In today's world, "Phablets" or "Phone Tablets" have had a relatively poor reception or uptake in some countries, mainly due to the conception (or misconception) of the idea, where people tend to think of them as "giant phones".
I proffer you an alternative view, think of them as an "ultra portable tablet" or 'ultratab', with 3G (or 4G / LTE) built in and a backup phone to boot.
In the search for a device that was small enough to fit in a "leg bag", yet big enough to work with, I have become the owner of an iPad, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad mini, Nexus 7 - 2013 edition, Asus Transformer, Asus Slider, Asus Trio, Asus ME400... the list goes on), all this in search of a portable tablet that will be small enough and light enough to travel with, but still provide the functionality of a normal tablet.
The issue with most tablets, is the size, weight and functionality. Too big carry to carry around or to fit in a handbag and most have only Wi-Fi capability (unless you opt for a cellular version). As you know tablets without internet is usually of much less use.
The Sony Xperia Z Ultra, offers all these components, it's lightweight, small enough to fit in a handbag (or leg bag in my case) and has full phone and data capabilities. It also has a nice clear screen, making reading a pleasure. (I use it for Kindle, Kobo and Google play books).
For those looking to get a tablet with a stylus, this ultratab's screen is so amazingly sensitive, you can use a normal pen or most any pointed object, as a stylus. The screen is made from mineral toughened scratch proof glass (but I would not recommend or risk using a diamond ring to test it).
The keyboard app I use for typing is Swype. Like any other keyboard, it takes time to learn it's capabilities but once you've mastered its nuances, you will find that it's capabilities as well as it's beautifully built in shortcuts and gestures, allow you to type as fast as you could on a normal keyboard. Swype has been smart enough to incorporate standard PC functions such as CTRL+C and CTRL+V (copy and paste) using it's keyboard shortcuts. Matter of factly, this blog is currently being written on my Sony Xperia Z Ultra, using Swype.
Battery life is good with usage lasting me a full day (starting from 8am, I get down to 20% at around 10pm at night - with work done and minor games). This can't really compare to the battery lifespan of a tablet, but in reality, most of us will have our tablets on a charger by nights end anyhow.
Storage is no problems here either as the ultratab comes standard with 16GB of space and is expandable via MicroSD (I have an additional 64GB, class 10 MicroSD card inserted)
Did I also mention, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, is water proof, and dust proof. It is rated to be able to withstand water, up to 1 meter (but less than 3 metres). So if you're caught in a heavy downpour, or quirky and you want to use this in the shower or bath, you can. (Please read the instructions supplied with the phone / tablet /ultratab to confirm its full abilities)
To get away from looking too dorky (holding the phone up to your ear to take calls), supplementing the Sony Xperia Z Ultra with a Bluetooth headset or headphones is the go. This allows you to use the ultratab as a note taker or for searching contacts or the internet while on a call.
So, if you're looking for a 7 or 8 inch tablet that has cellular capability and a spare phone boot, I urge you to consider getting a Sony Xperia Z Ultra instead and give it a go.
I proffer you an alternative view, think of them as an "ultra portable tablet" or 'ultratab', with 3G (or 4G / LTE) built in and a backup phone to boot.
In the search for a device that was small enough to fit in a "leg bag", yet big enough to work with, I have become the owner of an iPad, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad mini, Nexus 7 - 2013 edition, Asus Transformer, Asus Slider, Asus Trio, Asus ME400... the list goes on), all this in search of a portable tablet that will be small enough and light enough to travel with, but still provide the functionality of a normal tablet.
The issue with most tablets, is the size, weight and functionality. Too big carry to carry around or to fit in a handbag and most have only Wi-Fi capability (unless you opt for a cellular version). As you know tablets without internet is usually of much less use.
The Sony Xperia Z Ultra, offers all these components, it's lightweight, small enough to fit in a handbag (or leg bag in my case) and has full phone and data capabilities. It also has a nice clear screen, making reading a pleasure. (I use it for Kindle, Kobo and Google play books).
For those looking to get a tablet with a stylus, this ultratab's screen is so amazingly sensitive, you can use a normal pen or most any pointed object, as a stylus. The screen is made from mineral toughened scratch proof glass (but I would not recommend or risk using a diamond ring to test it).
The keyboard app I use for typing is Swype. Like any other keyboard, it takes time to learn it's capabilities but once you've mastered its nuances, you will find that it's capabilities as well as it's beautifully built in shortcuts and gestures, allow you to type as fast as you could on a normal keyboard. Swype has been smart enough to incorporate standard PC functions such as CTRL+C and CTRL+V (copy and paste) using it's keyboard shortcuts. Matter of factly, this blog is currently being written on my Sony Xperia Z Ultra, using Swype.
Battery life is good with usage lasting me a full day (starting from 8am, I get down to 20% at around 10pm at night - with work done and minor games). This can't really compare to the battery lifespan of a tablet, but in reality, most of us will have our tablets on a charger by nights end anyhow.
Storage is no problems here either as the ultratab comes standard with 16GB of space and is expandable via MicroSD (I have an additional 64GB, class 10 MicroSD card inserted)
Did I also mention, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, is water proof, and dust proof. It is rated to be able to withstand water, up to 1 meter (but less than 3 metres). So if you're caught in a heavy downpour, or quirky and you want to use this in the shower or bath, you can. (Please read the instructions supplied with the phone / tablet /ultratab to confirm its full abilities)
To get away from looking too dorky (holding the phone up to your ear to take calls), supplementing the Sony Xperia Z Ultra with a Bluetooth headset or headphones is the go. This allows you to use the ultratab as a note taker or for searching contacts or the internet while on a call.
So, if you're looking for a 7 or 8 inch tablet that has cellular capability and a spare phone boot, I urge you to consider getting a Sony Xperia Z Ultra instead and give it a go.
Comments