Through all of December, I was itching to get an 7″ Android tablet. I was excited about it and trying to find a good reason to get one (I still don’t have a good one), but held off because I’m mature enough to recognize that my enthusiasm was just because it was the new hotness.

I researched a bit, and waited a few days. Eventually I decided that paying sub-$100 USD for an Android tablet, even if it sucks, is worth it. It would be fun to hack around with it (and try not to brick it upgrading the firmware). I intended to order one from China, but as I read about it more and more, I decided that I should pay a bit more for better specs (and more reputable dealers).

I decided to wait until I left for vacation to place the order, because shipping from China usually takes about a month, and at least I could be having fun on vacation instead of waiting in anticipation for my order. I decided to order from some random factory in Shenzhen and gave them ~$150USD, including shipping, hoping that I wouldn’t get scammed.

In the end it turned out ok. My tablet arrived in something like 5 days via UPS which meant I should have just bought it before I left on vacation (and brought it with me!) The tablet seems to work as advertised. I didn’t end up taking unboxing photos due to laziness, but it is a bit thicker and heavier than I thought; lacks a micro-USB connector (instead has normal USB and mini-USB), has no camera and a messed up battery reporting meter; but it is relatively stable, has a G-sensor, relatively responsive via touch, and has decent battery life. I’m not sure whether I would be willing to pay an extra $200 for a better quality tablet.

Posted by Kevin in Blogs Tags: android, chinese, techlust