A Non-Authoritative Android Tablet Buying List: What to Get, What to Avoid (2010)

[irishinvenice]

I think that I'm not the only unlucky person here that ordered before read this forums
I just ordered :
10.2" Google Android 2.1 wifi Epad 1Ghz CPU High speed

CPU ZenithinkZT108.1.0Ghz
Operation system Google ANDRIOD2.1
Memory 256M RAM
Storage Device 2GB NAND Flash Optional 4GB-32G
LCD Size: 10.2 inch TFT LCD with resistance touch screen, single point touch (resistive)
Touch screen resistive
Resolution 1024*600 Pixels
Battery type Rechargeable polymer battery,2400mAH,7.4V
USB: 2*USB
Speaker YES
SD card 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED network connection

WIFI marvel8686 SDIO 802.11b/gI/O ports TF card, U disk,RJ-45,DC in, Ear phone
Multimedia video 1080P MP4,1080P AVI(XVID,H.263,DIVX),1080P MKV,1080P 3GP,1080P RMVB .RM,
Music MP3/WMA/AAC/AAC+/WAV
On line chat MSN/QQ/SKYPE/GTALK/LUMAQQ/ICQ
E-book PDF/TXT/CHM/DOC/EXCEL
PIC JPEG/GIF

it's my first tablet ever, do you expect that I'll be so unhappy with it?
Please tell me how bad is it?????

Manta I ordered almost the exact same Tablet from NowSupplier. If mine comes before yours I will post here a quick review.

 

[Bilgediver]

I'm curious about how you say the screen resolution on the Archos is unkind. If anything is unkind, its the fact that it doesn't contain dedicated "buttons", but has software buttons that appear on screen (and take up screen space).
I have yet to have an app crash on me due to screen resolution, though.

 

[Manta Ray]

Please help me, I got my Zenithink - 180 today, I have an Hawaui E1550 3G usb modem, did try a lot and read a lot, but till now I can't connect via 3G usb modem.
Anybody can help me pleaseeeee?

 

[Appychappy]

I bought a wow/superpad a couple of weeks ago 10" with 2.1 installed and I havent put it down since.
It is a work of art and of good quality. Paid a lot less than $200 for it on ebay. All the programs are set up,
My son in law has an I-pad and I cant see much difference. I've read all the bad things about them like overheating
crashing and goodness knows what else before I bought this one. I thought i would end up with a lemon but not so.
I don't want to know about fiddling with the root or anything else that may be to it's detriment like I always did in
Dos and windows. (those were the days). I admit I installed laputa to download e-books but I read them in wow reader.
I've just ordered a keyboard/case for a few dollars which will make things easier. I tested it around town looking for
hotspots and can find them no trouble although they all seem to be locked. I put it in a plastic zip case wrapped in a microcloth
and it slid off the car seat.-no damage. I have a 375 watt inverter in my campervan that i use to plug in all the knick-knacks
and keep 'em charged up. It's calling me now.....coming Fred....
will this take a bluetooth usb and a usb drive?

 

[xaueious]

Added big omissions Cruz Reader and white Pandigital Novel to list.

 

[xaueious]

Bump on Advent Vega's stock firmware *

 

[imagecolour]

I am going to order one of this W7 Dreambook from http://www.synrgic.com , have a look and let me know if you guys have any idea about it.

its around 350$

Iam also trying to buy one from Synrgic, Hope to know more about some inbuilt 3G tablets

 

[massad]

hello xaueious.

This thread is very usefull. I was thinking about buying a cheap tablet, i've found a lot of researchs on internet, read issues over here, but still in doubt.

There's a new one what i've heard good about (ZT 180 2), and i researched another ones from the internet, and i would like to hear your opnion about theses: Which you think is better?

1.ZT 180 2 EPad - (http://www.wholesaleonepiece.com/epad-zenithink-2-zt180-android-22-tablet-pc-102-inch-1ghz-cpu-wifi-3g-hdmi-webcam-4gb_p2130.html)

2. Herotab C8 Samsung 1GHZ Android 2.2 Flash 10.1 Capacitive Multitouch HDMI (same as dropad a8) - (Herotab C8/Dropad A8 Samsung 1GHZ Android 2.2 Flash 10.1 Capacitive Multitouch+2GB Micro SD)

3. Herotab MID816 - (Herotab MID816 Android 2.2 Flash 10.1 1.2GHz Gsensor HDMI)

4. Herotab M10 - (Herotab M10 Android 2.2 Flash 10.1 Cortex A8 CPU Capacitive Multitouch) - more expensive

Or maybe any with TCC8902 is better off?

Which screen do you prefer on these kind of tablets? Resistive or capacitive?
PS: i have no experience, so, im trying to get a base from yours.

 

[mcamou]

Thanks for the great list. I am looking to purchase a 10" android tablet for around $200. I know that's asking for a lot. The two that I'm considering are:

Gome Flytouch 2 for 190 at Shein.it
or
the Haipad M1001 for 200 at euogo.com

What's your thoughts? Thanks!

Links:
Gome Flytouch 2 10" inches Apad GF10 infomix ix220 Android 2.1 Tablet HDMI

Haipad M1001 - 10 Inch Telechips 8092 Android 2.1 Tablet PC with Accelerometer, 130W Camera - US$199.00 : Euogo.com

Avoid euogo.com like the plague. Dismal customer service, dismal product quality, they do not stand behind their product. Go anywhere but Euogo.com.

 

[mcamou]

I just bought the New G10 Haipad M701 Android 2.1 Tablet from Euogo. I was very concerned about getting a cheaply made knockoff so I bought from this site based on your recommendation. The description of this item on their site goes into great detail about how this can be distinguished from the cheaper "copycat" M701's and that the units ordered after 11/26 include some upgrades (HDMI & 4G) over the earlier model. How confident should I be that this is a "quality made original"? In the reviews of the item on Euogo, it says that the unit will be upgradeable to 2.2 in the near future. I have been researching and decided on this item for my wife's Christmas present. She mainly wants to use it for email, a few games, internet usage, Pandora, e-reader and other basic stuff. I included the 8G memory card for a total of approx $200. Do you think this was a solid choice that will last for a reasonable amount of time (quality & functionality)? Thanks in advance for your response and your insight on these android tablets which is a great help to many of us that are starting to get more confused the more we read about them.

I ordered a G10 from them based on initial recommendations on this list and on the same text you read. The unit is shoddy-made, the directions are wrong (for upgrading the firmware for example) and it didn't stand more than 15 minutes on battery power before freezing. After going back and forth with them, changing firmware, etc. I ended up sending it back, asking for a refund, and getting a Galaxy Tab. All of this process took about two months. The last I heard from them (after bombarding them with emails and more than a month after I sent the tablet back) was that they were sending me a new tablet but that their tests hadn't uncovered anything wrong. More than a month has passed since then and I haven't received the tablet or the refund. I've emailed them repeatedly asking for either the refund or a tracking number. They are simply ignoring my emails. Avoid euogo.com like the plague.

 

[skittles123]

i am not a picky person. and all i want my tablet to do is allow me to
read pdf
surf the web (facebook, email, google!!, youtube, and stuff)
take a picture
have an app that will let me write in a format like word or .rtf or .txt
possibly play a stupid game
and read ebooks

so i understand the difference between a computer and a tablet. so why cant i buy a 128 dollar boss electronics one? or a stupid nextbook3? i realize these are not up to the quality standards of a galaxy or ipad. but if what i want to do with them is minimal whats wrong?
will i never be able to connect to wifi? will it be annoyingly slow? will i not be able to do my homework on it?
and no i do not speak computer geek so i have no idea what are good specifications. yea I NEED HELP! and i am super cheap and refuse to waste my money on something i will either hate or will die in 3 months.
HELP! i need a guide. like buy this one its gonna last for a year or 2. you will love it. it wont go on sale for less than 100 bucks in the next 3 months.
see help!!


thanks

 

[brexpress]

BreXPressPost to XAU ---- Thanks for your excellent work here and allaround at this forum --- were looking for a mod.FIRMWARE for the 9.7" (!) APad Freescale imx515 Cortex A8 Android 2.2 Tablet --- ( I´ve read the POST from AUSTIN ) what do you think about (?) and can you help us as a crack ---- greetings over the ocean - brexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[massad]

bought a flytouch3 from merimobiles about 5 days ago...waiting to come, and then i can show my opinion based on what you guys asked about.

 

[petedude]

i am not a picky person. and all i want my tablet to do is allow me to
read pdf
surf the web (facebook, email, google!!, youtube, and stuff)
take a picture
have an app that will let me write in a format like word or .rtf or .txt
possibly play a stupid game
and read ebooks
. . .

You can probably do much of that with a cheap tablet, but you have to accept the limitations. Are you a college student? If that's the case, then yes, buy something cheap and reward yourself with a better model after you graduate. Just be aware. . . with a tablet, knowing there are capabilities you don't have may gnaw at you. Trying out new functions not in the list above will be more than a challenge as well.

All that being said, I recently bought a cheap VIA tablet for similar reasons to what you wrote. I haven't had a chance to write a review yet, but let's just sum up by saying that a $100 tablet beats buying two $125 e-readers-- and not much else.

If you read the reviews here carefully and maybe can stash closer to $160, you might find a better tablet that can do what you want and then some. That way, there will still be some room to grow.

 

[zac]

--- deleted ---