Charging points
Like most tablets, the Tahiti charges from a dedicated charger rather than standard micro USB. And like many tablets it will last you days if you use it moderately or a decent number of hours (six or more) if you use it continuously. Of course, with Android, the basic OS is only part of the story. It’s up to companies like HTC, Samsung and Orange to tweak and improve the system. But there’s not much beyond vanilla Android here.
A good size for e-book reading
This is a shame. One of the things that sets Orange’s own-brand smartphones apart is the range of Orange-only Android apps like HD Voice which offers crystal-clear call quality (when talking to another Orange HD Voice user).
Landscape mode with Honeycomb window panes in the background
Then there’s Signal Boost which enhances poor signal quality through your home wi-fi, also for Orange users only. Those wouldn’t work on a tablet but I’d have liked some other Orange specials. Still, there are all those Android apps ready to add to your tablet’s capabilities, even if the number of tablet-native apps is still small.
AnTutu benchmarking and gaming options abound
The Tahiti 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon CPU is quite nifty, and it shows. It notches up an AnTuTu score of 5496, which is a bit last year, but even so, where many tablets stutter and slow as demands increase, this 7in slate seemed to run swiftly, with no dawdling. The Orange Tahiti is a performer, no doubt, and its responsiveness makes it enjoyable to use.
Next page: Contractual obligation
COMMENTS
I feel the same as K 4, that's a ridiculous outlay for a tablet of this size,even if it's spread over 2 years. Plus you'd have to get a larger memory card.
And why is the reviewer complaining about the lack of Orange apps. Having had a ZTE Blade and numerous SPV phones loaded down with Orange bloatware, it's a plus point to not have them.
Now..if this comes out on PAYG at a reasonable price I might be tempted.
Vanilla Android a bad thing?
"Those wouldn’t work on a tablet but I’d have liked some other Orange specials. "
I'd much rather have Vanilla Android than Orange "customisation" on anything, after all the Orange Crap I had on my San Francisco - it slowed it down something rotten.
ICS
"If you want Honeycomb, the edition designed with larger devices in mind, it’s hard to find many options (though more are imminent)"
I would hope they would have Ice Cream Sandwich on them, rather than Honeycomb if they haven't already been released.
And there seem to be a fair few out there with Honeycomb/ICS already.
