Anyone want a Cortex A9 tablet, on the dirt cheap?

[Bateluer]

Starting to show up in the ultra budget Chinese tablets now.

http://www.merimobiles.com/RENA3_Android_2_2_Cortex_A9_1GHz_Dual_core_1080p_p/meri0628.htm

There's some benches and numbers at http://www.androidtablets.net/forum...nch-dual-cortex-a9-android-2-2-tablet-pc.html but I cannot view them here right now.

Reading the posts though, its 533-666Mhz per core, not 1Ghz per core. Gotta cut corners to sell things this cheap though.

RENA3 Android 2.2 Cortex A9 1GHz Dual core 1080p HDMI
1 Year, click here for details
Renesas Cortex A9 1GHz (2 cores)
533MHz + 666MHz
3D graphics acceleration,
Android 2.2
DDRII RAM 512MB, 4GB Nand Flash
7 inch Capacitive Multitouch
Resolution: WVGA 800x480 pixels
Size: 7.0 inch
Loud Speaker, 3.5mm headphone jack
AVI, MKV, MOV, TS, RM/RMVB, MEPG support 1080p playback

* WIFI IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
* Android 2.2, Flash 10.1
* Cortex A9 Dual core 1GHZ
* HDMI out
* Gsensor
* Microphone
* 7inch Capacitive Multitouch
* Bluetooth
* 2.0MP camera (front)
* Bluetooth
* Tons of apps
* 194*116*13 mm
* 340g

3200 mAh

* RENA3
* AC Charger
* USB Cable

Video review at Shanzai
http://shanzai.com/market-mayhem/bandit-gadgets/tablets/3391

Pros:
Overall device performance feels very good
Capacitive touch screen is very responsive
Browsing was also better than average
Quadrant benchmark score of 1220 which is higher than the Galaxy S (850) and just under the Droid X (1250)
Good build quality and design feel (if you like white)
Better than average 1.3 megapixel front facing camera
Good strong wireless signal reception
Android market loaded (at least on the demo unit)

Cons:
Not quite perfect 1080p video performance for .mp4, not good for .wmv format
Odd connection IO port with no included cable??
Gsensor only provides 270 degrees of screen rotation (designed for right handed use)

 

[Raghu]

Whats it gonna cost? Sub $200 would be sweet! Renesas makes pretty good chips.

 

[YoungGun21]

One of them was $220 shipped

 

[Illyan]

You can get a Dropad A8 for ~$180 now, which is basically a Galaxy Tab. Single core, but still 1GHz A8, 512MB, and the SGX540 so I'd think the performance to be at least comparable if not better than that A9 based tablet. I hear they're supposed to get updated to 2.3.3 even.

EDIT: Also, I'd be suspicious of the "dual-core" claim. When the older Rockchip-based tablets came out they were called dual-core too, but it turns out they just counted the CPU+DSP. With the differing clockspeeds, this one reminds me of that. Who knows, though.

 

[gorcorps]

I wouldn't even touch these with somebody else's 10 foot stick. There hasn't been a single cheap chinese tablet that has been decent.

 

[SunnyD]

Resolution: WVGA 800x480 pixels

No.

 

[Illyan]

I have to say, for being generally slow and buggy, after a bit of work the 3 Chinese tablets I've had (Eken M001, Wits A81E, Apad M1001) would have been completely usable if they only had capacitive screens. Especially the Wits. But yeah, my iPad blows them away, as I'm sure any of the Honeycomb tablets would as well.

 

[Bateluer]

I have to say, for being generally slow and buggy, after a bit of work the 3 Chinese tablets I've had (Eken M001, Wits A81E, Apad M1001) would have been completely usable if they only had capacitive screens. Especially the Wits. But yeah, my iPad blows them away, as I'm sure any of the Honeycomb tablets would as well.

Well obviously, and the iPad&HoneyComb tablets will cost 3x as much.


FYI, Wit's current tablet, the A81H+ has an OMAP 3730 at 1Ghz, 512MB of RAM, a capacitive touch screen, and just got a Gingerbread upgrade. Last I looked at Merimobile, it was ~220. Was thinking of picking one up. Wits actually supports their devices, for the short time until they refresh the model anyway.

 

[s44]

One of them was $220 shipped

Absurd. This has to be half the Nook Color price to make any sense.

Well obviously, and the iPad&HoneyComb tablets will cost 3x as much.

That would make it $133...

 

[YoungGun21]

Absurd. This has to be half the Nook Color price to make any sense.

That would make it $133...

I don't know if you were calling me out or...

http://www.jtshoponline.com/opad-re...mi-gsensor-capacitive-multitouching_p495.html

 

[s44]

I don't know if you were calling me out or...

http://www.jtshoponline.com/opad-re...mi-gsensor-capacitive-multitouching_p495.html

Naah, just saying it's absurd to buy one for that price. And the "3x" only works out if you ignore the Transformer and Iconia prices.

 

[MagickMan]

Who would buy that for $200? It really does need to be $150 or less to become appealing.

 

[Illyan]

Well obviously, and the iPad&HoneyComb tablets will cost 3x as much.


FYI, Wit's current tablet, the A81H+ has an OMAP 3730 at 1Ghz, 512MB of RAM, a capacitive touch screen, and just got a Gingerbread upgrade. Last I looked at Merimobile, it was ~220. Was thinking of picking one up. Wits actually supports their devices, for the short time until they refresh the model anyway.

I do like the Wits, I just wish they'd use a different shell by now; maybe make a larger device too. I'd be using mine daily, no doubt, if I'd taken the time to find a stable ROM and get the market working. As it is, any 3D games tend to crash on whatever firmware I've got on it.

 

[YoungGun21]

Who would buy that for $200? It really does need to be $150 or less to become appealing.

I wouldn't buy it for anything more than $50.

 

[Bateluer]

I do like the Wits, I just wish they'd use a different shell by now; maybe make a larger device too. I'd be using mine daily, no doubt, if I'd taken the time to find a stable ROM and get the market working. As it is, any 3D games tend to crash on whatever firmware I've got on it.

It could be a little thinner, and have a more robust kick stand, but I like the 7in size myself. Its small enough to be portable, yet large enough to do more than a phone. A higher resolution would be nice.