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Ultrabooks are slowly taking on the role of regular notebook PCs and, in the process, are becoming chunkier to accommodate more features. They are also becoming costlier. The HP Envy 4 Sleekbook tires to provide a cheaper alternative despite adding more ports and a 14-inch screen without looking fatter than is should be.
In fact, the all-black Envy 4 is a stunner as far as looks go, with a sleek body that is both manly and stylish at the same time. The brushed aluminum body holds a 14-inch HD Brightview, 1366x768p LED-backlit display. Still it maintains its body at 19.8mm with a weight of 1.75 kg, not a small achievement by any means. The keyboard is full-size and the keys have nice travel. But the mousepad is a bit stubborn and needs too much persuasion for our liking.
The Envy 4 easily ticks all the boxes as far as performance is concerned. This one sports not the 3rd generation Intel Core processor, but the Intel Core i3-2367M processor—which is good enough for regular users. While it took a rather long 1.1 minutes to start up, it woke up from sleep in 2 seconds. At times we felt the machine was dragging a bit while opening applications. So, its PC Mark7 Benchmark score was not very impressive at an entry-level 1102 marks.
Where the Envy 4 scores high is with entertainment, thanks to the larger screen size and the inbuilt Beats Audio. While the LED screen needs to find the perfect angle to stop reflecting all that is around, the speaker has no such issues. The sound is loud and good without any help from Beats and when you call Dr Dre for help the audio goes up several notches. Along with the branding we would have loved to see a Beats Audio button too.
The battery life is not what you would expect from an Ultrabook or Sleekbook, but then you have to understand that it is a 14-inch device and needs more power. We got about six hours on regular usage, not the eight we were promised. Overall, the Envy 4 is ideal for those who want an entry-level Ultrabook without having to dole out too much moolah as much as it is for those who do not require the extra processing power.
HP ENVY 4
Price: ` 41,990 onwards
Specs: Windows 7 Home Premium; 14-inch HD BrightView LED-backlit display (1366 x 768); Intel Core i3-2367M processor; 4GB RAM;500 GB HDD, Intel HD Graphics 3000; 3 USB, LAN, Card reader; 13.38 x 9.28 x 0.78 inches; 1.75 kg.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
Affordable Ultrabook option, but lacking a bit of power.
WIRE FREE MUSIC
Fenda has always tried to provide a quality audio experience at an affordable price with some good multimedia speakers. Its latest, the F&D W130BT, is a 2.1 channel speaker offering wireless options.
The unit has an elegant design with small circular speakers and a metal front grill. The subwoofer too is circular, but awkwardly has its ports located on the side and not the rear. It also houses the volume and bass controls. The W130BT is Bluetooth-enabled and can be easily paired with smartphones and tablets. It was a breeze pairing the speakers and playing music from the phone. The sound output was impressive and good enough for a larger audience. The speakers also enhanced the movie-watching and gaming experience for handheld devices. Plus, there is the regular auxiliary cable for the speakers to be used with desktops.
FENDA F&D W130BT
Price: ` 3,990
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
Offers average sound, can consider.
SMALL NOT SMART
The Amkette Smartboard comes across as small and compact keyboard for tablets. But small is not always good, as the keys, especially the space key, is a bit too short for regular users. And to make matters worse, the home key is on the immediate left of the space bar—we kept hitting it and ending up on the homescreen.
However, the Smartboard is not a bad device, especially when used in tandem with an Android tablet. Then you can use the arrow keys to navigate. But with iOS all the Smartboard is able to do is type—and we did not find that utility special because most iOS users have by now mastered the art of using the virtual keyboard. On Android, however, you can use the keyboard to do pretty much everything from skipping through apps to shifting homescreens.
Thankfully, the device is easy to set up and the Bluetooth-based pairing was uncomplicated. The Smartboard comes with a stand to hold the tablet and a not-sopretty rexine sleeve for itself. And, we found the price tag a bit too optimistic for all this.
AMKETTE SMARTBOARD
Price: ` 2,795
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
Good for Android, not for iOS.
POWER CHARGE?
Charging smartphones from laptops is normal. But try charging an iPad from a PC and you will see a ‘not charging’ notification. If you are exasperated by this problem, thank Portronics for its USB juicer—Charge It. This is compact device, which hardly weighs 10 gm, has been designed to work with Android and iOS devices(tablets as well as smartphones). There is an LED that lights up blue for charging Android and red for iOS devices. There is also a circular button placed on the Charge It to help switch between the operating systems.
Plug the Charge It to the laptop’s USB port and connect the device you want to charge. Portronics claims it can charge an iPhone in just two hours and we got the impression that the Android phone charged quicker than when we used the wall charger. While older laptops don’t charge devices on sleep mode, this USB juicer continues to draw power.
—NIDHI SINGAL
PORTRONICS USB JUICER
Price: ` 899
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
A useful accessory if you own an Android or iOS device.
LET’S CREATE
Creativity can’t be restricted to pen and paper. So Genius, like Wacom, has launched a tablet to meet the demands of professional graphic artists. The MousePen M508WX is a sleek tablet that comes with a pen and cordless mouse. The tablet is powered by AA batteries, but you need to connect a dongle to the PC after installing the software. Then you need to launching the io Tablet software for it to spring to life.
Unlike other tablets, this has a workable area of 5x 8 inches. We can create a new sheet to draw or write by launching the Pen Drawer and selecting the tools from the tool box. The worksheet, by default, is saved into a JPG file. However, we can choose from a wide range of file options like PNG, MNG, TiF, TGA, etc. There is also a Pen Sign tool.
Four convenient keys above the workable area help users to go back, erase, zoom in and zoom out. The 2.4 wireless connection aided by the dongle lets you work within a 10-meter radius. Like other tablets, the pen is also the mouse for all practical purposes and doubles as a selection tool. It takes some time getting used to though.
GENIUS
MOUSE PEN M508WX
Price: `10,000
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
A decent pen tablet, but take a look at Wacom too.
PRICEY REAL ESTATE
In an effort to invade the tablet galaxy, now dominated by the Apple iPad, Samsung has introduced its popular digital pen interface for a 10.1-inch touch device. The concept has been around for a while and even HTC had tried its luck with the Flyer.
Along with the extra real estate, the plastic-bodied Galaxy Note 800 also comes with a special slot for storing the S Pen. As soon as you pull out the pen, a special menu pops up on the screen. This features S Note, S Planner, Crayon Physics, PS Touch, Polaris Office and settings. The S Note has some utility features like formula match, shape match and handwritingto-text, all of which work well. Similarly, the formula match recognises any formulae scribbled on the note pad.
To initiate a search, the screen gets divided into S Note and the browser. Alternatively, just hit the multi-screen option at the top right to open a partition for an app. You can swap the panes by just dragging the window from the top.
Shape match, meanwhile, finetunes shapes drawn using the digital pen. The handwriting-to-text features was a bit slow as the software read every line individually, during which time we could not write any further. We can also add an image from the gallery or click a new image. The bright HD display was good for watching movies and playing games. The speakers on the front edges offer great sound.
We accessed our emails flawlessly, browsed the web and downloaded third party apps. Along with the 3G SIM slot you can use Wi-Fi to go online.
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 800
Price: ` 39,990
Specs: Android v4.0; 10.1 inch capacitive display; 1.4GHz quad core processor; 2GB RAM; 1280 x 720 p resolution; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G; 262 x 180 x 8.9 mm; 600 gm; 7000 mAh battery.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
The right tablet with the wrong pricing.
SOUND SCANNING
The better of the lot among portable scanners can work independently. Others, like the HP Scanjet 1000 Mobile Scanner, need to be connected to a PC to do the job of scanning documents.
You are ready to go once the software has been installed, and Scanjet 1000 is connected to the PC via the USB cable. This cable also acts as the power source for the scanner. We tried initiating a scan using the scanner key, but without success. Finally, we had to fall back on the scanner software to do the job.
Though the default scanning resolution is 200 dpi, you can opt for between 100 and 600 dpi. Similarly, the default file format of PDF can also be changed under the options tab. Though noisy enough to attract the attention of everyone in the vicinity, it has to be agreed that the Scanjet 1000 scans really well. In fact, it can easily scan both sides of the document, just select the software option of saving both sides being scanned in a single file. Once a page is scanned, the software asks if you wish to scan another page. Scanning at 600 dpi takes longer, though the results are impressive.
HP SCANJET
PROFESSIONAL 1000 MOBILE SCANNER
Price: ` 11,099
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
Good at scanning but can be used only when yoked to a PC
CONNECTED NAVIGATOR
Navigators are on an evolutionary path. Last year, MapmyIndia combined a tablet and a navigator and now the company has come up with a slightly compact yet connected car product that can make and receive calls as well.
The Car Pad 5 is a chunky piece of hardware with a 5-inch capacitive touch display dominating the front. Running the Android v2.3, it also has a set of traditional touch keys (back, menu and home). Like tablets, there is a non-removable back cover and battery. As a result, the SIM card slot has been placed on the side panel.
The tablet had MapmyIndia’s Aura with 3D landmarks and building footprints across 34 major cities. As expected, it instantly locked on to the GPS signals when outdoors. Thanks to the capacitive touch display and the familiar QWERTY keyboard, keying in instructions was simple. The CarPad 5 also has access to Google Play Store for downloading apps. When connected to data over Wi-Fi or 3G network, we could browse the Web, stream videos and access email. You can receive calls via speakerphone or a Bluetooth headset, but it is not comfortable to say the least.
MAYMYINDIA CARPAD 5
Price: ` 19,990
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
Not worth the price.
PRO OR NOT?
Having sold over 1.4 lakh units of its 7-inch Funbook in just 100 days, Micromax realised the need for a slightly bigger tablet. So the company came up with the Funbook Pro, a 10.1-inch tablet, which otherwise looks like the original Funbook except for the larger, heavier build.
The Android Ice-Cream Sandwich device has standard menu icons on the left bottom of the display, eliminating the need for physical keys. There is still a back key next to the volume keys on the top. Technically, the Funbook Pro can be used in both landscape as well as portrait modes, but the controls and the front-facing camera make it more convenient to be used in the landscape.
The touch response of this 10 incher is good, though we noticed a slight lag while typing. Powered by a 1.2GHz processor and 1GB RAM, the tablet performed well during browsing and while playing casual games. But we realised that this tablet is not meant for heavy graphics games. The viewing angle has been improved drastically over the Funbook and so watching movies and playing games is a better experience. The battery lasted up to five hours with browsing, playing games and watching movie.
MICROMAX FUNBOOK PRO
Price: `9,999
Specs: Android 4.0; 10.1-inch display; 1.2GHz processor; 1GB RAM; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G with dongle.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
A good deal if you need a big tablet under ` 10,000.
GREAT DEAL FOR THE PRICE
It’s raining budget tablets these days. The latest one to join the bandwagon is Wtab 7.2, from Delhibased Champion Computers.
Despite the hard to achieve sub-`5,000 price tag, the hardware looks impressive. The sleek design and its light weight makes it look similar to the Zen tablet we reviewed last month. The 7-inch five point touch display dominates the front. The 480 x800 pixel resolution is just about average and affords poor viewing angles. Side panels are also neat with just the power key, charging port and USB connect placed on the top and the volume controls and TF card slot on the side.
The Wtab 7.2 runs the Ice-Cream Sandwich and the user interface is similar to the other tablets in this segment. Thanks to the latest version of the operating system, there is also a multitasking key that can be used to close the running apps. To our surprise, we could quickly navigate through the homescreen and launch apps without any delay. We could easily browse the net and play games like Fruit Ninja and Angry Birds. The sound output is about average though.
The reason for the smooth performance is probably the 1.5GHz Cortex A8 processor paired with 512MB RAM. The tablet also has 4GB internal storage and offers expandable memory of up to 32GB. There is also a front-facing camera that can be used for video calls over Skype. The tablet is also compatible with the company’s own WConnect dongle.
CHAMPION WTAB 7.2
Price: `4,899
Specs: Android 4.0; 10.1 inch display; 1.2GHz processor; 1GB RAM; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G with dongle, HDMI.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
Wtab 7.2 has its low points, but considering the price complaining is not justified.—BY NIDHI SINGAL
A BIT TOO SIMPLE
The Nikon Coolpix S9300 looks and feels like as compact point-and-shoot, which it is to the core, for this camera is all about automatic modes and ease of use. Built a bit like the body of the Nikon 1 J1, the camera has a matt finish body with glossy buttons. There is a prominent GPS hump on top, which we first mistook for the hiding ground of a pop-up flash. And you don’t have to take the battery out to charge, which we thought was a good feature.
At times the S9300 seems like an over simplification, a point-and-shoot for dummies, as there are no manual or programme modes. The preset modes include scene and effect modes with multiple options. The scene mode has some interesting options like a 3D photo—a very demanding one—and a pet portrait mode. The effects are mostly limited to sepia, B/W, soft focus and selective colour option. But we didn’t like that you had to go to menu to see and change the options. The continuous mode is fast, though it take a while for the pictures to save even with a Class 10 card.
Smart portrait, backlighting and night landscapes are options on the dial itself, a rarity in any camera. Did Nikon do this because these three are the most used preset options? One thing is clear, though, night shot is a strong point of this camera. Low-light pictures are sharp while maintaining their tones. And like all new cameras of the compact breed, this one has a 18x optical zoom which works well.
NIKON COOLPIX S9300
Price: ` 18,950
Specs: 16MP CMOS; 4.5-81.0mm lens, 1/2000-1 sec shutter; ISO 3200, 1920x1080p / 30fps, SDHC/SDXC cards, GPS.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
Simple and amazing low-light results.
ZOOMING IN
All camera makers seem to be specialising on one feature or the others. FujiFilm, for instance, seems to have found its calling in making the longest zooms. So, its new Finepix S4500 too has a 30x optical zoom complemented by a 14MP CCD sensor.
The S4500 looks a lot like the S2950 we reviewed earlier this year. It shares another feature with that camera, a love for Alkaline batteries, for which we have no convincing explanation. The S4500 weighs 543 gm, a tad too much for a non-DSLR. But thankfully it has a good build and offers a steady grip, though we would have loved the trigger button at a slightly angled position. There is an electronic viewfinder as well as a 3-inch LCD. However, they don’t offer live view to show how the pictures will turn out.
As we said, the camera’s USP is the 30x zoom and the results are quite impressive at that end, especially when the subject is not all that far away. But it can get tricky if you are trying to lock on a moving object at max zoom.
The auto mode also has a blink mode which alerts you if your subject has a shut eye or when some other motion has crept in. Overall, the results are good. It has one of the best colour bouquets in a camera of this range and we were impressed by the foliage and sky picture that we clicked.
The video is sadly not Full HD, which would have been tough anyway with the pencil cell batteries. Thankfully, the zoom works even on video, even if a bit jerkily.
FUJIFILM FINEPIX S4500
Price: ` 17,999
Specs: 14MP CCD sensor; 30 x optical zoom lens, f=4.3mm-129mm, F3.1 - F5.9; 1/2000 sec; ISO 6400; 1280 x 720 p; SD/ SDHC/SDXC memory card.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
A bit outdated for our liking.