How to select the best tablet available in India in 2013

A few years back, India has seen the rapid growth in mobile market. Within a few years, India became the second country in the world with highest number of mobile subscribers. It is estimated that currently there are about 90 million mobile users in India which is expected to reach 165 million by 2015.

Well, the same story can very well get repeated for Tablet PCs in India. With the availability of internet on move, 3G and Wi-Fi; tablets are one of the fastest selling gadgets in India now. All the leading tech magazines and enthusiasts predict that the sale of Tablets will grow exponentially in coming years. It is estimated that number of Tablet users in India will reach 20 million by 2017.

No wonder then we are seeing the launch of new Tablets very frequently now. Apart from the international giants likeApple and Samsung; there are quite a few Indian manufactures like Karbonn and Micromax also who are coming with the tablets with great specification and low price. Recently, Google launched Nexus 7 in India through Google Play Store fuelling the already burning competition in Tablet market. There are so many Tablets with various brands and price ranges and it is really easy to get confused which tablet you should go for.

Today, in this article, I am going to take you through the process of selecting the perfect tablet available in 2013. I am not going to make a list of top 10 tablets here; this is what I want you to do. Seriously, if you read this article completely and understand what I mean; you will be knowledgeable enough to select the best tablet as per your budget availability. I will rather list down what you should look for while exploring. The list and specifications for the tablets are available on many of online shops. Once you understand the basics, you can take your own decisions.

So, let’s discuss one by one what you should look out in quest of the perfect tablet for you in India.

Tablet Price

India is a price sensitive market. One of the most important criteria for selecting the tablet is its price. You will get tablets starting from about Rs. 2500 and going up to Rs. 50000. The range is quite diverse. If you don’t mind spending money; you can straightaway grab the most expensive Apple make tablets. But if you are tight on budget, you should first understand the other points before making your mind.

There are some people in India whose main need of purchasing a Tablet PC is to flaunt it. If you are one of them, no second thought –Apple iPad is there for you. Apple iPads are known for quality, reliability, sophistication and user friendliness. Look at your pocket and select one from a lot of available variants.

Operating System

Seriously – it is iOS v/s Android now. Although there are a few more tablets with other operating systems like blackberry; the majority of tablets available in India run either Google Android or Apple iOS operating systems. With the launch of Windows 8; even Microsoft is trying to capture some market share but it is currently new and we will have to wait and watch how it performs.

The latest Android version is 4.2 which is also called Jelly Bean while iOS 6 is the latest version for iPads. Both Android and iOS have their strong points. There is no clear winner – you can go with any of the two. But if you are interested to know the difference and want to read on; read this blog on techrepublic.

If you are making your mind to go with Android, make sure to grab its latest version. At the least you should look out for Android 4.0 (ICS) version. This is because with new versions, you get new features, better UI and more security.

Screen Resolution and Size

This is one the most important factors for Tablet Selection. Normally Tablets are available in three sizes – 7”, 8” and 10”. Depending on your requirement you should select the screen size. If you go for 7” tab; it will be easier to carry and can even get into your pocket. You can easily hold it with your one hand and carry your activity with other hand while standing. And if you are looking for a tablet with call facility; you should look for this size only.

If you want to use your tablet more like your laptop for productivity; it is better to go for 10”. Pictures, videos and web browsing all look better with bigger size. With large screen, you can carry out your tasks easier. But it will be difficult for you to carry it on the move. And forget about using it when you are standing. Most of the tablets of this size do not come with calling facility. Rightfully because it will look ridiculous if you make calls with such a large tab!

8” tablets are the compromise between the two sizes. It is neither too small nor too large.

If you are not sure, you should look at and try all these sizes before making your choice.

But even more important is the screen resolution. More the resolution of a screen, better and crispier is the picture quality. Apple’s iPad with retina display has very high resolution (2048×1536) and the pictures look life like. Google Nexus 7 also has a great resolution for its 7” size (1280×800). Other tablet manufactures are coming up with HD display. However, you will find that many of the 7” Tablets with low prices has the screen resolution of (800×480) which is low. You will feel that the pictures appear blurred compared with HD display. Look out for the tablet with higher resolution because it will greatly affect your experience. If you are looking for high resolution with lesser price, you can look at Karbonn Velox Tab which is having 8” screen with 1024×768 resolution. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, which is a 7” tablet has the screen resolution of 1024×600 but the price is on a higher side.

Caution – Make sure you are going with the capacitive touch screens. Don’t ever go with resistive ones!

Processor and RAM

Processor and RAM of any Tab decide how it will perform in a resource hungry application and multi-tasking. If you are planning to run some heavy games and office applications; you should always look for the Processor and RAM. These days, good Tablets are coming up with dual core and quad core processors. It will be wise to go for at least dual core processor with speed more than 1 GHz. RAM which decides the multitasking and number of Apps you can install is also very important. Look out for a Tablet with a minimum of 512MB RAM. Most of the good Tablets now come loaded with 1 GB RAM.

Connectivity

Tablets are meant to be used wirelessly and also on move. So, connectivity becomes a major consideration.

Almost all the Tablets come with Wi-Fi connectivity with some of them also support Bluetooth. But as you know, the availability of Wi-Fi is still very limited. So, you should look out at other options also.

The Tablets which come with calling facility allow you to connect to the internet through mobile network. But you should look at the speed here – whether it supports the fast internet such as 3G, EDGE and HSPA or not. Otherwise if it supports just GPRS, it will be really slow and irritating. For other tablets; you can use data card dongles of your choice – just make sure it has an USB port to connect the dongle.

Data Storage

If you want to keep a lot of data; you should go for a tablet with higher storage capacity. Some Tablets, which do not have big storage capacity, allow you to use external memory cards. Look out for in-built memory and support for memory cards. As a minimum, you should purchase a tablet which allows you to store 32GB of data on move. The maximum storage available on Tabs at the time of writing this post is 128GB.

If the tablet supports USB, it is better. That way you can carry your data on multiple USB drives as per your requirement.

Battery

Most of the time, you will use your tablet without plugging it with a power source. So battery backup becomes important. See the specification of battery which is generally given in mAH. Battery backup depends on the screen size, processor, calling facility, Wi-Fi connection, running applications and operating systems also. For 7” tabs; I will recommend a minimum battery capacity of 3500 mAH. Charging speed is also important with battery backup time. You will not have the specification of charging speed and actual battery backup of a tab; you need to read the users review for that. Also look out if you can connect it with USB for charging or not.

Input and Output Ports – HDMI, USB

Look out for:

• HDMI Port – For connecting it to your HD Televisions
• USB Port – For USB drive, data dongles and transferring data to and from computers and for charging.
• Micro SD Card Slot – For using external storage cards

In almost all the tablets, you will get the 3.5mm audio jack and a microphone. Some of the tab manufactures don’t provide the standard ports and charge you heavily for adaptors. Take that into considerations as well.

Camera

In India, one of the most sought after features in a mobile phone is camera. Although, the primary use of camera in a tablet PC is to make video calls, you may be interested to use it to click photographs and do video recording as well.

First, you should make sure that the tablet has the front facing camera which you may use for making video calls through Skype or other application over internet. If a primary camera for taking pictures is available, it is a plus. Don’t blindly believe in mega pixels – see the clarity yourself or read the users review.

Other Considerations

• GPS – For navigation and determining your exact location
• Scratch Resistance – Lookout for a scratch resistant screen or use a screen guard
• Built-in-Apps – What applications are being provided free of cost
• Software Lock – Whether you are free to install/uninstall any software or not
• External Buttons – Although you can do all operations without the need of button, volume buttons make your work easier.
• Look & Feel – Can you show-off your tablet?
• Weight & Thickness – You don’t like heavy-weights, right?
• Product Reliability – An important factor, but you can’t know about this while making purchase
• Brand Name – It matters!
• Warranty – Is it 6 months, 12 months or even more
• Available accessories – What else can you connect with your tab?
• Heating problem – Does it get hot quickly?

I am not writing here about the common features like email access, audio and video playback, multi point touch screens, gravity sensors, available apps, etc. All these are very common now and come preloaded with almost all tablets these days.

If you consider all the above points while making a purchase decision, I am sure you will be able to select the best tablet available as per your budget availability. All the best for the best tablet!