Stretching to satisfy

An Android-based tablet computer with three styles of usage and a long battery life, Lenovo Yoga Tablet comes in 8-inch and 10-inch display models. 

The 8-inch model tested here features a multi-touch screen with 1,280 x 800-pixel resolution and a 178-degree wide viewing angle.

It runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system and is powered by 1.2 GHz quad-core processor. It has 1 gigabyte of RAM or active memory and 16 GB of storage, expandable with a microSD card.

The Yoga Tablet supports the 3G connection of 900 and 2100 MHz. And it has a 5 megapixel rear camera and 1.6 megapixel front camera.

The tablet also boasts Dolby Digital Plus DS1 technology so you can also use it as a portable music player.

Lenovo says the Yoga’s design is based on three challenges tablet users face. One of the challenges identified by Lenovo designers and engineers is that users tend to become fatigued when holding and using the tablet. Also most tablets don’t have a self-supporting mechanism when they are laid on a flat surface and finally, most also don’t have an adequate viewing angle when they sit on a table.

These common inconveniences prompted Lenovo to design a cylindrical handle for the Yoga, This can be extended as a stand in one mode, serve as a stand when closed in another mode and also serve as a grip in the holding mode.

When you use the tablet in the holding mode, the cylindrical handle fits your hand and give you better control over the device. This mode makes reading, checking social media and browsing the web much easier. 

You can use the Yoga Tablet in the stand mode by simply rotating the side of cylinder by 90 degrees so that the tablet stand deploys, allowing the tablet to stand by itself on a desk or table.

You can change the viewing angle to fit what’s comfortable for you from 110 degree to 135 degree. Standmode makes it easy for you to comfortably watch movies, place video calls and interact with the 10-finger touch screen without having to rely on add-on accessories. 

You can also lay the Yoga Tablet down in tilt mode to type directly on the tablet, play games or just a better viewing angle as you surf the ’Net.

You can also enable the tablet’s auto-detection software that automatically brings up frequently used apps in hold and stand modes.

The Yoga Tablet also has a long battery life of up to 16 hours thanks to its cylindrical handle, which packs in powerful, dual batteries. Unlike most tablets, Yoga Tablet uses batteries typically found in laptop computers. Best of all, the Yoga Tablet can even charge other devices such as smartphones via its USB.

Since Yoga Tablet does not support TrueMove H’s 850 MHz 3G connection, I tested it on Wi-Fi connection and was impressed by its performance.

Both the menus and touch screen were responsive and YouTube clips played fast and smooth. Its music playback was also of good quality.

The 8-inch Yoga Tablet retails for Bt9,990.

 

Key specs

_ Processor: MY8125/8389 Quad Core 1.2GHz

_ Operating System: Android 4. 2 Jelly Bean

_ Network: WCDMA (900/2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (900/1800/1900 MHz)

_ Wireless connectivity: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0

_ Memory: 1 GB RAM

_ Storage: 16 GB expandable with microSD up to 32GB

_ Camera: 5M rear camera, 1.6M HD front camera

_ Display: 8-inch HD display (1280x800) with multi-touch & 178-degree wide viewing angle

_ Battery: Up to 16 hours, Li-Ion, 6000 mAh

_ Dimension: 213 x 144 x (3.0-7.3) millimetres

_ Weight: 404 grammes