Advice on 8" Android tablets

sebtomato

Hi,

I am looking to purchase an 8" Android Tablet. I bought previously a Nexus 7 but it was too small and too close to my Samsung Galaxy S3.

My requirements:
* Good IPS screen
* Reasonably quick CPU
* Reasonable battery life (7-8 hours)
* Bluetooth
* Jelly Bean and Google Play store
* Ideally, charging through micro USB
* Budget: less than £150
* Slim and light
* Micro SD card slot

Basically, I am looking for an Android version of the iPad Mini.

Considering:

• Ployer Momo8 IPS (but poor wifi)
• Rapid 5 (poor battery)
• Archos 80 Platinum/Titanium (some crashes, no bluetooth), apparently a rebranding of Onda V811/V812 tablet
• The upcoming (April) Onda V818 looks very good (almost as thin as an iPad Mini, light). Should have a better battery life than the V812, due to a new CPU

Thanks,
Seb

sillygoose

Difficult! an ipad mini is basically a 7" tablet with a 4:3 ratio, 8" tablets usually come in 4:3 too so are bigger than an ipad mini.

I have a couple of 7" 4:3 tablets (Ainol) and they are good but not high enough spec. for what your after.

I know you want 8" but 10" have become so desirable the spec. are climbing quicker on them, so just to throw into the mix... how about this 10" - meets all your other requirements including price.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ainol-Novo10-Hero-16GB-10-1-10-point-Touch-Screen-Android-4-1-/140901014069

sebtomato

Thanks, but 10" would be too big. I will looking for something to use during my commute, so not too big to carry around, but bigger than my S3. 8" seems to be the right size.

sillygoose

sebtomato wrote: »

Thanks, but 10" would be too big. I will looking for something to use during my commute, so not too big to carry around, but bigger than my S3. 8" seems to be the right size.

Momo IPS is hard to beat on paper but the wifi issue seems hit and miss, a large majority of Amazon user seem satisfied, OK it you have the option to send it back if no good for you.

The new 8" Momo18 Quad with IPS looks promising but hasn't made it through to retailers yet.

sebtomato

Reading the reviews on Amazon, it would seem that the A1CS 8" RAPID5 is a bit better than the Momo8 IPS, although both have some flaws, in term of poor battery life for instance.

I can't find much details on the Momo18, but it looks like they have stayed with a power hungry CPU. So unless they make the tablet quite thick, the battery life will be poorer than the previous Momo8 version that only had a dual core CPU.

The Onda V818 looks very promising on paper, and should be available in the next couple of weeks, so I will probably wait for that:
* It's supposed to as slim as the iPad mini
* with a reasonable battery life
* energy efficient Quad core CPU (S version)
* IPS
* 2GB of RAM
*It should cost about £125 delivered to the UK

Detailed features:
OS: Android 4.1.1
CPU: A31S Quad Core
GPU: 8 Core Power VR SGX544
RAM 2GB，DDR3
Storage 16GB
Size: 7.9 inch
Display: IPS
Resolution: 1024*768 IPS
Android Market Yes
Micro SD Card: Support TF card up to 32GB extended
WIFI: 802.11b/802.11g / 802.11n
Work Time: Up to 6~8 hours
Battery : Li-Poly 5000mAh
Dimension: 200 mm x 139 mm x 7.5 mm
Weight: 339g

The main issue is lack of bluetooth...

sillygoose

sebtomato wrote: »

Reading the reviews on Amazon, it would seem that the A1CS 8" RAPID5 is a bit better than the Momo8 IPS, although both have some flaws, in term of poor battery life for instance.

I can't find much details on Momo18, but it looks like they have stayed with a power hungry CPU. So unless they make it quick thick, the battery life will be poorer than the previous version.

The Onda V818 looks very promising on paper, and should be available in the next couple of weeks, so I will probably wait for that:
* It's supposed to be slimmer than the iPad mini
* with a reasonable battery life
* energy efficient Quad core CPU
* IPS
* 2GB of RAM
*It should cost about £125 delivered to the UK

The main issue is lack of bluetooth.

The Onda 818 does look really good, seems to be $180 wholesale but what it will turn out to be when it gets here who knows. Onda make some pretty expensive (but really nice) tablets.

I don't like the look of the A1CS, back of the case looks to have uncomfortable edges and it seems an attempt to cram a lot of spec in a cheap tablet. Looks an odd aspect ratio too but didn't see any dimensions mentioned.

What do you plan to use Bluetooth for? can't think of anything I could do with it myself.

sebtomato

I have uploaded all my music to Google Play now, and bought a Logitech bluetooth receiver for my amplifier (excellent device BTW), so that I can use a Android device to stream the music from the cloud/Google Play to my amplifier. I can do it from my S3, but doing it from a tablet would be nice too.

The Onda online shop shows the 818 for $170, excluding delivery (between $15 and $25 depending on method/speed).

sebtomato

iPad Mini dimensions:
200 mm x 134.7 mm x7.2 mm
Weight: 308 g

Onda V818 Mini Size:
200 mm x 139 mm x 7.5 mm
Weight: 339g
(also available in black or white)


So should be very very close to the iPad Mini in term of dimensions

sillygoose

sebtomato wrote: »

iPad Mini dimensions:
200 mm x 134.7 mm x7.2 mm
Weight: 308 g

Onda V818 Mini Size: 200x139x7.5mm
Onda V818 Mini Weight: 339g


So very very close

Oh I see about the Bluetooth. Not something I would use but I can see the appeal. Perhaps a wifi based solution?(I know! pricey!!)

I still find it hard to believe that my tablet can control my Sky HD box with zero setup. The Sky box is Cat 5 cabled to the router not wifi equipped itself, so its finding the box via my router.

Onda size, :rotfl: what a 'coincidence' and it will do 95% of what a mini can 85% as well for 50% the price. I do like what Onda are doing at the moment