How to Buy Tablets, Plus Fuji's 3D Camera

How to buy tablets

They’re the new kids on the computing block, but can a tablet really replace your laptop?

Where Apple leads others often follow. The iPad has been on release for long enough for other companies to produce their own rival, often cheaper, versions. The ‘tablet computer’ has gone mainstream. While sexier, lighter, and more portable than laptops, they do have their drawbacks. So, should you bother getting one?

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What are they actually good for?

Their shape makes them best for casual web browsing, emailing, watching movies and reading – so called ‘couch computing’ – as they’re more suited to the lounge than balancing a laptop on your knees. But the iPad’s crappy speaker makes it a poor choice for music, and a physical keyboard will set you back an extra Rs 4000. It also doesn’t have a USB slot, so you can’t load on your own documents, so forget about it replacing your laptop for work.

Buy now or wait?

iPad prices are likely to come down, but not until the iPad 2 (rumoured for January), said to come equipped with a webcam for video conferencing and a new smaller 7” version, as opposed to the current 9.7” model. Rival models are coming out all the time and are likely to be priced lower than the always premium-priced Apple products.

What are your other options?

Of course there’s more out there than the iPad. The JooJoo has a larger screen as well as a USB port, so you can load on your own movies and music without buying them from iTunes. And every other tablet supports Flash video, which 75% of websites use, and the lack of which means the sites aren’t compatible with the iPad. But for usability, build quality, and choice of apps, the iPad is still the best around.

iPad

Rs 32,000

You probably know the details: Screen is 9.7”, it’s available in wi-fi and 3G versions, a digital book app is downloadable to conceivably put an end to paperbacks. In terms of popularity and support, it’s by far the biggest tablet around. Low points are that it doesn’t support Flash (making website viewing frustrating) and is short on direct connectivity. The app store is already vast.

JooJoo Rs 24,000

With a 12.1” screen to the iPad’s 9.7”, a USB port for loading on your own files, and a similar design, this is as close as tablets get to Apple without a fruity logo on the back. The screen is just as responsive as the iPad’s, and typing even easier thanks to the bigger on-screen keyboard, although it can’t hold nearly as many files. Coming to India soon

Dell Streak

Available at Rs 30,000

Basically a massive phone, the Streak is being touted as a hybrid of mobile and tablet. A 5” screen, 5-megapixel camera on the back, front-facing webcam, and Google’s open source Android operating system make it one for iPhone and iPad naysayers, although the screen is obviously a lot smaller. Don’t know when it’ll be out in India though. Shop abroad.

Lenovo IdeaPad U1

Rs 49,000

This PC’s straight out of Transformers: it’s a laptop, until you pull off the 11.6” screen which can then be used separately as a tablet, complete with accelerometer orienting the screen whichever way you turn. So ideal whether you’re sweating over some business documents or just reading comics on the couch. It’ll be out later this year. lenovo.com

WeTab

Rs 27-35,000

Again larger than the iPad with an 11.6” screen, this model (arrives in Germany market this month) lets you slide in a memory card to match the iPad for storage, and even has an HDMI for running hi-def movies from it to your TV, so you don’t have to stop watching Megan Fox just because your commute’s over.

Essential iPad apps

Angry Birds HD

The iPhone classic gets a big screen edition on the iPad, but retains the addictive gameplay. Defeat the green pigs by flinging birds at them. As nuts as it sounds. Rs 180

Scrabble

Your iPhone functions as the tile rack, so you can just flick your letters onto the board. It’s a gimmick, but a very cool one and an example of how well future apps could make use of all your various computers. Rs 361

Marvel Comics

Seamlessly moves between panels or a page-by-page view. Actually a better medium for comics than paper. Rs 71 per issue

Tweetdeck for iPad

The best way of tweeting from your iPad, even letting you handle multiple Twitter accounts at the same time, should you be female.

Free

Fujifilm FinePix 3D camera

Everything is 3D these days. Films, TV, the actual world… Now compact cameras are getting in on the act. Fuji has released the FinePix Real 3D W3, a more ‘affordable’ camera. Here’s how it works

two become one

Effectively, this is two 10MP cameras stuck together. Each takes its own image, with a very slightly different view point. The two are then knitted together, with a bit of processing, to make the 3D image. A 2D image is also recorded, so you’ve got a choice. Lovely.

lens-ticular

You can view your images in 3D instantly using the preview screen on the back. It has a lenticular layer – which is that finely ridged plastic you’ve probably seen on magazine covers (or cereal boxes in the ’80s), the one you tilt side to side to get the 3D effect. This is a rather slicker version and gives an impressively deep 3D view.

live and direct

The camera can be plugged directly into a 3D-capable TV. Of the materials we viewed, pictures looked phenomenal. Video is a slightly different story. While the 3D effect is superb, the images – despite being 720p HD – are a bit pixelated round the edges. At its current level, 3D video is an enjoyable gimmick.

Can you print it? It’s now possible to print out 3D images, but it’s costly and the results aren’t fantastic. You can send off your pictures to be turned into lenticular prints. The 3D effect works, but you lose detail. It’s unlikely that it will be possible to print them in the home anytime soon, as the lenticular layer has to be perfectly aligned on top of the photo, or the whole thing will be rubbish.

3D Photography Tips

Where in 2D you’d be looking for as little ‘mess’ as possible around your subject, in 3D a crowd adds depth.

Think about your shot in layers. Objects very close to and very far from the camera are good. Forests work well.

Where you might normally shoot a subject or object face-on, a 3/4 angle works much better in 3D.

As a general rule, the 3D effect will only work properly for objects between 1.5 metres and 200 metres from you.

Launched in September available at Rs 23,270 online.

Also this month

Duracell MyGrid Rs 5,046

For those who find using plugs laborious, this consists of a metal pad that wirelessly charges your phone or MP3 player. Magical. Launched in UK this month, Get it shipped.

LG EL9500 Rs 1,22,586

At a depth of just 3mm, this is one hell of a skinny TV. It’s also the largest OLED screen you can get – although that’s only 15”, which isn’t massive. Still to be launched here.

Sony NEX-5

From Rs 36,500

Pitched as having all the power of a digital SLR without the bulk, the NEX-5 looks a bit weird.

But performs exceedingly well. Soon to be launched here.

InFocus SP8602 Rs 2,16,270;

As TVs can only get so big, sometimes you need a projector, so you can cover your entire flat in football. This slinky number zaps pin-sharp 1080p images onto your wall. Good news? It is available in India.

Sony Xplod Rs 3,990-8,990;

If you’re a bass lover, Sony’s Xplod amplifiers have what it takes to set your heart thumping to the beat of the music. The more powerful the amplifier is, the cleaner the sound from your speakers

Swann SpyCam Rs 3,000.00;

It is not much bigger than your thumb making it ideal for undercover assignments and undetected surveillance (don’t tell your girlfriend about it). Connect the camera to a TV VCR or LCD screen with an AV input hide the camera in a discreet position.

From the October 2010 issue of FHM India.