After a series of German-language publishing houses – including Thalia, worldview and Hugendubel – have thrown the Tolino Shine a potent and open e-reader from Amazon’s Kindle in the race, this Christmas season followed by two tablets under the same brand. The Tolino Tab 7 and the Tolino Tab 8.9, as is easy to see also, an attempt, the online trading giants from the United States to trotzden. The WebStandard has both devices tested.
As the names of the devices already betrayed, the tabs provide screen sizes of seven or 8.9 inches. They are manufactured equipment from German electronics manufacturer Trekstor. While Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet with a heavily modified Android Fork (Fire OS) are delivered, can be found here each Android 4.2.2, which is untouched except for pre-installed apps.
Facilities
the hardware side, it builds on the Chinese RK3188 SoC Rockchip, the quad-core CPU clocked at 1.6 GHz. The Tolino Tab 7 has a GB of RAM, the larger tablet brings two GB with. The internal memory is of 16 GB and is expandable via microSD.
connectivity side, you will find on the devices Bluetooth and wifi module (802.11n). Interestingly, GPS satellite positioning is possible, while also lacking a SIM slot for mobile data. The Tolino Tab 8.9 may be according to the manufacturer free to connect with 12,000 T-Mobile hotspots worldwide. Both devices are equipped with stereo speakers and a microHDMI output.
Tab 7 brings a 2 MP front camera, the Tab 8.9 also a main camera with five megapixels. The pads of the smaller battery is rated at 3900 mAh, that of the larger version with 6,500 mAh. 121.4 x 196 x 10 millimeters, the dimensions of the seven-inch model with a weight of 335 grams. The near-nine-inch model comes in 152 x 241 x 10 mm and 535 grams.
displays
differences are there in the display resolution. With 1,440 x 900 pixels (approx. 243 PPI) is that of the Tab 7 slightly higher than the still current average of 1,280 x 800 pixels and thus slightly higher than in last year’s Kindle Fire. The current generation of the Amazon tablet, however, provides 1,920 x 1,200 pixels, resulting in a diagonal of seven inches very good 323 PPI.
Tolino Tab 8.9 in turn provides 1,920 x 1,200 pixels and is therefore exactly at the level of large letztjährigne Kindle Fire (about 248 PPI). The current edition, the Kindle Fire 8.9 HDX, however, it is inferior, because this can come up with 2,560 x 1,600 pixels.
deliver In practice, both the large and the small version of Tolinos good colors and contrasts, only the color intensity could be a track higher. The Tab 7 delivers superior brightness, the screen of the Tab 8.9 is but a noticeable bit brighter and is also superior in terms of contrasts somewhat. Media consumption is indoors but in both models no problem outside himself designed this even at the maximum brightness under sunshine even more difficult.
Good workmanship with small blemish
processing technology, the uses of plastic. Although the matt back conveys not necessarily premium flair, but is not prone to fingerprints. A honeycomb-like surface structure gives good grip. In addition to the various inputs and outputs, the keys of the devices (on / off and volume) are the only metallic component.
The build quality is solid, only the gap on the left side of both units (assuming that the front camera is placed on top) has irregularities.
middle-class Performance
The hardware of the tabs can be classified into a total middle-class segment. In Antutu benchmark for the collection of all-round performance, both devices place with about 19,200 points at the level of Samsung’s Galaxy S3 smartphone. The browser Benachmark Vellamo certifies them with about 1,500 meters a similar HTML5 performance as this year’s edition of the Nexus 7 brings.
When Epic Citadel 3D graphics test show small differences that are probably due to the fact that the graphics unit in the Tab 8.9 (average of 29 images per second) gets to do more because of the higher resolution than the Tab 7 (33 Images per second). Both provided a smooth presentation with case by case slumps in some scenes.
form factor question
If you are not just eager to play the very latest graphics firecrackers on the two pads, but the performance is sufficient for all activities. Full HD movies are just as smooth as casual games, browsing and various productive apps. Occasional, small stuttering (concerning especially the 8.9 version) spoil the user experience very little.
Overall, the decision between the two devices can be made on the basis of the form factor without hesitation. Solely when you open many apps benefiting the Tab 8.9 from the doubling of memory, practical relevance of this difference, though rarely.
Pure Android with Tolino App
software side, promised openness to the Tolino tablets. As already mentioned, the Android system is untouched, only a number of apps, however, are pre-installed. One is the “Tolino” app in which the user is automatically thrown after the first start.
This provides access to the local books, music, and videos, together with easier management capabilities. About the app can be directly on the e-book stores of the respective publisher (in Austria, this is Thalia) access, some books are already included free of charge.
Simple interface, few functions
E-book reader function is kept simple and provides those functionalities that you already know from Tolino Shine, however. stocked in a little different interface How to add set about bookmarks and highlight passages and retrieve them later. In addition, the font size can be changed (but not the font) and the text view can be configured to black and white, white-black or sepia. Adobe’s DRM for e-books is supported.
music through 7digital
addition to the existing storage on the tablet music collection offers the Tolino App also an integrated shop, namely each of 7digital. Music can be divided into collections that are more on this simple filter functions for locating pieces and performers available.
It can happen, however, that individual albums be split to two same entries, each containing different songs. Individual songs are not in collections divisible, unfortunately a playlist feature is completely missing. Entire albums can be normal, are listed in duration or repetition of random series. The player itself falls under the category “Spartan” but does what it should.
During the test, an annoying error noticed: Sends the “Hangouts” messenger new notifications to the system while listening with headphones, the current song is restarted. In other apps, the phenomenon has not been tested. In loudspeaker reproduction occurs but not on.
YouTube integration
designed
Similar rudimentary as the Music Management are the management capabilities for movies and video. In addition to local content is here but no shop links. Instead, YouTube will be integrated into the app, available there clips can also be selected and added to the total own collection. The video player itself is analogous to the music player, also limited to the absolute basic functions.
Leaving the Tolino App you land on a normal Android homescreen on which (removable) inform Widgets which books, songs and videos you have recently viewed. The playback can be on this record directly again.
open
Unlike the Nexus Tablets grant Tolino devices priori access to Google’s Play Store. If you are thinking to Amazon with a Kindle Fire due to high affinity, can also access the Tab 7 and 8.9 on the Kindle app on local content – at least on their own e-books
.
general, to provide Google Play Store due to the larger supply on Amazon’s App Store, but also this could be installed subsequently via sideloading.
That is quite a creditable. While Amazon tries to users with its Fire OS platform more to retain them, are locked in the other ecosystems that Tolino Alliance lets the buyers of the two Tablets choice. The installed Tolino App may, but need not be used. Books and other content can also be based somewhere else.
While here from the beggining no “golden cage” is present, users of Kindle Fire tablets must play a custom ROM to work with “real” Android can. An effort, the average users usually not reasonable.
Moderate cameras
Last but not least, of course, is also a small view camera and sound performance are thrown. Under good lighting conditions enables the front camera video calling with reasonable quality, the main camera of the Tab 8.9 is not excessive snapshot level addition. Under artificial light, both cameras deliver only very noisy images.
Good sound
While the cameras are likely to constitute an alibi additions, the devices for greatly benefit from the stereo speakers. For Tablets deliver these decent sound, although the quality decreases with increased volume and more lightweight rattle occurs.
general, it would be good if in future establish viable stereo speakers even with cheaper tablets as standard. Is it about a matter of spontaneous sound for the living room with some music or more people show off a YouTube video, to such an upgrade is really worth.
output through the jack can be something missing in clarity and is accompanied by a slight noise that is not noticeable at louder playback. The quality also depends mainly on the particular headphones from.
battery
For both tablets are promised up to 12 hours of battery life. This value is easier to use (regular listening to music, random surfing) when accessing the Tab 8.9, the Tab 7 is more likely to have ten hours spent closing. In normal use, the battery life is on both devices, depending on the intensity at six to nine hours.
Conclusion
the tabs Tolino two interesting devices have landed in the trade who have suitable hardware along with good displays. With access to the company’s own stores as well as access to a virtually unchanged Android system Hugendubel, Thalia and the world show courage to openness.
With a price point of 179 Euros, the Tab 7, however, lies just below the Kindle Fire 7 7 HDX (199 euros), the tech clearly superior, but it is strictly tied to Amazon’s ecosystem. The Tab 8.9 is again with 249 euros significantly less expensive than the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 (379 € in the wifi version with 16 GB of memory), but must be in hardware rather with the previous Kindle Fire HD measure 229 euros.
While the alternatives under the eight-inchers are sown still rather thin and the Tolino Tab 8.9 is here an alternative worth considering, the Tab 7 stands despite above-average resolution and low price point out considerably less. Because this segment is already densely. Besides the small Kindle Fire models can be found there also Google’s first generation of Nexus 7, which is located in the wifi version with 32 GB of memory in the same price range, but has to make do with no HDMI output and microSD slot. (Georg Pichler, derStandard.at, 05/01/2014)
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