Augen's 7" Android Tablet hits K-Mart stores this week for $149

[steveflyersfan]

I picked one of these up. I'm one one of those that gets super-excited over gadgets. Someone in this thread said something along the lines of "gadgets put me into a trance". That's what I'm like. I heard about this on the TWiT podcast, freaked out, ran to kmart, got one, then came home to play with it while listening to the rest of the podcast.

One of the first things I did was download the Kindle app and it downloaded and installed and I was able to sync my books and read on it. I loved that. But then after a little while I realized that I had a defective screen and needed to exchange it. So I tried to do a factory reset and that deleted the Kindle app but did not clear private data. A lot of people have reported this problem with not being able to clear private data. I called the company and they said there should be a fix for that on their website on Thursday. So, I figured until they release the update I'd use it to read my kindle books. NOW I cannot download the Kindle app nor any other app. How strange I was able to do that before, but not two days later.

I'm peeved that I can't return it due to my private info being stuck on there. To avoid them being sold out when I want to return it, I went back and put the last one on layaway to hold it.

In general I think it's a fun device and I like the size and form factor and have been wanting an Android device and love that this inexpensive device gives me that chance. But yeah, the touchscreen is a pain (not that responsive) and the keyboard is a ***** (because of the touchscreen and also I have to aim at the bottom of a key to get the right letter). Some would say that sucks, but for the money, if they fix these issues, I would say the device doesn't suck. I think one advantage for me is I have nice hard acrylic nails which I consider "tools" and so I use my fingernail instead of the stylus and I seemed to be able to use the touchscreen a lot easier in the store than the salesguy and male customer who were playing with it trying to use just their finger or fiddling with the stylus.

So, I'm crossing my fingers for the supposed Thursday update so that I can return it and pick up my layaway one that has a non-defective screen.

Cheers. :heart:

Acrylic nails to work a screen better ???????? i have 3 daughters and not a one has ever told me of this use for the acrylic nails. You are a find, Married ? Would love to have a s o that would share my trance like fetish for electronics. But i think in the end we would end up poor and alone with all of our stuff. Im staying where i am LOL

 

[gadgetrants]

I picked one of these up. I'm one one of those that gets super-excited over gadgets. Someone in this thread said something along the lines of "gadgets put me into a trance". That's what I'm like. I heard about this on the TWiT podcast, freaked out, ran to kmart, got one, then came home to play with it while listening to the rest of the podcast.

One of the first things I did was download the Kindle app and it downloaded and installed and I was able to sync my books and read on it. I loved that. But then after a little while I realized that I had a defective screen and needed to exchange it. So I tried to do a factory reset and that deleted the Kindle app but did not clear private data. A lot of people have reported this problem with not being able to clear private data. I called the company and they said there should be a fix for that on their website on Thursday. So, I figured until they release the update I'd use it to read my kindle books. NOW I cannot download the Kindle app nor any other app. How strange I was able to do that before, but not two days later.

I'm peeved that I can't return it due to my private info being stuck on there. To avoid them being sold out when I want to return it, I went back and put the last one on layaway to hold it.

In general I think it's a fun device and I like the size and form factor and have been wanting an Android device and love that this inexpensive device gives me that chance. But yeah, the touchscreen is a pain (not that responsive) and the keyboard is a ***** (because of the touchscreen and also I have to aim at the bottom of a key to get the right letter). Some would say that sucks, but for the money, if they fix these issues, I would say the device doesn't suck. I think one advantage for me is I have nice hard acrylic nails which I consider "tools" and so I use my fingernail instead of the stylus and I seemed to be able to use the touchscreen a lot easier in the store than the salesguy and male customer who were playing with it trying to use just their finger or fiddling with the stylus.

So, I'm crossing my fingers for the supposed Thursday update so that I can return it and pick up my layaway one that has a non-defective screen.

Cheers. :heart:

Acrylic nails to work a screen better ???????? i have 3 daughters and not a one has ever told me of this use for the acrylic nails. You are a find, Married ? Would love to have a s o that would share my trance like fetish for electronics. But i think in the end we would end up poor and alone with all of our stuff. Im staying where i am LOL

TWF. :rofl3:

-Matt

 

[Phigment]

Is this bad news? Sounds like it. Augen's Kmart tablet and smartbook won't have Google-branded apps from now on -- Engadget

 

[dave52355]

I bought one of these last Thursday. Happened to be in Kmart when a shipment came in. I was really hesitant after reading all the issues reported. However, I have been using it for the last few days while having my morning coffee and so far it has done what I expected. I have had no screen response issues, I have not remove the protective plastic even. When I'm finished with my coffee the unit gets shut off ill the next day. I'm still running on the charge from the factory. I've been a user, not expert of Linux for many years do to my economic status. I see very little difference in the software bumps of this tablet and many distro bumps along the way. Heck even my hand me down Droid had issues at first.

Obviously its not an Ipad. Nor did it dowse my Ipad envy. I live 16 hours a day in a wheelchair. I want something that can fit to my chair and needs. This works to some extent. At least on my income I could afford it. Something I can use until I get a hand me down Ipad. ( Not going to happen very soon )

Thanks

 

[wmnomore]

I can honestly say that it wasn't meant for me to have it.

I found one (after calling 20 K-Mart stores) in St John, IN (I'm in chicago, so wasn't fun to drive 45 mins to buy a tablet). Finally got used to it, wrestled with it to get it rooted. Had SetCPU running on it. And I even managed to get the update Augen released (then pulled from their site) and the custom recovery installed and working. The very last things I managed to do on it were make a nandroid backup and then a factory wipe. Then the power button broke. So I returned it. As hard as it is for me to say this, my experience with Augen has made me reconsider (can't believe I'm saying this) my position on the iPad :angry:

If i could afford it, i would get an ipad. especially if they jailbreak it. might get interesting then.
I am waiting for the android or dual-boot android/chrome/or win 7 device to come.

 

[angelpaws]

Acrylic nails to work a screen better ???????? i have 3 daughters and not a one has ever told me of this use for the acrylic nails. You are a find, Married ? Would love to have a s o that would share my trance like fetish for electronics. But i think in the end we would end up poor and alone with all of our stuff. Im staying where i am LOL

ROTFL! Yup! They are my tools and make a great stylus!

 

[angelpaws]

Just saw that pandawill.com is selling a
"Gpad G10 Android 2.1 MID 7 Inch 1080P 3D Games Multi-Touch 2GB Gravity Sensor Camera Silver Compare Gentouch78"
and they have a comparison run-down as to how it compares to the Augen:

Buy Gpad G10 Android 2.1 MID 7 Inch 1080P 3D Games Multi-Touch Gravity Sensor Compare Gentouch78 compare price at pandawill.com

It looks interesting. I wonder if it's any good. The Augen sure seemed wonderful until all the "oh but that doesn't work" stuff started piling up.

 

[gadgetrants]

Just saw that pandawill.com is selling a
"Gpad G10 Android 2.1 MID 7 Inch 1080P 3D Games Multi-Touch 2GB Gravity Sensor Camera Silver Compare Gentouch78"
and they have a comparison run-down as to how it compares to the Augen:

Buy Gpad G10 Android 2.1 MID 7 Inch 1080P 3D Games Multi-Touch Gravity Sensor Compare Gentouch78 compare price at pandawill.com

It looks interesting. I wonder if it's any good. The Augen sure seemed wonderful until all the "oh but that doesn't work" stuff started piling up.

Yeah, I agree. Interesting. But for now I'm filing it under "If it looks too good to be true..." Lots of things that don't compute, like the claim that it can handle multitouch, play Divx, etc. This one made me smile:

p said :Is it going to have Google software and licensing, for example marketplace or will it be like the gen touch 78 and not be able to have it at all??

Pandawill replied:
it will come with googel software.But Which license do you mean?

-Matt

 

[PowerPlayGraphix]

I'm personally waiting to see the first REAL android tablets that are made by reputable companies. These little Chinese knock-off companies are all going to give you crap. I'd much rather pay $250-$300 for a good, powerful, solid working tablet then settle for a "bargain" that has less power than my phone.

 

[VirtualGeek]

+1

Sent from my mind using an integrated virtual WAN neurochip.

 

[gadgetrants]

are there other similar dedicated android tablets floating around? the novel seems more dedicated to e-reader like the nook.

I think there are two Android tablet niches/markets or price points. Here is my reasoning (I hope it doesn't sound pretentious...I was taught to "lay out my assumptions"!):

$100 - $300 = Ereaders
$300 - $400 = netbooks
$400 - $500 = mainstream Android tablets???
$500 - $700 = IPad w/wifi
$700+ = notebooks

Well, a few weeks have passed since my predictions, and there have been a few news posts with updates on soon-to-appear tablets, including several in the $400-$500 range. Features that lift the price include 12" screen, 3G, Win 7 OS, and capacitive touch screen. Here's a good list at Technologizer.com:

iPadversaries! 32 Tablets, Slates, Pads, and More

"Why are iPads selling as fast as Apple’s Chinese subcontractors can crank them out? In part, it’s because the iPad has a suddenly-hot product category pretty much to itself. Before scuttlebutt that Apple was working on a tablet started to heat up, no major PC manufacturer seemed to think that consumers wanted a general-purpose, touchscreen-only computing device. Now almost all the big names–and lots of little ones–are furiously playing catch up.

End result: Starting later this year, the iPad will be confronted by an army of other touchscreen machines, from potentially worthy opponents to shameless wannabees. Call ‘em iPadversaries, and read on for my first stab at accounting for (most of) them.

I cheerfully admit that I’ve defined the term “iPadversary” loosely. Some of these gizmos are very much meant to compete head-to-head with Apple’s tablet, including a bevy of Windows 7 “slate PCs.” Others won’t do so at all–such as the OLPC XO 3.0 and “$35 Indian tablet”–but I found them intriguing for one reason or another. And a few (such as RIM’s BlackPad) are unconfirmed rumors which may or may not pan out.

There are also a few tablets that are already for sale here, all of which have one thing in common: Most of the reviews of them range from so-so to profoundly negative.

I considered only devices with touchscreens–and only screens that are at least 5″. I didn’t include any product which definitely has a physical keyboard, although some of the upcoming Windows slates which we know almost nothing about will reportedly have them. (If so, they’ll be Tablet PC offspring more than iPad counterparts.)

I’ve attempted to gather some basic facts on each device, and to indicate when the information I mention is speculation or rumor rather than confirmed fact. I’d be amazed, however, if all of these products reach the market in exactly the form detailed here."