Another Android tablet: The Lenovo Yoga 8

Damage:

R3 999

What you need to know:

android system
16G storage
eight-inch HD display screen
front and rear camera
microphone with noise reduction
18 hours of battery life
available in 10 inch version

What we think you should know:

A few weeks ago I wrote about my issue with Android phones, and how they all seemed same-same, and that the only thing that really appealed to me in a market of similar-functioning smartphones, was looks. I have to say that the same about lower-cost Android tablets – they mostly function in the same way, and unless I’m super strict or caring about the minute specs, the only thing that might count for me are camera, battery life and looks.

The Lenovo Yoga 8 Tablet ticks two of those boxes – it has around 18 hours of battery life (yes please!), and looks slick and pretty in silver, while fitting easily into one’s handbag (or large clutch). It’s also got three positions, which is another feature that sets it apart. As its name suggests, it’s quite flexible and has a kickstand, which you can adjust for different positions. There’s the “tilt mode” so that if you put the tablet on a flat surface, it will be slightly angled and make viewing and typing easier. There’s also a “stand mode” where you can position the Yoga upright (cool for watching shows or even reading long articles).

Another feature I like include a feature that lets you schedule when you switch the tab on or off, which means you can set it to switch off if you fall asleep while watching a movie in bed at night. It’s also handy if your children use the tablet, and you don’t want them playing Angry Birds after their supposed lights out.

What else can you expect? Well, everything you would from a functional Android device. There’s an average camera, with a front-facing option for selfies (it would almost be criminal not to have this option these days), Wi-Fi, decent speakers, and a microphone.

The Yoga also comes preloaded with some custom Lenovo apps, plus Google and other apps, though this isn’t much of a feature as it is a convenience, in my opinion. If you want to find your nearest stockiest you can check out Lenovo’s website.

I think it’s interesting that Ashton Kutcher is Lenovo’s product engineer because I would describe the Yoga 8 in much the same way as I would the actor – good looking, functional, dependable but not award-winning.