A8-PAD 8" Android 2.2 Tablet[Review]

aarencarter

For Bawnmore in the post: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1343

Hope you find this review useful!


Specifications:

Freescale Cortex A8 Chip @800MHz, 512MB RAM, Android 2.2.
# Screen: 8" inch TFT LCD (Touch Panel) 800*600 (4:3).
# Wi-Fi 802.11b/g.
# 4GB memory, Flash Player 10.1, Gravity Sensor, High-speed USB OTG (On The Go), Mini-SD port.
# OpenGL ES 2.0 and OpenVG 1.1 hardware accelerators.
# Multi-format HD 720p video decoder and D1 video encoder hardware engine.
I ordered it for $190, but at this moment it's $168:
Link to the Tablet
I received it exactly 15 days after I purchased it. The tablet came in a bubble-wrapped package.
It's back is in white color, despite the fact that I expected it in silver. The gadget is very compact and thin, so very attractive.
Screen.
It's the biggest problem this device has. I mean, I have an iPod Touch so I find it a bit hard to use, as it's resistive.
The visual angles are sightly low with very low back-light, I think it's because of the resistive layer, which reduces them a bit. With higher back-light, it's fixed.
Screen resolution is good (800x600).
Performance.
It's very fast, I have a lot of apps running on it and remains very fast. Also with games (Angry birds, Speedx 3D...) and with Flash 10 content, it works like a charm. So very satisfied at this point.
Apps.
It has many built-in apps, everything needed to start (QuickOffice Connect, Exchange/IMAP Mail, Aldiko (Books reader), PDF reader, Multimedia player, Flash Player 10, MSN, Maps...). It has two "App Stores", a Chinese one with paid apps for free (As Angry birds, The Sims 3...), in this store there are many apps in Chinese, but many of them are translated to English (fortunately, all well-known apps are in English). The other store is like the alternative one, it has less apps, but all in English, and they are not so famed.
I haven't rooted it yet, so I don't know how to install the official Android Market.
Connectivity.
It has SD-card port, Wi-Fi, earphones out and a 30-pin socket used to charge the device, to connect it to the PC and to connect USB gadgets like pen drives, keyboards, Bluetooth adapters, webcams... to it; which makes it a more versatile device.
Battery.
Its battery lasts for almost 5 hours of continuous Internet browsing, so it's Ok. The problem is that I still don't know how to lock and unlock the screen, so it just keeps the screen on (but with low back-light) :-/ If I could lock it, the battery would definitely last more.
Other thoughts.
I liked a lot its gravity sensor, which works very well and very responsive in games (like Speedex 3D, which looks great on big screens -very immersive-), but I don't know why menu doesn't rotate to the four positions, just three... :-s
It has two speakers, and 4GB of internal memory (3.3 GB available).
Cons:
Resistive Screen (responsive, but obviously, not as a capacitive screen).
App Stores (No official Android Market without rooting).
No camera.
Pros:
Performance.
Built-in apps.
Connectivity.
3D Games ^_^
Flash Player 10.
To sum up, I have to say that it's a good device, it worths its price, very cheap. I'm waiting for some updates (and hacks) are coming which I hope they will solve the little software problems (locking the screen, Market and four-side menu rotation).

Bawnmore

Great review, was this written by yourself or just found elsewhere? In any case, very helpful. Almost had mind set on cheaper tablet, but in between minds now

overeager

Great review, very handy info

Can I ask how long you've had it for?

Longevity would be my main concern with these yokes, do you think it feels flimsy at all or well built?

Im thinking about this one: http://www.nowsupplier.com/android-22-tablet-cortex-a8-touch-screen-support-flash-bluetooth-gps-wifi-p-1412.html because i need GPS.

Any suggestions for GPS enabled tablets?

aarencarter

overeager wrote: »

Great review, very handy info

Can I ask how long you've had it for?

Longevity would be my main concern with these yokes, do you think it feels flimsy at all or well built?

Im thinking about this one: http://www.nowsupplier.com/android-22-tablet-cortex-a8-touch-screen-support-flash-bluetooth-gps-wifi-p-1412.html because i need GPS.

Any suggestions for GPS enabled tablets?

I've had it for 3 months, so far, so good.:)
As for the longevity, I'm not so sure about it, but it won't be flimsy with the metal shell.

That tab with GPS&3G seems to be not bad, same processor&system as mine, but it's a little smaller than my tab.;)

Khannie

Nice review. Thanks.

aarencarter wrote: »

I'm waiting for some updates (and hacks) are coming which I hope they will solve the little software problems (locking the screen, Market and four-side menu rotation).

The market and screen lock were issues with the pad I have for several firmware releases but they're sorted now. Just FYI. Might give you some hope.

aarencarter

Khannie wrote: »

Nice review. Thanks.



The market and screen lock were issues with the pad I have for several firmware releases but they're sorted now. Just FYI. Might give you some hope.

Thnx for the info, helps me a lot.:)

Ardennes1944

whats the wifi range like?

Ardennes1944

bumpy^^^

aarencarter

Deutschlandfürimmer7 wrote: »

whats the wifi range like?

It says to be more than 10 square meters.

Ardennes1944

aarencarter wrote: »

It says to be more than 10 square meters.

whats stated and what its actually like is a different thing though just looking for someone who owns one

aarencarter

Deutschlandfürimmer7 wrote: »

whats stated and what its actually like is a different thing though just looking for someone who owns one

Hasn't test wifi yet, I'm using 3G.