In summary
Good: Awesome specs, USB ports, SD and SIM card slots
Bad: The price (double the price of an iPad) and the software not specifically developed for the tablet.
Rating: 6/10
Price: R8 399
Contact: www.masterpad.co.za
Tablet PCs are being churned out every few weeks or so, with almost every computing company wanting a piece of the action. The MasterPad, along with many others like it unveiled at CES this year, is aiming to be the best tablet PC around.
The first thing I noticed about it is how heavy it is. The maker, by the same name, advertises that it is only 14mm thick and “is very light”, but this weighs in heavier than the iPad and almost as heavy as my 10-inch netbook.
The specs are impressive with 11.6-inch multi-touch screen, a 64b, 1.67GHz Atom processor, 3G, wireless and Bluetooth connectivity and up to 2GB RAM. It also has a full-HD 1080P screen, though if not charging, is very dim and it's difficult to touch your way through the Windows 7 interface to get to the brightness setting.
Up on the iPad, it has two USB ports, an HDMI port, as well as SD and SIM card slots. There is a built-in Web cam and microphone, making it ideal for using VOIP services on-the-go. It contains a 64GB SSD as well as a built in GPS module, though the software is not included.
Very good on paper. But I am not impressed. It runs Windows 7, and is thus accessible to the layman who doesn't want to deal with learning an entirely new interface, but this is also one of the MasterPad's biggest downfalls.
The software is designed for use on laptops and PCs and does not translate well onto a tablet. You need a keyboard and mouse or touchpad with Windows and although there are USB ports for this, it nullifies the company's claimed “power-with-portability”.
There is a docking station for it and this would make using it easier, but it's bulky, slips when you carry it in the crook of your arm and, does not provide the ease-of-use a tablet PC is supposed to. Also, the battery life is a bit lacklustre, at four to five hours on standby, and three when in use. Not great for a work day on-the-move.
It has perfect specs but a bad choice of software and ill-conceived design. Though the MasterPad's specs are impressive, playing with it showed me just how much work it needs.
Then there's the price. At R8 399 a pop, I'd rather spend that on a high-end netbook.
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