Archos 43 4.3-Inch 8 GB Internet Tablet with Android Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a video demo and testing of the Archos 43 - 16 GB Internet Tablet. Overall, I am very happy with its improvements over the Archos 5 IT. I have also changed the rating to a 5 stars after updating the OS to Android 2.2 with the Adobe Flash 10 player installed. This gadget rocks !
12/21/10 update
- I have been using this gadget on a daily basis since my original post for checking emails and surfing the web for news in the morning while still lying lazy on my bed. So far so good and it has replaced my iPhone for such use as it is lighter and has a wider display for full web-site surfing. The only issue I have is the short battery life which I have to circumvent by disabling the Wifi when not in use.
Overall feel and handling
The unit is extremely light and fits easily in a shirt pocket. It is much more portable than the Archos 5 IT and even the i-Phone. The single-touch resistive screen works quite nice also. I also noticed that the camera has a small clear plaster cover on it which should be removed for better recording.
OS and applications
12/01/10 Update
- Updated OS to Android 2.2 ! This gadget is a lot more stable and works faster after the update. We would need to reinstall the latest Google Marketplace app from the Archos fans site as the previous version does not work with Android 2.2. The Adobe Flash 10 player would also needed to be installed (from the Google Market place) in order to view flash videos from the websites.
Archos 5 used to have an application called Thinkfree office installed which allowed us to view PDF, excel, and word document. I am not able to find this same application on the Archos 43. However, this application and the Adobe viewer could be downloaded from the Google Markletplace. Do some research on the Archosfans website and you would be able to get the instructions on installing the Marketplace app.
Video and display
The display is very nice and sharp. In the demo video, I also showed a side-by-side comparison between an i-Phone and the Archos 43. The display area for the Archos 43 is 32% larger than an iPhone. Whereas the Archos 5 IT has a 65% larger display area over the iPhone with its 4.8" screen. Even though the display area is not much larger than the iPhone, the viewing experience is notably different. The video camera recording is of average quality. It does OK in well lighted area but the video is pretty grainy under poor lighting conditions. I also found some issues with the Amazon's Kindle viewer. The right side text was chopped off by the menu bar.
Sound
The external speaker is much better than the Archos 5 IT and produced much more sound in comparison.
WiFi and internet connection
There are major improvements in the Wifi connection as I experienced no trouble connecting the WiFi to my home wireless network. This was the most annoying problem I had with the Archos 5 IT.
Batteries
Charge time is much better than the Archos 5 IT. Took about 2-3 hours for a full charge. It lasts for about 2-3 hours of constant uses. If we leave the Wifi on, it seems to drain the battery charge rather rapidly. I did another benchmark testing by playing only video with the external speaker at 50% volume. It ran for a good 6-7 hours on a full charge.
It uses a standard micro-USB cable for connection to the PC.
Overall, I am quite pleased with this gadget particularly its light weight and larger screen size than my iPhone.

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The ARCHOS 43 is more than your average media player--it's a connected Android palm-sized tablet.With a simple tap on the home screen, you'll be accessing HD video playback, a built-in HD camcorder, the latest Android apps, your emails, and full Internet browsing. It's as simple as a tap.
HD video playback, a built-in HD camcorder, the latest Android apps, your emails, full Internet browsing, and plenty more.

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ViewSonic ViewPad 10 VPAD10_AHUS_05 Wi Fi/Bluetooth 10.1-Inch Tablet Computer - Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)While I was wondering about getting the Asus Slate or Iconia w500 a friend of mine bought this before me and told me the store I could get it from would let me try it out for 2 weeks. That was about 3 months ago. This device is awesome and it doesn't get 5 starts simply because it's not perfect.
The device seems underpowered when you compare it to the hardware of the Eee Slate, w500 or new Lenovo Slate but the Intel Atom processor is actually quite speedy and the 1 GB of DDR3 surprisingly handles everything well. This system has never bogged down on me even though I have been downloading torrents, web browsing, watching videos, or streaming music all at the same time.
The capacitive touch screen is excellent and works great with Firefox (with Chrome you need extra drivers). You may have to try 2 or 3 times to drag little sliders but you can adjust the sensitivity from being precise to being more generous. After months of usage though, I have no problems interacting with anything on the screen.
The weight of the device is fine for one-handed use in most positions but at first I found that my thumb would often end up touching the bottom of the screen, which will negate any input from your finger. I think I'd prefer the bezel of the Hanvon B16. Currently, however, I no longer have any issues with the bezel.
I can't really speak about battery life since I normally have it plugged in my car but while in the house I've never had an issue with the 5 or so hours it provides. Obviously, you can configure your power options to no end in Control Panel.
The virtual keyboard is almost perfect. I have used a mouse, keyboard and ext DVD drive as well with no issues, and typing slightly lengthy notes with both index fingers is not a big deal. The reason it's "almost" perfect is because it does not automatically switch to capital letters when starting new paragraphs, etc. Maybe there'll be an update for that.
Many people complain about the small 16GB SSD, which is valid if you don't have a microSD, but why on earth wouldn't you have a dedicated miroSD for your tablet just like you have for most phones? I have a 32GB microSD in mine so I have no issues concerning space. I also have a 16GB flash drive so I have tons of content with me at all times, and I can easily share that content with others with ease. You can't share anything if you have an iPad.
For internet access on the go I simply tether my android phone with my tablet, which works like a charm.
I would have preferred:
A 32GB or 64GB SSD
SDHC port instead of microSD
Standard HDMI Out
Stereo Speakers (they're only good in enclosed spaces)
Standard ROMs (I couldn't delete Android & install Tiny 7 for some reason)
The beauty of the Viewpad 10 is that it is designed well enough and because it has Windows 7 you are free to do ANYTHING. Where Android and Apple devices have limitations, the Viewpad 10 gives you true freedom. Once you get used to the touch screen you may find yourself smiling as you transfer a file from your friend's flash drive while streaming your favorite shows from Hulu, or you may be downloading some files while browsing actual websites instead of going through apps. Basically, the Viewpad 10 may be the first truly good portable PC tablet.
FYI, I do not use the Android 2.2 OS (Froyo) on this device. What's the point? When you have the power of a full featured OS like Win7 on a well designed tablet (unlike the w500) iOS and Android become insignificant unless you're an avid gamer.

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