Creative ZiiO 16 GB 10-Inch Android 2.1 Wireless Entertainment Tablet (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been playing around with the Zii O for a couple of days by now. It's not a perfect device, but it's really good for the amount i paid.
First up - I've been looking for a tablet to watch my movies without bringing my Macbook along. I'm a real TV/Movie buff, and i have tonnes to catch up on. That's a huge reason why i didn't want to get the iPad; It's expensive, required tiresome video conversion, and i thought it was too heavy after playing with it in the stores.
The Good:
- Supported movie formats are more than what i need: Most of mine are in the usual .avi formats, and i used to spend about 6 minutes on each episode using Mac's iSquint to convert them into accepted .mp4 formats. With this tablet, all i need to do is to just drag and drop it. Everything just works and plays great.
- MicroSD Card Slot: I have a 32GB MicroSD to go along with the 8GB Zii O. It's really convenient because 32GB can hold alot of videos and music, and the tablet allows direct playback from the microSD. You don't need to copy it to the on-board memory in order for it to work.
- Apps: Here's a key point - You'll need to go into Settings > Apps to allow installation for non-Android Market Applications. It wasn't enabled by default. Once you enable this, just google around for Android installation files (.apk) and you'll be able to install stuff smoothly. So far, i've installed Evernote and Kindle; Everything syncs and works perfectly.
Some of you may have concerns about there not being support for the Android Marketplace. It wasn't that big of a deal for me because a friend pointed me to getjar.com, and there was a whole lot of .apk files to download. Just use the Zii O browser to access the site, download, and they'll prompt you for installation. No need to use your computer at all. (If getjar prompts you to select your device, just select any mobile device. It'll work fine.)
- This may be controversial, but i like the resistive screen. It's not fancy like those capacitive touch, but it works with my gloves on, and even better with the provided stylus, so i'm happy about it.
- Other stuff i like: Audio quality is really good. HDMI TV-Out to my 42-inch screen works, though the video looks a little pixelated, something to blame on my original source file.
Things Which Can Be Improved:
- No Android Marketplace integration. (A small issue, but solvable through my above-mentioned point)
- A little stingy on the package contents; I appreciate the stylus, but would have been nice to include a pair of earphones, or even the TV Out cable.
- There are 4 touch-buttons at the bottom for easy access to "Home", "Back" etc buttons. They should be backlit so that i can see more clearly in the dark.
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I hope i've provided everyone with an objective pro/cons list. Personally, i like it, and i think it's great for anyone who's looking for a low-cost tablet which just works.

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Enjoy exceptional wireless audio playback for all your music, movies, and games with the ZiiO 10-Inch Wireless Entertainment Tablet from Creative. The compact touch-screen tablet not only offers convenient mobile computing, but it also lets you stream lossless audio to Bluetooth-compatible wireless speaker systems or headphones. It features a vivid 10-inch color display as well as an HDMI-out for enjoying movies on a big-screen HDTV. It also offers 8 GB of memory and an SD expansion slot for storing all your favorite media content. The tablet runs on the Android operating system and features built-in Wi-Fi capability. It also includes Pure Android Audio for easy management of paired wireless audio devices.

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Blackberry Playbook 7-Inch Tablet (16GB) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I own the iPad 1. I like it. I don't love it. The apps are great. But it is large and cumbersome. It doesn't really multi-task. And I hate the way it handles email. I use a Blackberry Torch phone. I love the way it handles email. And the apps are very good. Fewer. But very good.
So it was with some trepidation and excitement I bought the Blackberry Playbook. The trepidation was because of the advanced reviews which universally panned it. I looked at it, held it, and bought it. And I will tell you it is one piece of stunning equipment.
The build is much better than the iPad. In fact it is extraordinary. The screen is absolutely stunning. The machine loads the applications fast but NOT as fast as you see on the commercials. The browser blows the iPad Safari browser out of the water. It is very fast and of course has Flash. The camera front and back are very good.
But do you know what makes this tablet? The OS. It is extraordinary. You bring out Apps with a touch. You scroll through open apps by beginning at the left or right bezel and swiping toward the center. The context menus are opened by swiping down when the application is open. See a subtle alert in the top left hand corner, swipe diagonally from the the bezel to the center and viola there is a notification of your email. To wake it up swipe from the top bezel to the bottom. No more clicking a darn button. Thank you Blackberry. That alone was genius.
As I said I carry a Blackberry so through the Blackberry Bridge it tethers to my Torch. Emails and files. Everything, except the apps (different OS of course) is available on my Playbook. And I don't have to add on a data plan for 3G. A 3G phone Playbook is coming out in the summer they say for those who do not carry Blackberry phones.
I am waiting for the following apps - Dropbox (although I can transfer files in and out via the web), a free hand note taker and a better PDF program or a more beefy Adobe Reader app. And I am sure they will come.
Now to the reviews: They claimed the OS was not finished. Not true. They claimed multiple shutdowns and freezes. Not true. They poo-poo'd tethering through Blackberry Bridge. OK I am saving myself $30 a month up here in Canada or $360 a year in not having a 3G capability under a separate plan. And the tethering is flawless for both email and web surfing since the Playbook comes with a Bridge Browser that uses your phones' plan. So a person saves $360 a year and it gets criticized? Unbelievable! The apps. Yes there are fewer but there are new ones appearing everyday and they are above average and to my mind are as good as or better than the iPad. The negative reviews are baffling; truly, truly baffling.
I couldn't wait to get the iPad. I was enchanted. With the new iPad 2 I wasn't enchanted. In fact it is anything but.
The Blackberry Playbook on the other hand is simply astounding. I throw it in my briefcase. And away I go. I pull it out at a meeting or airport and it is understated and private. Will it take its rightful place in the tablet market? Not if jingoistic reviewers have their way. But it should. It should if build, function, cost effectiveness, reliability, and fun mean anything to anybody.


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A professional-grade tablet, the BlackBerry PlayBook helps transform the way you work and play by combining the features you need with a powerful, ultra-portable design you want. You'll enjoy uncompromised Web browsing, true multitasking, and brilliant multimedia playback, as well as advanced security features and out-of-the-box enterprise support.
Works smarter, play harder with the BlackBerry PlayBook (see larger image).

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