[sandhudrone]

I did not see this tablet mentioned so starting a thread. Specs: * Windows-CE6.0/Android 2.0 embedded operating system * Processor: ARM CORTEX A8 OMAP3530 600M, and dedicated DSP graphic core * 7 inch TFT Touch Screen, 800 x 480p * WI-FI 802.11b/g module and bluetooth built in * MSN/SKYPE/QQ, online 3D games online chat * GPS built in(OPTION with additional cost $10) * Stereo, high-fidelity output by 3D surround speakers, adjustable volume * 2G micro SD. Support T-FLASH card upto 16GB * Support video AVI, MPEG4, MPEG2, WMV, H.264 and other video file playback * Audio Player, Images viewer. USB Port * Battery operation cycle: 5 to 8 hours; rechargeable Review:Review: W1060 7-inch MID by WireLession - MobileRead ForumsThere is already an Android 1.6 firmware (beta)Wirelession Electronics Ltd.Major difference between this and the similar SmartQ V7 is that:- this has an ARM8 processor- 3000 mAH battery vs 4500mAH on the SmartQ V7.

 

[sandhudrone]

From the FW Update pdf "Remark: the OS is a beta version, Wi-Fi is not ready in this version; Apk application is installed to the W1060 in X86 PC which the W1060 connect with."

 

[jyates]

The hardware seems nice enough... no NAND drive tho? Only removable SD storage? That might actually be a positive thing, if you use SWAP space or other high activity processes, you can burn thru flash storage. And they do include a 2GB SD card to get started.The worst thing I notice, for my own needs, is the mention of "Windows-CE6.0/Android 2.0 embedded operating system" but you have to download the Android firmware... which is really only 1.6, and beta at that.Back to waiting for some tablet to come with at least an A8 Cortex CPU _and_ Android 2

 

[tobias]

Does anyone know how to get the screen to rotate on either the this or the smartq V7? I would buy it if this was possible, especially if they could be mapped to one of the hardware buttons.

 

[zuber5]

I have one - I expected great things from a cpu equivalent to an iPhone - boy was I ever disappointed. It is a piece of $%#@. They have been promising android since nov 2009, and only just have a slow, buggy version available. Wifi now works, but the screen flashes when you use the on screen keyboard, the power button doubles as the home button, USB only works through a hub, the gps is probably the worse one I have ever used, etc etc. Somebody called 'coldsun' gave it a good review (even though the browser did not work at that time , it kept losing wifi connectivity and there were about 5 applications that actually worked on it (wince 6 R3), you could not rotate the screen, and it had no button to support android. Admittedly, they fixed a lot of these issues (in Wince), but I will never buy anything reviewed by that person again without verification. To top it all, they are about to come out with a new version with multiple buttons, and you can bet support will vanish for the old one. For $200 there are many better options right now, even without the cortex A8. No useable software=no use.

 

[xaueious]

I've heard of some serious quality control issues with this device. That's one of the reasons it's so cheap for the hardware that comes with it. I'd be very cautious.

 

[sandhudrone]

I bought one. Isn't in my hands yet. The board seems similar to Beagleboard with a TI OMAP3530 processor (600Mhz ARM / 430Mhz DSP) and the WiFi chip also seems to some kind of TI product. So I have good hopes of porting Android 2.x to it. The battery at 3000mAH also seems reasonably good compared to lots of other tablets floating around.Re. NAND, specs say:- Memory for OS: 2G FLASH , 25 6 MB DDR .- Memory for Temporary Storage (SD socket): 256MB Flash (NAND), accessible to the OS as mass storage.http://www.witstech.com.cn/product_en.html

 

[lawman]

[quote name='zuber5;8807]I have one - I expected great things from a cpu equivalent to an iPhone - boy was I ever disappointed. It is a piece of $%#@. They have been promising android since nov 2009' date=' and only just have a slow, buggy version available. Wifi now works, but the screen flashes when you use the on screen keyboard, the power button doubles as the home button, USB only works through a hub, the gps is probably the worse one I have ever used, etc etc. Somebody called 'coldsun' gave it a good review (even though the browser did not work at that time , it kept losing wifi connectivity and there were about 5 applications that actually worked on it (wince 6 R3), you could not rotate the screen, and it had no button to support android. Admittedly, they fixed a lot of these issues (in Wince), but I will never buy anything reviewed by that person again without verification. To top it all, they are about to come out with a new version with multiple buttons, and you can bet support will vanish for the old one. For $200 there are many better options right now, even without the cortex A8. No useable software=no use.[/QUOTE'] So you highly recommend it?This is one of the ones that I considered, but rejected. The feel is a lot like once of those cheap toddler toys. I'm not known for my dexterity, and I handed it back for fear I would break it. The tech is ambitous, but underperforming. There are much better options.

 

[xaueious]

This is a piece of crap supposedly. In fact not even the Chinese are buying any. Good luck. For everyone else, stay far away from this joke of a company. Article is in Chinese: http://bbs.imp3.net/thread-732916-1-1.htmlAccording to this, a teardown of the A81 reveals that the PCB has wires connecting different parts of the PCB together. This indicates inherent flaws in PCB design.

 

[sandhudrone]

WinCE sucks. No doubt. Ok, so the hardware has a hack (the wires). For me, it makes for a perfect toy to play with

I am not writing it off till I am done experimenting. If I can port Android 2.x to it, then it beats others with a better processor and reasonably good battery.

 

[zuber5]

Good luck. The manufacturer cannot port android to it (there is still no sound at beta version 3 for example ,and it has the speed of a eken), so if you manage it, I will be very happy.

The 2 gig of flash is 2Gb that is 2 giga-bit or 256 kB (kilo byte), something else they couldn't get right.

 

[zuber5]

Good luck! The manufacturer cannot port android to it (it is at beta version 3 and sound still does not work and it has the speed of an eken). If you manage it I will be very happy!The flash memory is 2 Gb (ie 256 kB), something else they could not get right.According to the manufacturer it is NOT based onto Beagle_board. See http://www.jiongtang.com/fourm/viewforum.php?f=39

 

[zuber5]

So you highly recommend it?

Absolutely not!

As a tablet it is useless.I eventually tried to use it as a car navigation system-it will run IGO8. But the internal GPs has the worst sensitivity I have ever experienced. Sometimes it would acquire a signal within a few minutes (by holding it outside the car ), other times I just had to give up.

 

[sandhudrone]

http://www.jiongtang.com/fourm/viewforum.php?f=39[/url]

Porting Android requires Linux kernel skills. Not unusual for lots of even large vendors to not have good Linux kernel hackers on their payroll. The key is to merge Android kernel code with any proprietary device drivers that only the manufacturer has access to. In this case, it is unlikely that the manufacturer has any self-written device drivers. From what I can tell, most Taiwanese/Chinese clone manufacturers stick to mass produced / cheap peripheral devices to keep costs low - like WiFi, Bluetooth etc. Such devices almost always already have a working Linux driver. In some cases, if the device is specific to Windows like those dreaded Winmodems of yesteryear's then yes, it is a problem.The core chipset - TI OMAP3530 - already has plenty of Android ports. This chipset includes all basic I/O services. All in all, I am pretty optimistic about porting Android 2.x to it. But as they say, we'll see when rubber meets the road

 

[sandhudrone]

[quote name='zuber5;9091]The flash memory is 2 Gb (ie 256 kB)' date=' something else they could not get right.[/QUOTE']2GB == 2097152 kB

Typo?

 

[zuber5]

No, 2Gb=2 giga BIT. 2GB = 2 giga byte. The A 81 has 2 giga bit = 256 kilo byte. This was a heated discussion last year when it came out. Some believed they did it on purpose to catch those people who didn't know the difference. I prefer to believe they didn't, and correctly described it as 2 Gb (small

. It is an unusual way to write 256kB though.

Just to confuse things, they come with a 2GB SD card.

 

[sandhudrone]

[quote name='zuber5;9515]No' date=' 2Gb=2 giga BIT. 2GB = 2 giga byte. The A 81 has 2 giga bit = 256 kilo byte. This was a heated discussion last year when it came out. Some believed they did it on purpose to catch those people who didn't know the difference. I prefer to believe they didn't, and correctly described it as 2 Gb (small [IMG]http://www.slatedroid.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif[/IMG]. It is an unusual way to write 256kB though. [IMG]http://www.slatedroid.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley.gif[/IMG] Just to confuse things, they come with a 2GB SD card.[/QUOTE'] Ah, I see. The 'b' vs 'B' Even so, 2Gbits is ~256Mbytes.2Gbits x 1000 = 2000 Mbits2000 Mbits x 1000 = 2000000 Kbits2000000 Kbits x 1000 = 2000000000 bits2000000000 bits / 8 = 250000000 bytesWork back from that, you get roughly 240 Mbytes.

 

[pphilipp]

Not an excellent device, but very good. It's not in the same league as an ipad but it more than competes with competively priced devices such as an Archos Home Tablet.I've had mine for several weeks and have modded it extensively. With the iphoneToday interface it's quite easy to use and very responsive. Whoever stated there's only about five apps that work on this obviously have no idea what they're talking about. I've added well over a hundred apps... some good, some very basic.The wifi is the best there is! From a dead-off to a funcitioning and connected wifi is only about twenty seconds or less. Any other device come close to this speed?If an iPad is an A- and a Eken m001 is an D-, the A81 would probably rank somewhere around a B-. Really much better than the comments on this post would have you believe.

 

[zuber5]

[quote name='sandhudrone;9519]Ah' date=' I see. The 'b' vs 'B' Even so, 2Gbits is ~256Mbytes.2Gbits x 1000 = 2000 Mbits2000 Mbits x 1000 = 2000000 Kbits2000000 Kbits x 1000 = 2000000000 bits2000000000 bits / 8 = 250000000 bytesWork back from that, you get roughly 240 Mbytes.[/QUOTE'] Now I did make a typo there - I meant M not k

25 years of IT experience down the drain. For 2Gb they mean 2048 kb (it's that hard drive manufacturer trick). 2048/8 = 256MB.

 

[zuber5]

[quote name='pphilipp;9642]Not an excellent device' date=' but very good. It's not in the same league as an ipad but it more than competes with competively priced devices such as an Archos Home Tablet.I've had mine for several weeks and have modded it extensively. With the iphoneToday interface it's quite easy to use and very responsive. Whoever stated there's only about five apps that work on this obviously have no idea what they're talking about. I've added well over a hundred apps... some good, some very basic.The wifi is the best there is! From a dead-off to a funcitioning and connected wifi is only about twenty seconds or less. Any other device come close to this speed?If an iPad is an A- and a Eken m001 is an D-, the A81 would probably rank somewhere around a B-. Really much better than the comments on this post would have you believe.[/QUOTE']If you read what I said it only had five apps when it was reviewed, that was back in november 2009. As I said, the fixed most of the issues, but I was complaining about the reviewer. This inane belief that because it has a cortex A8 cpu it must be good belies the fact that it is only as good as the implementation. A similar thing happened with the original smartq 7, everyone 'wished' it would meet the theoretical capabilities of the technical specs of the cpu (ARM11), but it never did, and was replaced by the v7. You should try other tablets before you make that conclusion. I mean actual tablets not speculation. I my collection it rates an F. There is no way it is as good as the apad running android. If you are happy with WinCE, then good for you!See http://www.slatedroid.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?308-M003-PCB-pics!/page3 (read the whole thread)This is not complete, but should give you a taste:☀SunSpider JavaScript Benchmark ResultsApple iPad SafariTotal: 12464.6ms +/- 1.2%HP TC1100 (Pentium M), win 7 ExplorerTotal: 13305.2ms +/- 5.6%P68 Tablet (Atom N270), win 7 explorerTotal: 18794.4ms +/- 0.6%Eken m003 Default browserFroze on 'access-nbody'-most x10 othersWits A81 (Cortex A8, Android 1.6 beta) default browserTotal: 40442.6ms +/- 2.6%JS BenchmarkiPAD: 38HP TC1100: 31P68: 25Eken m003: 7A81: 16Browser markiPAD: 35796HP TC1100: 18040P68: 14044Eken m003: 3738A81: 8468will run the Smartq and the x10 tomorrow. APAD was sold.