Before we get started I think it’d be worthwhile identifying the purpose of a 5 inch tablet. A lot of you with high end smart phones might wonder why anyone would need one of these, and I agree that there is a huge overlap between smartphones and these 5 inch Android tabs. But aside from the uncontrollable gadget lust that forces me to part with my cash every once in a while, it does have its niche to fill.
When I was a kid I always wanted a PMP. I remember ogling over various Archos, Creative and RCA players on ebay – 10 years later I still wanted one, despite owning a smartphone. I can’t speak for all current or previous generation phones out there but in the case of my HTC Desire (and some current generation smartphones that my friends own) it is useless as a PMP. The sound quality through speaker is abysmal, through headphones it’s dull and flat. Its video capabilities are lack lustre at best and even if they weren’t then the battery would probably let me down before a movie had finished anyway. Phones have a long way to go before they can call themselves competitive MP3 or video players.
So this is where the niche lies. A large screened but pocketable device with good sound quality, almost limitless video capabilities and a battery that isn’t going to roll over and die half way through a film. Can it be done? And more importantly can it be done well? Read on for a brick wall of text…