Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program UPDATE 26 NOV 2012: Please note that the following review was for the Le Pan I and NOT the Le Pan II. Due to circumstances not under my control this review may actually appear under the latest Le Pan II which appears to be a good upgrade but I've never used it I am still happily using the first version tablet (Le Pan I) acquired in June, 2011 (so durability is good).IMPORTANT UPDATE 11/30/2011: Please read B. Brinton's Amazon review (can't give the URL but it's one of the two star reviews here) regarding inability to update to new operating system. I stand by my original review as to the quality of the tablet, but recommend that you check out Brinton's review before actually buying.
Before I even start, I absolutely LOVE my Le Pan tablet. It's a blast to use, has a lot of upside for the things I want to do with it, and has a definite "wow" factor with bystanders. Typical quotes are, "wow," and "I want one" and "that is so cool!" This could be said about a lot of the better tablets (e.g., iPad) that have nice, high def, shiny screens showing video, but I appreciated the coveting looks (and I let people play with it extensively and had trouble getting it back a couple times).
I have never used a tablet (well, 10 minutes goofing with an iPad in the Apple Store a year ago) and have never used anything with the Android operating system.
A lot of my "cons" are probably pertinent to a lot of similar pieces of hardware, as well as shortcomings of the Android OS as it is currently implemented, rather than unique to the Le Pan.
I would NOT recommend this for someone looking for a turnkey, works perfectly out of the box solution. You will need either some experience, or a strong nerd compulsion (or a little of both). You'll have to overcome quirks of the hardware and software.
First, the "bad."
The power button sucks. After four days I STILL fumble with that sucker.
The fingerprints on the screen drive me nuts. I think it's worse in a tablet with a large screen than on an Android or Iphone with smaller screens. I'm already carrying around a microfiber cleaning cloth. A definite hazard of this entire class of machine. You might want to invest in some wet-dry LCD screen wipes for when you want to get it in pristine condition before you show off in front of the boss (e.g., Audiovox Surface SURF402 Wet/Dry Screen Wipes). Think of it as detailing your tablet.
Saying the speakers are "tinny" might be generous and there is absolutely no recognizable bass component. I'm ready to get a bluetooth headphone for this immediately.
Can't run Hulu to watch TV (yet) the hardware is probably perfectly capable, but Hulu sees "Android mobile device" and just serves up an annoying message. However YouTube (included app) looks and works better than I have ever seen it.
It's heavier than I thought, but not that bad. It's about the same weight as an iPad. I found that holding it in one hand I would cramp up after a couple of minutes. It is light enough to cradle, and propping it up on an ample paunch while in bed was ok. Sitting down with tablet on lap, no problem.
Next, the "weird."
The onboard camera only shoots pictures in a mirror mode (i.e., titles of books are reversed like in a mirror). In using Skype I found that for this version of Android, video calling is not supported. Otherwise, Skype works quite nicely on this platform.
In certain network environments (I'm on a University network half the time) you can easily purchase apps via the included Android Market, but downloading wouldn't commence probably some security feature of our network. Using my home wifi connection (DSL via AT&T) I had no problems downloading and installing Skype and some other navigation based stuff.
The included browser can't handle Ebsco databases (if that means anything to you). The browser handles most websites well, and the large screen means you don't need to access the specially configured mobile sites, which are still a lot cleaner. I ran this on our library catalog and most of our databases with no problem, but the Ebsco ones didn't allow any search entry. Weird. (NOTE ADDED June 2, 2011: Just installed the Opera Mobile Web Browser ver. 11 from the Apps for Android store on Amazon and the Ebsco databases work just fine).
Finally, the "good."
The screen is awesome (except in daylight where it is useless). Use this indoors, not at the beach.
The response time is lightning fast. Apps come up fast and operate fast. Scrolling, screen switching, etc. is ultra-smooth.
In the right network environment, getting, installing, and using apps is trivial.
The integration with web based Google apps is seamless. I didn't even notice my calendar and contacts were downloaded and synchronized (and continue to be synchronized). A very cool thing I discovered this morning was that when I was out of wifi range (on my bus and train commute) I could still do my Gmail offline. The Gmail app downloads and caches your email so you can use it offline, including replying to messages. The next time you get a wifi connection, synchronization will send all pending messages, and download new ones this was all done while sitting in my backback.
The GPS is useful, but not yet a substitute for a good stand-alone unit (I'm a TomTom user). But the connection to Google Maps is very cool. You have to wrestle to find it, but once you get into street view, it's obvious that high def simulated 3d is designed for tablets with big shiny screens. I'm still struggling with the interface (I think the GPS keeps wanting to tether me to Missouri), but I've taken friends to Florence and Rome on this tablet, and the fast and seamless "look around" on a tablet is very, very, nice.
Photos and video on this screen are gorgeous, without question. I haven't read anything yet that contests that I vouch for the visual impressiveness as well. Again, the screen WILL get covered in finger smudges, and if you're in any kind of daylight you're out of luck seeing anything.
So, take this review in stride. Think of my comments as caveats and warnings, and whether or not they're deal breakers is up to you and what you need. I'm not sure there is any tablet that can satisfy all the myriad details wanted by end users. I give this four stars for being an impressive work with some upside potential with upgrades (video calling with Skype, Hulu compatibility). Read the specs and decide if things like not having video output is important, or not.
ADDED June 2, 2011: To watch movies you might have to convert them to an appropriate format (and/or download some other video software). I've been able to take video and using VLC (free and available on PCs and Macs) and convert to MP4 format then view with no problem. Also, because of movie sizes, you're likely going to need to buy a bigger micro SD chip (or two). I have some DVDs from Orlando (wife and kids swimming with the dolphins) and was able to extract the unprotected "VOB" files. I converted to a couple of formats but the MP4 format seemed to universally work. Again, this is one of those areas you need a bit of a nerd compulsion to work out.
Regarding using wet/dry pads to clean the screen. Almost all of the standard pads should work fine, but in most cases you're going to waste a lot of pad. I've taken to opening the pouches and cutting the wet AND dry pads in half. Then I stuff them back in the pouches and fold it over to preserve the dampness. You can probably clean the screen 3 to 4 times with one set of pads (experiment on your own).
UPDATE AFTER SIX WEEKS (added July 15, 2011): I'm hooked. Durable, dependable, and now I've modded it with all sorts of useful and fun apps (hint: Amazon apps store gives a free app a day SUCH A DEAL!!!). I've been using for six weeks without a hitch and this has become my "go to" device for browsing the net and wasting time (playing games). Power button still sucks, but I've gotten used to the fingerprints.
UPDATE AFTER SEVEN MONTHS (added January 11, 2012): Le Pan has now come out with a successor, the Le Pan II, so this will be my final update. I received my Le Pan in early June, 2011. As of this date my TC970 is still running strong with no quirks or hardware faults whatsoever. Anecdote is not evidence, but my personal experience continues to be positive with this tablet. I even loaned it to my son for a couple of weeks as he took it to Budapest, Prague, and Vienna. Toting it around Europe in a backpack for two weeks, and it's back home, still humming along perfectly. This is still one fine machine.
Update 4 August: ICS has been released and it is working very well. Flash support on chrome is giving me some trouble, but Dolphin browser still has it working fine. ICS is nice and runs a bit smoother. I cannot get the HDMI mirroring to work (and now have the official Le Pan cable for it) so if that is important wait on the upgrade. I am really enjoying ICS far more than I thought I would. I remade the attached video in a streamlined format with ICS and it is on youtube, just search "le pan ice cream sandwich" and I think it comes up. Since I think they still ship with Honeycomb I am leaving the old video up for now.
Update 23 May: I am still very pleased with my tablet. I have had almost no problems, and the few I have had were fixed with a reset. I leave my tablet on all the time. All the time. The total time it has spent physically off since I got in Jan is less than 3 days. I still have good battery life and things are great. Quick note since this generation of tablets is being replaced by newer models(transformer prime, Ipad 3, etc). You can now find comparable tablets with good options in the ballpark of this price. Part of my emphatic nature of recommending this tablet originally was that all comparable tablets at the time were $400 or more. Le Pan II is still certainly a contender. One advantage this tablet still has is being nearly the only Android tablet of 4:3 ratio. I find that very comfortable for web browsing. If that is not a big deal you could probably get a Xoom or some such that is comparable and possibly better depending on the price, though most are refurbs versus Le Pan being for a new unit. I still recommend this tablet, but the progression of technology marches on. Also if you have a Roku and get an android device check out Gregg Reno's apps for Roku; Juice for Roku is the app I use second most. It is only beaten out by the browser on my tablet. I have a surround sound system and now my tablet is graphical radio control; it is awesome for anyone with a lot of mp3s.
Video:
In my video I show basic functions, google applications, amazon applications, built in camera, music and video demos. Much of the bullet list of pros and cons are still best seen in the review below. It ran kind of long, so I cut it back for amazon's requirements. Sorry again for the length of it and my written review, but there is so much to say about this tablet. I very much hope it helps people make informed decisions.
**Also the tablet accesses Google Play (my video was before the switch when it was Android Market, but it still allows access to all the Google apps and markets).
Original review:
Let me start by saying that I purchased the TC970 (previous model) back in October, and after 2 months was excited about the Le Pan II. I have had the Le Pan II for a few hours and am really enjoying it already. Originally I was wary about the unknown company, but took a chance. It was the best move I have ever made since I got a reliable Ipad quality device at a fraction of the price. I shall comment more on that in the company section.
Basics:
**Pros:
It has a nice professional build and feels solid, no cheap plastic feel here. All quality.
Fast processor, boots in about 30 seconds, quick start on apps, and can run many with no problems.
It has a 4:3 aspect ratio like the Ipad, which I find more comfortable for web browsing than the 16:9 tablets.
Fully functioning android market.
Youtube app works great.
Syncs with Gmail just fine.
Beautiful high definition screen.
Full Flash support.
Sensitive screen with good response on keyboard, I can type about 30 words per minute on the tablet (~90 on a real keyboard) and it keeps up just fine (my speed is going up as I get used to the onscreen keyboard).
No problems with Wifi, good signal.
Good accelerometer, can use it to play games easily and works well with google sky map.
Decent microphone with wide pick up (I use a frequency analyzing program).
**Cons:
Proprietary 30 pin connector, but it comes with a USB connection and charger (so only kind of annoying).
No USB ports, do not get keyboards that connect through USB (it does support Bluetooth so you can get accessories, but only with Bluetooth).
No rear camera (no big deal to me, I have a digital camera anyway), and front facing camera is only 2MP.
**Notes:
The speakers are above average for portable devices (almost no portable devices have good speakers since good bass usually needs larger speakers). These are pretty good overall, but for audio excellence in any portable device you need a good pair of headphones.
I have not tried to connect this tablet to my TV with HDMI, I still need to get the adapter, but will update after I try. It does not come with the connector initially (at this time anyway).
I expect it will function similar to the TC970, so the battery life should hold for about 7 hours even with constant video use. I almost never turned my old one off, just sleep mode. It can run for days easily in sleep mode. With intermittent use I would only charge every 3 days or so and expect the Le Pan II to perform about the same.
Cases: I use an off-brand case designed for the HP touchpad (HHI HP TouchPad Folio Flip Case with Muti-Function Stand Purple (Package include a HandHelditems Sketch Stylus Pen)), and it works well. I had to cut it a little to use the camera and access volume, and I have to remove it from the case to charge it. However, I got the Targus Truss Case/Stand for HP TouchPad THZ07202US (Black/Gray) for my mother and this will fit the Le Pan II (identical size to the TC970) perfectly and allow easy access to all ports. In general you can use any case designed for Ipad or Touchpad, but may need to cut a little free for all the ports to be open.
Interface:
**Pros:
Latest OS (honeycomb with possible upgrade to ICS)
Runs all online video well. My main problem with the last version was that I could not watch amazon prime videos on it. Partly it was the hardware, and partly android 2.2. This tablet runs amazon streaming just fine, as well as Blip.tv, and comedy central's videos (just the few I have tested). I do not have Netflix, but the reviews of the last tablet (TC970) said that it worked fine with the Netflix app and I expect this one will too.
**Cons:
None really. I got used to the simplicity of Froyo, so Honeycomb is proving challenging to adapt to, but I still figured everything I wanted to do out within an hour or so of playing with it.
Tying into the last point, the previous version the TC970 may be a little easier for the non-technical people to use. My parents can use Android 2.2 with little trouble, but I think it would be tougher for them to use Honeycomb. I got this one to try amazon streaming (which worked) but the TC970 was easy to use and could do almost everything. If ease of use is a priority, you might consider the 970. I might change my mind as I get more used to Honeycomb though, it might just seem more confusing having gotten used to one and having to switch.
**The Company Le Pan:
Like I said above, I have had the TC970 for over 2 months. I take it everywhere and love it. The new Le Pan II is replacing it, and my mom is getting my old one. In the months of using the TC970 I can count the number of resets I had to do on one hand. I had one booting issue over Christmas weekend. Tech support for Le Pan opened again on Tuesday morning. By 9am on Tuesday I got a response to my email for tech support and opened a ticket. By the end of the day I had my tablet up and running again. I was impressed with the professional and attentive support I got from Le Pan. My father's and brother's tablets (also TC970s) have had no tech problems at all.
tl,dr: This is an excellent tablet with top end specs and abilities. It has played every online video I can throw at it well (including Amazon Prime streaming). Do not be frightened of the unknown company, I was at first, but the products are great and I have first hand experience with tech support and it was more than adequate. I cannot recommend this or the previous TC970 enough, especially at the price.
The battery life on the original 970 is better than this one (expected since this has twice the processor power), but this one is still what they quote. Good 7 hours of straight use off of a single charge. It loses about 1% per hour while asleep.
Finally, on the video. I can run every video I have tried, except Hulu. Hulu identifies the device as mobile and will not let you play anything (I think this is something on Hulu's end). I was able to watch Hulu on my old 970 indirectly with Playon, but it requires you to have a computer running the software nearby. It worked fine though, and I could watch regular Hulu (I do not have Plus to test). Trying on the 979 it seems to crash when I start the video, I expect it is an issue in Playon's app though, and will follow up with them. Thus far Hulu is the only online video I can not get to work on the Le Pan II, and that is because it just blocks any mobile device it seems.
Buy Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich Now
The Le Pan TC970 is an excellent Android tablet, I am honestly thrilled with it. It's extremely responsive, never once did I have an issue with it slowing down no matter how many other things were going on. I'm thoroughly enjoying the TC970, and I think you will as well.Aesthetically the TC970 is very pleasing and stylish looking, it's also thin and lightweight. The build quality is excellent, it's a solidly made tablet on par with those much more expensive.
I've had the pleasure of testing both the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and I have to say I like the Le Pan TC970 much better overall. The TC970 doesn't have a Tegra in it but from what I've seen it doesn't need it, it's more than capable a handling anything you can throw at it in terms of apps, games or videos or anything else. I was truly surprised that the 1Ghz CPU could handle everything I threw at it.
The most surprising or actually amazing thing is the battery life, no joke here I got over eight hours use while doing a mixture of playing games and browsing the web. I even left I on just sitting and overnight and still had battery left to use it.
The TC970 isn't without its problems though, but they're small and not deal breakers. I don't care for the Apple-like USB connection at all, I would have rather seen a standard micro-USB or even mini-USB connector. The screen is very glossy causing reflections in the correct light and after a few hours of use you'll find the accumulated fingerprints very annoying.
The built-in memory is rather small, yes you can put a larger microSD card in it but I would also like to see more built-in memory.
The build quality is excellent, but the back is rather slippery honestly, I would have liked it to be more rubberized of textured for a better grip.
The other small issue the limited video support, it can't play basic WMV or Divx files.
Yes it's running Android 2.2, some people might think that's old and ask why not Gingerbread or Honeycomb. I thought the same thing so I asked them and they told me to expect an update last quarter of 2011 with Ice Cream Sandwich, they told me they decided to skip Gingerbread and Honeycomb and wait until the next major Android release.
The camera shows things mirrored or backwards, a major update is supposed to be released any day now to fix it. I got no real explanation as to why the camera was that way in the first place though.
The pros and cons are listed below and it might look like a lot of cons but they're small, and not exactly bad things really.
Lastly I should mention the price, it's very low for a tablet of this caliber and quality. It's nice to see something this nice at a low price.
Pros:
+Amazing battery life
+Very responsive touch screen
+Does work in bright light
+Fast and responsive overall
+Low price compared to other tablets
+Simple to use
+Excellent design and construction
+Aesthetically pleasing
+Viewing from most any angle
Cons:
-Proprietary connector
-Screen attracts fingerprints
-Glossy screen
-Small built-in memory
-Back is rather slippery
-Can't use in direct sunlight
-Limited video formats
-Camera is backwards
Read Best Reviews of Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich Here
I got this tablet back in September and was initially fairly impressed. It looked pretty good, seemed to have a good build quality, had fairly fluid graphics and ran on Android. Plus, even though it was inexpensive, its memory was expandable to 32GB through the micro SD. I talked with their customer service folks before buying, and they explained that although the camera wouldn't actually work with video chat for the time-being, when the new Android OS (4.0) came out it would be able to [Note: I've since been corrected that there is other software and other ways of doing video chat]. As I started to use it I realized that Android 2.2 (aka froyo) is really mainly designed for cell-phones rather than tablets. It doesn't use the screen space very well, doesn't support split pane gmail, and is incompatible with a number of apps you'd would hope to be able to use on your tablet (although I managed to find others that still did most of what I was looking for, it was a pain--particularly given that it was a new product). I also noticed that although my wifi connection was fairly stable at home, it was extremely unstable with my school's enterprise wifi network--a big deal for me since I had bought it mainly for school use. Still, I figured that as soon as I would be able to upgrade to Android 4.0 (ice cream sandwich), the rest of its functionality would be restored.Google released the source code for Android 4.0 (ICS) 2 days ago (Monday 11/14/11). I called Le Pan about the wifi issue today and confirmed that it was probably because of the old OS. I asked when I'd be able to upgrade the OS, and they said that their engineering folks were now saying it would be impossible to upgrade, but that they'd be coming out with a new tablet next year that would support it. I would be stuck with my current OS. I explained how limited the functionality was and how I wouldn't have bought it if they hadn't reassured me that it would soon have the fully functioning OS and asked for a refund. They said they couldn't offer a refund unless it was broken in some way (as opposed to intrinsically broken). Fortunately, after talking with the folks at Amazon they are refunding it (way to pull through, Amazon!).
I realize that for some of you this wouldn't be a deal-breaker and am giving it two-stars because it does work for some things. But for those hoping for a cheaper (slightly slower) iPad alternative, I'd say this isn't the android you're looking for.
[Note: I realize that I could root it and install a slightly newer OS, but that would void the warranty, and it would ultimately be a dead-end--it would never get to 4.0 or beyond.]
Want Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich Discount?
I was very exited about my Le Pan tablet at first, things were going well. Then I woke up one morning and the screen was dark. I pressed the power button. Nothing. I pressed the reset button, it comes on and boots to the Le Pan logo screen and stays there. I Press the power button, nothing. I press the reset button again and it boots to the Le Pan logo screen and stays there.Wash, rinse, repeat.
What now? I'm a week past the point were I can return it to Amazon. I contact Le Pan. They tell me a few things to try. I try them. No joy. Then they give me an RMA. Immediately I became anxious. I don't even know who these people are. What if I never get my tablet back. I keep trying to get it to work. Nothing. Finally I boxed it and sent it out via Fedex, which I had to pay for.
Guess what? It's been almost 2 months and I'm still waiting. OMG! How many times do I have to learn this lesson! Never go cheap!
Basically, I'm in a black hole without an inkling of when I'm going to see light again. They won't even give me hope! Here's Le Pan's last message to me:
"Hello XXXX,
Unfortunately we are backed up with RMAs at the moment.
Your unit is being processed at this time, though I am unable to give you an estimated day on which we will be able to ship out. We will however, update you with a tracking number when we are shipping the unit back to you. We will move as quickly as possible to get your unit shipped out.
Thank you for your patience and we understand that this can be a frustrating process."
Hmmm...Apparently I have allot of company in this black hole, even though I can't see them. So yeah it's half the price of the iPad, but half of nothing is nothing. I hope yours never breaks.
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