Apple's iPad was surrounded with so much hype before its release. By the time it hit the store shelves, a lot of people went crazy and bought themselves a new one. However, little did we know that somewhere on the other side of the world, a different version of (pretty much) the same device was on the works.
7 In Tablet Pc
Now, before you get the wrong idea, the Android MID 7" Tablet PC is not an iPad imitation. Instead, it's akin in principle to the Samsung Galaxy, both being tablet PC's running on the Android platform. In this article, let us review the product and see how good (or how bad) it is, when compared to the industry-leading iPad.
7 In Tablet Pc
Battery Life
Now, the iPad boasts more than eight hours of use without recharging, while the Android MID 7" lasts for less than four. What's more, there have been reports that many units have issues with charging, as the batteries are often defective. Thus, make sure that you are buying from a reputable seller in order to avoid getting a mobile device that is far from mobile.
On-screen Keyboard Sensitivity
One thing I noticed right away is that the on-screen keyboard is not as responsive as I wanted it to be. It takes almost half a second for a character to appear on screen, which translates to at least 2 minutes to write a single tweet. I guess I cannot expect much from a USD 100 device, but I can't help to want for more.
Connectivity
Unlike the iPad, this one does not have a SIM card slot. While many decry the iPad's being iffy about the SIM card size, this one has no SIM capability whatsoever. This becomes a problem or users like me who use SIM-based broadband Internet.
External Keyboard and Pouch
The Android MID 7" Tablet PC has optional accessories, so I decided to get an external keyboard that's installed on a carrying case. One thing I noticed is that the external keyboard has a USB connector, while the tablet PC does not. Because of this, you will still need to use an adapter (comes with the default package) so that the keyboard will work.
Now, the pouch is actually a misnomer. Why? Because the clamps that will hold the device are spaced too far apart. Because of this, the tablet can fall off of the carrying case at any given time, which defeats the purpose of the accessory in the first place.
So what's good about it?
The Price
At less than 100 USD, buying the Android MID 7" Tablet PC should be painless to most people. It can serve as a good training ground for Android OS novices. Why? Because given its price, even if you break it, you won't feel that bad.
Product Review: Android MID 7" Tablet PC (an iPad Clone)
7 In Tablet Pc
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ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101-B1 10.1-Inch Tablet Computer (Tablet Only) Feature
- 10.1 Inch WSVGA (1280×800) IPS Capacitive LED Touchscreen
- Android 3.2 Operating System
- 1GB of DDR2 SDRAM, 1 slot, 1GB Max
- Stereo Speakers; Internal Microphone; Mic-In/Headphone-Out Combo Jack
- 40-Pin Docking Port for Optional Keyboard/Docking Station (Model Name: TF101 DOCKING) Which Provides Up To 6.5 Additional Hours of Battery Life
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101-B1 10.1-Inch Tablet Computer (Tablet Only) Overview
With a slim, lightweight design and a 10.1-inch WSVGA IPS capacitive display made from durable and scratch-resistant glass that is viewable at angles up to 178°, the versatile Eee Pad Transformer is the perfect tablet for anyone who want to enjoy multimedia on the move, but still wish to have easy access to the web, email, and other productivity applications. A custom user interface provides easy access to the many features of the Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) operating system, while the NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 chipset provides full support for Adobe® Flash® 10.2,1 smooth HD video conferencing and playback, a lightning fast web experience, and incredible mobile gaming performance. Front and rear cameras make for easy video chat and digital photography, which can be played back in video on HDTVs via a mini HDMI output port, making it a true mobile entertainment device.
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101-B1 10.1-Inch Tablet Computer (Tablet Only) Specifications
Some things are meant to go together
Transforming the Conventional into the Unconventional With a slim, lightweight design and a 10.1-inch WSVGA IPS capacitive display made from durable and scratch-resistant glass that is viewable at angles up to 178°, the versatile Eee Pad Transformer is the perfect tablet for anyone who wants to enjoy multimedia on the move, but still wishes to have easy access to the web, email, and other productivity applications. A custom user interface provides easy access to the many features of the Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) operating system, while the NVIDIA
® Tegra
™ 2 chipset provides full support for Adobe
® Flash
® 10.2,
1 smooth HD video conferencing and playback, a lightning fast web experience, and incredible mobile gaming performance. The optional docking station turns the Eee Pad Transformer into PC mode with a QWERTY keyboard, while extending battery life up to 16 hours.
2 Front and rear cameras make for easy video chat and digital photography, which can be played back in video on HDTVs via a mini HDMI output port, making it a true mobile entertainment device.
Awards Received
"… the best Android slate we've seen" – Computer Shopper
"A convenient keyboard dock, sleek design, and aggressively low price make the Eee Pad Transformer our favorite Wi-Fi-only Honeycomb tablet." – Laptop Magazine
"Of all of these new entrants, the Eee Pad Transformer impresses us most so far—and not just because of its low price tag. The 10-inch slate is lighter than competing Honeycomb tablets, features an IPS screen for wider viewing angles, and plugs into an optional keyboard dock that adds more battery life. It's this kind of combo that could prove a hit with the back-to-school crowd, as well as mobile professionals who want to take notes in meetings. The dock adds a reasonable 9 to that rock-bottom 9 price." – Laptop Magazine
"… the Honeycomb tablet to get.." – Anandtech
Key Features
- 10.1-inch WSVGA IPS capacitive pressure-sensing multi touch display for brilliant HD entertainment and intuitive navigation. 178° viewing angle (1280 x 800)
- Powered by NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 mobile processor for best web experience with up to two times faster browsing, hardware accelerated Flash, and console-quality gaming (Learn more)
- Front (1.2 MP) and rear (5 MP) cameras for face-to-face video chats and on-the-go video and picture capturing (Learn more)
- Mini HDMI port to supersize your entertainment to compatible HDTVs and external displays (Learn more)
- Optional Docking station with QWERTY keyboard adds additional 6.5 hours of battery life, to instantly turn the Transformer into PC mode with up to 16 hours of battery life 2 (Learn more)
Learn More
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 View larger | Breaking the mold, an optional keyboard docking station designed especially for the Eee Pad Transformer transforms your tablet into PC mode with a 92% sized QWERTY keyboard with unique Android Function (Fn) keys for added convenience.
Featuring all of the connectivity you'd expect in your notebook, the Eee Pad Transformer comes complete with 2 USB 2.0 ports, a headphone audio jack and a 4-in-1 card reader when used with the optional docking station. Also to keep you unplugged longer without interruption, the optional keyboard docking station adds an additional 6.5 hours of battery life, allowing the Eee Pad Transformer to last up to an astounding 16 hours.2 |
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View larger | Designed specifically with tablets in mind, the Android Honeycomb 3.2 operating system provides you with optimized features and functions such as multi-touch and a holographic interface that allows you to access widgets and shortcuts with ease. Get refined multitasking, rich notifications, Home screen customization, widgets, and more. And experience the web with Adobe® Flash® 10.21 for added convenience.
Other Android Features:
Customizable Home screens
Five customizable Home screens give users instant access to all parts of the system from any context. Each screen offers a large grid that maintains spatial arrangement in all orientations. Users can select and manipulate Home screen widgets, app shortcuts, and wallpapers using a dedicated visual layout mode. Visual cues and drop shadows improve visibility when adjusting the layout of shortcuts and widgets. Each Home screen also offers a familiar launcher for access to all installed applications, as well as a Search box for universal search of apps, contacts, media files, web content, and more.
Recent Apps, for easy visual multitasking
Multitasking is central to the Android 3.2 experience. As users launch applications to handle various tasks, they can use the Recent Apps list in the System Bar to see the tasks underway and quickly jump from one application context to another. To help users rapidly identify the task associated with each app, the list shows a snapshot of its actual state when the user last viewed it.
Redesigned keyboard
The Android soft keyboard is redesigned to make entering text fast and accurate on larger screen sizes. The keys are reshaped and repositioned for improved targeting, and new keys have been added, such as a Tab key, to provide richer and more efficient text input. Users can touch-hold keys to access menus of special characters and switch text/voice input modes from a button in the System Bar.
Improved text selection, copy and paste
When entering or viewing text, a new user interface lets users quickly select a word by press-hold and then adjust the selection area as needed by dragging a set of bounding arrows to new positions. Users can then select an action from the Action Bar, such as copy to the clipboard, share, paste, web search, or find.
NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2, world's first mobile super chip, brings the fastest, most visually-rich tablet experience ever seen. The Eee Pad Transformer takes full advantage of this mobile dual-core processor, providing extreme multitasking capability with the best web experience – up to two times faster browsing, hardware accelerated Flash, and NVIDIA® GeForce® gaming. |
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View larger | Experience the wonders of video chat and crisp digital photography with front (1.2MP) and rear (5MP) facing cameras, which can be played back in video on HDTVs via a mini HDMI output port. Built in SRS Sound technology also provides a dynamic 3D stereo audio experience with maximum bass response and a wide sound field from the built-in speakers. |
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View larger | ASUS' Waveshare Interface hosts a variety of unique applications that help you easily launch software, manage content and access online services and connect devices with a few simple taps.
MyNet
Allows users to easily stream digital media wirelessly within home network devices with the Eee pad Transformer. Play HD videos or music on any home network devices such as the HDTV monitor or desktop PCs for an even better experience from the Eee Pad Transformer.
MyLibrary
Consolidates downloaded books, magazines and newspapers in to one easy to browse profile.
MyCloud
MyCloud is a total cloud solution, providing access to digital content such as music, videos and files from the cloud anywhere, anytime. Users can even use MyCloud to remotely access and control any PC or Mac system and access applications or files to extend the versatility of the Eee Pad Transformer experience.
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Ranked as the #1 most reliable PC brand by 3 independent sources
3, readers and editors alike choose ASUS as their trusted notebook and netbook. We tirelessly strive to exceed expectations of quality to ensure you an unmatched peace of mind every time you start your PC.
We also back our commitment with the industry's most comprehensive warranty.
- 1 year North America warranty
- Free one-way standard shipping
- 24/7 tech support
What's in the Box
- ASUS EeePad Transformer TF101
- User manual
- Power adaptor with USB to 40 pin connector
- Warranty card
Specifications
- Operating System: Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) Platform
- Display: 10.1-inch WSVGA IPS capacitive multi touch display built with durable and scratch-resistant glass; 178° viewing angle(1280 x 800)
- Chipset: NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 Mobile Processor
- Memory: 1GB DDR2
- Wireless: 802.11b/g/n
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR
- Storage: 32GB eMMC Flash
- Camera: 1.2 megapixel (Front); 5.0 Megapixel (Rear)
- Speakers: SRS Sound
- Card Reader: Micro SD Card Reader
- Input / Output: 1 x Mini HDMI, 2-in-1 audio jack (head phone/mic-in jack), internal mic
- Battery Pack: 24.4 W/h Li-polymer battery (up to 9.5 hours)1
- Dimensions: 10.67" x 6.89" x 0.47" –inches (W x D x H)
- Weight: 1.5lbs
- Color: Espresso
© 2011 ASUS Computer International. All Rights Reserved. ASUS is a registered trademark of ASUSTeK Computer. All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos. All trademarks are registered to their respective companies. ASUS shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
1 Adobe® Flash® 10.2 support requires an upgrade available online.
2 Actual battery life varies with usage. Operation lifetime subject to product model, normal usage conditions and configurations.
3 Rated number 1 Windows-based PC maker in PCMag.com's Service & Reliability Report 2010. Rated number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). Rated number 1 reliable PC maker in Q2 2010's RESCUECOM report http://www.rescuecom.com/2010-2nd-Quarter-Computer-Reliability-Report.html
Check Out Other Great ASUS Products
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ASUS Transformer Portfolio
Protect your Eee Pad Transformer with the ASUS Portfolio cover designed to fit the tablet perfectly. The portfolio also has a fold-able cover that turns into a keyboard stand or a reader stand, making it convenient to use your Eee Pad comfortably for hours-on-end. | 
Eee Pad Transformer Docking Keyboard
It is meant to be together. Add a docking keyboard to your Transformer tablet and get up to an amazing 16 hours of battery life. With 2x USB ports, an 4-in-1 card reader, the expansion possibilities are almost limitless. Its full QWERTY keyboard and a row of shortcut keys means you can get what you want done, faster, more efficient. | 
ASUS Index Sleeve - Black
When docked, your Eee Pad Transformer is not just a tablet, it is also a very capable notebook style PC. Don't leave home without a sleeve protecting your Transformer. Check out this water-repellant textured leather sleeve with an soft sued interior. | 
ASUS Index Sleeve – Pink
When docked, your Eee Pad Transformer is not just a tablet, it is also a very capable notebook style PC. Don't leave home without a sleeve protecting your Transformer. Check out this water-repellant textured leather sleeve with an soft sued interior. |
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Vitamins Chewable 5.1 Speakers External Ide Enclosure
