Apad disassembly videos 4:21 AM

aPad Disassembly videos This first video shows the aluminum shell unit being opened. Note that this unit has the camera in the corner, The LCD screen is positioned such that there would be no room for a side camera, like the one I have here. The mainboard takes up only half the area of the interior, with the battery taking the remaining space. The background suggests this is a Hiapad video. The video can also be found on the Hiapad site. This second video is by xaueious who is notable for his technical knowledge of the Apad. Search his name for other technical information. This video shows the plastic front bezel being removed. His unit has a red LED with the camera in the corner. The shell is plastic. It has a speaker slot in the back characteristic of the plastic shell units. He discusses how to increase the volume of the single speaker. There is discussion on this Hiapad blog on disassembly suggesting it may be the use of heat that damages the front film of the bezel. The same blog site gives a warning about flashing the blue LED units. This follow-up video shows xaueious putting the bezel back on. Note that this disassembly results in cosmetic damage to the bezel. This link shows a couple of Youku videos in Chinese that feature the plastic shell unit with a corner camera being disassembled. This looks like a Hiapad video. I have written to davismicro for help in identifying the manufacturer of my unit (blue LED, plastic shell, 9V power, camera on the side, rk2808sdk, diamond on power button) and for help finding the correct firmware to download. Note: Davismicro does not answer my requests for information.

Android 2.2.1 firmware for Rockchip Apad released! (Alpha) 2:38 AM

Android 2.2.1 for Apad Batch 2 based on Cyanogen MOD (ALPHA1) Hello After some time working on the source, I still was able to get more or less a working build. I call him "ALPHA1". Warn that rom is slow. In the current build works 1) Sound 2) Wi-Fi (need testing) 3) SD Card 4) Touchscreen (might not work, because not all devices on the same screen, or perhaps for your screen need the other calibrations. Write in this thread if you have any problems with this) (in next build you can add your calibration into calibration shell script located on /data) Does not work: 1) Sensors 2) DSP acceleration for video 3) Mounting tablet as a flash card to your computer (for sdcard it will be work in next build) 4) Move applications on sdcard (problem of old kernel) 5) Menu Settings->Status (will be work in next build) 6) Lock screen (will be work in next build) 7) Problem with read tags of sound files (not exactly, need testing. maybe problem of cyanogen mod) 8) May be some applications not working, because I have not tested them all. 9) Camera 10) JIT (will be work in next build) 11) Status bar buttons (may be in next build, how to add is clear, testing...) Perhaps what's more, because I have not tried all the things. Warn that can some things of cyanogen mod responsible for changing the settings of Java machine aren't work, because I replace some library to similar library of froyo (cyanogen mod's library is not working). (will be fixed in next build) By the way, works DSPManager. To adjust the sound in your headphones you will need to change the settings for Phone speaker. Also, there are some flaws in the display of certain programs (for example - the status bar). I will try to solve this problem. Also, try to figure out how to add buttons into the status bar. Link for download: Multiupload.com - upload your files to multiple file hosting sites!

They said it couldn’t be done – but give some hackers a community and something to aim for, and before you know it, the impossible is suddenly very possible! fkcoder releases a new Alpha Android 2.2.1 for our favourite Apad!

Apad … err, ebook reader factories go crazy at DealExtreme 1:57 AM

Yep, they can’t quite stop churning out these ebook readers, on DX:

Gemei GM5000 4.7" Touch Screen E-Book Reader HD Media Player w/ Voice Recorder/TF - White (4GB) $74.00 free shipping » MP3/MP4 Players R8 5.0" Touch Screen E-Book Reader HD Media Player w/ Voice Recorder/TF - White (4GB) $92.10 free shipping » MP3/MP4 Players R7 4.7" Touch Screen E-Book Reader HD Media Player w/ Voice Recorder/TF - White (4GB) $77.50 free shipping » MP3/MP4 Players

They’re no Kindles … but then again, Kindles have to colour, or Firefox:)!

Endgadget reviews Pandigital novel 3:01 AM

For a device so amazingly widely sold, there aren’t too many reviews out there.  Try this endgadget one though, and consider if you really want one: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/20/pandigital-novel-review/

How to replace an apad screen 11:16 PM

Cracked your Apad screen? Never had it work properly the first time? Courtesy of djxs, here is a step by step tutorial on how to replace an Apad screen:

Apad Touchscreen Repair/Replacement Tutorial by djxs on 10-11-2010 at 09:01 PM (208 Views) *Important - Always open your apad first to make sure that your touchscreen/cover is cracked and not your LCD screen. The touchscreen/cover will crack 90% of the time while your LCD screen will remain intact. The touchscreen/cover costs $20 while the LCD screen is $30. You can purchase both the LCD screen, and/or Touchscreen/cover at Lunarsources. (Highly recommended!) - Broken touchscreen on Apad. (MD01-V6.0, Red LED, 9V, Aluminum backing) - Carefully remove the cover with a suction cup or similar device. Make sure to pop-up the connector for the ribbon that leads to the touchscreen/cover. - Touchscreen/cover removed - LCD screen still okay. - With an exact-o knife or similar, carefully take off the top black cover/touchscreen off of the aluminum bracket - Cover/touchscreen removed - Remove any excess adhesive off of the aluminum bracket before sticking the new touchscreen/cover on again. Put your power/suspend button back in and make sure your touchscreen ribbon cable is on-top of the bracket before sticking it back on. - New touchscreen/cover applied. - Snap everything back in carefully, don't forget to hook up the ribbon cable for the touchscreen. - Done! Original thread: http://www.slatedroid.com/apad-moddi...-tutorial.html

Hiapad – Apad manufacturer – posts VOIP download for Apad 4:46 AM

Haipad posted a new download on their site [10/14] Anyone try this out yet? What does it let you do exactly? http://www.haipad.net/DownloadShow.asp?ID=9 Chinese to English translation Download Center Software Download>> HAIPAD PHONE HAIPAD PHONE Software language: Simplified Chinese File Size: 1330 Finishing Date: 2010/10/14 Downloads: 684 :: Download:: ┊ Download Address ┊ :: Download Instructions:: This is our own development of an IP network telephone software, you can install about play. Can make domestic and international calls; make your PAD is more fun.

This is what it does:

i tried it. You can prety much configute any VOIP service you want. I configured it for sipgate.de with no problems. well.. no problems... The Mic and the speaker on my pad are very weak and since i have the account only for fun and free i have no one to call. i can hear the voice on the other side but it seems i could not send a key stroke to finish the 'Echo test' Makes me realy wish they would not build in a hardwired MIC but a 4 contacts headphone jack or a seperate mic jack. calling the VOIP number from my landline made the pad ring =) but now i have a 'missed call' icon in the task bar i cant get rid of.

List of Rockchip Apad custom Roms 4:58 AM

Custom Roms For 7", 9V, Red Led, MD01-V6.0, 3.27 Bootloader Only! Here Is Custom Roms For People That Bricked Their Devices After Flashing With: Roger Braun, Xaueious, Donaldson, HiApad Firmware Make sure your device are: 1. Apad iRobot 2. 7" screen 3. Aluminium back with oval "iRobot" logo 4. 9V charger/power adaptor/power supply 5. Red Led 6. MD01-V6.0 mainboard 7. 3.27 Bootloader 8. build number RK-1.3.2.eng.root.20100729.130751 Default firmware here 0802CN Below are the custom roms created by respective rom cooker, thanks goes to them.. Keep in mind that these roms are using the same bootloader and kernel. RB Hybrid 5.1 for MD01-v6.0 based on [ROM] Hybrid custom firmware for aPad 5.1, batch 2 red LED only (July 3rd) RB Hybrid 6.0 beta for MD01-v6.0 based on [ROM] Hybrid 6 beta test (Batch 2) DonaldsonV4 for MD01-v6.0(MERCURY) based on DonaldsonV4 HKX1.3.3R2 for MD01-v6.0 based on Xaueious HKX1.3.3R2(+SU.apk) I've also had problem with the Market, but its not hard to fix, if its closed or kick you out..just set up date,time & location, sign in to google..wait until it finish synced with the server and try invoke the market again..if still kick you out..just reboot and reboot and try again..once you get ToC then its okay..

7" Touch Screen TFT LCD Google Android 2.1 Tablet PC w/ WiFi/Camera/HDMI (Telechips 8902/720MHz) - $168 from DealExtreme 6:23 AM

Operating System:
Google Android 2.1

Processor:
Telechips TCC8902

CPU Frequency:
720MHz ARM11

Ram:
256M DDR2 RAM

Flash:
2GB

External memory:
Support micro SD/TF card up to 32GB

Display:
7" TFT LCD with resistance screen touch

Resolution:
WVGA 800*480-pixel resolution

Touch Control:
Full size touch operation, sliding menu, functional icon dragging

Orientation Sensors:
With accelerometer, automatic steering display screen

Network:
IEEE802.11b/g Wi-Fi network connection

Camera:
Built-in 300K Pixels camera

Microphone:
Built-in

Speaker:
Built-in 1 speaker

Slots:
1 * TF card (support up to 32G)

1 * 3.5mm earphone

1 * Mini USB

1 * HDMI Out (support 1080P HDMI TV out)

1 * Power supply

Support Video Formats:
MPEG1/MPEG2/WMV9/MPEG4-SP/ASF/DIVX/H.263/H.264/RMVB/MOV/MKV/TS/FLV

Support Audio Formats:
WMA/MP3/WAV/OOG/AAC/EAAC

Support Picture Formats:
JPG/GIF/BMP/PNG

Language:
Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Battery:
Built-in 3000mAh Lithium battery (manufacturer rated)

 

Want one? Click here: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.44673

Eken M003 Slatedroid Mercury beta firmware released 5:38 AM

http://www.mp4doggie.com/images/merc.png Slatedroid Mercury Beta by lefeudedieu & Roger Calver www.slatedroid.com This is Beta firmware and is untested please report all bugs to the M003 mercury thread . Firmware built on offical Eken SDK 1.9.1 Rooted, Swap enabled, Google apps working etc Gmail, Gtalk, Market, Wifi TXpower now set at 25 instead of 100 - lower power drain, Slatedroid colour theme, New Bootloader screen - Slatedroid logo, Removed, crapware, File browser, Added, Kindle, Adliko, Better Terminal, Slatedroid Market, + other tweaks http://www.slatedroid.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=94

Augen Gentouch firmware updated 6:50 AM

http://augenus.com/indexhome.html/Updates.html

Archos releases Kernals – Apad firmware fodder! 6:49 AM

Hi guys, I am writing to let you know that Archos released the kernel sources for the 7 Home Tablet. I think it should be very usefull for aPad owners developing firmwares. http://www.archos.com/support/downlo...hos7HT_GPL.tgz

Oh gawd, it’s horrible … pictures of dead apad … 4:05 AM

Too horrible to look at … but if you really want to, click here: http://www.mp4nation.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=19373

Apad Telechip TCC8902 Review from Slatedroid forum 3:57 AM

Apad Telechip TCC8902, is FINALY here! My review SO! After a month and a half of Paypal disputing and crappy customer service with Chinese vendors my apad with the telechip has finaly arrived. Now that is is unboxed and in use, I'm not sure if I'm happy or not First thing: this is the website which I bought it from > Apad iRobot Telechip TCC8902 7" Android 2.1 Tablet PC I would not and could not recommend to anyone, to purchase anything from this company based on my experience. It was pretty much a nightmare. They ran me around in circles for a bit (your tablet is going to ship today/tomorrow/in two weeks/ a month later). I eventually had to call in for reinforcements from Paypal to get this all sorted out. And what arrived in the mail, pretty much pissed me off. It came a) slightly damaged, b) synced with someone else's Gmail, and c) not quite what I paid for. When I first purchased the tablet back in July they swore up and down that it would be coming with an HDMI output and 4GB of internal storage, which of course was not the case. Nonetheless enough of my nagging. Lesson learned; don't buy cheap technology from China. Now as far as the performance of the tablet, it's not all that bad. It's a fairly snappy device. The touchscreen is one of the better resistive ones I've played with, and there is software loaded to emulate multitouch gestures (not very effectively though). My biggest qualm with this device is when playing games and I press the touch screen it pretty much destroys the gameplay. It starts lagging and is right on the bleeding edge of freezing. Very frustrating. I've also been having quite a bit of compatibility issues with apps. A good amount of them downloaded from the market (which is the official android market) end up just force closing on me or they have jumbled screens etc. The G-sensor is fantastic and pretty responsive. Autorotate is 4-way and it works nicely. I was playing games like Abduction and Tilt Labrynth flawlessly for the most part. One thing I did notice while I was calibrating the G-sensor, even when I set the tablet on a completely flat surface, the sensor does not register as staying completely still. It still wobbles back and forth ever so slightly. It was kinda irritating while playing tilt labrynth, with it being 3D graphics, the tablet would be laying still and it looks like a small earthquake is happening in the game. No biggie but I wish it was fixed. As for the built in camera. No way in hell it's 1.3mp as advertised. It is complete crap, pictures are really blurry and I can barely make them out. I'm inclined to think it's the plastic touchscreen over the lense that is making the camera look so crummy. To be honest if I had a choice I'd rather the camera not be there at all, even if it was offered to be on the tablet for free. The UI of it is okay. It has working volume controls on the notification bar. Controls to adjust screen brightness work. Unfortunately it has no home button and the option to set the function of the button on the front does not work. So I have to use the back button on the top of the tablet. So if I'm browsing the internet, in order for me to get back to the home screen I have to hit back through all of my previous pages until I get to the first page again. Reset to factory setting doesn't work, which is unfortunate, because the tablet came pre synced with god knows who's gmail account, and apparently the only way to remove it is to reset the tablet. Wireless is surprisingly good as far as range. I'm able to connect to my home wifi from places my laptop can't. Though it does eats right through the battery life, which is very poor to begin with. A full charge with wifi on is only about 1-2 hours of runtime. With wifi off I only get about 3.5 hours. The tablet has alot of potential if someone spends some time to make a better working ROM. I'll upload some pics later today. Hope this gave a bit of insight of some kind to you guys.

Cruz tablet with 10” capacitive Touch Screen $300 6:21 AM

Cruz Tablet due September/October $300     Full color TFT display 7” diagonal 16:9 800x480 screen • Capacitive touch screen – ultra responsive! • Android 2.1 • 512MB RAM • 4GB internal storage • 8GB bundled SD card • Supports ePub, PDF, TXT, PDB, HTML reader files • MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV audio support • MPEG-4, H.264, H.263, MOV, AVI video support • JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP image support • 802.11n wifi • Built in speakers • Mic and headphone jacks • Mini USB • Li-Ion battery - up to 10+ hours of life, 24+ standby More from their web site: • Crystal clear 16:9, 800x480 full color touch screen display – ultra responsive and great for video! • Built in tilt activated accelerometer • USB and SD card slot for upgradable storage, including an 8GB SD card • Built-in Dictionary, Notepad, Calendar, Alarm Clock, Contacts, Games, and other useful apps • Access to over 2 Million ebooks via included Borders E-book library portal application • Extended life, user replaceable battery • 802.11n Wifi and full browser support • One year warranty with Velocity Micro's award winning support • Access to the Cruz Market™ unconfirmed 800 mHz processor Velocity Micro is a known company with US support. This could be very interesting. The capacitive touchscreen is a big plus! Of course there will be many more contenders by the end of the year. It is more expensive than most but sounds like it will be more usable.

Win a Slatedroid: Competition! 6:19 AM

TABLET GIVEAWAY (The first of Many...) by Mp4 Published on 08-27-2010 10:40 AM  Number of Views: 66  Pipped at the post to start the first tablet competition, we've gone one up and we're doing lots Up for grabs in round 1 is the nifty 10" Zenithink ZT-180 tablet (yeah, the same one that kicked up a load of fuss a while back xD ). To win a tablet all you need to do is post 10 great reasons why we should go to all the hassle of conjuring up a brand new 10 inch ZT tablet from Merimobiles. We don't like logical textbook answers - so throw all caution to the win and think outside the box! Visit the thread here: http://www.slatedroid.com/contests-g...html#post45569 Good Luck The SlateDroid Tean

Hebrew Eken M003/M002/M001 Rom! 5:44 AM

Hebrew reading + Keyboard Hebrew for EKEN M003 / M002 / M001 firmware 1.7.4 and 1.7.2 For more information EMAIL: hebpad@gmail.com עברית לקריאה כולל מקלדת בעברית לאייפד סיני!!! חדששש חדששש....   Read more here: http://www.slatedroid.com/blogs/hebpad/14-127/

How to backup your apps Wiki 5:42 AM

One drawback to installing a new Rom is loosing all your apps. Backing them up won't keep them from being removed but it does put them all in one place to make it easy to re-install them. Should work for any slate. See the Wiki at http://www.slatedroid.com/wiki/index...le=Backup_apps

How to flash apad ROM Wiki! 5:40 AM

With so many new Roms out a lot of people are asking how to install one. So instead of answer the question over and over just refer them to the wiki at: Flash ROM - Wiki Thank to all the people making custom ROMs . You can comment on the page by clicking on the discussion link at the top of the page, or comment here.

Transferring Apps to your Slatedroid just became Awesome 5:39 AM

7" Touch Screen TFT LCD Google Android 1.6 Tablet PC w/ WiFi (Samsung S3C6410/667MHz) 5:04 AM

Look here: a new Apad that you can actually easily buy, from Dealextreme for only USD$142, INCLUDING postage: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.41984

Operating System: Google Android 1.6 Processor: Samsung S3C6410 CPU Frequency: 667MHz Ram: 256MB DDR Flash: 1GB External memory: Support micro SD/TF card up to 32GB Display: 7" TFT LCD with resistance screen touch Resolution: WVGA 800*480-pixel resolution Touch Control: Full size touch operation, sliding menu, functional icon dragging Orientation Sensors: With accelerometer, automatic steering display screen Network: IEEE802.11b/g Wi-Fi network connection Microphone: Built-in Speaker: Built-in 1 speaker Slots: 1 * TF card (support up to 32G) 1 * 3.5mm earphone 1 * OTG 1 * USB Host 1 * TV Out 1 * Power supply Software: Google Browser, Google Maps, iReader, MSN, QQ and so on Language: Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously Battery: Built-in 3000mAh Lithium battery Input/Output Adapter: Input: 100-240V (EU plug) Accessories: 1 * AC power adapter 1 * USB data cable 1 * USB host cable 1 * English user manual Manufacturer's Warranty: - 12 Months excluding physical damages (see specifications for terms and details)

This one is powered by a Samsung S3C6410, and has 256MB RAM! Check it out in action here … smooth:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFR156osAnA

I think I have a new Apad favourite …

Identifying your Eken – Apad – Chinese tablet thingimajig 6:25 AM

Well, it’s a perpetual problem. To many manufacturers, too many middlemen, too many shifty dealers. So if you wanna buy one, I can’t solve this problem for you, but it’s a good start to at least know what’s REALLY out there.

You can always check out this post from June.

You can also go here, and look at this pretty picture, from www.slatedroid.com, which at least shows what is actually community supported:

And lastly, there is this thread: http://www.slatedroid.com/blogs/benedict_x/mini-summary-list-known-android-tablets-china-73/

How (but not why) to install Debian on Eken 6:16 AM

If you really must have the bleeding edge, go here: http://www.slatedroid.com/eken-m001-debian/

More Apad warnings! Read this if you’re about to buy one. 5:50 AM

This stuff is so important, that it needs to be spread far and wide! Remember, for all things apad – any pad but ipad, really, goto www.slatedroid.com.

Here’s some must read information, if you’re planning on buying an Apad, as at today (Original here: http://www.slatedroid.com/content/warnings-over-apad-irobot-moonse-e7001-new-mainboard-versions-304/):

Warnings over Apad iRobot / Moonse E7001 New Mainboard Versions   by xaueious Published on 08-07-2010 08:43 PM  Number of Views: 473   Some of you Apad iRobot / MoonseE7001 users may already be aware of the different revisions we already had for the Apad iRobot / Moonse E7001. As of right now, the new batch is shipping with 9V chargers and different mainboard layouts. However, there may be different variants of the new mainboards, as users have reported bricks and variances in flashing their tablets. The following is only several discussions where confusion has arisen about the new Apad models in the device forums: http://www.slatedroid.com/apad-andro...uctions-1.html As of right now, if you are not sure of what tablet revision you have, do not upgrade your firmware to a custom one. This applies to all owners with 9V chargers. Image from cnpad.info: New motherboard with unknown LED color on the left, batch 2 on the right. I'm not sure if the left board is another revision. iWeb variant with blue LED new motherboard, from Slatedroid (not sure which thread right now). I had confirmation that this was a newer revision from the batch 2, but I'm not sure if this was actually batch 3: Here's the statement from HiApad.com, but it is not clear what the actual different models are now: The Apad iRobot is now its third major hardware revision, batch 3, typically most easily identified by a blue colored charging LED for the time being. . The new motherboard Apad iRobots are now shipping to distributors, as quality has stabilized. (There is a red LED variant of the new motherboard as well, but they in fact do not come from our factory. We will not support that product here.) I have communicated with users with 9V chargers and red LED charging lights who seem to be shipping with same 0612 firmware available on HiApad.com intended for blue LED devices. Right now I'm confused too. But hopefully this will clear itself up. There also seems to be a different plastic mould. New plastic mould for Apad (source QQ, Aug 6): Old plastic mould and metallic edition, side by side comparison (source Chip3C of HiApad): This article was originally published in blog: Warnings over Apad iRobot / Moonse E7001 New Mainboard Versions started by xaueious 2 Comments digitalandroid.com - Today Very nice blog xaueious Please accept my comments as more info- if the below offends any one please advise asap so that I may delete it right away. The comments below are noted as additional info only. The Apad that’s in question here (with the new metallic casing photo) is not my factory product. The original aPAD product is still plastic and has printed markers for ON/OFF, HOME/MENU buttons There are currently 3 factories making the same model- because the casing and the hardware + spare parts are easily available. However the difference is in the quality of the hardware - where in the manufacturer selects the best or worst to try and get a better price and profit. It all depends on which factory it comes from - even though its the same thing. Most seller claim they are manufacturers- what you guys don’t know is that 90% of them work from their homes as traders - its becoming a huge issue now. These jokers are the ones who have spoilt the market- without experience of business or the ethics of supplying quality products - they are the ones who make a bad name for legit people. Hence most of you get scammed or are confused on what’s right and what’s wrong. You get stickers, barcodes etc made for USD 6/1000 in Shenzhen - its not rocket science. HIPAD is a brand by the trader who has selected to market the product in that particular name and I am sure he is doing his best for his customers. However the genuine factory that makes these tablets does not brand them at all- it comes in a neutral no brand unit with the packing some times called APAD/IWEB/IROBOT- because it is easily recognized by the buyers and hence they all look the same to the customer. The reason there are so many low quality products out there is because people want them cheaper and cheaper- hence the seller will try and adjust some components to lower cost and the classic way is cheaper LCD and cheaper battery. The genuine suppliers have problems selling because such scammers are giving lower prices hence more and more faulty products in the hands of the customer. This is also putting pressure on genuine quality manufacturers who then have to try and work out their own ways to make the product viable to sell. - 7" ROCKCHIPS 2808 is manufacturers by 3 factories in SHENZHEN and modified by god knows how many traders for battery and other components. - 10.2" ZENITH ZT-180 is also being made by 3 factories now with shocking quality. The market is a mess now, with the influx of these so called new companies being formed by young out of college or 2 months sales experience employees who have access to the markets. I salute Mike who is working day and night in keeping this forums going...great man indeed. Sam

How to get Android Market Working 5:45 AM

Some less fortunate users may find that their new apad – probably an eken – does not have the android market on it.  This leads to demeaning behaviour, like the indignity of *gasp* having to TRANSFER SOFTWARE BY SD CARD! My gawd!! I remember in my youth I travelled by public transport across to dangerous suburbs of my great home city, to grab a couple of C64 floppies from a mate – took me the best part of a day, and hours of waiting, just to get a couple of questionable games, but I felt like I had achieved something! Modern tech has made us lazy!

But this is 2010, of course, and if you still want your Android market, look here: http://www.slatedroid.com/wiki/index.php?title=Fix_Market_For_Slates

Build your own Apad … $400 (but why would you?) 3:14 AM

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/build-your-own-tablet-for-400/

If you’re not sold on the iPad and are tired of waiting for tablets from other PC makers to show up, try getting your hands dirty with a tablet you can build on your own. Liquidware, an open source hardware company, is selling a $400 tablet starter kit. The DIY tablet targets developers who want to create a tablet of their dreams or write specialized software applications. “The Beagle tablet is a portable modular open source handheld computer,” says Justin Huynh, director of product development at Liquidware. “It’s all about customizability and embedded development.” The tablet kit contains a 4.3-inch OLED touchscreen that mounts directly on a BeagleBoard. The BeagleBoard is a single board computer from Texas Instruments that comes with a 1-GHz processor. There’s also a battery module and a 4-GB pre-formatted SD card to boot Angstrom Linux. But users can also run the Android operating system on it, says Huynh. “Everything is modular and snaps on or mounts directly on a board so you have a very compact tablet-like device,” he says. Since Apple iPad’s debut in April, tablets’ popularity has surged. Apple sold 2 million iPads in just 60 days of the product’s launch. That has left other companies scrambling to introduce tablets of their own. Both Samsung and Research In Motion have tablets in development. In the U.K., Dell has already introduced its first tablet called Streak, a 5-inch PSP-sized device that can also make phone calls. But those gadgets have little appeal for tinkerers, says Huynh. “With the iPad, you would have a hard time hacking it to read from a specialized sensor such as a temperature sensor or add your own custom hardware,” he says. “The Beagle tablet is all about innovation.” Since the Beagle tablet doesn’t have any storage beyond the SD card, it is extremely lightweight, weighing just about 8 ounces. Users can increase the size of the SD card or plug in an external hard drive or a solid-state disk through the on-board USB port. The battery life of the Beagle tablet can vary from three hours to six hours depending on the application, says Hyunh. The Beagle tablet is a lot of work since you would have to load everything from an OS to different applications. But once you get it going, it could be a better conversation starter than the iPad. Read More http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/build-your-own-tablet-for-400/#ixzz0vj1YGrf0

Drool … Toshiba Libretto W105 3:09 AM

Now, that’s an Apad!

Endgadget (P)reviews Augen78 Tablet – Kmart Android 2.1! 5:05 AM

Read more here: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/30/augen-gentouch-78-preview/

Telechips Android 2.1 Apad – Real soon now? 5:59 AM

The APad we’re all used to seeing is the RK2808 powered version which runs on the admittedly outdated Android OS version 1.5. A new version of the APad has popped up and this instead features Android 2.1 in an interesting move, and is powered by the Telechips TCC8902 chipset, based on ARM11 architecture. This is a good move for the APad as the RK2808 version was more of a trial run for Rockchip. They have since announced the upcoming chip RK2818, which is supposed to run at 1GHz and will support Android 2.1/2.2, so this Telechips model looks to be in direct competition with that, beating it to the market. Another benefit of the TCC8902 powered APad is that it should be able to “handle” 1080p video, but we’ll see. It is presumed that functionality remains, at the very least, the same as the RK2808 version of the APad. Also, with the addition of 1080p support, one of the USB ports has been changed into an HDMI port. Things are progressing not all too slowly for the generic Android-powered Chinese MID market via Shanzhaiben

$35 for an Indian vapourware tablet … or $99 for an Eken? You call it!:) 5:47 AM

From WIRED:   Why India’s $35 Tablet May Be Just a Dream By A prototype tablet from India that looks similar to the iPad but costs a few hundred dollars less than the magical device is on its way, according to the country’s government officials who showed the device at an event Thursday. The Linux-based tablet from India is priced at $35 with the potential to drop it to either $20 or $10. The tablet will support video conferencing and wireless, have open source software on it including Open Office, and will include a media player. It will also have a solar-power option. The government has not disclosed details about the tablet’s processing power, memory or storage. It is also not clear if the device will have a touchscreen or a pen-based input. The Indian government hopes to bring the tablet into production in 2011, but first it must find partners to build it. So far, no manufacturers have been announced, though officials claim several have expressed interest. The success of Apple’s iPad and the demand among consumers for a slick media-consumption tablet has spurred the quest for a low-cost device that has the looks of an iPad and the functionality of a laptop. The One Laptop Per Child Project in the United States recently announced that it is planning to create a $75 OLPC tablet. But the first version of that tablet is unlikely to be available before the end of next year. OLPC’s current low-cost laptop sells for $200. In March, chip maker Marvell showed a prototype that will offer web access and high-definition content for just $100. The tablet called Moby will be targeted at students, says Marvell, and it will run Marvell’s Armada 600 series of application processors. So far,  Marvell’s $100 tablets have yet to go beyond a reference design. Current estimates on the cost of components show that getting the cost of a device below $100 isn’t easy. The cheapest version of Apple’s iPad costs $500. A teardown of the iPad shows the bill of materials alone for it is $230. A six-inch black-and-white screen on a Kindle 2 alone costs $60, according to iSuppli. To create its $35 tablet, the Indian government says it partnered with some of the country’s best technical universities including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Students involved in the project created their own motherboard and PCBs for the device, say officials. Interestingly, the government says private companies in the country showed little interest in the idea. The bill of materials of a prototype tablet came to $47. But officials didn’t explain how they think that cost can shrink to $35 and lower. “It could be seen that by customizing the device to the needs of learners across the country, and by utilizing the processor capabilities of the processors suitable for the purpose, it was possible to substantially reduce the prices of such access-cum-computing devices,” a press release from the country’s Press Information Bureau said. Deciphering that is not easy. Even more puzzling is that the announcement of the tablet did not mention who will manufacture the product or how it will be distributed. It is also not clear if the $35 price tag includes a small profit margin or if the product will be sold entirely at cost. Despite the introduction of the latest tablet with much fanfare, India doesn’t have a history of delivering on its much-hyped promises about electronic devices. For instance, Indian startup Notion Ink has been promising a tablet for months called Adam that is yet to hit the market. In February 2009, Indian government officials announced a $10 laptop that ultimately proved to be vaporware. The $35 tablet could go the same way. Read More http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/07/india-35-tablet/#ixzz0uyr1WItd

Kmart stocks Apads! 3:24 AM

Well, whaddayaknow! Here’s a nice safe place to get one ….

Android shops at Kmart by Mp4doggie Imagine my disbelief when I found out that Kmart will now be carrying a Android 2.1 tablet running at 800 mhz, and you thought they only sold pants and hairspray. Kmart has already began carrying the Augen Gentouch and from what I read, this tablet is no slouch and according to the official site has a working Android market and of course a resistive touch screen . The price according to the mailer is about $150 or the equivalent of 300 full size Snickers bars ( but from what we can tell the snickers are not as cool).So please check the specs below and make way for one kick butt blue light special. Product Features 1. •800x480 color TFT touch panel screen 2. • CPU: 800 Mhz 3. • Ram: DDR2 256mb 4. • Internal Memory: 2GB 5. • Expansion Slots: SD/MMC card slot up to 16GB 6. • Wi-Fi Connectivity with Full Web Browsing Capability 7. • Supports Ebook Formats: Text, PDF, E-PUB, HTML 8. • Supports Media Formats: MP3, WMA, FLAC, AAC 9. • Supports most popular E-Book formats 10. • Picture Viewer in JPEG, BMP 11. • Video Player 12. • Rechargeable Lithium Battery 13. • Carrying case included 14. Android 2.1 with Market Link to AUGEN official site Accessories Included 1. • Leather Carrying Case 2. • USB Cable (for data transfers only) 3. • UL Certified AC Adapter Tags : android 2.1 android tablet augen gentouch 78

Apads that run Windows 7/XP 4:35 AM

Remember this? It’s real.  Check out this video (and if you really really want one, the site that made the video apparently sells ‘em):

And here’s a Benq that does Windows XP.  A bit fat, and the screen’s on the small side, but just think about what sort of tablet PC $399 would have bought you 12 months ago, and you’ll see why this is a big deal!

Bloatware problems on Android phones … 5:48 AM

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/07/bloatware-android-phones/ I wonder if the chinese Apad apps qualify … I guess if you’re not Chinese they’re a bit like Bloatware!

Can your phone do this? 5:42 AM

WinCE on Eken! 5:40 AM

Another Slatedroid 1st as far we know . This M003 by mod donaldson with a few tweaks ,running ce with 800 x 600 resolution win ce link : http://www.slatedroid.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?2629-WinCe-almost-working

Opera Mini 5.1 released 7:13 AM

Opera Mini 5.1 for Android released Opera Mini raises the game on Android phones. Since its Opera Mini 5 beta release, Opera Mini can now be set as the default browser for more convenient Internet access. Opera Mini 5.1 also offers improved page layout on high-end Android handsets with large screens. Read more: http://www.opera.com/press/releases/2010/07/14/ Download: http://www.opera.com/mobile/download/versions/ My impressions: it's more stable, can handle more tabs open, can be set as the system default browser and support "real" full screen.

If you’ve used an Apad, you’ll know why this – a stable browser - is very important! Nudge nudge, wink wink.

Fix for Blue LED Apad firmware 7:11 AM

Read more here: http://www.slatedroid.com/vbulletin/content.php?241-Android-tablet-stores-fixes-the-blue-led

Eken M001 now runs Win CE (this is a good thing, right?) 7:09 AM

Eken M001 and Windows CE ( a match made in heaven) Slatedroid is proud to announce another 1st for the site. The Eken M001 and a working copy of Win CE with touchscreen drivers. See the proof below with video goodness thanks to xdpirate for spearheading the operation and mingnon for uploading working firmware. ps:let the custom firmware begin   Read more here: http://www.slatedroid.com/vbulletin/content.php?237-Windows-ce-on-the-Eken-M001

Window 7 Apad … $389 – believe it or not? 4:23 AM

In my travels, I’ve come across this! Never mind that you wonder how all those specs can fit into an Ipad lookin’ tablet casing – I mean, 2 x PCI-E s;pts? REALLY? – it’s also apparently a mere $389, and presumably comes with a registered copy of Windows 7?! Read all about it here: http://www.firstsing.com/FS07004%20160GB%2010.1%20inch%20GPS%20WIFI%203G%20MULTI%20TOUCH%20SCREEN%20Windows%207%20Apad%20ePad%20MID.htm

My pappy always says if it’s too good to be true it’s ‘cos you want it to be. But no harm in looking:

FS07004 160GB 10.1 inch GPS WIFI 3G MULTI TOUCH SCREEN Windows 7 Apad ePad MID More Photo Features FS07004 160GB 10.1 inch GPS WIFI 3G MULTI TOUCH SCREEN Windows 7 Apad ePad MID CPU Intel Atom Mobile N450@1.66GHz Chipset Intel Intel GMA3150 Display 10.1" TFT touch screen 1024*600 WXGA System Memory DDR2 667/533/800 MHz memory, DDR2 SO-DIMM slot ,1GB (upmost to 2GB) Storage  SATA HDD,160GB (upmost to 320GB) Sound System High definition Audio support 2.1 channel output Two Audio jacks I/O Ports  3×USB 2.0 ports 1×VGA port 1×Headphone jack 1×Microphone jack 1×Internal Microphone  1×RJ-45 port for LAN 1×DC-In jack 1×3in1 cardreader  Slots 1×DIMM Slot  2×Mini PCI-E slots: built-in WIFI, 802.11b/g/n 54mb  Bluetooth(optional) built in EVDO 3G module(optional) LAN On board 10/100MB LAN PC camera  1.3 Mega Pixels  Power  3cells 3000mAh battery,2.5 h battery life Input/Output Adapter Input:100-240V~50/60Hz Security  Kensington Lock O.S. Windows 7/2000/XP, Vista, Linux

And how do I know the price? I received this email:

Dear Larry, Here is the price list for FS07004: USD389/PC for sample USD340/PC for 100pcs Can you tell us your order qty? Best Regards. Cherry Chen Firstsing Co.,Ltd.

I’m real tempted, I have to say!

Rogerbraun Hybrid Rom v5.1 6:12 AM

Features:

[ROM] Hybrid custom firmware for aPad 5.1 (updated July 3rd) This is a custom firmware that tries to take the best parts of the several roms for the Rockchip: Archos 7HT, Ramos W7, aPad. This version will run only on an aPad WITH camera! What works: new in 5.1 * Wake-up issue fixed * "Display turns off when trying to shut down" issue fixed * 300 mb size for apps (thanks xaueious) * Home key mapped to back (thanks xaueious) * Adblock using host file (thanks xaueious) * Removed everything (IME/apps) except media players/browser/gapps * Starts up in english (thanks fun_) * Rotating launcher (thanks again xaueious) * Other stuff. * READ INSTALL NOTES! Grab it here: http://www.slatedroid.com/vbulletin/downloads.php?do=cat&id=16

Apad HybridKangXau v1.3 Apad rom released 6:08 AM

[ROM] HybridKangXau v1.3 Standard, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese Versions (07/05/10) Batch2 only! 3 versions of my ROM now. English ROM is very similar to rogerbraun's. This release was made mainly for the Arabic and Chinese localizations. Includes 300MB data, hardware back key, proper landscape apps... Head over to my blog post for the full gist of what this is all about http://myapad.wordpress.com/2010/06/...stom-firmware/ I don't want to retype it 3 times. Download link is here. v1.3AR Arabic ROM Test direct link Download Arabic ROM specific notes here: http://myapad.wordpress.com/2010/07/...r-apad-irobot/ It displays Hebrew and most other languages just fine, by the way. But I'll tune one for Hebrew maybe later:

How to make an Apad USB Host cable 6:03 AM

Read this: http://www.slatedroid.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?2137-Make-a-USB-Host-Cable

Stream live TV on Apad 6:00 AM

Stream live TV on your Apad with this magical .apk file:

Spb Tv Full SPB TV is a highly usable IP-TV solution, optimized to run on mobile devices. Spb TV provides users with lots of channels in multiple languages with easy-to-use features and settings. No subscription fee! Requires a reliable 3G or WiFi network connection for proper streaming. Get it here: http://blackdroid.net/?file=2&sort=2

Thanks to johnnyp for the  tip!

A week in the life of a Rockchip Apad user 5:55 AM

Check out riki1kenobi’s glowing review of one of these babies: http://www.slatedroid.com/vbulletin/entry.php?46-A-week-in-the-life-of-an-apad-%28rockchip%29-user&s=290fabff68ceae02c2bd339e9299109b

New incompatible Apad emerges! 5:50 AM

Warning – before buying a new Apad, read this:

Apad iRobot / Moonse E7001 Alternate Incompatible Blue LED Tablets have Emerged by xaueious on 07-08-2010 at 11:59 PM (291 Views) (pictures from Slatedroid members who own the devices) These tablets reportedly have blue LED charging lights instead of red, and require the top instead of the bottom mini-USB connection for firmware flashing. The outer shell is identical to the plastic shell of the original Apad iRobot / Moonse E7001. There are NO distinguishable differences when the device is not powered on. Some of these come in boxes with 'iWeb' printed. They have different PCBs than the Rockchip tablets most of the other users on Slatedroid have. The origin of these units is currently unknown. Users have discovered that any firmwares intended for the original Apad iRobot / Moonse E7001 cause issues with their Blue LED Apads, resulting in non-functional touchscreens. There may be other hidden issues. Do not flash the firmware for the Apad iRobot / Moonse E7001 onto the Blue LED Apad. Details in this thread: http://www.slatedroid.com/vbulletin/...ash-ROMs/page6 Internals of the Blue LED Apad: Here are the internals of the original Apad iRobot / Moonse E7001 for comparison: Updated 07-09-2010 at 12:05 AM by xaueious Tags: None Categories Uncategorized