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Android Tablets

LosOjos

By LosOjos
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LosOjos

LosOjos

Posted
Posted

Just wondering, has anybody had a play with any Android tablets? Are they any good?

 

I'm particularly looking at the dirt cheap aPad/ePad's, though I'm unable to find a definitive answer on whether the market place works on them...

Dos_Box

Dos_Box

Posted
Posted

I have an e-pad. If you are to look into them search for Zenithink ZT-180 (their real name) for the 10" versions. They are cheap, cheerful and plod along. Be warned though, Market is a PITA to get working they only run Andoid 2.1 and are made of plastic. Avoid the 7" versions like the plague. Far more useful is the Wits A81E which is a smaller device that has Android 2.2 and a built in GPS, and you can get market to work easily without even havign to hack it. Also you can tether it to an Android phone easily and get mobile internet access at quite a decent rate. I use mine for a large screen sat-nav with CoPilot and as an in-car touch screen media centre for music etc. Both devices are very good for gettign to grips with configuring and administering Android devices though. Avoid anything with less than Android 2.1!!

If you wait long enough, there are factories in China producing new ones all the time so if you wait until something of higher quaility comes along it may be worth the wait. Here is a good place to see what is happening in China with strange and knock off devices: http://www.shanzai.com/

  • Thanks 1
AyatollahPies

AyatollahPies

Posted
Posted

What's your definition of cheap?

 

If you can wait until November (Hmm, that's a whole week away), then Dixons/PC World will be launching their own 7" and 10.1" tablets. By all accounts, they get rather good reviews, and at least you can return them, as opposed to some Ebayer based in Hong Kong.

 

10" will be circa £250

7" will be circa £130

Haptic

Haptic

Posted
Posted

I've got the Archos 7 Android Tablet, it's variable- touch screen is v frustrating at times Apps on it are limited to the offerings on Appslib which can be a bit sparse, finally battery is not great- 2 hours at most if you’re using it.

 

In short it's alright for media viewing and a bit of light browsing but other than that not great.

 

Mark

  • Thanks 1
Dos_Box

Dos_Box

Posted
Posted
What's your definition of cheap?

 

If you can wait until November (Hmm, that's a whole week away), then Dixons/PC World will be launching their own 7" and 10.1" tablets. By all accounts, they get rather good reviews, and at least you can return them, as opposed to some Ebayer based in Hong Kong.

 

10" will be circa £250

7" will be circa £130

 

Next will be selling the 10" epad for £180: Next fashions budget 10in Android tablet ? reghardware

 

Oh and Morgan have a 7" device (I wouldn't touch this with a bargepole!): Cheap 7 inch Google Android tablet with touchscreen technology - 49679 - discounts & offers

 

And news on the Dixons device: Dixons touts tablets ? reghardware

  • Thanks 1
AyatollahPies

AyatollahPies

Posted
Posted
I have an e-pad. If you are to look into them search for Zenithink ZT-180 (their real name) for the 10" versions. They are cheap, cheerful and plod along. Be warned though, Market is a PITA to get working they only run Andoid 2.1 and are made of plastic. Avoid the 7" versions like the plague. Far more useful is the Wits A81E which is a smaller device that has Android 2.2 and a built in GPS, and you can get market to work easily without even havign to hack it. Also you can tether it to an Android phone easily and get mobile internet access at quite a decent rate. I use mine for a large screen sat-nav with CoPilot and as an in-car touch screen media centre for music etc. Both devices are very good for gettign to grips with configuring and administering Android devices though. Avoid anything with less than Android 2.1!!

If you wait long enough, there are factories in China producing new ones all the time so if you wait until something of higher quaility comes along it may be worth the wait. Here is a good place to see what is happening in China with strange and knock off devices: http://www.shanzai.com/

 

Is the Zenithink the same one that NEXT are selling? I've read various reports that they are either Zenithinks or Elonex. What is it like for reading pdfs in portrait?

LosOjos

LosOjos

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hmm.. I may wait for the PC World 7"... or not bother...

 

The main reason I want one is to use as an XBMC/Boxeeremote for a HTPC I'm building, as a decent remote with keyboard costs about £50, I thought I might as well pay the extra £30 and have an ePad, but if they aren't too good I'll probably stick to a standard mini keyboard/mouse for now (like this Rii Mini)

Dos_Box

Dos_Box

Posted
Posted
Is the Zenithink the same one that NEXT are selling? I've read various reports that they are either Zenithinks or Elonex. What is it like for reading pdfs in portrait?

 

Elonex NEVER make their own kit. Chances are they are rebranded Zenithinks.

dhicks

dhicks

Posted
Posted
I have an e-pad. If you are to look into them search for Zenithink ZT-180 (their real name) for the 10" versions. They are cheap, cheerful and plod along.

 

If this is the same bit of hardware as the Next tablet? The reviews - from the Gaurdian, BBC, etc - are absolutly terrible. How much of that is due to the software on the device? Could its various problems be fixed by installing Ubuntu Netbook Remix or similar? Is the screen's poor response simply due to cheap hardware, or is it not callibrated in software correctely? Anyone know if it's possible to change the software installed on these devices? Can the battery be changed easily? From all accounts the Next tablets seem to simply not work, they don't sound saleable - maybe there'll be several truckloads of them floating around spare in a bit? If battery life is an issue they might stil be useable as devices to be stuck to walls and powered via the mains.

 

Does anyone notice how we seem to be getting closer to the $100 PC quite quickly these days?

 

--

David Hicks

webman

webman

Posted
Posted

dhicks: I think the Next tablet uses a resistive touchscreen, rather than the much better and more responsive capacitive. Along with having Android 2.1+, I think this is one of the main factors in deciding on which tablet to buy.

 

I'm also looking forward to seeing what the device will offer that will be available from Currys/Dixons/PC World.

 

A few sources have advised people to wait for the official Android edition for tablets, instead of the current mobile-centric versions.

 

For a totally polished and useable device, right now I don't think you can beat the Apple iPad. But for hackability and if you don't mind a bit of tinkering or slightly less tolerance to build quality; one of the less-costly Android devices in the above-£200 mark will probably be great. I also think that to make the purchase of a tablet worth while, you really need one with a 10" screen, as 7" is just too small for the type of device they are.

  • Thanks 1
Arthur

Arthur

Posted
Posted
Hmm.. I may wait for the PC World 7"... or not bother.

If DSG sell an Advent branded Android tablet, at least there will be less bits that can break or fall off of it. :)

AyatollahPies

AyatollahPies

Posted
Posted
Elonex NEVER make their own kit. Chances are they are rebranded Zenithinks.

 

That may be the case.

 

What are they like for reading pdfs though? Specifically MS pressbooks. This is the main reason I require a Tablet, as I cannot stand trying to read a vertical document on a horizontal screen, and carting the physical books around is enough to give you permanent back ache.

  • 2 weeks later...
tommej

tommej

Posted
Posted (edited)
Hmm.. I may wait for the PC World 7"... or not bother...

 

The main reason I want one is to use as an XBMC/Boxeeremote for a HTPC I'm building, as a decent remote with keyboard costs about £50, I thought I might as well pay the extra £30 and have an ePad, but if they aren't too good I'll probably stick to a standard mini keyboard/mouse for now (like this Rii Mini)

 

I use this Bad Boy with my htpc :D

 

This is pretty interesting too!

Edited by tommej
AyatollahPies

AyatollahPies

Posted
Posted
http://asda.scene7.com/is/image/Asda/504956?resMode=sharp&op_usm=1.1,0.5,0,0&rgn=0,0,500,500&scl=1.1820330969267138&id=10MqtJ6aM9kXiCL1C69QEa

nice little gadet for under a ton

 

That's not the 7"

Dos_Box

Dos_Box

Posted
Posted
Not at that price thank you very much.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the Advent Vega in a few weeks, but I need to have a play around with a tablet before I buy one.

 

If you can make it to the EduGeek stand at BETT then we should be very tablet heavy. These include Android 10 and 7 inch models, iPad and the RM tablet (hopefully) and a Sony e-book reader.

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