Tech Next: Sleek tablets, smartwatches with robust battery life

It’s a slightly different case with larger tabs that are not just good at content consumption, but can double up as serious productivity devices.

Apple, for instance, has just rolled out a Beta version of its new iPad OS that adds a few more desktop-type features to the iPad experience. Samsung’s Tab Galaxy S5e is also making a fun + productivity pitch and is probably the Android tablet to beat right now.

Form factor — it is the first thing that stands out. Android tabs don’t get thinner than this (it’s just 5.5 mm thick) and at 400 gm, it’s remarkably light for a device that boasts of a 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display (1600 x 2560 pixels / 298 PPI/ 16:10 aspect ratio). Samsung shaves off the bezels, making this a gorgeous display to watch your favourite Netflix shows or even read a graphic novel. It is not too heavy to hold for long periods of time. Samsung bolsters the S5e’s entertainment quotient with a quad-speaker set up tuned by AKG. We found the battery (7040 mAh) quite robust in our tests that validate Samsung’s 14-hour battery claim. Samsung probably missed a trick with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor. The device is certainly not sluggish by any means, but it didn’t blaze through our tests either. Other hardware highlights include 4GB of RAM, 64 GB of Internal memory and support for SD cards up to 512GB.

Samsung’s POGO keyboard (The company has bundled it as part of a launch offer for Rs 3,500) and DEX functionality build a case for the productivity credentials of the S5e. The DEX feature mimics a regular desktop screen making multi-tasking slightly easier while the keyboard is a handy accessory to type word documents or longish emails. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e delivers a strong value proposition at its price tag (Rs 35,999/ Wi-Fi only or Rs 39,999 / Wi-Fi +LTE).

The smartwatch market is a busy place with a flurry of launches. Garmin’s new wearables talk to both iOS and Android devices and are geared for an active lifestyle. Whether you need a watch to track your swims or runs, you’re sorted. One of the key new features is built-in incident detection that allows you to share your location with pre-chosen contacts, in the event you need assistance. You can also share location if a potential incident, such as a fall is detected.

One of our favourite functions in this duo is a clever Body Battery feature that helps optimise your body’s energy by collecting data to gauge your energy reserves at any moment. Music storage has become a key consideration for active users who need the extra energy. The 245 Music variant can store up to 500 songs on the watch or sync with streaming services like Spotify. (From Rs 29,990 onwards)