I’ve bought an Advent Vega 10.1″ (Android Tabet)
As I mentioned on one of my favourite websites, AVForums; I was tempted to buy a cheap 7″ or 10″ tablet to see if I would actually use one once I had one.
I was thinking that 7″ would be nice as it would be portable (I carry my Kindle with me all the time in my jacket pocket). Whilst a 10″ tablet would be more functional.
After much playing around in Currys and PC World, I decided to buy the 10.1″ Advent Vega. The pricepoint of £200 is what really sold it to me. I very rarely get cheap stuff (I usually go over the top!) but I bought it thinking that I probably wouldn’t use it. If I found that I did use it a lot, I would sell it (or keep it for around the house) and buy a top-end one.
Anyway, I’ve had it for a week now and here is my review:
Out of the box I found it pretty useless as you can’t use the Android Market. So I flashed it with the 09/Feb r8 – MoDaCo Custom ROM for the Advent Vega with Online Kitchen – Android @ MoDaCo – I’d suggest that you have to be reasonably technical to do this. With that installed, the device is far more usable as I now have lots of apps installed. This ROM is only Android 2.2 though – I would like at least 2.3 because 2.2 means that you can’t ‘update all’ on the Android Marketplace, plus Online Mind Mapping and Brainstorming – MindMeister doesn’t work (it does on my Samsung Galaxy S mobile phone, which is running Android 2.3).
Modaco aren’t going to develop the ROM for the Vega any more, so I will install the ROM from [ROM] VegaComb BETA 1.5.2 – by TeamNewCo and TeamVillain!! once it is in a final build (currently beta). They expect it to be ready at the end of June.
Some downsides with the device are:
Screen. It is only good if you view it square on. Any angle off and the colours fade. This makes typing a bit difficult if you have it on your lap – you end up arching your back over it.
Audio. The quality is okay, but the noise level is too quiet.
WiFi. Tablets are supposed to be an ‘instant on’ device. Whilst the device comes on very quickly, you have to wait for the WiFi to start up and then for your apps (e.g. e-mail) to synchronise. If I want to have a quick peek of my e-mail/twitter/etc. I pick up my phone instead, because that is constantly updating even when it is ‘asleep’.
Between 7″ and 10″ – I’m glad I went for the 10″ as it is a nice size to use. Although I wish I could fold it in half to put it in my coat pocket 
I haven’t used it that much so far, but I have found it nice to have around the house and to take to friends. I haven’t used it enough to justify getting a more expensive one yet though.