DELL VENUE 8 PRO
This 8inch tablet bridges
that gap between a
Smartphone and the
usual tablets, such
as iPads. It fits
in your
hand; it
has a
I
’ve said it
before, and I’ll say it again I’m out and
proud… about my
love of Apple and
its products.
rubberised
backing,
which helps if
you're a little
clumsy (guilty as
charged). Again, like
Apple, they have kept
buttons and all
extraneous details to a
minimum and on the sides.
This little beauty doesn't have
When the Dell Venue 8 Pro arrived,
I was a little anxious. I have used
Dell laptops in various job roles and
found them okay to use, nothing
special in terms of design but
reliable. So what would their foray
into tablets be like?
On opening the box, I have to
admit, Apple's influence is
apparent. The packaging is simple
and clean, instructions at a
minimum but adequate and the
product well protected - and on
unwrapping, one hell of a beauty.
It has 2 cameras built in - and it
takes a hell of an image with its 5M
pixels - and is light enough to
actually be a decent camera
alternative. Unlike those who try
use their full size iPads as cameras
and look like they are about to
break their neck! Front and back
cameras also make it ideal for
Skyping on the go.
Bluetooth helps you link
to external speakers,
keyboards and desktops
making it flexible and
adaptable.
by Chris Jones
I tend not to
consider other
brands initially,
going straight for an
Apple version of
whatever I want,
tablet, phone, laptop,
desktop, even TV
streaming, however,
this job gives me a
chance to try other
products and be
honest about their
performance, their
design and
comparisons to
Apple.
to the swipe left, right, up or down
and what each gesture does and
where it takes you. The app store is
good, and covers all the basics. For
me, it made sense to think about
what you want to use this for and
keep the apps to a minimum. This
tablet only has 2GB RAM built in,
but you can expand it with an SD
card.
a centre button like iPad, but once
you get used to that, it actually
makes more sense to shift it to the
side. It allows a decent HD screen
size - perfect for watching Netflix
on the go, reading emails without
squinting (or is that just me?) and
surfing the net - at the same time, it
makes for a powerful, beautiful
item to pop into your bag or pocket
to keep you connected to your
social networks and entertainment.
My only issue is around the OS,
which is Microsoft based. Although
most of us use MS software at some
point, usually at work or college,
the transition to tablet isn't always
smooth. It takes a while to get used
In terms of improving this
well thought out piece of
kit, I could only ask for
another micro USB port.
Some people may want to
use this instead of a PC,
and the more ports the
better - it really is that
good. I’m not a huge fan
of Microsoft OS, but it
works, it does its job and
once you get used to it, its
easy enough to use - but
it’s no iOS. It’s not as
intuitive as Apple’s
product, but it’s a damn fine piece
of kit.
Price: £239.99 inc VAT from
http://www.ebuyer.com/611945dell-venue-8-pro-tabletpc-5830-0339
Overall, I love this item - it’s
lightweight, it feels comfortable to
hold, it’s quick and responsive, it
works well and it’s a good price. My
perspective would be that it’s a
serious contender to an iPad Mini,
with a much lower price tag. ∎
83