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AmericanDane · 11-09-2011, 10:40 AM

I have a Viewbook 730 and several Nook Colors and Pocket Edge and gTablet and a chinese tablet.
I bought the Viewbook because I wanted a device similar to the Nook Color but with a camera and, most important, a microphone for skype. The Viewbook seemed to fit the bill.
The Ritetouch screen of the Viewbook is really nice and nothing like any resistive touch screen you've ever used. It feels and acts like a capacitive touch screen (except not multi-touch) but you can also write/draw on it. The camera is serviceable and the mic does allow me to run skype just fine. Since it is a 2.2 froyo device you cannot use the camera with skype but you can see the video from the person you are calling.
The ZiiLabs ZMS-08 processor is fast and seems to make the tablet work fine, BUT, and here's the biggest drawback, it is a bit odd in it's implementation. So far the only "community" for this device is the Ziio 7 and 10 which are also based on the ZMS-08. What Zii was looking to do was make a multi-media rich tablet, and they did that. It's got excellent sound and while I haven't done much with video, it seems to work fine. You have to run a 10.2 or 10.3 flash (can't remember which one) but it works well and the youtube videos I have watched are excellent in full screen. But I really haven't done much with video or music on it other than Pandora and Tune-In radio. I haven't hooked it up to my HDMI TV yet, but that's another reason I bought it.

If, and it's a big, IF, I could get CM7 on this device it would win over the nook for me. No doubt the Nook Color has a better screen and it better built, but that lack of a mic is huge for me. Without CM7, which I'm not sure will ever come, the Nook Color is the best 7" device for all around, and portable, reading, browsing, and media. The larger tablets are probably better for media consumption but they are like carrying a netbook which is MUCH more capable than any of these tablets.

So, as of today, I would recommend the Nook Color, but the Viewbook 730 isn't bad and a definite step up from the chinese tablets. I bought my VB730 for $140 as a factory refurb and for that money it was a good deal.

11-09-2011, 10:40 AM	#13
AmericanDane Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Pocket Edge	I have a Viewbook 730 and several Nook Colors and Pocket Edge and gTablet and a chinese tablet. I bought the Viewbook because I wanted a device similar to the Nook Color but with a camera and, most important, a microphone for skype. The Viewbook seemed to fit the bill. The Ritetouch screen of the Viewbook is really nice and nothing like any resistive touch screen you've ever used. It feels and acts like a capacitive touch screen (except not multi-touch) but you can also write/draw on it. The camera is serviceable and the mic does allow me to run skype just fine. Since it is a 2.2 froyo device you cannot use the camera with skype but you can see the video from the person you are calling. The ZiiLabs ZMS-08 processor is fast and seems to make the tablet work fine, BUT, and here's the biggest drawback, it is a bit odd in it's implementation. So far the only "community" for this device is the Ziio 7 and 10 which are also based on the ZMS-08. What Zii was looking to do was make a multi-media rich tablet, and they did that. It's got excellent sound and while I haven't done much with video, it seems to work fine. You have to run a 10.2 or 10.3 flash (can't remember which one) but it works well and the youtube videos I have watched are excellent in full screen. But I really haven't done much with video or music on it other than Pandora and Tune-In radio. I haven't hooked it up to my HDMI TV yet, but that's another reason I bought it. If, and it's a big, IF, I could get CM7 on this device it would win over the nook for me. No doubt the Nook Color has a better screen and it better built, but that lack of a mic is huge for me. Without CM7, which I'm not sure will ever come, the Nook Color is the best 7" device for all around, and portable, reading, browsing, and media. The larger tablets are probably better for media consumption but they are like carrying a netbook which is MUCH more capable than any of these tablets. So, as of today, I would recommend the Nook Color, but the Viewbook 730 isn't bad and a definite step up from the chinese tablets. I bought my VB730 for $140 as a factory refurb and for that money it was a good deal.