By This is quite the odd combination that seems to have come straight from the depths of nowhere. Augen – a company I’ve never even heard of until today – is looking to offer their Android-based tablet for K-Mart shoppers later on this week. The device – being dubbed the GenTouch78 – has a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, Android 2.1 (yes, this is an Android tablet with a fairly recent version of Android), an 800MHz CPU, 256MB of RAM, 2GB of internal memory, WiFi, and more.
The device will be market-enabled and will run you for about $150. If these unofficial-looking official press shots are anything to go by, then the user interface on these things have had no customization whatsoever: stock Android through and through. That may not sit well with some of you who’d like to use all of that real estate to its full advantage (there’s no customization to employ a widget and icon grid larger than 4×4).
For $150 it may not be everything you’ve always dreamt your Android tablet to be, but it’s a start. We’ll let you guys know if someone can manage to find this thing in a K-Mart store sometime this week.
[via Engadget]
simple, install ADW.launcher from android market, and you can increase the amount of desktops it has, and you can increase the grid layout to be 8×4 or 9×6 or anything other than that 4×4
I refuse to buy one until I find one that has Stock Android 2.2 (adobe flash capable)
THEN and only THEN will something arise that will beat the iPad
Wow, who saw that coming?
James, I think that you are missing the point dude. At $150, I doubt that Augen (whoever that is) is really trying to compete with apple in terms of software and hardware. If it cost say $500, then I would be demanding flash 10.1 and Froyo. However, at a buck-and-a-half, I may have to pick one up just for S__s and grins. After all, %45 of all Android phones are still running 1.6 or older.
On the other hand, what is it they say about “if it seems too good to be true…”? I went to my (semi)local Kmart and the employee had yet to find a product # or SKU, and he had been looking and making calls for 2 hours before I got there. It also seems sketchy that the Augen website just posted the device’s product info in the past few hours.
I can imagine Augen promising Kmart’s buyers 200,000 units but only being able to ship 2,000 anytime soon.
Not a deal.
Android 7″ tablets are all over eBay for $100 or less, including shipping from Hong Kong.
10″ tablets with Android 2.1 are now on eBay for about $230, and seem the better bet.
Maybe I’m missing something, but doesn’t that Screen shot have a pic of a skype app? That’s currently not on market?
Will stop by the big K tomorrow after work. Too bad this isn’t @ Target. My kids have enough Target gift cards to get one.
It’s Skype beta, and it is on the market.
Come on Google…..someone, put that idiotpad to shame. I wouldn’t mind paying 299 for a descent tablet that would have features like: wifi, Bluetooth, webcam, SD card slot, USB port (connecting printer, monitor..etc , heck if macbooks can have Microsoft office then so can android.
This actually looks halfway decent to me. Ok processor, Vanilla Android, decent screen size, a good price, and a recent release of android. If developers get on board with this to make custom roms i will actually consider one.
Called my local Kmart and they’re getting some tomorrow, imma buy one after work….
Did anyone notice that the query Augen Tablet was 25th most searched query on Google today!, WOW, Android tablet interest is HUGE
interesting but:
ARMv6 or ARMv7 processor?
multitouch capacitive or resistive display?
battery life?
I’m not that much of a phone geek but I would think since its android and not a big wig like Motorola u could unlock and root this product and probably put cyanogenmod on it with froyo or something.
This looks somewhat similar to my SmartQ5, except it has a capacitive touch screen and better specs. It’s interesting because Google made them take Market off for some reason. The Android came from a Japanese company so I couldn’t quite translate it right, but it sounded like it didn’t have the all the hardware requirements Google wanted for it to get market, one being an accelerometer.
…thats pretty cool. I’m very interested.
One question, and this is to anyone who owns multiple android devices. Can you share your market/google account? In other words will all the products I purchased off the market be available for my second device since I did already pay for them once? If so i’m buying this ASAP.
Skype is in the market, or you can google this exactly – skype .apk – skype space .apk – good luck to you
Dell is really screwing up by taking its time to release the Streak. I though they were stupid for missing Father’s Day. There’s no way they will be able to a premium for the thing if cheaper devices are going to start coming up in the US. I hope this takes off and Samsung decides to bring the yp-mb2 here.
Here is a link to the page with the .apk file for skype for android
http://bit.ly/4xNDB
Just stopped by my local store. Even though its in the local flyer the store never received any and I left with a rain check and little reason to believe they will ever get one.
Beofre you guys go buts, remember most of these random android tablets, don’t have the Google apps on them.
Flashing gapps is painfully easy
I thought Google demanded that any tablet with Market had to have phone capabilities…? This is why there’s no Dell Streak without a cellular radio.
Clearly they had to solve this to make Android tablets work but I did not hear that it was.
Stopping at The Big K today to see though
Stopped by just this morning to Kmart, they were stocking up on stuff. Ask the guy about the Advertisement of the tablet, he quickly start looking for it, no chance… then he went krazy and started opening all the boxes of electronics and searching for it. Still no luck, so he gave me a Raincheck. and checked other Kmarts around my area. but none have it……its weird…
are this tablet support for simcard (GSM) or 3G??
Anyone of u can tell me about that?? i am from indonesia n need that info.. thanks before!!!
best regards – droid ab
are this tablet support for simcard (GSM) or 3G??
Anyone of u can tell me about that?? i am from indonesia n need that info.. thanks before
best regards – droid ab
Electronics clerk at Kmart said “alot” of people have stopped and asked about it. I got a raincheck for it and the clerk at that counter said she had passed out many of them and that people started asking about it even before the circular went out.
The important point about this piece of news is that it is the first low cost tablet showing up at a US mass marketer brick and mortar store. Sure you can get an Archos tablet at Best Buy but at twice the price. I suspect there will be many low cost tablets available for the holiday season, $89 Black Friday deals maybe. I’ve heard consumer advocates when asked about buying a smart phone bring up the hidden costs of those and mention for most people a cheap phone no contract maybe phone card and something like this might be the answer. I think this will appeal to a lot of people.
I can’t see how this won’t be anything but a homerun for KMart & Augen. Releasing it in time for the back-to-school rush is genius.
resistive touchscreen, still sounds like a good deal…and has market access! http://bit.ly/codjoM
$150.00 for basic feature set or stripped down config sounds cool to me. Besides “build the apps as you need it” is great! I’ll have to get one just because…
Empty shelf with price $169 card in #STL per my twitter stream @RexDixon from earlier today.
I walked in and picked one of the tablets from Kmart today. They had three left (Toledo, Ohio). It has a resistive screen (not real responsive), Skype tries to do Skype out and dial a number to make a call, it DOES have access to Android market, has a stylus and buttons on the back, comes with a leatherette case, decent manual, and two mini usb cords. Played a Youtube video, downloaded an update to Google Maps from the market, and synced my Gmail account. It has a Telechips TCC8900 Evaluation Board (?), and has Android 2.1, update 1. The kernal version is 2.6.29, and it looks like there is no customization for the fact its a tablet instead of a cell. Have to head out to work, so I will test further this evening.
wow……………just erased the flash drive and installed windows xp home and let me tell you this is an awesome devise for what its worth……simply amazing!!!
Youtube has a video by a real life android showing his Augen he got at Kmart. It looks like a real good buy. Lots of attachments, a good touch screen’
Went yesterday and got a rain check, the guy was real tool, not much help…
To Rod Farthing,
Can you test more calling on Skype? I am intersted in SIPDroid this tablet and do some VOIP call. Please update us! Many thanks
And does the Android Market access include paid apps?
@jake
Not possible. Windows XP Home does not run on an ARM CPU.
Based on looking at the video on Youtube, no mic, 2.5mm headphone jack instead of 3.5mm, looked pretty unresponsive. Here’s a link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfha5r6law0
I might hold off on buying this until a capacitive screen is released.
Listen guys I just brought one yesterday from my local Kmart and I have to say not bad. Is it a ipad NO but it does get the job done and I like the fact that the screen isn’t huge which makes it more fun to carry especially on the train or plane. Anyways it is a little sluggish but the android market looks good my emails look good and surfing the web isn’t that bad at all. The plus thus far is watching HD movies they really look good in dim settings. My next mission is to download a few apps to see how well they work! Oh one last thing the biggest downside to the Gentouch is the touch screen sensitivity. The stylus works so much better then using your fingers.
Just some thoughts on the Augen Gentough 78 sold at Kmart. I saw a couple of days ago on line. I am retired and search daily for new toys. I thought one of these would be perfect for my 2 year old granddaughter who lives a long ways from me. I bought her a small Sansa Fuze just to send her pictures and videos our our animals and us so she knows us as she is growing up between visits. Anyway I finally found one an hour away and shot over to pick it up. I did and sat in parking lot and read manual and checked screen res. and then ran back in and bought another one. They are not high end, I don’t know Android, but they have a nice screen, the things work plenty good enough to be worth $150. Bought extended warranty for $14.(now has two years warranty and they has updates on their site. I am going to try and load Froyo I found on line. What the heck if it doesn’t work I will use warranty. I did read two site writers who slammed them with seeing. Where are you going to get 800×400 on 7 inch screen, access to 70,000 apps. play videos, movies, photos, wifi, and so on for that cheap. Manual says it takes 32GB with micro sd card and includes cable to hook up 16gb flash drive. It is not an $800 ipad nor a $500 Dell Streak but for small children how can you lose?
I just talked to a friend who purchased one yesterday at Kmart. He admits he can’t get on line and the email program is populated with someone else’s email contacts and a few other things don’t work. He can’t return it because they don’t have a replacement. He wouldn’t comment on the battery life which I expect from a chronic Apple hater. He does $15 whores too.
Remember! You never get what you don’t pay for. Do you think anyone would even give $150 for this piece of crap if iPad didn’t exist or cost $499? Even with an iPad to copy these clones can’t get the most basic features working well. Same with the smart phone market. All anyone can do is make cheap imitations that in one month will be selling on Ebay for like $28 or best offer.
Spend about $20 more and get an Archos 7. You’ll get a much better buy.
this seems like one of the cheaper 7″ tablets but I think for reading PDFs and playing some games it should be fine. Thanks for the information.