There is a new budget tablet on the market in the US and it’s sub $100 price point has us curious. The Ainovo Novo 7 Basic has an interesting 1GHz Ingenic JZ4770 mobile applications processor based on a MIPS XBurst CPU, an 800 x 480 LED display and VGA front-facing / 2-megapixel rear cameras, this no-frills Slate could blaze a bargain trail past Bezos and Co. This tablet measures 7.4 x 4.4 x 0.5 inches (187.5 x 112 x 12mm) which makes it nearly indistinguishable from the Fire. If we are splitting hairs it is 0.1 inches shorter and 0.3 inches narrower but the real differences is that it is six ounces heavier.
There are an array of ports including headphone, HDMI, mini-USB and power sockets, in addition to a recessed reset button and space for a microSD card to compliment the 8GB of on board storage. The display is 800 x 480 LED-backlit display which isn’t great when contrasted with the Fire’s 1024 x 600.
We were most interested in the MIPS CPU, we’ve heard that it’s low cost and decent performance are going to be disruptive. Engadget’s review seemed to indicate as much, I mean, the tablet costs $134 on Amazon.
“Spec-wise, this ICS tab in beggar’s clothing won’t be turning any heads: it’s mediocre, at best, with a distinct lack of dual cores. Still, in our time testing the tablet, we were surprised to encounter relatively few performance hiccups, but nothing so bothersome as to disrupt the entire user experience. Occasional stuttering transitions aside, the overall UI mostly flows uninterrupted, demonstrating a satisfying level of responsiveness.”
The question is whether you should pick up the Ainovo Novo 7 Basic tablet or spend another hundred and get the Kindle Fire with the crippled version of Android? Engadget opts for the Fire, but I think there is value to having Ice Cream Sandwich and the ability to download apps from where ever you want. Plus if you’re not in the US you’ll actually be able to grab the Novo 7 Basic.
Here is a look at Engadget’s Review video, if you want to check out their full review, here it is.
Via Engadget
