In Malta we like to assign brand names to the whole product category. We did it with vacuum cleaners, shoeshine and vacuum flasks. Now we do it with the tablet. The Apple iPad seems to represent not just the category, but also the ideal and the best in class.

However, the iPad is just one model of several available in the tablet class, differing in terms of technical specifications, operating systems, build quality and, obviously, pricing.

The Vodafone Smart Tab 2 was designed for users who do not need or cannot afford a top-of-the-range tablet. Vodafone indeed promotes this model alongside its bigger, and more expensive, brothers.

We are talking about the seven-inch tablet, with Android 4.04, 1 GHz CPU, 1 GB RAM, 4 GB internal storage expandable to 32 GB through microSD card, front-facing camera, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, Bluetooth, assisted GPS and a USB 2.0 port.

This tablet is manufactured by Lenovo, one of the top PC manufacturers in the world. The build is good and the quality of the materials does not feel cheap.

The seven-inch screen is capacitive with a standard resolution of 1,024x600 pixels (165 ppi), not enough for HD. The two-megapixel camera gives too low a resolution for good photos, but the Wi-Fi and 3G experience is quite good and is one of the plusses of this tablet.

Battery life was good enough for a hard day’s work (given that you take the usual precautions of adjusting the brightness and switching off Wi-Fi when not in use).

The software heart of the tablet is Android 4.04, though it is customised by Vodafone with some of its apps. We found Document To Go ready-installed, which made it easy to read and create Microsoft Office documents.

The Vodafone Smart Tab 2 is a budget tablet but can do a decent job in the hands of those who do not have high expectations.

Vodafone Malta made this review possible.