OSNews:

OSNews: http://www.osnews.com/story/23605/Affordable_Android-powered_iPad-like_Tablet_Computers_Galore Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2013, David Adams adam+nospam@osnews.com Sat, 18 May 2013 18:25:39 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif OSNews.com http://www.osnews.com What makes them "Ipod-like?" http://www.osnews.com/thread?434410 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434410 ... because they have a touchscreen and a bezel?

(Of course, I meant "Ipad-like")Edited 2010-07-26 07:53 UTC Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:50:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (tupp) Comments Features? Software? Usability? http://www.osnews.com/thread?434413 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434413 Sounds interesting, but I'm very sceptical about available software and usability. Usually these cheap Chinese OEMs just slap any half-baked stuff on these things. Also, why aren't these available in Europe or the US? Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:59:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (jokkel) Comments their android is old http://www.osnews.com/thread?434414 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434414 These i-pad like devices have a old version of android,
and most of theme are short in memory. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:08:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (lfnuke2) Comments These devices have just an ... http://www.osnews.com/thread?434415 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434415 ... ARM926J "inside". The ARM926J -- an ARM9E based design -- delivers about 1.1M Dhrystones per MHz. The devices sold by HTC, Samsung, Apple, Archos, etc. are based on ARM Cortex A8 or even an A9. These processors deliver about 2.0M (A8) or even 2.5M (A9) Dhrystones per MHz.

BTW, the Archos7 for example features an ARM Cortex A8 @ 600MHz, 128MB of RAM, 2GB of Flash, a 7" @ 800x480 display, updates, etc. Well, it is in the USD199 NOT in the USD149 price range. But IMHO it has a significant better "bang for the buck".

pica

PS I own an Archos5 which is even more compact. It easily fits into a pocket of a jacket. That is why I choose the 5" design. The Archos tablets have the reputation of chrashing quite often. Yes, the updates 2.0.15 and 2.0.21 were instable. But 2.0.28 fixed that problem. So I had to suffer 2 to 3 weeks of "a crash per day keeps users away". Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:15:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (pica) Comments tool or gadget http://www.osnews.com/thread?434416 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434416 If the tablet is a tool for you, Android 1.6 is fine.
If you wear it as a gadget, Android 1.6 is old.

pica Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:32:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (pica) Comments I'm still waiting... http://www.osnews.com/thread?434433 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434433 I would buy one of these tablets if it had multi-touch and a hackable OS with open source drivers.

Unfortunately, I don't think any of those tablets satisfy the requirements yet. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:30:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Zifre) Comments Dont expect a Ipad, fun devices http://www.osnews.com/thread?434446 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434446 Dont expect an Ipad. These tablets look like an Ipad, even the box is an Ipad lookalike.
But its not an Ipad, so dont compare with an Ipad please!
A bit slow, video will not show, you need a stylus to operate, not multitouch. Missing hardware buttons required for Android (Menu). Limited memory. Not very well built also. Not working Market access.

Very affordable (7 inch for $99, 8 inch for $140)!

So fun to play with, use to see Android, for browsing, a photoframe, ebook reader. Active users getting better versions of Android on the devices. So much more open than that other tablet Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Hans Otten) Comments specs for tablets http://www.osnews.com/thread?434458 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434458 For all of you guessing about the specs, instead of just going to the website to check. Can't get off your butt?

Operating System Google Android OS 1.6
Processor 800MHz (Actual 533MHz)
Memory 128MB DDR2
Capacity 2GB NAND FLASH, support SDHC TF card up to 16GB
Display 8" high-brightness TFT LCD widescreen touch display (800*600 pixel resolution)
Touch Control Full size touch operation, sliding menu, functional icon dragging
Orientation Sensors With accelerometer, automatic steering display screen
Network 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi network connection
Microphone Built-in
Speaker 1 speaker
Slots 1 * Micro SD/TF card slot (support up to 16GB)
1 * USB
1 * 3.5mm Stereo Audio out
Function E-Book, Office word processing, Document to go (word, excel, PPT, PDF)
Software Google chome-lite Browser, UCWEB Browser; Mainstream web mail service, Gmail, Yahoo mail, Hotmail, Sina mail, 163 mail; Fring, Skype out; QQ, MSN, SKYPE, GTALK
OS Language Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously
Battery Built-in rechargeable battery
Power Adapter 100-240V (US plug)
Accessories AC power adapter, USB data cable, user manual Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:04:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (ecruz) Comments RE: I'm still waiting... http://www.osnews.com/thread?434459 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434459 For me, the lack of hackability and the non-conformance to FOSS principles is the dealbreaker here. There's some very wrong about running an open source OS like Android or Ubuntu, but then only being able to update it by downloading firmware from the vendor.

I found a great blog post describing the current situation of GPL compliance for these cheap tablets: http://projectgus.com/2010/07/open-source-in-android-tablets/ Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:16:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (daev) Comments RE: specs for tablets http://www.osnews.com/thread?434462 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434462 The CPU spec is a lie.

Its closer to 300 MHz. Head over to slatedroid.com for some real info! Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:52:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Hans Otten) Comments RE[2]: specs for tablets http://www.osnews.com/thread?434467 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434467 Those are the specs shown on the actual website. That is all I can go by, I can't make wild conjectures as anything else, maybe you can. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:19:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (ecruz) Comments RE[3]: specs for tablets http://www.osnews.com/thread?434471 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434471 Or.......you could quit being snarky and read the website he linked you to.

I think it's great that Android tablets are coming out to compete with the iPad. I don't think it's great that copy and paste still is completely useless, there's no true multitouch, and the virtual keyboard still sucks. I'd also like to see someone come out with a well-built Android tablet that competes on merits and construction, not "let's see how much we can undercut the iPad for!" Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:25:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (polaris20) Comments RE[4]: specs for tablets http://www.osnews.com/thread?434475 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434475

I'd also like to see someone come out with a well-built Android tablet that competes on merits and construction, not "let's see how much we can undercut the iPad for!"

In 2010, I'd rather take cheap over well-built any day.

We are going to see good tablets later, but these cheap gadgets make the wait easier. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:37:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (vivainio) Comments RE[2]: I'm still waiting... http://www.osnews.com/thread?434499 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434499 The non-hackability is debatable. The guys at slatedroid.com have been messing with this things for some time now. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:18:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (merkoth) Comments RE: tool or gadget http://www.osnews.com/thread?434518 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434518

If the tablet is a tool for you, Android 1.6 is fine.
If you wear it as a gadget, Android 1.6 is old.

1.6 is still useless - none of these devices can access the marketplace so one can download Kindle app, Flash is only for Android 2.2, the support is non-existant once you purchase it so don't expect any updates of any form from these vendors and so on. If they really used their brains they would use standard components and a 'off the tree' version of Android which allow the community to take over and offer Android builds as to reduce their costs in the long run.

I was going to purchase one of these el-cheapo pads until I did some reading up on them - sorry, unless you have hours to waste on these pads of pain I suggest you save up a few extra dollars and purchase them from vendors who give a crap about supporting their customers beyond the initial purchase. Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:22:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (kaiwai) Comments RE[2]: tool or gadget http://www.osnews.com/thread?434530 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434530

If they really used their brains they would use standard components and a 'off the tree' version of Android which allow the community to take over and offer Android builds as to reduce their costs in the long run.

Are you sure off-the-tree new Android versions support these cheap devices? Would it run at halfway decent speed? Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:33:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (vivainio) Comments RE[3]: tool or gadget http://www.osnews.com/thread?434534 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434534

Are you sure off-the-tree new Android versions support these cheap devices? Would it run at halfway decent speed?

They're not doing anything special right now - they need to submit the hardware support (modules) to Google for inclusion in the tree - even if that involves telling Google not to provide the source (Google keep the source in house and provide the binary version to the public). As for the speed, they might need to trim it down but tis the sacrifice if one purchases a cheap device. Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:45:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (kaiwai) Comments RE[4]: tool or gadget http://www.osnews.com/thread?434538 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434538

As for the speed, they might need to trim it down but tis the sacrifice if one purchases a cheap device.

I'm guessing that trimming down may not be easy, if it's true that new Android versions expect hw accelerated OpenGL to be available. It may well exceed the R&D budgets of these companies, esp. if they can just ship old version of Android and call it a day. Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:39:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (vivainio) Comments RE[5]: specs for tablets http://www.osnews.com/thread?434580 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434580 I'm tired of buying cheap crap waiting for nicer stuff. I'm happy with the iPad, and don't regret spending $600 on it at all for the amount of use I'm getting out of it. iOS4 continues to be better than Android (at least 2.1, I have not yet tried 2.2) and I'm not confident Google or the vendors will be fixing the problems I have with it any time soon, especially as it applies to a tablet device. Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:25:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (polaris20) Comments RE[6]: specs for tablets http://www.osnews.com/thread?434591 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434591

I'm happy with the iPad, and don't regret spending $600 on it at all for the amount of use I'm getting out of it.

Someone else, on the other hand, might be pissed if they blew $600 on something that they use for the same thing where a $100 tablet would suffice. It's better plan to spend ~$150 now and $400-500 later (for something that kicks the crap out of current iPad - perhaps with Pixel Qi display even). Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:39:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (vivainio) Comments RE[4]: specs for tablets http://www.osnews.com/thread?434609 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434609

I'd also like to see someone come out with a well-built Android tablet that competes on merits and construction, not "let's see how much we can undercut the iPad for!"

Probably not going to happen, since most people who skipped out on the iPad don't seem to want to pay more than $200 for a tablet. Hey, you want cheap shit, then you get what you pay for. Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:33:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (WorknMan) Comments More http://www.osnews.com/thread?434620 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434620 More cheap shit here:

http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/Augen-Gentouch78-and-TheBoo... Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:53:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (vivainio) Comments iPads http://www.osnews.com/thread?434665 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434665 I have to be honest, I am not an Apple fan and I am an Android fan instead (I own a Hero) but these "iPad" like devices can only dream of being iPads. This is equivalent to making GNOME look like XP/Vista -- the desktop looks like it but outside the desktop works and looks nothing like it including menu bars, dialog boxes, drag&drop, copy&paste etc or when when the Simpsons cast built Flanders a house. He enters the house and the space just gets smaller and smaller.

Android rules....Edited 2010-07-28 09:52 UTC Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:51:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (OSGuy) Comments RE: their android is old http://www.osnews.com/thread?434681 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434681

These i-pad like devices have a old version of android,
and most of theme are short in memory.

These guys will be coming out with FroYo based devices within the next month. I already have one pre-production device with ARM Cortex-A8 1GHz and FroYo and another device lined up with MeeGo on i.MX515. The build quality is actually reasonable, but not all do it right. Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:25:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (JAlexoid) Comments RE: I'm still waiting... http://www.osnews.com/thread?434682 http://www.osnews.com/thread?434682

I would buy one of these tablets if it had multi-touch and a hackable OS with open source drivers.

Unfortunately, I don't think any of those tablets satisfy the requirements yet.

Depends on if Slatedroid has them... Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:28:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (JAlexoid) Comments