Ares 11 Hybrid Android Tablet/Laptop Includes Intel CPU, Lollipop and Affordable Price of $197

dgstorm

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It's interesting to take note of just how few Android tablet stories there are in the current mobile landscape. In 2012 and 2013, we couldn't go a day without a new story about some cheap Android tablet hitting the market. Obviously those times have passed as only a few standouts remain. We rarely see an Android tablet story anymore, unless its something from NVIDIA, Asus or Samsung.

Still, there are smaller OEMs out there who are still working hard to find success with Android tablets. This latest one breaks the drought with a solid value. It's called the Ares 11 from Nextbook, and it actually offers up a 2-in-1 device, similar to the Asus Transformer. The Ares 11 is an Android Tablet/Laptop convertible hybrid that includes Lollipop and an Intel CPU. It's most standout characteristic is its great price and availability. You can grab this tablet at Walmart for only $197 bucks.

Here's a list of specs:
  • Intel Atom Z3735G Bay Trail processor
  • 1GB RAM
  • 64GB storage
  • 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 resolution IPS display
  • A microSD slot
  • A mini HDMI port & microUSB port
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n & Bluetooth 4.0
  • 2MP front and rear cams
  • Detachable keyboard dock with two full USB ports
  • Preloaded with Android 5.0 Lollipop
While these specs aren't going to blow anyone's doors off, it still could be a decent value for the average user. What do you guys think?

Source: Nextbook Ares 11.6 Tablet 64GB Quad Core 2-in-1 - Walmart.com
 

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People burned out on crummy tablets with horrible screens and bad specs. Plus, there's no "killer app" that made them stand out. Now we have specialized devices like the Fire series, designed for media consumption, and broad-spectrum devices like the Nexus 7 that do everything. Which one is more popular?

For most people, a tablet is a toy. Easier to play games on than your phone, and far cheaper. But, unlike a phone, there's no real impetus to upgrade constantly, and a lot of people are still using the 2012 Nexus 7, or the Nexus 10, or their original Kindle Fire - and that's only staying in the Android world. In the iOS world the situation is quite similar, but people drinking the Kool Aid tend to throw money at Apple every time they need to blow their noses.

Tablets simply don't make a lot of money, because they don't get dragged everywhere and get tossed in and out of pockets and purses all day they last quite well on average, and a lot of people are realizing that the added portability means nothing if there isn't functionality to back it up. Laptops make more sense in a lot of cases. That's why the Surface has made such a splash. That keyboard cover make a big, big difference when it comes to content creation.

In the end, it all comes down to creation versus consumption. Right now, consumption's needs are being met. So until things change, or creation becomes more easily appeased, you won't see too much movement in the tablet space.
 

pc747

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wait, walmart?

Eh ill need to see some reviews. Like the concept but tbh I just do not trust that android makes for a good desktop/laptop os. Now I would buy this if there was a way to dual boot it with chrome os, being 197 is a cheap price for experimenting.
 

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The price is nice, but IDK if I'd want a larger tablet with specs comparable to my Nexus 7. I like the keyboard, but this is along the same lines as the Transformer Prime. These other guys have made great points here. A tablet with an attachable keyboard is still a tablet and not really made for it, UI wise. Sure, if you want to type something in Docs or write a long email, the keyboard will be indispensable and the backlight on the keyboard is a nice touch. I don't use the backlight on my laptop REAL often, but I assure you, if you've never had it, you'll never want to go back from it. And I don't even need to look at the keys while I type. It's just that much easier to find special characters and buttons that I don't use all the time in dimly lit locations.

I know there's got to be a magic formula of specs, size, and functionality for devices like this, but I'm not sure what it is yet and I know no one has hit the nail on the head either.

Having tried to back the Remix (still no word on the fate of the KS155), I am considering a larger tablet again. The N7 is great for reading and some light gaming, but it really doesn't offer much over the screen size of my Note 4. With some decent reviews, I might be persuaded to check one of these out if the Remix falls through, simply because of the price. I may live to regret that decision with its performance though, so I'll definitely be waiting for those reviews. I do like the full-sized USB ports on the keyboard. Would be hand to toss an external mouse or other peripheral on there and I never understood why Moto went away from micro HDMI on their devices. It was nice to only need a cable and not an adapter as well, even though I only used it a handful of times and had multiple Moto phones that offered the port...I guess that's probably why they stopped putting them in there...

Also, is it just me, or did it seem like that video was made for people who don't really know anything?
 

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Tablets are more or less a novelty anymore. They had some function back when we were stuck with 4 inch smart phone screens, but it's just so much easier these days to do it all on your phone...which usually has more features and a big enough screen to get the job done no matter what you're doing.
 

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^^Goes with part of my ramblings. My Note 4's screen isn't much smaller than my N7's and it's always on. I turn the N7 off when I finish reading before bed and generally don't turn it back on again until the next night, so if I wanted to use it instead of my phone, I'd have to turn it on and wait for it to boot up, which usually isn't worth it for the time I lose. Haha!

It's either that, or charge the N7 more often even though I'm not using it much...
 

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Tablets are more or less a novelty anymore. They had some function back when we were stuck with 4 inch smart phone screens, but it's just so much easier these days to do it all on your phone...which usually has more features and a big enough screen to get the job done no matter what you're doing.
Agree 100% , @$197 might as well get a chromebook. I feel like Chromebooks are a better buy. If I want to play games (ie angry birds) I have my phone but if I need to get in it where I need a physical KB and mouse function then Chromebooks. Chromebooks will not replace your desktop Mac or PC but neither would a tablet.

Upon further review I'll pass. Plus you know with this being a Walmart tablet you can bet it will be stuck on 5.0
 

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I still like the Remix tablet idea. I like the idea of having a high end Android tablet, with a keyboard, and multi-windows support is a winner. I would get frustrated with the Ares 11, as I would need something with a little more juice spec wise, with a minimum 1080p resolution.

My question is, why are Android tablets with Intel processors causing a stir in the technology world. Android doesn't really care if it's an Intel processor, or ARM based, as opposed to Windows. As far as I'm concerned, Android is the better bet for an evolutionary mobile ecosystem than Windows.

I think this tablet would be even cheaper and faster if it had a high end Qualcomm processor in it.
 

akhenax

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Do you prefer ChromeOS or Android? I like them both, they have strengths and weaknesses on both ends.

But then again, isn't Android just ChromeOS all grown up?
 

akhenax

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I may need to invest in a Chromebook. I admit that I've never even seen one in person.

Take the Chrome browser, make it the only application able to run on a laptop (win or mac), and you have a Chromebook. No management options for the device, but everything else is pretty much the same.

edit: I simplified it way too much. There is device management for Chromebooks, that is very comprehensive, and free. Chromebooks have fast boot times, and are very inexpensive. They are also faster than an average PC when doing browser functions.
 
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I've seen one or two, but never played around.

What I'm thinking, for this price and these specs, is something I can load Kodi on (eventually), take with me places for web browsing and writing, editing of documents (I'm a novelist, so I don't need something that runs Photoshop or Blender). Good battery life, decent keyboard (has to be better than the joke that is this Lenovo one), clear screen, and ability to let me type are about it.

$150 seems about right for something small and useful like that. I paid more for the 2012 Nexus 7 I picked up so I could check out formatting on the Android Kindle app on tablets, among other things.
 
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