Photographs: Anatolii Stepanov/Reuters
In just couple of years, sales of computer tablets have picked up so much speed that more than 70 per cent of mobile developers are now targeting tablets versus 93 per cent for smartphones and 18 per cent for feature phones, according to Wikipedia.
Let's take a look at some tablets that captured the imagination and wallets of users around the world in 2013.
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Best of 2013: 10 tablets that users found irresistable
Photographs: Mike Segar/Reuters
iPad Air
Manufacturer: Foxconn
Release date: November 1, 2013
Operating system: iOS 7.0.4
Storage capacity: 16, 32, 64 or 128 GB flash memory
Memory: 1 GB RAM
iPad Air, which received rave reviews on its launch, was a major design departure for Apple as it was thinner and smaller than iPad 2. Although the price tag is hefty, but the sleek look, lighter chassis and beautiful design somehow justifies the cost. It would take something special to overthrow this baby from the throne.
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Best of 2013: 10 tablets that users found irresistable
Photographs: Robert Galbraith/Reuters
iPad Mini 2 with Retina
Manufacturer: Foxconn
Release date: November 19, 2013
Operating system: iOS 7.0.4
Storage capacity: 16, 32, 64 or 128 GB flash memory
Memory: 1 GB RAM
iPad Mini 2 with Retina, whose aluminium back, a superfast A7 chip and large screen oozes style from every corner, packs in pixels in a smaller space thus offering greater sharpness to text and pictures without draining the batteries out - which is a miracle in itself.
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Best of 2013: 10 tablets that users found irresistable
Photographs: Gustau Nacarino/Reuters
Sony Xperia Tablet Z
Manufacturer: Sony Mobile Communications
Release date: February 9, 2013
Operating systems: Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, 4.3 Jelly Bean and 4.4 Kit Kat
Storage capacity: 16 GB
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Sony Xperia Tablet Z, which is dust protected, low pressure water jet protected and also waterproof, features a 13.1 MP Exmor RS camera sensor as well as a full HD (1080p) display.
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Best of 2013: 10 tablets that users found irresistable
Photographs: Beck Diefenbach/Reuters
Google Nexus 7
Manufacturer: Asus
Release date: July 26, 2013
Operating system: Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and Android 4.4 Kitkat
Storage capacity: 16 or 32 GB
Memory: 2 GB DDR3L RAM
Google Nexus 7, which won praise for its size, design, display, price, inclusion of a rear-facing camera, etc., is expected to see sales hit eight million in 2013 alone.
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Best of 2013: 10 tablets that users found irresistable
LG G Pad 8.3
Manufacturer: LG Electronics
Release date: October 2013
Operating system: Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Storage capacity: 16 GB flash memory, microSDXC slot (up to 64 GB)
Memory: 2 GB
LG G Pad 8.3, which is currently available in a WiFi-only variant, has a 8.3-inch WUXGA TFT screen with a resolution of 1920x1200 pixel. It also features a 1.3 MP front camera without flash and 5.0 MP AF rear-facing camera. The tablet can record HD videos.
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Best of 2013: 10 tablets that users found irresistable
Google Nexus 10
Manufacturer: Samsung Electronics
Release date: February 5, 2013
Operating system: Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) upgradable to Android 4.4
Storage capacity: 16 or 32 GB flash memory
Memory: 2 GB 12.8 GB/s LPDDR3 RAM
Google Nexus 10, which was sold out as soon as it hit the shelves, comes with a 10.1-inch, 2560×1600 pixel display, panoramic photo stitching, a quick settings menu, widgets on the lock screen, gesture typing, an updated version of Google Now, and multiple user accounts for tablets.
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Best of 2013: 10 tablets that users found irresistable
Photographs: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Microsoft Surface Pro 2
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Release date: October 22, 2013
Operating system: Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit
Storage capacity: 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
Memory: 4/8 GB dual-channel DDR3-1600 (25.6 GB/sec)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2, which succeeds the Surface Pro released in February 2013, features upgraded internal hardware, such as 1.6 GHz fourth generation Intel Core i5-4200U processor, 10.6-inch 10-point 1080p multi-touch digitizer LCD display with a Wacom stylus pen and a fourth-generation (Haswell) Intel Core i5 processor.
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Best of 2013: 10 tablets that users found irresistable
Photographs: Lee Jae-Won/Reuters
iPad mini
Manufacturers: Foxconn, Pegatron
Release date: November 2, 2012
Operating system: iOS 7.0.4
Storage capacity: 16, 32, or 64 GB flash memory
Memory: 512 MB DDR2 RAM
iPad mini, which is a sub-series of the iPad line of tablets, has multi-touch screen, headset controls, proximity and ambient light sensors, front-facing 1.2MP and rear-facing 5MP cameras, and 7.9-inch (200.66 mm) diagonal LED-backlit Multi-Touch display.
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Best of 2013: 10 tablets that users found irresistable
Photographs: Source, Sparklism/Wikimedia Commons
Tesco Hudl
Manufacturers: Tesco
Release date: September 30, 2013
Operating system: Android Jelly Bean
Storage capacity: 16 GB flash memory
Memory: 1 GB RAM
Tesco Hudl, which is marketed by the British retailer Tesco, has a seven inch screen, a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor and 16 GB of internal flash memory.
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Best of 2013: 10 tablets that users found irresistable
Photographs: Gustau Nacarino/Reuters
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0
Manufacturers: Samsung Electronics
Release date: April 11, 2013
Operating system: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean (upgradable to 4.2.2 Jelly Bean)
Storage capacity: 16/32 GB flash memory, microSDXC slot (up to 64 GB)
Memory: 2 GB
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, which fits into a new size category in the Note series, has multi-touch screen, digital compass, proximity and ambient light sensors, accelerometer and Wacom digitiser and 5.0MP AF rear facing and 1.3 MP front facing cameras.
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