, , , , ,




As a leading seller of Home Audio Systems and Woofer/Speaker Systems, I’d readily tell you that anything that isn’t a home-theatre, a Hi-Fi system (those huge Sony, Samsung or LG radios) or home assembled (the clones we make using car audio components) is crap. The so-called 2.1 or 5.1 channel woofer systems flooding the city are a weak replication of what a real audio system should be.
The ideal sound system must be able to produce those deep foundation-shaking vibrations without compromising the quality of the high pitch beats. To avoid distortion, your bass speaker must be open, powerful and responsive enough to kill initial vibrations as soon as it receives the signal to do so from your driver unit. It has to be brutal enough to stir your heart and subtle enough to bring out the pitch-accurate closely monitored bass.
As for your satellite speakers, they ought to be the right mix of mid and high ranges to help you replicate the other notes your bass speaker (low-range) cannot achieve. Good satellite speakers will reproduce most of your mid notes (speech and the subtle beats – like those of drummer hitting his sticks against each other) and their twitters will ensure that you hear every cymbal beat the drummer makes.
The problem with these ‘impressive’ under Ksh10,000 sub-woofer systems is they cannot meet these demands of a refined listener. The bass will be too distorted, or the satellite speakers will lack the clarity and authority you need to listen to real music or watch your movies with passion.
Even though I so boldly professed my detest for these handy units, I wouldn’t rule out their use. They sure do make small parties come to life and brighten up otherwise dull Sunday afternoons.

Sizing up the room

Be it a sub-woofer or a home theatre system you are buying, you must pay attention to your target room size. Smaller rooms will do mighty fine with small systems. That’s why you wouldn’t understand my detest for the small woofer systems if you live in a small apartment, a bedsitter or a campus cubicle. As things get livelier and the rooms expand, so does its audio needs. Buying bigger and more powerful systems in this case would be inevitable.

Stereo VS Surround

The good old stereo gives you two kick-ass speakers coupled with an agreeable subwoofer. In most cases, if all you need is some music and movies, this might be good enough – not to mention cheap. However, with the market awash with 5.1 and 7.1 systems, finding the good old stereos that put their very best into two speakers and one subwoofer is hard.
When going for surround, which is almost always the case, emphasize on getting a good centre speaker and powerful left and rights. Good quality speakers, even when paired up with a crappy drive unit will produce high quality sound. Listening to your home theatre of choice for a while before paying the bill will help you identify what produces the best sound.

Speaker placement

First, there is the buying. Then there is the complexity of speaker placement. You could chose to bundle them in one place for convenience if you don’t mind the average listening experience. If you do mind, however, you must go through the painstaking process of laying the cables right to get a neat look for your rear speakers, the left and right channels and most importantly your central speaker.
An audio system is only as good as its speakers. If it is a home theatre (those with DVD player like drive units) then you will have the freedom of upgrading the speakers to whatever you want and boost your sound quality. You cannot do this with the compact woofer systems. If you don’t get them right, you are doomed!
, ,

HMD Global has just announced the availability of the Nokia 2 in the Kenyan market at a Ksh.11,000 price tag. So, for that price what exactly do you get? The Nokia 2 comes with a 5-inch 720p display covered in Gorilla Glass 3, a rare occurrence at this price point, Snapdragon 212 Quad-Core processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, 4G LTE support, Dual SIM and Single SIM variants, 8MP main shooter and a 2MP selfie shooter, Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Android Oreo on the way and a huge 4100mAh battery that is said to last two days.
HMD Global has not only committed to pushing Android Oreo to the Nokia 2, the company has also said that the device will be getting monthly security updates. The company is also boasting of the device’s build quality, claiming that the Nokia 2 is “built to last in every way”. The smartphone is built out of an aluminum frame and a polycarbonate back.Nokia 2Speaking during the announcement of the Nokia 2 in Kenya, Gopher Ogembo, Senior Business Manager, HMD Global, said, “We have created a smartphone people can rely on without subconsciously rationing their battery usage to last the day. Every component of the Nokia 2 – from the display to battery, chipset to system design – has been engineered to draw as little power as possible from the huge battery. You don’t have to do less with it to preserve longevity, it has been built to give you the freedom to do more.”
The Nokia 2 is available in Kenya as from today and it comes in two colors; Pewter/Black and Pewter/White. The Nokia 2 wcan be delivered  to you by Nairobi Smartphones @Ksh12,000/- Only.
, , ,

At the next halt Hooja the Sly One managed to find enough slack chain to permit him to worm himself back quite close to Dian. We were all standing, and as he edged near the girl she turned her back upon him in such a truly earthly feminine manner that I could scarce repress a smile; but it was a short-lived smile for on the instant the Sly One's hand fell upon the girl's bare arm, jerking her roughly toward him.

I was not then familiar with the customs or social ethics which prevailed within Pellucidar; but even so I did not need the appealing look which the girl shot to me from her magnificent eyes to influence my subsequent act. What the Sly One's intention was I paused not to inquire; but instead, before he could lay hold of her with his other hand, I placed a right to the point of his jaw that felled him in his tracks.

A roar of approval went up from those of the other prisoners and the Sagoths who had witnessed the brief drama; not, as I later learned, because I had championed the girl, but for the neat and, to them, astounding method by which I had bested Hooja.

And the girl? At first she looked at me with wide, wondering eyes, and then she dropped her head, her face half averted, and a delicate flush suffused her cheek. For a moment she stood thus in silence, and then her head went high, and she turned her back upon me as she had upon Hooja. Some of the prisoners laughed, and I saw the face of Ghak the Hairy One go very black as he looked at me searchingly. And what I could see of Dian's cheek went suddenly from red to white.

Immediately after we resumed the march, and though I realized that in some way I had offended Dian the Beautiful I could not prevail upon her to talk with me that I might learn wherein I had erred—in fact I might quite as well have been addressing a sphinx for all the attention I got. At last my own foolish pride stepped in and prevented my making any further attempts, and thus a companionship that without my realizing it had come to mean a great deal to me was cut off. Thereafter I confined my conversation to Perry. Hooja did not renew his advances toward the girl, nor did he again venture near me.

Again the weary and apparently interminable marching became a perfect nightmare of horrors to me. The more firmly fixed became the realization that the girl's friendship had meant so much to me, the more I came to miss it; and the more impregnable the barrier of silly pride. But I was very young and would not ask Ghak for the explanation which I was sure he could give, and that might have made everything all right again.

On the march, or during halts, Dian refused consistently to notice me—when her eyes wandered in my direction she looked either over my head or directly through me. At last I became desperate, and determined to swallow my self-esteem, and again beg her to tell me how I had offended, and how I might make reparation. I made up my mind that I should do this at the next halt. We were approaching another range of mountains at the time, and when we reached them, instead of winding across them through some high-flung pass we entered a mighty natural tunnel—a series of labyrinthine grottoes, dark as Erebus.

The guards had no torches or light of any description. In fact we had seen no artificial light or sign of fire since we had entered Pellucidar. In a land of perpetual noon there is no need of light above ground, yet I marveled that they had no means of lighting their way through these dark, subterranean passages. So we crept along at a snail's pace, with much stumbling and falling—the guards keeping up a singsong chant ahead of us, interspersed with certain high notes which I found always indicated rough places and turns.

Halts were now more frequent, but I did not wish to speak to Dian until I could see from the expression of her face how she was receiving my apologies. At last a faint glow ahead forewarned us of the end of the tunnel, for which I for one was devoutly thankful. Then at a sudden turn we emerged into the full light of the noonday sun.

But with it came a sudden realization of what meant to me a real catastrophe—Dian was gone, and with her a half-dozen other prisoners. The guards saw it too, and the ferocity of their rage was terrible to behold. Their awesome, bestial faces were contorted in the most diabolical expressions, as they accused each other of responsibility for the loss. Finally they fell upon us, beating us with their spear shafts, and hatchets. They had already killed two near the head of the line, and were like to have finished the balance of us when their leader finally put a stop to the brutal slaughter. Never in all my life had I witnessed a more horrible exhibition of bestial rage—I thanked God that Dian had not been one of those left to endure it.

"Did I not tell you that we of the ruling class owned all the land, all the forest, everything? Any food-getter who would not get food for us, him we punished or compelled to starve to death. And very few did that. They preferred to get food for us, and make clothes for us, and prepare and administer to us a thousand—a mussel-shell, Hoo-Hoo—a thousand satisfactions and delights. And I was Professor Smith in those days—Professor James Howard Smith. And my lecture courses were very popular—that is, very many of the young men and women liked to hear me talk about the books other men had written.

"And I was very happy, and I had beautiful things to eat. And my hands were soft, because I did no work with them, and my body was clean all over and dressed in the softest garments—
"He surveyed his mangy goat-skin with disgust.
"We did not wear such things in those days. Even the slaves had better garments. And we were most clean. We washed our faces and hands often every day. You boys never wash unless you fall into the water or go swimming."
, , ,

Oppo R11 Plus Specs and Price
 
 
Oppo R11 Plus is the plus-sized variant of Oppo’s latest flagship smartphone R11. Aside the larger display, the device comes with a bigger battery and ample RAM.

Oppo R11 Plus Key Specs & Features

  • 6.0-inch IPS Display, 1080 x 1920 pixels (367ppi)
  • Octa-core Qualcomm MSM8956 Plus Snapdragon 660 CPU with 6GB RAM
  • Android 7.1.1 (Nougat), ColorOS 3.1
  • 64GB built-in Storage, up to 256GB memory card
  • 20MP + 16MP Dual Rear Camera and 20MP Front Camera
  • 4G LTE Data
  • Fingerprint Scanner (Front)
  • 4000 mAh Battery with Fast Charging
Oppo R11 Plus

Design and Display

This upper mid-range smartphone sports similar construction as the regular variant. Oppo R11 Plus shows a sleek, all-metal body that is good news for durability. The profile is slim, but not as much as the R11, at 7.8 millimetres. It is bulkier at about 188 grams.
One of its distinguishing features is the huge display, which measures 6 inches in diagonal size. Resolution is 1,080 x 1,920 pixels, so you can expect great viewing on the AMOLED panel. Oppo R11 Plus enjoys Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection for the display.

Camera

The Oppo R11 Plus retains the impressive dual camera setup of its regular brother. It packs a 20MP sensor and another 16MP sensor on its rear. The main camera uses a Sony IMX398 sensor and has an aperture size of f/1.7.
You can also describe this as a selfie-focused phone with the robust 20MP shooter residing on the front, above the display. On paper, this promises spectacular selfies.

Hardware and Software

The same Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset seen on the Oppo R11 attends to business here. The octa-core processor should fare well, but it can be argued that Oppo could have provided a more robust offering for the Oppo R11 Plus.
It features 6GB RAM to provide needed boost for performance. There is 64 GB of onboard storage, which you will reportedly be able to extend. The Oppo R11 Plus ships with Android 7.1 Nougat featuring Oppo’s ColorOS 3.1 skin.

Other Specs and Features

Another highlight of the Oppo R11 Plus is its humongous battery with a capacity of 4,000 mAh. This looks like one to provide up to two-day battery life. It supports Oppo’s VOOC fast charge technology that supposedly gives you two hours of talk time from 5-minute charging.
You get a fingerprint sensor for fast unlocking and added security. The Oppo R11 Plus supports USB On-The-Go (OTG) for connecting other USB-based accessories. The smartphone offers LTE with VoLTE support and dual-band Wi-Fi.

Pricing and Availability

Oppo R11 Plus is available in Nigeria or Kenya. You can buy the smartphone at leading online stores in your country. Oppo R11 Plus Price can be delivered to your  doorstep upon ordering from Nairobi Smartphones at the best price of Ksh63,500/- Only.

Oppo R11 Plus Specs

Here are a few specs of the Oppo R11 Plus:

General Features

  • Platform: Android 7.1.1 (Nougat), ColorOS 3.1
  • Processor: Octa-core Processor: 2.2 GHz quad-core Kryo 260 & 1.8 GHz quad-core Kryo 260, (Qualcomm MSM8956 Plus Snapdragon 660)
  • GPU: Adreno 512
  • Memory: 6 GB RAM
  • Colours: Black, Gold, Rose Gold
  • Dimension: 165.8 x 81.5 x 7.8 mm
  • Weight: 188 g
  • SIM Type: Nano-SIM
  • SIM Count: Dual SIM, Dual stand-by

Display

  • Display: 6.0 inches, IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, 1080 x 1920 pixels (368 ppi)
  • Screen Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 5

Camera

  • Rear Camera: Dual Camera 20 MP, f/2.6 + 16 MP, f/1.7, 2160p HD Video@30fps
  • Rear Camera Features: Phase detection autofocus, LED flash, 1/2.8″ sensor size, 1.0 µm pixel size & 1/2.8″ sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama
  • Front Camera: 20 MP Camera, f/2.0

Storage

  • Built-in Storage: 64 GB
  • Memory Card Support: Yes, up to 256 GB
  • Bundled Cloud Storage: –

Network Support

  • 2G GSM: Yes
  • 2G CDMA 1X: –
  • 3G WCDMA: Yes
  • 3G CDMA EVDO: –
  • 4G LTE: Yes, LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 8(900), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)

Internet & Connectivity

  • GPRS: Yes
  • EDGE: Yes
  • 3G/WCDMA/HSPA: Yes
  • HSPA+: Yes
  • CDMA EVDO: –
  • 4G LTE: Yes
  • WLAN: Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct
  • Wi-Fi Hotspot: Yes
  • Bluetooth: Yes, Bluetooth v4.2, A2DP, LE, EDR
  • NFC: No
  • Infrared Blaster: No
  • USB Port: Yes, microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go

Messaging

  • SMS/MMS: Yes
  • Instant Messaging: Yes
  • Push Emails: Yes
  • Email Protocol: –

Entertainment

  • Music Player: MP3/WAV/eAAC+/FLAC player
  • Video Player: MP4/H.264 player
  • FM Radio: No
  • Loudspeaker: Yes
  • 3.5mm Jack: Yes

Navigation

  • Navigation: Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS
  • Maps: Yes

Sensors & Control

  • Digital Compass: Yes
  • Accelerometer: Yes
  • Proximity Sensor: Yes
  • Light Sensor: Yes
  • Barometer: No
  • SpO2: No
  • Pedometer: No
  • Heart Rate Monitor: No
  • Gyroscope: Yes
  • Fingerprint Scanner: Yes (Front)
  • Iris Scanner: No
  • Face Unlock: No
  • Intelligent Digital Assistant: –
  • Motion Sensing / Gesture Control: –
  • Voice Control: –

Other Features

  • Video Streaming: Yes
  • Active Noise Cancellation: Yes
  • Wireless Charging: No
  • Built-in Mobile Payment: No
  • Water Resistant: No
  • Dust Resistant: No
  • Image Editor: Yes
  • Video Editor: Yes
  • Document Viewer: yes
  • Document Editor: –

Battery

  • Battery: 4000 mAh Li-Ion Battery (Non-Removable)
  • Talktime: Yes, up to 15 hours
  • Standby Time: Yes, up to 340 hours
  • Fast Charging: Yes
, , ,

Sony Xperia R1 Plus Specs and Price

Featuring a clean design, the Sony Xperia R1 Plus is a smartphone aimed at those in search of a device ‘loaded with fun,’ according to its maker. Sony Xperia R1 Plus features an HD display and gets power to execute tasks from an octa-core Qualcomm processor. The major difference between the Sony Xperia R1 Plus and the more affordable Xperia R1 is that the former offers 3GB RAM and 32GB built-in storage as against the former’s 2GB RAM and 16GB storage.

Sony Xperia R1 Plus Key Specs & Features

  • 5.2-inch IPS Display, 720 x 1280 pixels (282ppi)
  • Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 CPU with 2GB / 3GBRAM
  • Android 7.0 (Nougat)
  • 13MP Rear Camera and 8MP Front Camera
  • 16GB / 32GB Storage, up to 256GB memory card
  • 4G LTE (up to 150 Mbps download)
  • 2620 mAh Battery with Fast Charging
Sony Xperia R1 Plus

Design and Display

The Sony Xperia R1 Plus shows a clean, decent design. This could have been one to cherish years ago. But with a plethora of attractive smartphones on the market these days, this one may struggle a bit to grab attention with its sharp corners and somewhat thick bezels at top and bottom.
Sony Xperia R1 Plus uses a 5.2-inch display just like its more affordable sibling, Xperia R1. This has a resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. Images should look sharp here, but it appears Sony over-hyped this somewhat.

Camera and Storage

Targets of the Sony Xperia R1 Plus appear to include people who take lots of images with their phones. It packs an ‘amazing’ 13 megapixel rear camera for preserving precious memories. This has 12 modes for better suiting the shots you take to your taste. The Exmor Sony sensor gets the backing of autofocus and LED flash for quality shots.
The Sony Xperia R1 Plus should impress when it comes to selfies, at least on paper. It offers you an 8MP sensor on the front. This has wide-angle lens for capturing more friends in your shots.

Hardware and Software

Users can expect powerful performance from the Sony Xperia R1 Plus, albeit not the best at this price. It is powered by an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor. Sony says you should expect no lag from this chip, but expect stunning graphics.
RAM of 3 GB looks respectable. You get 32 GB of inbuilt storage for keeping your photos, other files and apps. The Sony Xperia R1 Plus boots Android Nougat operating system from factory. There is promise of upgrade to Android 8.0 Oreo down the line.

Other Features

The Sony Xperia R1 Plus features 4G LTE (Cat. 4) support and a reversible USB Type-C port. The affordable Android phone offers other regular connectivity options, such as Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi, as well. Some users may find the battery capacity of 2,620 mAh somewhat on the low side of things, though.

Sony Xperia R1 Plus Specs

Here are a few specs of the Sony Xperia R1 Plus:

General Features

  • Platform: Android 7.1 (Nougat)
  • Processor: Octa-core Processor: 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 (Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430)
  • GPU: Adreno 505
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM or 3 GB RAM
  • Colours: Black, Silver
  • Dimension: 146 x 73.2 x 8.9 mm
  • Weight: 154 g
  • SIM Type: Nano-SIM
  • SIM Count: Dual SIM, Dual stand-by

Display

  • Display: 5.2 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, 720 x 1280 pixels (282 ppi)
  • Screen Protection: –

Camera

  • Rear Camera: 13 MP Camera, 1080p HD Video@30fps
  • Rear Camera Features: Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, predictive phase detection autofocus, LED flash
  • Front Camera: 8 MP Camera

Storage

  • Built-in Storage: 16 GB or 32 GB
  • Memory Card Support: Yes, to 256 GB
  • Bundled Cloud Storage: –

Network Support

  • 2G GSM: Yes
  • 2G CDMA 1X: –
  • 3G WCDMA: Yes
  • 3G CDMA EVDO: –
  • 4G LTE: Yes

Internet & Connectivity

  • GPRS: Yes
  • EDGE: Yes
  • 3G/WCDMA/HSPA: Yes
  • HSPA+: Yes, HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps
  • CDMA EVDO: –
  • 4G LTE: Yes, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps
  • WLAN: Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Wi-Fi Hotspot: Yes
  • Bluetooth: Yes, Bluetooth v4.2, A2DP, LE
  • NFC: No
  • Infrared Blaster: No
  • USB Port: Yes, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector

Messaging

  • SMS/MMS: Yes
  • Instant Messaging: Yes
  • Push Emails: Yes
  • Email Protocol: –

Entertainment

  • Music Player: Yes, MP3/eAAC+/WAV/Flac player
  • Video Player: Yes, MP4/H.264 player
  • FM Radio: Yes
  • Loudspeaker: Yes
  • 3.5mm Jack: Yes

Navigation

  • Navigation: Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS
  • Maps: Yes

Sensors & Control

  • Digital Compass: No
  • Accelerometer: Yes
  • Proximity Sensor: Yes
  • Light Sensor: Yes
  • Barometer: No
  • SpO2: No
  • Pedometer: No
  • Heart Rate Monitor: No
  • Gyroscope: No
  • Fingerprint Scanner: No
  • Iris Scanner: No
  • Face Unlock: No
  • Intelligent Digital Assistant: –
  • Motion Sensing / Gesture Control: –
  • Voice Control: –

Other Features

  • Video Streaming: Yes
  • Active Noise Cancellation: Yes
  • Wireless Charging: No
  • Built-in Mobile Payment: No
  • Water Resistant: No
  • Dust Resistant: No
  • Image Editor: Yes
  • Video Editor: Yes
  • Document Viewer: Yes
  • Document Editor: –

Battery

  • Battery: 2620 mAh Li-Ion Battery (Non-Removable)
  • Talktime: –
  • Standby Time: –
  • Fast Charging: Yes
, ,

` 
TODO alt text

For

  • Great for music
  • Mini apps
  • Premium and distinctive build
  • Powerful processor

Against

  • Terrible battery life
  • Underwhelming screen
  • Glitchy camera
  • Dated Android OS
This is the second time out the gate for the Sony Xperia Tablet S. It originally launched in September, but was quickly pulled from the shelves thanks to a manufacturing fault. That's unfortunate for Sony, because in the interim the Google Nexus 10, Amazon Kindle Fire HD, iPad 4 and iPad mini have all hit the market.
That gives this refresh of the Sony Tablet S some rather stiff competition. But with a premium build and specs to match, it's certainly still got a chance.
A striking folded book design ensures that the Sony Xperia Tablet S is eye catching, easily standing out from the hordes of identikit Android tablets. On top of that it's got a premium finish that brings to mind the build of an iPad more than most other tablets. The end result is that it looks stylish and expensive.
That sense of it being a premium device isn't just skin deep either. With a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor it should be pretty powerful too. Though it only has 1GB of RAM, and the 1280 x 800, 9.4-inch display isn't anything to write home about in resolution terms, coming in at just 161 pixels per inch.
That's a little disappointing, given that the similarly positioned Google Nexus 10 has 2GB of RAM and a 2560 x 1600, 300 ppi display.
Running Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Sony Xperia Tablet S isn't as up to date as it could be, but at least it's getting an update to the latest major version of Android.
The Sony Xperia Tablet S comes in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB varieties, with the option of Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi and 3G.



Features

With only 1GB of RAM, the Sony Xperia Tablet S doesn't stand up too well to the 2GB of RAM on what's likely to be one of its biggest rivals - the Google Nexus 10. But it's not too much of a problem, since 1GB is still the norm, with both the iPad 4 and the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity sporting 1GB of RAM.
Running Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, its operating system feels slightly dated too, though again many other tablets are in the same boat.
Its 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor is more competitive at least, since many tablets still rock dual-core processors.




Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 2.0 support are par for the course, but support for SD cards of up to 32GB gives the Sony Xperia Tablet S a selling point over an iPad or Nexus tablet, since neither of those have any expandable storage.
Interestingly it takes SD cards rather than micro SD cards. We're not sure why that is, particularly since it still only supports cards of up to 32GB, but it's worth noting.
The Sony Xperia Tablet S is powered by a 6,000mAh battery, which doesn't sound like much - the Google Nexus 10 rocks a 9,000mAh battery and the iPad 4 comes with an enormous 11,666mAh battery. Despite the relatively small size, Sony reckons that it should last a pretty reasonable 12 hours with 'standard usage'.
The Sony Xperia Tablet S is undoubtedly a premium device. With a shiny aluminium body and an iconic fold at the top, it really is a looker.



Viewed front-on it doesn't do quite as much to stand out, because it's basically just a black rectangle. But the start of the curve is still just visible at the top, making it at least a little different from the norm, while the slightly rounded corners ensure it doesn't look unattractive.
The front is also totally devoid of buttons, a sight that has started to become commonplace on Android tablets but was definitely the right way to go.
The only things you will find on the front are a black bezel around the edge of the screen, giving you somewhere to put your fingers without obscuring anything, along with a small 'Sony' logo at the top-left and a camera lens in the centre of the top edge, capable of taking 1 megapixel photos and shooting videos in 720p.
The 9.4-inch LCD screen is only 1280 x 800, giving it a relatively low pixel density of 161 PPI. It's certainly not the best screen you'll ever come across.



Numbers aside, the resolution is noticeably worse than even the Google Nexus 7, let alone the iPad 4 or Google Nexus 10, while its brightness and contrast isn't desperately impressive either.
It does at least provide good viewing angles, staying visible from pretty much any position. While the screen never gets all that bright, there is also a useful auto-brightness option, which will dim or brighten the screen automatically based on how bright your surroundings are.
The back sports that stylish black fold at the top while the rest of it is shiny aluminium.
The main 8 megapixel, 1080p camera can be found in the centre of the fold, otherwise the only real feature is a pair of small speakers running along the bottom left and bottom right of the back.
The bottom edge of the Sony Xperia Tablet S houses a 'multi-port' that the charger and included USB cable connect to.



There isn't a dedicated HDMI port, but you can purchase an adaptor that enables you to connect the multi-port via HDMI. There's a removable cover for the port, and while the cover is on, the Sony Xperia Tablet S is supposedly splash proof, though of course you'd still do well to keep it away from any significant amount of liquid.
The right edge holds the tablet's only two buttons - a power button at the top (which is also used to sleep and wake the tablet) and a volume rocker just below it. They stick out enough to be easy to press but the curved sides mean that they aren't prominent enough to spoil the lines.


The left edge has a 3.5mm headphone port at the top and a covered SD card slot slightly further down.
The top edge curves off into the fold on the back, with no ports or buttons to spoil it.
The tablet generally feels good in the hand. Weighing 570g, it's slightly lighter than some of its rivals (the Google Nexus 10 is 603g while the iPad 4 weighs 652g) and the difference is noticeable.
It makes it light enough to hold comfortably for longer, while still being weighty enough to not feel cheap.
The folded edge on the back does make it ever so slightly top-heavy and unbalanced when held in landscape mode, and as such it's advisable to hold it with the fold at the bottom - even though that appears to be upside-down.



On the other hand, the fold has a mottled feel to it that both makes it pleasant to hold and leaves it feeling secure in your hand.
Along with the curved edges and relatively light weight of the tablet, this makes it a great device to use for long periods without a stand. Whether you're watching movies, playing games or web browsing, it provides a pleasant, comfortable experience.



With dimensions of 239.8 x 174.4 x 8.8mm (9.44 x 6.87 x 0.35 inches) the Sony Xperia Tablet S is not the sleekest tablet you'll ever see, though folded back aside it is quite slim and definitely doesn't look or feel overly large.
It certainly ticks a lot of boxes, with a premium build, expandable storage (along with up to 64GB onboard), a fast processor and a 3G version available.


 On the other hand, the screen is a bit of a disappointment and Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich is two iterations behind, but for the Ksh45,000/- price tag it has still got a lot going for it.


Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

MARI themes

Owned by Nairobi Smartphones. Powered by Blogger.