THIS TABLET IS A STAND-UP ARTISTE!

When tablet PCs are larger than eight inches, it can be uncomfortable to hold in your hands for long. And when it is 10.1 inches — a frozen shoulder and a numb wrist is a given. iBall seems to have got the message. The new SlideBrace X-1 tablet comes with an integrated flexible kickstand which lets you set it up horizontally as a second screen on your desktop or upright for video conferencing.

In keeping with its dual work-play avatars, the Brace X1 has a powerful 8-core MediaTek processor, 2 GB of DDR3 RAM and 16 GB of storage expandable to 32GB. The cameras are good — a 13MP rear cam with autofocus and a 5MP for selfies. There are two standard sized 3G SIM slots hidden behind the stand and the FM Radio has a record mode.

The default apps installed include Whatsapp, Hungama, Myntra and Quikr — but what I found most useful was the news aggregation tool ‘Newshunt’ — the most wide-ranging collection of hard news, entertainment, finance and technology. The display is 1,280 by 800 pixels IPS — not full HD but better than 720p and the dual chamber speakers in the stand belt out very clear sound. The virtual touch keyboard can be set to any of 17 Indian languages but I am a bit mystified at the lack of a physical keyboard. When you set the tablet upright on your desk, how do you use the virtual keys? We reviewed the iBall Slide WQ149 last year — and it came with a light external keyboard and that cost just `4,000 more. The Brace X1 which costs `17,999, is heavier at 700 gms, possibly due to the large 7800 mAh batteries. While I applaud the very sturdy design, I still wish for a physical keyboard.

— IndiaTechOnline

It has a 13MP rear cam with autofocus and a 5MP for selfies