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88 of 88 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Its fun but a little awkward to navigate, 2 Jun 2010
This review is from: JSM 7" Touchscreen Netbook Google Android Notebook Tablet PC E-Book Reader with WiFi - 2GB Netbook
Here's a short review on the tablet. I've had it two days now. First off it comes in reasonable packaging.
Items include:-
- headphones,
- telescopic stylus
- a multi-plug for charging
- a connector to the computer
- a small manual
- there is no sd card supplied
- no flash support
- no protective cover
Firstly touch and Feel.
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Its awkward. Its resistive touchscreen which means it can be used with a stylus, fingernail or fingertip. Resistive doesn't have to mean awkward. Here's an example: you open up a function like play music, you get a scrolling list, when trying to scroll down the touchscreen selects an unwanted item and loads it. Its so tricky to get this sensitivity right. It can take a few days. Even then it still doesn't always work.
It doesn't play flash. So I tried downloading skyfire. For some reason skyfire web links refuse to take you to a non Android market place to download. I've been looking to try download it for a couple of hours. Without the connection to Android Market its really difficult to get your favorite widgets and apps. Seesmic is a fantastic little twitter for Android. I can't get it to download.
I tried finding my downloads on my Android phone which does have access to Android Market. I can't find them anywhere. I downloaded a more comprehensive file explorer and still no luck.
So the point to pick up here is downloading apps is limited to what you can find. But it does work as I've managed to load a few apps.
There's quite a few free games to download as well.
Also get the sd card in the right way(upsidedown). It goes in the wrong way quite deeply and then gets itself stuck.
It can get very hot if you don't power it off completely. This is also fiddly and temperamental.
Typing is really slow. It doesn't always register the press. It will probably get better as I get the knack of it. Portrait typing is the way to go with a device like this. The width is the same as a 3.5 inch device which is the limit for most hands.
E book reader
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I haven't tested this thoroughly but it looks ok. I'll come back later and update this review, hopefully with video. What I will say though is when people tell you a tft screen will fry your eyes after a while its true. I used the device for over 5 hours yesterday, my eyes were so sore they were burning, I had to close one to read on a normal computer screen. I could only manage 5 minutes then I gave up.
Good Points
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If you are wondering if a 7 inch screen is the way to go, this device confirmed it for me. What I was able to load and view was great.
Its so light I never thought to myself I can feel this device now its getting heavy. Its amazingly easy to keep holding it. Its thinner than my htc hero phone. Its very easy to read from.
The device is fun to use once you feel you're getting a feel for its sensitivity. Its never going to match the latest generation of smart phones or the ipad for smooth, easy to use feel.
Price is amazing. £126. I knew I wasn't going to get a mini ipad. I bought it to ease a curiosity about a 7 inch tablet. I felt that was the perfect size for portability and the purchase confirmed that.
Its nice for viewing pictures.
It has a music player on it.
It does have a microphone on it. Also a standard headphone jack. It plays out through the headphones well.
The charge is for two hours. I haven't found this to be a massive problem. I use it at home and when I take it out its not so long.
It doesn't charge off the computer. This is a bit of a shame but there you go. So trip into work via train might require taking the charger with you.
It does have an accelerometer. Its quite slow to react so don't think ipod touch games action.
I'm glad I bought it but a bit disappointed its not what it could be. The shell is ideal, weight etc but the slowness of it can be a bit irritating. Even with full bars on the wifi it was a bit slow loading pages. Upstairs away from the router it was really slow. So downloads need to be done close to the router.
Its also not completely multi-tasking. When I had my music on it cut out when I switched to browsing.
I now know what the potential of owning a really top of the range tablet could be like. Also I can see what I would use it for and not. If I can get skyfire on it I might be able to watch flash, which will make it a lot more fun. Its certainly a curiousity soother.
I do now understand why there has been this big delay from a lot of manufacturers on their tablets. You have to get it right otherwise people will give up on the devices. It must do what its capable of well.
update 04:06:2010
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Now been playing with the device a few days now. With a lot of effort I finally managed to get a youtube app off my htc hero and onto this device. So now embedded or stand alone youtube is now possible. Its not the greatest video but it works. Its the app not the device though.
I downloaded a different e-reader and found it works with epub. Loads and loads of free books available. Switching to night mode puts the text white on black. Yesterday I was on the device all evening and my eyes were fine with normal usage.
I was thinking of getting an apple ipod touch but searched for such a cheap tablet device instead. Now I have it I would say I can live with the quirks of the device and enjoy a multi-purpose device. I'm glad I bought it instead of the ipod touch and each day I enjoy it more. But 3 stars is the right ranking as just around the corner are the 7 inch capacitive tablets which look amazing and could be a lot cheaper than the ipad. Also the one I saw from foxconn, 7 inch, has a sim card slot as well.
The one drawback with all the wifi only devices is lack of access to available Wifi points. At home though I am really enjoying the comfort of sitting in a chair or laying down and using the device.
update: 17.06.10
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I've decided to up my stars to 4. I think the device brings me loads of pleasure and therefore warrants the increase. I've had it for 2 weeks now and I'm learning more about what this device is capable of. I bought a cheap pack of 100 wisdom ebooks for $2.95. They were in pdf format. With a bit of digging around for a converter to epub I found the most brilliant web to do this calibre-ebook. I've bought some apps from amazon market, some port over to the device some don't. You can get an instant refund within 24 hours. So if it doesn't go over, get a refund.
update: 14.07.10
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As a result of my experiment with the Eken I was able to find what I would be looking for from a Tablet. My Android smartphone the HTC Hero 3.2 inch showed me how smooth and silky response to touch is a true pleasure on a touchscreen. The Hero showed me what it means to be always connected. Access to the Android market is really convenient as well.
Then the Eken showed me what life is like with a much larger screen. What its like to do all the things I was doing on the 3.2" hero on much larger screen. Its certainly a completely different experience.
I concluded at the end that I could go smaller than the Eken without too much loss on size. I just needed to sample a 5 or 6 inch device. So when O2 came out with the Dell Streak 5" tablet/phone I went along and played with it for quite a while over two days.
I was instantly impressed by its super quick responsiveness. All in all it was like a supersized htc hero. The time and money spent with the M001 was completely worth every penny.
In the end I decided that I wanted something even more portable than the 7". That 7" is just the screen. Its more like 9" in total. Its just a wee bit too big. Its funny how a size can move out of the convenient with just a couple of inches. I find the Dell Streak fits really well in one hand. Its such a pleasure to use. The video quality is brilliant.
As far as I'm concerned these 3.5" smart phones are too small. I don't see the point if you feel carrying a tablet is not an issue for you. Why have two devices when you can have one? I've gone with a Data Only on the Streak. At the end of the year I'll see if I want it to become my sole device once my htc hero contract ends.
The M001 is a cheap option to check out a tablet. Its well made but the Streak is in a completely different League. Bought outright for cash its more than the IPad. But its got web cam and camera and is a phone. Its also no more than other smart phones. I still struggle to see how buying a phone outright makes sense. On contract its free. You still need a connection monthly which is on top of what you paid.
From my experience which is about 3 years with smart phones, going larger than 5 inches for everyday portability is too big. The Streak has been well thought out, tested thoroughly, trying out all form factors until realising this size is the most optimal for portability. There is this weird size effect on a smart phone. I tried out a 4 inch Toshiba phone last year and struggled to handle it. It was too big for one hand and too small for two? Yet somehow the streak works beautifully in two hands. You can hold it in two hands very comfortably, or one hand holding the other using fingers to work it. Its about 2/3rds of the weight of the Eken at 220 grams.
update: 02.08.10
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I've posted my review for the...
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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Solid; good first impression - then things begin to break, 16 Jun 2010
This review is from: JSM 7" Touchscreen Netbook Google Android Notebook Tablet PC E-Book Reader with WiFi - 2GB Netbook
Design: the casing is sleek, well-manufactured and sturdy, having already withstood the occasional drop. Also the back doesn't scratch as easily as that of other devices.
Controls/GUI/Touchscreen:
Click-wheel: The click-wheel is intuitive (volume control, return to home screen, back to previous screen and menu/setting call up).
Touch-screen: resistive and fairly responsive (sometimes it does require that extra little bit of pressure). However, if you use a stylus like I do you will find navigating the screen easier and more pleasant. Honestly, with the stylus I see little difference navigating the M001 than say the HTC Touch 2 (also a stylus-dependent device).
Yes, the accelerometer is a little slow, but I can live with that, as I don't keep flipping my device about as if I were doing a parlour trick.
GUI: I like "pop-up" menu with all the core application you can call up, as it allows you to free the home screen of a lot of clutter, leaving only those shortcuts you actually need. The home screen is also easy to adapt to your needs (simply drag unwanted icons into the bin)
Applications: the M001 is bloated with unnecessary applications, many of them in Chinese. However, once you've rid yourself of many of these, you are left with a few dozen applications that make the device real fun to have, ie: Documents to Go, MyMusic (plays all the required formats and is nice to use), MyVideo (as long as you remember to convert your video to the right resolution), Skype and Browser. I particularly enjoy Genial Writing, which allows you to doodle/scribble with the stylus.
Furthermore, this being an Android device, you can stock up on nearly an endless variety of applications. I've already acquired a few, including the fantastic ereader Aldiko,
Connectivity and browser: when surfing on my home WLAN the device gives a fair performance. Sites are called up at a reasonable rate. However, this changes dramatically if I move into the garden. Yet, as I tend to do most of my surfing on the living room couch, I'm not too bothered. Tip: get yourself a stylus and you will find browsing the web far more pleasant.
Battery life: not very long when compared to other devices, but not a big enough reason to give this device a miss. I watched 1.5 hours of movies and then fiddled about with the device for another 1.5 hours and I still had around 20% charge left.
Overall functionality:
The device does what it's supposed to do, considering how much I paid for it. I have all the applications I need for my day-to-day (music, e-reader, video and Genial Writing) and more. Yes, it sometimes underperforms, but so does any other device/OS I know.
Support:
The reseller JSM promptly replied when I had an issue with the device shortly after the device was delivered. The issue was quickly resolved. However, I do regret not having any dedicated support from Eken, who manufacture the device. Having to depend on an internet forum, no matter how resourceful is not satisfactory.
Closing remarks: if you are looking for a bargain tablet that can do the simple things in life like music, web browsing, video and etc, then the Eken M001 is the way to go. Give it a try. 4 stars.
---- update 21/06/2010 ----
I've been using the M001 together with the Aldiko ereader program for a nigh a week and the combination is an absolute joy. The Aldiko app provides access to a vast quantity of free classical books which make for great reading. Furthermore, "leafing" through the pages reinforces the illusion that you are reading an actual book. Fantastic.
I've watched a few movies with the device now, and the video quality is somewhat grainy. But not off-putting in the least. I've had worse TV screens back in the 80s :)
---- update 02/08/2010 ----
I'm dropping my rating to three stars as my device's touch screen ceased to function about a fortnight ago, not exactly proof of excellent product quality. I would drop my rating to two stars, but won't as I bought the Eken M001 knowing full well that it was cheaply made.
Furthermore, my drop in rating in no way reflects my attitude towards JSM distribution. The seller is a professional's professional, always striving to offer the best possible service, technical or otherwise. And they made returning the defective item absolutely hassle-free. A+
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
not an e-reader, 18 Aug 2010
This review is from: JSM 7" Touchscreen Netbook Google Android Notebook Tablet PC E-Book Reader with WiFi - 2GB Netbook
I'd seen people on my commuter train using ereaders, but until Amazon starting pushing the Kindle I hadn't thought much about having one ... it seemed a very expensive way to read books!
Then the Kindle appareared, the birthday was approaching and I quite fancied being one of the train gang, so started looking at the different models available. This one caught my eye because it's white (pretty), has a colour screen and is so much more than an e-reader. Against the advice of he who was paying I chose it, and thus it was bought.
It's a great size, maybe a wee bit big for a handbag, but it's thin and light, so still very portable in my work bag. Once we managed to remember the password to our network, wi-fi connected and worked very well. I didn't try out the music or photo functions ... mostly I was trying to get it to work as an e-reader.
I'd already downloaded a few free books onto an SD card, but althought they did show up in the files folder, they just would not open in the iReader program which is what's installed. In fact how that works remains a complete mystery to me! Lots of empty folders was all that showed up when I opened it. I downloaded another reader app, and it did find a couple of the books but loading was so slow I only ever saw the titles page. I eventually got one of the books to open ... in the Documents to Go app ... but again, only a few pages then it froze. I did try to download Aldiko which was recommended in a previous review, but that was another failure to launch.
I found the touch screen fairly good, but could be quite irritating when I was trying to enter data on-line. If a drop-down box appeared it was a trial of patience, and only the thought of the refund kept me from tossing the thing out the window at one point!!!
Anyway, maybe the one I got was faulty but I really wanted an ereader, and since that was the one non-functional part of it, we've boxed it up and returned it to sender (Essex Electronics via Amazon Marketplace) and now await a refund.
It is a pity because it could have been a great wee device.
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