Small tablets for paraniods...

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Lol, right now, I seem to have amassed a bit of a collection:

• Ainol Novo7 Venus (ATM7025 Cortex A5 1.1GHz quad-core, 1GB RAM, 7" 1280*800 IPS, 16GB, microSD, Mini-HDMI)
• PiPo U1 Pro (RK3066 Cortex A9 1.6GHz dual-core, 1GB RAM, 7" 1280*800 IPS, 16GB, microSD, Mini-HDMI)
• Cube U9GT V (RK3066 Cortex A9 1.6GHz dual-core, 1GB RAM, 9.7" 2048*1536 IPS, 16GB, microSD, Mini-HDMI)
• Nextway F9X (A31 Cortex A7 1.0GHz quad-core, 2GB RAM, 9.7" 2048*1536 IPS, 16GB, microSD, Mini-HDMI)

Quite content with the ones I have but that's because my performance requirements are quite low. These are nowhere near as good as the Nexus 7 or iPad. Among the ones listed, the Cube U9GT V is the worst of the bunch. Before you even consider buying an off-brand Chinese Android tablet, though, I highly suggest reading this post first which lists a bunch of things that can (and probably will) go wrong: Off-brand Phones and Tablets: Worth the Low Cost?



This part is not an issue with most generic Android devices (e.g. not Kindle or Nook) that have microSD card slots. Android, unlike iOS, gives apps access to the underlying file system and most of the 3rd party ebook reader apps have no problem reading ebooks from external storage. I use Mantano Reader and I have no problem importing and reading ebooks stored on microSD. On Perfect Viewer, I can even read manga/comics directly from network shares.

Ok, a Samsung Nexus 7 doesn't have a micro-sd but a Galaxy Tab does. Did the Nexus replace the Tab or are there 2 separate paths?

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Ok, a Samsung Nexus 7 doesn't have a micro-sd but a Galaxy Tab does. Did the Nexus replace the Tab or are there 2 separate paths?

Nexus 7 is Asus - not Samsung.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Ok, a Samsung Nexus 7 doesn't have a micro-sd but a Galaxy Tab does. Did the Nexus replace the Tab or are there 2 separate paths?

The Nexus devices offer a pure Google experience. They're separate from the manufacturers' actual product lines. For example:

Samsung Galaxy S - Nexus S
Samsung Galaxy S2 - Galaxy Nexus
LG Optimus G - Nexus 4

Just so happened we haven't seen equivalents yet for the tablets (Nexus 7 and Nexus 10) likely because it's hard to compete on pricing when there's no carrier subsidy.

One thing you can probably expect with all Nexus devices, though - no microSD slot.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Ok, a Samsung Nexus 7 doesn't have a micro-sd but a Galaxy Tab does. Did the Nexus replace the Tab or are there 2 separate paths?

Not sure what you mean, Ralph. The Nexus isn't a replacement for the Tab; it's a rival to it, made by a different company.

[Asawi]

I repeatd my suggestion:
Nook Tablet (discontinued, but plenty of lightly used around) is great piece of hardware for the money (around $100).
Root it and instal CM10 or 10.1 (I prefer CM10) and it's a regular Android tablet. No need to register eith BN unlesss you want to. You don't have to install gApps (Google apps) unless you want to. You can sideload both apps and media and you can keep stuff on sd-card.

[Greg Anos]

Another piece of junk...

I bought an Archos Gamepad. Looked like what I wanted.

Android 4.1.1, external micro SD, could be used for gaming. (I want to run an Atari 800 emulator.)

Charge it up. So far, so good. It asked to set up date and time. I override with manual date/tiem. Ok. It ask to install the app that came with the tablet. I say Ok. They install. I decide to power down to do other things. Ok.

I come back and boot up the Game pad.

Locked!

I click on the lock to unlock it. It tries to go to Google - no WiFi connection. Won't unlock and turns itself off.

A $180 dollar piece of junk!!!!!! Going to the Internet should be a choice not a hardware-stopping necessity!!!!

(Long string of expletive deleteds)

[Greg Anos]

Turns out you have to keep one finger on the lock button and used another finger to touch the unlock button...

This is intuitive?

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

The Nexus devices offer a pure Google experience. They're separate from the manufacturers' actual product lines. For example:

Samsung Galaxy S - Nexus S
Samsung Galaxy S2 - Galaxy Nexus
LG Optimus G - Nexus 4

Just so happened we haven't seen equivalents yet for the tablets (Nexus 7 and Nexus 10) likely because it's hard to compete on pricing when there's no carrier subsidy.

One thing you can probably expect with all Nexus devices, though - no microSD slot.

Wait till Motorola starts producing nexus devices! The confusion will reign supreme!

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Another piece of junk...

I bought an Archos Gamepad. Looked like what I wanted.

Android 4.1.1, external micro SD, could be used for gaming. (I want to run an Atari 800 emulator.)

Charge it up. So far, so good. It asked to set up date and time. I override with manual date/tiem. Ok. It ask to install the app that came with the tablet. I say Ok. They install. I decide to power down to do other things. Ok.

I come back and boot up the Game pad.

Locked!

I click on the lock to unlock it. It tries to go to Google - no WiFi connection. Won't unlock and turns itself off.

A $180 dollar piece of junk!!!!!! Going to the Internet should be a choice not a hardware-stopping necessity!!!!

(Long string of expletive deleteds)

With respect, Ralph. These tablets are designed, frankly, by telecom companies with the assumption that a persistent internet connection is always available. What non internet functionality is available is merely a nod to the unfortunate reality that sometimes the internet is not available. I'm thinking your needs might be better met with a Microsoft Surface (NOT the RT version). The problem is, they ain't cheap because they are a full fledged PC disguised as a tablet.

[Freeshadow]

Warning about Archos.
Both mp3 players my ma had from them had low quality headphone connection. You may end up with mono in a couple of months.
Sad thing is - all that would be needed to fix it would be opening them and bend the contacts back to again firmly touch the headphone conn.

Now go and try to open an archos... :/

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Turns out you have to keep one finger on the lock button and used another finger to touch the unlock button...

This is intuitive?

Unless Archos significantly modified their Android UI, pretty sure you can just slide your finger to unlock. This is one of the things I'd expect is intuitive to someone 20 years old (maybe 30?) or younger. Alas, it seems like older folk need more explicit instructions (at least from my experience with my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles).

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Unless Archos significantly modified their Android UI, pretty sure you can just slide your finger to unlock. This is one of the things I'd expect is intuitive to someone 20 years old (maybe 30?) or younger. Alas, it seems like older folk need more explicit instructions (at least from my experience with my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles).

Let's see...It powers off 10 30 seconds...So I have to turn on a button (across the top), then I get a locked symbol. Since I already had to turn on a button, why should I have to do anything to unlock the machine? Seriously. It's two separate steps to start with. Why do I have to add a third? Plus you only see the unlock symbol (very small) while you in contact with the lock button. There should be an arrow pointing to a LARGER unlock symbol.

Any user interface becomes intuitive with use. That doesn't make it intuitive to the Newbie. A truly intuitive user interface shouldn't require prior knowledge...

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Any user interface becomes intuitive with use. That doesn't make it intuitive to the Newbie. A truly intuitive user interface shouldn't require prior knowledge...

When I first got my Android device, I didn't have prior knowledge on how to use it, either. I just tapped on the lock icon on the screen and there were visual cues that showed up (circle flashing outwards with camera icon on left, Google icon on top and unlock icon on right) so I figured you're probably supposed to slide it to the unlock icon in order to unlock. For me, that was intuitive.

Do agree that it doesn't make sense to have the screen locked after powering on, though. It's understandable if the device is password protected but not if you're just using slide.

[Teknikal]

One of the most expensive electronic devices I bought was also the worst and it was by Archos I've never forgiven them. It was a portable movie player that could get through just about one large movie but took about 7 or 8 hours to charge also had an unreplaceable battery that died faster than anything else I've ever owned.

Funny enough at that time every magazine, Tv show and site was praising Archos for their superior quality I'd never buy anything from them again though.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

When I first got my Android device, I didn't have prior knowledge on how to use it, either. I just tapped on the lock icon on the screen and there were visual cues that showed up (circle flashing outwards with camera icon on left, Google icon on top and unlock icon on right) so I figured you're probably supposed to slide it to the unlock icon in order to unlock. For me, that was intuitive.

Do agree that it doesn't make sense to have the screen locked after powering on, though. It's understandable if the device is password protected but not if you're just using slide.

But stop and think about the human engineering for a second. I'm hold with my left hand. I poke with my index finger from my right hand on the lock icon. I tend to curl my fingers, so the other 3 fingers curl against the hand and the index finger goes somewhat down. The rest of the fingers/hand <block> anything on my line of vision to the right of the unlock. I didn't even <see> the small (and it's small) unlock symbol. and the circle flashes out in all directions. How would I know that meant to slide a finger in a particular direction? When I couldn't even see anything to slide to in that direction? (If it'd flashed out in one direction, that would have been intuitive...)

Not intuitive.