 "HCL ME Y3: A calling tab")
Dual-SIM phones are passe, so are tablets which can make voice calls like phones do. But what if someone were to combine these two?
HCL has done precisely that with Y3, a seven-inch 3G calling tablet. Running on Android Ice Cream Sandwich, the device sports a one-Ghz single-core processor and one-GB RAM. The tablet looks smart, and is easy to hold and the interface is typically HCL - with access to its ME App Store. While the ME App Store has its fair share of applications and games, they aren't a patch on the Google Play Store; so, buyers should keep that in mind before going in for this tablet.
The tablet has two spring-loaded SIM slots and a microSD slot to expand its measly internal memory of four GB (up to 32GB cards are supported). The speaker grille is on the back. But for the big company logo on the back, there's a sophisticated look to the tablet. At 323 g, it isn't very heavy for a tablet. It has a 3.2-megapixel (MP) rear camera and shots are as good as a similar camera's on a phone without flash. The 0.3MP front camera is just fine for video calls.
Viewing angles are quite good for the tablet, as is its performance in sunlight. As long as one doesn't run too many apps, performance doesn't take a hit. We noticed some stutter while playing 720p videos, while 1080p videos were virtually unplayable.
The tablet brings with it the advantage of using one SIM for calls and the other for data, and due to its larger form, sending text messages is a breeze. The device also bundles in an FM radio but one needs to keep the earphones plugged in to get signal. One can also record the radio stream. The phone also features an FM transmitter, which means one can stream the audio to any FM radio, a useful feature if you like watching movies on a tab but weren't happy with the audio output. The tablet bundles in other connectivity options such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, helpful if you want to connect to the home network or connect a pair of wireless headphones for calling. And, it has the usual ports.
Despite a 3,100-mAh battery, it doesn't last long. We could barely get through watching The Sound of Music before the battery got drained.
This is a unique product if you want to make calls from a tablet but it's not cheap at Rs 11,999. And the hardware is pretty old.
HCL ME Y3
Price: Rs 11,999
Screen: 7-inch 1,024x600 multi-touch
Weight: 323g
OS: Android 4
RAM: 1 GB
Processor: 1 Ghz single core
Memory: 4 GB, expandable via microSD (up to 32GB cards supported)
Camera (rear/front): 3.2MP /0.3MP
Battery: 3,100 mAh
HCL has done precisely that with Y3, a seven-inch 3G calling tablet. Running on Android Ice Cream Sandwich, the device sports a one-Ghz single-core processor and one-GB RAM. The tablet looks smart, and is easy to hold and the interface is typically HCL - with access to its ME App Store. While the ME App Store has its fair share of applications and games, they aren't a patch on the Google Play Store; so, buyers should keep that in mind before going in for this tablet.
The tablet has two spring-loaded SIM slots and a microSD slot to expand its measly internal memory of four GB (up to 32GB cards are supported). The speaker grille is on the back. But for the big company logo on the back, there's a sophisticated look to the tablet. At 323 g, it isn't very heavy for a tablet. It has a 3.2-megapixel (MP) rear camera and shots are as good as a similar camera's on a phone without flash. The 0.3MP front camera is just fine for video calls.
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The tablet brings with it the advantage of using one SIM for calls and the other for data, and due to its larger form, sending text messages is a breeze. The device also bundles in an FM radio but one needs to keep the earphones plugged in to get signal. One can also record the radio stream. The phone also features an FM transmitter, which means one can stream the audio to any FM radio, a useful feature if you like watching movies on a tab but weren't happy with the audio output. The tablet bundles in other connectivity options such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, helpful if you want to connect to the home network or connect a pair of wireless headphones for calling. And, it has the usual ports.
Despite a 3,100-mAh battery, it doesn't last long. We could barely get through watching The Sound of Music before the battery got drained.
This is a unique product if you want to make calls from a tablet but it's not cheap at Rs 11,999. And the hardware is pretty old.
HCL ME Y3
Price: Rs 11,999
Screen: 7-inch 1,024x600 multi-touch
Weight: 323g
OS: Android 4
RAM: 1 GB
Processor: 1 Ghz single core
Memory: 4 GB, expandable via microSD (up to 32GB cards supported)
Camera (rear/front): 3.2MP /0.3MP
Battery: 3,100 mAh