April 8, 2013 at 13:21Female look at PocketBook SURfpad
Devices from the lower price segment most often leave behind a bewilderment and desire to wash their hands before taking something more decent. And only a few gadgets manage to make a good impression. 7-inch PocketBook SURFpad - of them.
His fate, however, is complicated and confused. The manufacturer calls the PocketBook SURFpad a reader - however, with classic models equipped with an E-Ink display, it has almost nothing in common. As well as with the "TFT-readers" - models with a cheap TFT-screen and photo frame functionality. Still, quite powerful hardware and Android 4.1.
However, the 100% PocketBook SURFpad is not a tablet either: where is Google Play? Where is the rear camera? Where, finally, is a 3G modem, GPS, or at least Bluetooth?
Meanwhile, despite the difficulties in determining whether it belongs to a particular segment, PocketBook SURFpad copes with the functions assigned to it: it is convenient to read with it, it can open video in good quality, and even most modern light toys support it.
In other matters, let's take it in order.
I don’t know who exactly worked on the appearance of the “surfer”, but this designer knows his business for five plus. The gadget does not make the impression of an unknown Chinese woman created on its knee, locked in any rectangular case (like most tablets from the “up to 4 thousand” category), but has been fascinating since the opening of the elegant white box :)
The wide frame around the display makes SURFpad more solid, but not only for this. On the wide short sidewalls there are small indentations to keep it more comfortable. Moreover, this "more convenient" works in any position of the gadget.
On the rear panel, the corresponding sections are not smooth, but "in the hole". The central part is covered with velvety plastic with a slightly protruding Obreey inscription. In general, you can drop a “surfer” only intentionally; he himself does not jump out of his hands.
The dimensions and weight are close to ideal - it is convenient to use, the bag does not weigh down, fits in one hand.
Buttons and connectors are also located well: on the top is power and volume, on the right are headphones, miniUSB and a microSD card slot. By the way, it will be needed, especially for moviegoers: inside there is only 4 GB.
Special thanks to the developers for the speakers in front, and not behind, where they are often placed. Thanks to the recesses, the fingers do not block the sound holes, and the music sounds in its entirety (and not bad, I dare say).
In general, the device made a lasting impression on me “mimimi” (I'm a girl, I can!). It is especially pronounced in the white version, especially since it is difficult to stain the case, and easy to clean. The gray model also does not look depressing, but still less attractive to me, as the fair sex.
The screen in PocketBook SURFpad is rather weak by today's standards - only 800 x 480 pixels. But there are plenty of gradations of brightness, viewing angles are quite decent, it almost does not fade in the sun. You can surf the Internet and watch movies without any problems. "Grain" is not noticeable either in games or while watching a video.
By the way, in the first picture - the screen before the update, in the second - with the update which will be discussed below (you can see Yandex.Store, SPB TV, etc. I downloaded the benchmarks myself). Therefore, after buying a reader, immediately update it and get a more functional device :)
I liked the functional content less. In the name of reducing production costs from PocketBook, SURFpad cut off everything unnecessary and, possibly, something necessary. A modest list of connectors leaves little room for maneuver. Well, at least USB Host is supported, you can connect a USB flash drive or 3G modem.
Inside the gadget, a small heart beats Cortex A8 with a clock frequency of 1 GHz. Benchmark & Tuning Free rated the performance at 1712 points, which is better than the HTC Sensation XL smartphone and slightly worse than the Sony Ericsson ST18i. Full HD-movie (1920 x 1080) opened, but noticeably slowed down. There were no problems with HD video.
As a gaming platform PocketBook SURFpad like Jungle Jumper will go, but something more difficult - only in "text mode". Need for drift, for example, did not start at all.
And what about the more famous games? And here one more and probably the most important drawback opens up - the lack of Google Play. Yes, the device on Android 4.1.1 does not support this application store, and if you are used to a large selection and are attached to certain applications on your smartphone, wean and “unblock”.
However, to call it “empty” my keyboard will not turn. Firstly, SURFpad has surprisingly many useful programs installed. There is, for example, Office Suite Pro, which allows you to fully work with office files (which helped me a lot when a laptop was covered at the university the day before the seminar - I had to make a presentation on SURFpad. And nothing happened :))
There are widgets for “ Vkontakte ”and“ Odnoklassniki ”, weather from Gismeteo, search and Yandex maps.
There is a universal IM + messenger from which you can also get to social networks or communicate via ICQ, Mail.Ru Agent, Google Talk, Jabber and other similar applications.
There is also a rather interesting Obreey Diary program: you can record a class schedule and assignments and monitor academic performance. For schoolchildren and their parents (and students-nerds) is quite suitable.
Secondly, thanks to the SPB TV application, PocketBook SURFpad turns into a TV. For this, of course, you need Wi-Fi. Broadcast quality is average, but you can watch your favorite show or news without any problems. For example, I even enjoyed watching the match Rubin - Chelsea.
Well, and thirdly, as befits a reader, it has a reader for it - CoolReader. You can choose the font and size, and download books from online libraries or the Obreey Store. The PocketBook inscription on the case obliges SURFpad to understand most formats, including ready-made books in EPUB and FB2.
All these are trifles, you say, global give. And please! The latest SURFpad firmware implements Yandex.Store support, where more than 50 thousand programs are announced. Access to it is opened in the same way as Google Play, but you need a mailbox not on Gmail, but on Yandex.Mail.
There really are a lot of applications, but not always exactly what you need. There are no many familiar games, almost no performance tests, few games for children. However, he opened recently, and there is hope for improved content. Or maybe on Google Play in the future? :)
Contrary to popular belief, Skype on PocketBook SURFpad was launched even before access to the Yandex store appeared. In the IM + application mentioned above, there is also a blue icon with the letter S.
For visual communication, a modest 0.3-megapixel camera is provided to the right of the display. Nothing special, but it's good that she even has one! She can be photographed, but the result is sent strictly to Vkontakte or Odnoklassniki. You can also copy the photo via USB. I decided to send it by mail, for which I had to open the box, find the picture in the memory of the "surfer", attach and send.
And here we come back to the issue of price. Literally everything can be forgiven for the opportunity to give only 3.5 thousand instead of 10-15 to this thing. It works stably and for quite some time (almost 6.5 hours without recharging), it looks more expensive than it costs, it allows you to watch a movie, sit on the Web, play, and work. Well, read, where without it, if we are talking about a reader. Although, nevertheless, I agree that the "real" reader should be on E-ink.
In short, the PocketBook SURFpad is the best all-in-one device.
But here Google.Play is missing, yes.
His fate, however, is complicated and confused. The manufacturer calls the PocketBook SURFpad a reader - however, with classic models equipped with an E-Ink display, it has almost nothing in common. As well as with the "TFT-readers" - models with a cheap TFT-screen and photo frame functionality. Still, quite powerful hardware and Android 4.1.
However, the 100% PocketBook SURFpad is not a tablet either: where is Google Play? Where is the rear camera? Where, finally, is a 3G modem, GPS, or at least Bluetooth?
Meanwhile, despite the difficulties in determining whether it belongs to a particular segment, PocketBook SURFpad copes with the functions assigned to it: it is convenient to read with it, it can open video in good quality, and even most modern light toys support it.
In other matters, let's take it in order.
Design
I don’t know who exactly worked on the appearance of the “surfer”, but this designer knows his business for five plus. The gadget does not make the impression of an unknown Chinese woman created on its knee, locked in any rectangular case (like most tablets from the “up to 4 thousand” category), but has been fascinating since the opening of the elegant white box :)
The wide frame around the display makes SURFpad more solid, but not only for this. On the wide short sidewalls there are small indentations to keep it more comfortable. Moreover, this "more convenient" works in any position of the gadget.
On the rear panel, the corresponding sections are not smooth, but "in the hole". The central part is covered with velvety plastic with a slightly protruding Obreey inscription. In general, you can drop a “surfer” only intentionally; he himself does not jump out of his hands.
The dimensions and weight are close to ideal - it is convenient to use, the bag does not weigh down, fits in one hand.
Buttons and connectors are also located well: on the top is power and volume, on the right are headphones, miniUSB and a microSD card slot. By the way, it will be needed, especially for moviegoers: inside there is only 4 GB.
Special thanks to the developers for the speakers in front, and not behind, where they are often placed. Thanks to the recesses, the fingers do not block the sound holes, and the music sounds in its entirety (and not bad, I dare say).
In general, the device made a lasting impression on me “mimimi” (I'm a girl, I can!). It is especially pronounced in the white version, especially since it is difficult to stain the case, and easy to clean. The gray model also does not look depressing, but still less attractive to me, as the fair sex.
Screen
The screen in PocketBook SURFpad is rather weak by today's standards - only 800 x 480 pixels. But there are plenty of gradations of brightness, viewing angles are quite decent, it almost does not fade in the sun. You can surf the Internet and watch movies without any problems. "Grain" is not noticeable either in games or while watching a video.
By the way, in the first picture - the screen before the update, in the second - with the update which will be discussed below (you can see Yandex.Store, SPB TV, etc. I downloaded the benchmarks myself). Therefore, after buying a reader, immediately update it and get a more functional device :)
Inside
I liked the functional content less. In the name of reducing production costs from PocketBook, SURFpad cut off everything unnecessary and, possibly, something necessary. A modest list of connectors leaves little room for maneuver. Well, at least USB Host is supported, you can connect a USB flash drive or 3G modem.
Inside the gadget, a small heart beats Cortex A8 with a clock frequency of 1 GHz. Benchmark & Tuning Free rated the performance at 1712 points, which is better than the HTC Sensation XL smartphone and slightly worse than the Sony Ericsson ST18i. Full HD-movie (1920 x 1080) opened, but noticeably slowed down. There were no problems with HD video.
As a gaming platform PocketBook SURFpad like Jungle Jumper will go, but something more difficult - only in "text mode". Need for drift, for example, did not start at all.
And what about the more famous games? And here one more and probably the most important drawback opens up - the lack of Google Play. Yes, the device on Android 4.1.1 does not support this application store, and if you are used to a large selection and are attached to certain applications on your smartphone, wean and “unblock”.
However, to call it “empty” my keyboard will not turn. Firstly, SURFpad has surprisingly many useful programs installed. There is, for example, Office Suite Pro, which allows you to fully work with office files (which helped me a lot when a laptop was covered at the university the day before the seminar - I had to make a presentation on SURFpad. And nothing happened :))
There are widgets for “ Vkontakte ”and“ Odnoklassniki ”, weather from Gismeteo, search and Yandex maps.
There is a universal IM + messenger from which you can also get to social networks or communicate via ICQ, Mail.Ru Agent, Google Talk, Jabber and other similar applications.
There is also a rather interesting Obreey Diary program: you can record a class schedule and assignments and monitor academic performance. For schoolchildren and their parents (and students-nerds) is quite suitable.
Secondly, thanks to the SPB TV application, PocketBook SURFpad turns into a TV. For this, of course, you need Wi-Fi. Broadcast quality is average, but you can watch your favorite show or news without any problems. For example, I even enjoyed watching the match Rubin - Chelsea.
Well, and thirdly, as befits a reader, it has a reader for it - CoolReader. You can choose the font and size, and download books from online libraries or the Obreey Store. The PocketBook inscription on the case obliges SURFpad to understand most formats, including ready-made books in EPUB and FB2.
All these are trifles, you say, global give. And please! The latest SURFpad firmware implements Yandex.Store support, where more than 50 thousand programs are announced. Access to it is opened in the same way as Google Play, but you need a mailbox not on Gmail, but on Yandex.Mail.
There really are a lot of applications, but not always exactly what you need. There are no many familiar games, almost no performance tests, few games for children. However, he opened recently, and there is hope for improved content. Or maybe on Google Play in the future? :)
Contrary to popular belief, Skype on PocketBook SURFpad was launched even before access to the Yandex store appeared. In the IM + application mentioned above, there is also a blue icon with the letter S.
For visual communication, a modest 0.3-megapixel camera is provided to the right of the display. Nothing special, but it's good that she even has one! She can be photographed, but the result is sent strictly to Vkontakte or Odnoklassniki. You can also copy the photo via USB. I decided to send it by mail, for which I had to open the box, find the picture in the memory of the "surfer", attach and send.
Summary
And here we come back to the issue of price. Literally everything can be forgiven for the opportunity to give only 3.5 thousand instead of 10-15 to this thing. It works stably and for quite some time (almost 6.5 hours without recharging), it looks more expensive than it costs, it allows you to watch a movie, sit on the Web, play, and work. Well, read, where without it, if we are talking about a reader. Although, nevertheless, I agree that the "real" reader should be on E-ink.
In short, the PocketBook SURFpad is the best all-in-one device.
But here Google.Play is missing, yes.