Those of you who were looking for a low cost tablet with SIM option, here is the Micromax Funbook Talk (P350) with built in SIM slot. The Funbook talk can be used for voice calls and you can even surf the net using GPRS.
The Micromax Funbook Talk only supports the 2G networks. The Talk is the same Allwinner A10 CPU clocked at 1.2GHz, this is pretty much outdated today and companies in India are already looking for the dual core options.
Funbook Talk (P350) Design
The rectangular tablet feels a bit heavier. The top area is black with a single button on the right panel. The rear side is silver (the model that I got for review). All the ports are placed on the right side and the Power / volume rockers buttons and SIM slot on the top.
The SIM slot has got a covering. The speaker out which you usually find on the rear side is placed on the left side. I think the main objective was to place the speaker on the left side so it can also act as in call speaker (bringing the ear closer to the speaker when using voice call – just like on a mobile).
However I believe the speaker location is a big disappointment especially for any other work except voice calling. For example when watching movies or especially when playing games, in almost all cases the user’s hand will completely cover the speaker (check the video review).
Performance
It’s the Allwinner A10 with Mali 400 GPU. You can play many games and watch full HD videos without any lags. Moreover there is the HDMI port to connect the tab to your HDTV. The ICS runs smoothly, but I did find the tab lagging, sometimes. The benchmark score is also pretty low, lower than what Xtab A10 tablet got (1701).
Funbook Talk
Quadrant Benchmark score = 1209
AnTuTu = 2418
I guess the ICS is not properly tweaked which could have increased the performance. The phone features work well. You can receive and make calls. The in call speaker volume is too low; you will have to use the earphones. You can also surf the net using 2G (GPRS). I had inserted my 3G enabled SIM card and I could surf over the GPRS network. The speed is dam slow – well once you get the feel of 3G, I doubt if anyone would want to use the GPRS network.
The stock browser took a lot of time to load my site using the GPRS network which is normal considering the pathetic speed one gets on the 2G network. The rendering was smooth with a mild lag.
There is a front camera of VGA (0.3 MP resolution which can be used for Skype video calls using Wi-Fi, not possible on GPRS network. The Tablet does get heated up when you use it continuously.
Entertainment
The tablet is loaded with educational stuffs (images / videos etc). The stock media player can play many audio and video formats. The volume is hear-able in a quiet room.
Gaming
There is the Mali 400 GPU which will keep the Gaming users happy. We have seen the Allwinner A10 performance on other tablets too.
P350 Battery
The 2800 mAh battery as mentioned by Micromax will last for about 5 hours. It will be safe to assume a minimum 3+ hours of usage and more depending on the apps you are using.
Micromax Funbook Talk review
Remember the first Micromax tablet – The Micromax Funbook? Well the Talk is with the same hardware but with Phone functionality. In fact the latest tablets available in the Indian market have shifted to micro USB port but this one still houses the mini USB port. Performance wise it is as good as other Allwinner A10 tabs. The hardware is outdated and within few days you will find low cost tablets with dual core CPU and Jelly Bean OS. You can connect compatible 3G dongle using the mini USB port.
The main highlight is the SIM feature but apart from that it’s the same old tablet. The tab is priced at under Rs. 7,500 which I fell is a bit high as for the same price you could buy a dual core tab – without phone feature. It will make sense to hold on for a month.
Funbook Talk Image Gallery
Funbook Talk P350 unboxing and video review
Micromax Funbook Talk P350 Key features and Specifications
- Single core 1.2 GHz (as per quadrant benchmark) cortex A8 Allwinner A10 CPU with Mali 400 GPU.
- ICS – Android 4.0.3.
- 512MB RAM, 4 GB internal storage (1GB for apps and about 2GB as user storage) and micro SD slot.
- 2G built in (you can make phone calls / receive calls / SMS etc, Wi-Fi, external 3G support via dongle, HDMI, mini USB and 3.5mm jack.
- Front VGA camera, Multi format media player and loaded with Educational stuffs.
- 2800 mAh battery usage time over 3 to 4 hours.
- Price under Rs. 7,499.
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