As people keep saying tablets are dead, some of us can’t stop planning for the perfect tablet we want to own some day. In our recent 24Bit Episode, TechArena, TechTrendsKe and Android Kenya discussed the death of tablets. I wasn’t part of the discussion but I added my sentiments somewhere in the video saying I am a believer of tablets. Watch the discussion here:
https://24bit.tech/2018/08/03/episode-11-are-tablets-dead/
Manufacturers seem to have given up on tablets. Expect for Apple, whose iPad is still doing pretty well. We are not seeing new announcements everywhere like we used to a couple of years back. But Xiaomi, Huawei and Samsung seem to be the few manufacturers still producing Android tablets. These are the three options for an Android Oreo tablet.
The lineup of Xiaomi Mi tablets used to look eerily similar to iPads. Things have definitely changed with the Mi Pad 4. The aspect ratio has changed. The screen resolution has reduced to 1920×1200. And the battery size is now only 6000mAh compared to the predecessor’s 6600mAh. But there’s a new Snapdragon 660 processor which combined with that display and that battery sounds promising. You can be guaranteed over 8hrs of screen on time on normal use.
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Specifications:
| Display | 8 inch IPS Full HD 1200×1920 |
| Battery | 6000mAh |
| Cameras | Back: 13MP Camera Front: 5MP Camera |
| Processors | Qualcomm SDM660 Snapdragon 660 |
| RAM and Storage | 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage |
| Operating System | Android 8.1 Oreo |
| Network | 4G Models, WiFi only models |
| Extras | Face Unlock, USB type-C |
My major reason for wanting a tablet is it gives more real estate to work with when consuming media: whether reading an ebook, browsing the web, watching a video, or gaming. And the 8 inch Mi Pad 4 is perfect for all that. Plus at its size, you can pull it out anywhere at home, or in public and enjoy your media.
The good thing about tablets is that they have a longer lifespan than smartphones. My 10 inch Huawei MediaPad 10.1 Link+ was almost 4 years old when it was time to give up on it. The specs allow for it to still be a usable device right now, but the company never sent out software updates and that’s how it had to be retired.
I’ve found the Xiaomi ecosystem to be really good with updates, meaning this tablet will definitely do 4+ years comfortably. I mean for reading and watching, there’s nothing that will change so much in the next 4 years. I don’t expect it to get a new version of Android anyway. What I know is that with the MiUI skin, and updates, one enjoys a superior experience.
If you want the tablet in Kenya, I’ve seen Avechi.com is your only option at Ksh. 30,000. If I get it, expect a full review here.
The new Samsung Tab S4 is proof Android Tablets can beat the iPad
