Huawei S7 Slips into BestBuy for $299 Now - Best Bang-for-Buck Data Capable Tablet

[ainyul]

^any other comments on this unit; i spoke to a BB employee who insisted this unit has no 3G capability and that there is NO sim slot; I would appreciate some confirmation from anyone; thanx!

Must be different models then. There is one with 512MB of RAM and 512MB of ROM, 3G, GPS etc. But I have to check tonight and see what I find out. $300 bucks is a lot and it's not even a 10". Still it if it's good I'll buy it.

I can confirm gps and 3g (used a friends TMOBILE)

Not with this model it has no 3G support. There is a SIM card slot though. What's being sold at Best Buy is WiFi model only.

^as per the above mentioned comments; it is NOT clear if this unit is 3G compatible and IF so then what bands, AWS ie TMobile or HSPA ie AT&T bands..???

 

[tipstir]

GSM capabilities from T-Mobile & AT&T some reported it has 3G, I had asked the Best Buy Mobile guy if it did he said no. Another Best Busy member said it has GSM reported to me earlier. The store I was in last night sign read only WiFi

Can someone who has purchase this item from Best Boy confirm if it has 3G support?

Update

T-Mobile and it only works in 2G while it does 2G and 3G on ATT according to the menu.
The major problem is that it has no USB driver for PC connection

 

[ainyul]

The major problem is that it has no USB driver for PC connection

^does this mean u cannot connect via the computer since the USB driver is missing so as to enable a PC connection or.....??

 

[tipstir]

^does this mean u cannot connect via the computer since the USB driver is missing so as to enable a PC connection or.....??

I got Android ADB 32-bit & 64-bit USB drivers XP, Vista and 7 but it might not work with this brand as it might not be standard interface connection. Sounds like it to me. Where you have to get it from the OEM Huawei

 

[ainyul]

I got Android ADB 32-bit & 64-bit USB drivers XP, Vista and 7 but it might not work with this brand as it might not be standard interface connection. Sounds like it to me. Where you have to get it from the OEM Huawei

Well, after your previous post confirming 3G i have already ordered it; i will receive it on Monday, will try the 3G sim from fido at&t next week and report back;

(at the least it will work on 2G; i wish we can find out if it works on 3G)

 

[tipstir]

Found your USB driver more here Also Rooted ROM MOD, that your guys are on your own.

 

[ainyul]

Found your USB driver more here Also Rooted ROM MOD, that your guys are on your own.

thx for this; i should have my android unit next week, hopefully before Wednesday so will update on the NA 3G frequency...

 

[esource2000]

My Huawei S7 is now working thanks to a post by xaueious


AT&T
APN Settings: per xaueious post

Name: AT&T
APN: wap.cingular
Proxy: leave blank
Port: leave blank
Username:[email protected]
Password:CINGULAR1
Server: leave blank
MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com
MMS Proxy: wireless.cingular.com
MMS Port: 80
MCC:310
MNC:410
APN Type: leave blank

 

[esource2000]

My Huawei S7 is now working on AT&T 3G network thanks to a post by xaueious.
The APN settings given to me today by AT&T were wrong.
The settings below work!
Let us know if you have the same success with the settings.
I agree that this is the best bang for the buck so far and it's a "keeper" for me.
I own a 3G iPad, Velocity Cruz Tablet, Archos 7 and the latter two are going to be returned because the Huawei blows them away.

AT&T
APN Settings: per xaueious post

Name: AT&T
APN: wap.cingular
Proxy: leave blank
Port: leave blank
Username:[email protected]
Password:CINGULAR1
Server: leave blank
MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com
MMS Proxy: wireless.cingular.com
MMS Port: 80
MCC:310
MNC:410
APN Type: leave blank

 

[ainyul]

My Huawei S7 is now working on AT&T 3G network thanks to a post by xaueious.
The APN settings given to me today by AT&T were wrong.
The settings below work!
Let us know if you have the same success with the settings.
I agree that this is the best bang for the buck so far and it's a "keeper" for me.
I own a 3G iPad, Velocity Cruz Tablet, Archos 7 and the latter two are going to be returned because the Huawei blows them away.

AT&T
APN Settings: per xaueious post

Name: AT&T
APN: wap.cingular
Proxy: leave blank
Port: leave blank
Username:[email protected]
Password:CINGULAR1
Server: leave blank
MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com
MMS Proxy: wireless.cingular.com
MMS Port: 80
MCC:310
MNC:410
APN Type: leave blank

great news, this means i will be able to use it in canada on fido/rogers then, makes a great Christmas gift too..!!
perhaps i will have to fedex it to get it sooner..

 

[TheVicster]

Hey guys, just joined and stumbled across your site while researching the huawei I just picked up at BB. Can also confirm that AT&T simmcard works! Which is odd because the BB guy insisted the unit was wifi only,'LOL

Anyway, the problem I have is I can text and make
Voice calls over 3G but no
Data connection. I've turned on data capabilities in the menu, but no luck. Is
Possible there is a defective antenna? Is
It user error? Can't figure out why ive got voice connection but no data

Anyway, is thing perfect? No. Battery life isn't so hot, butim
Sure the aftermarket will address that,'or
Huawei will put out a high capacity replacement. But for half the price of theTab,'this thing ain't bad at all

And i spent some hands on time with the tab as well. Feels cheap as hell compared to the s7, and wasn't impressed. Plus, won't have to buy another cell plan!!

 

[TheVicster]

Using the apn settings in this thread I got
Data working! Thanks guys!

This thing may not be perfect. But it's the only model with the ability to use your phones sim card right now that im
Aware of. That feature alone makes it worth the 300 bucks for me, as opposed to twice the cost or more of it's competitors

 

[ainyul]

Hey guys, just joined and stumbled across your site while researching the huawei I just picked up at BB. Can also confirm that AT&T simmcard works! Which is odd because the BB guy insisted the unit was wifi only,'LOL

Anyway, the problem I have is I can text and make
Voice calls over 3G but no
Data connection. I've turned on data capabilities in the menu, but no luck. Is
Possible there is a defective antenna? Is
It user error? Can't figure out why ive got voice connection but no data

Anyway, is thing perfect? No. Battery life isn't so hot, butim
Sure the aftermarket will address that,'or
Huawei will put out a high capacity replacement. But for half the price of theTab,'this thing ain't bad at all

And i spent some hands on time with the tab as well. Feels cheap as hell compared to the s7, and wasn't impressed. Plus, won't have to buy another cell plan!!

Using the apn settings in this thread I got
Data working! Thanks guys!

This thing may not be perfect. But it's the only model with the ability to use your phones sim card right now that im
Aware of. That feature alone makes it worth the 300 bucks for me, as opposed to twice the cost or more of it's competitors

I would have to agree that considering the price point and the 3G sim card flexibility this is a great compromise; another SUPER benefit is the fact that this will be FROYO compliant according to HUAWEI Norge FB in Q1 2011...!!

 

[troyy0206]

I spent about three weeks looking at youtube videos on all the different Android tablets hoping to find a decent priced model that wasn't a POS. The only cheap model I've personally touched was the GenTouch from KMart and it went back the next day. I had to disassemble it just to get my SD card out. Anyway, the video I found on YouTube of the S7 was good enough that I bought one the next day at Best Buy. The tag did say WiFi only, but it has a SIM slot and I was able to make a phone call just by putting the AT&T sim card in. After I entered the APN settings in this thread, data fired right up.

The resistive screen is rather impressive as far as response. I kind of like it for most things because it keeps me from making mistakes like I did when I tried to use the iPad. It definitely makes typing better. Sometimes I get better results from the stylus, especially when selecting hyperlinks. I have yet to see any slowness or anything, but haven't really put it to any tests yet. I have an HTC Aria phone that I had already used to figure out how NOT to screw up the performance, so that might be why it's working so well for me.

One strange thing--my HTC Aria is rooted and I have the free wireless tether installed. The S7 *will not* see the SSID being broadcast at all. I have used other laptops, ipads, etc, but the S7 simply does not see it. Anyone have suggestions for that?

I'm going to continue to use it for a few days before I decide to keep or return it. It's definitely a solid tablet. Just not sure it's going to be productive for me yet. I might pay the extra $100 for the ViewSonic, but the SIM option in the S7 is pretty appealing. If I could get it to use my wifi tethering from my Aria, I'm a much happier owner. Not sure what others were saying about it looking and feeling cheap. The kickstand is even a nice heavy gauge metal. The GenTouch felt like a Fisher-Price toy, IMO.

 

[xaueious]

Your HTC Aria might be using adhoc configuration wireless tethering. The only way to bypass this is to overwrite wpa-supplicant.conf manually (scripts work too), or by updating the phone to the Android 2.2 version. Android 2.2 allows for wireless tether broadcast just like it would from a standard wireless router, and would allow any other Android device to connect to it.

The Tegra 2 units do show promise, but the software has definitely not caught up to the hardware to really be able to make it a worthwhile investment. This Huawei, on the other hand, is built on a proven platform (Snapdragon = Nexus One's brains), and means it is much further along with respect to efficiency and stability.