| Camangi WebStation WS-171 Android Tablet PC |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Phones | Handheld | |
| Written by Olin Coles and Emily Ladouceur | |
| Monday, 26 April 2010 | |
Camangi WebStation Google Android Tablet PCIf you consider the amount of code produced, it could be argued that Google is the world's largest software developer. The popular Google Android OS is at the center of the Google Nexus, Motorola Droid, and HTC Incredible smartphone devices. Android offers a large library of both commercially-available and free applications, and although the list is shorter than that of the Apple iPhone, it grows larger every day. While smartphone owners have become accustomed to their micro-size computers, many still depend on a netbook or laptop PC to get their work done. The Camangi WebStation Google Android Tablet PC combines the best of both into one compact computer. The Camangi WebStation is a compact tablet Wi-Fi or 3G-connected PC that utilizes the Google Android Operating System. Similar to the Apple iPad, the Camangi WebStation adds all of the features an Android smartphone offers and combines them with tablet size and functionality. Weighing a mere 13 ounces, the Camangi WebStation tablet can double as an eBook reader with the installed Aldiko or Google Books applications. Internet phone calls can be made using Fring, and the 3G Wizard adds connectivity when Wi-Fi is unavailable. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the Camangi WebStation Google Android Tablet PC in a combination of everyday uses to see how well it can replace other compact computer devices.
Camangi originally introduced their WebStation around Q2-2009, and followed-up with a successful pre-order event. Introduced in April 2010, the Camangi WebStation is re-launched as a 'New Upgrade Version' model WS-171.The test unit Benchmark Reviews received was assigned part number WS171A0B0014-JP-W. The 'New Upgrade Version' Camangi WebStation has UPC 094922491183, and EAN 1094922478374. About Camangi CorporationCamangi is an international company founded in 2002 and specializes in Internet Communication. Our products and services include Web Talk patent technology, VoIP solutions, value-added application platform, and modules development for web services. Camangi aims to develop communication software based on the patented Web Talk technology. We built up the simplest B2C /C2C and B2B communication platform, fulfilling the interactive demands of internet and telecom. We intend to provide the excellent technology with three aspects: friendly, simple, and well-executive. Consequently, turn the complicated structure into the convenient communication tool for business purpose. Discerning the future trend and located a potential market for an Internet portable device with clouding service business model, Camangi is ready to expand into a new territory aimed at providing solutions for Android devices and related software service. The launch of the 7-inch WebStation, also the world's first 7-inch Android device, is the best portrayal of our commitment. Furthermore, to provide even more useful applications for Android users, Camangi also introduces the Camangi Market, which is an online platform for Camangi WebStation users to download applications and create own user experiences. The introduction of these services serves as the epitome of Cloud Computing by integrating the best of online platform operation along with development of the latest portable device. Camangi is committed to developing more medium-sized Android portable devices in the near future and we hope that our quality products will provide a smarter and easier way to let you embrace the new technology.
Android WebStation SpecificationsOther applications
Languages
Package includes
Complimentary
Size and weight
Color
System
Display
Power and battery
Communication
Media
Connectors and input/ output
First Look: WebStation Android TabletSmartPhone devices can be great, but there are times when phone calls and battery life are more important than operating as a compact office tool. The Camangi WebStation combines the strengths of SmartPhone functionality with the features of a tablet-PC or eBook reader. With a 4.72 x 7.87 x 0.57-inch profile, the 13.75 (0.86 LB) Camangi WebStation tablet PC delivers enough functionality to compliment any mobile need.
The Camangi WebStation Google Android Tablet PC is available in white, with piano-black and pink to be revealed soon. The 800x480-pixel 7" TFT LCD touch screen measures 6.0-inches wide by 3.625-inches tall (when positioned in the standard landscape display mode), and is capable of 16-million colors. Users will want to remove the crystal clear protective plastic film that covers the face of the WebStation unit; this thin transparent sheet doesn't have a lift tab or other removal notice, and can easily be missed or mistaken for a permanent feature.
Depending primarily on touch-screen instruction, there are only six buttons on the entire Camangi WebStation: three main menu buttons on the front, two directional/volume/page buttons along the left side, and a single power button recessed at the top. A 3.5mm stereo headphone audio output jack accommodates the included earbuds, which turn the WebStation into a private multimedia player in noise-sensitive environments. For public places there are two 1W 8-Ohm stereo speakers, which provide better sound quality than any SmartPhone could offer. Combined with the pinhole microphone receiver the WebStation can operate as a communication device through any Android-based messenger program (MSN, AIM, Yahoo), or make Internet-based calls using Fring or Skype.
Based on the Google Android 1.5 Operating System, the Camangi WebStation is powered by a 624MHz Marvell PXA303 processor and receives 128MB of mobile DDR system memory added to 256MB of integrated NAND flash memory. Hidden inside the top of the WebStation is a Micro-SD card slot, which comes with an 8GB unit but supports up to 16GB of flash storage. Along the right side of the WebStation is a single Hi-Speed USB-2.0 standard type-A port that is perfect for a third-party 3G wireless dongle or corded/wireless keyboard, and also a mini-B USB port that supports camera connections. Also hidden, is a stylus touch pen, which secures into the bottom of the unit.
Integrated Wi-Fi connectivity supports IEEE 802.11 b/g wireless networks, or the WebStation can utilize any subscribed 3G cellular network when connected to a cell phone through a third-party dongle. This allows users to communicate through supported email clients, webmail, chat, IM, VoIP, and Internet-telephony applications. Camangi has included a plastic stand that keeps the WebStation positioned upright. This is useful for travelers who want to use the WebStation as a bedside LCD clock with alarm functionality, or for displaying stored images of friends and family to remind you when you're away on business.
WebStation Tablet Detailed FeaturesKeyboard Support and Soft-KeyboardOne direct difference between the Camangi WebStation tablet PC and any SmartPhone device or NetBook computer is the lack of a physical keyboard. To be fair, the Camangi WebStation does offer a USB-2.0 port for just this very purpose. In our tests the WebStation responded flawlessly when a USB keyboard was connected; including wireless keyboards. For most people, an add-on peripheral is not an option and the Camangi WebStation will be used as-is.
Like any other tap-to-type application, the Camangi WebStation SoftKeyboard app works exactly as it should. The initial keyboard screen offers a basic QWERTY key layout, but there's a special ABC / ?123 button in the lower left corner to switch between alphabetical letters or numerals and symbols (shown above). Once the numerial keyboard is displayed, the ALT button can be used to show additional specialty symbols. One of the nicest things about the SoftKeyboard is that the large keys allow users to type with either fingers or stylus. Overall, the SoftKeyboard app really forgives the absense of a physical keyboard, and helps to keep the WebStation portable and lightweight. The included stylus seemed to be the best solution for tapping-in occasional entries, especially when large hands are involved. Aldiko eBook ReaderAldiko eBooks use Feedbooks, O'Reilly Media, All Romance, and Smashwords in their eBookstore, and has a wide variety of titles and genres to choose from. They have a wide assortment of free titles which should make any bookworm happy. They even have graphic novels but without the pictures. Finding eBooks that I was interested in reading was pretty painless and easy. Downloading was extremely simple and hassle free. Aldiko eBooks is relatively small so they may not have all the authors you prefer but take a little time to search their library and you'll be sure to find something. There are many ways to search; by author, by category, by popularity, or just looking to see what's new. I couldn't find some of my favorite authors in the free section but I think that may have been wishful thinking. Also, the eReader for Aldiko eBooks allows you to use the volume keys on the side of the unit to turn pages which comes in handy when you are getting used to a sensitive touch screen.
Google BooksGoogle eBooks, the other eLibrary, is easy to navigate and find titles, many of which are free. There are what seems to be an infinite number of classic titles to choose from. The only problem is that you can't download their free books. At least I haven't figured out yet how to do that. It appears that you can view them all you want and even bookmark pages but the book is not downloaded. So if you want to view it you need internet connection. Google eBooks free titles seem to be endless but don't expect to find any popular literature other than classics for free. It's best when searching on Google eBooks to have an idea what you are looking for because the eLibrary is so voluminous. Their book search is the same as their web search so names and key words work best.
Like any Operating System, the number of applications that can be added becomes mind-boggling. We've spent time discussing a few of the more prominent and interesting apps, and in the next section we share our experience with other facets of the WebStation.
Testing and User ExperienceThe Camangi WebStation is the digital Jack-of-all-trades, but a master at none. For example, audio playback supports several popular formats (3GP, MP3, OGG, MID, WAV), yet video playback supports only 3GP and MPEG4. Adobe Flash is unsupported, which makes Hulu, YouTube, and other online video websites inaccessible. The WebStation photo viewer can display JPG, GIF, PNG, and BMP images, yet the eBook viewer supports only EPUB, PDF, or plain text documents. There's a lot going on in the Camangi WebStation, but the features and functionality are only complimentary to a full-size laptop computer or other specialized device.
Based on my experience, the Camangi WebStation is most likely best for the traveler who is always on the go. It's lightweight and has several functions that will come in very handy; for example the alarm clock, the weather station, viewing your pictures or listening to your music, reading a book, checking your email, etc. It seems that the number of features are endless. Plus you can add games or your favorite apps as well. After spending some time playing with the Camangi WebStation and figuring out the settings and features I feel it's pretty easy to navigate. Using the stylus required less effort than finger tip pressure. Unfortunately, the screen holds fingerprints very well - but that seems to be the case with most touch screen surfaces, and Camangi was nice enough to include a micro-fiber cleaning cloth with the WebStation. There are many apps to choose from, but as is the case with any smart phone, some of the apps are useless. For the eReader portion the dictionary was the most disappointing feature in addition to the inability to highlight text or takes notes. It is actually a Google web search instead of having an internal dictionary. In addition, to do anything more than play a downloaded game or read a downloaded book you need web access. This probably won't be a problem for most users though, since many people with smart phones or other similar devices have 3G cards. Probably more comprehensive than some full-size notebook computers, the WebStation offers a battery life and charge statistics feature that helps advise users on runtime estimations. The Android Task Manager is very similar to the Microsoft Windows tool of the same name, and lists the running apps and their memory consumption while also offers the ability to end unwanted tasks. Some tasks just don't go away, such as Fring, and the many other apps hide in the background eating up memory. This appears to be one drawback to the Google Android O/S, so user beware. One improvement specific to the WebStation is a more user-friendly resume from sleep mode function. The first few times we stepped away from the Camangi WebStation and it powered-down the LCD screen into sleep mode (settings: 1, 2, 10 minutes, or never), we returned and discovered that no single button restored the system. As it turns out, there actually is a button to restore the WebStation... you just have to press it twice before the LCD screen will resume. A more intuitive system similar to key-locked cell phones might be in order, where a button press will display unlock instruction. 3rd Party ApplicationsWhile Google's Android O/S is still relatively new to the scene, the list of Android-compatible applications offers nearly 1000 possibilities. Since the WebStation could be used for any number of tasks, our scope was to focus less on productivity and concentrate more on leisure activities. We've already covered two of the most popular eBook readers, which undoubtedly will consume the majority of the WebStation's battery life, but there are also several games and music players available for download... all for free. The Camangi has included a built-in Market app that allows you to download some free pre-screened applications for the WebStation (after free registration). This is helpful, but the list of applications was much more comprehensive at https://www.camangimarket.com/ than the short listing found while browsing on the WebStation. Several other (free) Google Android app websites offer even more applications for the WebStation, although many of these apps are built for rare and specific tasks. Visit Android.com/market to get a better idea of what's available. There are also some limitations to Android on the WebStation. For example, you're not going to watch any Adobe Flash videos from YouTube or Hulu (or any other Flash-based website) on the WebStation. Music is a different story, as the Google Android was built to natively support playback. While the WebStation can play several formats from stored media, many users may prefer streaming audio sources. Some music sites (such as Pandora) appear to offer Android apps; but when you try to download, a page error results. Other free applications 3rd-party applications may contain advertising, or an inspirational religious messages. For guidance and troubleshooting WebStation problems, we recommend visiting the Camangi support forum at https://www.camangi.com/forum/.
Camangi WebStation ConclusionAlthough the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, please be advised that every author perceives these factors differently at various points in time. While we each do our best to ensure that all aspects of the product are considered, there are often times unforeseen market conditions and manufacturer changes which occur after publication that could render our rating obsolete. Please do not base any purchase solely on our conclusion, as it represents our product rating for the sample received which may differ from retail versions. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas that we rate. Unlike many of the products we test here at Benchmark Reviews, the Camangi WebStation's performance cannot be quantified by numbers or measured by charts. Performance is relative to the user experience, and that experience is entirely dependant on the task at hand. From our time with the WebStation, there were many pleasant discoveries and only a few shortcomings to note. Some of the highpoints to using the WebStation include Android app support and tablet PC functionality. The WebStation also borrowed some favorites from the Apple iPad/iPhone, and features such as landscape or portrait orientation based on WebStation positioning are also nice. Alas, there are a few disappointments. Generally speaking, the bulk of our issues with the WebStation revolve around hit-and-miss Google Android integration, and may possibly be out of Camangi's control. But the lack of Adobe Flash video support, or any real video support for that matter, is a problem we can't ignore. Reading electronic books and light web browsing is nice, but the 7-inch LCD screen is the perfect size for personal video viewing. This presents a major opportunity for Camangi to redeem it's WebStation product line with a graphics processor to the tune of NVIDIA's Tegra.
In terms of appearance, the WebStation charms users with a familiar look that combines soft white contours with small chrome accents. The simple layout and minimal use of buttons helps to instill confidence for non-technical users who want to enjoy WebStation. For an ultra-compact tablet PC, the Camangi WebStation was extremely rugged and well-built. While not impervious to shock or liquid damage, the construction was better than you might find on Android SmartPhones. The stylus secures into the bottom base of the unit, which makes me wonder if gravity will ever cause it to fall out and be lost, but it seems safe and secure. The plastic LCD screen is durable and resists scratches, and the Micro SD slot locks firmly shut. The Camangi WebStation offers functionality in a myriad of ways since this device doubles as a personal computer. As one of the first Google Android tablet PCs on the market, Camangi has taken time to get it right the first time. This article explored only a few of the more common/popular ways people might enjoy the WebStation, but in truth there are more features waiting to be used than we can discuss in one review. The WebStation is light enough to comfortably hold for extended use, and small enough to set on a nightstand. So where can you purchase the Camangi WebStation? That's a good question, and I wondered that myself since several friends showed an interest buying one for themselves. As it turns out, Camangi has not been able to keep-up with demand. Heading into May 2010, the 'New Upgrade Version' WebStation WS-171 we've tested is available from Amazon for $275. This price directly competes with with the Amazon Kindle-II, Barnes & Noble nook, and Sony Reader, so consumers will want to compare the features that are most important to them before buying. Overall, the Camangi WebStation left me with mixed feelings about the product. If you're after a powerful personal video viewer, this isn't going to win over any hearts and minds. But what the WebStation lacks in movie playback, it makes up for in other areas. The WebStation is certainly worth its weight as a versatile eBook reader, lightweight web browsing device, and 2D gaming system. Of course, my efforts to produce a comprehensive review might all be for naught, since supply and demand appear inconsistant. Priced at $275, the Camangi WebStation could be a worthwhile Google Android tablet PC depending on your tasks... but this is a crowded market with plenty of options. Pros:
+ Comfortable size and weight Cons:
- Very limited video playback Comments? Questions? Benchmark Reviews appreciates constructive feedback, so leave your comment below are ask questions in our Discussion Forum.
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