

5" Android Tablet $155 - elblanco
http://enso-now.com/n/index.php

======
andreyf
And this is why Steve Jobs sees Android as a direct attack against Apple:
these devices (which Apple would like to sell at a high margin) can be made
_really_ cheap in a world of commoditized hardware (thanks, Microsoft!) and
free software (thanks, Google!).

Edit-reply: while Apple can try to split off a premium market as it did with
PC's, this is going to be a lot harder (and the premium market will be lot
smaller) when then OS provider isn't trying to make a profit.

~~~
Groxx
From the specs, it's not multitouch (a significant feature). From the video,
it was stuttering on just scrolling the application lists.

It may be a competitor to the iPad / iPod Touch, but it's not a serious
competitor. Apple still has the "premium" edge on it, their market doesn't
seem likely to be overly affected. An Android tablet definitely appeals to me
more than an iPad, for software purposes, but I'm not one of the iPad's target
consumers. Though I'm not interested if it doesn't have multitouch.

~~~
angusgr
More than not multitouch, it's a resistive (rather than capacitive) touch
screen, so you can only reliably use it with a stylus (which is included.)

Which is a bit of a downer, cos I was thinking of getting one to mount one in
my car. Also, AFAIK, there isn't any good free handwriting recognition on
Android yet, so you may be stuck tapping an on-screen keyboard with a stylus.

------
jacquesm
before you start sending them money, read this thread first:

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1182322>

~~~
SamAtt
I don't see anything overtly wrong in that thread. If anything I see HN
readers behaving badly by taking advantage of someone whose English isn't that
great. For the most part the things people were attacking him for are things
that almost every manufacturer does in China (copying web sites for example).

I don't see anything that indicates he's dishonest (and even if I did I'm not
sure it would detract given the price)

~~~
scott_s
The most important thing I learned is that it's not _his_ device. He's just
re-branding a device that other people made. It's also clear he doesn't
understand the technology he's selling. It also seems to be true that he was
taking paid orders before he actually had a device.

~~~
jws
Anyone find the original device?

This one is close,
[http://szboeye.en.alibaba.com/product/255890895-209487612/5_...](http://szboeye.en.alibaba.com/product/255890895-209487612/5_inch_Mobile_Internet_Device.html)

~~~
jacquesm
[http://www.smit.com.cn/English/proDetail.asp?InfoId=126&...](http://www.smit.com.cn/English/proDetail.asp?InfoId=126&js=)

~~~
aristus
I've been impressed with the Smit and excited someone's selling them,
rebranded or no. I'll probably give this guy a shot when my birthday rolls
around and report back.

~~~
jacquesm
That'd be awesome.

~~~
gridspy
Its very entertaining that 'enso' hasn't thought to visit your profile to
answer his questions about who you are.

~~~
jacquesm
Agreed, my identity is not exactly a secret. I haven't heard from his lawyers
yet though, maybe it's still in the mail somewhere.

It's sad though, I think he may have something there but he's going about it
completely wrong.

He wouldn't even have to rebrand the thing, just sell it as it is, save a
bunch of $. After all it's not like smit is going to give him an exclusive
deal.

And I'm still not sure what the status is on importing that thing with a 3G
dongle in to Europe or the US without the required 'seal of approval'. I'm
pretty sure that the local variety FCC wants to know that your device has
passed inspection, and that operating a device that has not passed inspection
is tricky at best and illegal in most places.

~~~
gridspy
FCC approval is actually quite easy and affordable (less than 10k), as long as
your equipment passes first time.

The best way out is to buy a dongle or module from a 3rd party who has already
got approval for it. If the RF module has approval then you don't have an
issue. You still need a different kind of approval for your electronic device,
but they are just reselling a 3rd party device so no issue there either.

I haven't made a mobile phone - instead I have worked on other RF devices.
Perhaps there are issues I am not aware of (a public mobile network probably
has a lot of checks and balances that are much more expensive)

------
mikecane
A few weeks ago, this was called the ePad. The link at my post still goes to
the same site.

[http://ipadtest.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/apple-ipad-meet-
and...](http://ipadtest.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/apple-ipad-meet-android-
epad/)

~~~
jacquesm
Prize quote from there:

> thanks for posting about our product. I have to admit that the image
> _mockups_ could be better

What's wrong with simply photographing the device? (If you have them...)

------
davidedicillo
Apple products are about experience, that's what they really sell. Hardware
and software are perfectly tailored to works seamlessly with each other. And
for sure it isn't a free OS that let other companies undercut Apple's price.

------
27182818284
Android 1.6? Make it bigger and use current version of Android and I'll buy
one.

~~~
Nwallins
From <http://enso-now.com/n/info.php>

> _Upgrades to Android 2.x will be available within 1 month to our customer on
> their private section for simple downloading and upgrading. Easy
> instructions will be provided._

Funny -- from <http://enso-now.com/n/Images/Slideshow/dimensions.png>

> Designed by Enso in _Hong_ Assembled in China

~~~
jacquesm
That site is full of gems like that.

------
callmeed
The _iPhone's_ screen is 3.5" ... where exactly do we draw the line between
"phone" and "tablet"?

Sorry, but I'd almost put this in "no man's land" ... too big for a phone in
my pocket, too small to be useful as anything else.

------
Lorin
God I'm sick of all these tablets that don't provide proper reading/writing
functionality. MEMS/Mirasol, Pixel Qi or the original OLPC screen. C'mon.

I feel the closest thing at the moment is NotionInk's Adam... throw in a
proper Wacom stylus system and I'd buy two...

It really feels like most of the companies don't have a goal, just throwing
random stuff at the wall and hoping something will stick... and to be all "me
too".

Maybe I should just design my own proper UI for these things and pull a
Microsoft :|

------
mattmichielsen
I like how the large clock on the desktop doesn't correlate with the system
time in the upper right corner.

------
va_coder
Some thoughts: * I'm in the target market for this: some cheap slab that I can
carry around and surf the internet. * I know what's on the top of my x-mas
list * The barrier to entry for development on a mobile device just went down

------
ConceptDog
Call me when this is 8" to 10".

~~~
SamAtt
I think you're being a little unfair. It's screen is bigger than the iPod
Touch and it's cheaper. If you, for example, were a developer who wanted to
build an open platform iPod competitor this would be a good starting point.

And let me just say I don't work for/with/or in any way with this company. I
just believe in both openness and the portable market and can see how a device
like this is a good thing.

------
pi3832
Nope, still nothing around that even vaguely competes with the iPod touch.
3,427 announcements of amazing freakin' devices sure to be released any day
now!

The only market with more vaporware is alternative-fuel vehicles.

------
jsz0
Does anyone know what type of issues this device will have due to the
resistive touchscreen and third party apps? Especially for games or any other
apps that are designed more specifically for capacitive touchscreens?

------
pathik
Is this company legit? Has anyone here ordered one?

~~~
rubinelli
A pop up said they aren't currently accepting orders from the site when I
clicked the shopping button.

------
morbidkk
name as well as logo is similar to <http://humanized.com/enso/>

~~~
CrazedGeek
Probably from: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ens%C5%8D>

------
latch
arrg..when will Android support USB Host? We (and many others) are stuck in a
WinCE world solely because everyone else is missing this feature.

------
SamAtt
I remember this from a while ago. Here's a good video:
<http://dvice.com/archives/2010/03/zenpad-the-155.php>

------
nagoo
no camera?

