Monday, August 6, 2012

Review, Zync Z 999 Plus tablet


You don't have much choice when it comes to low cost tablets with voice calling. Thankfully, Zync has stepped up to the plate with an offering that may surprise you, at a price that will make you smile. As far as appearances go, there's not much to differentiate the Z999-Plus from most other budget 7-inch tablets. 

However, this one has a nicer matte finish plastic all-round, a rear-facing camera and the all-important full size SIM card slot (which enables voice calls and 3G data). And yes, the device does have a phone earpiece — so that you can hold it up to your ear to take calls. In essence, it's an oversized Android phone with a 7-inch (800 x 480 pixel) display. 
For the price, you get a 1.5Ghz processor, Mali 400 graphics chip, 512MB RAM, 8GB flash memory (expandable by 32GB via micro SD), VGA front camera, 2 MP rear camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and HDMI. You won't find the device lacking in performance when it comes to day-to-day use and even gaming and video playback performance is good. A slight issue is the 512MB RAM which can create a problem if too many apps are running simultaneously. 

Call quality was acceptable - you can make receive calls using the earpiece, loudspeaker or with a wired/wireless headset. If you use the device as a phone, you can expect about a day of battery life — or roughly 4 to 5 hours of continuous use with internet/video playback. 

Note that the tablet doesn't have GPS or automatic screen brightness and the rear camera quality leaves a lot to be desired. Instead of a rear camera, we would have preferred if it had a brighter and higher resolution screen. 

Having said that, the Z-999 Plus offers a unique proposition thanks to the features and the attractive price. The only other budget tablet with comparable hardware and voice calling support is the new Reliance 3G Tab - but you can only use it on the Reliance network. 

If you can spend up to Rs 19,000, Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 (also with a 7-inch screen) is a great option. It also does voice calling, has better build quality, a much better screen and overall better features.

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