Now screening: tablet reviews

JENNIFER Dudley-Nicholson takes a look at the newest tablet computers.

The Kurio 7S is a tablet aimed at kids.

JENNIFER Dudley-Nicholson takes a look at the newest tablet computers.

KURIO 7S / MOOSE ENTERPRISE

$226 / bigw.com.au

Rating: 2.5/5

The Kurio 7S promises to be a "kid-friendly Android tablet" and its software is to be commended. The 7-inch tablet from Moose Enterprise lets parents lock this tablet down in many ways, creating profiles for up to eight children that specify whether they can access the internet, what apps they can use, and whether they should be subject to a filtering system. Parents can even set up a timetable for tablet use, with different hours each day. The Kurio 7S also comes with a rubber case for protection and plenty of pre-installed apps such as Fruit Ninja and more educational programs. Unfortunately, the device is let down by slow hardware, an average screen and, strangely, an age minimum of 14 years.

MEMO PAD HD 7 / ASUS

$199 / asus.com.au

Rating: 3/5

The similarities between this new budget tablet and Google's old Nexus 7 are uncanny, perhaps due to ASUS's involvement with that tablet. Regardless of its origins, the MeMO HD 7 is a capable unit and perhaps more slick than you should expect for less than $200. It arrives in a colourful, plastic form, with a choice of four coloured backplates, and is comfortably portable at 302g, if not slim at 10.8mm. Its 7-inch screen offers a high-definition resolution and In-Plane Switching technology for angled viewing and is easy to see, though not razor sharp. Google Android Jelly Bean software (v4.2) runs on a 1.2GHz quad-core chip and 1GB RAM, delivering most apps, but occasionally sluggish response times.

AURA / KOBO

$189.95 / kobo.com

Rating: 3.5/5

Amazon isn't the only company producing book-friendly devices. Kobo's latest creation, the Kobo Aura, is the most advanced to date with a touchscreen, built-in light, tiny body and plenty of internet extras. The Aura's size is its most jarring feature - it has a similar weight to a phone (174g), an 8.1mm profile and just covers an average hand. It packs in a six-inch screen, however, with an E Ink display, 212 pixels per inch and touch sensitivity. Its screen light can be triggered with a button and bathes the screen in blue, and when hooked up to wi-fi it will deliver book purchases, recommendations, and can be used to share passages on Facebook. Its 1GHz chip delivers noticeable lag, but its convenient size is a major plus.