Advent Android tablets set to hit the Dixons Group stores shortly

[Guest Barbs80]

i keep checking this thread every 1/2 hour hoping for more details on this - i really should do more work!

Paul - are you getting your hands on a review unit early or are you having to wait until they're available to the public?

[Guest soopahfly]

I know it doesn't say GPS in the specs, but that would be a glaring omission on an Android device surely?

If it does have GPS, I'm getting one! Change my plans from a car PC :)

[Guest McSpoon]

You lot seen this :)

http://androidcommunity.com/advent-vega-ta...video-20101013/

After seeing that video I can now understand why LG said that tablets should wait for Gingerbread. Those UI screens are designed for a phone and they just look wrong when stretched to the full width of a tablet. I can only hope that those companies who are holding back will launch their Gingerbread tablets soon, and at a similar price range to the Vega. Android can beat the iPad but not with Eclair.

[Guest kingmob]

A lot of places are saying that there's no 3G modem connected to the sim socket on the Vega, and that a 3G version will follow later.

Anyone know whether the Vega will be upgradable to 3G, seeing as it has the slot?

[Guest welshblob]

Found a review here -> http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2010/10/14/ad...st-impressions/

As expected no 3G which, from my understanding, means no marketplace

They seem impressed though. Still looking for a more in depth review from Paul though.

[Guest griff_dai]

Still no mention of marketplace though???????

[Guest john newhouse]

when the iPad was first released, i decided that i did not need 3g in it, but that may have been caused by the additional £110, for £10 of extra components, and that just p***** me off.

when i heard about the Galaxy Tab, again i told myself that i dont need 3g data, possibly again caused the the overpricing (based on current estimates of £599 price) and also that i will have wifi in most places i would normally be (home, work, friends, pub etc...).

however as this device is so cheap (£170 less than cheapest iPad), it has now got me wishing that the sim slot actually had something in it. as with the money saved over a Tab/iPad i could easily get a 1GB £7.50 per month sim from 3 Three

Edited October 14, 2010 by john newhouse

[Guest griff_dai]

Any news Paul on when you will get your hands on one of these???

[Guest Simon O]

Still no mention of marketplace though???????

That's because there is no market on this device.

[Guest welshblob]

however as this device is so cheap (£170 less than cheapest iPad), it has now got me wishing that the sim slot actually had something in it. as with the money saved over a Tab/iPad i could easily get a 1GB £7.50 per month sim from 3 Three

Why don't you tether it to a 3g phone? A bit of extra effort but should work.

[Guest dragon2611]

Why don't you tether it to a 3g phone? A bit of extra effort but should work.

Or use a Mi-Fi :)

[Guest lekky]

wireless tether to your android phone, and i'm sure the market can be sideloaded on?

[Guest john newhouse]

i have a Galaxy S that is all setup to start a mifi session and i have used it a couple of times with my laptop. that is something that i am happy to do with the Vega, i was just tempted to get a 1GB per month sim card as the device is so cheap.

[Guest SilentMobius]

Early spec suggested that OTG was enabled on the full-size USB port (for keyboards and the like) so that may allow usb tethering with a Nexus One running CM6. Which would be much more battery efficient than wi-fi sharing.

Still gagging for info regarding a release data, I'm hoping for a release-to-web on Monday, but it isn't looking likely.

[Guest welshblob]

Early spec suggested that OTG was enabled on the full-size USB port (for keyboards and the like) so that may allow usb tethering with a Nexus One running CM6. Which would be much more battery efficient than wi-fi sharing.

Still gagging for info regarding a release data, I'm hoping for a release-to-web on Monday, but it isn't looking likely.

Interesting info. I'm wondering whether it will be a release of demo kit to their bigger shops next week to allow people to get a go with it hands on.

Seemed to work with the ipad at a recent John Lewis I visited as that was the busiest part of the electronics department.

[Guest Barbs80]

wondering how this compares against the Archos 101 which is about the same price with similar specs.

not sure on the release date for it, one place said Oct 2010

[Guest tasteee]

Here's a video from Advent

[Guest griff_dai]

Here's a video from Advent

Good find sir!

[Guest welshblob]

Here's a video from Advent

Interesting video, points I picked up on were

1. iPad this iPad that but we aren't competing with the iPad ;-)

2. Internet browsing was a bit laggy in places but that could be due to the internet connection.

3. Back button seems to be top right on the edge which could be annoying

4. AppsLib from archos is used as a replacement for marketplace and currently has ~5000 apps. However in Jan there will be a new version of Android which once upgraded will give Marketplace access. I'm not confident whether he means that the next release of Android will be out in Jan and will magically work with this tablet. Or whether Advent are actively supporting the tablet and will be upgrading to the next release of Android in Jan. Rumours of the Android 3 sdk coming out next week may help this although I wouldn't hold my breath.

5. Screen seems snappy which is good

6. They seem to have made some mods to Android make it more of a tablet rather than a phone.

Hmmm wonder whether I'll just jump right in or wait a bit.

Rob

Edited October 15, 2010 by welshblob

[Guest markdotpeters5]

Doesn't really know what he's talking about though.. you don't need an app to watch iPlayer on the iPhone or the iPad.. looks quite good though, but I really want to see what the screen quality's like vs an iPad before plopping any money down.

[Guest griff_dai]

What does he mean in the closing comments about the apps market?

Is he talking about 'Ginger bread'?

Or a new build of froyo???

Still I think this product will do everything I want :)

[Guest bewA]

I'm thinking either this guy has made a slip up or doesn't have a clue what he's on about...

either way I would think he means Gingerbread.

[Guest McSpoon]

He says the next release will have Android Market, so perhaps Google are refusing to let them have it because they've failed to meet the requirements and he's assuming that will change if they upgrade to Gingerbread.

I'm skeptical if they can achieve it by January. We know they've spent over a year working on the current version because they were demonstrating it at CES2010. But maybe they will release the kernel source code quickly and the community might get Gingerbread on it before then.

[Guest griff_dai]

How long would it take the community to root it and add marketplace?

When you put this up against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Tab you have to wonder what the hell Samsung were thinking with it's price point especially!

[Guest welshblob]

He says the next release will have Android Market, so perhaps Google are refusing to let them have it because they've failed to meet the requirements and he's assuming that will change if they upgrade to Gingerbread.

I wonder if google are relaxing the requirements for Marketplace access for tablets. After all a tablet doesn't really need 3G and even less so than a phone.