We knew at Computex that tablets were on track to completely take over the world, but now it's official: a German internet provider has just revealed that it'll soon be offering a branded tablet PC of its own. You heard right -- a German ISP is making a tablet. The delightfully named SmartPad is a 7-inch, touchscreen-based slate that'll eventually support Android 2.2 (v1.6 will be pre-installed), and there's also inbuilt WiFi and an optional 3G module for those looking to "stay connected." It seems as if the company is still hammering out the final specifications, but we are told to expect an SD card reader (2GB will be included), a USB socket, a 500MHz ARM11 processor, 256MB of RAM and a proprietary app store that'll undoubtedly enrage you. According to the promotional video hosted just past the break, it should ship later this month for precisely nothing so long as you pick up a data plan to go alongside of it. 'Course, getting one outside of Deutschland is another challenge entirely...
As far as I know 1&1 has to plans to expand internationally. In Germany however they are the second biggest internet provider. They recently announced their contract free unlimited internet plan. With this tablet they want to bring the customers to sign a 2 year contract anyway.
Being a former 1&1 customer I can only warn anyone to not go anywhere near these guys.
This will fail.. not sure if faster than the Kin but it will unless they stop the stupid tying to their app store which will probably have a few apps.
Why not sell one without this limitation - at least then more people would at least be interested in it.. but the specs + the crappy hardware a complete no no (on top of their crappy customer service).
They're trying to make money off of the service. You can't blame them for that and you get the tablet for free. Lots of non-techies may go for it. Better than spending all that money on an iPad, no?
@donv69 Yeah I'm fine with that but the price for the service is in no comparison to the hardware you get for 'free'. 2 year contract, ~30€/month and apparently 16MBit DSL connection. Data plan for the tablet 10€/month or 2€/day (1 day free usage per month included). Seriously.. who will fall for this? With other plans you'll pay 300€ for the tablet alone!
It's a gift to lure in some customers. Anybody who expects this thing to be high tech is just dumb. But where did you get the information of the additional €10/month? As far as I can see it's included.
@comix They've been my host in the US since 2005 and I've never had any issues with them whatsoever nor have any of my clients that use them. In my dealings, their customer service has always been top notch too.
@donv69, no! Being a big Android fan I would still say - no! Either wait for real Android tablets like Notion Ink Adam or many others or go ahead and buy iPad, which obviously performs very well.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
posted July 2nd 2010 1:44PM
Alo... When coming to US of A?
@dpk
As far as I know 1&1 has to plans to expand internationally. In Germany however they are the second biggest internet provider. They recently announced their contract free unlimited internet plan. With this tablet they want to bring the customers to sign a 2 year contract anyway.
@SeeKo
...no plans to expand... i meant ;-)
@SeeKo 1&1 have been in the UK for a while. They're pretty good, but not particularly cheap.
@PaulMdx
But only for hosting I guess. There will be no tablets for that.
1&1 hosts my site andrewiam.com, and they are OK. I wonder if I will get a discount?
@dpk
........internet surfin........
@dpk I was all excited about this and then I read the specs. Screw tablets that aren't even as capable as most smartphones.
@dpk
This looks nice actually.
Discount since I am your customer....Please?
@dpk Germany rules (nearly) but what was 1&1?
@NikAmi
scheiß Android tablet.
@dpk This oughta suck, 500 MHz? 1.6 pre installed? Chance of company screwing up their own version of android?
I like it
@Cainhunpi
Read the article
Arm 11, 256 Ram on an Android tablet? Good luck with that,
@webby7
"...and a proprietary app store that'll undoubtedly enrage you."
Rage: ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@webby7 Agreed, couldn't see Android 2.2 running on that.
@webby7,
Agree, most likely another substandard Android tablet which makes a bad publicity for Android. 256 MB of RAM :(
500 mhz on a ARM 11
Google needs to make a minimal spec requirements for consumer devices cupcake aside
@DefPoet Also, can someone please explain why they can't delay it for another two weeks and get Froyo right off the gate? Seriously!
Being a former 1&1 customer I can only warn anyone to not go anywhere near these guys.
This will fail.. not sure if faster than the Kin but it will unless they stop the stupid tying to their app store which will probably have a few apps.
Why not sell one without this limitation - at least then more people would at least be interested in it.. but the specs + the crappy hardware a complete no no (on top of their crappy customer service).
@comix
They're trying to make money off of the service. You can't blame them for that and you get the tablet for free. Lots of non-techies may go for it. Better than spending all that money on an iPad, no?
@comix do you know if this tablet can be maxed out w/rams and a high capacity battery? google translate shows the specs but i haven't gone beyond that
@donv69 Yeah I'm fine with that but the price for the service is in no comparison to the hardware you get for 'free'. 2 year contract, ~30€/month and apparently 16MBit DSL connection. Data plan for the tablet 10€/month or 2€/day (1 day free usage per month included). Seriously.. who will fall for this? With other plans you'll pay 300€ for the tablet alone!
@boofay No I don't think you can change the hardware much since most of it will be soldered on the mainboard.
@comix
It's a gift to lure in some customers. Anybody who expects this thing to be high tech is just dumb. But where did you get the information of the additional €10/month? As far as I can see it's included.
@SeeKo Try to order it and it will tell you and actually it is 20€ per month. Gosh what a convoluted ordering process...
@comix
Don't know where you get this from. At no point in the ordering process it says anything about additional costs. It's €29.99/month. No more. No less.
@comix They've been my host in the US since 2005 and I've never had any issues with them whatsoever nor have any of my clients that use them. In my dealings, their customer service has always been top notch too.
@donv69, no! Being a big Android fan I would still say - no! Either wait for real Android tablets like Notion Ink Adam or many others or go ahead and buy iPad, which obviously performs very well.
Not powerful enough sorry.
proprietary app store ?
oh, delish
I didn't understand a word that that.
this commercial is embarrassing again. we germans are not all like that. 1und1 sucks yeah.
"In September 2010 the unit received an update on Android Froyo 2.2 and existing customers can buy from mid-July for 299 €."
this wont fly.
500mhz will not get 2.2
The processor is weak. But $0 down is a good price. I doubt they'll update the app store very often tho
@YardMan But only with a 2 year plan that will run at least 30€/month. Otherwise the tablet is 300€.
considering how bad 1and1's internet hosting sucks I would stay away from this. Yes its got 5 9's of uptime, but other than that its about terrible.
It reminds me of a modern version of a MiniTel. I like it
I use 1and1 for all my websites :)
They are great for MS hosting. Cheap domains too.
It's French rather than German but besides the 3G you can get a similar (but slightly faster at 600 MHz) 7" Android tablet today from Archos:
http://www.archos.com/products/ht/archos_7/index.html?country=us&lang=en
Specs: http://www.scribd.com/doc/33738573/DatenblattSmartPad-Dock ;)
@mobiFlip For anyone who dislikes scribd - here is the direct link to the PDF http://presse.1und1.de/files/texts/DatenblattSmartPad_Dock.pdf
@comix Thx
@comix
Ummm..... WTF?? Dude is reviewing the tablet while at a outside bench having beers and smoking... how do I live this life as well???
@Plazmic Flame Well I'm not the one doing the review but yeah er.. :|
Hands On: http://www.mobiflip.de/2010/07/erster-eindruck-vom-1und1-smartpad-mit-android-video/ ;)
do NOT want..