TurboTab C8

Product Description
Review

TurboTab C8

List Price: $299.99

YOUR Price: $189.99- ON SALE Now for $139.99

You Save: $110.00

Ships from California.

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Email us with any questions: support@idolian.com

TurboTab C8 Qualifies for Extra Protection

Product Description

Idolian TurboTab C8 runs on 1.5 GHZ processor that is a robust and has new features such as streaming Netflix video, Skype Video Chat. It's slim and light design(less than 0.7 lbs) makes it so much easy to handle. Running on Android OS 4.0 with responsive Multi-Touch Capacitive Touch Screen makes TurboTab C8 easy to navigate and operate. As always, works great with your Kindle e-Reader or if you want to Play Games all day.

It also supports Super HD 2160P/3D Films and supports all popular video formats. Making it one of the most advanced tablet pc for it's price.

Now shipping with Android 4.0!!!

Technical Details

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

Hardware Platform: Android 4.0 ICS

Processor: 1.5 GHZ Cortex A8

RAM: 512 MB DDR3

Screen: 7" Capacitive 800x480 Resolution

Hard Drive & Storage

Size: 4 GB

External: Supports up to 32GB micro SD

Weight:

Weight: 0.7 pounds

Product Details

Applications & Software

WiFi: 802.11 b/g

Micro USB: 2.0

HDMI Resolution: Support HDMI output and USB host(Support 3D vision) 2160P HD

Battery: 3500mAh (4-6 hours)

Multi-Touch & G-Sensor Technology: 3D Accelerometer

Pros & Cons

PROS:

- Capacitive screen: look into other tablets models that offer similar specs with resistive touch screens. You cannot get the full tablet experience using a resistive touch screen. For those of you who don't know the difference between capacitive and resistive touch screens, think iPod/iPad/iPhone (capacitive) vs. first generation touch screen cell phones for which you had to use your fingernails or the stylus pens (resistive). Capacitive touch screen allows for Multi-Touch gaming and Pinch-Zoom control.

- Fast response: 1.5 GHZ chipset is superfast and reliable. With 1.5GHz CPU you can run multiple apps at the same time without a noticable reduction in speed.

- Expandability: supports up to 32gb MicroSD card.

- Finally able to stream Netflix video & do Skype Video Chat! And supports 2160P HD.

- Very light and feels sturdy.

CONS:

- GPS/Bluetooth: GPS & Bluetooth are not available on the TurboTab C8.

- Camera: It has a 1.3 megapixels front facing webcam. Camera resolution is pretty grainy so Skype Video chat doesn't look too good.

Customer Rating

based on 12 reviews

Customer Review

Looking Good!

on 03/10/2012 by Anonymous

Ok I took a chance, I am on a budget and am not expecting everything. Like a gps, blue tooth and a fancy case because it says no gps and blue tooth. I am hoping to work out the parts that I want to work like the Netflix, as of yet 10 minutes of trying it is choppy and audio not synchronizing with video. After using my adroid phone this is a dream on the browser and games are very fast, and it has all you are going to want on the market. Touch screen is great. But what am I doing here, going to have to get back to the tablet torbo c8 and will check back in a week for update. Check out all the Tablets they have at idolian.com I did and gave me the courage to drop my money down, also knowing that this was a new offering I had to do it. Update: waiting for Tech service to tell me how to start tab now :( after it quit when I did something. Will post what happens next. Jerry called me within a day of my email, and helped me get the tablet going again, press volume down and hold power button, you should get choices, make the right one by moving up and down list with volume up, down and select with power button, don't touch screen during process.

Great!

on 03/10/2012 by Anonymous

I really love this device. All of the apps i couldnt get on my phone are on the market plus some. the screen quality is very grainy, but i like it because its- easy on the eyes and makes it easy to read like a kindle.

Suits my needs

on 03/10/2012 by Anonymous

Basically I was looking for an inexpensive color tablet, that I could use in the kitchen, without worrying about wasting a lot of money if it was exposed to water or steam. I have a large collection of Kindle cookbooks, and I wanted to view them in color. They show up nicely. I do have some regret that I didn't buy a larger screen, but that will be a future purchase. I have also downloaded apps so I can make a pantry inventory, and grocery lists. My DD is living with us while she attends grad school, and we have been able to share a calender app. We figured out how to use skype, and while it worked well in the house, it did not seem to convey sound when she was out of state. That may have been my fault. I also knew how to get it connected to WIFI, without the aid of the manual. I would like a case, but have no desire for a keyboard. I would like an easel type, so I can stand it up to read hands free. The keyboard case seems to be the only available option at this point. The biggest problem I have, is with the manual. There is no picture or drawing of the machine. Step 3 of starting my tablet up, did not match what actually happened. I accidentally found out how to unlock the screen. The print is tiny. Phrases such as "Please according to the prompts to complete the WIFI network link" indicate the manual was written my a non-native english speaker. I have managed to get some apps on it, but haven't yet attemped to download music or pictures, I just don't understand the instructions.

Great talbet for the price.

on 03/12/2012 by Almightyderek

The tablet is very fast. It scored a quadrant standard benchmark of 1506 and has ran every app with no problems. The negatives of this tablet are the mediocre screen and that the wifi antennae sometimes stops working after the tablet has been idle for a while. The screen is good enough to get the job done though and the wifi issue can be fixed by turning the tablet off and back on. Overall though for the price this is a really nice tablet. The most important thing of all though is that is has the android market. This is a huge advantage over any other android tablet in this price range. Also just a minor warning to anyone the microSD card slot on the tablet is labeled TF for Transflash. Apparently that was the name of MicroSD cards before they were bought by the SD card company. I had to Google that as I was a bit confused, especially when the website clearly says microSD.

Impressive value!!

on 04/07/2012 by Anonymous

What is thing anyways? Well, I wish I could give a definitive answer, but it is at least as good as advertised. Here's what I'm getting at ... it seems totally generic and once you figure out who makes it, the specs don't perfectly match what's listed here. Mine says "Idolian TurboTab C8", which I found on-line for about 40% more than I paid here on Amazon. And I think it's worth 40% more, heck 100% more, than what I paid.

The Good
+ 1.5GHz processor with 560MHz DSP (according to user manual). It may actually be 1.2GHz with a GPU, not DSP (according AllWinner A10 documentation), but almost certainly is better than the listed 1.0GHz. If android has the equivalent of Windows device manager, I haven't found it, so the mystery remains. Most importantly, it feels quick and has no problems with the media Ive used (video, flash, mp3, epub, pdf, etc).
+ Audio volume and quality is adequate. [Update 04/15/12 - Volume suffers badly in a leather case.]
+ Came set to English, but with Chinese time zone. There was some browser history to Chinese websites, but very little, so I suspect that is just a part of their test process.
+ Useful apps came preloaded, but not all were actually installed (need to run apk file). Web browser, "office" program, ebook reader, flash player, file manager, and media player to name a few.
+ Stealing the neighbor's WiFi was easy and web browsing performance was good. It took about three seconds to open the pages I was looking at, not blazing fast, but not a nuisance.
+ Connecting to a PC and copying files was easy. USB port is high speed (480 Mbps) and file transfer from PC was pretty quick.
+ It DOES charge from a USB connection (you don't HAVE to use supplied wall wart)
+ It will support Android 4 [Update 04/15/12 - mine shipped with 2.3.4]
+ Video looks great. I thought the 800X480 resolution would be noticeably lacking, but I was pleasantly surprised. (You can output 1080p/2160p via HDMI, but not sure why you would.)
+ Touchscreen is fast and accurate, enough said.
+ Shipping from digitz was fast, under three days. BTW, they said it would ship from CA, but it shipped from AZ. Either way, I selected them since they were in the US hoping shipping would be quicker than the China direct options.
+ Slim and makes use of front face efficiently. Also feels "solid", not flimsy. [Update 04/15/12 - You need a case, I dropped mine and the glass shattered in the corner. Thankfully just a small corner and everything still works.]
+ They aint wastin no dime on marketing or manuals. Bono's white silhouette won't be pimpin thisin here.

The Bad
- You only get about 2GB of the 4GB SD card. I suspect system files are taking up the other 2GB. Not a big deal, you can get a 16GB microSD card for about 12 bucks.
- User manual is terse, generic, and hard to follow. Honestly, I don't know with any certitude that the user manual matches the device since any Android tablet could look like the supplied screenshots and no product photo is included. The user manual doesn't mention Idolian or Turbotab C8, it actually says "MID" and calls the tablet a "MID machine"! Thankfully, android seems to be pretty easy to use.
- Sound recording seems craptacular. A test recording at normal speaking level (~65dB_SPL) only registered about 20% of the input range and playback was inaudible with output volume maxed. Maybe there is a mic input sensitivity setting I just haven't found?

The Unknown
o How do you get a wired LAN/Enet connection? I saw some settings in Android for it, but I didn't get any hardware to support such a thing. Too bad, I'd really prefer a wired LAN since I have a wired hub, but no WiFi at home (except the neighbor's ;) [Update 04/15/12 - It looks like there is just no easy way to use wired LAN. I bought a 20 dollar wireless router, N-300. I haven't seen the tablet connect at over 150Mbps, but that is fast enough.]
o I haven't tried HDMI output or netflix. Two nifty things I don't have much use for. (no cable for it supplied either.)
o Battery life ... sorry, I made a mental note to check this but couldn't wait to plug into a PC. I was running for over two hours before plugging in a USB cable though, so it can't be too bad. BTW, it may actually be a 3500 mAh battery, not 3000, and TurboTab C8 reviews claim battery life is 4-6 hours. [Update 04/15/12 - battery life is good, 4+ hours of video playback or 8+ hours of web surfing. I highly recommend battery Dr saver app]
o WiFi range? Sounds like this was more of an Android issue than a HW issue, so I'm not worried.
o Supports IEEE 802.11n? Seems to depend on who you ask! According to the manual yes, according to some reviews, no. [Update 04/15/12 - Yes, mine supports Wifi n]
o Do you really get the same product regardless of who you order from? Did I get an Idolian TurboTab C8 by (happy) accident?
o If I domesticate foxes as pets, would you buy one?

Final thoughts
* Get it already!

Great product, would buy it again!,

on 04/18/2012 by Anonymous

I bought this for my husband (he's in the Navy and uses this on his ship). He tends to be a name-brand-snob, so I was hesitant, but he loves it! The touch screen is great, accurate, not overly-sensetive. It was fairly easy to set up and start using. It comes with a mini USB adapter, which is great, and headphones, which are not great, but that's easy to replace. It connected to our internet right away and never falters. It's a great tablet! I'm so glad I got it!

Terrific Tablet!

on 04/15/2012 by Anonymous

I agree with all of the positive feedback. BOTTOM LINE, for $139... You can't get a better tablet!

I have an iPad and I bought this for my 3 year old. He loves it and I bought a blue 7" case for it as well, fits perfect. I was able to download all of his favorite apps and more. I downloaded Netflix for when he is home and I put a few videos on the tablet for when we are out and about and there is no wifi to connect too. I'm very happy with this product.

Not bad for the price!

on 04/13/2012 by Anonymous

This is pretty nice for the price I paid for it. It's not an iPad and I wouldn't ever expect it to be one but it does the job and it has nice features.

Works Great

on 04/04/2012 by Anonymous

I bought this to surf the web, watch youtube videos, check email, and download some misc apps. This tablet does exactly that.

PROS:
-Screen is very responsive to finger touch
-Connected to my wifi no problem
-Uses the google marketplace (some other android tablets use their own marketplace)

CONS:
-7" screen is a little small for me. Its almost like an overgrown phone rather than a tablet, but I still like it.

Notes:
-Watching youtube on the internet (btw I download Opera mini for my browser) is very slow. I downloaded the youtube app and videos loaded much quicker.

Great Tablet For Comics!

on 03/30/2012 by Anonymous

I got this Tablet specifically for the Comixology App because i was tired of comic book stores not having my series' and i always feel odd bring comics into work to read during my break (its an upscale office). Now i bring my tablet to work and i read in style with this sexy, sleek, light weight tablet in my hands. The Screen quality is AMAZING (brightness and color)and the screen itself is extremely responsive. This tablet also handles video and audio like a Kindle Fire and the Netflix app great as well!!...i really cant say enough good things about this device, and for the price tag its a steal. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a tablet without paying the standard tablet price tag.

Unbelievably good tablet for under $150

on 03/26/2012 by Anonymous

This is the best tablet for the money. We own the Kindle Fire, and the Coby Kyros 8125. Between the three, this is better than the Coby hands down, and is as good as in some areas, and better in others than the Kindle. The 5 touch response, processing speed, and real Google Play, (formerly known as the Android Market), makes this a real steal at the current price.

Now to address complaints, that had me a little apprehensive ordering this tablet -

Camera - Yes it's front facing only, and is .3 mp. That said, it takes an OK picture, and is good for video calling. The big key is lighting. This will not take a good picture or video in dim lighting.

Battery Time - With wi-fi, bright screen, watching videos, checking FB, and email, the battery is at 4 hours. With wi-fi, medium brightness, and 1 minute screen timeout, and occasional standby, the batter y can go about 6-7 hours.

Standby & wi-fi - Some are complaining that the tablet will disconnect from wi-fi after sitting. The tablet will disconnect from the wi-fi, but if you wait 15-30 seconds it will automatically reconnect.

Apps - Most apps will work, and you can easy ad this tablet to your online Google Play list, to download from your PC, or directly from the tablet. As a note, some apps are not compatible with this device. That said, most apps will work on the tablet, including Netflix. The only issue is a big one, the video and sound would go out of sync.

For people understanding that they are getting a bargain, these are not cons, but for others looking for a $139, (or less, the price keeps dropping) IPAD or Fire, these might be deal breakers:

* The tablet is slightly longer than the Fire, so some of the 7" covers designed for the Fire may not work.
* The location of the raised navigation buttons on the front will prevent most screen protectors from working properly. I have 7" screen protectors on hand, lined up the buttons, and cut them out.
* Still trying to find out why Netflix is going out of sync. On the first play, it was fine, but with each subsequent start/stop, the video would not properly sync.

Pros-
Price, Google Play, Ease of use out of the box, speed, and Touch Screen Performance.

As for my rating, for what I paid, this is worth 5 stars.

Turbo Tab C8

on 05/16/2012 by merrillbarfield

I bought the Turbo Tab C8 about a month ago. It shipped fast but the unit had a defect. It seemed to work well but would not read my SDcards and swallowed two cards. I contacted customer support. They said their tablets had never swallowed memory cards before so I got a return slip. The replacement unit came quickly and worked pretty much as advertized. I am pleased with the size and weight of this tablet. It pretty much does everything but I have difficulty playing videos and movies on it. I haven't been able to find an adequate video app I like for it that will read the files off the SD card. I'm still looking for a good movie and video player. I like the speed of the device. It came loaded with Android 4.0. I am having trouble with dealing with bookmarks and home pages but I think that is my fault and not the tablet's fault. I give this tablet a 4 star rating and the support department a 5 star rating. It's a great tablet.