Tablets, tablets, tablets. Tablets are everywhere. What tablet should you get? How much should you spend? What features are you looking for? For most consumers, the basics is fine. They want to be able to check and send email, browse the web, or take notes during a meeting. And of course with the economy the way it is now many of us have to be budget conscious. Not everyone can afford to spend $499 on a tablet. But, that does not mean that you cannot get one. Several companies have stepped up to create affordable entry level tablets that work fine for most people’s needs.
The Impression 7 is one of those tablets. It is an Android 2.2 OS based tablet. And it also does Flash. Now, there are a few drawbacks to having a low cost tablet. I am assuming that due to licensing many of these do not include the official Android Market. The Impression 7 includes the SlideME Market. But, this is honestly not a deal breaker. I was able to download the Amazon App Store to use as well. The main drawback of not having the official Android Market is having to go through a little work to install official Google apps like Gmail. But, it can be done by finding and installing the APK.
The Impression 7 is by far a decent tablet. It is sturdy and feels well made. And it comes with a nice snap case to keep it protected. Of course if you are used to using a high end Android tablet like the Xoom, you are going to notice some shortcomings. However, if you have never used one, or you do not expect it to be as good, the Impression 7 will work out just fine. It actually has a couple of pluses over some other tablets. It has a full USB 2.0 port. This allows you to plug up a USB hard drive for accessing and copying files like documents, photos, and music. You can also hook up a USB keyboard. And it has a microSD card slot for adding more storage (up to 32gb).
It has a front facing camera, although at only .3 MP, the quality is not great. But, this is not for taking pictures, it is for video conferencing, and for that it works out just fine.
Full specs:
- 1Ghz Processor and 512MB RAM
- 4GB memory
- 802.11 b/g/n
- Two USB 2.0 ports
Size and weight
- Height: 7.59 inches (205mm)
- Width: 4.52 inches (110mm)
- Depth: 0.05 inches (14mm)
- Weight: 0.50 lbs
Display
- 7.0 inch color display
- 800 x 480 resolution
- Resistive touch panel
Google Android
- Android 2.2 with flash 10.1
Wireless and Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Storage
- 4GB memory
- 2GB Multimedia partition
- 2GB System partition
*Available storage capacity will also be less due to operating system and pre-installed apps
- Micro SD/MMC card slot (Supports up to 16GB)
Input & Output
- On the go USB slot
- Supports USB 2.0 mini port
- 3.5mm stereo headphone jack
- Built-in stereo speaker
- Built-in Microphone
- Micro SD/MMC slot
Video
- MPEG4, H.264, H.263
- Supports: RM, RMVB, AVI, MPEG4, FLV
Audio
- MP3, AAC, AMR-nb/wb
Camera
- Front camera 0.3m pixel
Sensors
- Accelerometer G-Sensor
Battery and power
- Built-in rechargeable 3.7V Lithium polymer
- Up to 6 hours of play
Pros:
- Small and sturdy
- Reasonably priced
- Includes microSD card slot to expand memory
- Very long standby battery life
- External USB slot allows connectivity of USB storage
Cons:
- Screen quality not great for watching movies
- Lack of Android Marketplace makes it hard to get Google apps
- Occasional lag in response times
- No Bluetooth – but it is not a phone, so this is not a deal breaker.
In closing
I tested out several things on the Impression 7. I plugged in some nice headphones and streamed music from my USB key and it sounds good. I actually really like the build of the device when holding it. It does not feel flimsy at all. And the smooth finish on the back is finger print resistant. It is a great device for doing the basics. The sound is good. The app selection is good with the help of the Amazon App store.
After using tablets with a capacitive touch screen it took a bit to get used to actually pushing to make things happen over just lightly touching. But this is easy after a while.
I think the Impression 7 is fine for new tablet users, teens, or even for kids to play games. The functions are good, and it gets the job done. The price is only $129 from some retailers so give it a try!
Disclosure: The Impression 7 was provided to me for testing in exchange for this review.
can you watch netflix on it? also how does Skype work too.
Can you watch netflix on it?
can it read pdf and word files.
Hey Little tech girl. I recently recieved an impression 7 tablet from my husband and kids. I’ve never used the android system b4 this and I’m having some trouble trying to figure it out. If you have any helpfull tips for this device that would be great. Also when I go to the android market or like google play I’m told I dont have a device associated with android. I dont have an android phone but my son does now is there any way we can like sync my tablet to his phone and download apps to the tablet without them downloading on his phone? Again thank you for all the advice you post. Hope to hear from you soom .
sincerly,,Ginger
gmetteer@hotmail.com
where did you find the google apps apk