TechGazing

Olive Telecom has unveiled India’s first 3G tablet. Called the OlivePad, it comes packed with some very impressive specifications. Its screen is a tad smaller than the iPad’s but on the flip side, it comes with high-speed wireless broadband (Tata), USB connectivity, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, two cameras (one at the back and one for video calling), and what we like most of all, the Android 2.1 operating system. The price, we believe, will be less than Rs 25,000 and the tablet itself will be seen in Indian markets in August. An iPad killer? We know not, but the specs are certainly very impressive.

The iPad might not have arrived on Indian shores yet, but you can be sure of one thing - come Thursday, India will see its first 3G-enabled tablet device. Olive Telecom are the folks launching it - if we remember right, they were the first ones off the mark with the first 3G-enabled laptop in the country too. The launch is scheduled to happen in Delhi around noon on Thursday.

Of course, there are a host of questions that spring to mind at the announcement - what operating system will the tablet run on (Android, Windows, proprietary), what will be the connectivity costs (3G connectivity ain’t cheap from what we have seen), what will be the functions available on the tablet (will it be able to take photographs) and most importantly, what will be the price tag that it carries? Given Olive’s reputation for solid, value-for-money devices, we are hoping in our heart of hearts for an Android tablet that costs less than Rs 20,000, but we will know only on Thursday. Watch this space until then.

It is getting close to a week since it hit the market, but the buzz around Apple’s iPad refuses to die down. Now, unnamed sources have claimed that Apple is working on a smaller version of the gadget, to be released next year. The rumoured iPad “mini” would have a 5-7 inch screen as compared to the 9.7 inch screen seen on the current one. The price of the device will also be slashed, bringing it closer to USD 400, as compared to the USD 499 that it commands right now. The reason for this minitiarisation (is that a word?) evidently is the fact that some users have found the existing iPad a bit too big to use comfortably.

So, will Apple shrink the iPad? As with most things from the Cupertino company, we cannot really say. However, we do think it is a tad unlikely as a 5-inch iPad would be dangerously close to one of Apple’s best selling products, the iPod touch. Seven inches? Well, that does seem a bit more likely, but would it make a significant size change? Hmmm…pardon us, but we are a tad cynical about this rumour. Still, one never knows with Apple, does one?

It went on sale officially over the weekend, and has sold more than 3,00,000 units in next to no time. And the reviews are coming in as well. We are, of course, referring to the latest ubergizmo in town, Apple’s iPad. While we are still waiting for it in India, here are some reviews from leading tech pundits to help you make up your mind:

Walter Mossberg (Wall Street Journal): “The iPad is an advance in making more-sophisticated computing possible via a simple touch interface on a slender, light device. Only time will tell if it’s a real challenger to the laptop and netbook.”

Engadget:” Does the iPad evolve the personal computer in a significant way? Yeah, actually, it kind of does. Despite what you think right now, and despite the limitations Apple has put on some aspects of this device, what it says to the market is significant. The iPad is powerful, elegant, and largely unlike any computer you’ve ever used.” Continue reading »

Apple’s much-hyped iPad goes on sale in the US from tomorrow and from what we have seen and heard, there is interest all over the world in the device. Even in India, people are wondering whether they should ask their friends in the US to pick one up for them. Well, we have come up with a seven-point checklist for users to make up their minds about the iPad. You need an iPad if: Continue reading »

Now that it is official that the Apple iPad will be hitting stores in the US on 3 April (no news of an Indian release yet, alas), interest in the device is reaching new dimensions. Every person with the slightest interest in technology is full of questions about Apple’s latest gizmo. If you too have a query or two about the iPad, we suggest you pay a visit to CNet’s All About the iPad (FAQ) in the Circuit Breaker section, written by Erica Ogg and Donald Bell. It pretty much answers most queries, barring that one about an Indian launch (and price). But then, ah, no one is perfect. Definitely worth a look for everyone interested in the iPad.

It may not be as magical as Steve Jobs made it out to be, but we still think Apple’s iPad packs enough in it to turn the tech world upside down. And no, not because we got five of our seven predictions about it right. In fact, it is the prediction that we got wrong that might make the biggest difference.

Continue reading »