It is raining tablets. We reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Tablet 750(10.1) in an earlier post . We felt that as there are many tablets less than 15,000 our review of tablets would be one-sided if we do not review these low cost tablets. Hence the post to make you aware of low costs tablets :Reliance 3G Tablet(Rs 12,999),  Beetel Magiq(Rs 9999), LACS Magnum Tablet Range( 6250).

What is tablet?

Tablet is a touch-screen based i.e has no keyboard or mouse. It works by touching the screen. It is a lighter version of a personal computer. With it, you can browse the internet, stream videos, play games and make phone-calls.  Tablets are extremely light and small compared to a netbook or a laptop. They come in size 7 -inch to 11-inch and weigh less than 700 gm. These tablets rock because of apps. An app is a piece of  software designed to suit a specific requirement.( To know more about apps you can read this post.) One can download Apps from the App Store.

Raining Tablets

Though Tablets have been around since 2001, Apple’s iPad created the tablet market in April 2010, then had it to themselves for a year, but now the game has changed  It seems that after mobile handsets, a price war is now brewing in the tablet segment, with various companies lining up to launch their own version at prices as low as Rs 6250(to be launched by LACS).  Beetel, a Bharti Group company, announced its tablet PC at a price of Rs 9,999.   Reliance Communications launched a tablet PC priced at Rs 12,999. And then there are  the  big boys such as Apple, Samsung, BlackBerry,HTC,Motorola.  With so many choices one is confused which tablet to buy? Tablets are expected to grow 157 percent in 2011, with over 26.5 million units being shipped wordwide.

Reliance 3G Tablet

Reliance 3G Tablet

• Hardware of the device has been made by Chinese Company ZTE . It weighs  only 400 grams, compared to 700 grams for the iPad. Also, screen size of 7 inches means it is more portable. It has  capacitive screen instead of the inferior resistive screen in the Beetel Magiq Tab. 
• It runs Android 2.3 version that wasn’t made for tablet PCs, the user interface is distinctively laggard. Most high-end tablets (Samsung 750 and other Android based) come loaded with Android 3.0 or 3.1 (Honeycomb)- Android specific for tablets. The touch on the 3G Tab is not exactly smooth and takes time to get used to.
• It has two cameras- 2 MP back camera shoots average quality pictures and VGA Front Facing Camera. The front facing camera is acceptable for Video Calls, but not much else.  iPad2 camera are also similar.
• Unlike the iPad, you can use the 3G Tab to make phone calls. While holding it to your cheek may be a bit awkward, you can use a hands free for convenience.
• The 800 x 480 resolution is on the lower side, as even 4 inch phones have the same resolution. Sharpness of the screen isn’t great, good enough to enjoy photos and videos on without too much pixelation.
• The 800 Mhz CPU is on the lower side for a mid-2011 device, but manages to hold up under normal use. However, too much multitasking will lead down to slowing down of the device and the introduction of ‘lag’.
• The modest specs help the Tab in preserving battery life. Once can expect up to 8 hours usage on 3G Networks, which is acceptable. The 3400 mAh battery heats up after an hour of continuous usage making the 3G Tab an uncomfortable device to hold. Download Speeds of upto 7.2 Mbps and Upload Speeds of upto 5.7.6 Mbps have been promised by Reliance.

Feedback: At its price point, the tablet performs well. If you are looking for a tablet with access to Android’s vast array of applications, and are on a budget, then this is the tablet to pick. You get the added benefit of Reliance 3G at lower rates.

However, if you are looking for a tablet to counter high end devices like the Xoom and the iPad, look elsewhere.

Interested readers can read  Review of Reliance 3G Tablet by Business Standard

Beetel Magiq

Beetel , Bharti AirTel, seems to have broken the price barrier with the Magiq  which is priced under 10,000. It’s price is Rs 9999.(Remember the Bata shoes priced at 195)

Beetel Magiq Android Tablet

• It has  7-inch screen and weighs 500 grams.
• It runs Android 2.2 on a 1Ghz processor with 512MB RAM
• It  comes with 8GB onboard storage (expandable by up to 16GB via microSD slot). It is 3G ready (regular SIM card slot)
• It can also be used as a phone.
• The device has Wi-Fi with hotspot, Bluetooth, GPS
• Has dual 2MP cameras(both front and back).
• An interesting feature is the built in kickstand — the Magiq can stay upright on its own — useful for videos and photos.
• It has a resistive touchscreen (without multi-touch)
• It comes with 2200 mAh battery.
• The Beetel tablet is in fact re-branded Chinese Huawei Ideos S7 Tablet custom manufactured by China’s Huawei Telecommunications.
• As an introductory offer, all Airtel 3G prepaid and postpaid customers who choose to buy this tablet can enjoy FREE 3G data usage for first 2 months with limit of 2GB per month.
  You can now buy Beetel Magiq tablet online from beetel.in website at: http://beetel.quasar.in/beetel.in/magiq

  
  

LACS Magnum Tablet Range

Lacs Magnum pepper 7-inch Android Tablet

Lakshmi Access Communications Systems Private Limited (LACS) has announced a range of tablets for the Indian market :

• Four ranges of Android powered tablet devices with 14 variants that come in screen sizes ranging from 4.3 inch to 11.8 inches with a mix of resistive and capacitive displays. Some tablets can be converted into netbooks as they come attached with keyboards and other accessories. These four variants are dubbed as Magnum brand – Pepper, Tamarind, Mirchi and Paprika models.
• All devices come with either 4 or 8GB internal storage expandable via microSD card.
•  The LACS tablets are 3G, WiFi and SIM-enabled depending on the model, while top-end ones are loaded with both Windows and Android operating systems and are priced between Rs. 6,250 and Rs. 35,000.
• Currently, most of the tablets have either Android 2.2 or 2.3 and select models support an update to Android Honeycomb as well.
• All these tablets are believed to be designed by LACS and are being manufactured in China and would be distributed via their own stores, Easy EZ across India.
• Basic Pepper model is  Resistive in nature which could be very unresponsive and quite frustrating to use.

To breakaway from convention, LACS is offering two types of warranty – an upgrade warranty (upgrade to a new tablet by returning the existing tablet) and a damage warranty (LACS takes back the damaged device and ships a replacement device to the consumer’s address in two days at no additional cost). LACS has also tied up with various banks to provide EMI schemes to interested buyers.

Resistive vs Capacitive Touch

As Tablets are touch based lets spend  time in knowing difference between Resistive and Capicitive Touch. Resistive technology works great with screens mostly used with stylus or any pointing object. They are not very efficient in registering the pin point location when used with finger. Capacitive touchscreen on the other hand work on touching the screen with finger. 

Why: Resistive screens are built with two flexible sheet coated with a resistive material and separated by microdots or air gaps. when pressed the sheets come in  contact and register the contact location. Capacitive screen is a glass surface coated with transparent conductors like  indium tin oxide . As the human body is also a conductor, touching the screen with finger creates a electrostatic field, measurable as a change in capacitance. This location is then registered and action is made.

Resistive touchscreen are comparatively lower in price than active touchscreens. If you like using your nails, a stylus or a stronger-than-normal touch on the screen – resistive is for you. If you like using your fingers, barely pressing down and having the screen respond to your energy, instead of the other way around than capacitive touch screens are for you.

Comparison: Resistive Capacitive Touch screen

Note this holds true for smart phones too.

Will People Buy Low End Tablets

“Even though there are a large number of tablets available, the consumer is still trying to understand the real usage and utility of these devices. Also, buying computing devices is not high on the Indian consumer’s agenda. Till the time tablets do not become primary devices in a consumer’s life & win mind share, there won’t be significant adoption,” said Vishal Tripathi, principal analyst at Gartner.

It is not the price point alone which will make a difference for consumers. Tablets at extremely low prices will compromise on user experience. Experts say the low-end priced devices were a success for mobile phones where there was a utility associated. Low-cost tablets might not find similar buyers, they say. Mobile phones which are priced low, at around Rs 3,000, have seen a huge surge in sales due to the calls and SMS utility they come with. This model had been hugely successful in the tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

Tablet buyers, on the other hand, do not go only for utility and look for features.  “People who are using high-end phones are those in high income groups and they would not go for a low-end tablet” said Alok Shende, principal analyst and co-founder, Ascentius Consulting.  Since good high-end smartphones cost around Rs 25,000 apiece, analysts say it is very unlikely that these consumers would go for a low-end tablet, in the sub-Rs 10,000 category. And, low-priced tablets do not bring pride of ownership.

(Input From Business Standard article Telcos’ low-cost tablet PCs may not suffice)

Not all Tablets are selling

In US markets not all tablets are selling. Hewlett-Packard’s WebOS TouchPad demised after just seven weeks on shelves. It joined Dell Streak 5 in the tablet graveyard and weak sales for many offerings suggest others are bound to follow.

Reviewed of the Samsung Galaxy Tablet 750(10.1) in an earlier post

Economic Times Feb 2012 article on low cost tablets,

Economic Times Feb 2012 Why brands have been unable to sell Tablets to Indian consumers

Will you buy a low priced tablet? If yes which one? or would you buy a high end model Apple iPad2 or Samsung Galaxy tab 750? 

P.S:Money is limited, it just doesn’t grow on trees and there are so many expenses. If you want to read about spending you can also check out our webpage on Spending which talks about Expenses(where does the money go), How Expenses differ from family to family, Keeping up with Jones (cartoon), Budgeting, Needs versus Wants or Shopping which is about Different kinds of markets , What are Goods and Services, How does the product reach you, A child shopping for clothes with her mother, A child shopping for potato chips, Shopping for T.V, Sale, MRP, BarCode, Warranty