-Hey, I'm Donald Bell, and today, we're taking a first look at the Maylong M-150 Android Tablet, also known as the 99-dollar Walgreens Tablet.
In full disclosure, we paid closer to $130, but really, this thing is a bad value no matter what you pay for it.
It may look like an offspring of the iPad and the Galaxy Tab, but this unfortunate thing is a bait and switch in every possible way.
The button on the front looks like a home button, but it's actually a back key.
The app market on the menu takes you to a clearing house of free apps that no one wants.
The clunky resistive display on the front is covered with a worked plastic.
And if you wanna get anything done, you're best off using the included stylus.
All of the icons for the stock Android 1.6 apps have been given a pointless makeover just to ug things up.
And if you wanna synch this back to your computer, good luck.
The port on the bottom here that looks like a dock connector is actually there to work
with this included adapter, which adds 2 USB ports, and a feature we've all been asking for: an Ethernet port.
That's right.
You can Ethernet port but you don't actually have a way to USB-synch this over to your computer and transfer content.
Instead, the best you get is a micro SD card slot that allows you to add media.
Also on the bottom, you'll find speakers, a headphone jack, and a power adapter socket that works with the included wall wart.
Just don't lose it because you'll be recharging this every few hours, even if you're just doing some light web browsing.
The bottom line is that this thing's more trouble than it's worth, and it's also a case study in how these kinds of budget Android tablets can be disappointing.
If you're shopping around this $100 to $200 price range, a new or used iPod Touch is going to deliver an infinitely better experience, though with a smaller screen.
So, there you go.
That's the Walgreens Tablet demystified.
If you spot one in the wild, there's something like it, I would steer clear no matter how good a bargain it seems.
For CNET.com, I'm Donald Bell.
