Hello there,
in september 2012 I bought my first tablet, a LC-Power MIRA-1. Shortly after, on the 19th I posted a [Q] post here because I had a few questions. In the following weeks, some replies back and forth, more quirks came to light.
In short, I was semi-happy with the MIRA-1 (everything was fine save a few situations where the single-core tablet speed could not really keep up, for example, starting firefox and the keyboard, it always froze 2-3 secs "firefox is not responding. close/wait?")
Still, I do believe, I learned some valuable lessons about android and others with the MIRA-1 or thinking about getting one were helped too.
Fade in today.
I recently bought the new LC-Power SINA-1. It cost me 200EUR (Germany). In comparison, the MIRA-2 (which is like the MIRA-1 with an extra camera and a smaller rechargeable battery) still costs 160 EUR
I found the new SINA-1 to be a very interesting product, especially considering the price.
I came here to write my own review. I am in no way affiliated with LC-Power and I do not get a dime for writing this.
My motive for writing this and yes, maybe even advertise, is very simple. First of all, xda-developer has helped me before and I'd like to give back. More importantly however, I believe in tablets that do not cost an arm and an leg as well as the android (modding) community. I would very much love to see the LC-Power tablets get the attention they deserve...
Thank you for keeping with me so far. Let us begin!
Technical specs for the new SINA-1 tablet:
CPU: ARM Cortex A9 Dual Core 1,5GHz
GPU: Mali 400 QuadCore 250MHz
RAM: 1GB DDR3
Memory: System 1GB + 16GB NAND Flash (+ MicroSD up to 32GB)
Display: 10.1" IPS 5 Point Touchscreen, 1280x800
Networking: 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
Cameras: 0.3MP front, 2MP back
Connectors: micro-HDMI out, micro-USB host, micro-USB connector, 3.5mm headphones jack
OS: Android 4.1
Want to know more? google it
As I mentioned before, the tablet costs 200 EUR (Onlineshop, Germany, Dec, 15th 2012)
Material and built quality:
The first impression is very good. The tablet feels solid, has a certain weight to it, but is not too heavy.
The front appears to be glas and if it is not, it must be a very hard plastic. The back is made out of aluminium. I have no doubt that both can be scratched, please forgive me for not doing the experimentation on that. However, in a few days of extensive (time) yet normal (application) use, I have yet to see any marks besides fingerprints.
Where the front and back meet I can not feel any sharp edge (MIRA-1 I could).
It is very thin (quite a bit thinner than the MIRA tablet and a bit higher as well)
Overall, I would give the material and quality very good marks. I dont doubt that it could be better in some regard, even if I can't name one right now.
Display (visual):
The 1280x800 resolution suits the tablet well. It is definately a neccesary step up from 1024x768 (MIRA). Even if I did not exactly see pixalation with the old ones, the picture is indeed better with the higher resolution. Webpages like reddit look sharp, the text in 100% zoom is not too small. Pictures look vivid and good. Videos are even better (given the source material is of sufficient resolution itself).
The viewing angles are what you would expect from an IPS panel. Frontal (no angle) is best, the more you move to the side and increase the angle, the more you lose contrast and brightness. I have seen worse and have yet to observe the "picture went negative", but viewing some content with 2-3 people should not be a problem when you dont mind sticking your heads together
The brightness (350cd/m²) is good, in fact, in a dark room you may want to lower it a bit. Even on the lowest setting it is not too dark.
The contrast is equally good, or should I say "normal". It did not attract attention, neither positive nor negative...
First tests with a bright (300W) lightsource led me to believe that the glossy display does not become a shaving mirror when you have a bright light behind you, but it is definately harder to see the picture. Especially noticeable with movies.
Due to it being winter without sun, I can not test the tablet with summer-sun-brightness outside. I fear the results will not be too good. You may want to keep that in mind if you live in africa and will be using the tablet in the sun - might be trouble. (Then again, I don't know any tablet that has a matte display)
The illumination (is that the right word?) - the background light source illuminating the display with the same brightness consistenly - is adequate. There are a few bright spots (tested with a black fullscreen per 1.0 eyeball), especially on the lower left corner/border).
It is not noticeable when looking at brightly coloured images, but it will be a nuisance when watching a movie which is very dark.
I felt that here, my old MIRA-1 did do better. There, I never noticed bright spots like this before.
Display (touch):
The 5-point-capacitive display does very well in accepting touches, even light ones. 2-point touch (zoom) works equally great and the short test with fruit ninja confirmes that 5 points can be tracked. I did not experience any noticeable lag with 1,2 or 5 points in normal operation.
If you take a paint app and draw with your finger, a slight lag can be observed, however, as I understand current technology, this is common and just the way it is.
In conclusion, the display visually is adequate. Are there better displays out there? Yes, definately. Do you get them for 200 EUR? Definately not! Do you need a better display? Well, I can not answer that for you. In my opinion, the illumination is the only real and still overlookable drawback, everything else is fine. 8/10
The touchscreen part of the display is as it should be. I can not really imagine some way to improve it. 10/10
Together 9/10
Actual Performance:
The performance is quite good and right were it should be. There are faster tablets and phones out there and if we were talking about speed in my workstation or gaming rig, I would be right there with the "FASTER!!!!"-crowd. But since I don't plan on playing skyrim or bf3, rendering 3d images or encoding hd-videos on the tablet, I dont need huge speed reserves, I want a tablet that performs well with the usual tasks like webpage browsing, playing media files and so on.
As mentioned before, this is one of the main problems I had with the old MIRA tablet. 2-3sec freezes, applications (mainly the browser) that did not react and had to be waited for. With the SINA-1 they are gone. The OS works like a charm, switching applications goes instantly, browsing webpages is fun and the waiting in the browser now is for the reason it should be - networking speed! (browsing with firefox+adblock+hackers keyboard)
Since the old MIRA did perform well with movies and the games that I tested, it is no wonder that the SINA-1 does perform equally good. HD videos work well, jumping around in them works fast, even over HDMI with 1920x1080.
And I have yet to find a game that does not run perfectly on the SINA-1. I have tested the occasional gamer games like Angry Birds, some RPGs and even some 3D shooters.
It is hard to give points for the performance. On the one hand, I am fully satisfied (10/10), on the other hand are tablets and phones being sold with much much more power, at least on paper.
Button/Connector placement:
There are only two buttons, power and volume up/down. Both are placed on the right higher side, where I would have placed them myself. They feel high-quality (they dont dangle/wiggle) and have a distinct pressure point that needs some force. This helps you in knowing when you actually pressed the button and not press buttons by accident.
The connectors are on top (right side). One exception would be the headphone jack which is on the right side above the buttons.
The USB host (where you can plug in normal usb devices) is no longer a common USB port (like MIRA had), but a micro-USB. A short adapter cable came with the tablet.
The normal USB host (where you connect your tablet with the pc to access the memory/sdcard from the pc) is also micro-USB. A longer cable came with the tablet.
I would have liked the normal USB port to stay.
Also, these two distinct different USB ports look the same. Some attention must be payed to not confuse them.
HDMI is mini-HDMI. Adapter did NOT come with the tablet. (Which would have been nice!)
Power In is 5V at 2.5A. Adapter came with the tablet (duh!) - the cable is a bit short for my taste. About the same as with the MIRA before.
Note: the tablets rechargeable battery can no longer be loaded over USB
The connectors are close together, but not too close. you should be able to connect all 3/4 with power at the same time.
The microSD slot is on the right side, almost on the back.
Speaker: The speaker(s?) is on the backside. I feel like the device is not as loud as the MIRA tablets, but still works well for watching movies or listening to music in a normal room when you are alone.
Software:
Android 4.1 is working great.
Some might argue there are a few needless apps preinstalled. For example Google Maps and Navigation on a device which has no GPS and no mobile internet built in.
But there is no real crapware either.
Google Play:
Google Play is installed and working fine. The device gets shown as "Rockchip SINA-1"
I did run into some trouble with my old MIRA-1 and some apps. A few were apparently not compatible (although I did not understand why), others that were compatible did refuse to install (I can not and will not exclude a layer 8 problem here)
All those apps work now with the SINA-1. Install is fast and there is no trouble. The 16GB memory will suffice for a lot of apps.
Battery:
The rechargeable battery is a bit less powerfull than the one in the MIRA-1 and a bit more powerfull than the one in the MIRA-2.
Still, with the higher speed and I would assume, higher resolution, more power is needed. Hence with usage, the charging level does indeed go down. Quite a bit faster than with the MIRA-1. I will have to correct my earlier estimate from 5-6hrs down to 4-5hrs.
In fact, bring your loader if you are gonna go out all day and will be using the tablet much.
Support:
LC-Power is usually quick in answering normal support emails, but they will not exactly fall over each other trying to resolve any exotic issue that might come up. Maybe if you speak mandarin and mail them directly at tech and dev headquarters in probably china you might have some luck, but I doubt that the LC-Power people in Germany, USA or UK or ... had much to say about developing the device and customizing the android (except of course, maybe some translation)
Also, do not expect regular android updates or any long time support and new android versions. 2-3 months ago I was promised 4.1 for the MIRA-1, still hasn't been released.
Connectivety:
Wireless LAN b/g/n is working as intended. I feel however, that the signal strength is weaker than with the MIRA-1 tablet.
Bluetooth: What can I say. Its Bluetooth. Its there, it can be used, it works...
Mobile internet: Only per additional USB dongle (or tether your mobile phone...)
Ethernet: Apparently there are USB dongles for Ethernet LAN out there. Havent seen one yet, but I havent looked hard either.
Modding:
So far, there has yet to establish a big LC-Power community with modders, mods and custom roms. I really really hope it will happen some time. But dont hold your breath, you are on your own. Spread the word of the LC-Power devices, lets get a high enough market share an the chances of a active modding community will rise dramatically. Or do it yourself...
So...
if you dont care about mods and custom roms, the SINA-1 is ok for you.
If you want to play around, learn android, program aps, make mods, maybe even a custom rom, feel free to give the SINA-1 a try.
If you want to download the newest custom ROM, install it per 10 step manual and prag in school about your mad hacking and modding skills, look someplace else...
Rooting:
The device does not come pre-rooted. (MIRA did)
I welcome that change to some degree. I honestly believe in not giving the run-of-the-mill users the ability to break something beyond their own (or even some specialist) capability to repair it.
Then again, I also am not fond of the tricks one has to employ to actually root a device IF someone knows what he is doing and wants to use a device to its full potential.
That being said, it was relatively easy to root the SINA-1. Instructions at the end of my review
One last sentence about the stock ROM. It is not available for download (at least I could not find it). I know of no way to reflash it or recover a bricked device. You wont find extensive help, manuals and tipps to that end. Make sure to have an appropriate backup and/or tread carefully.
I myself will investigate, if you have any insight into that topic, feel free to contact me...
Summary/Conclusion
I really like this tablet. A lot. I found it superior to the MIRA-1 in almost all aspects (especially speed, compatability, screen resolution and build quality). It has however its week points (battery run time, uneven lightning of the display).
Since it is a 10" tablet without mobile internet, it obviously was made for home usage. Browsing webpages from the couch, watching a movie while your in a room without a TV, or listening to music without bringing your stereo, add a game now and then when you are bored. This is where this tablet shines. I could imagine it being used in a work environment / office as well. And when the batterie gets low, you hook it up.
The occasional traveler should be happy as well. Get a dongle or tether it to your phone and you can surf the web in the bus/train. Hook up your headphones and watch a movie (just hope the sun doesnt shine too much). Also, dont expect the tablet to last a flight around the world without loading up...
All in all, a very decent device with a very attractive price.
So should you get it? Well, it depends...
If you have a MIRA-1 or 2 and you are really happy with them, you dont care about waiting 1-2sec for some apps. Then dont get the SINA-1
If you have ANY other single core tablet that is not up to its tasks, makes you wait for apps, annoys you in some way, yes, give the SINA-1 a try - and sell the old one for some cash...
If you are thinking about getting the MIRA-1 or 2 (or another similar single-core device), try really hard to look for the other 40 EUR and get the SINA-1. Or get the MIRA used for like half its retail (~80 EUR), but be warned about the possibility of the tablet being to slow now and then
If you have another dual-core (or more) high-end tablet, probably with a big name on it like some fruit or samsung or nexus.. Sure, buy it. whats another 200 EUR. Or dont, I dont think it will be an upgrade. Just another tablet, even if it is a decent one
the get it or dont get it reasons in the modding subsection still apply
I myself regret nothing. I watch movies in bed, I surf the web on the couch. If I am really lazy I even open up teamviewer to do 2-3 clicks on my PC without getting up. I take the tablet with me on train rides and watch a movie or surf the web with my phone tethered. And I recently started to use it at work for presentations (put my notes on it). And when I am bored, I do play a game now and then.
Mind you, I did/could have done all that with the old tablet as well. But it sure makes more fun now
End of the review---
I certainly hope that this rewritten and formated review is more informative and better on the eyes.
I think I got most of my english mistakes as well.
I hope this helps some folk decide
If you have questions, feel free to ask them here. I will try to look back now and then and answer those questions.
good day
Catwiesel, Germany
Addendum:
How to root the SINA-1
Disclaimer: no guarantee, you break it, not my fault bla bla...
First, it was not difficult. It was done by the "root with restore by bin4ry method"
step 1: enable usb-debugging and allow installing of "foreign apk's" (or whats it called in english)
step 2: get a usb driver for windows (7 x64 in my case)
step 2b: since you probably wont find a driver, modify the google drivers from the android development sdk. add the line to the google.ntx86 and ntamd64 block:
%CompositeAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_2207&PID_0010&MI_01
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
step 3: add the file adb_usb.ini at /users/[username]/.android directory with the following line:
0x2207
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
(i had to do this in my user account and in the administrator account*)
step 4: connect the tablet with your pc, make sure all drivers were installed and usb debugging is on
step 5: google, find and download the zip archive with the batch file, scripts and tools needed
(root_with_restore_by_bin4ry_v17.zip did it for me)
step 6: extract the archive, best to some easily found directory like c:\rootit
step 7: start a command line (cmd.exe) (as administrator?)
note: the actual rooting only worked for me when i started the command line as administrator
step 8: start runme.bat from c:\rootit, ch
step 9: choose method 1, wait for it to finish
(all this information was googled and very little trial and error. did not take me more than 30mins with no clue before hand whatsover)
Drivers
can you please explain how did you installed drivers?
I'm having troubles following your manual. I need sina-1 for developing but i can't connect it with adb cause drivers aren't installed correctly.
tnx for review.. I bought SINA-2 and use your method of rooting and it works.. have U tried some custom rom already? I don't know which is compatible with my device...
Does anybody know how to flash recovery or custom rom to this tablet. I have googled and nothing found. Maybe there is no recovery or custom rom for this device.
Update 9 months later
very small update after a few months of light and sporatic use:
- rechargeable batterie runtime:
I might have overestimated the runtime originally. additionally, rechargeable batteries dont get better over time...
that means that you really will be running to the charger a lot at home and should take it with you.
do not expect to be able to surf the web or watch movies the whole day without recharging.
- wireless range:
the wireless range is really really bad.
I originally stated it to be not great, but actually it is really bad.
No other device I ever had or currently have had a worse range.
expect slow transfer speeds even when directly next to the router
expect trouble even behind one wall / more than 5m away
expect no connection or unuseable for anything expect the most rudimentary stuff (getting an email) behind more then 1 wall and/or more than 5m away
--> apparently this WAS a problem with the earlier SINA-1 tablets and LC-Power will fix it. This would also mean that the newer ones should not have this problem
--> this bad wireless connection might also be a reason for the bad batterie runtime
- micro-sd:
I've had bad trouble with my 32GB MicroSD card(s) (SANDISK 32GB SDHC microSD Class 10)
the previous tablet (mira-1) took it, my even older mobile took it, the SINA-1 did not...
since my 8GB and 16GB cards were working I thought my 32gb card is incompatibel
--> A few weeks ago I could test another SINA-1 (new), no trouble with my 32gb microsd...
- Android
no new android / update has been released by LC-Power (that I can find)
- Modding:
still no real community
- Apps / Games
a few games (that might need a somewhat more powerfull device) that I can tell you are working are:
magicka, pokerstars, terraria
- built, glas, buttons
after light and cautious use over many months, the tablet can still look like new (if you clean it)
I have no scratches, no color scraping off, the buttons dont wobble. its like new
- the power-in jack
this needs a mention too, since it really is not well done. the plug fits, but will fall out very very easily.
best not to move the tablet when you have it plugged in
conclusion:
my first review still stands more or less... for its price this is a okay tablet
if the wlan is indeed being fixed and the batterie will run a bit longer for the current sold devices, this is still a good buy for ~150 EUR
since I do not really know what is wrong with the microsd issue (my tablet broken? newer tablets unaffected) I can not use it for reviewing. but be warned
HOWEVER...
there is a new LC-Power SINA-2 tablet that I will be reviewing soon...
I will post the link later
Thank you so much for sharing.
Very useful review, thank you.
Sent from my LT30p using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Front camera not supporting video calls
Hi!
I was wondering if anyone who owns this tab had any issues with incoming/outgoing video calls (via skype/facebook/ooVoo).
Fact is, I can't make video calls via any of the above software, when i try, skype just blanks out and goes to previous screen. When incoming calls arrive it does the same but it says that I have a missed call.
OoVoo on the other hand connects to video call but automatically uses the back camera instead of front.
I don't get it. Any advices/ideas?
Thx
Here you go guys This tablet got CM10.2 fully working, with stock kernel <3
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=58477955&postcount=1187
Hope this helps!
The Grüß,
H.
And Sina 2 review?
Related
I bought a g tablet. I feel close to it given I put in more than 30 hours going through different beta versions of alternate roms trying to get things the way they should be since out of the box it was a piece of crap. Being in canada I had driven to nearest Sears in US to Purchase it. Before the screen calibration fix I had essentially given up the inability to type properly and the horrible viewing angles and Sd card woes had me looking elsewhere.
Having tried the more expensive Galaxy Tab and finding it laggy and flash video unviewble, I decided I needed a Tegra based device. I also felt for my needs 7 inches might be better as I find typing in landscape mode hard with a 10 incher(hmm weird genital reference there LOL). I also feel that for my needs (book reading, surfing video watching, the odd game, and quick reference use) that the smaller form fact might be better given it is lighter and more portable (can fit in coat pocket....)
Heard about the ELocity and saw it available for 100$ less than what ipaid for g tab. so ordered it to my Brother's in Florida as will be there next week. It is already there waiting for me.
Of course since ordering it not having given the g tab back yet I have it working the way I want minus the screen viewing angles which I hate as I cant type on it when lounging unless holding it awkwardly in landscape mode using my thumbs.
Seems the Elocity has much better screen in terms of viewing angles.While lower res, the DPI is in fact the same and conforms to the Android OS max resolution of 800x480 so I suspect most apps will look correct on it. It also appears to come rooted out of the box. The UI layer on it is fast and responsive and flash is there to start. So for those considering a g tablet and don't want to muck around it works much better out of the box.
Seems it is not perfect yet and suffers many of the same issues the G tablet did:
Like the gtablet there is no official android market
Wifi for some seems to not wake up with the device from sleep
Angry birds won't run
All of the above from what I have read seem to be related to drivers and tegra 2 not having the best or newest ones out of the box.
Elocity says a fix is coming on december 24th (wonder if this is similar to what was done by Roebeet et al. with TNT light and Vega N with the performance upgrades form experimental diver pack)
Multitouch which is supposed to be 1+1 (which I believe is what the gtab is) doesn't seem to be enabled properly and is only emulated in software, and as of yet, not very well.
Seems from some things discovered on a different thread that this might be a 2 point multitouch after all.
For some reason there is no Elocity forum yet which I think could impede people coming on and helping development on it (Notion Ink Adam has a forum though there is no device in the wild for another month at least). I suspect given these are both Tegra 2 devices that there might be some parallel things to help.
for more info and possible help either for you to give or get the biggest thread going is:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=872299
One professional view just out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CvY8jzyCWI
One XDA member first look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6foXW1zizM
Canadoc,
I appreciate the info and your review.
I have to say, though, that I will not buy a 7" tablet. It's just too small. Without any references to ages or disabilities or the like, it is my opinion a lot of people are being foolish trying to do at a minimum "notebook" tasks on tiny tablets or cell phones.
I have a plain old regular cell phone. I do my tablet stuff on my G-Tablet. I do my work stuff on my Vaio 16". And if I want to watch a movie I sit down in front of my 52" home theatre and really enjoy the picture and sound.
Perhaps I owe you an apology for posting this here, but it does strike me that it's silly to use stuff the wrong way. I'll concede I might watch a movie on my G-Tablet if I were in a pinch somewhere. But I don't want to live on a cell phone screen.
Best wishes and Merry Christmas.
Rev
I disagree think that a 10 inch tablet is too closeninsize and portability night as well justbuse laptop. Phone is too small to really enjoy reading surfing and viewing. 7 inch is a sweetspot. I own an ipad. I don't use it much because there is little I use it for that my MacBook can't do abdtyping etc is better.
Typing on-the-job gtab now is bad. Too hard to 2 finger type given the wide screen and too many errors otherwise. 7 inch easy totype large enough and ideal form factor to read etc.
G tablet not good enough for notebook tasks. A notebook is. Icing need my tablet tomake a real document I haves a problem. Would rather plug ina small KB if I need to but thenmight as well just have laptop
Canadoc said:
G tablet not good enough for notebook tasks. A notebook is. Icing need my tablet to make a real document I haves a problem. Would rather plug ina small KB if I need to but thenmight as well just have laptop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Two different devices:
1. Tablet for best portability, web, Flash, media and some gaming.
2. Netbook or lappy for PC-type tasks and heavier gaming.
The trade-off is convenience and portability. A passively cooled tablet lasts over three times longer than a typical net book and way over that for laptops.
I have an M11X, which kicks all netbooks and most laptops butts. Collecting dust since having the G. No windows baggage is very nice.
Still use it for heavy gaming, but everything else is covered by the G. I use my company Thinkpad for work stuff.
Quick comment and a question.
Touch screen is 1 point. Last that I got from the 20 page thread was 1 point touch, gTab is two.
How's the real battery life? It's my second favorite thing about the gTab, the first being it's incredible speed, but I just so much more like 7" form factor.
Not sure bout battery life, but given the smaller screen 7 vs 10 inch, the 3000mamp battery vs the 3650 of the gatb I am not expecting a huge difference.
Gtab is two yes. There has been no conclusive proof yet if the 1 touch is a hardware issue or software firmware than can be changed. It is referred to as a 1+1 touch which means the screen must be registering another touch. If it can do that, then I would think it can be revised in software......Thus far google maps which requires multipoint doesn't work on gtab. Accelerometer on Gtab is meesed up so games depending on it dont work right. Fring doesn't work on gtab......
Well if you want 1 device to do it all yes a bigger screen tablet is the way to go. But then you have something that is a compromise at everyhting.
Not great for productivity short of bringing another keyboard and with less than full capable office type apps.
Not great for portability given the almost laptops dimensions
(10 inch netbook or 11 inch macbook air are no bigger except thickness and have real keyboard and u dont deal with the awful screen of the viewosnic. As an owner I can't use the viewsonic for anything that I cant do looking face on which makes typing hard on the screen).
Battery life? macbook air superior than the g tablet. Netbook with high cap battery still same price as gtab and gives 6+ hours of pc use with wifi on
Canadoc said:
Well if you want 1 device to do it all yes a bigger screen tablet is the way to go. But then you have something that is a compromise at everyhting.
Not great for productivity short of bringing another keyboard and with less than full capable office type apps.
Not great for portability given the almost laptops dimensions
(10 inch netbook or 11 inch macbook air are no bigger except thickness and have real keyboard and u dont deal with the awful screen of the viewosnic. As an owner I can't use the viewsonic for anything that I cant do looking face on which makes typing hard on the screen).
Battery life? macbook air superior than the g tablet. Netbook with high cap battery still same price as gtab and gives 6+ hours of pc use with wifi on
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note: I'm posting this to share my own user experience. YMMV.
(1) I agree that the viewing angle is less than ideal. Most of the time I pop it up using an inexpensive stand; it actually works better for my neck (really !).
(2) Re onscreen keyboard: I have had no trouble in portrait mode (using better keyboard). In landscape mode the TNT split keyboard actually works surprisingly well (after one-time calibration).
(3) 10" is defintely not as portable as 7". OTOH: a lot of times I use the gtab to read technical documents (pdf), and 7" simply does not work -- in portrait mode the text & equations are too small, and in landscape you can read just a few lines at a time. With 10" the whole page shows up in the same font size as the printed version.
I do agree that 10" is a bit unwieldy; I've come to the conclusion that an 8", 1024x764 is the perfect size for a ebook tablet (HD movie fans would disagree).
(4) I have my gtab for over a month. With wifi on, and a mix of mp3/web browsing/ebook reading/youtube/AB, I've been getting about 8 hours pretty much every time.
case-sensitive said:
Note: I'm posting this to share my own user experience. YMMV.
(1) I agree that the viewing angle is less than ideal. Most of the time I pop it up using an inexpensive stand; it actually works better for my neck (really !).
(2) Re onscreen keyboard: I have had no trouble in portrait mode (using better keyboard). In landscape mode the TNT split keyboard actually works surprisingly well (after one-time calibration).
(3) 10" is defintely not as portable as 7". OTOH: a lot of times I use the gtab to read technical documents (pdf), and 7" simply does not work -- in portrait mode the text & equations are too small, and in landscape you can read just a few lines at a time. With 10" the whole page shows up in the same font size as the printed version.
I do agree that 10" is a bit unwieldy; I've come to the conclusion that an 8", 1024x764 is the perfect size for a ebook tablet (HD movie fans would disagree).
(4) I have my gtab for over a month. With wifi on, and a mix of mp3/web browsing/ebook reading/youtube/AB, I've been getting about 8 hours pretty much every time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't get me wrong I currently own a gtab and do see the merit in it and if it had a better screen I would probably have kept it.
But the thing is for thos people not willing to mod their device (95% of buying public) the g tab is a device that will be promptly returned.
Viewing angle is very bad, UI is not great though improving with today's firmware. Promised Flash which is probably reason many buy it over ipad, is missing in action (and with it pulled of the Vega might not be around for a while).
Also the touchscreen without running calibration ini file on a rooted machine leaves a lot to be desired. The stock tablet (as well as custom roms before trying the calibration trick) would not register many presses on the letter a the soft home button as well as the return and L key. This in fact was what prompted me to order the elocity tablet as I was more than frustrated typing on the G. Of course I discovered the calibration trick only after my elocity order shipped out.
As for using a stand, that would be fine if I used my tablet sitting at a table or desk. I say most of my use is sitting on a couch or in bed with it held up in my hands on my chest or sitting in my lap. Often the ideal angle to type at is one that tilts the screen to where I can't view the keyboard buttons well especially the darker android keyboard. The width of the device in landscape makes it hard to thumb type. Portrait is fine but the tablet, for me is too long and does not balance well in the hand at that angle. Also the bad viewing angle in portrait mode is so bad that I get a polarizing effect; the left eye sees a brighter or darker image than the right. Pictures and especially dark backgrounds look very bad. TO make it even viewable I have to watch the screen tilted about 2-3 inches. This is the deal breaker for me.
The size is good if you want full size viewing of some things but if i wa slooking at a technical manual and had to put the tablet down to read it while i worked with my 2 hands i wouldnt be able to read it.....
If i need to work on something important I will just use my laptop. This is not a laptop replacement for me.
Frankly after using the ipad for a while i would say if it could rn flash it would kill everything out there and still already does for user experience and can be had for 399 at tj maxx and marshall so not even so expensive any more.
But, I want this to watch websites that have videos/movies in flash
I recently was given a chance to try out the Momo8 tablet. I'd like to post my impressions in case anyone has been looking at this tablet as a possible future purchase.
Here are the stats of this pad according to the site I purchased it from:
Model MOMO8 Tablet PC
CPU Rockchip 2918 Cortex-A8 Dual Core, 1GHz
Operation System Android 2.3
RAM 512MB
Nand Flash 8GB
Shell Material Plastic
Screen Size 8 Inch (4:3)
Type Capacitive Screen
Resolution 1024 x 768
Visible Angle 150°
All of this information seems to be accurate except for the fact I get some different Nand memory measurements. (Around the 4-5 gb range). Still it is a good amount of memory and I always use an SD card anyway. Let me begin my review:
First thing I'll say is that this is one of the best feeling tablets I've ever encountered. It has the solid feel of a more expensive tablet. Nothing loose or out of place. Nice square edges. Just an all around great feel. There are times the screen requires a second press to get action. Haven't quite figured that out yet. this A8 processor is blazing fast compared to the other tablets I've worked with. Plus it apparently has some kind of graphics accelerator installed.
I've had a Gpad G10 and a Eken m009 and this Momo's viewing angle is amazing compared to those. I can even see the screen from almost direct edge on viewing. Wireless is a bit spotty however. Sometimes it will lose the connection while not even leaving the same room. Battery life is pretty incredible though. I managed to use it on and off with only putting it into standby for the whole day the other day and still had nearly 60% battery when I got home. (And I left the wireless on by accident, so that's even more amazing to me). The only other problem I've found with my Momo is that the speaker is screwed up. For the brief moment it works it has clear, crisp, loud sound. But, usually it's completely dead. Headphones however are pretty amazing, clear, loud (so loud I've adjusted the sound well below the middle level.) Other things I've noticed are the cameras. The rear camera is amazing. Sure it's not a high quality 10mp it's only supposed to be a 3mp if I remember correctly. What really surprises me is that the front facing camera is supposed to be .3mp and yet I'm getting great, bright, good quality face shots. The only other issue I have discovered is that when you have it in landscape mode with the buttons on top, the lower right corner of the screen has some sensitivity issues when using an onscreen keyboard. Using a recalibration app fixes it for a while, but it goes back within a very short time. Ie: when pressing n and m I get spacebar. When I press m and backspace it registers as enter.
The capacitive screen is outstanding for tapping browser links. Very good reaction. Once in a while it's a tiny bit out of calibration though. The only screen calibration tool I've found so far that works is one that has you tap a calibrate button and then it calibrates itself. I'm not crazy about it and would like one that has you touch multiple spots on the screen and then calibrates on them.
As for the aforementioned weight, it isn't a light pad, but that's actually my preference. I like the fact it has a little extra durability to it. Somewhat thick, and kind of blocky if you get what I'm saying. I like the all around feel. It's just light enough that I can read for hours without really any additional strain.
All in all this is a durable, fast, really well designed pad with a few minor issues. Compared to the higher end pads I've used I think I'd rather save a couple hundred and get something that just works for what I want instead of getting some name brand that I'm paying for the name.
Additionally I managed to fix the keyboard problem. Downloaded Thumb Keyboard from Amazon Appstore fixed it right up and in fact is the fastest on screen keyboard ever.
it might have been worth it, if they included 1Gb RAM and at the very minimum included 16Gb internal storage
Sent from my Nexus S using xda premium
So far the memory hasn't been an issue. I would prefer that the nand memory was actually as much as it says it is. But, I have an sd card so it doesn't particularly cause me much of a problem.
1GB of memory would be nice, but I haven't had any issues where I've run out of memory yet, and I tend to run two or three things at once.
Do these work ok ?
rotrhead said:
Do these work ok ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like mine. The only issues I've had so far are the ones that I detailed in the review. 95% of all the games I've tried so far have worked, books are nice (plus I finally got things working on the brightness adjustment for fbreader), and it plays music and video beautifully. I haven't tried hooking it to my television or anything, but that's not really an option I needed.
Bought one yesterday - coming soon, I hope!
I bought one yesterday from McBub.com for $145.99 plus the protective cover, making the total just over $150.
Great reviews on Slickdeals.net from one of the users, and after rooting a Nook Color last year and having fun with it (after checking out lots of the forums on here to root it), I figured I'd try this Momo8 out. I haven't used Ice Cream Sandwich, and it ought to be nice with a tablet this size.
Does anybody have any idea if there is a USB Ethernet adapter for it? I'm curious about whether I could find an adapter to have a little more secure Internet usage when I'm traveling. Otherwise it looks like a fun tablet to work with!
Not sure if there is an USB ethernet adapter, but the built in ethernet plug seems to work great. Might be a little confused about your question.
If you find out a good, quick, easy rooting method, or a way to upgrade the OS without losing features, please let me know.
Looks like mine has no built-in Ethernet - only wireless
As a newbie I can't post outside links yet... but McBub.com is where I bought the Momo8. Its description is Ployer MOMO8 Business Edition Tablet PC - 8 inch 8GB Android 4.0 1.5GHz Capacitive 2160P HD 3D Movie (CN109156), and there's no Ethernet plug on it that I can tell - only wireless access.
Whoops my bad, I just checked and you're right. I confused it with my 9.7 that I've been working on this week. Lol, should always double check. Yeah, not sure if a USB ethernet adapter would work or not. I'd recommend getting an adapter from ebay or a chinese site, so you don't invest too much into it. Then if it works you could get something better.
For sure - I've emailed a few sites to see if they have any info on it, and I may try to email Ployer themselves to see if they can recommend anything. Thanks!
if only included 3g support and gps....i think it will be nicer compare to branded tablets
Hello, I just bought one of these and it came with android 4.0.1.
I was wondering if it would be easy to flash to 4.0.3, or would I have any problems since it is a chinapad and maybe the version of android is customized to work with this tablet? I say that because some of the functionality in 4.0 does not seem to be on this tablet (like brightness, there's no auto brightness, no face unlock, a couple of other things).
I'm worried that if I flash this, it will mess up whatever settings they had with it. Thanks for the help!!
It looks decent. I would have gotten one too, but I bought a Kindle already.
I feel this is more of a general "lets get your opinion/feel" but ive experienced in the past, any topic that has any question in it, gets moved to this section.. So im posting it here.
I'd like to get people opinions (and experiences if any) on the Asus Padfone. I've been eyeing the HTC Amaze, but there have been a few issues reported with it, and with new tech being released this year, im also considering other devices. The Padfone caught my eye due to its apparent versatility. (Especially since the HTC One series has been a massive letdown with the non-existent mSD card slot)
Though there do seem to be some things lacking with this device, such as the camera (apparently, the HTC one has an independent processor which speeds it up) for example.
Also the fact that its 3g and not 4g/LTE seems to be a step back (tho this isnt an concern for me, but could be later).
Anyway.. Thoughts? Concerns?
Not worth buying
I'm considering getting one. I'm from the Netherlands so 3G is just fine for me!
Pricing is rumoured around €699 euro here, pretty steep though... That's without the dock (which will set you back another €150 I bet)
I love the idea of having everything in one place (on your phone) and basically click it into the tablet for typing during class or watching/reading something.
Jam it into the dock for longer writing sessions... I can see this being a very useful combination for me personally. I'm not sure the average user will find this a useful gadget though.
Downside is that you really have to use the phone all the time and I'm not sure how well everything works softwarewise when you load the phone into the dock, screensize wise etc, etc.
Its just that I got a Gnex that I love so dearly
PokeiShoW said:
Not worth buying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Care to elaborate?
newbie thoughts on the padfone
Last July 2011, I posted this thread on another forum and look at what happened in the interim - the Padfone!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Looking for serious multi-purpose (non-existent yet) tablet
I am a newbie. I have been communicating with a variety of tech publications incl Walt Mossberg, WSJ. But no serious response. I do not own a tablet right now but want to propose features that can be incorporated to the current crop. You folks can chime in (with respect) if you think my ideas are plausible.
Full disclosure. Currently, I am not a fan of the crop of tablets in the market today. What is out there (regardless of brand) are just pure "gadgets" for me. I do not do social networking nor games. I realize that I am in the minority in the high-tech populace.
I will consider a tablet with the configuration below to trim my techie equipment inventory. I believe this would be a truly PORTABLE, POWERFUL, SINGLE COMBINATION alternative to having (1) a communication/convenience/entertainment" device (tablet) AND (2) a PC for serious professional computing work, should I need to do some.
Samsung Galaxy-like form factor (or maybe even slightly larger or heavier)
Full Cell phone call capable (CDMA/GSM) - 3 or 4G thru BT (either on ear device or car's BT wireless communicator) - not just Google Talk or Skype
Web-access wireless card (a/b/g/n)
BT enabled to pair with my car's BT audio system wireless connection to play music stored in the tablet and other BT capable devices (tech already available)
Semi-full size BT keyboard/case (tech already available)
Available USB2 or 3 port/s
Available docking device to connect to an external larger LCD monitor, full-size keyboard, printer, optical drive, external HD, etc (?) to really replace my office/home notebook
Enough processor power (Intel/AMD dual core or higher), storage to support a full PC OS (Windows 7/8 or Mac OS), Internet Browser (IE9, FF5, Chrome, Safari, etc) and APPLICATION PROGRAMS AND DATA!
Sufficient battery life (replaceable) with AC/DC charging/connectivity capability
???????
Do you think this config for a tablet system has market and production potential? Or better yet, is there one already out there? I know that the technology to accomplish all of these exist already. It just takes somebody to put it all together.
Your professional insights are greatly appreciated."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since the Pf is not in our shores yet and I have been sick and tired of the all the unboxing, first videos from Barcelona, Taiwan specs and availability, I just implore ASUS to get their act together and stop the teasing and give us the US model! Regardless how a bunch of folks have trashed it, I on the other hand WANT ONE NOW. I realize that this desire is sight unseen, performance and quality unknown and not all the specs I listed above are in the model available everywhere else, I believe the concept of 3 in 1 is a brilliant one. I may not be as techie as you folks but for my use and from prelim videos and specs, what ASUS has done is phenomenal.
I would greatly appreciate your more techie input as well as marketing intel (US availaibility, specs, price, carrier, etc.). BTW, I still refuse to buy and do not want any of the tablets available today. Thanks.
The mechanism to insert the phone into the tablet looks like its the first thing to break rendering the whole concept useless.
But i have not hold it in my hand, anyone have some info on the build quality?
Dark3n said:
The mechanism to insert the phone into the tablet looks like its the first thing to break rendering the whole concept useless.
But i have not hold it in my hand, anyone have some info on the build quality?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's possible, it depends if the "door" needs to be closed before it will output to the tabdock. Plus, im sure alot said that about flip phones and sliding phone. My Touch Pro 2 is still going pretty strong, and it has a sliding keyboard.
Something id like it know is with the Keyboard dock, is it 'closeable'. As in, can you dock the tablet to it, then "close it" like a laptop so you can transport it as one piece?
first try... and probably last
very difficult positioning for Asus. They're trying desperately to innovate more that the competition to get a strong foot in that market.
However, this solution might not be fully interesting for a lot of people... If its a failure, they'll have lost a great deal of money that could have been used to make up for the difference with the latest ipad...
If this will be a failure , atleast the price will drop fast ( something like Evo 3d -50% )
addiz said:
If this will be a failure , atleast the price will drop fast ( something like Evo 3d -50% )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why do you think it will be a failure?
it's something new and different let's see how people will act after buying it
Has a lot of potential...
Has a LOT of potential if marketed correctly.
I have a original ASUS Transformer TF101 with keyboard dock for eight months now and I can say its an amazing machine. The performance is just right, the battery lasts forever, almost stock ICS, lots of updates.
I have the only combination of devices that can compete with the full Padfone setup: a modern smartphone (Samsung Galaxy Note) and the mentioned Transformer, with full tethering support. If the Padfone system can have a significant price advantage, the consistency it provides (the Note have Android 2.3.6) can make it a winner.
Feels way to expensive.
$1 gets you a reply
yes the hinge closes like a laptop
problem: the hinge only opens around 90 degrees so you won't get a great viewing angle unless you are at a similar level.
when the latch of the tablet station opens to release the phone, it stops the phone being bent outwards, so you have to pull up and thus, not breaking the connector.
not having 4g is a big downer for me. I was going to get this and might still but seriously, uk is getting 4g this year so I doubt I'd want this when it gets released.
The price of phone + 10" screen is Euro 699.
I think it will not be a success.
Why? (iPhone 4S + New iPad) is only Euro 199 more than the phone and a dummy screen.
Moreover, if you're going to carry around a dummy screen, why not carry a REAL tablet??
tytung2020 said:
The price of phone + 10" screen is Euro 699.
I think it will not be a success.
Why? (iPhone 4S + New iPad) is only Euro 199 more than the phone and a dummy screen.
Moreover, if you're going to carry around a dummy screen, why not carry a REAL tablet??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
beeecause with a iphone and ipad, your data is in 2 places? So if you edit something on your ipad, you have to take steps to also update it on your iphone.. Plus, itunes.. thats always a disadvantage.
I see the appeal, and 200 bucks More isnt small.
Lyian said:
beeecause with a iphone and ipad, your data is in 2 places? So if you edit something on your ipad, you have to take steps to also update it on your iphone.. Plus, itunes.. thats always a disadvantage.
I see the appeal, and 200 bucks More isnt small.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought it's no need to take any steps? As long as your iPad is online at home, whatever you do on iPhone outside is automatically synced, as shown in the iCloud launching videos.
199 euro is small, when you compare a screen+ battery, with a fully functioned retina display iPad.
sounds good
tytung2020 said:
I thought it's no need to take any steps? As long as your iPad is online at home, whatever you do on iPhone outside is automatically synced, as shown in the iCloud launching videos.
199 euro is small, when you compare a screen+ battery, with a fully functioned retina display iPad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, i wont get apple products. If i were to get two devices, both would be android. Im sure it would be similar, but i don't like messing with clouds either, that's just a gimik to eat up your limited "unlimited" data package. Especially when your talking about my case of 400+mb PDF files.
I'm not completely sold on it, but it seems like a good idea, plus ive not yet seen official pricing on it.
Not that benchmarks mean much.. but...
ASUS PadFone gets benchmarked: a mere teaser of what's to come
Hi! Lenovo just released its Intel Atom Android smartphone called the Lenovo K800. It is the second smartphone powered by Intel to hit the market. It has a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB ROM, and 4.5 inch HD screen. Look at its full specs here: www.chinaphonereview.com/lenovo-k800-lephone-k800
I wonder how Intel could stand up against the more established smartphone processors. Please share your thoughts on this phone.
toffzter said:
Hi! Lenovo just released its Intel Atom Android smartphone called the Lenovo K800. It is the second smartphone powered by Intel to hit the market. It has a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB ROM, and 4.5 inch HD screen. Look at its full specs here: www.chinaphonereview.com/lenovo-k800-lephone-k800
I wonder how Intel could stand up against the more established smartphone processors. Please share your thoughts on this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think very soon they will be on pair with samsung,when it comes about smartphone processors.
Intel chips are excellent for desktops and laptops. But I still cannot say if I want a phone with the logo "Intel Inside". Although Intel is a giant in the CPU business, it is still a newbie in the smartphone department. Let's see if Intel Atom exceeds expectations with Lenovo K800.
I wonder if someone could get Windows 7 or x86 Ubuntu running on it. It has an x86 processor, 1GB of RAM, 1280x720 display.
X86 does very well in android. Also there are many socs that actually use more power than even the previous generation pine trail atoms. The a5x comes to mind. The new medfield chips reduce the power significantly.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Got it!
Hi There,
Got the Phone in China (I live there). First surprise, the phone comes without a micro SD card slot. Apart from that the phone delivers what was shown a few months back.
Package (nice) gives you the phone, battery, headset, usb wall plug and usb cable (µUSB).
Surprises come from the software: there is
no google play
no gmail (
no gmaps ((
which is kind of hard to take for an android phone...
Gmaps = > download the APK, it works (AGPS seems not operational though as the fix is super slow to come)
I downloaded the APK, google play starts but asks for an account, then closes, whatever your answer is to the question whether you want to add an account or not.
Adding account: It seems you can only add an exchange account, not a google account, which is probably the source of the problems I am facing (which I believe is a general problem on Android phones bought in China)
Gmail does not work
Google earth crashed
Skype works
So if anyone has a hint, how to add this real google account, then enable the rest (Google play, Gmail), this would really be helpfull to turn the device to a real Android device.
Let me know if you guys have questions on the device, I'll try to visit this thread on a regular basis.
root required...
Hi,
so the google play stuff is quite typical to the Android China phones which do not have this google account connection.
Here is what I found on another xda thread:
You need to have googleservicesframework and googlefeedback installed on your phone as well for it to manage account. Download any gapp packages, for instances cyanogenmod ones and adb push it to system/app. With both the market and the googleservicesframework in the system, it will be able to manage the account and work as it should. Hope that helps.
adb remount
adb push c:\market\GoogleFeedback.apk /system/app/GoogleFeedback.apk
adb push c:\market\GoogleServicesFramework.apk /system/app/GoogleServicesFramework.apk
adb push c:\market\Vending.apk /system/app/Vending.apk
adb reboot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So now the big deal is to get the device rooted
Hi,
Got some more time to play with the device.
Gmaps works well, but GPS seems not able to get a locate from the cell, so maps only gives you its position once the gps gets a fix, which is quite longer..
Gmail can be installed, by getting the GoogleServicesFramework.apk installed (you can get it from a CM7 Gapps package).
Then it works well, the only drawback being the contacts imports from your Google account seems not possible.
Google play is still a no go, same for Google earth. I could get Google Translate to work as well, very usefull when you live abroad!
Forgot to add: Z4Root does not work for me.
root continued
well, tried super one click, also Doomlord Zergrush, both also not working
Have you tried asking the seller for support? Maybe they have rooting services. Most Chinese shops have the capability to root the phones they sell. They usually have roms for their phones.
thanks
He he I bought the phone online from Lenovo (launch offer).
But it a good suggestion, so I'll visit the phone market this week end, thanks!
So how's your phone now? Have you got the bugs fixed?
It's amazing that an Android phone should ship without any gapps - considering the missing link with your Google account means you can't autosync your contacts (assuming you're coming from another Android device).
Is there any progress in getting the device rooted? Like someone else said, it'd just be a case of getting a working recovery & flashing the CM gapps package.
now working...
Hi,
superoneclick ended up rooting the phone.
Gapps working now
About the absence of Gapps, this is just the way it is in China.
Even the default search is not Google, which is shocking on an android phone
And people want it this way, my chinese colleagues do not want google play/ gapps !
Some more
a parallel thread on this
http://www.modaco.com/topic/355005-the-san-diego-hacking-topic-root-progress-etc/
Congrats! So how's your phone's performance now? Can you post a little review of your phone?
ManuLM said:
Hi,
superoneclick ended up rooting the phone.
Gapps working now
About the absence of Gapps, this is just the way it is in China.
Even the default search is not Google, which is shocking on an android phone
And people want it this way, my chinese colleagues do not want google play/ gapps !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Happy days : )
Impressions after a few weeks of usage
here are some impressions on the device, after a few weeks of usage on a daily basis.
My reference is another Android Phone, the Samsung Galaxy S2 which I own for a year now. I can't pretend to make a detailed review ala Endgadget, so I'll rather cover some topics to highlight. Feel free to ask for any specific questions.
Screen:
First point, the screen on the K800 is a 4.5inches display, and this is a notable difference from the GS2. More space, but also much more points. This is my first HD(720p) display, and I must say I love it...
Surfing is easier and nicer, and watching a 720 DivX on the device is actually fairly impressive. Note the rescaling works well, and a usual DivX would do just as good, without the extra points.
The display delivers a more realistic color than the GS2 amoled, less vivid, also I feel less bright.
Hardware
general size and shape are not K800 top spots. The design is very squarish, the phone is also rather thick (~11mm is nowadays a thick phone). It is also heavier.
Overall assembly quality is very good, but squarish. It is also heavier than the GS2, note there are reasons for it: bigger display, bigger battery also (1900mA).
Assembly quality is very good and the phone feels solid, and sits nicely next to my Lenovo laptop without looking ridiculous.
One topic of regret is the absence of a SD card slot, forcing you to rely on the 16GB internal storage.
Usage
SW: it is shipped with Android 2.3.7 as said earlier, and if this can be seen as an issue by many of us SW enthusiast, it is also an advantage on the power side. Together with the large battery, the phone offers quite an extended usage. With a "light" day (3G / GPS always on, few calls/mails/SMS, light surf, few minutes of playing) I only draw ~25% of the battery. I love this !!
On a heavier day I managed to draw almost 50% (when I just got it), playing around, downloading apps, trying various stuff and customizing UI besides a normal usage. The average is around 30-40% per day depending on my usage. This overall is a very nice aspect of the phone.
After having my GS2 flashed to ICS LPG, I faced a major increase of the battery, having to recharge the phone during the same day when my usage was a bit heavy, which is really annoying (and made me buy a juice pack...). GS2 drains its battery faster.
Speed:
The UI sometimes has some quick slow downs, not killing but visible (scrolling accross desktops), which are hard to explain, but overall the experience remains very smooth. I also faced some issues of reactivity on the android soft buttons, be it back, home, or context menu. While it is not killing for the usage, it is a point to improve and it makes the user experience not up to the level of the galaxy S2, because you have to press the button sometimes 2-3 times before it reacts. Also the haptic feedback (very short vibra run when you type) is much sharper on my Samsung device, so there is some more maturity needed on Lenovo side here (I guess they have to learn here).
The surfing is really fast on the K800, be it on 3G or on Wifi where it really goes fast. Getting pages is notably faster than on the Galaxy S2.
USB interface is also quite enjoyable, I reached 17MB/s on a file transfer, which makes the transfer of big files (read 720p content) quite fast and convenient. I faced no recognition issues at all on my various computers.
You really feel like the hardware interfaces on the device are not skimmed down anyhow, and that feels good. I could not try the WiDi as I have no WiDi receiver.
Compatibility:
I faced only minor issues on the device, like G earth does not run, so do some apps, like Asphalt 5 or 6, but I could not spot too many issues here. I also could not get temple run running on the device.
That's all that comes to my mind right now, so I'll be just posting further impressions on the go.
This device is now my primarily device, and in the evening I do not worry that I'll run out of juice.
Wow! Thanks for the review! So, is it safe to say that it is the best smartphone you've tried? How about the camera of the K800 and its call quality?
well there are some maturity issues like reactivity (will it be improved by SW? It should be doable for reactivity) and form factor Design (soap box) as reported above, which make the experience not complete, but for a first Android flagship device by Lenovo, result is overall really impressive and competitive on several aspects (speed, power, display...).
Call quality is good I have nothing to complain about here (including speakerphone), camera I have not been testing extensively so I can't really tell you so far, how good it is.
My review of the SINA-2
Introduction
About a year ago I became the proud owner of the first LC-Power tablet, the MIRA-1.
For its price it was okay, I was sort of happy but in the end, it was a bit slow for me and I sold it for a faster one the first chance I got.
Which brought me to the LC-Power SINA-1 that I bought in 12/2012 for ~ 200EUR (Germany)
I was happy and kept it, although it was not really perfect. The speed was what I needed, problems were WiFi Range and battery life.
I wrote a review for the tablet and posted it on this site.
Not too long ago I ended up testing another SINA-1 tablet. I came away from it with a distinct feeling that some of my troubles were not existent with the newer tablet.
I started some research and came upon some hints that indeed there are a few issues with the SINA-1 that will be repaired if you sent in your tablet (via. trader/distributer).
I am assuming that newer versions are manufactured or at least sold with the fixes in places and this is why I noticed less trouble with the newer SINA-1
So I contacted LC-Power. Unfortunately, they did not confirm nor deny any problems with the (earlier) SINA-1 tablets. All they said was if a tablet is broken and within its warrenty, it will get repaired or exchanged if your dealer sends it to them.
Long story short I began to think...
Do I really want to send in my almost-good-as-new (no scratches, well handeled, batteries not stressed much) tablet that may (my point of view) or may not (probably their point of view) have a defect which may or may not be fixed or get the whole device swapped out wich a much more used one.
No, and chances are, you wont too... especially when there is the SINA-2 available.
So I did some research and decided to just get a new tablet and then maybe send in the SINA-1.
So I became the proud owner of the new SINA-2
Specs / Comparison
The SINA-2 is the successor of the SINA-1. They are quite similar in hardware:
HARDWARE SINA-1 SINA-2
CPU ARM Cortex A9 DualCore 1,5GHz ARM Cortex A9 DualCore 1,6GHz
GPU Mali 400 QuadCore 250MHz Mali 400 QuadCore 250MHz
Display 10.1" IPS 1280x800 10.1" IPS 1280x800
Touch 5 Point Touchscreen 5 Point Touchscreen
RAM 1GB 1GB
Memory 16GB NAND Flash 16GB NAND Flash
CardReader MicroSD up to 32GB MicroSD up to 32GB
OS Android 4.1 Android 4.1
Networking 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4
Camera Front 0.3MP, Back 2MP Front 0.3MP, Back 2MP
Connectors: USB 2.0, HDMI (micro) USB 2.0 host only, HDMI (micro)
Battery: 5200mAh 6000mAh
Size: 10.8 x 258 x 176 mm 10.5 x 263 x 173 mm
Weight: 0.603kg 0.601kg
I got the SINA-2 for 170EUR (eBay Germany, 15th september 2013)
Please note, the SINA-1 is still being sold and costs about as much as the SINA-2
The product name for both (!) is LC10TAB-A9-DUAL
Packaging, accessoires:
The box is very similar to the SINA-1... White, a picture, some text...
Inside, the tablet is safely lying inside a plastic bag and fit snuggly to the 4 walls with a rubbery foam.
Under the tablet you will find the accessoires:
a small micro-usb host cable, a normal micro-usb cable, the power adapter, and a piece of paper some might dare call a manual
First impression:
Again, the tablet feels solid but is not too heavy. It is lying well in the hand, is not too heavy and not too slippery.
Some other owners have commented on the "huge" gaps between the different materials on the SINA-1
The SINA-2 does not improve in that regard. There are still noticeable gaps between the sides, the front and back.
If this matters or not is I believe a point of personal preference, I feel these little gaps give a certain grip at the edges, others may feel a certain lack of elegance and lacking of strict manufacturing tolerances...
There are however, no hard/sharp edges noticeable.
Compared to the SINA-1 the SINA-2 is a bit longer but not as high. On paper, it is thinner too. The corners are a little bit rounder too.
However, I doubt that the differences will be noticed without direct compairing them.
Display (visual):
The 1280x800 resolution suits the tablet well. Text from websites looks sharp, picures look vivid, videos are great too.
The viewing angle is what you would expect from an IPS panel.
The further you move from the center field of view to the sides and increase the viewing angle, the worse the picture will get.
However, I dont feel tablets are made to watch one small screen with a group of people... Occasional sharing with 2-3 people will work fine if you stick your heads together but this is not.
The brightness (350cd/m²) is good, in fact, in a very dark environment you may want to lower the brightness a bit.
Contrast is ok.
The glossy display, again, could be problematic in very bright environments.
The background lightning is adquate transform. There are again, slight bright spots (especially on the left side) at the edge of the screen.
Display (touch):
5-point-capacative touchscreen.
Reacts well, no extensive lag noticeable.
The display is, just like the SINA-1, not too bad.
Yes, there are many better displays out there...
But are they out there for a similar price or for more than double?
For the below 200EUR price range a 10" tablet with 1280x800 is just fine.
CPU / GPU Performance
I did not run any tablet/mobile/arm benchmarks, all this is based on pure subjective feelings...
The tablet performs well. The SINA-2 is a bit faster then its predecessor, but nothing really noticeable.
For most operations the DualCore 1.6GHz ARM CPU will do just fine (and so did the 1.5GHz).
Browsing the web, running JAVA or FlashPlayer works well. Just like the SINA-1, this tablet can take firefox+addons+hackers keyboard without freezes.
Full HD videos work well, even over HDMI (1920x1080) and jumping around the timeline.
I have not tested the GPU performance extensively. So far, every game/app I tried worked well
(not complete) list:
- Terraria
- Magicka
- Pokerstars
- TempleRun
- Ampelini
- Burger
Obviously, this tablet will not be as fast as your new PC or the QuadCore mobiles and tablets...
Buttons/Connectors:
Like the SINA-1, the SINA-2 has only two buttons, power on/off and volume up/down.
This time the buttons have been put on the top left (I feel the SINA-1 placement top right has been slightly better).
The buttons themselves feel just like they should. They dont wiggle and have a distinct pressure point.
The connectors are placed on the left side.
There is only one microUSB port, working as both, USB host so you can plug in USB devices (sticks, mobile phones, 3G dongles) as well as normal USB
so you can plug the tablet into your pc.
Again, the HDMI out is mini-HDMI. The adapter does not come with the tablet.
The headphone jack is nothing special (3.5mm)
The power-in is the same size as before with the SINA-1.
However, the power adapter (looks the same) is a different kind.
Where the SINA-1 took 5V 2.5A, the SINA-2 now takes 9.5V at 2A !
The change from 5V to 9.5V is a bit surprising and might not have been a smart idea. True enough, even the SINA-1 could not be charged over USB anymore, but many power banks have adapters to supply power to different plugs. However, they all supply 5V.
With the new 9.5V DC in, the tablet may charge its battery more quickly, however, you may have lost the ability to load the tablet up with your power banks...
The jack itself got a much needed improvement. Where the SINA-1 plug fell out with the slightest of pull, the SINA-2 plug fits really well and needs much more force to be pulled out.
The microSD TF card reader is on the left side too. Some attention needs to be payed when ejecting microSD cards, the spring can throw the cards quite a few feet
The speaker on the back is okay. Nothing extra ordinary, just like the SINA-1. Quality is okay and loudness is okay too. It could be better but it works...
Software:
Android 4.1 is preinstalled and works quite well.
No real crapware is preinstalled.
Google Play:
Google Play is installed and working fine. The device gets shown as "Rockchip SINA-2"
I have not run into any problems with the shop and/or apps so far.
Note: if you own both the SINA-1 and SINA-2, the shop may actually get confused and show only one of the devices.
Both will be able to access the play store and download apps but if you log in the shop via your PC, only one of both devices will be visible.
To make the other tablet visible you will have to re-sign up (reenter email/password) to the play store from the device...
Battery:
The rechargeable battery got a bit of a much needed beef up compared to the SINA-1 (5200mAh to 6000mAh)
I have only tested a bit so far.
Playing video from a NAS via WiFi the battery will last 5-6 hrs.
To reacharge the battery from 0 to 100% will take ~3 hrs
The SINA-1 would have run out of juice way before that after 3-4hrs.
Almost doubling the run time with only adding ~20% more capacity to the battery leads me to believe that there is another factor at work.
I suspect the SINA-1 WiFi taking much more power than the SINA-2 ...
Connectivety:
Wireless LAN b/g/n is working well. The range and signal strength has been vastly improved upon the SINA-1 (and is back to the level of the MIRA-1).
Do not expect 300+ MBit with the n
Bluetooth 4.0: what can I say again. Its there, its working...
Ethernet: Support for USB to Ethernet dongles. Untested
Mobile (3G) Internet: Support for USB 3G dongles. A list with working dongles is available from LC-Power support. (might post it later)
Tried with mine, works...
Support:
LC-Power is usually quick in answering normal support emails, but they will not exactly fall over each other trying to resolve any exotic issue that might come up. Maybe if you speak mandarin and mail them directly at tech and dev headquarters in probably china you might have some luck, but I doubt that the LC-Power people in Germany, USA or UK or ... had much to say about developing the device and customizing the android (except of course, maybe some translation)
Also, do not expect regular android updates or any long time support and new android versions.
(this has been copy and pasted from my SINA-1 review)
Modding:
There is no active modding community for the LC-Power devices.
I had hoped this will change over time but apparently, not much happened in the last year.
Maybe it still will happen if enough LC-Power tablets are sold and used...
Of course, you still can do it all yourself. But do not expect a huge community or custom ROMs
Note:
Apparently, there is no good source (download link) for the stock ROM...
So if you are going to start modding, tread lightly. Make a backup and so on...
Rooting:
The SINA-2 does not come pre-rooted.
UNTESTED:
I expect the SINA-2 can be rooted just like the SINA-1
I will test it and post the manual later...
Summary and Conclusion:
When I tested the SINA-1 I wrote that I liked it (a lot). Unfortunately, due to the short run time, bad WiFi range and cardreader trouble (probably my device only) the enthusiasm did not last too long...
However, it was still better than the MIRA-1 and well usable with a competetive price...
Now to the SINA-2
It is just like the SINA-1 only better.
They fixed the run time, the wifi range and my card reader is working...
The dimensions of the tablet got changed but they are almost not noticeable.
The connector and button placement got changed, to the better or worse should/can not be judged objectively...
So all in all, the SINA-2 is what the SINA-1 should and could have been.
Now, should you get it?
This is not as easy as it used to be... When the MIRA-1 and later the SINA-1 were released, the LC-Power devices were "fast" and "cheap"...
However, in the last year or so, many other similar tablets in a similar price range have been released and you have more choices...
Still, I'll attempt to give some hints:
- If you need your tablet to be 3G, you may want to look for something else. Sure, the 3G dongle works, but why not chose one with built in 3G
- If you dont have a tablet and want one for browsing websites, watching videos and playing games at home on your couch as well as occasional taking it with you, you absolutely could get the SINA-2
- If you have the SINA-1 and it works for you, you do not need the SINA-2
- If you have the SINA-1 and it does not work for for the mentioned reasons, you may consider getting the SINA-2 and selling the SINA-1...
- If you need a fast, high quality tablet, and or need it to do work, or if you have more cash than you can spend... you may want to go for the high-quality tablets (nexus 10, samsung, ipad (shudder!), ...)
- If you want, ney, need a big modding community you need to look for something else
I am very happy with it and will sell my SINA-1 ...
How to root the SINA-2
Disclaimer: no guarantee, you break it, not my fault bla bla...
First, it was not difficult. It was done by the "root with restore by bin4ry method"
step 1: enable usb-debugging and allow installing of "foreign apk's" (or whats it called in english)
step 2: get a usb driver for windows (7 x64 in my case)
step 2b: since you probably wont find a driver, modify the google drivers from the android development sdk. add the line to the google.ntx86 and ntamd64 block:
%CompositeAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_2207&PID_0010&MI_01
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
step 3: add the file adb_usb.ini at /users/[username]/.android directory with the following line:
0x2207
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
(i had to do this in my user account and in the administrator account*)
step 4: connect the tablet with your pc, make sure all drivers were installed and usb debugging is on
step 5: google, find and download the zip archive with the batch file, scripts and tools needed
(root_with_restore_by_bin4ry_v17.zip did it for me)
step 6: extract the archive, best to some easily found directory like c:\rootit
step 7: start a command line (cmd.exe) (as administrator?)
note: the actual rooting only worked for me when i started the command line as administrator
step 8: start runme.bat from c:\rootit, ch
step 9: choose method 1, wait for it to finish
TESTED, WORKING
This is the document I got from LC-Power when asking for a supported dongles list for the SINA-1 and SINA-2 tablets:
The device(with Boxchips A13/A10) can support below 3G Dongles:
Dongle List:
WCDMA:
HuaWei-MU509,HuaWei-E153,HuaWei-E156G,HuaWei-E160E,HuaWei-K3520,HuaWei-
E170,HuaWei-E172
HuaWei-E173,HuaWei-E176G,HuaWei-E1782,HuaWei-E180,HuaWei-E220,HuaWei-E22
6,HuaWei-E261
HuaWei-E270,HuaWei-E353,HuaWei-E1552,HuaWei-E1786,ZTE-MF110,,ZTE-MF633,Z
TE-MF637u,
ZTE-MF170,ZTE-MF633BP+,ZTE-MF190,SRT-H800,WU-830,WU930
HuaWei-E1550，AL720(Australia 3G dongle),huawei E303,LW272,LW273
CDMA2000/EVDO:
HuaWei-EM660,HuaWei-MC509,HuaWei-EC122,HuaWei-EC150,HuaWei-EC156,HuaW
ei-EC1270,HuaWei-EC167
HuaWei-EC189,ZTE-MC2716,ZTE-AC2736,,ZTE-AC2746,ZTE-AC2766,ZTE-AC2766,ZT
E-AC560,ZTE-AC580
ZTE-AC581,,ZTE-AC590,ST804,ST809,E1916,WU830,SRT-E800,C820 ZTE-AC2726,
Huawei-EC169C,huawei EC179
TD-SCDMA:
HuaWei-ET127,HuaWei-ET128-2,ASB T920
Usage :
Just insert the available 3G Dongle,and it will automatically dial-up.
Thank you so much for sharing.