Android 7" Tab with USB charging

Ldanield on 17/10/2012 - 12:21

Hi All,

Looking for a 7" tab for overseas travel, one feature I really want but not sure if its avialble is the ability to charge from USB, from a laptop or a portble battery charger etc… Doesn't have to be a quick charge just something that will hold. Nothing worse then being on a long flight with no charge and no way of chrging until you get to a powerpoint. I use a portble battery that works well with the phone, just want a tab with the same thing as the Mrs usually steals my phone to play angry birds on long flights.

I believe the iPads are cabable of charging from USB, however I want Android, preferbly a Samsung.

Computing

Comments

  • tonyjzx on 17/10/2012 - 12:38

    isnt USB charging mandatory these days?

  • scotty on 17/10/2012 - 12:41

    I believe most 7" tablets are charged from their USB ports. It's just whether your power source is able to provide enough current. Standard USB port from laptop might provide 500mA but to charge optimally you usually want more.

  • ESEMCE on 17/10/2012 - 12:46

    "preferbly a Samsung."

    Why not the Nexus 7?
    It's clearly the best value brand name tablet available in Australia

  • sane on 17/10/2012 - 13:02

    All tabs will charge from USB - because the EU requires that all mobile devices use microUSB for charging (to get rid of all those chargers). If anything the apple junk is worse since they insist on trying to push their connector lockin, rather than being standards compliant, and only provide microUSB via adapter.

    Oh, and with many airlines you get a USB socket at your seat, so you can use this to recharge your device whilst using it on the plane - provided you remember to pack the cable.

    And 7" tablet-wise - get a 32GB Nexus 7 when it's announced this week.

    • wakkawalla on 19/10/2012 - 17:33

      hmm which airline is that? international or domestic?

      I havnt seen this feature on my recent flight (SYD to GC, Jetstar)

      • andyman1908 on 20/10/2012 - 14:04

        I think our intl. Had it on my va flight to lax before.

  • andyman1908 on 17/10/2012 - 13:56

    I was looking for a cheap tablet for my toddler to watch while in the car therefore was essential to be usb chargeable (bought a pendo pad before that wasnt).

    I had asked the people at buyincoins and confirmed this can be charged by usb so bought it yesterday.

    Might be what your after if you just want a cheapie (cost me $56.04 USD after discount)

    http://www4.buyincoins.com/new_en/details/7-epad-android-4-0…

  • danield on 17/10/2012 - 13:58

    "many airlines you get a USB socket at your seat"

    All the more reason I want to make sure I am able to charge through it.

    Next OS trip I want to reduce the number of Power Adapters and cables I carry. 1 adapter with USB outlet needs to accomadate all devices.

    Good to hear that it shouldnt be an issue with new devices. Last time I travelled with my 10" Acer Iconia it was the one and only problem with it despite the weight ofcourse. Hence the reason for 7" this time.

    The Nexus, I will consider, however feature number 2 on my list of "must haves" is MicroSD, which I believe is not avialable on the Nexus. Guess Ill wait and see whats announced next week, Any chance of being added?

    • sane on 17/10/2012 - 14:15

      Not a hope.

      Basically it hasn't been an issue with my N7 - 16GB is enough to carry enough media with you (hundreds of songs, 6 movies), and 32GB would be more than enough. If you really need more then an OTG cable and a USB stick or hard drive will suffice for all practical purposes.

      Don't forget the main advantage of nexus, you get the latest OS almost as soon as its launched.

      • danield on 17/10/2012 - 14:25

        No interest in latest software updates, I never get around to doing them anyway. Im all about jamming enough crappy movies or TV shows on it to keep from boredom.

        OTG cable??? USB Stick?? I'm listening……. thats fine by me.

        Basically thats all I do now, the Iconia has full size USB and the GS2 has a dongle, and I just load up a couple of 16gb USB keys with crap before setting off on the trip.

        USB expansion suit my needs fine.

        • sane on 17/10/2012 - 15:26

          Err, OK.

          The software updates are over-the-air, so they appear on your machine without you needing to 'do them'. Keeps you up with ICS, JB, KLP, which is worth it's weight in gold, honest.

          Basically if your tablet has the right firmware drivers, you can plug in an "On The Go" cable to the tablet and have it act like 'the PC', rather than 'the Device' - allowing you to connect USB devices to it. That does depend on having enough grunt to power the device mind.

          Upshot is you can plug in a 64GB USB stick and be able to access that storage from the tablet 'on the go' - allowing you to store movies etc. and copy/use it as you want. Nexus 7 needs a slight software addition to make it work with mass storage, but its all pretty well defined and standard. You can also connect keyboards, cameras,PS3 controllers, lots of stuff.

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOqn62m49S0
          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px2liF7lwA0

          BTW One of the ways in which firmware updates to the OS help are that later OS versions tend to have more OTG support.

        • Bappy on 17/10/2012 - 16:08

          OTG Cable: see www.usbotg.com.au

        • danield on 17/10/2012 - 16:34

          Oh cool, already got one of these for the phone. No idea it was called an OTG cable.

      • auna on 19/10/2012 - 04:57

        I am sorry, but WTF?. 6 movies? You could barely do that with 64gb 0_0

  • [Deactivated] on 17/10/2012 - 18:34

    I have a Samsung tab (GT 7.7) . 30 pin dock to usb cable comes with the tab and cheap replacements are available from the likes of Meritline. Just be aware that if you plan on charging a tablet battery from an external lithium pack successfully you need a big one - 10,000 Mah min, preferably 15.

  • motor on 17/10/2012 - 19:21

    Ainol Fire ~$150 -160 AUD high res, 16gb, reasonably fast, USB charge, OTG and can use 64Gb micro sd

  • danield on 18/10/2012 - 10:33

    Spent some time comparing the Nexus and the Samsung last night. Was convinced to go with the Nexus, and then swung back to the Samsung. I think the no expansion on the Nexus is becoming a deal breaker, sure I can work around it but….. starting to feel like an iPad being limited to simply expand.

    Also took me a while to figure out that there are a few Samsung models. Samsung Tab 2 and Samsung Tab 7.7. So the 7.7 looks like the one I want. It appears that this is the older of the two, is it still avialbale or is it now discontinued?

    Will have a closer look at the Ainol Fire today and see how it compares.

    • [Deactivated] on 18/10/2012 - 14:08

      Read my comments in this thread: http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/80828

      • danield on 18/10/2012 - 14:55

        Thanks Tas,

        Yeah I struggling to find anything remotley as cheap as those deals.

        Was considering buying when they showed up here under $300 but wasnt in the market for one at the time. Now I can only find them at $450+

        Travalled with the 10" Acer and vowed that next travel I'll get a 7". Just planning European holiday now for March so have time to hold out for a drop in price, but Im not sure if thats a possible, actually I can't seem to find out if its a continuing line or if it will fade away as quielty as it appeared.

        Think I might have missed the boat with those prices though.

    • sane on 19/10/2012 - 00:13

      You want more than 20 movies and 20 hours of music at a time?

      32GB goes a long, long way …… and if my some chance its not, you have options.

      I simply couldn't suggest people get the Samsung over the 32GB Nexus 7 - no microSD slot is worth what you lose.

  • [Deactivated] on 18/10/2012 - 17:09

    Unless a 7.7 comes up on Ebay for a price you're happy with, if I were you I'd buy the Ainol Fire. I've been thinking about buying one myself as an additional toy for a while now and by buying that particular model you stand a good chance of avoiding some of the issues affecting other models (dodgy screens etc.), plus you get bluetooth - and maybe even the dual cameras will come in handy if your main camera gets nicked!
    As for the Nexus 7 - even allowing for what it lacks - it's a good unit, but I'd only recommend it if you were desperate for Jelly Bean, and only if JB offered more than it really does. Yes, the scrolling is nice and 'buttery', yes the offline dictation feature is potentially useful, and yes there are a few other bits and pieces, but you also lose the flash player and flash is still everywhere on the web. While it's easy enough to get flash back onto the Nexus 7 and other JB devices, you lose the regular security updates (vital for flash) from the Play Store. There have been two in the last month.

    • OBone on 19/10/2012 - 23:28

      Isn't there a potential problem with the Ainol Fire regarding the touch screen? As in, it is possible to damage it beyond repair by some undetermined sequence of events? The info is to be found on the slatedroid forums.
      I had been following the progress of the Fire since it's inception and was planning to get one myself.

      Apparently there is an English (export) version of the Fire, called the Flame (same specs.), which people have suggested is of better quality than the Fire (Chinese home market version). I don't know if it has the same potential touch screen problem however.

      In the end I gave up on the Fire when failures started to appear and settled for the cheaper Ainol Aurora II instead. I am very happy with the Aurora II but it is not without it's quirks either. None of the Chinese tablets are. But most of the Auroras quirks can be fixed with firmware updates.

      More importantly, to me, the price difference between one of these Chinatabs and something like the Samsung 7.7 (and it is substantial) will stay in my pocket till the next geewhiz tablet comes along.

  • MasterScythe on 20/10/2012 - 13:57
    +1

    U30GT Mini; no competition.

    Same great tablet as the u30GT, but 7" and USB chargeable.

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