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General discussion

Android Tablets: They're already here

Jun 17, 2010 10:09PM PDT

Hi Folks,

I've been really surprised lately that the show keeps saying "Android tablets will be out in a few months" and there aren't any yet. Well actually, there is one that has been out since March (was even reviewed by CNET's Ina Fried), but it just has not gotten much press.

http://pinoytutorial.com/techtorial/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/edge.jpg

It's enTourage eDGe and it's made by a small but noble start-up in Virginia. It's a Courier-style dual screen device with an LCD display running Android on one side, and a Kindle DX-sized, touch-sensitive eInk display on the other. It has a front facing camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, slots for SD and SIM cards, and two full-sized USB ports that accept off-the-shelf keyboards and mice. It even runs Flash Lite. After seeing the Dell Streak and that other gigantic one, the eDGe seems to be just the right size if you ask me. Granted it's not perfect. It can't access Google's android market directly, though alternate apps stores like SlideMe and AndAppStore work fine, as does direct downloads of APK files from developers. But I've had mine for over a month and I am really happy with it. I would advise anyone reading reviews on it to ignore any prior to May 25, when a major update was put out that fixed most of the gripes reviewers had.

If this device sounds cool to you, show them some love and at least talk about it.

Thanks

Discussion is locked

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Engadget savaged that thing:
Jun 17, 2010 11:51PM PDT
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That's an out of date review.
Jun 18, 2010 1:05AM PDT

That review was before May, as I pointed out in my original post. And matters of size seem to be entirely subjective. It's too big for some people, and too small for others. Your mileage may vary.

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This thing is going to bomb worse than the joo joo
Jun 18, 2010 1:58AM PDT

(at least the Joo Joo has some decent style). How many people really want a bloated, 3lb cheap plastic e-reader/tablet combo that doesn't even have direct access to the Android market and that costs as much as an iPad? Oh and don;t forget the resistive touch screen and the design that looks like it came straight out of 1998.

This kind of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink spec tunnel vision is exactly why Archos gets ignored by all but their most devout fans and its why they can't really compete with the mainstream offerings. The devil is in the details so throwing a bunch of hardware capabilities in a box does not a great experience make. More is not always more. Sometimes more is just a giant mess.

Maybe the BOL crew should clarify and say "when the GOOD Android tablets arrive). They surely will come, but this is not one of them.

Looks like quite a few review sites feel the same way:
http://blog.laptopmag.com/entourage-edge-review-roundup

Crave compares it with Homer Simpson's abomination of a dream car:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20000440-1.html
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1033/1033363934_dc44fb5b8f.jpg

Wired's review pretty much sums it up "Dual-Screen E-Reader Makes a Half-Assed Debut"
http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/pr_ereader_entourage