Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Actually this product is most widely known as the Zenithink ZT-180 Android Tablet. This review is based on having owned one for a month and gaining good familiarity on the features, benefited by having previous knowledge of the Android operating system. My star rating is based on the functionality available vs the price paid from a United Kingdom user view.
The tablet carries a 10" resistive touch screen and runs Android version 2.1. Hardware is stated as a ZT-180 ARM11 1Ghz processor with 256MB RAM DDR2, It has a `Nandflash' internal drive at 2GB though it must have an additional Micro SD card (up to 16GB) inserted to support almost all functionality. A micro SD card is essential from the start.
The tablet includes Wifi 802.11b/g capability, Ethernet, Mini USB & 'std' USB ports, microphone, headphone socket and stereo 1W speakers.
The battery is set internally. Should access ever be required it is necessary to remove the complete rear cover by unclipping via the two small access holes on one end.
Typical laptop capability is present on the tablet - Web browsing, email, audio / video playback, downloading, time/date, organization, calculator, document, file management and setting functions. It claims 1080P video playback in a variety of formats including AVI and MPEG as well asMP3, WMAs and other audio formats. Check out the Zenithink US website for the clearest guide.
Operation is via a simple ON/OFF push button on the side to boot up or down, there is also a toggle switch here which has different functions depending on what's running! Critically there is a reset access pin hole to overcome the odd `seizure' that you are sure to meet. This reset powers down the unit instantly
The instructional literature supplied is very, very basic albeit with a section in English, and covers the earlier Windows 6 CE operating system which is now irrelevant.
Android rev 2.1 Operating System is fine once familiar. Like all Far and Middle Eastern sourced products 'Android Market' (the major Android Apps store) is not present but other Android apps download sites are out there and the major one, SlideMe, is already installed. Even so the internet identifies means to load `Android Market' on the ZT-180 and it looks simpler on this tablet than other devices. Obvious stuff but an important point to remember is that the capability of a tablet like this is reflected by the quality of applications you go on to download and install. Out the box the unit has the very basics applied. My tablet now offers very good capability based on the Apps I have since loaded, and all are free!
LCD Resistive screen - not capacitive, can be insensitive but responds OK once you get the knack of point selection / dragging with your finger nails, easy to leave things behind though. Would drive someone familiar with the Apple IPOD screen manipulation crazy!
Be careful, the screen can scratch relatively easily with jagged finger nails and the stylus supplied with mine left faint lines on the screen. I stopped using it. Screen protectors are available on the auction sites but with a relatively insensitive screen to begin with, these could only add to user frustrations.
1080p High Def LCD resolution seems a tall claim. I have not yet truly assessed the Tablet at HD video level. Screen resolution on normal computer functionality however is very good.
The main body is not Aluminium - it is ABS plastic. Build quality at best can be described as adequate
Battery life - Around 3 hours in typical continual use I make it. You can manage to some extent by killing background processes.
Internet usually runs fine and stable on Wifi BUT you need to be virtually next to the router. The main negative point with the pad is the ridiculously low Wifi sensitivity. Get more than 5 meters from the router and connection drops! - no auto re-connect either. A software fix and power setting change is out there - search TXPower Fix on the web to improve range. I have applied this and it does improve the situation to a small degree, but only by another 5 meters or so. The lack of auto-reconnect is very annoying, you need to reapply the setting manually, but I understand a latest firmware update may help here. The tablet is generaly OK and stable on wireless provided you are close to the router with a strong signal!
There is no installed flashplayer. Adobe is not compatible Android 2.1. Dynamic web page content is not accommodated although embedded videos can be played - there is a third party application called `Skyfire', you need version 2.2 or greater downloaded directly from the web and installed. This can play video links within web pages e.g. BBC News & Youtube.
Some applications include internal players. Streams - some work, some don't or only work in part, ie audio only or video only. As examples (BBC) Beebplayer App will not play live streams but past programmes do play without sound?? Very odd! The good news is Catchup TV plays great using Realplayer with only a minor issue of audio very slightly out of sync' with the video.
General Video & Audio playback - Android Youtube app with integral viewer usually no problem in picture or sound, although HD level streams may seize or not load at all, only sound. Music Junk - a superb App gives no problems with downloading music but streamed listening is hit or miss. General downloaded Audio and Video files are usually no problem on installed players.
General Playback Audio quality - 1 Watt integral speakers obviously limited in sound quality and volume not great. Headphones work fine on both counts. Uses 3.5mm standard, stereo jack.
Not managed to get the microphone operational with any apps and,according to web searches, nobody else has either!!.
SUMMARY ....
Compare this ZT-180 to an Apple IPAD and they are not in the same league. If this is your benchmark don't even consider it! BUT I paid about 20% that of an IPAD, including delivery. At that money, once you have sussed the functionality it's a good buy but I wouldn't have paid much more. Performance update improvements are always ongoing! Clever people are out there determining software and background setting tweaks and all are available as free downloads from the web forums if you are prepared to search. Functionality is progressively improving all the time and by the time you read this some fixes may already be in place. In view of that, if you are considering buying a ZT-180, a confidence in applying background changes and firmware updates is a bonus.
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