So I finally got a tablet

[Icy Mountain]

Hi everybody
I've been lurking for a few days since I purchased an Avatar Sirius 7" Android 4.1 tablet from Newegg. I'm usually an early adopter but I really had no need for a small device until recently. I am allergic to cell phones because I value my down time and my laptop worked just fine for all the rest of my mobile connectivity. However, my brother purchased a Kindle Fire for my mother last year and, as the family technogeek, I purchased and installed the wireless router so that she could use it around the house.

I was intrigued with the portability and the utility with most of the non-business reasons I was lugging a laptop around for like an e-reader, time-passers like Angry Birds, Netflix, store and restaurant finder, etc. I still need the lappie for business travel so I have access to office connected Microsoft Office and other tools that require the large screen and keyboard. For the rest of the time, chilling on the deck, feet up under the trailer canopy in the woods, riding shotgun on roadtrips, this new tablet is ace!

This forum seems to be plumb full of great tips and advice for Android users so I signed up.
-Icy

 

[OperationA7X]

Hi everybody
I've been lurking for a few days since I purchased an Avatar Sirius 7" Android 4.1 tablet from Newegg. I'm usually an early adopter but I really had no need for a small device until recently. I am allergic to cell phones because I value my down time and my laptop worked just fine for all the rest of my mobile connectivity. However, my brother purchased a Kindle Fire for my mother last year and, as the family technogeek, I purchased and installed the wireless router so that she could use it around the house.

I was intrigued with the portability and the utility with most of the non-business reasons I was lugging a laptop around for like an e-reader, time-passers like Angry Birds, Netflix, store and restaurant finder, etc. I still need the lappie for business travel so I have access to office connected Microsoft Office and other tools that require the large screen and keyboard. For the rest of the time, chilling on the deck, feet up under the trailer canopy in the woods, riding shotgun on roadtrips, this new tablet is ace!

This forum seems to be plumb full of great tips and advice for Android users so I signed up.
-Icy

There's a QuickOffice app for Android phones and tablets, it is actually great for doing the basics when you're away from your laptop or PC. It's free too, but for some reason, they took it off the Play Store, maybe it seemed kinda old, the last update was in '11 I think.

Anywho, I'll provide the link.

http://db.tt/HllChr2x

From my Dropbox account.

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[Aquila]

I'm not familiar with that tablet; how does it compare to the Nexus 7?

 

[jimrebello]

Just looked it up and put simply, not even close to the N7 but its cheap.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[Icy Mountain]

jimrebello is correct. The Avatar Sirius 7" and the Nexus 7 are about the same size and that's where the similarity ends:

Avatar Sirius S701-R2A-1 ARM Cortex-A9 1.0GHz Single Core 7" 1GB DDR3 Memory 4GB NAND Flash Tablet - $80

• Brand Avatar
• Series Sirius
• Model S701-R2A-1
• Operating System Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• CPU Type ARM Cortex-A9
• CPU Speed 1.0GHz Single Core
• Screen Size 7"
• Touchscreen Yes
• LCD Features TFT-LCD Panel, capacitive, Multi point
• Resolution 1024 x 600
• GPU/VPU Mali-400, with 3D accelerator
• Video Memory Shared system memory
• Hard Drive HDD 4GB NAND Flash
• Memory 1GB DDR3
• Communications WLAN 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN
• USB 1 x Micro USB 2.0
• HDMI 1 x Mini HDMI
• Audio Built in 1W x1 Speaker
• Supplemental Drive Card Reader TF(microSD) card slot
• Webcam Front 0.3MP
• Battery 3000 MAH Rechargeable polymer battery
• Dimensions 7.52" x 4.53" x 0.44"
• Other Features G-SENSOR

ASUS Google Nexus 7 Tablet 16GB - Brown - $199

• Model Nexus 7
• Part# NEXUS7 ASUS-1B16
• Color Brown
• Operating System Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• CPU Type NVIDIA Tegra 3
• CPU Speed 1.20GHz
• Screen Size 7"
• LCD Features Back-lit IPS display Scratch-resistant Corning glass 216 ppi
• Resolution 1280 x 800
• GPU/VPU NVIDIA ULP GeForce
• Video Memory Shared system memory
• Hard Drive HDD 16GB
• Memory 1GB
• WLAN 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN
• Bluetooth Yes
• Ports Micro USB
• Audio Microphone
• Webcam 1.2MP front-facing camera
• Battery 4325 mAh
• Battery Life 9 hours of HD video playback 10 hours of web browsing 10 hours of e-reading 300 hours of standby
• Dimensions 7.81" x 4.72" x 0.41"
• Weight 0.75 lbs / 340g
• Other Features NFC (Android Beam) Accelerometer GPS Magnetometer Gyroscope

 

[Icy Mountain]

There's a QuickOffice app for Android phones and tablets, it is actually great for doing the basics when you're away from your laptop or PC.

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately, other than maybe 10% of my email, little that I do in Office is basic. Just processing the easiest 20% of my daily email is worth carrying the laptop around for the full screen and keyboard. I bought the tablet for the 6 weeks a year (and a couple hours a day) that I escape the hell that is work.

 

[OperationA7X]

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately, other than maybe 10% of my email, little that I do in Office is basic. Just processing the easiest 20% of my daily email is worth carrying the laptop around for the full screen and keyboard. I bought the tablet for the 6 weeks a year (and a couple hours a day) that I escape the hell that is work.

My tablet (ASUS TF300T) is used with the keyboard dock so when I'm in class, I can easily take notes.

Have you tried a Bluetooth keyboard yet?

Sent from my HTC Vivid WCX using Android Central Forums

 

[Icy Mountain]

Have you tried a Bluetooth keyboard yet?

No bluetooth. If I needed a keyboard, I'm already carrying a 15" laptop. I didn't want a minicomputer; I was after a cheap pocket reader with some bells and whistles and the ability to sling birds and find a restaurant.
-Icy.

 

[xlDeMoNiClx]

From what I can tell the Nexus 7 is currently the only mini tablet worth getting but if you're happy with it then that's good enough.

 

[OperationA7X]

No bluetooth. If I needed a keyboard, I'm already carrying a 15" laptop. I didn't want a minicomputer; I was after a cheap pocket reader with some bells and whistles and the ability to sling birds and find a restaurant.
-Icy.

Haha, fair points. Well, enjoy your fun tablet!

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[Icy Mountain]

From what I can tell the Nexus 7 is currently the only mini tablet worth getting but if you're happy with it then that's good enough.

I'm new here so I want to make sure that both you and NothingIsTrue know that I'm not trying to be obnoxious or question your judgement; I am merely curious. It's hard not to sound snide when asking a question like this on a forum.

With the 32GB microSD card I purchased, my whole tablet cost $100. A 32GB Nexus 7 goes for about $250. Major differences I see:
Nvidia Tegra 3 has 4 ARM Cortex-A9 processors vs. only one in the Avatar
1280 x 800 resolution vs. 1024 x 600 in the Avatar
GPU/VPU NVIDIA ULP GeForce vs. GPU/VPU Mali-400, with 3D accelerator
Nexus has Bluetooth but Avatar has microSD port
1.2MP camera vs. 0.3MP camera

Obv, there's a lot more processing power with the Tegra 3, the video processors are on par, there's little higher resolution on the screen and much higher resolution on the camera. So, what are you doing with the extras that make them worth +$150?

 

[xlDeMoNiClx]

I'm new here so I want to make sure that both you and NothingIsTrue know that I'm not trying to be obnoxious or question your judgement; I am merely curious. It's hard not to sound snide when asking a question like this on a forum.

With the 32GB microSD card I purchased, my whole tablet cost $100. A 32GB Nexus 7 goes for about $250. Major differences I see:
Nvidia Tegra 3 has 4 ARM Cortex-A9 processors vs. only one in the Avatar
1280 x 800 resolution vs. 1024 x 600 in the Avatar
GPU/VPU NVIDIA ULP GeForce vs. GPU/VPU Mali-400, with 3D accelerator
Nexus has Bluetooth but Avatar has microSD port
1.2MP camera vs. 0.3MP camera

Obv, there's a lot more processing power with the Tegra 3, the video processors are on par, there's little higher resolution on the screen and much higher resolution on the camera. So, what are you doing with the extras that make them worth +$150?

Nothing wrong with being curious. I personally haven't used a Nexus 7 but from what I can tell it's how well it works, the build quality of the Nexus 7 is one of the best, and it's a Nexus and those usually have great support.

 

[Icy Mountain]

My tablet (ASUS TF300T) is used with the keyboard dock so when I'm in class, I can easily take notes.

I looked up your machine. Yah, if I didn't already have a Toshiba lappie, a 10" tablet with a bluetooth keyboard would definitely combine the portability of a 7" tablet with the utility of a 13-15" laptop. I am kind of handicapped on business because I need USB and Microsoft OS to connect proprietary dashboard software to the electronics my company makes and a VGA or HDMI out to hook up to projectors for presentations.

 

[OperationA7X]

I looked up your machine. Yah, if I didn't already have a Toshiba lappie, a 10" tablet with a bluetooth keyboard would definitely combine the portability of a 7" tablet with the utility of a 13-15" laptop. I am kind of handicapped on business because I need USB and Microsoft OS to connect proprietary dashboard software to the electronics my company makes and a VGA or HDMI out to hook up to projectors for presentations.

TF300T has a USB port on the keyboard dock. And it has a micro HDMI out port as well.

But again, you just wanted an entertaining eReader, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Sent from my HTC Vivid WCX using Android Central Forums

 

[Aquila]

I'm new here so I want to make sure that both you and NothingIsTrue know that I'm not trying to be obnoxious or question your judgement; I am merely curious. It's hard not to sound snide when asking a question like this on a forum.

With the 32GB microSD card I purchased, my whole tablet cost $100. A 32GB Nexus 7 goes for about $250. Major differences I see:
Nvidia Tegra 3 has 4 ARM Cortex-A9 processors vs. only one in the Avatar
1280 x 800 resolution vs. 1024 x 600 in the Avatar
GPU/VPU NVIDIA ULP GeForce vs. GPU/VPU Mali-400, with 3D accelerator
Nexus has Bluetooth but Avatar has microSD port
1.2MP camera vs. 0.3MP camera

Obv, there's a lot more processing power with the Tegra 3, the video processors are on par, there's little higher resolution on the screen and much higher resolution on the camera. So, what are you doing with the extras that make them worth +$150?

Yep, I'd just never heard of the brand or the device, so was curious what it was. Checked out the newegg ad too today. I have a Nexus 7 and I love it, but have never played with another 7 incher. I've had a few 10 inch tablets, but the 7 inch is the one that I kept and I love it. I'm not sure the differences in the device can or ever should overcome, "this is the one I wanted"... because that's the most important spec.

 

[Icy Mountain]

...not sure the differences in the device can or ever should overcome, "this is the one I wanted"... because that's the most important spec.

Wise words. The Avatar is definitely not a high end gaming device but I won't cry if (when) I break it or lose it.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I'm new here so I want to make sure that both you and NothingIsTrue know that I'm not trying to be obnoxious or question your judgement; I am merely curious. It's hard not to sound snide when asking a question like this on a forum.

With the 32GB microSD card I purchased, my whole tablet cost $100. A 32GB Nexus 7 goes for about $250. Major differences I see:
Nvidia Tegra 3 has 4 ARM Cortex-A9 processors vs. only one in the Avatar
1280 x 800 resolution vs. 1024 x 600 in the Avatar
GPU/VPU NVIDIA ULP GeForce vs. GPU/VPU Mali-400, with 3D accelerator
Nexus has Bluetooth but Avatar has microSD port
1.2MP camera vs. 0.3MP camera

Obv, there's a lot more processing power with the Tegra 3, the video processors are on par, there's little higher resolution on the screen and much higher resolution on the camera. So, what are you doing with the extras that make them worth +$150?

Hi...welcome to the forums.

I think the only thing you may find bad about the tablet is the lack if internal memory. 4 GB is not much considering Android will eat up most of that. You may have been happier with something like 8...but I am just guessing. I look for different things in devices. I am not trying to belittle your device, just pointing something out.

Other than that, the specs don't seem to bad...

 

[Icy Mountain]

I think the only thing you may find bad about the tablet is the lack if internal memory. 4 GB is not much considering Android will eat up most of that.

The 32gb microSD card was $21 at the local store, thus the listed price of $100 total. Plenty of memory with that.

 

[Golfdriver97]

The 32gb microSD card was $21 at the local store, thus the listed price of $100 total. Plenty of memory with that.

True...but with Jelly Bean, you can't transfer any apps to your SD card. So, photos, videos, downloaded e books from say Amazon, etc...yes those can go on your SD card.

 

[OperationA7X]

Partitioning is an option, isn't it?

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