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Vankyo Matrixpad Z4 Android tablet review


REVIEW – I am a fan of tablets that can perform well and allow me not to always grab my iPad Pro for every use. I use my iPad Pro for photo and video editing when on the go, but at home I prefer to have another go-to tablet for simple tasks like surfing the internet and watching TV or YouTube videos, etc, The Vankyo Matrixpad Z4 Tablet is has a 10 inch screen, and would be perfect for the task if it performs well.

What is it?

The Vankyo MatrixPad Z4 10-inch Tablet runs on the Android 9.0 Pie Operating System. It features 2 GB RAM, 32 GB Storage, an 8MP Rear Camera, a Quad-Core Processor, a 10.1-inch IPS HD Display and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

What’s in the box


1 x Vankyo Matrixpad Z4 Tablet
1 x AC Wall Adapter
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x User Guide

Design and features

Features

  • Native Android 9 Pie
  • 2GB RAM & 32GB ROM
  • 8MP Rear Camera
  • Dual Speakers for Sound Quality
  • Google Assistant Voice Control
  • Eye Health Function for Night

Specifications

On top of the back of the tablet, there is the rear-facing camera, and on each of the lower sides, there is a speaker.

On the front top bezel of the tablet, there is the front-facing camera.

On the top edge of the tablet, as shown below, there is the reset port, power on/off button, volume up/down button, headphone jack, micro SD card slot, and the micro USB charging port.

Performance

The tablet arrives well packaged. The first thing that I did right out of the box was to fully charge the device.

The screen below shows the start-up screen when you first power on the tablet.

Once the tablet was up and running, I went through the usual set up processes including choosing, location, language, connecting to my wireless network, etc.

Once all of that was done, I then proceeded to download some apps to test. As I thought about my uses for this tablet, loading the Spectrum TV app was primary since I use a tablet to watch TV in areas of my home that lack a standard TV.  Loading apps from the Play Store was normal, and soon I was ready to test with the TV app.

That is where everything started to go downhill. The playback from the app constantly freezes and the picture quality seems to constantly go from acceptable to fuzzy.

In terms of the sound, unless the surrounding environment is quiet, the speakers are woefully underpowered and since they are at the back of the tablet, the sound travels away from your listening position. I decided to add Bluetooth headphones to be able to hear the sound properly, but that was another buggy experience. After several attempts, I was able to pair my earbuds but then the tablet continued to play the sound through its built-in speakers despite the Bluetooth earbuds being selected repeatedly. Eventually, the sound was redirected via Bluetooth and even then the connection did not seem clear.

Next, I decided to simply browse a few popular websites to test the performance. Once again, it was evident that this tablet is woefully underpowered and the touch response requires several touches to complete an action. It seems like the slowness is compounded by a combination of the lacking touch response and the slowness of the tablet.

I tested taking a picture with the built-in camera and then emailed it to myself. The process of taking the picture and sending it took well over 5 minutes for one picture. The following is the picture that left much to be desired:

As I was testing the tablet, I was thinking of who would benefit from using it. I think that my 87-year-old dad who uses an older iPad would run out of patience, I certainly would, and my young kids would simply turn away from it.

What I like

  • The screen size
  • The Micro SD slot to add storage

What I’d change

  • The processor to increase power and response
  • Include a case with the tablet
  • Reduce the price
  • A Better touchscreen response
  • A Better Bluetooth connection process
  • Better speakers

Final thoughts

The Vankyo Matrixpad Z4 Tablet is a nice size for a tablet, but in a world filled with affordable tablets, this one comes up really short. Although it runs on Android 9, it is woefully underpowered, the touch response leaves much to be desired, the display is just ok, the Bluetooth connection process is buggy, the rear-facing speakers are also underpowered, and it freezes/hiccups during video playback. I really wanted to like this tablet, but there are many better performing tablets available in this price range. While I know that it cannot be compared with the iPad, it is still a big miss for me.

Price: $109.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Vankyo.

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Vankyo Matrixpad Z4 Android tablet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 8, 2019 at 9:30 am.

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Onn Android tablet review

REVIEW – The Onn tablet is an affordable gadget with lots of free apps and a micro SD card slot for extra storage.

What is it?

An 8-inch tablet with 16GB and a 2-pixel camera.

What’s in the box?

  • Tablet
  • Charger
  • Instructions
  • Coupon for $20 off Walmart eBooks

Hardware specs

  • 8″ IPS panel
  • 2.5D touchscreen
  • 800 x 1280 resolution
  • 1.3GHz quad core processor
  • 2GB RAM +16GB ROM
  • Operating system: Android 9
  • 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 2-megapixel rear-facing camera
  • 5-hour battery life
  • Maximum RAM Supported: 2GB
  • Wireless Technology: 2.4G/5G a/b/g/n WIFI, Bluetooth 4.0

Design and features

My first impression of the Onn Tablet was that it reminded me a lot of our Kindle Fire and iPad Mini 4, in both the size and feel.

While the price is also quite comparable to a Kindle Fire, my son claims the games available on the Onn tablet are of much higher quality, and that makes sense since the Kindle is marketed primarily as a reading device. (Not to slam the Kindle Fire, he uses that often for reading downloaded library books.)

Meanwhile, the iPad mini costs more than three times as much as this tablet, but it comes with a lot more storage, higher picture quality, more bells and whistles, and the Apple name attached.

Besides its price, one thing that really sets the Onn tablet apart is its unique navy blue/dark greyish color, which really makes it pop next to the iPad mini and Kindle.

Setup

Setup was simple and clear. Step-by-step instructions came on a decal you could easily peel off the screen.

You could connect it to your Gmail account and create a password if you wanted. It took about 5-10 minutes. And then we just waited until it fully charged, which took about 30 minutes.

Navigation

The navigation and operation were intuitive and similar to other tablets we’ve used.

On the upper right-hand side of the tablet, you find the volume (+ and -) toggle, with the power button next to it. (Also note, by holding the power and volume-down button at the same time, you can take screenshots.)

The charging port is centered at the bottom.

On the back, you find the speaker (lower left) and the rear-facing camera (upper left), making it nearly identical to the setup of the Kindle Fire, as you can see above in the side-by-side photos.

And the 3.5mm headphone jack is along the very top edge, with the slot for a micro-SD card next to it.

The tablet only has 16GB of storage. After just a few weeks, we’ve already used 47 percent of the space it came with, without a single saved photo or video. However, in the long term, we plan to use it with a 32GB micro SD card, which we found on Amazon for $5.

When the screen is on, it has four navigation links running along the bottom with quick access to Walmart, a back button, the home screen, and recently used items. When you’re on the home screen, there’s a fourth navigation button at the bottom, three stacked dots, which take you to the settings.

On the Settings page you can adjust:

  • Wallpapers
  • Themes
  • Screen Manager
  • Widgets
  • Desktop Settings
  • Effects
  • Hide Apps
  • System Settings
  • Launcher Settings

Within the System Settings, there’s a search bar at the top to search all settings. You can also set a night light schedule and add emergency information.

You can also see:

  • Network and internet (wifi, data usage, hotspot)
  • Connected devices
  • Apps and notifications
  • Battery (current percentage and the estimated time it will run out of power)
  • Display (wallpaper, font size)
  • Sound profile
  • Storage (percent used and remaining GB free)
  • Security and location
  • Accounts
  • Accessibility (screen readers, display, interaction controls)
  • Google
  • System (languages, time, backup, updates)

Performance

The Onn Tablet comes pre-loaded with popular apps like Google Chrome, Drive and Maps. And with the Play Store you can download all sorts of goodies. My 11-year-old son was impressed with the selection of free games.

When you download apps, they’re automatically put into categories: Games, Tools, News & Books, Lifestyle and System. However, you can manually move them if you choose.

If you swipe up, it will show you all of your apps. If you swipe down, it shows you any notifications.

In addition to using it for a whole lot of gameplay, this tablet’s been great for communication (Google Hangouts) so my son can chat with his friends or keep in touch with me, without needing a cell phone. Messages even pop up if he’s playing a game, which isn’t the case on his Chrome book. (Of course, you need wifi, which you wouldn’t with a cell phone and data plan. But for us, it’s a nice compromise to hold off on getting him a phone for a while.)

This tablet is also nice for watching videos. With a screen resolution of 800 x 1280, you get a clear, vibrant picture. In fact, I need to drag my son away from watching YouTube shows on this little device he’s claimed as his own, and I can see it coming in very handy for travel.

The 2-megapixel camera in the front (rear-facing) worked very well, even capturing my wiggly dog.

The selfie camera is only 0.3 megapixels, so it’s not high quality. But for goofing around or (somewhat grainy) video chats, it’s passable. Though I’d imagine most people’s cell phones would give a much clearer picture.

Battery life was decent. While the first charge only took about 30 minutes, after a month of use it takes just under two hours to fully charge it. The manual lists it as having 5 hours of battery life, but right now ours give us about 6 hours of continuous use, playing games and watching videos. That should be plenty long for everyday use but might not hold up for overseas flights or long-distance road trips, unless you also bring a portable charger.

We only ran into a couple of hiccups. First, we couldn’t get the headphones to work. My son tried two different pairs but the sound kept coming out the speakers as if the headphones weren’t even plugged in. The third pair worked like a charm. The only difference was that the third pair has a TRS connector and cable (with an additional ring on the connector) and the first two were TS.

My son also had trouble downloading some animated and 3D backgrounds. Not a big deal, but a hiccup.

What I like

  • Easy setup
  • Intuitive navigation
  • Great selection of apps

What I’d change

  • Headphone jack to be more compatible
  • Improve front-camera quality

Final thoughts

It’s a solid tablet for a reasonable price. Great for kids and the budget conscious.

Price: $64, current promotion includes $20 off Walmart eBooks
Where to buy: Walmart
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Onn/Walmart.

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Onn Android tablet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 7, 2019 at 8:25 am.

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HUAWEI MediaPad tablets are now available in the US

Yesterday, Huawei announced availability and pricing for four of their Android MediaPad tablets for here in the US.

If you’ve wanted to purchase a quality Android tablet but haven’t wanted to pay Samsung prices, you should check into the MediaPad tablets. I haven’t personally tried one of these MediaPad tablets, but if they are the same quality as the Nexus 6P which I used for over a year, then I’d have no problem recommending one.

Huawei has four MediaPad models. Two 8-inch tablets, and two 10-inch tablets:

HUAWEI MediaPad T3 8-inch – Qualcomm MSM8917, quad-core A53, 4 x 1.4 GHz coprocessor; 16GB ROM + 2GB RAM; Android N (Nougat) + EMUI 5.1
Available Color: Space Gray
Available for purchase on Amazon.com and Newegg.com for $139

HUAWEI MediaPad T3 10-inch – Qualcomm MSM8917, quad-core A53 coprocessor; 16GB ROM + 2GB RAM; Android N (Nougat) + EMUI 5.1
Available Color: Space Gray
Available for purchase on Amazon.com and Newegg.com for $159

HUAWEI MediaPad M3 Lite 8-inch – Quad-A53 1.4GHz+Quad-A53 1.1GHz coprocessor; 16GB ROM + 3GB RAM; Android N (Nougat) + EMUI 5.1
Available Color: White
Available for purchase on Amazon.com and Newegg.com for $199

HUAWEI MediaPad M3 Lite 10-inch – Quad-A53 1.4GHz+Quad-A53 1.1GHz; 16GB ROM + 3GB RAM; Android N (Nougat) + EMUI 5.1
Available Color: White
Available for purchase on Amazon.com and Newegg.com for $249

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HUAWEI MediaPad tablets are now available in the US originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 26, 2017 at 10:30 am.

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This 8 inch Android tablet has a built in projector

Although this Android tablet from Hammacher Schlemmer is a bit underwhelming as far as Android tablets go, it does have one feature that may make you want to take a second look. It has a built-in projector capable of projecting an 8.5 foot 480p resolution image on a wall up to 10 feet away. 

The 8 inch tablet features a 1280 x 800 resolution IPS display, a 1.8 GHz Quad core processor, 5 MP rear camera, 2MP front camera, 2 GB of RAM, dual HD stereo speakers, and more. Too bad it only comes with Android 5.1 which is 2 major versions behind Android 7.0 which is the latest. It’s also extremely questionable if this tablet would ever be updated to a newer version.

The biggest issue (other than price) with this tablet is that it only comes with Android 5.1 which is 2 major versions behind Android 7.0 which is the latest. It’s extremely doubtful that this tablet could ever be updated to a newer version.

If you need a small Android tablet with a built-in projector and don’t mind paying $399.95 for it, head over to Hammacher Schlemmer for all the details.

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This 8 inch Android tablet has a built in projector originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 21, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 LTE review

I love tablets.  Specifically, I love Android tablets.  I’ve had most of the major devices since day one including the Motorola Xoom and the earliest Samsung tablet, the Galaxy Tab 8.9.  The last one, well that was a brick – it was heavy, slow and would hurt you if you dropped it on an extremity.

Over the years Samsung has stepped up their tablet game culminating in what many thought was the zenith in Android tablets, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 2014 Edition.  Yeah, naming the tablet is probably not their strong suit.  After that device, though, Samsung introduced the Tab S series, their flagship devices, and today we are going to look at the latest in that line – the Tab S3 LTE version.  How well does this new device stack up against the competition and is it worth your valuable tablet dollars?  Read on to find out!

Before we get into the specifics, let me tell you about my tablet use so you can compare that against how you might use the device.  My tablet is a constant companion – I do occasionally leave the house without it, but not as often as you might think.  With aging eyesight the larger screen is easier for me to read without glasses, making it for me a better choice for email and even SMS.  I read on it, watch movies and TV shows while traveling, settle bar disputes about whether Daniel Craig was in The Force Awakens, figure out which song is playing on the PA system and everything else you would use a connected device for.  Even though WiFi is ubiquitous these days, there are a lot of places where it is not available – like my car – so I prefer that my tablet have LTE connectivity and am willing to pay for that service.

I also want an upgrade path on my device.  Seems that Google is releasing a new major release of Android every year, and while the hardware does not have to change I do want to stay as current as possible on the operating system.  The device needs to perform well, have a bright screen, have enough internal memory to support the apps I want to load, and use as little proprietary connectors or helpers as possible (understanding that the case for a device is of necessity proprietary).  So, no knockoff devices for me.  In today’s tablet market, it is either the Apple iPad and the walled garden that it brings, or a few key players on the Android side – Google and Samsung.  LG and other manufacturers have a tendency of producing low end devices that do not meet my stringent requirements, and worse do not do much to support the units sold.

So on to the latest, the Galaxy Tab S3 introduced at the end of February this year.  Looking at the specs it is not wildly different than the Galaxy Tab S2 introduced almost 2 years ago.  The screen size, resolution and aspect ratio are all the same – 9.7 inches, 2048×1536, and 4:3 respectively.  The memory was bumped up from 3 to 4 gig, but internal storage remained at the same disappointing 32 gig as the S2 LTE version.  Thankfully both tablets allow you to use an external microSD card up to 256 gigs, so your storage options are not so limited.  Front and rear facing cameras are the same (2.1 and 8 megapixels respectively).  The battery is slightly larger in the new tablet, the processor is the same one found in the Galaxy S7 phone line (the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 vs the older Snapdragon 652).

Those are the dry specs.  Sorry, every review has to include that by law.  The differentiation between the S2 and S3 comes in the new SPen, upgraded sound and video, and the software optimizations made to Android to support these.  First, the SPen.  Much like the Note series the S3’s pen makes for a great way to take notes or make quick sketches.  The same SPen software is also on the tablet, but curiously the pen does not have a silo on the tablet in which to store it.  Nor does the official case come with a loop or any other way to carry the pen.  As useful as it can be, the pen really feels like an afterthought for Samsung – like “we gotta give these guys something, but we can’t change the tablet.”  It is going to be the most lost accessory Samsung ever made and at $49 the most profitable one they will sell you.

Also changed this year is the charging and data port.  The previous micro USB standard has been upgraded to the USB Type-C port, so plan on all new cables.  More than just the physical configuration, the port also bumped up to USB 3.1, so your data transfers through a physical cable will be faster.  Important in my use case as a traveling media player.  And in that use case, the new HDR and 4K content modes are very nice – the screen appears sharper, more vibrant and reacts faster to video, meaning no more ghosting when watching an action movie.  The Harmon-Kardon AKG-tuned stereo sound on the new tablet also provides richer audio at higher volumes than the previous tablet.  Except for the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen thanks to the 4:3 aspect ratio, everything you watch or listen to will be just that much better on the Tab S3.

The upgrade to the Snapdragon 820 processor and the additional 1 gig RAM makes for a very snappy experience.  Performance is as smooth as butter – apps open faster and the user experience feels like it should for a flagship product.  You won’t be disappointed by the performance.

The frame for the tablet is aluminum as was the previous version.  The back, however, is glass (as evidenced by my reflection in the photo).  It really gives a premium look to the device, but it comes at the expense of fingerprinting.  Also missing on this version are the snaps found on the back of the S2 that fixed the case to the tablet.  I thought they were outstanding, and am disappointed by the weak magnetic connection the S3 uses.

As far as accessories go, Samsung makes an interesting external keyboard that is not Bluetooth.  It connects to and is powered by the tablet via a series of pins on the bottom.  As a matter of fact, I am typing this review using the external keyboard.  And the keyboard folio case as a loop for the SPen, albeit through a rather cheesy stick-on vinyl loop.  The keyboard works well, but for some odd reason Samsung only makes this in a color that does not match the tablet – the S3 is charcoal, and the keyboard folio case is a light gray.  The standard non-folio comes in a color that matches the tablet, so it is strange why this is different.  There are plenty of after-market cases and other accessories, though, so pondering the mystery of the mismatched color is blissfully short.

Now the other shoe drops.  The base WiFi-only version of the tablet is on sale in the US, but so far there is not a US-based mobile carrier who is selling the LTE version.  After waiting many months and even seeing the tablet pass through the FCC (meaning it could be sold here), I am still unable to obtain a T-Mobile-specific model (or AT&T or Verizon, for that matter).  I purchased an unlocked international version, the SM-T825 and have been using it on T-Mobile without any issue.  This version does not support the 700mHz LTE band that T-Mobile has available, but in practice, this has meant literally nothing for me.  I get 4G speeds almost all of the time when I am not on WiFi, so not having the T-Mobile brand on the tablet does not seem to impair my use in any way.

Bixby is also curiously missing.  Introduced at the same event, Bixby is Samsung’s entry into the digital assistant category.  I get that having Bixby native on the S8 line of phones is an important differentiator for Samsung, but the S3 is their flagship tablet product.  Given how buggy the current version is and how limited the functionality is today, you are not missing that much by not having it available.  Hopefully, they will stabilize the software and push it out in a later release, but in the meantime, you can use Google Assistant.

The bottom line?  This is a worthy upgrade from the Galaxy S2 model and is hands-down the leading Android tablet out there.  And that is not solely because most of the competitors (including Google) seemed to have left the market.  On its own merit, the S3 is a great device.  At $650 (what I paid new for the LTE version) and without US carrier support, your mileage may vary.  Regardless of whether you want/need LTE connectivity, either model of the S3 will definitely not disappoint.

Source: The device reviewed was purchased by me.  For more information, visit the official Samsung site and Amazon.

 

Product Information

Price: $779.00
Manufacturer: Samsung
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • Faster, more fluid than the previous generation
  • Enhanced sound and video playback make for great media consumption
  • SPen is included with all versions of the tablet
  • Comes with Android Nougat (v7) loaded and will get the O upgrade later this year
Cons:
  • Price
  • No US-carrier with an LTE version
  • SPen is going to get lost because there is no on-device storage for it
  • Bixby is not included nor is it available as an update

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 LTE review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 8, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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