Velocity Micro Cruz Tablet Reviewed, Not Worth It

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9 Nov, 2010 11:07 pm

6 Comments

Cruz Velocity has a couple of Android tablets out at the moment, both 7-inch. The Cruz Reader is e-book reader focused and has a 4:3 ratio display while the Cruz Tablet is a general purpose tablet with the typical 16:9 ratio display. Both tablets went up for pre-order in August but I never heard much from the Cruz Tablet since then.

Turns out that it has been selling for a while, at Best Buy in particular and here’s one that’s been recently unboxed and reviewed by My Tablet Life. The packaging includes both a 4GB and 8GB SD card, USB cable and tablet case. Good news first – it has a capacitive touch screen and a vanilla install of Android.

The rest is not so good – the tablet itself is rather chunky and capacitive touch buttons that aren’t always lit so you’ll be fumbling around in low lighting. The processor is slow, at 600 MHz and based on a MIPS processor so Android is stuck at 2.0 and even lacks multi-touch support. No Android Marketplace, instead there’s the Cruz Store and Borders e-book store if you’re not going to sideload apps. The processor could not handle 1080p HD video content. Ultimately, the reviewer deems it not worthy of your $299. I’d agree.

The tablet has a 7″ 800 x 480 capacitive touch, 600MHz MIPS processor, Android 2.0, 512MB RAM, 1GB flash storage, 4GB and 8GB SD card, g-sensor, W-Fi and a 6 hour video battery (video playback). You can order the tablet at Amazon.com, BestBuy, Sears and CruzTablet.com for $299.

Unboxing video:

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Review:

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If you’re willing to wait out this initial burst of tablets, Velocity Micro has a few more promising tablets in store for early next year, eight and ten inch in size with Android 3.0 and Tegra 2.0.

Buy: Amazon.com

Source: MyTabletLife.com


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  • Johnsparks

    I bought it and have no complaints, I also have the reader.

  • Geekgirl70

    The statement that the tablet does not support multi-touch is untrue. You can use the ‘pinch’ and such on the capacitive screen (the Reader version, with a ‘resistive’ screen does not support multi-touch). However, it’s not a function I have used much. Capacitive screens work from the natural electrical current in our body, NOT screen pressure. The touch response seems a bit sluggish sometimes, but I’ve found that rubbing your fingertips together, to create a little more static charge, helps. My biggest complaint about the tablet, is that sometimes it’s a little awkward to use, and you can accidentally close the screen you are working on. I’ve also encountered occasional issues with apps closing immediately after they are opened (tapping the power button to go into ‘sleep mode’, then tapping it again to turn the device on seems to cure that). However, I purchased the tablet primarily for two functions: eReader and Appointment Book, and it seems to excel at both of those things. I am overall very happy with my purchase.

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for your thoughts. Checking up on this, it appears that just the browser does not support multi-touch. Is this correct?

  • RFinnie

    I puchased the micr cruz from QVC about a month ago. It was heavly advertized as an e-reader and most would be compatable. My Barnes and Nobles(Nook) account will not allow me to read my books. I am very upset. I downloaded the app the guide said t download. When you open it(upub) it looks like gibberish.

  • Christyc13

    When I purchased mine I was told that it would work with Barnes and Noble, but that I needed to take it to them first……I just don’t remember what they were supposed to do…hmmm…I’m obviously not a tech. person.

  • Christyc13

    When I purchased mine I was told that it would work with Barnes and Noble, but that I needed to take it to them first……I just don’t remember what they were supposed to do…hmmm…I’m obviously not a tech. person.