Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Added in edit, 4/11/'11: I stand by my original review. However, time marches on, along with operating systems.
** As of today, I would strongly recommend against ANY Android 2.1 product. **
I DO stand by original review, so if one is hell-bent and determined to get an Android 2.1 tablet, this is still a good one.
Added in edit, 3/23/'11: Please read the comments that follow this review. They add to the discussion. If you're sure a tablet with Android 2.1 will meet your needs, go for it. If you need something right away, consider it. However, spring is here. Summer is fast approaching. We have been promised a flood of tablets from many makers. One wonders what that will do to prices, especially for a unit that comes with Android 2.2 or later. That said, I've no regrets of getting this tablet considering when I got it. I couldn't wait for the deluge.
Added in edit, 2/15/'11: Definitely keeping it. It does just what I wanted of it--storage and retrieval of 800+ one page PDF documents in a directory structure of my choosing.
What works: Swype
What doesn't: Skype, Flash
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Original review:
For over three years, I've been on a quest. ([...]) I have 800+ 1 page PDF files that I've been looking for an easy way to access on something like an eBook reader, No eBook reader has come close. The primary reason is that none allow a reader to create a personalized directory structure, so everything gets effectively thrown into a single folder--not to mention that the earliest models were slow as molasses and buffered button pushes so that pushes made in frustration often carried you past your hoped for destination.
However, hope springs eternal and my spirits were/are buoyed by the flood of tablet computers entering the market. I thought about a netvertible because a tablet PC would let me read my PDFs on a flat screen and I could combine my PDF reader with my netbook. I even ordered a ASUS Eee PC T101MT-BU27-BK 10.1-Inch Convertible Tablet (Black) only to return it, unopened, when I realized that things were getting out of hand because I really didn't want to spend that much money, because of the weight, and because I'm still quite happy with my current netbook ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.
Here's the deal with Android tablets: Your life will be much simpler if you get one with Android Market installed, like this one. Android Market is what gives you access to the reputed 100,000 apps available for smartphones. However, Google does not currently license Android Market to devices without some form of cell phone capability. (This unit satisfies the demand by providing for owners to purchase a dongle from their cell providers.) Go into Google or go on YouTube and you'll find work arounds that will allow you to install Android Market on many devices. I'm capable, but you know what? I buy technology so that *it* can support *me*, not so that *I* can support *it*. Without access to Android Market, you are either surfing the web on your own looking for "APK files" or using a corner-deli type of app store set up by the device manufacturer. This may change with future releases of Android, but it's not certain when this will happen, if indeed it does.
Thanks to the Android operating system, this device comes close to satisfying my needs. When I plug it into my PC, it appears as a USB drive, so I can create directory structures and transfer files (PDFs and mp3s in my case) to my heart's content. I'll often use it in dim lighting conditions, so the approx 10 hour battery life in exchange for a lit screen is a welcomed trade-off for me.
The only question was whether to get a 10" tablet or a 7" unit like this. 10" tablets with Android Market typically sell at twice the price of this unit and it's clear that prices will be plummeting as the year progresses and more units flood the marketplace. (You can even buy them in drug stores!)
Since this was an experiment of sorts (although, I knew it would work having experimented with putting the PSFs on my Smartphone!), I figured I'd be cheap an order a 7" unit from a seller who's good about returns and wouldn't be too upset if I did return the unit since I spend lots of money with them.
I thought the chances were great that I'd be returning the unit, but lo and behold, I'm kind of fond of it. Whatever else it is, it's a wireless computer--just the sort of thing to play with while watching tv or stuck waiting with WiFi available. I probably will get a 10" unit after the prices fall, but I figure I'll then have both a 7" and 10" unit for what a 10" unit would cost now.
Why 4 stars rather than 5? I'm not particularly fond of the responsiveness of the screen. I'll often go to swipe/scroll through a list of PDFs only to have pressed on something and have to cancel opening it and slog on. BUT...there is a work around! The device as a built-in mini trackball and there are no inadvertent presses as I scroll that way. It is a bit more inconvenient, but it's sure. It may be that my problem is simply one of calibrating the screen properly. We shall see.
In the meantime, it's a cute little machine!
Click Here to see more reviews about: Ematic eGlide 7-Inch Touch Screen Tablet with Android 2.1 - Black
The Ematic eGlide MID is a product, specifically designed to revolutionize the digital lifestyle and bridges the gap between the Smartphone and the Desktop PC to provide always-on access to the web, customization through Android Apps, and multi-media content, all in a large-screen format. 1GHz Dual Core CPU (600MHz + 550MHz), Android 2.1 Operating System, Convenient Trackball, 7" TFT Touchscreen (800x480), Built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, 4GB Flash Memory, DSP Graphics Accelerator with 3G Sensor, 256MB DDR2 RAM, SD/MMC Card Slot accepts up to 16GB, Supports TXT & PDF eBook formats, Supports MP3/WMA/FLAC/ AAC/WAV/MP4/AVI/FLV Media formats, Picture Viewer in JPG & BMP formats, HD Video Player supports up to 720p HD Video, HDMI Output, Built-in USB dongle input (supports 3G Dongle, sold seperately), Built-in rechargeable Lithium 3800mAh battery.
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