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those two have the IPS screen. Dont underestimate what a bonus that is. (FFwd to 2:45)
I dont think you can skype on the playbook, so maybe the Lenovo A1 might work for you.
Screen looks good but...not as responsive as an iPad...
true, although apprently gingerbread 2.3.5 flies on it, and until Ainol nail their ICS firmware that may be the way to go.
TBH I think that's the killer for me, if I have a table I have to be able to type on it, cheap android phones have caught up with apple products, but it seems tablets are a way off still.
I use swiftkey on my gingerbread phone and it works brilliantly - cant see why it wouldnt work well on the tablet.
TBH Im guessing that ICS is a) not too laggy anyway, and b) Ainol are very good at improving their firmware way beyond launch date.
Soz...WTF is ICS?
Ice Cream Sandwich = Android 4.0.n
Specifically designed for tablets as opposed to phones. But both will run on a tablet.
It's sweet:
http://www.android.com/about/ice-cream-sandwich/
I hear there's a special version 4.1a for Scotland - Deep-fried-ice-cream pizza-bab?
That sounds like some serious bloatware....
It does clog up pathways
magowen - just had another update email - dispatch delayed until next week. Ainol have a back log due to a manufacturing issue and arent taking any more preorders until that has cleared. Seems theres a LOT of interest in them
Ainol, has had a delay in manufacturing the Ainol Novo 7 Aurora’s, this was due to a case fault that occurred in the first original run on a mass production scale. This has now been addressed and we can confirm mass production has started and the devices are starting to leave the factory early this week. Please note this has effected all retailers worldwide in pushing back pre-order dates.
the seller says they still have some Elf and Advanced II 7" tablets in stock, but I reckon the IPS screen is worth holding out for.
Thanks for the update Stoner.
I'll keep an eye out for your thoughts when it arrives.
After reading this thread and taking a look around I've bought one of the Cube U9gt2's from the ipadalternative website, I hope it turns out well, if I don't get on with it then I'm sure I'll be able to turn it back around on somewhere like Ebay or here 🙂
I just couldn't stomach paying for £400 for the majority of the ipadalikes out there and figured this at less than half the price could be a good punt, I reckon most of the hardware inside will be standard issue so here goes...
Archos G9 8" & 10" new spec 1.5Ghz CPU 1GB RAM ICS Android 4.0 from £219.99 Pre-Order @ Amazon
Ooh and
HTC Flyer 16GB £189.95 +£7.95pnp @ IBOOD
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/htc-flyer-16gb-189-95-7-95pnp-ibood-1144325#comments
That Archos G9 10" looks like it could be just what I'm after.....
Caution ; no android market
The Cube I've bought has Android market, It was one of the things I needed as I'm not that geeky!
magowen - just received an email (1am) saying that gadgetfreakz have just received a limited stock of 16Gb Auroras (Id pre-ordered a 8Gb one) and offered a discounted upgrade for pre-order customers on a first come first served basis for £+14. Thanks to early child alarm this fine sunday morning, Im hopefully one of those first customers. And they say they will start shipping tomorrow.
So I will have paid £130 + £14 for it which looks like a pretty good price.
Hopefully I will have it in my hands mid week.
Regarding the blackberry playbook its not just a tablet. You need a blackberry handheld which bridges to the playbook. It's a glorified dumb terminal but the new OS and newer playbooks realised later this year will be better. Many have predicted it's death though as the ipad3 will be realised later this year also.
I am working on a mobile data project i have evaluated the galaxy tab 10.1, playbook and ipad2. The galaxy tab wins it for me as a personal device its really easy to work with. Business wise citrix works a treat on the ipad and tab. The playbook has potenial infact i would prefer a playbook corporate wise so i can manage it from the BES but RIM have failed to deliver so far. I was at RIMs hq in slough there is a lot more to come from them but can't help think they are some what lagging, falling behind.
The samsung galaxy tab is well worth looking at, should be some in pc wally world available to demo handson.
Video of typing please stoner.
when it lands, al, when it lands...
magowen - woohoo dispatch email in, on its way!
Stoner - I'll look forward to the write up when you've had a play with it. 🙂
I've ordered the Onda Vi40 Elite 16gb from GF so I'll review that when it gets here (hopefully next week).
Cheers!
On the G9? Archos site says it hasStoner - Member
Caution ; no android market
With Adobe® Flash® 10.3 support for the true web experience and the constantly growing number of apps in Android Market™, as well as Google’s suite of Mobile applications your ARCHOS 101 G9 is your versatile tool for your connected life.
sorry druidh - quite right, Archos has the AM, its The "Archos" budget brand "Arnova" that doesnt.
I've ordered the Onda Vi40 Elite 16gb from GF so I'll review that when it gets here (hopefully next week).
that'd be interesting too, magowen.
I have a tracking shipment number but I imagine the Aurora has only just been picked up from GF. Hopefully arrive tomorrow, but maybe weds.
Your order from Gadget Freakz Ltd is out for delivery today by Andy your Interlink Express driver and is due to be delivered between 09:43-10:43.
*jiggles*
ohhh, has it turned up then stoner?
mine arrived this morning exactly same spec as stoners, first tablet iv'e used & dont have a smart phone, first impression very swish & various extra apps put on by vendor (gadgetfreakz),just needs blue tooth sorting!! overall for the money bargain!!
*pulls up a chair*
*waits for the reviews...*
mine arrived this morning, but I had to go out and lay some concrete for dad 🙄
Ive had a play now and these are first findings:
Nice weight and solid feel. Robust.
Will charge over USB as long as it's not sitting at the end of an overcrowded hub
Mounts and hosts easily
ICS (Android 4.0.x) is OK, but not IMO an amazing jump from gingerbread.
There's still a bit of bloat installed from Gadgetfreak which needs taking off
It comes with 4.0.3 on it
Rockplayer lite works fine and mp4 plays beautifully. Unfortunately windows DVR-MS files are a little sluggish, but just means I have to do the extra Handbrake conversion of my TV recordings - but Ive been doing that for my phone for a while anyway
typing is very good. keyboard easy to hit and responds well, even without using a special ap, but I shall be trying Swiftkey in a bit
Doesnt seem to support google calendar sync in this build, but working on it.
Android market works out of the box, as does gmail sync and google talk
The native browser is awful. But I use opera which seems fine.
Overall the tablet is good. I think it would be excellent with rolled back to a gingerbread build which is what I shall do later this evening I think as an experiment. Ive got a copy of the 4.0.3 firmware I can reflash later if I want to...will see how it goes.
For the money, it's a really good bit of kit. Bit of lag using the novolauncher, but Im just about to fiddle with that.
Mrs S is screaming to be fed, so I have to go away, but I'll post up a bit more later.
been playing more on it and ICS is actually growing on me. As long as you dont use the native browser its actually fine.
Still a problem with google calendar sync not working in this firmware so will need to flash a fixed version at some point if it's a problem (which TBH it isnt as my phone has my calendar on anyway)
party trick of the night though: have got it to serve media from my PC over wifi to my TV via HDMI cable. Bit buffery, but the wifi connection near the TV is poor until I fit some homeplugs I have on the way.
The more I use it the more Im liking it, and Im finding not much to complain about. Just need to find a way of launching opera bookmarks from the desktop so as to bypass the native browser and I'll be happy. then its on to readers and magazine viewers. back later
Stoner - Member
then its on to readers [s]and[/s] wives magazine viewers. back later
FTFY
Cheers for the reiview Stoner - out of interest does it work with Skype?
I'm thinking of trying to get hold of one for travelling with but the deal breaker would be skype functionality.
magowen - email me your skype address and lets see! 😉
low quality pdf from the STW mag archive reads quite well in Amazon Kindle. Not so good in aldkio - slow to load and buggy zooming. Kindle is quicker, slicker and easier to read proper pages.
epub version will obviously be best for reading, but no big images.
What about use as a video player / games machine for the kids? I'm considering buying a couple for some long car journeys this year. Is 7" too small for headrest mounting?
It looks like I could get a couple of these for less than £200
Ainol NOVO 7 Advanced 2 - http://ipadalternative.com/44-ainol-novo-7-advanced-ii-0694679580074.html
the Advanced has the slightly dimmer screen (see the video I posted on the other page)
7" is fine I guess as Halfords stock loads of 7" DVD screens for the back of headrests.
here you go Al. sorry for delay, got sidetracked.
Video not great, but it shows that the native keyboard works well. picks up keystrokes accurately and responsively. nice size keys.
Ive then installed swift key, which isnt optimised for a tablet (Id have to buy a different version, I already own this version). The kyboard isnt quite as nicely size but the power of swiftkey is it's predictive text. Its amazing and really speeds up one finger typing.
you may want to view in full screen to see any detail. Sorry theyre so rubbish.
cheers stoner, that does look pretty good.
rangeroy / stoner; questions please re-Ainol Novo 7 Aurora:
Just wondering was marketplace pre-installed on the tablet or did you have to install (if so was it easy?), also does skype work OK? do you think the 8mb works OK if 16mb not available?
Thanks all feedback appreciated. C
For your FYI...
cvilla, market place installed by gadgetfrekz & skype also, both work only thing that is not as yet up & running are bluetooth & calender on mine, however there are various updates/scripts coming out almost daily & i am well happy with mine.
it does everything & more for what i need.
Well my Cube arrived today, so far I'm well impressed! I'm going to have to strip the computer down and get rid of the uneeded software and it'll all be great!