I couldn't find impartial user reviews of the Window/Yuandao/Vido N70S tablet before I bought it, so I wanted to post something that might help people looking for a sub-$100 tablet.
First off, I know this is not the N70 or N70HD, both of which have IPS screens. I actually placed orders for the Ainol Crystal and then for the Pipo U1 Pro--both of which have IPS screens, too--but neither order could be fulfilled due to shortage of screens. So I dropped down in price and got the N70S for around $85 before shipping (which I paid more to get expedited). So this tablet is in the range of the Pipo S1 (800x480 screen) and refurb Nook Colors and such. To get the 1024x600 resolution, Rockchip processor, Android 4.1.1, and MicroSD and HDMI outputs, it seemed the best deal. This is going to be used about 50/50 between my wife (facebook, email, a few games) and my 3-year-old son (games, learning apps, videos,) so I didn't want to spend $200 for a Nexus 7 or $500 for an iPad. Our tablet just needs to survive for a year, basically. I've only had it for a week and haven't yet run all the tests I could (various microSD write times, heavy gaming, etc.), so keep that in mind.
STRENGTHS:
The stock UI is fluid and glitch-free, so far. I had considered getting a custom ROM, but the stock system is better than I was hoping. Almost every app I have looked for in the Play Store has been installable, the most current version of the Netflix app works fine, and there were only several Chinese apps which I disabled with no problem. This is my first experience with Jelly Bean, and it's growing on me. I haven't tried any graphics-intensive games, but from what I understand, the Rockchip/1GB Ram setup will handle them fine. The screen is not IPS, and the viewing angles are not good; this is definitely a 1-person viewing experience. But the colors and resolution are quite decent, and HD movies look good. My package came with a USB OTG cable, and with no problem I was able to hook up a 16GB USB drive as slave to the N70S's master. Very convenient way to extend storage space. HDMI-out (mini, not micro!) worked fine with my Vizio TV. There's only a front-facing camera, but it appears to be okay for video-chatting.
WEAKNESSES:
The battery has been depleted and charged a couple of times, so it should be at or near its max-capacity...which is a little discouraging. With WiFi on, medium brightness, and mixed light usage (Youtube, poker app, email, browsing, etc.) it runs down in just over a day. It seems to pull more power than necessary when sleeping, so maybe it should be turned off overnight. With a non-HD screen and no 3G/4G usage, I'm a little surprised that the N70S isn't more of a 2-day tablet. The other major flaw is its lack of scratch resistance. Literally after 1 week of very light usage, the screen has a light scratch (partly my fault for not putting on a screen protector ASAP), and the plastic back has a deep scratch. Not only that, I had to re-snap the corner back together after one day; it had just popped apart approx. 2 mm. On a lesser note, my video-chatting app of choice ooVoo does not connect calls with the N70S, so I'll have to try Skype or alternatives. The screen sensitivity is okay so far, but occasionally a pull in Angry Birds Star Wars will not register properly.
SUMMARY:
I'm quite happy with my purchase. I wanted something cheap enough not to hold my breath when my toddler played with it, but speedy enough for us parents to enjoy using at times. Not having tested the others, I can't say definitively, but the N70S may well be the best tablet under $100. The guts are sufficient for almost any task, the screen is passable, and you really don't need a root & custom ROM as the stock operating system seems to be adequate. I would recommend it as a great starter tablet, but with a good case and screen protector. And make sure you charge it each night.
First off, I know this is not the N70 or N70HD, both of which have IPS screens. I actually placed orders for the Ainol Crystal and then for the Pipo U1 Pro--both of which have IPS screens, too--but neither order could be fulfilled due to shortage of screens. So I dropped down in price and got the N70S for around $85 before shipping (which I paid more to get expedited). So this tablet is in the range of the Pipo S1 (800x480 screen) and refurb Nook Colors and such. To get the 1024x600 resolution, Rockchip processor, Android 4.1.1, and MicroSD and HDMI outputs, it seemed the best deal. This is going to be used about 50/50 between my wife (facebook, email, a few games) and my 3-year-old son (games, learning apps, videos,) so I didn't want to spend $200 for a Nexus 7 or $500 for an iPad. Our tablet just needs to survive for a year, basically. I've only had it for a week and haven't yet run all the tests I could (various microSD write times, heavy gaming, etc.), so keep that in mind.
STRENGTHS:
The stock UI is fluid and glitch-free, so far. I had considered getting a custom ROM, but the stock system is better than I was hoping. Almost every app I have looked for in the Play Store has been installable, the most current version of the Netflix app works fine, and there were only several Chinese apps which I disabled with no problem. This is my first experience with Jelly Bean, and it's growing on me. I haven't tried any graphics-intensive games, but from what I understand, the Rockchip/1GB Ram setup will handle them fine. The screen is not IPS, and the viewing angles are not good; this is definitely a 1-person viewing experience. But the colors and resolution are quite decent, and HD movies look good. My package came with a USB OTG cable, and with no problem I was able to hook up a 16GB USB drive as slave to the N70S's master. Very convenient way to extend storage space. HDMI-out (mini, not micro!) worked fine with my Vizio TV. There's only a front-facing camera, but it appears to be okay for video-chatting.
WEAKNESSES:
The battery has been depleted and charged a couple of times, so it should be at or near its max-capacity...which is a little discouraging. With WiFi on, medium brightness, and mixed light usage (Youtube, poker app, email, browsing, etc.) it runs down in just over a day. It seems to pull more power than necessary when sleeping, so maybe it should be turned off overnight. With a non-HD screen and no 3G/4G usage, I'm a little surprised that the N70S isn't more of a 2-day tablet. The other major flaw is its lack of scratch resistance. Literally after 1 week of very light usage, the screen has a light scratch (partly my fault for not putting on a screen protector ASAP), and the plastic back has a deep scratch. Not only that, I had to re-snap the corner back together after one day; it had just popped apart approx. 2 mm. On a lesser note, my video-chatting app of choice ooVoo does not connect calls with the N70S, so I'll have to try Skype or alternatives. The screen sensitivity is okay so far, but occasionally a pull in Angry Birds Star Wars will not register properly.
SUMMARY:
I'm quite happy with my purchase. I wanted something cheap enough not to hold my breath when my toddler played with it, but speedy enough for us parents to enjoy using at times. Not having tested the others, I can't say definitively, but the N70S may well be the best tablet under $100. The guts are sufficient for almost any task, the screen is passable, and you really don't need a root & custom ROM as the stock operating system seems to be adequate. I would recommend it as a great starter tablet, but with a good case and screen protector. And make sure you charge it each night.