Coby makes some of the most popular budget tablets on the market and are getting set to release a new line Coby Kyros tablets in the next couple of months that all run Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich.
The tablets range in size from 7-inches to 10-inches, each with a capacitive touchscreen. Coby is expected to release nine variations of these new tablets with the price range of $179 to $299.
The new tablets have the same basic specs. Each is powered by a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 single core processor (their weakest point) with 1 GB of RAM. They all have cameras and microSD card slots and the standard features like an WiFi, microphone, accelerometer, etc.
They don’t have Android Market access, they have the GetJar appstore instead, but the benefit of being cheap and widely available attributes to plenty of options for hacking and mods.
Here’s a list of the specs and prices for the new line of Coby Kyros tablets via PCMag. The interviews say Coby has nine new tablets incoming; not sure why only six are listed:
– MID7042 (7-inch, 800-by-480 display, 16:9 aspect ratio, 1GB RAM, 4GB onboard storage, up to 32GB expandable storage, front-facing VGA 1.0MP, 720P camera): $179
– MID8042 (8-inch, 800-by-600 display, 4:3 aspect ratio, 1GB RAM, 4GB onboard storage, up to 32GB expandable storage, front-facing VGA 1.0MP, 720P camera): $229
– MID9042 (9-inch, 1280-by-800 display, 16:10 aspect ratio, 1GB RAM, 8GB onboard storage, up to 32GB expandable storage, front-facing VGA 1.0MP, 720P camera): $259
– MID9742 (9.7-inch, 1024-by-768 display, 4:3 aspect ratio, 1GB RAM, 8GB onboard storage, up to 32GB expandable storage, front-facing VGA 1.0MP, 720P camera): $279
– MID1042 (10.1-inch, 1024-by-600 display, 16:9 aspect ratio, 1GB RAM, 8GB onboard storage, up to 32GB expandable storage, front-facing VGA 1.0MP, 720P camera): $289
– MID1045 (10.1-inch, 1280-by-800 display, 16:10 aspect ratio, 1GB RAM, 8GB onboard storage, up to 32GB expandable storage, front-facing VGA 1.0MP, 720P camera): $299
I plan on buying one of these to review as soon as they are released, maybe the 8″ or 9″. Subscribe to keep updated.
If you had to choose between one of these and the Kindle Fire which would you choose?
Steve
If I had to choose between one of these and the Kindle Fire, I’d probably go with the Kindle Fire because the dual core processor is faster and smoother and the screen resolution is better. The 7″ Asus has them all beat by a mile, though. I’m also going to get one those to review.
I would wait for Asus Memo 370T. It has 7″ 1280×800 capacitive touch screen, Nvidia Tegra 3(Quad CPU), Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and a 8MP camera. AND IT’S GOING TO COST ONLY 250$.
DEAL OF THE CENTURY!!! http://techland.time.com/2012/01/13/asus-memo-370t-the-7-inch-quad-core-250-dream-tablet/
I wish the 7″ Kyros had more than 4gb on board memory. I find with my 7022 that I keep running out of room even though I move everything I can to the SD card. Too many apps don’t have that option.
It looks like the smallest of the new models with more than 4gb onboard is 9″ and I really don’t want to go that big, I like the smaller 7″ model (I know, I’m weird).
re coby.. the only thing i can say is theier email support is non-existant!!!! i cant talk about telephone support because i am too hard of hearing lately to use phone but they never replied to my 5 emails aoubt one of their products. that has put me off on coby
If you’re going to get one of these, I’d recommend the 9″ model, because it comes with a much higher-resolution screen:
“1280-by-800 display”
That is dramatically superior to 800×600. Like going from regular video to HD video. You’ll appreciate the higher resolution if you watch video or work with photographs.
I have a Kindle Fire and I love it! I miss the feel of reading a real book so I make covers for them out of hardcover books. Check my selection out on etsy – http://www.retrograndma.etsy.com