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1&1 SmartPad – Don’t expect much of a free Android tablet
1&1 SmartPad - Don't expect much of a free Android tablet
German ISP 1&1 announced a free Android tablet some weeks ago. Of course, it is not completely free, it is a vehicle for selling mobile internet data plans. And that could be the reason why the 1&1 SmartPad won’t be a a very powerful tablet.
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- 1&1 SmartPad – Don’t expect much of a free Android tablet
Look at the parts they used:
| Specifications | 1&1 SmartPad |
|---|---|
| Processor | 500 Mhz ARM 11 |
| RAM | 256MB DDR RAM |
| Screen | 7-Inch / LED / 800 x 480 / touch screen |
| Storage | 1GB flash storage / SD Cards |
| A/V Input | ??? |
| A/V Output | Headphones / Speakers /Audio Connectors through docking station |
| Network | WLAN (802.11b/g/n) / Infrared /3G only with additional dongle |
| Connectors | micro USB 2.0 / 3.5mm headphone jack / dock connector |
| Sensors | Ambient Light Sensor / Accelerometer |
| Battery | 2.500 mAh Lithium-Ion |
| Extras | SD Card Slot / Docking Station / Can be used as universal remote control with some devices / No Android market support/ Android 1.6 |
| Price Range | only with a data plan/ 30€ for the docking station |
| Distributor | 1&1 |
In my eyes, 1&1 just realized that now is the moment to sell tablet computers along with data plans. That’s clever. But, I would not buy it. The 1&1 SmartPad can not be fast enough to provide a smooth and satisfying user experience. I am also sceptical because they only presented computer illustrations and no video of the UI in action.
I wonder why the SmartPad has no 3G support. 1&1 is a ISP that offers mobile data plans and home internet data plans. But it seems that this device is only meant to be used at home through a Wifi connection. Not very convincing. Another big handicap of the device is the missing Android market licence. Of course there are other ways to get good apps on any Android device, but the market is the most complete.
For me this is just another chapter of the story “How to profit of the tablet hype”. Let’s see if they roll it out quickly enough to sell some to impatient tablet enthusiasts. If they wait too long, it could be a shelf warmer because other tablets are much more promising…
UPDATE July 6, 2010: Mr. Maurer from 1&1 Internet had some additions to my post. Read them in the comments section. He also tipped me to a video of a hands-on of the SmartPad provided by ndeviltv.com:
There is another video in german, showing how Youtube performs on the SmartPad, watch it on Youtube…
Just four quick answers:
1) You can find a first hands-on video – shot in a Munich beergarden on the day of our SmartPad announcement by a blogger not related to 1&1 here
2) Built-in 3G suppport would have prevented us from giving the SmartPad for free to our DSL customers. We also offer 3G surfsticks (which many of our customers already use) that will work with the SmartPad in a few weeks. So users can decide whether to use the same data plan either with their SmartPad or a notebook computer.
3) Currently, virtually all announced Android tablets will have to go without Google’s market. We think, that for the time being our own store that is maintained by FONPIT is a good alternative.
4) We started planning the SmartPad a year ago – when there was neither a tablet nor a hype. The reason for 1&1 to build our own tablet was simply that there was no alternative available at that time.
Best,
Andreas Maurer, 1&1 Internet
Dear Mr. Maurer, thanks for commenting here, I really appreciate that.
Concerning point 2.: You could give out the tablets for free with 3G data plans as you do with the DSL data plans… no?
Concerning point 3: It seems that Dell recieved a market licence from Google. Yes of course they are a devices manufacturer, not a distributor…
I still hope you will profit enough to launch another tablet. Make it faster, add 3G and… make it thinner…
i live in india so where can i buy it and for how much?