  Despite all the doubts about the heating problem, Apple Inc'''s new iPad has found top slot in the Consumer Reports' list of tablets.
It conducted additional tests on a number of tablets running Google Android software, including Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1, and found higher temperatures common and not a cause for concern.
The widely followed group said the iPad's battery slowly discharged when "Infinity Blade II" an intense video game ran at full screen brightness, even when plugged in. It cited the higher power-demands of a faster graphics processor as well as a high-end "Retina" display.
"The problem was limited to times when the device was playing a demanding game with the screen fully bright," it said.
Consumer Reports triggered widespread debate across the Internet two weeks ago after publishing initial test results that suggested the new iPad, which comes with 4G capability, threw off much more heat than its predecessors.
It added 10 other tablets to its Ratings, and found several worth recommending. Among them is the 10.1-inch Toshiba Excite 10LE. It's the lightest 10.1-inch tablet we've tested, weighing in at just over a pound. It's also very thin, measuring just .31 inch.
Following is the text of the report:
Beachgoers might be interested in Pantech's new 8-inch Element, a tablet claimed as waterproof that also has the longest battery life among smaller tablets: It lasted more than 10 hours. Sun worshipers might need to set up their beach umbrellas, however—the Element is not as readable in bright sunlight as some other tablets.
Also recommended is the Sony Tablet P. Shaped somewhat like a large eyeglass case, the Tablet P is a dual-screen device. It's great for reading e-books in a more traditional, two-page "book" format. The two 5-inch screens also make viewing photos easier by displaying a gallery on the lower screen and the selected photo on the upper. When playing some games, the lower screen also serves as the controller. But in performing other tasks, such as Web browsing, the dual-screen format got in the way.
Samsung's latest entry in its Galaxy Tab line, the Galaxy Tab 7.7, has the first OLED screen it has seen in a tablet. That display provides deep blacks and a wide viewing angle.
The iPad's display, however, is the best we've seen. It has remarkable fidelity, achieving the highest score we've ever recorded for color accuracy in a tablet. Colors are more saturated than on the iPad 2, making deeper shades more vibrant. And the new iPad's screen lacks the slight bluish hue of the iPad 2's screen, and has a warmer and more natural "color temperature" that becomes apparent when comparing white backgrounds displayed on the new and old iPads.
As a result of the standout performance of the new iPad's screen, we have recalibrated our standard of excellence for tablet screens. The iPad alone now receives an excellent overall score for display quality. A number of current models, including the iPad 2 (which remains on sale and is a fine performer), that received excellent scores under the past standard will now be adjusted to receive very good scores overall. Likewise, some models that received good scores may also be adjusted downward, and some overall scores have changed slightly |