Bigger isn’t always better. For many people, these midsize machines are the best options out there for consuming media on the go.
The Basics
Didn’t Steve Jobs say these would never be viable?
Yes. He was wrong. When Jobs said that back in 2010, 7-inch tablets had low-res screens and underpowered internals that made them more like clunky phones than ultraportable tablets, but they’ve come a long way since then. The best among them boast HD displays and the same quad-core CPUs found in many top-end 10-inch tablets. They’re as fast and vibrant as full-size tablets but weigh about half as much and can fit in a jacket pocket.
So what do they do best?
Reading and email. A full-size tablet will always be better for gaming, web browsing, and watching videos (though none of those things are a struggle on a 7-incher). And nothing beats your phone for portable connectivity. But reading for hours at a stretch is much nicer with these than with something the size and weight of an iPad, and, relative to smartphones, the larger screens and keyboards make these much nicer for emailing on the go. (Yes, you’ll have fewer typos.)
How about apps?
That’s the rub with Android tablets. They don’t get nearly as many tablet-specific apps as the iPad does. (Google won’t disclose the figure, but it’s far short of the 225,000 iPad-specific titles.) So on Android tablets, you often end up having to use stretched-out phone apps, which look pretty awful on a 10-inch screen. On a 7-incher, however, those apps have a much cleaner appearance.
Buying Advice
The rumors of a smaller iPad are just too strong to ignore. (Actually, Apple may have announced one by the time you read this.) So if you live your mobile life in iOS, hold off. But if you’re an Android user or just like the idea of a fast and simple mobile hub for your books, magazines, music, and email, nothing will serve you better than one of these.
Photo: Greg Broom