Buyers guide - read this before you order an AndyPad (and ask me questions!)

[Guest echolock]

I had a serious look at most of the cheap Chinese tabs, but I think the thing that ultimately prevented me from going for any of them was the lack of support for custom ROMs. I kinda take for granted that if I dislike my phone's software I can replace it, so to not have that ability is a major downside for me, and that's why I had/have high hopes for the AndyPads. They're like the Chinese tablets (maybe a little more expensive, sure, but not much) but with the potential for some decent base software and even if not a good liklihood of custom ROMs.

But I've still seen no reviews. Aren't AndyPad sending out review units? The Register had a review of the Pro as part of their "cheap tablets" roundup but I'd like a review of the basic somewhere.

Paul, maybe you could pop round their office and see if they'll let you review a unit or two with the release candidate/final software build? ;-)

[Guest Peteb1951]

The range of stuff available from China is very interesting, but I echo the comments that as an individual you have to be very careful buying something expensive from someone so far away.

On Ebay today the Teclast (which only has 8GB) is around £160 to £174 depending on postage costs - but, speaking from bitter personal experience, if your package gets picked up by customs, as it might well do, you will have to pay VAT, import duty and the Royal Mail handling fee before you can collect it. It could easily add more than £50 to the cost, and you still won't have anyone in the UK providing support.

The Lenovo US price of $199 will probably end up as more like £175 than £125 when it gets over to the UK, so it will be competing against the Pro rather than the Standard Andypad, is single core, 1GHz with only 8GB memory, and as it has only just been announced it will be even later than the Andypad.

The rush for the clearance sale Touchpads (and their subsequent prices on Ebay) show that there is a market for a good quality tablet at a reasonable price. Andypad and the Advent Vega are aiming for that space, and the reductions in price of the Motorola Xoom and Galaxy Tab suggest other manufacturers are moving in the same direction. That will leave space for the iPad to take Apple's usual place at the top of the price (and design quality) pile with people who can afford the price premium; while the rest of us get as much functionality but with a less slick user experience at a price we can persuade the other half is good value.

"Andypad custom rom" already yields 54,000 Google results, so perhaps the Andypad can become the next Psion?