With mobile computing being a rage these days, tablets and smartphones are selling like hot cakes, not only in foreign countries, but even in India. The shipment of PCs is expected to fall, while those of smartphones and tablets are likely to experience increased momentum in the days that lie ahead. A total of 2.32 billion smartphones and tablets are likely to be sold by the end of the year 2013.
What’s even more remarkable is the fact that tablet shipments are likely to increase significantly, by 42.7 percent this year, bringing the total number of shipped units up to 184 million.
The Research Vice President at Gartner, Carolina Milanesi, points out that smaller tablets are expected to be a rage this holiday season, going by the purchasing trends so far. 7-inch tablets are likely to be the most popular choice this holiday season, much to the dismay of the earlier holiday-favourite – smartphones.
5 Tablets That Should Do The Trick This Holiday Season
Judging by the current trend of mobile computing, it seems that tablets are apt gifts for the approaching holiday season. Tablet manufacturers are gearing up, as they bring forth the best possible bargains for the consumers. This can make things rather difficult for consumers such as yourself, as you decide on the one tablet that makes your heart sing.
Here’s a list of happening tablets that can be ideal gifting options during this holiday season.
Google Nexus 7
The latest Google Nexus 7 has been launched in India, with the company making it available for purchase via the Play Store. According to the Play Store listing, this tablet will only be available after the 26th of November, this year.
This 7-inch full-HD display tablet runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, and is available in three variants. The first is the 16 GB Wi-Fi only model, which is priced at INR 20,999; while the 32 GB Wi-Fi only tablet price in India is INR 23,999. The third variant of the Nexus 7 is a Wi-Fi + 3G (HSPA+, LTE) model, which is priced at INR 27,999.
This powerful 7-inch tablet rides on its impressive pixel density of 323ppi and its scratch-resistant Corning glass. The 1.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor makes it rather fast, and so does its 2GB RAM. The 5-megapixel rear camera and 1.2-megapixel front camera also deserve a mention.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 211
This tablet aims to cash in on the success of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, and looks strikingly similar to the other smartphones offered by the company. The tablet weighs a measly 304 grams, owing to the fact that it is made of slippery plastic. It is just a centimetre in thickness, which makes it rather comfortable to hold.
This tablet’s price in India is INR 17,650, according to gadgets.ndtv.com, and is rather neat in its form. It does a fairly good job of combining the features of a tablet and a smartphone. Its 1.2 GHz dual-core processor makes it slightly slower than other tablets that are available in the market. The tablet comes with a 3-megapixel rear camera too.
Micromax Canvas Tab P650
This budgeted tablet comes with an impressive 8-inch display, which makes for a rather good viewing experience. Given the fact that tech giants Samsung and Apple are the only ones to have ventured into the 8-inch range, as far as displays are concerned, the Micromax Canvas Tab gives its users the benefit of a huge screen at a rather reasonable price.
The brushed aluminium finish of the Canvas Tab is another major highlight, and so are the 5-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front camera. Running on Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean, this tablet also features Google Now, which is an extension of Google Search. It runs on a quad-core 1.2 GHz MediaTek 8389 processor.
The tablet has a 1 GB RAM and an inbuilt storage of 16 GB. The storage can later be expanded to 32 GB, with the help of an external microSD card. The Canvas tablet price in India is INR 16,500, as per gadgets.ndtv.com.
Kindle Fire HDX 8.9
Amazon has left no stone unturned in coming up with a tablet that intends to battle against the all-new Apple iPad Air. The Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 is a lightweight tablet that comes with an amazingly sharp display and a reasonable price tag. You are sure to like its impressive pixel density of 339 pixels per inch.
The Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 tablet price in India is INR 22,800 according to stuffkey.com. This makes it an ideal choice for those who don’t want to spend a huge amount of money for an iPad, but want to have the same experience.
Apple iPad Mini With Retina Display
The Apple iPad Mini with Retina Display is expected to be launched in India on the 6th of December this year. The price of these tablets is expected to start from INR 28,900 for the Wi-Fi version. The 32 GB variant of the iPad Mini will cost INR 35,900, the 64 GB variant will cost INR 42,900, and the 128 GB variant will be priced at INR 49,900, according to gadgets.ndtv.com.
Even though there are several cheaper alternatives in the market, the iPad still manages to woo consumers with its impressive features. Even though the display of the iPad has gotten smaller, it’s still crystal clear with its 326 ppi density.
Now, Pick A Tablet That’s Right For You
If spending some extra cash isn’t a big deal for you, the Apple iPad Mini with Retina Display is a good buy. It comes with the numerous unique benefits that Apple almost always has to offer. If you’re, however, shopping on a tight budget, you might instead prefer to buy tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 or the Micromax Tab P650.
And then there are the readers! If you or your family members are fond of reading, Amazon’s latest Kindle tab is an ideal choice among these tablets. It’s tailor-made to suit the needs of readers.
Now, with such a range of hi-tech gifting choices, you can go ahead and enjoy this holiday season in a unique way, with your loved ones.
– Ashwin Nair
[Top image by Shutterstock]
