7″ inch Google Android Touchpad Tablet PC notebook Netbook Internet MID UMPC E-Book Reader
July 24, 2010 | Posted by 
- 7 inch touchscreen
- Eken M001 built-in WiFi
- 600 MHz ARM-based CPU, 2GB of storage, and an SDHC card slot for expasion
- Navigation dial next to the power button
- Accelerometer which allows the screen to auto-rotate between landscape and portrait mode
Product Description
The M001 7 Google Android 1.6 Tablet Slate PC UMPC MID Netbook is an affordable 7 inch touchscreen tablet running Google Android 1.6. You will be able to surf the internet via Eken M001 built-in WiFi. The Eken M001 7 Google Android 1.6 Tablet has a 7 inch, 800 x 480 pixel display, a 600MHz ARM-based CPU, 2GB of storage, and an SDHC card slot for expasion. It also has 802.11b/g WiFi, and a navigation dial next to the power button. Theres also an accelerometer which a… More >>
7″ inch Google Android Touchpad Tablet PC notebook Netbook Internet MID UMPC E-Book Reader
Categories: Any Brand, Eken | 
Tags: Android, EBook, Google, inch, Internet, Netbook, Notebook, Reader, Tablet, Touchpad, UMPC | 
5 Comments »
My father in law purchased this device on e-bay and let me play with it for a week or two.
It definitely has potential but it’s nothing I would rush out to purchase.
His version didn’t come with any way to cables to a PC so you were limited to what you could do with the SD card or do via Wifi (which seemed to connect fairly effortlessly with my home router).
You also don’t get access to the Android Market so getting new apps can be a bother as well. And the apps you do get seemed to crash fairly consistently (even the ones that play nicely with other Android devices).
And the biggest complaint I had was the touchscreen. When trying to scroll up or down the touchscreen selects an unwanted item and loads the selection.
Perhaps I’m jaded as I’ve had a TMobile G1 for a couple months now but this was the biggest frustration I had with the device. It was enough that I didn’t want to use it anymore.
I’d love to see this product line pursued more by developers but this product isn’t worth it for me.
Rating: 1 / 5
Product gets warm on the bottom. The charger stopped working after two days. Sound quality is poor.
Rating: 2 / 5
Wanting to test out one of the new android tablets, I gave the Eken M001 a spin. I was able to track the UPS shipment all the way from China and looked forward to tinkering with the tablet over the holiday weekend. Unfortunately, it didn’t last that long. Here are some of the reasons why the tablet is now in my dumpster:
* While the power cord I received had an adapter for use in the US, it never charged the battery beyond 15% … So much for mobility.
* While the device quickly found and connected to my wireless router, the reception was very weak even while sitting at my computer desk 1 foot away from the router. This made surfing the web or accessing web based content a very slow and painful process.
* After setting the device to the correct region and signing into my long time Skype account, I could access my contacts, but was never successful in text-chatting or making a voice connection with my contacts. Again, the wireless connectively may have been to blame.
* The touch screen is the only way to scroll in most applications. Even after calibrating the screen several times, I had a HORRIBLE time scrolling without accidentally launching links or other applications on the screen.
* The final kicker (that kicked it into the dumpster) was when the screen developed a crack after about 5 hours of use. It was probably from pushing the screen too hard in an attempt to scroll and launch applications. Given the crack that developed, I couldn’t re-sell it and I didn’t want to spend another cent on an attempt to make a return to the Chinese manufacturer.
What sort of worked:
* I had some success downloading and installing applications (after installing SlideMe, but never from the provided app portal), but the usability problems associated with the device prevented me from actually USING the apps. For example, I downloaded the new Kindle App, but was never able to sustain a sufficient Internet connection to sync up my Kindle content on the device.
* The screen clarity was good. I think it would have been a nice way to read e-books or browse pictures (obviously inside, but not in bright sunlight).
* I also has success loading on content using my own SD card.
Overall, I think a 7 inch Android based device is a great concept (I actually liked the smaller size better than the larger ipad – especially for holding it up like a book), but unfortunately this device loaded with Android 1.6 is not even close to being ready for prime time. I was willing to throw away a hundred bucks for the opportunity to tinker with an early version of an Android tablet. Yet, even as an Android tablet pioneer, I fully expected more than 5 hours of tinkering time.
Rating: 1 / 5
For the price, this is an interesting item. That’s the best compliment I can give it… because at any higher price it would be very not worth it.
The good points: photos look good. Music plays well. You can browse the internet– IF you can get a WiFi connection. It works reasonably well as a e-book reader. It plays video pretty well. So on those points alone, it’s likely worth the price.
The bad points are numerous:
It gets rather warm during use. Not hot, but uncomfy-level warm on the right side (near the controls).
It is extremely slow… and often doesn’t indicate it’s working on something– leaving the user to often believe it may have frozen up. It hasn’t, it’s just slow.
It has an accelerometer in it (to determine which direct the device is being held), but it’s so slow to react and cumbersome it’s often more of a hindrance than a help.
Scrolling is very cumbersome. As another reviewer stated, you will try to use your finger to scroll the screen and half the time it will stop in mid-scroll and instead “select” an item. There is no scroll-specific area and the tablet isn’t sensitive enough to recognize standard scroll technique. This makes the device a pain to use.
The device is so slow it actually bogs down at the simplest of commands, going into significant “lag” sessions during which one has to just sit there and wait until it finishes. The internal processor appears most likely a cousin to a calculator than a microprocessor. It is just extremely, extremely slow, not having even the speed of the old PDAs (which in comparison with this worked like greased lightning). Seriously, the word “slow” doesn’t even define this. Snail-pace is closer to it.
The brief “manual” included with it doesn’t even come close to explaining the features.
Caution: whatever you do, don’t go into the languages section. If you accidentally click on the wrong language, you will have a dickens of a time switching it back. (Wanna guess how I know…? ; )
The included cord appears to be iPad compatible. Will it interface with iPad devices such as speakers and the like? I don’t know. But the enclosed extremely-short cord does allow it to plug into the USB port of your computer for some decent file transfers. However, this device cannot will not does not access Android Market… which means you’re fairly limited to the apps included unless you are tech savvy enough to know how to bypass whatever is in the way and pull in aps anyway. My guess is most people aren’t, won’t, and so will find this device very, very limited in scope. Still, and again to be fair… it’s comparatively cheap. Consider: 7″ mp3 player, video player, photo viewer, browser, e-book reader for $130? Dirt cheap.
The system is very confusing to use. I imagine if someone knows Android already and is VERY tech oriented, they might be able to figure it out. Since the manual doesn’t even cover the aps included with the system, good luck with trying to figure it out if you’re not an Android expert. While files are quite easy to drag and drop from your computer (unlike that miserable excuse for a program called iTunes)… getting the system to store, recognize and access those files seems more guesswork and maybe than reliable data retrieval.
The WiFi system works great at my home where all I have to do is enter a password. At the local Bookstore, it was impossible to access their free WiFi. The system gets somehow stuck on the “Yes I accept your agreement” that is found in most such hotspots, and would go no further. Since the other reviewer remarked on this same thing, I would have to venture that this device is worthless for accessing the Internet beyond your own home… which drops its value as a truly useful device.
If someone wants to watch videos (I can only imagine how long it takes to transfer one to the thing, considering its extremely slow speed), listen to music, share photos or read ebooks, this device might suffice. But all in all, it takes more the role of a cumbersome toy than a useful tool. This is the poor-man’s iPad, with not near the bells and whistles. Since it uses Android 1.6 instead of 2.0 or better… some functions are limited.
It might be a good fill-in for the next 6 months while waiting for the power systems to hit the market. My recommendation for most folk: save your $$$ and fork out $500 for the new slates coming out in November and December… and get something worth owning. But if you don’t want to wait, need something now, or one of the above mentioned functions is what you’re really looking for (photos, mp3 player, e-book)… this will probably suffice. It’s cheap enough.
BTW, it’s made in China, don’t expect support. This is definitely a “disposable” device. If it stops working, forget it.
Worth buying? Depends on what you need. Some folks will find it fascinating. PDA users will find it frustratingly slow and limited. Power users will despise it. It all depends on your needs, budget and patience. This is not a device for the impatient or uninformed. Learning curve: ranging from fairly high to incomprehensible. If you’re an Android expert / tech you’ll probably do fine. This is not a device for the uninitiated.
Rating: 2 / 5
Here’s a short review on the tablet. I’ve had it two days now. First off it comes in reasonable packaging. Bought in the UK.
Items include:-
- headphones,
- telescopic stylus
- a multi-plug for charging
- a connector to the computer
- a small manual
- there is no sd card supplied
- no flash support
- no protective cover
Firstly touch and Feel.
———————–
Its awkward. Its resistive touchscreen which means it can be used with a stylus, fingernail or fingertip. Resistive doesn’t have to mean awkward. Here’s an example: you open up a function like play music, you get a scrolling list, when trying to scroll down the touchscreen selects an unwanted item and loads it. Its so tricky to get this sensitivity right. It can take a few days. Even then it still doesn’t always work.
It doesn’t play flash. So I tried downloading skyfire. For some reason skyfire web links refuse to take you to a non Android market place to download. I’ve been looking to try download it for a couple of hours. Without the connection to Android Market its really difficult to get your favorite widgets and apps. Seesmic is a fantastic little twitter for Android. I can’t get it to download.
I tried finding my downloads on my Android phone which does have access to Android Market. I can’t find them anywhere. I downloaded a more comprehensive file explorer and still no luck.
So the point to pick up here is downloading apps is limited to what you can find. But it does work as I’ve managed to load a few apps.
There’s quite a few free games to download as well.
Also get the sd card in the right way(upsidedown). It goes in the wrong way quite deeply and then gets itself stuck.
It can get very hot if you don’t power it off completely. This is also fiddly and temperamental.
Typing is really slow. It doesn’t always register the press. It will probably get better as I get the knack of it. Portrait typing is the way to go with a device like this. The width is the same as a 3.5 inch device which is the limit for most hands.
E book reader
————
I haven’t tested this thoroughly but it looks ok. I’ll come back later and update this review, hopefully with video. What I will say though is when people tell you a tft screen will fry your eyes after a while its true. I used the device for over 5 hours yesterday, my eyes were so sore they were burning, I had to close one to read on a normal computer screen. I could only manage 5 minutes then I gave up.
Good Points
———–
If you are wondering if a 7 inch screen is the way to go, this device confirmed it for me. What I was able to load and view was great.
Its so light I never thought to myself I can feel this device now its getting heavy. Its amazingly easy to keep holding it. Its thinner than my htc hero phone. Its very easy to read from.
The device is fun to use once you feel you’re getting a feel for its sensitivity. Its never going to match the latest generation of smart phones or the ipad for smooth, easy to use feel.
Price is amazing. I knew I wasn’t going to get a mini ipad. I bought it to ease a curiosity about a 7 inch tablet. I felt that was the perfect size for portability and the purchase confirmed that.
Its nice for viewing pictures.
It has a music player on it.
It does have a microphone on it. Also a standard headphone jack. It plays out through the headphones well.
The charge is for two hours. I haven’t found this to be a massive problem. I use it at home and when I take it out its not so long.
It doesn’t charge off the computer. This is a bit of a shame but there you go. So trip into work via train might require taking the charger with you.
It does have an accelerometer. Its quite slow to react so don’t think ipod touch games action.
I’m glad I bought it but a bit disappointed its not what it could be. The shell is ideal, weight etc but the slowness of it can be a bit irritating. Even with full bars on the wifi it was a bit slow loading pages. Upstairs away from the router it was really slow. So downloads need to be done close to the router.
Its also not completely multi-tasking. When I had my music on it cut out when I switched to browsing.
I now know what the potential of owning a really top of the range tablet could be like. Also I can see what I would use it for and not. If I can get skyfire on it I might be able to watch flash, which will make it a lot more fun. Its certainly a curiousity soother.
I do now understand why there has been this big delay from a lot of manufacturers on their tablets. You have to get it right otherwise people will give up on the devices. It must do what its capable of well.
update 04:06:2010
—————–
Now been playing with the device a few days now. With a lot of effort I finally managed to get a youtube app off my htc hero and onto this device. So now embedded or stand alone youtube is now possible. Its not the greatest video but it works. Its the app not the device though.
I downloaded a different e-reader and found it works with epub. Loads and loads of free books available. Switching to night mode puts the text white on black. Yesterday I was on the device all evening and my eyes were fine with normal usage.
I was thinking of getting an apple ipod touch but searched for such a cheap tablet device instead. Now I have it I would say I can live with the quirks of the device and enjoy a multi-purpose device. I’m glad I bought it instead of the ipod touch and each day I enjoy it more. But 3 stars is the right ranking as just around the corner are the 7 inch capacitive tablets which look amazing and could be a lot cheaper than the ipad. Also the one I saw from foxconn, 7 inch, has a sim card slot as well.
The one drawback with all the wifi only devices is lack of access to available Wifi points. At home though I am really enjoying the comfort of sitting in a chair or laying down and using the device.
update: 09.06.10
================
Well the more I play with this device the more I like it. I found a way to get nearly all my android apps from my htc hero phone onto this device. I’ll just say put ‘appmanager’ on your phone.
One thing I will point out and is worth mentioning, this device is for anoraks. That is to say people who like tech, fiddling and have a lot of patience. I guess its no different to a PC when it needs restoring. It takes days to get it back where you want it. Once you’ve mastered how to get apps on it then you are away.
This device runs best with apps. I downloaded this reuters news app and its so well laid out and really suits this mobile device.
Also downloaded a twitter app called Touiteur. I managed to download that straight from the Internet. Its an excellent app. BBC news I had to get from my phone.
I put the ‘Aldiko’ ereader on it and it works great. Uses a tap either left or right to turn pages. It has a day night mode for reading, which changes the font and background colours. Customisable. What I really like about it is it has access to online libraries of free books. I was reading there are 250,000 or so free ebooks!! This app has a lot of shakspeare books, philosophy books and many others. Just as an ereading device its brilliant. 5 stars. Apart from the battery power, which I think is between 2 to 3 hours depending how you use it.
I was asked about video on the device. I have got youtube running using the youtube app from my phone. As its designed for a 3.2 inch screen its not the greatest but it works. However, I created my own video really small one 320p mp4 and its not playing well on this device. It might just need more fiddling which gets me back to my earlier point. Its a lot of trial an error.
Its not a device that will have everything working as you want straight out of the box.
What I like about this device is its helped me play more with android operating system. I discovered a folders ability on it. Very useful.
Hopefully today I will do a video on it and upload that.
So if you hoping to watch these glorious videos on it, so far, that looks unlikely. For just about everything else its brilliant. For the price you are getting an ereader with perfect weight and size. An Internet device that can view web pages in a customised way that I actually really prefer to normal pc screens. I find the news is more compact. If you into micro-blogging then this is superb for that. Video is not something I would use the device a lot for. I do like to watch youtube videos though. Maybe Flash 10.1 will help with this. HTML5 well how long will that take to get onto these micro browsers?
Photos look great on this device.
What has also impressed me with this device is just how clear the screen is to read from. Internet pages are a pleasure to read. The supplied browser self adjusts most pages to fit the width of the device. Its impressive because it does exactly the same as my 3.2 inch phone. To jump from a 3.2 inch to a 7 inch screen is brilliant. I totally feel 7 inch is the perfect size. Last night I plugged it into my power socket by my bed and read from the device. The battery power is not an issue when at home. I used an extension cord to get it closer to my bed. 2-3 hours of battery life I find is enough for most days away from home. Sure 10 hours would be awesome. That will happen next year. I didn’t want to wait another 6-9 months before the perfect device came out, and probably costs 3 times the price. This way one gains experience of such a device so when the better ones come out you know what to look for and what size to go for.
I took the device to a coffee bar on Monday. I have a broadband dongle account so I just signed in and was away. Now before, I either surfed on my phone or lugged my netbook in. Well this device fitted into my small manbag easily and very lightweight. I normally always carry a book with my but now, as I hoped, this device sorted me out. It was awesome. I felt everything was just perfect. I am more of a reader than a video person. I think that’s important to point out, as perhaps this device is more suited to a reader rather than a video viewer. I’m not a gamer but I have downloaded some simple games and they work fine.
Finally, if you download all the ebooks you want, free or paid, when you’re out and about you can just read those. Also the new htc evo 4g phone can pair up to 8 devices through wifi. So that means once you buy such a phone you don’t have to buy 3G for your tablet. So its one expense, a phone, and that can pair up all your other wifi devices. We are slowly getting to utopia:)
Update 20.06.10
===============
Its been non stop play with the device. When you have it the incentive is to go out and put loads of stuff on it. My personal delight is finding loads and load of free ebooks to download on it. Using Calibre Ebook management which sits on you PC you can convert most formats to Epub which aldiko uses. As an Osho fan I found plenty of pdf files and have converted them to the epub version.
A question that comes up a few times is the firmware version. Its 1.6. The Kernal version is 2.6.29 and the build number is 1.71. I’ve heard there is an update to the firmware to 1.71 but I’m not certain that’s been mistaken for the build number?
I’ve been concentrating my attention on the downloading of ebooks and trying to find my popular books to download on the device. I think I’ve got enough books on here now for two years of reading. Somehow I’ve a feeling that if I go around with my own personal library of books to read I can pick the right book for the right moment and have a read.(all free so far. I can’t find some of the more recent books I like in ebook format. Obliquity is one and In praise of slow is another).
If you download slideme app its an alternative to the android market, taking you to a well-presented list of Android Apps.
Finally I upgraded to 5 stars as any device that give me this much fun deserves 5 stars even if its probably going to get blown away by the new devices in 6-8 months. I’ve got a real feel now for a device like this, what I really want out of it, what I mainly use it for. I’ve managed to tame the firey passion I’ve had for months about tablets. Its calming down now and settling into a happy groove.
I still get my odd sticky moment with navigation but its a minor thing now and mostly I’ve developed the knack for it. I also upgraded my stylus to Nintendo dsi xl stylus. The best one I feel is like a 5 sided pencil, it gives a firmer grip and control.
This device will always be useful though. Even when the new ones arrive, they better be as light and thin as this otherwise I’m not interested in some bulk weight device. I think 10 inches is for mild home use with occasional going out. But a thin 7 inch like this is extremely portable all day every day. Its a device of the future. When I return to my little htc hero, its still cute but I really feel the tiny screen now I’ve been spoilt with 7 inches.
update 22.06.10
===============
The curious Apple-like connector at the bottom does in fact work with ipod cables. I bought the Universal Apple iPod USB Charger Kit – USB Retractable Hotsync Cable – USB Home Travel Charger – USB 12V Cigarette Lighter Charger Only the flexi cable is useful for this device. This device only charges from the original power cable. But the flexi usb connects much better than the original to the computer. So this opens up possibilities for ipad keyboard compatibility? The other two connectors I’ll use for my htc hero for charging. I don’t have a car connector so that’s useful.
update: 05.07.10
================
I’ve tried updating to the latest version offered by eken at slatedroid. Initially I had no luck. But the new version 1.7.4 managed to install. I followed instructions to put the script folder onto a blank sd card. It went through fine.
The changes bring new apps. First is the inclusion of youtube. Its a custom made one to fit on the 7 inch screen. Youtube is much better now. HD videos are still tricky to play.
The other update is the inclusion of the Amazon Market for Apps. Well its just a tease as the final downloading just doesn’t initiate copying onto the device. So a shame. There is a link to another app downloading market but its pretty barren at the moment. It seems a little less slow. Typing seems a bit more responsive as well.
Also having heard Amazon Kindle was available for download on Android I was keen to buy my first Kindle book and read it on the device. Unfortunately the Android Market(UK) on my phone doesn’t have the new Kindle app. Yet the one on the M001 found it but couldn’t download it?
update: 14.07.10
================
As a result of my experiment with the Eken I was able to find what I would be looking for from a Tablet. My Android smartphone the HTC Hero 3.2 inch showed me how smooth and silky response to touch is a true pleasure on a touchscreen. The Hero showed me what it means to be always connected. Access to the Android market is really convenient as well.
Then the Eken showed me what life is like with a much larger screen. What its like to do all the things I was doing on the 3.2″ hero on much larger screen. Its certainly a completely different experience.
I concluded at the end that I could go smaller than the Eken without too much loss on size. I just needed to sample a 5 or 6 inch device. So when O2 came out with the Dell Streak 5″ tablet/phone I went along and played with it for quite a while over two days.
I was instantly impressed by its super quick responsiveness. All in all it was like a supersized htc hero. The time and money spent with the M001 was completely worth every penny.
In the end I decided that I wanted something even more portable than the 7″. That 7″ is just the screen. Its more like 9″ in total. Its just a wee bit too big. Its funny how a size can move out of the convenient with just a couple of inches. I find the Dell Streak fits really well in one hand. Its such a pleasure to use. The video quality is brilliant.
As far as I’m concerned these 3.5″ smart phones are too small. I don’t see the point if you feel carrying a tablet is not an issue for you. Why have two devices when you can have one? I’ve gone with a Data Only on the Streak. At the end of the year I’ll see if I want it to become my sole device once my htc hero contract ends.
The M001 is a cheap option to check out a tablet. Its well made but the Streak is in a completely different League. Bought outright for cash its more than the IPad. But its got web cam and camera and is a phone. Its also no more than other smart phones. I still struggle to see how buying a phone outright makes sense. On contract its free. You still need a connection monthly which is on top of what you paid.
From my experience which is about 3 years with smart phones, going larger than 5 inches for everyday portability is too big. The Streak has been well thought out, tested thoroughly, trying out all form factors until realising this size is the most optimal for portability. There is this weird size effect on a smart phone. I tried out a 4 inch Toshiba phone last year and struggled to handle it. It was too big for one hand and too small for two? Yet somehow the streak works beautifully in two hands. You can hold it in two hands very comfortably, or one hand holding the other using fingers to work it. Its about 2/3rds of the weight of the Eken at 220 grams.
Rating: 5 / 5