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Android Tablets

LosOjos

By LosOjos
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Arthur

Arthur

Posted
Posted
If the Toys-R-Us device is actually the Elonex ePad, which is actually the Zenithink ZT-180, then this page would seem to contain some useful instructions:

That's good to know. Btw, the Advent Vega is actually made by WSL Japan (P/N: P10AN01). I suppose the best thing about most Android tablets being made by a handful of Chinese/Taiwanese OEMs is that it will be really easy to hack them because someone is bound to make a custom ROM for at least one of the rebranded models.

 

could schools just cut out the middleman and start shipping devices straight from the factory in China?

Personally I can't imagine many school bursars choosing to do this. :)

 

One thing I've been wondering about Android tablets in general, is how are schools going to deal with students installing random apps or leaving themselves logged into websites e.g. Google Docs, Live@edu etc.?

  • Thanks 1
dhicks

dhicks

Posted
Posted
One thing I've been wondering about Android tablets in general, is how are schools going to deal with students installing random apps or leaving themselves logged into websites e.g. Google Docs, Live@edu etc.?

 

That's the whole reason I'm looking at replacing the OS that comes with the tablet - I want to be able to have the same binary-identical OS on all devices, no difference in apps or whatever installed, no facility for the end user to tinker with the settings. Most web apps log people out after a certain time idle anyway, so that should be less of an issue.

 

--

David Hicks

Arthur

Arthur

Posted
Posted

It's not looking good for Samsung's Galaxy Tab. Gizmodo have given it a slating.

 

No Like

This thing is just a mess. It's like a tablet drunkenly hooked up with a phone, and then took the fetus swimming in a Superfund cleanup site. The browser is miserable, at least when Flash is enabled. It goes catatonic, scrolling is laggy, and it can get laughably bad. When better browsing is half the reason to go for a larger screen, that's insanity. Not only does it use a stupid PDMI charging/syncing cable, it won't charge when you plug it into a laptop. Neither of the cameras are anything to write home about (sample photos/video here). Costing $599 off-contract is embarrassing when the iPad starts at $499. (Update: Fair point, the iPad 3G starts at $629. But it's got a bigger screen, and this thing still sucks.)

 

The Verdict

Typically, the point of a compromise is to bring together the best of both sides. The Tab is like a compromise's evil twin, merging the worst of a tablet and the worst of a phone. It has all of the input problems of a tablet, with almost none of the consumption benefits. With more apps geared to its tweener size, it could be a lot better, but it's not clear they're coming anytime soon, if ever. The Tab is an awkward first attempt at this kind of tablet—wait for somebody else to do it better.

  • Thanks 2
fafster

fafster

Posted
Posted
Ah well, let's see what Tegra's going to accomplish. Wasn't all that enthused with the Tab in the first place, this is just the nail in the coffin.
aerospacemango

aerospacemango

Posted
Posted
Can you replace the Android OS on your phone - could you, say, update to a new version? David Hicks

 

Just so you know....When I bought my Droid phone, it was on a 1.6 build.....

 

At the beginning of Oct, a Baltic version of 2.1 was released, and I flash my phone.....A week or so ago, the official CPW ROM was released, so I have re-flashed to ensure that I have the most appropriate ROM on my phone.....Easy as 1,2,3!

 

Oh, and once you do that, you can root the phone, AND put apps2sd on it, which was only a feature on 2.2 (Froyo).

 

Hope this answers a question!

  • Thanks 1
tech_guy

tech_guy

Posted
Posted

I'm sorry, but size DOES matter - I was at a get-together over the weekend and a family acquaintance who's a hack for a website was showing off his Galaxy Tab. I whipped my iPad out and we went head to head. All the ladies present preferred my 10" to his 7"....

 

I'm talking screen sizes here you filthy scoundrels. I don't know what you were thinking!?

 

He was somewhat deflated when one of them told him it was too small. His Galaxy Tab I'm assuming they meant. Some of the ladies present actually came over and stroked my iPad....

 

I really enjoyed myself.

  • Thanks 1
Arthur

Arthur

Posted
Posted
And I was worried that it would be cheap Android tablets would dirty Android's image :eek:

You will enjoy this review of the Maylong M-150 tablet. :)

 

The Maylong M-150 Tablet PC is an Android-based device sold by Walgreens for a mere $99 a pop. The obvious purpose for this tablet's existence is to appeal to bargain basement shoppers—grandmas, poor college kids, those on a tight budget—by claiming to offer a full tablet experience for cheap. I mean, it runs Android, right? That's a legit operating system nowadays. Unfortunately, the Maylong M-150 is the very epitome of "race to the bottom," and anyone looking to buy one would get more bang for the buck by setting it on fire for warmth.

 

What you get

On paper, the Maylong tablet looks... okay. It has a 7" screen, but is limited to a resolution of 800x480. It has a resistive touchscreen instead of a more accurate capacitive one like the iPad or Galaxy Tab, a 400MHz (or 533, depending on whom you ask) processor, 256MB of RAM and 2GB of built-in storage. It comes with 802.11b/g for WiFi and no 3G support, though it claims to be able to use USB-based 3G cards via the extra dongle that comes in the box. It weighs less than a pound and comes with Android 1.6. Hey, what do you expect for $100?

 

 

Battery life

Maylong's website doesn't specify any details about the non-user-replaceable battery, but does say that it has a standby time of 2-3 hours. That's not usage time, folks: that's how long the thing will last in your bag after you unplug it, and according to our use, it's a pretty good estimate. If you charge it before leaving for the airport, there's a pretty good likelihood that the M-150 will be dead by the time you get on the plane.

 

Usage time is even worse. We "used" the device as best we could for as long as possible, and the battery usually only gave us an hour or less before dying out. (Yes, there were times when we got less than an hour from a full charge.) This was usually with WiFi on, though as we noted in the Usage section, just because the device says WiFi is on doesn't necessarily mean it's true.

 

Either way, we can't imagine getting too much more than an hour during anyone's regular usage patterns. (Then again, it's so infuriating to use, you probably would never find yourself using it for more than an hour at a time anyway).

Arthur

Arthur

Posted
Posted

The Guardian have posted their review of NovaTech's nTablet.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/nov/23/novatech-ntablet-review

 

Novatech is hoping to aim the Windows version at "educational customers" - in other words, teachers and children (and particularly the people who buy kit for them to use). To which all I can say is: NOOOOO! Unless, of course, you want to persuade children that computers are frustrating as well as boring, in which case go right ahead.

 

There is good news, though, some light at the end of the tunnel. The nTablet will also come in a dual-boot form able to run Android 2.2 (the version I tested didn't). That, I think, will be much more pleasant: from trying Android on a couple of 7" tablets (ie slightly under half the screen size of a 10" tablet), it's an elegant, tablet-friendly operating system - and the latter is a point that I can't emphasise enough. Windows might be fine for desktops. But it is not for, and you should never buy it on, tablets. You'll regret it, mark my words.

Arthur

Arthur

Posted
Posted
the Advent Vega is expected to be released this weekend

The first custom ROM for the Advent Vega has been released by MoDaCo. In addition to the features listed below, a "Performance Pack" is also available which makes the tablet faster. :)

 

http://android.modaco.com/content/advent-vega-vega-modaco-com/324099/26-nov-r3-modaco-custom-rom-add-on-performance-pack-for-the-advent-vega-1-04-with-online-kitchen/

 

Features Included
  • Full Google experience including Car Home, Calendar, Contacts, Genie (News and Weather), Gmail, Maps with Street View, Market, Talk, Voice Search and YouTube
  • All Google components are running the latest release
  • Custom configuration to show ALL apps in the Android Market
  • Spare Parts application from the official Tegra Developer Kit
  • Includes Superuser application and su binary from ChainsDD for SAFE root functionality

About MoDaCo Custom ROM Add-ons

MoDaCo Custom ROMs Add-Ons are add-on packs for official ROMs. A MCR release is designed to feel as far as possible like a stock ROM, with optimisations, tweaks and complimentary additions that enhance the user experience. The aim of a MCR ROM or add-on pack is to be ultra reliable for use on an everyday device.

localzuk

localzuk

Posted
Posted
Personally I wouldn't bother with any which have resistive touch screens. Capacitive screens are much better.

 

Depends if you want accuracy or not doesn't it though? Or if you intend to use your device with something other than a bare finger (ie. gloved hands, stylus, the end of your pen etc...).

dhicks

dhicks

Posted
Posted

This looks interesting:

 

Acer breaks the mould with dual-touchscreen laptop | News | PC Pro

 

A dual touch-screen laptop - two 14" screens, one where the keyboard normally goes on a laptop. At £1,500, rather expensive for the average school pupil, but an interesting concept. Indeed, I can't help but think of the OLPC tablet - make the screen 7", the size of the Amazon Kindle, so it's sized to fit in your pocket, and make a clamshell wallet that fits two of those screens linked together via USB. Define one as the screen, one as the keyboard, and away you go.

 

--

David Hicks

Arthur

Arthur

Posted
Posted
Depends if you want accuracy or not doesn't it though? Or if you intend to use your device with something other than a bare finger (ie. gloved hands, stylus, the end of your pen etc...).

I completely agree, although in the context of this thread, a resistive screen on an Android tablet usually means the manufacturer has also cut corners in other areas in order to meet a specific price point. Slow CPUs, LCD panels with narrow viewing angles/low resolutions, poor battery life and build quality issues are quite common on the low-end tablets. It's impossible to tell who makes the tablet Kearton linked to, which is why I would avoid it myself.

 

Resistive screens certainly have their uses and you can't judge the quality of a tablet based on which type of screen it has (as Toshiba's Folio 100 demonstrates).

  • 1 month later...
AyatollahPies

AyatollahPies

Posted
Posted

 

I've just bought this, but from Asda for £150. (Branded Elonex)

 

It's perfect for my needs. I really don't understand why folk moan about resistive screens. I have no problem using it at all, and I like the fact I can use stylus to navigate to.

 

Unfortunately I have stumbled across a game called Angry Birds and I'm severely lacking in sleep because of it. :D

 

I may write an in depth review of it if there is a request.

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