http://www.buyincoins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&p…
The specs look pretty good and it is running ICS(latest google OS).It will mainly be used as a "coffee table computer" for the whole family so we can browse the net or watch youtube videos in the loungeroom. I must say these tablets are getting surprisingly cheaper in price very quickly.
they've also got a similar 10" version for $130 but only with wireless-g and poorer camera.
they look ok on paper but who knows what they're like in real life.
i just mentioned the one above as an example because i saw it on the site when i was buying something else and it looked ok.
it might pay to check out some other chinese sites as well to see what they offer.
there is also a coupon advertised on the home page for 8% off "8%OffEaster" (valid until 2012-04-15)
I might take the risk and buy it. It is often difficult to find credible reviews for these no-name derivative tablets. My expectations aren't too high. I can always resell it if it is truly bad. Thanks for the responses.
Bought for $90 with the discount.This is a very good price. I've taken the punt and will put up a review after I get it. So excited about my first tablet, I'm sure it will be really useful.
you will also need a us->au plug adapter (<$1) if you don't already have one. the input voltage for power pack is 100-240 volts so it will handle australian voltages.
best of luck!
I am thinking of cancelling my order and getting this one instead for $85 pre-discount.
http://www.buyincoins.com/details/7-epad-a10-1-5ghz-android-…
Sure, it is running 2.3 but it is sufficient for now and perhaps upgradable later on if necessary. It should also be highly compatible with my existing app collection because my mobile phone was running this version. It also has a full size USB connector which could be useful for plugging in USB devices. Apart from this the specs between the two are virtually identical. The price difference is only around $12-13 less but I think compatibility might be better under a more stable, mature version of the OS. Or should I take the leap to 4.0 and just think of the future?
Will need to do some reading up on the new OS to see whether it is compelling enough to be an early adopter of the software.
the cheaper one lacks menu/return/home buttons which might be useful.
there is a comparison of 2.3 vs 4 (amongst others) at http://www.androidauthority.com/android-2-3-gingerbread-vs-a…
i gather from the article that the ICS UI is a bit more polished and a bit faster
personally for $12 extra i would go for the newer tablet with ICS out of the box
the 3rd party cyanogenmod firware for allwinner a10 cpus is also in development http://androtab.info/cyanogenmod/allwinner/
I think I will stick with my purchase. Thanks for allaying my concerns :) I never like to be an early adopter of new software but we will see. I certainly hope that it comes shipped with a genuine version of Android 4 ICS. Heard many reports about cut-down versions of the OS being deployed in cheaper devices that are missing many of the important apps and functions, such as marketplace. I presume the manufacturer is using old product images because it doesn't look like ICS at all, even the typefonts say "Honeycomb" but I have noticed many lazy errors in the product description. There is also a tentative forum message that alludes to this potential issue. I guess it isn't much money but without reviews it makes buying it a small risk.
Heard many reports about cut-down versions of the OS being deployed in cheaper devices that are missing many of the important apps and functions, such as marketplace.
i really don't know and can't help you there. if you can get root access for the device then you can do anything you want to the software installed on the device
apparently it is an 'eken t02' according to one of the comments. several videos on youtube
The tablet arrived and it works fine. Here are a few remarks I posted elsewhere in case anyone is considering to buy. I'd rate it at 7/10 and believe it is v.good value for what it offers, despite some hardware limitations(screen quality, battery life, orientation sensor quirks, front camera).
It works absolutely fine - HD movies, 3D games, web browsing, etc.
ICS 4.0 is a real nice OS. It also accepts external HDDs and file manager is quick to access 1TB of movies and music for ultimate multimedia access, which can then be streamed to a HD TV via a mini-HDMI cable.The biggest downfall is the battery life in real terms is below 2hrs of usage on a full charge, significantly less than the advertised claim of 5hrs. I've since utilised a rather long USB extender cable that allows me to sit close enough to a power point and use comfortably without worrying about battery depleting. It is annoying because it doesn't feel like unrestrained, liberating computing when you gotta be near an AC all the time.
.The biggest downfall is the battery life in real terms is below 2hrs of
That really is quite poor. For me, if the tablet has less than 3 hours of battery life, I'd be giving it a rating of maximum 5/10 — 2 hours is really unacceptable for a tablet device.
Anyway thanks for your input. Looks like I'll be staying the hell away from ePads from now on.
Lol, hope I didn't scare you away from buying one. The future looks bright for tablets so I'm sure if you wait longer… :)
Thanks for taking the time to post a follow-up.
thx for the review
thanks for the review. did ur tablet come with an australian power cord plug? or did u need an adaptor?
It's a run of the mill Chinatab. If you're willing to manage your expectations at the lower end of the scale, it'll be adequate. Just basic web browsing, youtube, eBooks etc should be acceptable.
But if you're looking at things like build quality, gaming, graphics, speed, multitasking, then you might run into difficulties. Bearing in mind that 'name' tablets like the Iconia can be found for around the 250 mark, it may be worth the additional spend