Zenithink ZT-180 10.2in ePad review

Dolphinsushi

I purchased one of these from China and it arrived last week. It is a WiFi and Ethernet capable alternative to the Apple iPad and has a similar look.
It came with Android 2.1 Eclair installed and I had to add my own microSD card, a 4Gb from Argos (€8.99).

It is NOT a cheap knock-off of an iPad as it is a quite capable machine in its own right. It doesn't have the iPad's polished user experience, and with a resistive screen it can be difficult to use at first.

I am also an Android noob so I had the double problem of finding my way around an unfamiliar OS as well as a new way of thinking about doing things.

Though the tablet is not a phone it still has loads of references to phone in the popup menus and the settings. It had a USB socket to connect external devices such as thumb drives, mice and keyboards which it accepts without problems. It does not work (yet) with a 3g modem but I hope to solve that eventually.

It also had a miniUSB socket which allows it to be connected to a PC. I have used this to flash an update to the firmware.

There is no access to the official Android Market but does have access to SlideMe which is an alternative market.

Where the machine scores best is its ability to play 1080p divx/xvid encoded avi movies. It is a hit or miss process in finding movies that will play but when they are encoded properly the play great. One thing is that there should be no bad spots in the avi file as it tends to hang the machine. This is something that will probably be ironed out in future firmware upgrades. The machine uses Real Player as its default player.


Web surfing is a nice experience on a 10in screen. The screen is resistive so a light fingernail contact works best. It took me a while to get used to it. If you use a stylus and haven’t got it to hand then the temptation to use whatever is in reach is too great and I have scratched the screen slightly using a dead biro. I think it is best to persevere using very light fingernail contact until you master it.

The screen does not have the special coating Apple use on theirs so it tends to get a bit mucky. Use a dry tissue to polish it up once in a while.

Battery life is not great but I get a couple of hours surfing before having to recharge. You can use it with the power cable connected if you want. This is not recommended in some of the forums. I don’t know why that is. With the WiFi turned off and the brightness turned down it will last 4 hours using book reader.

I purchased this machine after spending some time reading up on them and learning to separate the hype from the truth. Anybody buying one of these devices needs to have patience and be willing to experiment a little.

I would not recommend this machine as a present for someone who wants instant gratification as they will end up frustrated and disappointed. I would hang on until later in the year when more polished versions come out from the major manufacturers.

I would recommend this to anybody who has a sense of adventure and has the time and patience to master it. By the time you can use it to write a post like this you will be a master. This technology is still in its infancy.

I also predict that these devices will be the big seller in the Christmas market this year. I expect to see them in pink cases with butterflies and diamonds. I also expect a huge surge I apps and games designed for use on touch-only 7 and 10in screens. These things are not going away.





For me - Well worth the €187 and the 12 days wait.

There is a quite lively thread discussing this machine here: http://androidforums.com/tablets-mids/

evolutionqy7

hmmm i did some research on these but windows 7 devices seemed more appealing to me as it was more compatible with everything i use these days

conor.hogan.2

Do you work for Microsoft and or are you Paul Thurrotte - lol.

Seems nice - but the screen being resistive is a big big deal, even if it was 250 euro as opposed to 187 with a capacitive screen it would be well worth it.

But as is not worth it.

Like the specs are great but the mucky screen and multiple taps would far outweigh 1080p quality which is great but come on priorities.

Considering the screen size I am not sure how a custom rom would run - so you might be stuck with their software and not the Android market which is also a bit cheap and annoying.

evolutionqy7

whats funny on these devices that these Chinese replicas put 2x phone batteries in them...hence why it doesn't last long...i would want to hold out till a decent manufacturer provides one that would receive updates and not just a one off product...

even my full size laptop lasts 9 hours...5 hours with wifi...with full brightness i might add

these things are developed right yet

Spipov

does your model have a webcam in it?id be interested for the sake of doing video calls via fring!

jimmycrackcorm

The price is great and you could probably live with the screen touch. But the battery life is the choice killer when it comes to these tablets.

Dolphinsushi

Spipov wrote: »

does your model have a webcam in it?id be interested for the sake of doing video calls via fring!

No there is no webcam. The pad would not really be suitable for making videos as it doesnt have a microphone socket either. Just An inbuilt microphone on the side.
Battery life is a letdown and yes there are two small batteries taped together inside.

Apps can be obtained from developer websites directly and installed using a very nifty app called apkinstall. Not having access to the official market is not a big issue.

MP3s and wmas play well but not being able to play flacs is annoying.

I am normally an xp and linux user and have no great love of M$. I'm not a salesman either
Look through the forum mentioned in the review and see the warts and all technical details. I am not touting this machine, just telling people what I got for the money.
I am happy with mine despite it's limitations.

TheDoc

Had a bit of ipad messing today and for the price was not one bit impresed, seriously poor stuff and couldnt see myself using it at all.

The price on this is alot more appealing, but for 200 euro thats still alot for a machine that has no use to me what so ever : /

I'd posibly see myself docking it and maybe using it to play videos while im on a game or something.

TheDoc

After some research it seems this device does not have the described 1ghz processor, but a slower cpu that runs at about 500mhz, also lack of marketplace support and some teething issues putting me more towards doubt then joy.

Its interesting seeing so many contrasting reviews.

evolutionqy7

well there are some tablets there running on intel atom and seem decent quality but still low quality company from china doesn't ring quality for value...just low quality

I WANT A GAMING TABLET

TheDoc

The forum link above by the OP is fascinating.

Everyone was hyped until it appeared that there was a little scam made about the cpu installed.

As the thread continues, and more people got their hands on them the reviews got better and better.

Video reviews from a number of "gadget" sites are giving it the thumbs up.

It seems a device you really want to root, and there looks to be a lively dev community for it, so in time it should get some more high quality roms etc.

The original company themselves seem to be realising firmware updates for things like 2.2 , improved battery life and a number of fixes.

The device seems to be connecting to froyo 2.2 devices running hotspot without problems, and the video playback seems inspiring.

I'm highly tempted. I never saw the need for an ipad, basically the cost to usage ratio wouldnt equal. But for the pricing of between 150-200 euro it seems rather interesting.

The promises of fixes here and there and the community support might make it interesting.

I'm very much held back by it being a chinese knock off, the battery being two phone batteries taped together and the fact Android marketplace will never be officially supported.

If it had marketplace I'd take the plunge, but without the apps I've come to rely/love on my Desire, hmm, I'll be monitoring this with interest.

And android tablet is on the cards for me, but I might hang on for something more reputible and official, would love to see a more indepth review by the OP, and if anyone else round here gets one.

Also in no way aimed at the OP specifically, granted I did notice his low post count, but many a forum seem to be absolutely plagued by sellers from ebay and elsewhere appearing on forums touting the device. Might just me being skeptical, but after working in an industry with the Chinese, specifically clone factories, I know all the tricks and perhaps my skepticalism is getting to me.

Very interesting all the same.

Brian

I'm more interested in the WITS A81E (aka Nationite MIDnite)

http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/08/06/mp4nation-announce-nationite-midnite-200-7-froyo-tablet/

evolutionqy7

Baza210 wrote: »

I'm more interested in the WITS A81E (aka Nationite MIDnite)

http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/08/06/mp4nation-announce-nationite-midnite-200-7-froyo-tablet/

and we will wait for this

and i guess we wont see it coming out till the 1.3 - 1.5GHz Qualcomm Dragons will come out

TheDoc

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

and we will wait for this

and i guess we wont see it coming out till the 1.3 - 1.5GHz Qualcomm Dragons will come out

Now that is something interesting

evolutionqy7

yup...i would love a tablet...just please i dont want an apple logo on it or its OS

Ample Free ...?

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

and we will wait for this

and i guess we wont see it coming out till the 1.3 - 1.5GHz Qualcomm Dragons will come out

Just to confuse the issue even more. Happened to see this article this morning, seems to suggest the opposite to that one! Or who know's, maybe they'll just push both out?

evolutionqy7

aslong as i can play plants and zombies im happy

Dolphinsushi

The ZT-180 saga continues with reports that at least one individual unit was seizd by US customs because it did not have FCC approval documentation, while a startup company in Texas has imported large shipments to re-sell on the US market with no FCC problems..

These tablets are sold under different names but watch out for the phrase "ZT-180" which usually identifies this device.

The US startup is Flatcomputing and they hope to sell and champion the machine in the US market. If they become a large enough customer for Zenithink then they may get full co-operation and tech support from the Chinese factory where they are made.

Traditionally Chinese manufacturers make as much from a production run as possible and then move on to the next big thing. They have no strong concept of long term customer support. That is why Apple do so well, they manufacture in China but support their customer base
from their own offices.

Flatcomputing may stick with the ZT-180 if there are enough customers and Zenithink seem to be steaming ahead with production so maybe there will be a good long-term support regime, but I wouldn't count on it being as good a the major manufacturers.

There will always be a better newer shinier machine just about to be released so you must put your money down somewhere if you want in on the action. I chose the zt-180 as it looked like there wasn't anything better coming out for a while. I'm glad I got this one as watching its firmware improve over different builds is fascinating. I have now re-flashed the firmware twice and each time brought an improvement.

The Zenithink does seem to generate more activity on the various Android forums than any other tablet so that may be a sign of its popularity

I will be back in the market next year money permitting for a 3g machine with bluetooth, GPS and long battery life, probably running Android 3.0. Until then I am happy with my toy. Some of the game apps are really addictive and with a little curiosity I was able to find any free apps I wanted outside the official android market channel. Look for them and you will find them.

evolutionqy7

look here

samsung planning on an android tablet

Ample Free ...?

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

look here

samsung planning on an android tablet

Looks like an alright piece of kit. One thing about the article though is that it mentions that it's unclear whether or not it'll have a Samsung UI on top of froyo. I managed to pause the video and get this screen grab, and it seems pretty certain that it will have something similar to the UI on the Galaxy S.

A pity in my opinion as I don't particualarily like the style of it. Though I think I'll wait for the official luanch and the details that emerge before I write it off as just another gimmicky tablet.:p

Dolphinsushi

Ample Free ...? wrote: »

Looks like an alright piece of kit. One thing about the article though is that it mentions that it's unclear whether or not it'll have a Samsung UI on top of froyo. I managed to pause the video and get this screen grab, and it seems pretty certain that it will have something similar to the UI on the Galaxy S.

A pity in my opinion as I don't particualarily like the style of it. Though I think I'll wait for the official luanch and the details that emerge before I write it off as just another gimmicky tablet.:p

Nice!
There is a longer video of it here that was made earlier. It shows as multitouch with pinch zoom and what looks like resistive screen.(yeah!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3pt9Pm_cmc

I can see how people like the 7in form as it is holdable in one hand.
Samsung have usually made good solid products in the past so I look forward to seeing this one in the shops, but probably not untl next year in Ireland.

I doubt if many journalists will be prepared to call this one an iPad knockoff for fear of Samsung's legal might.

I hope it's 3G and has a microphone jack.

Meanwhile my 10in "iPad knockoff" Zenithink is getting beter and better. I noticed that I can type more quickly and accurately as time goes on.

I have opened mine up and had a look around at it's innards. There is a mod to install a better internal antenna and a firmware change to reduce the wifi transmit power. This lets it run cooler and adds a little to battery life.

If you feel like reading up the best forum to follow is this one...
http://androidforums.com/tablets-mids/132917-zenithink-zt-180-1ghz-10-tablet.html
It is not for the faint-hearted but is probably the best central source for info on the pad.

http://www.jiongtang.com/fourm/android-f60/?sid=61ca81ffb156a6ca9aff244006accf18

This site is close to the Zenithink manufacturers and good for keeping an eye on firmware changes.

I have now access to the official Android market (after jumping through a few hoops) So most of the limitations I faced initially have been overcome.

I will be on the lookout for a better battery (pair of batteries strapped in series) to up the power stored from 2000mAh to maybe 4mAh.

I am still hoping to get it working with my Huawei 3g modem(E270) but this may never happen. I am not a developer.

TheDoc

Where did you buy yours from?

Most of the sellers look well dodgy : /

I am following some threads and twitters that revealed access to the market place, more stable updates and it basically week after week getting better and better, so its becoming more appealing.

Love to find some hands on with it, or a really decent review on youtube, most i find are from amatuer users that dont really show anything past " here is how to open the browser"

evolutionqy7

well i do hope samsung doesnt have its horrible UI on it...

but i guess ill hold off till a windows slate...i like ubuntu and android but i dont find it ground breaking and its app market is a mess...not enough sub folder and too many sexy girl wallpapers apps...

and leaning to the fact that windows slate would (probably) have its xbox scalling chip and xbox integration id def go for windows slate..

id love something around 7 inch tablet to fit in the glovebox of the car and take it out when on the go...or stick it on the dash and use it as a navigator or video player...

ive seen some lovely W7 slates on the net but i know for a fact most of them will last about 3 hours...and god my laptop can last up to 9 hours

Dolphinsushi

Since my last post 2 months ago there have been several firmware revisions for this tablet.
I am now on firmware version 1012 (twelvth of October)
Here I my short list of improvements that matter.

Official Adroid Market Support.
Getting it working just requires a google acount. Access to the official market does open up some nice new possibilities especially in games.

3G support for WCDMA modems.
I have not got one of these yet but UK users report it works OK in their 3G networks. I have an unlocked Huawei modem ordered that works with it. Should arrive soon.

Automatic re-acquire of dropped wifi link.
This is a really great improvement as users were having to stop and restart the wifi when the link dropped. This is n0o longer an issue.

Google location working through wifi location .
This works amazingly well as it places me very accurately within google maps. Streetview mobile version works fine though slow.

Google Docs support is much better than before. I got powerpoint presentations to work acceptabely with auto slideshow but for some reason not auto-loop. Maybe I need to try harder.

Google Docs print through a shared lan printer now works. Google sends you a pdf which you sent to the print server.

Access to the file server on my lan (MS Workgroup) is now routine. The transfer speed is slow though so large files (700MB AVI movies) takes a bit longer than normal.

In general most Google apps seem to work OK. Skype keeps crashing on me though so I must wait for further updates.

Overall the user experience of this device has improved greatly since last July when I purchased it.

I hope to get an unlocked Huawei 3G modem working later this week with my 3g sim.
Skype remains my main wishlist item not yet working. I have seen better batteries mentioned on the forums and people have made modifications to the wifi by rooting and changing settings as well as by physically adding longer antennas. There is talk on the forums of getting bluetooth and GPS working via external USB devices. These will be added to later firmware versions as they become available.

I a still very happy with my €187 purchase.

:):)

Freesias

Thanks for the great background info on this product. It ticks loads of boxes and seems very well priced. I'm think I'll wait til the launch of the HTC Google tablet due on Nov 26 - not sure if it's in the US only though, before I decide. I want something quite straightforward with good functionality and my HTC Desire is a great ad for the Google option.