Can we use jaws in this teblet? On 4/6/12, rajpal <[email protected]> wrote: > > Review: Rs 6,499 Micromax Funbook tablet > > > Soumyadip Choudhury IBNLive.com | 04-Apr 04:46 AM > > > New Delhi: One thing is for sure, tablets are the future of education. But I > am not quite certain if that tomorrow will be displayed on a 7-inch screen. > 10-inch devices do seem to have an advantage. Even if they currently carry a > heavier price tag, I am quite sure things will change fast. As fast as the > plummeting prices of feature-rich tablet devices. > > On Tuesday, when Micromax announced its awaited entry into the tablet market > with the Rs 6,499 Funbook tablet (model number: P300) targeted towards the > youth, the excitement and interest in the online world made it seem to be > worth the wait. Two of the top 10 trends on Twitter that day was related to > the tablet. I too couldn't wait to get my hands on the device and here is > the first review that you will find anywhere of the Micromax Funbook tablet. > > We should never be fooled by publicity images. All models, whether human or > not look, attractive when properly photoshopped. Therefore I was a bit > skeptical before I actually held the Micromax Funbook in my hand. The first > thing that struck me was its weight, or rather the lack of it and also its > comparatively slim profile. > > Many of the much-hyped tablets, be it the world's cheapest Aakash tablet or > the overpriced Milagrow TabTop PC, put me off at the first sight. I wouldn't > want to be seen in respectable company with one of those fugly devices in my > hands. The Micromax Funbook may not be the most handsome kid on the block, > but it does have attractive looks. Available in two variants Slate Grey and > Midnight Black, the review unit is Slate Grey. But I personally prefer > Midnight Black. > > There is also the recently launched HCL ME U1 tablet with comparable specs, > but a Rs 1,500 higher price tag. Since I'm yet take the ME U1 for a test > ride, I'll not proceed with further comparisons. > > Measuring 12.2 x 19.2 centimetres the Micromax Funbook tablet is comfortable > to hold with one hand for long durations, (aided by its minimal weight) > unlike the Amazon Kindle Fire, which cannot be recommended for people with > weak wrists. > > Something that stands out like pimples on a teenager's face are the > protruding home, menu and back buttons. Android Ice Cream Sandwich doesn't > need these front hardware buttons and this makes me suspect that Micromax's > device was not originally intended run on Android 4.0 and the software > upgrade was thought of later taking note of the interest in the latest > version of Google's mobile operating system. Sometimes it is a bit awkward > to find two sets of buttons, one on the screen and other on the body to > perform exactly the same functions. But the advantage of having the hard > buttons is that they are easier to access than their tiny on-screen > counterparts. But Micromax should have given adding touch buttons a thought. > The tablet would've looked a lot sexier. > > Android 4.0 (the Funbook runs version 4.0.3) is said to be a vast > improvement over its predecessors and it is. When Android 4 is here, there's > no point to go for a device with an older version of the OS and then wait > for the manufacturer to release an official upgrade. > > (An observation: Ice Cream Sandwich looks much better on the more compact > smartphone screens than on the larger tablet displays. ) > > The tablet also claims to be an entertainment hub. I threw in a number of > different popular formats at it, including some 1080p and it played them all > smoothly. The 1.22GHz Cortex A8 processor with Dual Mali GPU seemed to be > doing the job well. The sound output (via the built in speaker) is nothing > to be very satisfied about and it is (as usual) advisable to invest in a > good pair of headphones. > > The presence of a mini-HDMI port extends the tablet to some exciting, albeit > un-tablet-like possibilities. Because of its ability to play formats that > the HD TV at home couldn't, I plugged the Micromax Funbook to television set > and watched a few clips on a larger screen. It can also double up as a handy > home media player. > > The Micromax Funbook's capacitive screen will not dazzle you with its > 800x480 pixel resolution. Also the viewing angles aren't that good. While > the device plays 1080p videos, the lower screen resolution means that you > cannot enjoy them in their full HD glory, but the video clarity makes > watching HD videos more worth the while than other lower resolution videos. > The touch is also quite responsive. > > The presence of a mini-USB port came as a shocker. Expecting micro-USB > compatibility is almost the norm for most devices nowadays since it is > compliant with the Universal Charging Solution initiative. Don't know why > Micromax chose to sail against the tide on this little but important point. > Also having a non-standard charging socket and charger seems strange. When > major manufacturers are coming together to develop standards, Micromax is > breaking them with what is otherwise a more than satisfactory product. > > The tablet doesn't have a rear camera and comes with a front VGA camera, > that is only good for video chatting. To desire for a rear camera is asking > for a bit too much at this price, at least for now. > > The 2800mAh battery gives, according to Micromax, a browsing time of about 5 > hours. That's not too great an achievement and something that we will have > to learn to live with given that it is light on our wallets. I had been > using the device intermittently (on WiFi) for this review and it ran out of > juice in a little more than 4 hours. > > Positioned as an education tablet, the Funbook comes preloaded with > education apps. But they failed to impress. I quit the Vriti app soon after, > not because I left school years ago but because it looks so unimaginative > and was sluggish even on my high speed home WiFi. I wonder how Vriti (and > Micromax by extension) will engage the young and demanding audience they are > intending to target? > > Also I have this thing against bloatware. Since it does not take a Herculean > effort to install apps of the user's choice, manufacturers can at most point > users to places that they think will be of the user's interest and not clog > the device that she purchases with potentially unwanted software. Micromax's > own app store that comes preinstalled with the device pales in comparison > with Google Play or even the Amazon App Store. Also I don't get the idea of > treating video files as apps. > > With the Amazon Kindle App, that doesn't come preinstalled, the Micromax > Funbook turns itself into a handy e-reader. Only if it had the battery to > support extended reading sessions. > > With tethering on my Android smartphone I no longer have the need for a > separate Internet USB dongle and nor do many others. This means that I have > hardly have any need for the bundled Tata DoCoMo 3G dongle. So does that > translate into an even lesser price tag? Have to post this question to > Micromax. > > Even in this age of globalisation, we do take a lot of pride in made in > India products. More so when the market is flooded with made in China stuff. > The Micromax Funbook proudly flaunts its made in India tag and is said to be > the first 'swadeshi' tablet. Our review device was manufactured at > Simmtronics Semiconductors Limited, Roorkee, Uttarakhand. > > India is a market of sasta, sundar and tikau (cheap, beautiful and durable). > Very few products managed to score well on all three parametres. The > Micromax Funbook tablet may not be Aakash cheap, but it is wallet friendly. > It may not be a beauty queen but is pleasing to the eyes. Durability is a > factor of time and usage, this is one factor that, as the cliche goes, only > time can tell. But definitely paisa wasool (worth the money). > > Before you rush out to grab a 7-inch Funbook for yourself, note that > Micromax is expected launch a 10-inch tablet soon. > > Specifications > > Processor: 1.22GHz Cortex A8; Dual Mali - 400 2D/3 GPU > Operating system: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich > Display: 17.78 cm (7-inch) capacitive > Camera: Front VGA > Memory: 4GB internal; 512MB RAM; Expandable 32GB microSD > Media support: 1080p video; MPEG2/4, AVI, WMV, MOV (also supports MKV, FLV, > MP3) > Sensors: Gravity, accelerometer > Battery: 2800mAh; 5 hours of browsing time > Connectivity: 3G dongle support via USB; HDMI out; WiFI 802.11 b/g; USB 2.0 > > Pros > > + Price > + Looks > + Weight > + Power > > Cons > > - Protruding front buttons > - No micro USB port > - Non-standard charger > - Battery life > - Bloatware > > Rating 3.5/5 > > > Related Stories > > > * > <http://m.ibnlive.com/news/micromaxs-10inch-tablet-coming-this-quarter/24544 > 2-11.html> Micromax's 10-inch tablet coming this quarter > > * Micromax > <http://m.ibnlive.com/news/micromax-launches-rs-65k-funbook-android-tablet/2 > 45430-11.html> launches Rs 6.5K Funbook Android tablet > > * HTC > <http://m.ibnlive.com/news/htc-one-s-to-launch-in-india-next-month/245421-11 > .html> One S to launch in India next month > > * Xperia > <http://m.ibnlive.com/news/xperia-s-has-display-problems-admits-sony/245420- > 11.html> S has display problems, admits Sony > > * Apple's > <http://m.ibnlive.com/news/apples-ipad-tops-consumer-reports-list-despite-he > at-issue/245095-11.html> iPad tops Consumer Reports' list despite heat > issue > > * Modified > <http://m.ibnlive.com/news/modified-aakash-tablet-to-be-launched-in-may/2450 > 94-11.html> Aakash tablet to be launched in May > > * HCL > <http://m.ibnlive.com/news/hcl-launches-two-new-tablets-starts-at-rs-7999/24 > 5083-11.html> launches two new tablets; starts at Rs 7,999 > > * Android > <http://m.ibnlive.com/news/android-application-on-sourav-ganguly/245078-11.h > tml> application on Sourav Ganguly > > * Nvidia > <http://m.ibnlive.com/news/nvidia-to-bring-rs-10000-tablet-later-this-year/2 > 45052-11.html> to bring Rs 10,000 tablet later this year? > > * HTC > <http://m.ibnlive.com/news/htc-one-x-one-v-coming-to-india-on-april-2/244490 > -11.html> One X, One V coming to India on April 2 > > > > Source: > > http://m.ibnlive.com/news/review-micromax-funbook-tablet-packs-in-enough-ban > g-for-the-buck-at-rs-6499/245519-11.html > > > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > [email protected] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > >
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