Herotab MID816, 1.2GHz Tablet Computing

We’ve called 8” 4:3 aspect ratio tablets the “Goldilocks” of tablet sizes before and the Herotab 816 doesn’t disappoint. It’s also the first tablet we’ve seen that piles on Android 2.2 over a Samsung ARM Cortex A8 1.2GHz processor platform.  Its unique design has the same finish as the new Chrome CR-48 notebook for a consumer friendly but rugged appeal.

Pros:

• If you like the rubberized plastic finish the design is great (no fingerprints!), I personally love it.
• Camera quality seems better than the typical tablet (definitely better light response)
• Great video playback on Youtube (HQ) and at local video running 720p and can support some file formats at 1080p (wmv was good mp4 not so good)
• HDMI out support
• Very good eBook reader performance in the 4:3 aspect ratio
• Fast browsing plows through loading pages
• Great screen responsiveness, brightness and clarity considering it’s a resistive touch screen

Cons:

• No Android Market on our demo unit (although we hear it ships with the for-sale versions) TechToys2go note: The Android Market IS included.
• Would like to have seen a bigger battery included but this one did seem more efficient than other tablets we’ve reviewed with the same spec’d battery (could the Samsung processor be to blame?), expect over the 3 hours usual batter life. TechToys2go note: This is a common misconception about how Chinese factory sometimes list batteries. The battery is actually dual (2) cells for a combined 5200mAh of power. This is how it is possible for the battery to be rated for up to 6 hours in the manual.
• No HDMI cable included out of the box

Conclusions:

Shanzhai tablets are improving rapidly and the Herotab is definitely part of the latest generation of shanzhai performers. At just over 200 bucks (UNDER $200 at TechToys2go.com) you get a solid Android 2.2 tablet with good video playback and great browsing performance. It doesn’t at all look like an iPad-clone and if you’re into the look of Google’s new Chrome CR-48 Notebook then you’ll likely love the design of the Herotab MID816.

TechToys2go.com note:  Some minor changes to the included accessories of the MID816 have been made since this review was initially made. The factory box that the tablet ships in looks a little different now and includes a charger, a miniUSB cable, an English language user manual, and a small set of white earbuds.