tendoboy1984
Well-Known Member
I've seen a few Nextbooks at Walmart. Are they any good?
-
After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.
Nextbook tablets?
- Thread starter tendoboy1984
- Start date
Think if you're buying from Walmart should be OK. It's not like ordering directly from China, you do have consumer rights and protection.
The tablet probably works, but don't expect too much in way of good support, like updated ROMs or rooting or whatever, if it comes with 4.0 ICS and not 4.3 JB, then that's what you have to live with, and the quality might only be mediocre as well, it could lag and crash occasionally. Do you know if the one Walmart sells has Google Play on it? That's probably a very important point.
It's a very basic and cheap $60 tablet, you do get what you pay for. Nextbook is a Shenzhen, China company, so make of that what you will. Most of their website is Chinese only.
The tablet probably works, but don't expect too much in way of good support, like updated ROMs or rooting or whatever, if it comes with 4.0 ICS and not 4.3 JB, then that's what you have to live with, and the quality might only be mediocre as well, it could lag and crash occasionally. Do you know if the one Walmart sells has Google Play on it? That's probably a very important point.
It's a very basic and cheap $60 tablet, you do get what you pay for. Nextbook is a Shenzhen, China company, so make of that what you will. Most of their website is Chinese only.
tendoboy1984
Well-Known Member
Walmart also has the Hisense Sero 7 Pro, which is basically a Chinese Nexus 7. It's been getting good reviews and seems popular.
Lenovo and Huawei are Chinese companies too, and their products are good quality and popular.
Lenovo and Huawei are Chinese companies too, and their products are good quality and popular.
TBH I'd go for the Hisense, from what I've seen their devices seem to well made. Although they will never be a true Google Nexus, because you've always got to wait and hope for any software updates. It's a popular brand, so should be well supported, I'd never heard of Nextbook until I Googled them. Do they actually have a US presence? I think you're safe because you're buying from a reputable US retailer, so even if the tablet turns out to be a lemon, you have consumer protection. :thumb: ...unlike Ali Express or whatever.
Thing with Lenovo and Huawei as these are large multinationals. They're not run from a hotel room in some Shenzhen backstreet, and some of these cheapo technology companies can actually be like that. I've seen it.
They tend to be more expensive, and again from what I've seen their devices are well made.
tendoboy1984
Well-Known Member
What about Hisense? Are they a major Chinese company, can they be trusted as a reliable manufacturer?
Hisense is a major company and certainly reputable. They make many things, TVs, washing machines, fridge freezers, Android devices, air-con, PCs, rice cookers, microwaves, kettles, many things.
Many large Chinese corporations might not use their own name outside of China. TCL, one of the world's largest manufacturers of TVs, but in the US they use the RCA brand. Same thing for Magnavox and Sylvania, they're all made by large Chinese corporations like Changhong, etc. who are certainly reputable.
Thing with something like Nextbook, I don't even know if they make their own devices, or they're just sourced from whatever they can, which is often what happens with cheapos.
tendoboy1984
Well-Known Member
RCA is an American company (along with Sylvania and Magnavox). How did Chinese companies get ahold of those brand names?
Well unfortunately Radio Corporation of America is no longer the electronics giant it once was. It's now basically a NYC holding company that licenses out the famous trademark to whatever company wants to use it. So TCL of China comes along, wishes to sell TVs in the US, licenses the brand, and that's pretty much it. Same thing for Sylvania and Magnavox. Magnavox is actually a brand of Philips, but all their TVs and Blu-ray players are manufactured by Funai in China. Sylvania branded products are also manufactured by Funai. Which is a Japanese corporation, that manufacturers mainly in China.
Some American corporations don't seem to be shaping very well these days, ahem Kodak and Polaroid. Like they've become brand names on Chinese manufactured budget Android tablets.