tablet drama: bug or feature?

Immaculata · 01-09-2012 4:51pm #1

I went on a camping holiday recently and bought a cheap tablet PC before I left, the idea being that I'd use it to connect to free wifi and therefore save the expense/hassle of finding internet cafes along the way. I bought a Versus Touchpad 7 which runs Android 4.0.

I realise that tablet PCs are more limited than a desktop or laptop and that typing on them is a bit of a hassle, but even making allowances for the different format, it was very annoying to use. The main problem was trying to use it at all while it was charging. I couldn't even scroll down without the text resizing or the browser closing or the whole thing powering off. Typing anything at all into it was nearly impossible as pressing 'a' would lead to random strings like 'aaalsd' appearing on screen. Unplugging the charger solved the problem. Eventually I stopped using it when it was charging but considering I was travelling, it was very inconvenient. Manys a time I would have loved to throw it across the tent.

So is this glitchy behaviour expected for tablet PCs? This is my first one. Can I return it or do I have to put up with it?

AlmightyCushion · 01-09-2012 5:01pm

It sounds faulty but given that this is more than likely a very cheap tablet you probably have very little comeback. Where did you buy it?

cookie1977 · 01-09-2012 5:12pm

It's priced 89 sterling on currys.co.uk. That is a hell of a lot cheaper then the decent tablets. You might get and exchange but as it's so cheap that could be a "feature"

Immaculata · 01-09-2012 5:31pm

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

It sounds faulty but given that this is more than likely a very cheap tablet you probably have very little comeback. Where did you buy it?

It was just over a hundred euro in PC World/Currys.

yoyo · 01-09-2012 5:34pm

Looks like random typing might be a "feature", review

Nick

01-09-2012 5:50pm

Capacitive displays are very sensitive to electric fields. Maybe poor design is causing the charging circuit to interfere with the touch detection.

These cheap tablets are a false economy, they tend to be garbage. Get a decent one or don't get one at all.

bonzodog2 · 01-09-2012 7:08pm

I got a cheap one a while back, and found its a whole lot easier to use with a keyboard like this one and a wifi mouse. That case may not suit your tablet though.

Immaculata · 25-09-2012 4:00pm

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. I took the tablet back and explained the trouble I'd had with it. The store gave me a full refund, thankfully.

tablet drama: bug or feature?

Comments