10.1 Tablet Case

10.1 Tablet Case

Zenithink 10.2 ePad / aPad Review

The 10.2 inch Apad tablet is cheap as chips if you compare it to the Apple Ipad or even to some of the new Android based tablets from other major manufacturers.

For the cost of the tablet you get a very versatile and handy device, however, don't expect the build quality or the quality of the screen to be the same as it's more expensive cousins!

The screen is 1024 x576 resolution on early units manufactured prior to August 2010 and 1024x600 on units manufactured after August.  The screen is only a resistive touch screen rather than the capacitive screen found on more expensive tablets.

The tablet comes supplied with Android 2.1 and there are instructions that can be found online to install Ubuntu or Debian based GNU/Linux operating systems to run alongside the Android system.  Android being based around a Linux kernel itself with the GUI and applications added by Google and other software developers.  It is also possible to install an image of Windows CE (compact edition) instead of the Android system.  However, with the recent introduction by Microsoft of a new version of their operating system for phones and mobile devices that is not backwardly compatible with earlier versions, updates and enhancements for the Windows CE image are likely to be less common heading towards non existent.

My husband bought me the tablet to use at home, especially whilst working on my online premature baby store at www.prem2pram.co.uk.  Why?  One of the things I do is to design and personalise tiny premature baby clothes.  Whilst working in my craft room with various sewing machines it is very handy to be able to watch tutorials on youtube or other sites and being able to have the tablet check incoming mail for any orders I may have received without having to keep going back through the house to my main computer.

So only very simple requirements.  The tablet can be propped up or leaned against objects to keep it at an angle that is convenient for viewing videos and without a keyboard of a normal laptop the footprint of space used on my work desk is kept to a minimum.  I have gone a stage further and bought myself a  leather protective case in which the tablet can be used as it has its own prop stand similar to a photo frame.  Very handy and convenient.

When my husband bought the tablet it came with a very early version of the firmware.  The tablet would freeze during use at random times, the wifi was very poor and unreliable and the accuracy of the touch screen was very hit and miss.  However, Zenithink have released several official updates since and there is also a strong community of developers that have developed custom software images for the device.  The issues with the wifi have now been resolved, the tablet now has a screen calibration utility, that whilst not perfect is a significant improvement and the entire system locking up and needing rebooting like a Windows based computer is now unusual rather than being the norm.

The latest versions of the firmware now include the ability to connect to the full Android Market online thus opening access to a wealth of different applications, utilities and games. The  burntool application for updating the tablet has now been translated in to english – handy for english speakers.  The process takes about 10 minutes or less from start to finish and makes updating the tablet a breeze.  There are however a few caveats that you need to be aware of and these are as follows:-

1/ If you update the user data part of the image you will lose any data or applications  you have saved on the device since the last update.  Do you want to lose your present data and gain a few extra applications that you may not use, or would you prefer to stick with what you have already.  If so simply don't include the user data to be updated by the burntool.

2/ If you are updating through the burntool and the USB connections you should remove any memory cards from the slot on the tablet, if you don't you may corrupt the card and lose all data that is stored on it.  I've forgotten once, fortunately I was able to recover everything back from the card with a little work.

3/ If you have an early unit, such as I now know mine to be then you should select the zimage for the 1024x576 screen.  I bought the tablet in mid September and was not sure which screen resolution it would have.  I have tried both zimages and they will both work, however, the bottom of the screen on every page is missing if you use the 600 image on the older 576 resolution screen.  Aha...  Now I know which one screen resolution I have!

There has just been released a test image of firmware that is version 1126, however, the version is a test release and has two subversions.  One is rumoured to allow bluetooth and GPS devices to be attached to the tablet, but you lose the ability to attach mass storage devices by the USB ports.  The other version has no GPS and other enhancements but does allow mass storage devices to be attached externally.  Once you update to this version it is not possible to flash your tablet back to an early version if there are things you really don't like, for this reason I have currently kept my tablet on the last stable release 1101.  Why they can't produce an image with both functions available after all the Linux kernel at the heart of Android supports those and a lot more functions and devices.

Over all the tablet works very well for what it is used for the one item that does not work correctly on sites is Adobe Flashplayer support, for those that want to sit on Facebook or other sites and play the flash based games then this would be an issue.  There are a wealth of different browsers available although some show obvious signs of being developed from applications on small phone sized screens.  There are several utilities for Youtube, twitter and even for news feeds from the BBC

For the cost of purchase and the ease at which the system can be updated, especially now that it supports the Android Market I don't believe you can go wrong.  However, don't buy one thinking you are getting the latest and greatest Ferrari equivalent of the tablet world.  You most definitely are not.

About the Author

Sue Edmondson runs Prem2Pram the online premature baby store http://www.prem2pram.co.uk as a mother herself of two premature babies she understands the difficulties parents face when their baby arrives early.

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