AlbertoArmandi
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Enso zenPad unboxing and hands-on: one disappointment after another
For the price, there's nothing truly terrible about the SMiT MID-560A touchscreen tablet. If you've never held an Android device, you might even be pleasantly surprised with the functionality on offer. But if you have -- or if you bought yours from a company called Enso and became embroiled in a vaporware scandal as a result -- the zenPad is quite the letdown. Hear why after the break. %Gallery-93873%
No, we didn't get an Enso zenPad
Hey folks, it's just come to our attention that Enso -- a French Italian startup that received notoriety for selling vaporware tablets -- has been using Engadget's good name to convince irate customers that its product actually exists. We gave Enso the benefit of the doubt at first, but let's put things in perspective: we have not received an zenPad tablet, and in fact, we no longer expect to. Enso has now promised us a review unit on five separate occasions beginning in early April, and missed each deadline it set for itself. We do not endorse the supposed product, and we'd appreciate it if you pay no attention when company founders tell you otherwise -- or set up fake review websites, for that matter. That's just not cool. Update: Wonder of wonders, we received a package from Hong Kong... and inside was a bona fide Enso zenPad. Guess the sixth time's the charm! We'll have impressions for you soon.
Enso's zenPad is vaporware, get refunds while they last (update)
Did you order a Enso zenPad? If so, you'll be happy to hear that the company has decided on a concrete release date; its website is now ticking down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until May 8th, when Enso claims they'll finally ship the rebranded Smit MID. Problem is, if you ordered your zenPad on March 22nd -- the day we wrote about it -- you will have waited 47 days by the time the device ships, exactly two days too many to get a PayPal refund. But more importantly, manufacturer Smit has now disavowed any knowledge of a deal, and Enso itself has admitted that the zenPad as such does not currently exist. We've done quite a bit of digging and even spoke with an Enso founder to get the whole story. Enough promises have now been broken and lies told that if we were you, we'd request refunds ASAP, but if you still want to hang on for a chance at a $155 Android tablet, you can hear the whole tale right after the break. Update: We just spoke to Enso CEO Alberto Armandi, who says that the company has now secured the necessary funding to make good on orders, and promises that he will ship us a zenPad for review within two weeks. We'll revisit this story then. Meanwhile, read how we got to this juncture after the break.
