Two Android Powered Tablet Computers Appear to Be Cheap IPad Clones

With the popularity of the Apple iPad validating the market for tablet computers, fans of Google's Android operating system are still waiting for an Android-powered tablet to rival the iPad.

Since no Android-powered tablet computer from an established computer maker currently exists, lesser-known manufacturers have tried to fill the void with their inexpensive offerings. While the two Android tablets profiled in this article meet the needs of users wanting to surf the net or watch a video, power users stand to benefit from waiting until more powerful Android tablets hit the market place.

The Augen GENTOUCH78 Android Tablet Computer

The GENTOUCH78 Android-powered tablet computer, manufactured by Augen, caused a buzz a few weeks ago when a Kmart circular in the Sunday newspaper advertised the device for only $149, $350 cheaper than the lowest-priced iPad.

Since Kmart only received a small number of the tablet computers, most users only came away with a raincheck instead of a tablet. Reviews of the device complained about the poor quality of the Augen tablet's 7-inch resistive touchscreen; its responsiveness being worse than the iPad's capacitive touchscreen. The poor touchscreen hampers the tablet's ability to play Google Android games.

The GENTOUCH78 played videos well, both from the internet, as well as from downloaded content. The tablet computer comes with 2GB of SD storage, which is upgradable to 32GB, albeit with difficulty according to the reviews.

When the Augen tablet was first released, they claimed full compatibility with the Android Market. Apparently, despite the open source nature of the Android OS, Google doesn't allow manufacturers to include the Android Market without the proper licensing, so Android Market apps are currently unusable on the device.

The Enzo zenPad 4 Android Tablet even Looks Like an iPad

Another cheap Android-powered tablet computer is the zenPad 4, manufactured by Enzo. This tablet retails for $199 and is designed to look exactly like an iPad. Appearances are only skin-deep, as this Android tablet suffers from many of the same problems that hamper the Augen tablet computer.

Despite its larger 10.1 inch size, the zenPad 4 also sports a resistive touchscreen, making it more difficult to operate compared to the iPad. Also like the GENTOUCH78, the zenPad 4 appears to shine only when surfing the web or watching videos, and also comes with 2GB of storage, expandable with microSD cards.

The Android Market is also not available on the zenPad 4, greatly limiting the number of apps able to work on this Android tablet. Google needs to improve its licensing of the Android Market, since it makes the operating system seem less open than its original intention.

Despite both tablets running Android 2.1 and retailing for less than $200, the poor touchscreen and lack of the Android Market relegate both the GENTOUCH78 and the zenPad 4 to the status of a cheap iPad clone. Expect more powerful and functional Android tablet computers to enter the marketplace by the end of the year.