iPad Comparison

When the iPad was first announced back in January 2010, no one really knew how revitalizing the tablet market would become such a success for Apple. Two years later, the iPad remains the number one tablet to have with over 84 million iPad units sold so far (as of 31 March 2012).

The popularity of smartphones and tablets have driven the surge for our need to be able to do anything on the move. Since the iPad was released, other manufactures have followed suit with their own offerings of tablets.

If you currently deciding whether a tablet or an iPad is for you, check out the following infographic from Infographic Labs, which compares all the iPad models and the typical tablet user. The infographic also features some pretty amazing sales figures for the new iPad. Some of our favourites from the infographic were:

- 66% of iPad users are male and 34% are female
- There are 53.2 million iPad users in the US alone
- Most users use tablets while watching TV

Click for larger image

iPad Vs iPad 2 Vs New iPad

Do you have an iPad yet? What do you use your tablet for?

Infographic: iPad vs. iPad 2 vs. New iPad

*Updated 11.17.2012*
This page contains a comprehensive list of tablets currently available on the market today. Our aim is to update this tablet list regularly so you can easily find what’s currently on the market. If you don’t fancy going scrolling through the table, you can skip it and head over to top 5 tablets for under $200 feature or our best top 15 tablet list.

Tablet List for 2012 and 2013

Tablet List

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The New iPad Review

When the new iPad was announced, many rightfully assumed it would be called the iPad 3 yet instead, Apple choose to call it the new iPad. We’ve been using the new iPad since it was released last month and thought it was time we conducted our own review of the new iPad.

The new iPad is Apple’s latest update to the iPad 2 and comes with a few new features, most noticeably the retina display that makes everything on the screen look crisp and lifelike. Other features include an improved A5X chip that provides quad-core graphics, 5-megapixel camera and 4G LTE support (Wi-Fi 4G model).

The New iPad from Apple

Overview
The new iPad from Apple keeps the company on top in what is considered the best available tablet you can buy on the market at the moment. Apple have pretty much kept most of the design elements from the previous iPad such as the aluminum back, rounded edges with the integrated speaker at the back. With a truly stunning retina display, improved A5X processor that provides quad-core graphics, 5-megapixel camera and support for 4G LTE, Apple have done a great job in refreshing the iPad series.

The new iPad is currently available in two flavours with various storage options:

1. Wi-Fi: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB ($499, $599 and $699)
2. Wi-Fi + 4G: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB ($629, $729 and $829)

Size
The new iPad has mostly retained its size from the iPad 2, with its depth only adding an extra 0.03 inches (0.6mm) and putting on extra 0.11 pounds (51g) in the process.  If you’re just venturing now into the tablet market, the size is prefect and you won’t notice the extra depth and weight much if you’re upgrading from the iPad 2 either.

Looks
The new iPad has pretty much retained the same look and feel from the iPad 2 and when we reviewed the iPad 2, we were impressed with the sleek lines and smooth finish. Again, the looks of the new iPad certainly won’t disappoint.

Display
Here comes the main selling point of the new iPad, the retina display. The retina display is truly breath taking. To put it into perspective how crisp and clear the display is:

- The new iPad contains four times more pixels than the iPad 2.
- Resolution of the new iPad features 2048×1536 Vs 1920×1080 resolution of a HDTV
- The new iPad has million more pixels than a HDTV

The New iPad Retina Display

As a result, the viewing experience on the new iPad is truly awesome. Watching movies, flicking through photographs or surfing the web, everything you see on the device is crisp and clear, almost providing a lifelike experience. Even with the high performance retina display, Apple has still managed to maintain the battery life from the previous iPad of up to 10 hours.

4G LTE Support
With the new iPad Wi-Fi +4G model, you can connect with 4G networks allowing you browse the web, stream videos or download movies on the go. With the 4G model, you can connect to the Internet wherever you here. It’s important to note that 4G support is solely dependent on whether your local mobile network operator has the capacity to support 4G LTE. If your local mobile network operator does support it, you can enjoy high-speeds on the device while on the move.

Usability
If you already an existing iOS user, not much to say here as the new iPad continues to be very easy and intuitive to use. Anyone can pretty much pick up the device and use it straight out of the box.  Apple has been very innovative in making sure their devices are user friendly and the new iPad continues to show this. One thing we did like was the handy virtual keyboard that now includes a Dictation button, which allows you to dictate words.

Performance
The new iPad is equipped with a 1GHz dual-core A5X processor, quad-core graphics and 1024MB of DDR2 of RAM. As was with the iPad 2, the new iPad is very fluid and you can pretty much play games, watch movies and surf the web without any performance issues.

Battery Life
You would think with the amazing retina display and improved processor, the new iPad might be a bit heavy on the battery. Well Apple have done a great in tweaking the new iPad and ensuring the tablet still gets up to 10 hours of battery life. There’s nothing more annoying if you have to charge your device all the time and 10 hours is great if you intend to use the device out of the house a lot.

Apps
Not much to add here as Apple’s App store contains over 200,000 apps and chances are if you need to do something to make your life a little easier, there’s probably an app for it. Whether you are looking for games, books, movies or television programs, you can either buy or download it for free straight to your iPad.

Problems
As we reported last month, the new iPad does get a little hotsometimes when being used for long periods and we did notice this when we were using the device. Other users have also expressed the same concerns about similar overheating problems where rear of the tablet would get uncomfortably warm during prolong use, which is down to the impressive Retina display that makes images and videos truly breathtaking to view.

You could argue the heat issue is understandable considering the new iPad has a more powerful processor, a bigger battery and a high-resolution retina display. Whether the overheating issue will cause any reliability issues in the long-run for the device, only time will tell.

Video On the New iPad

Conclusion
Despite the minor heating issue, we certainly love the latest 3^rd generation iPad and with the retina display, improved processor and camera, the new iPad is definitely a great refresh from the iPad 2. If you’re new to tablets and looking to buy, the new iPad should be top of your list. If you want to save a little money, you could opt for the cheaper iPad 2 instead.

However, if you already own the iPad 2, is it worth upgrading to the latest iPad 3? Yes and no. If you want to upgrade to a better display, improved processor and camera, you certainly won’t be disappointed with the new iPad. If you don’t want to folk out the extra money to upgrade, it’s probably worthwhile to keep using the iPad 2.

You can currently go to the Apple website and order the new iPad base model from $499 or the iPad 2 base model from $399. Alternatively, if stock is unavailable or limited in your country, you can head over to Amazon and buy the device.

Do you own the new iPad? Share your comments below.

P.S: Be sure to check out our tips and tricks for the new iPad to help you get the most out of the tablet device.

The New iPad Review

On this page, you’ll find a collection of useful tablet PC resources such as news articles, reviews, blog posts and comments. This page will be updated periodically.

Useful Tablet PC Resources

1. Top Tablet Lists
Top 5 Tablets For Under $200
Lists the top 5 tablets you can buy for under $200.

Top 10 Tablet Accessories
Lists the top 10 tablet accessories you can buy for your tablet PC.

Top 15 Tablets
Lists our top 15 tablets currently on the market.

Top 10 Reasons To Buy a Tablet PC
Find out what the top 10 reasons are for buying a tablet PC.

Top 9 Android Apps
Check out our top 9 recommended Android Apps.

2. Tablet Tips and Tricks
8 Simple Kindle Fire Tips and Tricks
Lists 8 simple tips and tricks you can do to get the best out of the Kindle Fire.

8 Tips and Tricks For The New iPad
Lists 8 tips and tricks for the 3^rd generation Apple iPad.

5 Tips On How To Get The Most Out Of Your Android Tablet
Lists 5 simple tips on how to get the most from your Android tablet.

3. Tablet Reviews
Apple iPad 3 Review
Check out what we thought when we reviewed the Apple iPad 3.

Apple iPad 2 Review
Check out what we thought when we reviewed the Apple iPad 2.

BlackBerry PlayBook Review
Check out what we thought when we reviewed RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 Review
Check out what we thought when we reviewed Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 7 tablet.

4. Other Tablet PC Resources
What Tablet Gear Would You Buy for $1500?
If you had $1500 to spend, what tablet gear would you buy for your tablet PC?

Please let us know if we should add other tablet pc resources to the page.

Tablet PC Resources

Top Tablets For Under $200

If you’re in the market for some cheap top tablets, keep reading. Tablets are now becoming important computer accessories for us to have in the home or office as such devices allow us to do everything from watching movies or videos on the move to arranging your schedule for the week. If you’re still unconvinced on whether owning a tablet is worthwhile, you can some of our top reasons to buy a Tablet PC.

Since Apple revitalised the tablet market with the iPad over 2 years ago, customers have been spoilt for choice with many manufacturers offering their own tablet versions ever since. With the majority of customers opting for the iPad if they want a tablet, not everyone can afford to front $499 for the new iPad.

So if you’re currently in the market for a Tablet PC and have a budget of under $200, you’ll be pleased to hear there are quite a few top tablets available within this price range.  Here our the top 5 tablets for under $200:

5. Le Pan TC970
The Le Pan TC970 tablet is priced at $199.99 and offers a nice slim design that features a high-definition 9.7-inch display providing a resolution of 1024×768, which supports 720P HD video playback.

The TC970 comes packed with 1GHz processor and 512MB of DDR2 RAM, which makes the tablet experience very fluid and easy to use. Out of the box, the tablet runs on Android 2.2 (Froyo) but is can upgraded to the latest Android Ice Cream OS, with a little know-how. You can also enjoy making video calls and taking pictures with the front-facing 2-megapixel camera.

4. Coby Kyros
Priced at $139.36, the Coby Kyros tablet features an 8-inch display that runs on Android 2.3 straight out of the box. Armed with a 1Ghz processor and 512MB of RAM, the Coby Kyros is no slouch. You can comfortably browse the web, watch videos, respond to emails, read books and play games.

For people that want a tablet simply works straight out of the box and only require a tablet for simple tasks, the Coby Kyros tablet is a prefect fit.

3. Lenovo Ideapad A1
The Lenovo Ideapad A1 is a good looking, compact and rugged 7-inch tablet that runs on Android 2.3. With an 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 16GB of SDD storage, this tablet is great for allowing you do everything online while on the move.

The Ideapad A1 also features a front (0.3 megapixel) and rear camera (3 megapixel) so you can take photos while on the move or do video calls.

2. BlackBerry PlayBook
The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet has so far failed to match RIM’s sales expectations and the impact that Apple iPad has with customers but this doesn’t mean the tablet is all that bad. In fact, when we reviewed the BlackBerry PlayBook, we actually liked it.

As a result, you can actually pick up the BlackBerry PlayBook for under $200. The PlayBook features a 7-inch capacitive LCD display, 1024×600 pixel resolution, 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 16GB for storage. This makes the PlayBook a great bargain for tablet buyers.

1. Kindle Fire
Amazon’s Kindle Fire is arguable the best 7-inch tablet that you can buy for under $200. The Kindle Fire runs on a customised version of Android 2.3 and features 1GHz dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM and 8GB of storage.

The Kindle Fire also provides a battery life of up to 8 hours of continuous reading or 7.5 hours of video playbook. With direct access to Amazon huge amount of online content such as books, movies, games and other apps, the Kindle Fire ranks us our top tablet for under $200.

Any tablets for under $200 we missed?  Please let us know in the comments below.

Top 5 Tablets For Under $200

Is Apple Working on an 7.85-inch Mini iPad?

Apple is currently in the lab working on a Mini iPad according to John Gruber. Apparently a prototype of the device is in Cupertino labs, which has a 7.85-inch display.  Of course, this is just speculation but since Amazon launched the “budget-friendly” Kindle Fire tablet which packs an 7-inch display with some success during Q4 2011, maybe Apple are thinking about targeting this end of the market with a cheaper and smaller iPad device.

The Mini iPad will apparently have a resolution of 1024×768, which is the same resolution as the iPad and iPad 2. This would mean with the smaller display, the Mini iPad will be sharper but won’t be nearly as clear the new iPad, which has a retina display.

Let’s not forget that Steve Jobs did once criticise 7-inch tablets for not having a large enough display to satisfy the tablet experience. So maybe Apple feel having a 7.85-inch display is enough to satisfy this experience?

Do you think Apple should release a smaller and cheaper version of the iPad? Share your comments below.

Mini iPad On The Way?

New iPad Overheating?

The new iPad hasn’t been out that long but there are already reports that some new iPad owners are finding their new tablet are overheating during normal usage.

New iPad vs. iPad 2 in Standby Mode:
With the iPad 2 on the left and the new iPad on the right, you can see the back of the new iPad is actually warmer than the iPad 2.

New iPad vs. iPad 2 During Gaming
The iPad 2 and the new iPad then both ran the game, Infinity Blade to test the effect of the temperature change during gaming.

After a few minutes, both the iPad 2 and new iPad are still running the game Infinity Blade and you can clearly see a build up of heat on the left side on the newer iPad.

After 20 minutes of testing, it seems the latest generation iPad had reached a temperature of 32.5°C. So it seems that the latest generation iPad is in fact hotter than previous iPads (no pun intended). This is understandable considering the new iPad has a more powerful processor, a bigger battery and a high-resolution retina display.

Do you own the new iPad? Does it get uncomfortably hot during normal usage? Share in the comments below.

The New iPad Just a Little Too Hot?

8 Simple Kindle Fire Tips and Tricks

If you’ve just grabbed yourself a Kindle Fire from Amazon, you’re probably still getting use to the unique interface, which is a little different from many other Android phones and tablets. Today, we’ll cover some easy and simple Kindle Fire tips and tricks you can easily do to make using the tablet even better.

To make using the Kindle Fire a little easier and better, here are 8 simple Kindle Fire tips and tricks:

1. Organize the Home Screen
To make accessing your apps easier, consider organizing your home screen so that you can easily access your favourite apps. You can do this by utilizing the shelf function.

You can add an icon to the shelf by long-pressing an item in the carousel and selecting “Add to favourites”. To remove, long-press an item and select “Remove from favourites”. To arrange the order of the icons in your shelf, select an item by long-pressing on it and drag to the desired order or position.

2. Password
It’s always worth securing any device with a password to prevent unauthorised users from accessing your tablet. So if your device is ever lost or stolen, no one can access your personal data or information without a password. To set a password, go to Settings > More > Security and ensure “Lock screen password” is on.

3. Copy and Paste
The copy and paste function on the Kindle Fire takes a little practice but to copy text, tap and hold a word then drag the markers to highlight the text you want to copy. Then, select the highlighted text to add it to the clipboard. To paste, long-press a text field and select “Paste.”

4. Bookmarks
You can easily add and remove bookmarks when using the devices main browser. To add a bookmark, go to the Web site you want to add, select the bookmarks icon at the bottom and then select the “+” icon in the top left.  To remove a bookmark, long-press the bookmark item and select “Delete.”

5. Increase battery life
Amazon claim the Kindle Fire can provide a battery life of “up to 8 hours of continuous reading or 7.5 hours of video playback” but most Kindle Fire owners have struggled to get the estimated 8 hours.  To increase the battery life of the device, you can:

- Turn off non-essential connectivity such as Wi-Fi. You can tap the gears icons on the top bar and you can easily turn ON and OFF Wi-Fi when you need or don’t need to access the Internet.
- Adjust the screen brightness via the settings toolbar and use the slider to decrease the brightness of the device screen.
- Close or delete non-essential apps, as some apps can be a huge battery hog, which can seriously decrease the battery life of the device.

6. Memory
When you download a number of apps, music, videos and books, you will want to know how much memory you have left on the device. You can check how much memory you have left on the Kindle Fire via Settings > More > Device.  You should then be able to view how much available memory is available along with how much battery you have left on the device.

7. Highlights, notes and definitions
Amazon have made it easy for users to highlight, take notes and look up definitions while reading your favorite eBooks. To highlight a word, sentence or passage in a eBook, press down on the first word and drag your finger over the area you wish to highlight. When you release your finger, you will see a option to “Highlight” your selected words or sentences, which will then be marked in yellow.

You can follow the same process to take notes by selecting the option to “make a note”, which is saved to the book. To look up a definition of a word, select the word and a pop-up bubble will appear with a definition. Very cool!

8. Access and install Android Market Apps
One of the major drawbacks to the Kindle Fire is that users can only access Amazon’s App Store, which contains fewer apps than Google Play (Android Market). If you want to install Google Android App on your Kindle Fire:

- Go to Settings > More > Device and ensure “Allow Installation of Application” is “On”.
- Using your browser, access 4shared.com and search for the Android App that you wish to install. You’ll need to ensure you add “.apk” to your search query to find the app you want to install.
- Download the application to your Kindle Fire.
- Select the file when download is complete.
- Install the app.

Any Kindle Fire tips and tricks we missed? Share in the comments below.

Simple Kindle Fire Tips and Tricks

Tablet Market Share Breakdown for Q4 2011

IDC, a research firm recently released tablet market share data for the fourth quarter of 2011 and surprise surprise, Apple comes out on top with 54.7% of the market. With a strong debut for Amazon’s Kindle Fire, Apple market share actually fell from 61.5% in the previous quarter, while Amazon impressively captured 16.8% of the market.

“Amazon’s widely-reported entry into the media tablet market with a $199, 7-inch product seemed to raise consumers’ awareness of the category worldwide despite the fact that the Fire shipped almost exclusively in the U.S. in the fourth quarter,” said Tom Mainelli, research director, Mobile Connected Devices.

“As a result, products across the pricing spectrum sold well, including everything from Apple’s premium-priced iPads (which start at $499) to Pandigital’s line of Android-based, entry-level tablets (which start at $120). The success of market leader Apple was particularly noteworthy, as the company’s shipment total for the quarter represents an increase of 110.5% from 4Q10.”

What is impressive is that the Kindle Fire has managed to capture nearly 17% of the tablet market in a relatively short time whereas other tablet makers have so far failed to make a big impact on a market that is dominated by Apple’s iPad.

From the strength of the Kindle Fire, Android has actually seen its share of the market increase from 32.3% to 44.6%. This means both the iOS and Android have 99.3% of the tablet market, while RIM’s BlackBerry OS holds the remaining 0.7% of the market.

It is predicted that Android will overtake iOS in market share by 2015 but Apple will still maintain its dominance in revenue through the end of the 2016.

It’s important to note that the figures released by the IDC measures shipments and not customer sales. This basically means that its data includes unsold tablets sitting on the shelves.

With the latest new iPad tablet released last Friday worldwide, Apple won’t have any trouble selling stock whereas other retailers may other trouble shifting other tablets of their shelves.

What do you think about the tablet market share figures?

Tablet Market Share Breakdown for Q4 2011