were Amazon Kindle Fire and Amazon Kindle Fire HD, which earned 7.5 percent and 4.9 percent of the market share respectively. The fifth place is taken by Google Nexus 7 which earns 38 percent of the market-share and the  Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 gets the 7^th place with 3 percent of the market share. The rest of the tablets get less than 1 percent of the market share.

As mentioned above, one of the major reasons for best selling tablets in the world to be 7-inch ones is because they are available for $200 or less.  HP is now planning to release an Android tablet HP Slate 7 for $169.  So popular is the 7-inch market that Microsoft is also ready with its 7-inch Surface tablets. Apple already splashed the market with its iPad Mini, all of 7 inches. It will be interesting to note what happens if companies reduce the cost of 7 inch tablets.

1. Size – While the Tab 2 (10.1) measures 256.6×175.3×9.7 mm the Tab 2 (7.0) measures 193.7×122.4×10.5 mm. Even in terms of weight, the Tab 2 (10.1) is much heavier than its counterpart weighing it at 588 grams as opposed to the 345 grams of the Tab 2 (7.0). No surprises here. The (10.1) is obviously a lot bigger than the (7.0).

2. Display – In terms of display resolution, both these devices are pretty similar to each other. While the (10.1) has a 800×1280 pixel resolution the (7.0) has a 600×1024 pixel resolution. But while the (10.1) has just a PLS TFT capacitive touch screen with a pixel density of 149 ppi the (7.0) has a PLS LCD capacitive touch screen with a pixel density of 170 ppi. Basically, the display on the (7.0) is a lot better than the (10.1). But the (10.1) does have a much larger screen at 10.1 inches as compared to the 7.0 inch screen of the (7.0). Both devices have a TouchWiz UX User Interface as well.

3. Memory & Storage – As far as memory is concerned, both these Tabs are quite similar too. Just one minor difference. While the (7.0) comes in 8, 16 and 32 GB versions the (10.1) comes in only a 16 and 32 GB version. Both devices support memory expansion up to 32 GB and run on 1 GB of RAM.

4.Camera – Remember that both these devices were released in 2012 and thus, we can’t expect much in terms of photography from either. Both devices sport the same 3.15MP camera on the back that shoots photos with a maximum resolution of 2048×1536 pixels. In terms of video recording, both offer a 720p @ 30fps. The front of the Tabs too just have VGA cameras.

5. OS & Performance – Both these devices are running on the exact same operation system, Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Both devices are also upgradeable to Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean). In terms of performance, Samsung has powered both it’s Tabs with a 1 GHz dual core processor which will give you a decent enough performance.

6. Battery – Samsung has never let down its customers in this area and this quality assurance continues with both these Tabs as well. While the (10.1) has a 7000 mAh Li-Po battery that boasts of standby times bearing 2000 hours the (7.0) has a 4000 mAh Li-ion battery that has a standby time of 1190 hours. You can rest assured that you will never have a problem with the battery when using either of these Samsung devices.

7. Price – With the massive competition among mobile manufacturers today pricing has become a major issue. But, both these Tabs are priced quite competitively. The Tab 2 (10.1) is available at INR 25,900 onwards and the Tab 2 (7.0) is priced at INR 15,699 onwards. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs 7.0  - which is better ?

Taking into account the fact that the only real benefit you get from a Tab 2 (10.1) is the increased display you might want to consider the Tab 2 (7.0) as it is more than INR 10,000 cheaper. Apart from this there isn’t much more that can be done to compare both these devices or to choose a winner from among them. Both products do well in their product classes without really being outstanding. You may be a little concerned when it comes to the camera though as 3.15MP is a little low by today’s standards. There is nothing about either of these Tablets that sets them apart from the rest and this might make people reconsider spending on either of them considering that there are much better tabs available around the same price. We feel that these Tabs will soon be phased out of the market and if you are looking at a Tablet for yourself your best bet would be the Samsung Note Series or Apple’s iPad 2/mini.

Analysts and industry observers say Sony Xperia Tablet Z go head to head with Google Nexus 10, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and Apple’s iPad 4. It has significant improvement over Sony Tablet S and of course over Sony Xperia Tablet S too.

Build and size

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z is amazingly light weight. It weighs just 495g, much lighter than its competitors. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 weighs 597g and Apple iPad 4 weighs 660g. The tablet is easy to hold too.

At first glance the build and design of Sony Xperia Tablet Z looks similar to the Sony Xperia Z smartphone with slimline design – 6.9mm depth. The back is made up of glass reinforced polymer to offer good grippy texture and keep the tablet as light as possible.

Features

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z is water resistant similar to the Sony Xperia Z smartphone. It can be undamaged in 1m of water for up to 30 minutes. At least you don’t have to bother when you are in kitchen. Water spillages will not harm it. Inside the water the screen won’t work but it is efficient enough in wet condition or with wet hands.

The user interface of Sony Xperia Tablet Z is similar to that of Sony Xperia Z phone. It seems the company wants to give same design experience across all its connected product, and even in the television sets.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz. For the first time this chip has been used in a tablet. The same chip also is included in the Sony Xperia Z smartphone.

Three models are being offered based on the internal storage – 16, 32 and 64GB. The tablet supports Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth as well as DLNA connectivity. It can be used as a remote control for TV too with the help of IR technology. Currently the device runs on Android 4.1 OS but the latest Jelly Bean update is also due on it in near future.

Screen

Sony Xperia Tablet Z sports 10.1-inch screen providing a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. It is claimed by the company to have widest color spectrum in the tablet industry. The sharpness and contrast are intelligently adjusted with the help of Mobile Bravia Engine 2 processing.

The tablet comes with four speakers. Two of those are on the side panel and the remaining two at the bottom. You hold the tablet in any form either in resting pose or hanging in hand, two of the speakers will always remain uncovered.

Camera

Sony Xperia Tablet Z is equipped with 8-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front camera. The user interface of it is similar to that of CyberShot cameras of the company including the Superior Auto mode. It facilitates Sweep Panorama option and 10fps burst mode too.

Battery

Battery Stamina Mode is included in Sony Xperia Tablet Z as it is in Sony Xperia Z smartphone. This mode helps in boasting the battery capacity. The basic function of this mode is to turn off all the non-essential functions to save more battery. You need to turn on the mode for this.

Price

Sony has not yet disclosed the pricing part of the Xperia Tablet Z in the global market but very recently it has started taking pre-orders from UK customers. The Wi-Fi model with 16GB on-board storage is tagged £400, which is around $605. For additional £50 Sony is offering the 32GB model of the tablet in UK.

Verdict

If you have not seen Apple’s iPad then Sony Xperia Tablet Z will be the most impressive tablet. It is very well built and got beauty of its own kind. At first glance it will look similar to the Sony Xperia Z smartphone with same slimline design. The lightweight and waterproof aspects of the tablet will attract most of the potential tablet consumers. As a whole the tablet will surely do good in the global market, grabbing huge share of market.

Do share your own views about the Sony Xperia Tablet Z and let us and fellow readers know more about it via the below comment box.

1. Size – Well there isn’t any difference in the size of both model. in fact, if  kept together, it is nearly impossible to tell them apart. Both devices measure 193.7×122.4×10.5 mm. In terms of weight too there isn’t much of a difference. The P3100 weighs in at 345 grams while the P3110 weighs in at 344 grams. Again, hardly noticeable unless you actually weigh both of them on a scale.

2. Display – Here too, there is no difference between both these versions. Both of the devices have a PLS LCD capacitive touch screen with 16M colours. They both have a 7 inch screen with a pixel density of 170 ppi. Both tablets also have TouchWiz UX user interface and support multitouch.

3. Memory & Storage – This is where the first real difference is noted between the two devices. While the P3100 only supports expansion up to 32 GB the P3110 allows for expansion up to 64 GB. Apart from this, both devices are more or less the same and are also available in variants of 16, 32 and 64 GB. They both have 1 GB of RAM too.

4. Camera – Both devices have a 3.15 MP shooter on the back that won’t really click any amazing pictures for you. Both have front facing cameras as well but considering both offer VGA quality pictures, don’t expect any miracles here either. Video recording too is supported in both models at 720p.

5. OS & Performance – Both of these devices are running on Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and updates are available for both tablets to Android 4.1.1 (Jelly Bean). They both have Dual Core 1 GHz processors as well, although the P3100 does feature a proximity sensor that isn’t present in the P3110. There is a reason for this which we will come back to and explain later in the latter half of the review.

6. Battery – Both devices have a non-removable 4000 mAh Li-ion battery that offers up to a whopping 1070 hours of standby time. Samsung has always been known for it’s amazing battery performance and needless to say they have nailed it with both these tabs as well.

7. Price – We have some very interesting news about the price of both these tablets. The P3100 was initially released at a price of INR 23,250 while the P3110 was released at a price of INR 13,900. But Samsung has noticeably slashed the prices of both these devices. You can now get the P3100 at INR 16,250 while the P3110 is priced at INR 12,750. Why were the prices reduced? My best bet would be so that they could promote their other devices and honestly, neither of these devices are really worth writing home about. 

 Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 – 310 and Tab 2- 311, which is better ?

So, after going through the above points, you must have realized that there isn’t much of a difference between the two. So what set’s both of them apart? What accounts for the INR 3,500 difference between both the devices? The simple answer to this is 3G. The P3100 offers 2G and 3G support on most common networks while the P3110 does not offer any 2G or 3G support or in simple words, you cant make calls with the P3110. Also, the mobility and connectivity are pretty much subject to the availability of WiFi, and so, limited. So, if you are looking at buying a Tablet, it all boils down to whether you are going to use it as a phone or not. If you are looking at using it as a phone, the P3100 could be one of the most cost efficient 3G tablets in the market today. If you just want it as a mobile PC, the P3110 should suffice. But, one is likely to shell out a few extra bucks more when they are looking at buying a tablet, to get added advantage of 2G and 3G support. I personally feel that the gadgets you purchase today are actually an investment, then are you really “investing” in a tablet that cant as much as make calls? When you could own a phablet, why buy a tablet? With that in mind, I don’t really know what Samsung was thinking when it released both these versions of the Tab 2. Honestly, they could have just released a version with 3G support and one without.

The two main competitors of Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet is Apple’s iPad Mini and Google’s Nexus 7. Both are priced lower than Galaxy Note 8.0.

Well, let us find out what’s being offered by Samsung in the device before we have our own verdict about it. Below are the details:

Design

You won’t be much surprised after unboxing the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet. It carries the same traditional design language of the Korean giant and the rounded corners give a retro look. As a whole it does not look bad though.

The exterior is smooth with glossy plastic. It is comfortable and easy to hold, which is to be appreciated of course. The Home button functions very well but the power button is less satisfactory.

Compared to Apple’s iPad Mini, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 isn’t something groundbreaking, but something that is okay and comfortable. It weighs just 11.92 oz, light for an 8 incher.

Display

There is nothing innovative in the display. It is good quality LCD TFT screen providing a resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels with 189 ppi. It has got good viewing angles with satisfactory outdoor visibility.

S Pen

The S Pen is signature feature of the company and it accompanies Galaxy Note 8.0 too. The stylus is used for features like drawing and note-taking. It is comfortable to hold and big enough. It is pressure-sensitive and writing with it is convenient.

User Interface and Functionality

The tablet runs on Android 4.1.2 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) mobile operating system and is supported with TouchWiz Nature UI to enhance the touch functionality. The custom features of the device are much talked about as those are one of the best, definitely. The Smart Stay, Pop Up Pay and Multi Window view features keeps it ahead of other Android tablets.

Messaging

The QWERTY keyboard seems small and makes typing a bit tough. Well, this can be fixed by installing other good third-party keyboard or can take the help of S Pen stylus that is enhanced with the handwriting recognition technology.

Processor and Memory

The tablet is powered with quad-core Exynos 4412 processor clocked at 1.6GHz. It is equipped with 2GB of RAM to offer fluid experience. It comes in two variants – 16GB and 32GB on-board storage. The memory can be expanded further via microSD card.

Internet and Connectivity

The Galaxy Note 8.0 comes with Samsung’s own browser, replacing Google Chrome that is native to ICS. It gives superior Web browsing experience compared to other tablets. However, third-party browsers can be installed if user wishes so, but special features will be compromised like the history and syncing of tabs. It is learned the browser is even faster than Opera mini, Firefox and Dolphin browsers on ICS OS.

The tablet is compatible with all the Wi-Fi protocols and is also equipped with 3G/HSPA+ in its other variants with speeds up to 21.1 Mbit/s. There is no LTE-enabled variant as of now. It has 4th generation of Bluetooth and also IR blaster if one wants to use the device as a remote for TV.

International 3G is enabled to facilitate phone calling with it.

Camera and Multimedia

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is mounted with 5-megapixel sensor and the camera app comes with full of settings. It tends giving results with realistic tones in outdoor photography. The indoor photographs are fine too. It supports video recording at 720p resolution. Microphone is okay as it captures harsh sounds too. Loudspeakers are average. The music player and video/photo gallery is average. Its IR blaster works like a remote to a television. It supports all popular brands like Toshiba, Sharp, Sony, Panasonic and of course Samsung.

Verdict

It is a no bet that Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is a wonderful tablet. It has improved technology with reliable features. The S Pen is not a gimmick, it does work as claimed by Samsung. Also, Samsung’s own TouchWiz interface has enhanced the responsiveness of the device.

Google’s Nexus 7 tablet is dangerously very close to Galaxy Note 8.0, though a bit shorter, and its lower price may grab away potential buyer of the new Note.

Now the ball is in your court whether to go with Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 or to buy the other alternatives, which are almost equally better tablets. Do share your own views with us and fellow readers in the below comment box.

1. Size – Well, not much to differentiate the two here. The Note 8’s dimensions are 210.8×135.9x8mm while the iPad mini is 200×134.7×7.2mm. Hardly any difference here. Even in terms of  screen size, the Note 8 has an 8 inch screen while the mini has a 7.9 inch one. Again, just a 0.1 inch difference, hardly anything to write home about.

2. Display – This is where the Note 8 has fallen behind. It only has a TFT capacitive touch screen with 16M colours. On the other hand, the iPad mini has an industry leading LED backlit IPS LCD capacitive touch screen with 16M colours. But, the Note 8 does have a better pixel density at 189 ppi as compared to the 162 ppi of the iPad mini. With it’s bigger screen, the Note 8 supports a larger resolution as well at 800×1280 pixels whereas the iPad mini only has 768×1024 pixels. Basically, the Note 8 is a mixed bag in this category.

3. Memory & Storage – Here the Note 8 get’s it right. While the iPad mini only boasts of 16, 32 and 64 GB versions with no expandable storage, the Note 8 comes in 16 and 32 GB versions with expandable storage of up to 64 GB. Also, the Note 8 has 2 GB of RAM while the iPad mini only has a meagre 512 MB of RAM. Clearly, Samsung worked out this part of their tablet a lot better than Apple. But, the RAM on the iPad Mini doesn’t really hamper the tablet’s performance, so not much to complain about here.

4. Camera – Again, not much variation on either of the platforms. In fact, both tablets boast of a 5MP camera with 2592×1944 pixels and auto focus. The iPad mini does have some other dandy features like touch focus and face detection but really nothing that sets it apart. Both tablets also support video recording at 1080p while only the iPad mini supports video recording at 720p on the front camera. I’m guessing not many people will be buying tablets for their photo clicking ability, so as long as there is a 5MP camera on the back and a 1.3MP camera on the front, nothing else should really matter.

5. OS & Performance – This is the main reason why the iPad mini is doing so well. It runs on iOS6 which, in my opinion, is miles ahead of Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) which is on the Galaxy Note 8. In all fairness, Samsung has an update Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) but there is no news yet on whether you will be able to update the Note 8. Keeping this in mind, Samsung users will be pleased to know that the Note 8 boasts of a Quad-core 1.6 GHz Cortex-A9 processor while the iPad mini only has a Dual-core 1 GHz Cortex-A9 processor. This should mean that the Note 8 will handle exceptionally better than the iPad mini, but in all honesty you can’t really notice anything wrong with the iPad mini.

6. Battery – The iPad mini has a 16.3W/H Li-Po battery while the Note 8 boasts of a mammoth 4600 mAh Li-Ion battery. Android in general and Samsung in particular have always released products that have had excellent battery life and there have been a lot of reports from iPad mini users that the tablet’s battery drains out very fast. We all knew Samsung was going to win this one though didn’t we?

7. Price – The iPad mini starts at a price of INR 20,500 and goes up to a price of INR 41,000 for the 64 GB version. The official price of the Galaxy Note 8 hasn’t yet been announced though but we have heard rumours that it will be priced pretty similar to the iPad mini, in fact, maybe even a little lower. 

Verdict

Well, if you are in the market for a smart tablet then you will most probably be looking at the iPad mini. But, Samsung’s new toy could be on course to overthrow Apple from the top of the tablet market. It’s just the fact that it will be running on an older version of Android that is a problem. Keeping that in mind, I guess it will all come down to the price at which Samsung release the Note 8. I for one am really looking forward to it. Finally, Samsung has brought something worthwhile to the table.

iPad Mini vs Samsung Galaxy 8.0 (Pictures)

iPad Mini

Samsung Galaxy 8.0

Among some of the notable differences between the two include the following :-

1. The Tab 2 comes in only a 16GB and 32GB version while the Note 10.1 comes in a 16, 32 and 64 GB version.

2. The Tab 2 has expandable memory up to 32 GB while the Note 10.1 has expandable memory up to 64 GB.

3. The Tab 2 has 1 GB of RAM while the Note 10.1 has 2 GB of RAM.

4. The Note 10.1 has a Quad Core processor with a 1.4 GHz processing speed while the Tab 2 has just a Dual Core processor with a 1.0 GHz processing speed.

5. The Note 10.1 has a 5MP camera with auto focus and LED flash. The Tab 2 has a 3.15MP camera without any other features.

6. The Note 10.1 has an Exynos 4412 chipset while the Tab 2 has a TI OMAP 4430 chipset.

7. The Note 10.1 also has an Infrared port while the Tab 2 doesn’t.

8. The Tab 2 has just a VGA camera on the front while the Note 10.1 has a 2MP camera on the front.

9. There is a minor difference between the weights of both the phones too with the Note 2 weighing in at 588 grams while the Note 10.1 weighs 600 grams.

Apart from this, both devices are pretty similar with both of them having a 7000 mAh Li-ion battery, running on Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) which is upgradeable to 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean). Both of the devices also come with a 10.1 inch screen with a maximum resolution of 800×1280 pixels and pixel density of 149 ppi.

At the end of the day, you will realize that the Tab 2 is really a poor man’s Note 10.1. And while both products offer pretty much the same functionality, the Note 10.1 does manage to give you a much better overall experience. It is because of this reason that the Note 10.1 is priced a lot higher than the Tab 2. The Note 10.1 starts at INR 34,449 while the Tab 2 starts at INR 25,900. Quite a substantial price difference between the two. So, it all depends on whether you are on a budget or if you want the best. If you are on a budget, try the Tab 2, it definitely gives you value for money. On the other hand, if you want the best, the Note 10.1 is the product for you.

Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) vs Galaxy Note 10.1 (N8000) – Pictures

Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1)

Galaxy Note 10.1 (N8000)

It has same glossy finish, plastic body and curved corners. Even the software and hardware parts are identical. Well, it may be too early to say it is the clone of the other as in later stage industry analysts even dismissed the comment of Apple’s iPad being bigger size of iPod touch.

The two main competitors of Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet is Apple’s iPad Mini and Google’s Nexus 7. Both are priced lower than Galaxy Note 8.0.

Well, let us find out what’s being offered by Samsung in the device before we have our own verdict about it. Below are the details:

Design of Galaxy Note 510 

You won’t be much surprised after unboxing the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet. It carries the same traditional design language of the Korean giant and the rounded corners give a retro look. As a whole it does not look bad though.

The exterior is smooth with glossy plastic. It is comfortable and easy to hold, which is to be appreciated of course. The Home button functions very well but the power button is less satisfactory.

Compared to Apple’s iPad Mini, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 isn’t something groundbreaking, but something that is okay and comfortable. It weighs just 11.92 oz, light for an 8 incher.

 Display 

There is nothing innovative in the display. It is good quality LCD TFT screen providing a resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels with 189 ppi. It has got good viewing angles with satisfactory outdoor visibility.

S Pen for Galaxy Note 8.0 

The S Pen is signature feature of the company and it accompanies Galaxy Note 8.0 too. The stylus is used for features like drawing and note-taking. It is comfortable to hold and big enough. It is pressure-sensitive and writing with it is convenient.

User Interface and Functionality

The tablet runs on Android 4.1.2 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) mobile operating system and is supported with TouchWiz Nature UI to enhance the touch functionality. The custom features of the device are much talked about as those are one of the best, definitely. The Smart Stay, Pop Up Pay and Multi Window view features keeps it ahead of other Android tablets.

Messaging

The QWERTY keyboard seems small and makes typing a bit tough. Well, this can be fixed by installing other good third-party keyboard or can take the help of S Pen stylus that is enhanced with the handwriting recognition technology.

Galaxy Note 510 – Processor and Memory 

The tablet is powered with quad-core Exynos 4412 processor clocked at 1.6GHz. It is equipped with 2GB of RAM to offer fluid experience. It comes in two variants – 16GB and 32GB on-board storage. The memory can be expanded further via microSD card.

Internet and Connectivity

The Galaxy Note 8.0 comes with Samsung’s own browser, replacing Google Chrome that is native to ICS. It gives superior Web browsing experience compared to other tablets. However, third-party browsers can be installed if user wishes so, but special features will be compromised like the history and syncing of tabs. It is learned the browser is even faster than Opera mini, Firefox and Dolphin browsers on ICS OS.

The tablet is compatible with all the Wi-Fi protocols and is also equipped with 3G/HSPA+ in its other variants with speeds up to 21.1 Mbit/s. There is no LTE-enabled variant as of now. It has 4th generation of Bluetooth and also IR blaster if one wants to use the device as a remote for TV.

International 3G is enabled to facilitate phone calling with it.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 - Camera and Multimedia 

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is mounted with 5-megapixel sensor and the camera app comes with full of settings. It tends giving results with realistic tones in outdoor photography. The indoor photographs are fine too. It supports video recording at 720p resolution. Microphone is okay as it captures harsh sounds too. Loudspeakers are average. The music player and video/photo gallery is average. Its IR blaster works like a remote to a television. It supports all popular brands like Toshiba, Sharp, Sony, Panasonic and of course Samsung.

Galaxy Note 510 Price

Though the price is not confirmed, it is believed that the cost of Galaxy Note 510 tablet is below Rs. 30.000, according to predictive analysis. In the US market, there is still no information of the price.  In the UK market, the cost of Galaxy Note 8.0 may be   £500 according to unofficial sources.

Verdict

It is a no bet that Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is a wonderful tablet. It has improved technology with reliable features. The S Pen is not a gimmick, it does work as claimed by Samsung. Also, Samsung’s own TouchWiz interface has enhanced the responsiveness of the device.

Google’s Nexus 7 tablet is dangerously very close to Galaxy Note 8.0, though a bit shorter, and its lower price may grab away potential buyer of the new Note.

Now the ball is in your court whether to go with Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 or to buy the other alternatives, which are almost equally better tablets. Do share your own views with us and fellow readers in the below comment box.

Galaxy Note 8.0 – Pictures

The Kindle Fire HD

• When the primary purpose of a tablet is entertainment, then the Kindle Fire HD is just the one. Like the older versions of the Kindle, this tablet is also coupled to the ecosystem of Amazon comprising of digital media storefronts, Amazon MP3s, Kindle e-books, as well as Amazon video on demand. The Prime service members of Amazon can also avail of bonus features like free books from the lending library of Amazon and free streaming-video data.
• The Kindle Fire HD also comes with a new option called FreeTime which lets parents to limit and lock the amount of time spent by children on the tablet. The Whispersync system of Amazon allows users to oscillate between audio and written forms of certain book titles, as well as allows the saving of game progress status. Additionally the X-Ray feature has been expanded to provide behind-the-scenes information about the favorite television shows and movies, as well as e-book analysis.
• A 32 GB variant of the Kindle Fire HD can be purchased for $249. The screen is 8.9 inches diagonally with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. There is a basic front facing camera. The hardware features include an HDMI output to facilitate sharing of content with a connected television. The display on the Kindle Fire HD comes with new antiglare polarization and no-gap lamination techniques that improve the overall reading experience on the tablet. Additionally, it is equipped with a dual-antenna Wi-Fi antenna system that will enable enhanced media streaming quality and also provide for better Internet speeds.
• It may be noted that the number of apps available with the Kindle Fire HD is very limited as compared to those available in Google’s Play store. Many sensors like a digital compass, NFC and GPS are also lacking on the tablet. Hence navigation apps or integrated Maps that use such excluded sensors are also absent on the device.
• Additionally, the apps that are bought from Amazon are quite difficult to install on Android devices, as is the installation of Android apps bought from Google on the Kindle Fire HD.

The iPad 3 and the Nexus 7:

• The Processor: The new iPad 3 is powered by a dual-core 1 GHz Cortex-A9 on Apple’s A5X chipset along with a quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU. On the other hand the Nexus 7 is equipped with a 1.3GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor that is further powered by a 12-core ULP Nvidia GPU.
• The Design: The dimensions of the Nexus 7 are 7.8” x 4.72” x 0.41” and it weighs just 340 grams. The iPad 3 is twice as heavy at 680 grams and has dimensions of  7.31” x 9.5” x 0.37”. The design of the iPad 3 incorporates a smooth bezel and a metallic backing.
• The Screen: The display and screen quality of Apple iDevices have always been better as compared to the products of other manufacturers. The same is the case with the display of the iPad 3 which features a 9.7 inch screen that comes with a pixel density of 264 PPI and a screen resolution of  1536 × 2048 pixels. The Nexus 7 comes with a 7 inch HD screen along with a pixel density of just 216 PPI and a screen resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels.

• The Camera: The Google Nexus 7 is equipped with a just a front facing 1.2 megapixel camera, while the iPad 3 comes with a 5 megapixel primary iSight camera in the rear and a front facing VGA camera for video conferencing.
• Storage options: The iPad 3 is available in three variants, i.e. 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB models, while the Nexus 7 comes in only two variants, i.e. 8 GB and 16 GB models. Both the devices do not have a slot for microSD cards. This is a huge flaw for the Google device as the 8 GB model has just about 5.5 GB of free usable storage space.
• Connectivity: The Nexus 7 is currently available in the Wi-Fi only version with a 3G capable version to be released in the future. On the other hand, iPad 3 comes with Wi-Fi capability along with 4G LTE support on the AT&T and Verizon networks.
• Battery and other features: The iPad 3 comes with a 11,560 mAh battery and other features including a 30-pin dock connector port, Bluetooth 4.0, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, magnetometer, GPS, gyroscope and AirPlay mirroring to Apple TV. The Nexus 7 comes with a 4325 mAh battery and other features like a MicroUSB connector port, Bluetooth 4.0, magnetometer, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, GPS, gyroscope and NFC.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

• The screen: The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 boasts of a huge 10.1 inch display along with a resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels, and a pixel density of 149 PPI, which is not as great as the one shipped with the iPad 3. However, the TFT display panel does provide good screen quality, even when observed from various angles.
• The Design: It has a design that is similar to the Note 10.1 and includes a glossy white plastic casing which gives it a fairly cheap look. It has a more visible silver trim along with an expanded bezel that encloses a pair of fairly big speakers. However, at 9.7mm it is quite a thin tablet. Also, it is very light and weighs just 588 grams, thereby making it extremely portable.
• The Software: The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 comes with the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system from Google. Compared to this the Nexus 7 comes with the latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS, while the iPad 3 has the iOS 5 upgradable to iOS 6.
• The camera: It is equipped with a 3 megapixel HD 720p at the rear and a front facing VGA camera. The photos taken by the primary camera in low light conditions are somewhat grainy and lacking in detail, while those taken in better lighting conditions are somewhat better.
• The Internal hardware: It has a 1GHz dual-core processor which does not facilitate fast Internet browsing or quick loading of heavy apps. Also, the performance during swiping across home screens is not that great. It has 1 GB of RAM. It comes with a 7,000 mAh battery that has a battery life of about 10 hours.

The Display:

• The Apple iPad 3 comes with the Retina display that bequeaths a scintillating display. The display on the iPad 3 is 9.7 inches when measured diagonally. The IPS LCD display comes with a remarkable resolution of 1536 x 2048 pixels, which results in a PPI or pixel per inch density of 264.
• The impressive display features of the iPad 3 are unfortunately not matched by the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. It comes with a screen resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels which is similar to the one available on the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.3 inch tablet. This means that the PPI on the Note 10.1 lags far behind as compared to the iPad 3, at only 149 PPI. Comparatively there are many tablets in the market that have better PPI ratios, such as the ASUS Transformer Prime Infinity with a PPI of 224 and the Google Nexus 7 with a PPI of 216. The display on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is thus not as vivid or crisp.

The Internal Hardware:

• The Apple iPad 3 comes with the Apple A5X chipset that runs on a high powered 1GHz dual-core Cortex A9 processor as well as a quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU. As compared to this Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 comes with the Exynos 4212 quad SoC that can be found on the Samsung Galaxy S3 as well, along with a 1.4GHz quad-core Cortex A9 processor as well as a Mali-400MP GPU. It may be noted that the processor on the Exynos 4212 performs a lot better as compared to the A5X, but the GPU on the iPad 3 is better. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 comes with 2 GB of RAM, while only 1 GB of RAM is featured on the iPad 3.
• It may also be noted that the CPU’s performance is not necessarily affected by the screen resolution, while the frame rate of video rendering gets influenced by it. This in turn indicates that even though the GPU on the iPad 3 is better, the lowered resolution of the video output in the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 increases the capability of the device to give fairly good frame rates. Only the detailing that can be experienced with the iPad 3 will be the missing factor.

The Design and Extras:

• Even though the screen size on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is larger than the iPad 3 by 0.4 inches, the size difference between the two is negligible due to the tiny bezel present on the Note. The iPad 3 measures 241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4 mm, while the Note 10.1 measures only 262 x 180 x 8.9 mm, which indicates that it is actually less wide and thinner as compared to the iPad 3.
• One may note that this difference can be attributed to the 11,560 mAh battery that comes with the iPad 3 as compared to the 7,000 mAh battery that is shipped along with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. However, as most of the extra battery power provided by the larger battery goes into the display of the iPad 3, the battery life on both the tablets is about the same. Additionally, the larger battery makes the iPad 3 652 grams heavy as compared to the 597 g weight of the
  Note 10.1.
• The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 also comes with a microSD card slot which is absent in the iPad 3. Both the tablets are equal when it comes to the connectivity options, with the Note currently available in Wi-Fi only and 3G forms, while the LTE-compatible version will be available later in the year, and the iPad 3 available in Wi-Fi only, and LTE versions.

The Operating system and other features:

• All of us know that the quality of apps that are available for the iPad 3 are better than those available for Android tablets. However, the Samsung Galaxy Note comes equipped with a distinctive accessory that will definitely make user to overlook the Android apps quality. It is the S-Pen which is a pressure sensitive stylus capable of recognizing 256 different pressure levels.
• It may be noted that one cannot use the S-Pen with apps which do not support it. But it works like magic with supported apps. For example, one can easily take notes on Samsung’s S Note app, which comes with the capability to identify mathematical formulas, a feature that is absent on the iPad 3. The Adobe Photoshop Touch app optimized for the S-Pen also makes for easier editing of photos. Additionally, almost all the smart functions which were launched with the S3 are available in the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. Last but not the least, the ‘Multiscreen’ feature on the Note 10.1 which allows for viewing of multiple screens on the tablet, is also one the best multitasking options present on a tablet.