SYNAPSE CIRCUIT EXPLAINS THE DECLINE IN TABLETS

The rare sighting of an iPad in the wild as it were.
It's an iPad mini by the looks of it. 

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
EXPLAINS THE DECLINE IN TABLETS
ANDROID iOS WINDOWS

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! It’s so wonderful to see you as always! I hope that all is well with you! I also hope that you are taking on some tech projects and challenging yourselves! Don’t worry... ...the iClone 6 Pro review is coming very soon... Oooh, yeah!

You may or may not have heard or read that tablet sales are sliding across the board iOS, Android and Windows. Here’s an insight into why this is happening...

#Tablets #AndroidTablets #iPad #iPadMini #WindowsRT #WindowsSurface

iPAD

Above: The state of the iPad... Filling up CEX shops with no buyers.

The iPad is no doubt a wonderfully crafted tablet and therefore it is really outstanding in the field of tablets. Not only is the iPad and mini great to the look and touch the applications are to be reckoned with! Let’s recap as to why the iPad and mini sales are on the decline:-

1. Too expensive; if the iPad was an expenditure that would last at least 3 to 5 years it wouldn’t be so bad but it is renewed every year and twice in 2013 if I am not mistaken. So, Apple users are better off with a Macbook Air.

2. The Lightning connection to my mind came as another nail in the iPad coffin. Overnight many iPad peripherals were made obsolete. Charming!

3. The advent of the iPad mini meant that the standard 10” model was compromised somewhat.

4. Finally, the iPhone 6 Plus rendered the both iPad models dead in the water!


Above: Another computer exchange store in Central London unable to shift second hand iPads.

Still, if I were an Apple user I would want to pick up an iPad second hand! But even in second hand / computer exchange stores the iPad is still priced uncompetitive. Maybe – just maybe the cost of the second hand iPad will come down greatly when the computer exchange shops can’t shift them.

WINDOWS RT / SURFACE
Yes, Microsoft botched up the first wave of Windows tablets with the Titanic-like Windows RT operating system that hit a few icebergs... However, Microsoft did pick up the slack and came back with the Surface! The Surface is truly outstanding and very desirable since it uses the full Windows operating system which means no silly apps but fully functioning software! I want one! Yeah, I know... Who would have thought that I would find myself taking a fancy to the Surface, eh? But here’s a recap as to why Windows tablets are tanking:-

1. Yes, the price is the main killer! As a result many Windows folk would prefer to invest the money into a decent desk or lap top!

2. As mentioned in the first point; the Windows laptop is very compelling as you get a decent processor for the money.

3. The Windows desktop PC is very persuasive still as one can swap out the graphics card or add cards such as a professional soundcard for music making for example. I would rather invest the cost of the Surface into a full on desktop PC for graphic design, video editing and music making!

ANDROID
The Android tablet was supposed to be the saviour of the tablet phenomenon. What happened to the promise? Google and Android OEMs did their best to undercut Apple and Windows but at what cost?

1. Google seemed to let manufacturers run wild with the tablet; there were no standards as one could pick up a £50 Android tablet made by an unheard of manufacturer from China.

I think too many consumers thought, as with the budget handset, that these cheap Android tablets were on par with the iPad. Windows RT wasn’t an issue as it was the wrong product and wrongly priced. And, again, like the budget Android handset of yesteryear (you don’t see much of them these days), the Android tablet can be made obsolete with app updates. Once the usual app suspects get updated (Facebook, G Plus, WhatsApp, etc) the underpowered cheap or otherwise Android tablet may not be able to cope with the demands on the processor.

2. Unrealistic... It appears as though Google and manufacturers did not invest a lot of forethought into the Android tablet. By this I mean that Google didn’t, as far as I know, invest into a chip processing plant and design powerful CPUs that could have been mass produced and therefore bring the costs down. If you look at what Samsung has done with creating its own Exynos SoC for Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge it goes to show how important it is to mass produce powerful chips and place them in worthwhile products... It goes back to standardization. Google seemed to rely on the hardware of manufacturers. Although Google gives its manufacturers a chance to shine I reckon they should have worked more closely with Samsung to produce powerful cost effective tablets that had a bit of longevity in them. Asus had some pretty interesting tablets on the market but were priced too high...

3. The apps weren’t there. The iPad was streets ahead and when the Android tablet threw down the gauntlet to Apple it was clear that it wasn’t really ready. The hardware was not up to par and, again, the apps were nothing to write home about. 

4. As an amalgamation of all the points above today’s Android tablet is still quite iffy in build – as much as I appreciate plastic builds I don’t think that the Android tablet should pop so to speak when handling it. Yes, the Android tablet body can be very flimsy compared to the iPad. Some Android tablets are like DVD covers in that it can yield to the touch. Not good!

“Intel inside...” Once upon a time the Intel chip meant and still means something in the PC world but when it comes to the Android tablet (and phone) I have yet to be convinced! Whenever I see “Intel inside” I cringe. Last year I got the Asus Fonepad 7 LTE to replace a defunct Motorola RAZRi (also with an Intel CPU inside) and today I may as well use the hybrid tablet and phone as a rather expensive coaster for my coffee table. The Asus Fonepad 7 LTE struggles with Facebook, Messenger and just about every worthwhile application... It is crap! I am now planning to replace the device that is crap as a phone and even worse as a tablet! I don’t know what Asus was thinking with the Fonepad 7 LTE but it doesn’t live up to the promotional material. I can reel off a bunch of other complaints against the Fonepad 7 LTE but I shan’t bother...

So, from my experience with the Fonepad 7 LTE I can say that my expectations may have been unrealistic as a consumer... OK, I fell for the promotional blurb but I should have known better as someone who tests hardware and software. If I want a decent tablet I have to pay for it and as much as Google might want to undercut the competition the fact is that a powerful Android tablet will cost handsomely!

The future of Android tablets lies in better everything: internal hardware, build quality and applications. I can see that Samsung are up for taking on the iPad with the Galaxy Tab S models and HTC did put out the 64-bit Nexus 9. The 64-bit CPU should revolutionize the Android tablet as it has the handset. I would like to see Android manufacturers move away from these underpowered novelty tablets once and for all this year because good products are a calling card.

I am looking to get a serious tablet this year and it is going to last a lot longer than 6 months!

UPRISING
The Android tablet could rise as could the Windows Surface. With Android it is just a matter of getting the power and quality right! Motorola has shown what can be possible with budget handsets, Moto E and G, and although there are no known plans for Motorola to do the same for the tablet there has got to be a few manufacturers that will do it for the tablet. I am quite sure that it’ll be Samsung that will release a serious 64-bit tablet this year but what other manufacturer or manufacturers will produce a serious pro Android tablet? HTC? LG? Asus? Could the Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei and Lenovo take the market by surprise?

And with Windows it’s getting the price down a fair bit and it is getting there!

There’s life in the tablet yet! We’ll just have to see how the rest of the year plays out! The forthcoming Google i / O in 7 days could reveal the powerhouse tablet we’ve been waiting for along with a better version of Android that is leaner, faster and easier on the battery consumption. Lollipop is by far the best and most ambitious version (as it should be) but I feel that it could be a lot better still! I feel for the Android developers as they’ve got their work cut out for them! But the fact that 5 of my Android handsets have Lollipop shows me that Google is on the ball – albeit a tad behind with what was set out at last year’s i / O! I can see that there is scope!

As for the Android tablet apps I can see that the quality it getting better all the time. According to the news Google Play Store has surpassed the Apple App Store for profits going to developers and this will certainly mean that iOS developers will release keep releasing more Android versions that will almost certainly see an increase of Android tablet sales. Many of us Androids have been waiting for the 64-bit chip before making a serious tablet purchase and now that it is here we’ll see...

Thank you so much for reading Synapse Circuit!

Expect more reviews, news, opinions, competitions and more from Synapse Circuit!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

ANDROID TABLETS vs LAZY TECH-WRITERS

Above: ASUS Fonepad ME372CL; tablet meets phone.

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
ANDROID TALK TODAY:
ANDROID TABLETS vs.
LAZY TECH-WRITERS

CONTENTS:
ASUS FONEPAD ME372CL
APPLE iPAD AIR 2 & MINI 3
GOOGLE NEXUS 6 & 9
FRAGMENTATION
ANDROID 5 LOLLIPOP

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope you are well and feeling refreshed after the weekend! I also hope you are getting the most out of your tech!

Say, can any of you tell me what’s wrong with the following headline?

“WHY APPLE'S NEW TABLET DESTROYS THE COMPETITION...”

#Asus #AsusFonepadME372CL #Apple #Samsung #Google #SteveJobs #TimCook #iPhone6 #iPhone6Phablet #iPhone6Plus #AppleWatch #GalaxyNote4 #GalaxyAlpha #GalaxyNoteEdge #GalaxyTabS #Nexus9 #iPadAir2 #iPadMini3

iPAD AIR 2 & MINI 3:
SLEEK & SLENDER
I’ve got to say that my first impressions of the iPad Air 2 and Mini 3 are positive! The quality of the build is excellent – as always! And it’s so slim that it’s almost like holding a pane of glass. Golly, gee! Boy, is it fast! Gosh! It’s as though iOS 8 (on the iPads) come with a gust of wind for each interaction! Pun unintentional but it works! I played around with a few apps including Guitar! by Smule and was very, very impressed. So, what the matter with it? The PRICES!!!



Wi-Fi
16GB £399
64GB £479
128GB £559

Wi-Fi & Cellular
16GB £499
64GB £579
128GB £659

Of course, there is no 32GB model as it gets in the way of Apple’s money making principals. Fair enough. For me? At those prices? NO!!! Why? Thank you! I am glad you asked! To answer your questions...

iPAD AIR 2 & MINI 3 DOES NOT DESTROY THE COMPETITION BECAUSE?
Resistance is futile... It sure is! Essentially, what Apple has done is to put a couple more iPads on the market where the current iPads have tanked in terms of sales. What's the point in that?

1. There is no other manufacturer making iOS compatible tablets but Apple. Therefore Apple is competing with itself. Android and Windows have their respective ecosystems and they do not really compete with each other. One may use the Galaxy Note 4 as a daily smartphone driver, an Android tablet and own a Mac or Windows computer at home. But it’s highly likely that if you own a Mac computer you might swap out the Galaxy Note 4 for the iPhone 6 Plus. And as a Windows PC owner you might own a Windows phone instead of the Galaxy Note 4 or iPhone 6 Plus. Or it very well be that you have a secondary handset that could be an iPhone, Android or Windows. The underlying point I am making is that Android, iOS, OS X and Windows work together and there isn't much competing going on. We are not slaves to a particular ecosystem. I work with Windows and Android; occasionally I work with Mac when I take my files to a print bureau.

The chances are that if you have bought into the Android ecosystem you won’t feel the need to venture elsewhere for a tablet. The trouble with Apple and Microsoft is that they both have desktop computers with their own respective operating systems: OS X (Mac) and Windows. And fundamentally that’s where the tablet operations from both Apple and Microsoft do not make great economic sense. The asking prices for these tablets (iPad and Surface Pro) indicate that one would be better off with a decent laptop from either of the two: Macbook Air or any one of the great Windows laptops from the excess of great PC manufacturers: ASUS, HP, Lenovo, Dell, etc.

While Google has the Chrome OS you can still use it on a PC and access its great applications. Or you can afford to purchase a cost effective Chromebook or Chromebox in addition to your Android devices / or PC – especially as Google have made it possible to run some Android apps on Chrome OS and there is even a hack to ensure that you can run all your Android apps!

Here's how to hack your Chromebook to run Android apps:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2686712/run-any-android-app-on-your-chromebook-with-this-hack.html

The point is that the Google ecosystem is the most cost effective to encompass Android and Chrome OS devices - very likely in addition to a PC or Mac set-up! Apple and Microsoft aren’t making it easy for the everyperson to own the whole Apple and Microsoft shebang respectively! As a PC user I’d rather pay for a powerful desktop as I have the advantage of being able to swap components out as and when than to invest it in a Surface Pro tablet. And as a PC owner I would love a Surface Pro too! However, it’s not practical. It’s thanks to Google that I am able to utilize Microsoft Office compatible apps: Drive, Quick Office, Docs, Slides, etc that I can use on a handset, phablet or tablet. Nothing that I haven’t pointed out already in previous articles!

2. Android tablets are people friendly. Apple’s policy doesn't allow for cost effective solutions that covers different sizes – well, the iPhone 6 Plus takes care of the almost 7 inch version (Jobs must be rolling in his grave) - and function i.e. game oriented consumers. So, what Apple gives you is two basic iPads. Not with Android and this is one of the attributes that makes the Android tablet attractive to owners of the Mac and / or PC computers.

If your child / children need a distraction away from the main PC / Mac it can come in the form of an inexpensive 7” Android tablet, for example. Some households find that a PC / Mac is no longer needed as the tablet caters to the needs: Internet, photo editing / manipulation, video editing (this is improving all the time - apps are getting better), social networking and so on.

Do you need a hybrid tablet and phone? Sure, these days the iPad and select Android tablets such as the Galaxy Tab S will allow you to take phone calls but if you don’t have these tablets and you wanted to, let’s say, replace a broken handset, for example, with the best of both worlds: a phone and tablet then there are a range of decent 7” tablets that will allow you to take and make phone calls. The downside is that you can only get a SIM meant for a phone or tablet; you can’t use a normal SIM that supports data as well as text and calling. I will give you some solutions to that late on in this article...

There you go! The above tells you why the iPad Air 2 and Mini 3 aren’t going to “destroy the competition”. There is no competition. Got it? Good! No matter how fast the new iPads are it doesn’t matter a jot because what is important to Android (and Windows users) is that they have a tablet that serves their needs. If I wanted a tablet specifically for games I’d go for the NVIDIA Shield. If I want a tablet for productivity I’d either go for the Galaxy Tab S or wait for the Nexus 9. Not that the NVIDIA Shield isn’t suitable for productivity too! In fact most Android tablets are great for productivity! But if it’s high quality games you want then you have to expect to pay for it! At least you have a wide range of choice! And now... Now for a review...

ASUS FONEPAD 7 ME372CL REVIEW, £199

Yes, from the title you have discerned that the ASUS Fonepad 7 ME372CL is a tablet with phone functions and it can be seen as the successor to the original Fonepad. The ME372CL has a set of front-facing stereo speakers and gone is the aluminium back for a plastic one. I can’t say that I am too impressed with the materials used for the Fonepad 7 ME372CL as they attract fingerprints. Yuck! If you invest in this hybrid phone and tablet you will greatly benefit from a protective case which also serves to position the tablet for viewing and interacting i.e typing. Design-wise the Fonepad 7 ME372CL pretty much harks back to an era (I know, it comes across as an aeon of Android tablet design principles) of thick bezels but it works to avoid touching the screen and to house the stereo speakers (one doubling up for the receiver – the microphone is positioned at the back near the charger).

SPEEDY
Once the ME372CL upgraded to receive Android KitKat 4.4.2, its various apps and ZenUI I was then able to play around with it! I find that the Fonepad 7 ME372CL is pretty speedy! Just like the iPad Air 2 apps fly out and hit the screen as soon as the app icons are tapped! Everything is smooth operating system-wise! It is like butter! The ASUS interface overlay, ZenUI, is light so that it’s running an almost pure Android experience.

I am sure that it’ll score pretty low against the iPad Air 2 and Mini 3 in a benchmark test but it matters not as I am able to do exactly what I want to do with this tablet. I am not a games person – never have been! It will play many games smoothly without the infamous lagging issues. However, the more graphic and memory intensive the game is the more likely it will lag under such pressure! Again, if it’s games you want this hybrid phone and tablet may not be for you!

THE SOUND OF MUSIC
I got the ME372CL primarily to make music whilst replacing a defunct RAZRi handset. The music applications: Caustic 3, Audio Evolution and G-Stomper Studio functions to meet my expectations. The music composition apps perform flawlessly! However, I was a tad disappointed with the speakers as I had imagined them to sound more powerful and rich in tones. Even though there are different sittings for games, speech, movie, recording, smart and music the speakers do not live up to the product hype on the ASUS website. The ‘smart’ mode adapts to the usage / functionality!

“The ASUS Fonepad 7 LTE delivers high quality audio to bring entertainment to life. Your listening experience will never be the same again when you hear your favorite tracks through precise and powerful SonicMaster speakers...” Er... Not quite...

They’re not disastrous but the sound from my Galaxy Note 2 has a better quality in terms of loudness and tones. I can live with the SonicMaster speakers – just!

When making and receiving calls the sound comes across as weak; using the speakers yields in pretty much the same result – understated. It would have been so, so good to be able to crank up the volume a bit. Never mind! I can see the need for a Bluetooth headset in order to make the most of the phone aspect. On a busy noisy street it'll be, "What? Hang on... What?" Use a Bluetooth headset for best results!

I would have liked ASUS to have provided two SIM slots: one for making calls and the other to take advantage of 4G LTE data (Internet)! Yes, it’s 4G LTE compatible.

HANDLING
While I can hold it comfortably with one hand I have to use the other to interact with it. It’s not too thick at 10.5 mm and quite hefty at 333g for a 7” tablet! The 7.87” iPad mini 3 cellular weighs in at 341g.

I have pretty big hands and so I can get away with putting it to my ear like a phone. The form factor – large bezels aside – makes it feel like a phablet instead of a tablet – especially by today’s standards! Look at what Google have done with the latest Nexus devices: the 7” tablet is no more and the 6” phablet serves as the perfect bridge. And the Nexus 9 is a nice medium between the 8” and 10” tablet. The 10” tablet, for now, is no more where Google is concerned.

In any event the ME372CL is compact enough to fit in an inside jacket pocket and / or handbag / manbag. It’s all good!

Again, the most annoying thing is that the screen and back is a fingerprint magnet despite promotional text that states the opposite.

CALL SCREENING & FUNCTIONALITY
The screen has a respectable 1280 x 800 resolution; the colour reproduction is quite good although a bit on the saturated side. With the brightness halfway up the screen looks good and when the brightness is turned all the way up it gives the impression of a higher resolution as the clarity is undeniable! I would imagine that having the screen on full brightness continually may burn an image onto the screen to give a ghost-like appearance. And no doubt the battery will suffer as a consequence. The screen is quite okay for the £199 asking price. I can work with my Google Doc documents very comfortably! Oh, the keyboard is a delight to use and should be available as a keyboard app! Yes, it's that good! Normally I would have replaced the UI (in this case ZenUI) with a launcher and my favourite is Nova Prime. ZenUI is very nice and well thought out! The Fonepad 7 ME372CL is a joy for productivity; when I am travelling I can get a good amount done quite comfortably.

CONCLUSION
The Fonepad 7 ME372CL 4G LTE tablet is not, in my opinion, a compromise for those who can’t afford a tablet and a handset. No! The Fonepad LTE is for those that do not see the value in a phablet – especially as you do not get tablet related apps which is a bit silly but I understand! Google encourages you to purchase a tablet because you're not going to get tablet related apps on a phablet! I can live with that as they are affordable!

Fonepad 7 LTE is for those that do not require a great deal of power that results in the likes of the iPad Air or Galaxy Tab S!

In my situation I had a RAZRi burn out on me and I simply didn’t want to splash out on an expensive handset nor did I want a cheap one! I wanted a hybrid device that would give me a lot of room for apps and the 16GB storage on the Fonepad 7 LTE is perfect. I wanted to experience tablet specific apps without a great investment knowing that 64-bit Android devices was (at the time) around the corner. I am up for the prospect of a kickass 64-bit Android tablet further down the line. My needs were met admirably on this occasion. I don’t mind taking and making calls on this wonderful hybrid!

SCORE
Wow! This is a bit of tough one to score... On the one hand you can say that the Fonepad 7 ME372CL 4G LTE is a cheap tablet but it’s not quite. I didn’t get it as a tablet; I got as a phablet! It’s not my main driver and therefore I do not take many calls on it nor do I receive many! It fills that gap between a mediocre handset and sub £100 cheap tablet. There again, the quality of inexpensive Android tablets have been upped somewhat! The supermarket chain Tesco has recently put out Hudl 2! From 7” to 8” with a full HD screen, stereo speakers at the back and boasts some decent spec for £129! Check it out: 1.83GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB storage which is expandable by 32GB! Of course, it’s Wi-Fi only and it isn’t apparent if you can at least utilize the free calling and texting apps via Wi-Fi. There again, there is a front-facing camera! Review of the Hudl 2 is coming soon! I know that Tesco was going to do a phone but it seems as though that’s not happening for now. Anyway... Had ASUS added two SIMs (calls and data) it would have scored platinum. But I give the Fonepad ME372CL 4G LTE a solid gold!

Again, a phablet would have prevented me from experiencing tablet specific apps. A handset would have given me, for the price, a smaller screen, probably 8GB of storage, most likely a dual processor and a gig of RAM! Here, I have the best of both worlds and at a reasonable price. I am pretty happy!

SOLUTIONS
Let’s say that you have been thinking about a tablet either for yourself or child(ren) and you don’t want to expend a great deal on one for some of the reasons brought up in this article i.e. you’re biding your time for something more modern with a 64-bit CPU such as the Nexus 9 and / or you don’t want to make such a huge financial commitment for a child(ren). Here are some scenarios...

Scenario 1
When you have Wi-Fi at home you don’t really need to be bothered about being able to access data on the move outside the home. You would have already downloaded all the apps you need at home so when you are on the move you just get on with being productive with apps that do not require the Internet to function.

However, occasionally you might need to go online from time to time when you’re out and about. The solution there is to tether your handset to the tablet – share the data. Be aware that some network providers do not allow you to share your handset data with any other devices. You can download apps for this that should allow you to bypass the network provider restrictions. And if you do not have a handset with an unlimited data contract you will soon quickly use up the limitations! 2GB of data is not enough on the go! So, one solution is to use a portable Mi-Fi device. A Mi-Fi device can give you up to 15GB of data; for tablets you don’t need to have it on all the time. You might wish to email a Google Doc file when you’re out and about, etc and once you’ve done that you’d turn off the Mi-Fi and continue using the Fonepad LTE as a phone!

Scenario 2
If you are planning to purchase both an inexpensive tablet such as the Fonepad LTE and a handset I suggest you go for a handset that utilizes two SIM cards. Check out the Motorola Moto G 2014 as there is a model that takes on two SIMS!

In addition to the dual SIM handset you could get a pay as you go data SIM for the tablet and a SIM for the phone aspect of the tablet. Here, you will have the slightly irritating task of swapping out the phone SIM between the two devices. The data SIM won’t show up in the dual SIM handset but it is a safe place to put it.

It’s a bit of a hassle but it’s not bad.

Scenario 3
If the Fonepad LTE serves as a secondary handset to your main driver that has an unlimited data plan then you should be able to tether (share that handset’s data) with the tablet. Again, you would only need to do this as and when it is needed. Once you’ve finished using the data on the tablet you’d turn off the Wi-Fi hotspot capability on your main driver. But bear in mind that using your handset as a Wi-Fi hotspot will drain the battery. This is why I opted for a Mi-Fi unit in the first scenario.

 There you have it! The choice is yours!

Even though there is now a trend to phase out the 7 inch Android tablet the Fonepad LTE is so compact and therefore very portable! The 7 inch tablet should now be a phablet but most annoyingly this cannot happen as you can’t place a phone SIM in these things whereby you have the usual calls, texts and data. Uh-uh! As soon as you place a phone SIM in a 3G / 4G enabled tablet the data aspect becomes void! You win some. You lose some.

MEDIA SAVVY?
Another thing that lazy Apple biased writers do is to keep harping on about this idea of “fragmentation” where the Android operating system is concerned. Whenever an Apple product is being promoted comparisons are made to the Android ecosystem and fragmentation becomes an issue. And in addition to that way too much is made over the quality of Android tablet apps; the situation keeps improving! That’s right! Let’s take the gloves off! These so-called tech-writers are just trying to sell you whatever Apple releases without being objective! Shame on you if you insist upon calling yourself a journalist! Cook and Apple biased "journalists" (sic) want to get it into your head that Android is a bad operating system simply because a majority of Android device users are utilizing older versions of the ubiquitous operating system. The fact that many Android users do not notice the difference between different versions is evidence to show just how powerful and brilliant it is! Android just works!

The most essential component of Android is the Play Store! Google Play updates on just about every Android handset and tablet regardless of operating system version i.e. Ice Cream Sandwich, Jellybean and KitKat. As the owner of over 8 Android devices and counting I can attest that the latest version of Google Play Store is on each and every one of them. You, as a consumer, have to be vigilant of the Apple biased media. Such biased articles go against the non-technical consumer. Every once in a while when I visit a computer department I bump into stressed out mothers weighing up the iPad over the less expensive but capable Android tablets. These mothers come across as brainwashed when they have it mind that an Android tablet is a compromise. Many children are just as brainwashed too! What a shame. What I hope to do is bring about a fair representation of the tech market.

What the Apple biased media don’t tell you is how flawed iOS can be! For example, iOS 8 offers up the possibility of third party keyboards but such keyboards cause iOS 8 to malfunction. iOS 8 apps currently do not take advantage of the 5.5" screen and full HD resolution. Also there is the phenomenon of Apple not allowing iPhone users to call and message Android users. Odd, huh? I wonder why that is.... Hmmmm... There are the diehard Apple fanatics that will insist that what I state about iPhone users not being able to call and message Android users is unfounded but I don’t write untruths. I leave that to the biased media.

ANDROID 5:
THE GOOD SHIP LOLLIPOP
By all accounts Android 5 Lollipop will reach selected devices come 3^rd November! 6 days and counting! My second generation Moto G ought to get it when it hits! We could be in for a number of awesome surprises; one them could be that Lollipop could go as far back as the Samsung Galaxy S3! My understanding is that it is supposed to be compiled tightly so that it is compact enough to be installed on more devices than we have been led to believe by the media. One can only hope! Another way of looking at it is that if Lollipop is coming to a relatively small handset that is the second generation Moto G then there is a chance it could make its way on more than just the super-premium handsets such as the Galaxy S5, One M8, Z3 and so on...



As an Android fan I can’t wait to see it transform at least half of my devices!

There you go!

Things to think about...

THANKS FOR READING...

Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

REVIEWS & COMPETITIONS ARE COMING SOON!!! PLEASE STANDBY!!!

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT APPLE TALK 12 iPAD AIR 2 AND MINI 3

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

APPLE TALK 12:
FIRST IMPRESSIONS...
iPAD AIR 2 & MINI 3

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope you are well and feeling refreshed after the weekend! I also hope you are getting the most out of your tech!

Say, can any of you tell me what’s wrong with the following headline?

“WHY APPLE'S NEW TABLET DESTROYS THE COMPETITION...”

#Apple #Samsung #Google #SteveJobs #TimCook #iPhone6 #iPhone6Phablet #iPhone6Plus #AppleWatch #GalaxyNote4 #GalaxyAlpha #GalaxyNoteEdge #GalaxyTabS #Nexus9 #iPadAir2 #iPadMini3 #AsusFonepadLTE #AsusFonepadME372CL

SLEEK & SLENDER
I’ve got to say that my first impressions of the iPad Air 2 and Mini 3 are positive! The quality of the build is excellent – as always! And it’s so slim that it’s almost like holding a pane of glass. Golly, gee! Boy, is it fast! Gosh! It’s as though iOS 8 (on the iPads) come with a gust of wind for each interaction! Pun unintentional but it works! I played around with a few apps including Guitar! by Smule and was very, very impressed. So, what the matter with it? The PRICES!!!

Wi-Fi
16GB £399
64GB £479
128GB £559

Wi-Fi & Cellular
16GB £499
64GB £579
128GB £659

Of course, there is no 32GB model as it gets in the way of Apple’s money making principals. Fair enough. For me? At those prices? NO!!! Why? Thank you! I am glad you asked! To answer your questions...

iPAD AIR 2 & MINI 3 DOES NOT DESTROY THE COMPETITION BECAUSE?
Resistance is futile... It sure is! Essentially, what Apple has done is to put a couple more iPads on the market where the current iPads have tanked in terms of sales.

1. There is no other manufacturer making iOS compatible tablets but Apple. Therefore Apple is competing with itself. Android and Windows have their respective ecosystems and they do not really compete with each other. One may use the Galaxy Note 4 as a daily smartphone driver, an Android tablet and own a Mac or Windows computer at home. But it’s highly likely that if you own a Mac computer you might swap out the Galaxy Note 4 for the iPhone 6 Plus. And as a Windows PC owner you might own a Windows phone instead of the Galaxy Note 4 or iPhone 6 Plus. Or it very well be that you have a secondary handset that could be an iPhone, Android or Windows.

The chances are that if you have bought into the Android ecosystem you won’t feel the need to venture elsewhere. The trouble with Apple and Microsoft is that they both have desktop computers with their own respective operating systems: OS X (Mac) and Windows. And fundamentally that’s where the tablet operations from both Apple and Microsoft do not make great economic sense. The asking prices for these tablets (iPad and Surface Pro) indicate that one would be better off with a decent laptop from either of the two: Macbook Air or any one of the great Windows laptops from excess of great PC manufacturers.

While Google has the Chrome OS you can still use it on a PC and access its great applications. Or you can afford to purchase a cost effective Chromebook or Chromebox in addition to your Android devices – especially as Google have made it possible to run some Android apps on Chrome OS and there is even a hack to ensure that you can run all your Android apps!

Here's how to hack your Chromebook to run Android apps:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2686712/run-any-android-app-on-your-chromebook-with-this-hack.html

The point is that the Google ecosystem is the most cost effective to encompass Android and Chrome OS devices. Apple and Microsoft aren’t making it easy for the everyperson to own the whole Apple and Microsoft shebang respectively! As a PC user I’d rather pay for a powerful desktop as I have the advantage of being able to swap components out as and when than to invest it in a Surface Pro tablet. And as a PC owner I would love a Surface Pro too! However, it’s not practical. It’s thanks to Google that I am able to utilize Microsoft Office compatible apps: Drive, Quick Office, Docs, Slides, etc that I can use on a handset, phablet or tablet. Nothing that I haven’t pointed out already in previous articles!

2. Android tablets are people friendly. Apple’s policy doesn’t allow for cost effective solutions that covers different sizes – well, the iPhone 6 Plus takes care of the almost 7 inch version (Jobs must be rolling in his grave) and function i.e. a game oriented consumers. So, what Apple gives you is two basic iPads. Not with Android and this is one of the attributes that makes the Android tablet attractive to owners of the Mac and / or PC computers.

If your children need a distraction it can come in the form of an inexpensive 7” Android tablet, for example.

Do you need a hybrid tablet and phone? Sure, these days the iPad and select Android tablets such as the Galaxy Tab S will allow you to take phone calls but if you don’t have these tablets and you wanted to, let’s say, replace a broken handset, for example, with the best of both worlds: a phone and tablet then there are a range of decent 7” tablets that will allow you to take and make phone calls. The downside is that you can only get a SIM meant for a phone or tablet; you can’t use a normal SIM that supports data as well as text and calling. I will give you some solutions to that late on in this article...

There you go! The above tells you why the iPad Air 2 and Mini 3 aren’t going to “destroy the competition”. There is no competition. Got it? Good! No matter how fast the new iPads are it doesn’t matter a jot because what is important to Android (and Windows users) is that they have a tablet that serves their needs. If I wanted a tablet specifically for games I’d go for the NVIDIA Shield. If I want a tablet for productivity I’d either go for the Galaxy Tab S or wait for the Nexus 9. Not that the NVIDIA Shield isn’t suitable for productivity too! In fact most Android tablets are great for productivity! But if it’s high quality games you want then you have to expect to pay for it! At least you have a wide range of choice! And now... Now for a review...

ASUS FONEPAD 7 ME372CL REVIEW, £199


Yes, from the title you have discerned that the ASUS Fonepad 7 ME372CL is a tablet with phone functions and it can be seen as the successor to the original Fonepad. The ME372CL has a set of front-facing stereo speakers and gone is the aluminium back for a plastic one. I can’t say that I am too impressed with the materials used for the Fonepad 7 ME372CL as they attract fingerprints. Yuck! If you invest in this hybrid phone and tablet you will greatly benefit from a protective case which also serves to position the tablet for viewing and interacting i.e typing. Design-wise the Fonepad 7 ME372CL pretty much harks back to an era (I know, it comes across as an aeon of Android tablet design principles) of thick bezels but it works to avoid touching the screen at the sides and to hold the stereo speakers (doubling up for the receiver – the microphone is positioned at the back near the charger).

SPEEDY
Once the ME372CL upgraded to receive Android KitKat 4.4.2, its various apps and ZenUI I was then able to play around with it! I find that the Fonepad 7 ME372CL is pretty speedy! Just like the iPad Air 2 apps fly out and hit the screen as soon as the icons are tapped! Everything is smooth operating system-wise! It is like butter! The ASUS interface overlay, ZenUI, is light so that it’s running an almost pure Android experience.

I am sure that it’ll score pretty low against the iPad Air 2 and Mini 3 in a benchmark test but it matters not as I am able to do exactly what I want to do on this tablet. I am not a games person – never have been! It will play many games smoothly without the infamous lagging issues. However, the more graphic and memory intensive the game is the more likely it will lag under such pressure! Again, if it’s games you want this hybrid phone and tablet may not be for you!

THE SOUND OF MUSIC
I got the ME372CL primarily to make music whilst replacing a defunct RAZRi handset. The music applications: Caustic 3, Audio Evolution and G-Stomper Studio functions to meet my expectations. The music composition apps perform flawlessly! However, I was a tad disappointed with the speakers as I had imagined them to sound more powerful and rich. Even though there are different sittings for games, speech, movie, recording, smart and music the speakers do not live up to the product hype on the ASUS website. The ‘smart’ mode adapts to the usage / functionality!

“The ASUS Fonepad 7 LTE delivers high quality audio to bring entertainment to life. Your listening experience will never be the same again when you hear your favorite tracks through precise and powerful SonicMaster speakers...” Er... Not quite...

They’re not disastrous but the sound from my Galaxy Note 2 has a better quality in terms of loudness and tones. I can live with the SonicMaster speakers – just!

When making and receiving calls the sound comes across as weak; using the speakers yields in pretty much the same result – understated. It would have been so, so good to be able to crank up the volume a bit. Never mind! I can see the need for a Bluetooth headset in order to make the most of the phone aspect.

I would have liked ASUS to have provided two SIM slots: one for making calls and the other to take advantage of 4G LTE Internet data! Yes, it’s 4G LTE compatible.

HANDLING
While I can hold it comfortably with one hand I have to use the other to interact with it. It’s not too thick at 10.5 mm and quite hefty at 333g for a 7” tablet! The 7.87” iPad mini 3 cellular weighs in at 341g.

I have pretty big hands and so I can get away with putting it to my ear like a phone. The form factor – large bezels aside – makes it feel like a phablet instead of a tablet – especially by today’s standards! Look at what Google have done with the latest Nexus devices: the 7” tablet is no more and the 6” phablet serves as the perfect bridge. And the Nexus 9 is a nice medium between the 8” and 10” tablet. The 10” tablet, for now, is no more where Google is concerned.

In any event the ME372CL is compact enough to fit in an inside jacket pocket and / or handbag / manbag. It’s all good!

Again, the most annoying thing is that the screen and back is a fingerprint magnet despite promotional text that states the opposite.

CALL SCREENING & FUNCTIONALITY
The screen has a respectable 1280 x 800 resolution; the colour reproduction is quite good although a bit on the saturated side. With the brightness halfway up the screen looks good and when the brightness is turned all the way up it gives the impression of a higher resolution as the clarity is undeniable! I would imagine that having the screen on full brightness continually may burn an image onto the screen to give a ghost-like appearance. And no doubt the battery will suffer as a consequence. The screen is quite okay for the £199 asking price. I can work with my Google Doc documents very comfortably! Oh, the keyboard is a delight to use - it should be available as an app in itself. Normally I would have replaced the UI (in this case ZenUI) with a launcher and my favourite is Nova Prime. ZenUI is very nice and well thought out! The Fonepad ME372CL is a joy for productivity; when I am travelling I can get a good amount done quite comfortably.

CONCLUSION
The Fonepad ME372CL 4G LTE tablet is not, in my opinion, a compromise for those who can’t afford a tablet and a handset. No! The Fonepad LTE is for those that do not see the value in a phablet – especially as you do not get tablet related apps which is a bit silly but I understand! It’s for those that do not require a great deal of power that results in the likes of the iPad Air or Galaxy Tab S!

In my situation I had a RAZRi burn out on me and I simply didn’t want to splash out on an expensive handset nor did I want a cheap one! I wanted a hybrid device that would give me a lot of room for apps and the 16GB storage on the Fonepad 7 LTE is perfect. I wanted to experience tablet specific apps without a great investment knowing that 64-bit Android devices was (at the time) around the corner. I am up for the prospect of a kickass 64-bit Android tablet further down the line. My needs were met admirably on this occasion. I don’t mind taking and making calls on this wonderful hybrid!

SCORE
Wow! This is a bit of tough one to score... On the one hand you can say that the Fonepad 7 ME372CL 4G LTE is a cheap tablet but it’s not quite. I didn’t get it as a tablet; I got as a phablet! It’s not my main driver and therefore I do not take many calls on it nor do I receive many! It fills that gap between a mediocre handset and sub £100 cheap tablet. There again, the quality of inexpensive Android tablets have been upped! The supermarket chain Tesco has recently put out Hudl 2! From 7” to 8” with a full HD screen, stereo speakers at the back and boasts some decent spec for £129! Check it out: 1.83GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB storage which is expandable by 32GB! Of course, it’s Wi-Fi only and it isn’t apparent if you can at least utilize the free calling and texting apps via Wi-Fi. Review of the Hudl 2 is coming soon! I know that Tesco was going to do a phone but it seems as though that’s not happening for now. Anyway... Had ASUS added two SIMs calls and data it would have socred platinum. But I give the Fonepad 7 ME372CL 4G LTE a solid gold!



Again, a phablet would have prevented me from experiencing tablet specific apps. A handset would have given me, for the price, a smaller screen, probably 8GB of storage, a good chance of a dual processor and a gig of RAM! Here, I have the best of both worlds and at a reasonable price. I am pretty happy! The battery life is quite good too! Here's the full spec:-

Operating System 
Android TM 4.3 - upgradable to Kit Kit 4.4.2.

Display
7" LED Backlight WXGA (1280x800) Screen
IPS Panel
Anti-fingerprint coating

CPU
2X2:Intel® Atom™ Multi-Core Z2520 Processor 1.6 GHz
with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Memory
1GB

Storage
8GB/16GB eMMC
5GB Life Time ASUS Webstorage Space *2; with an additional 11GB for the first year
Network Standard

Connectivity
DC-HSPA+ UL:5.76 Mbps/DL:42 Mbps
3G:
WCDMA :
850/900/2100
2G:
GSM : 850/900/1800/1900,
4G:
LTE:
800/900/1800/2600
Wireless Data Network
WLAN802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth V4.0
Support Miracast

Camera
1.2 MP Front Camera 
5 MP Rear Camera with Auto focus(1080p Video Recording)

Audio
Stereo Speakers with SonicMaster technology

Interface
1 × Micro-USB
1 × 2-in-1 Audio Jack (Headphone / Mic-in)
1 × Micro SD Card Reader,up to 64GB
1 × Micro SIM card tray
1 × Digital Microphone

Sensor
G-Sensor
E-compass
Proximity
Ambient Light Sensor
Hall sensor

Battery
11.5 hours; 15Wh Li-polymer Battery *3
Standby Time
735 hours(3G)
Talk Time
31 hours(3G)

Navigation
GPS, GLONASS & AGPS

Color
Sapphire Black
Diamond White
Ceramics White
Gray

Dimensions
197.7 x 120 x 10.5 mm (WxDxH)

Weight
333 g

SOLUTIONS
Let’s say that you have been thinking about a tablet either for yourself or child(ren) and you don’t want to expend a great deal on one for some of the reasons brought up in this article i.e. you’re biding your time for something more modern with a 64-bit CPU such as the Nexus 9 and / or you don’t want to make such a huge financial commitment for a child(ren).

Scenario 1
When you have Wi-Fi at home you don’t really need to be bothered about being able to access data on the move outside the home. You would have already downloaded all the apps you need at home so when you are on the move you just get on with being productive with apps that do not require the Internet to function.

However, occasionally you might need to go online from time to time when you’re out and about. The solution there is to tether your handset to the tablet – share the data. Be aware that some network providers do not allow you to share your handset data with any other devices. You can download apps for this that should allow you to bypass the network provider restrictions. And if you do not have a handset with an unlimited data contract you will soon quickly use up the data! 2GB of data is not enough on the go! So, one solution is to use a portable Mi-Fi device. A Mi-Fi device can give you up to 15GB of data; for tablets you don’t need to have it on all the time. You might wish to email a Google Doc file when you’re out and about, etc and once you’ve done that you’d turn off the Mi-Fi and continue using the Fonepad LTE as a phone!

Scenario 2
If you are planning to purchase both an inexpensive tablet such as the Fonepad LTE and a handset I suggest you go for a handset that utilizes two SIM cards. Check out the Motorola Moto G 2014 as there is a model that takes on two SIMS!

In addition to the dual SIM handset you could get a pay as you go data SIM for the tablet and a SIM for the phone aspect of the tablet. Here, you will have the slightly irritating task of swapping out the phone SIM between the two devices. The data SIM won’t show up in the dual SIM handset but it is a safe place to put it.

It’s a bit of a hassle but it’s not bad.

Scenario 3
If the Fonepad LTE serves as a secondary handset to your main driver that has an unlimited data plan then you should be able to tether (share that handset’s data) with the tablet. Again, you would only need to do this as and when it is needed. Once you’ve finished using the data on the tablet you’d turn off the Wi-Fi hotspot capability on your main driver. But bear in mind that using your handset as a Wi-Fi hotspot will drain the battery. This is why I opted for a Mi-Fi unit in the first scenario.
There you have it! The choice is yours!

Even though there is now a trend to phase out the 7 inch Android tablet the Fonepad LTE is so compact and therefore very portable! The 7 inch tablet should now be a phablet but most annoyingly this cannot happen as you can’t place a phone SIM in these things whereby you have the usual calls, texts and data. Uh-uh! As soon as you place a phone SIM in a 3G / 4G enabled tablet the data aspect becomes void! You win some. You lose some.

There you go!

Things to think about...

THANKS FOR READING...

Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

REVIEWS & COMPETITIONS ARE COMING SOON!!! PLEASE STANDBY!!!

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com