News - Tesco launches Hudl, a 7-inch Android based tablet, for £119

[Funkstar]

Sounds like I'll be getting one for our daughters birthday. I hope they don't run out, her birthday's on the 9th Oct.

[vrykyl]

If its made by Archos it should be pretty rootable, so like the Nook HD should make a bargain tablet for slapping cyanogen or equivalent on. Just waiting to see what the screen is like (viewing angle and colour wise). I assume it has full playstore access out of the box?

At £60 with points its almost a no brainer!

[Noli]

I did quite a bit of research into (very) cheap 7 - 8" tablets recently.

I really wanted 8" but I thought the best value (out of 7 tablets compared) was the Nook HD. It's only £99 but like this is 7" 1440 x 900 with all reviews saying a gorgeous display with the actual display element v close to the outer surface.

The advantages the Nook HD has is that it's £20 cheaper, got an unusually high 12+ hr battery life, and the modified android has great user switching (separate accounts for the kids etc etc).
The disadvantages of the Nook HD are that it's dual core (vs quad), ICS (not JB), no camera and no GPS.

I don't care too much for a camera but I actually quite like the idea of trying out a 7" sat nav in the car so GPS is a rare bonus on the Hudl.
£60 with clubcard definitely attractive but for me, it's always better to get 4x the value (vs 2x) using them to get restaurant vouchers.
I don't eat out often but it's nice to think that the a portion of the bill can be reduced to a quarter.
Still tempted though...

[tonyd223]

If I was going to put a 7 inch in the car I'd probably check to see if Brodit do a cradle first...

[Neostar]

Good spec but the Tesco brand on the back puts me off

[MaddAussie]

If I was going to put a 7 inch in the car I'd probably check to see if Brodit do a cradle first...

I use my Nexus 7 in the car (with Torque) using one of these

http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/arkon-tab...FdTItAodSUMAug

It works well, its bolted to one of the passenger seat mounts and does the job well

[Noli]

I use my Nexus 7 in the car (with Torque) using one of these
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/arkon-tab...FdTItAodSUMAug

It works well, its bolted to one of the passenger seat mounts and does the job well

Interesting. Looking at a pic on the website you linked to, it looks like the tablet is more to the side of the driver, and lower, vs a typical windscreen or dash mount.
I appreciate that a 7"+ tablet on the windscreen would be ridiculous(!) but is in not awkward having to look right round every time to check a (for example) sat nav app?!

My Nexus 4 phone on the windscreen is at least very close to the where my driving vision should be anyway. Or maybe I misunderstand the set up.

[crossy]

Good spec but the Tesco brand on the back puts me off

So slap a sticker over the top?

I'd be worried about that old cliche ... there's a price to all this cheapness ... that is, shoddily built and liable to fall apart it you even so much as look at it funny.

[Saracen]

So slap a sticker over the top?

...

My thought exactly. One of those Brother (or whatever) labelling machines would do a perfect job.

....

I'd be worried about that old cliche ... there's a price to all this cheapness ... that is, shoddily built and liable to fall apart it you even so much as look at it funny.

Again, my thoughts exactly, BUT ..... it's not necessarily the case. Case in point, clothes. It isn't just low-end cheap supermarket clothes being made in very low labour cost countries, but high-end designer stuff too. And there are decently made high spec phones, etc, coming out of China at a fraction of the price of status symbol Apple, Samsung, etc.

So my guess would be that that's what Tesco are doing .... buying and badging something that may well be a high seller in China, but is an unknown brand here. I'm no Tesco fan (in fact, haven't bought anything in there in years) but I'd be surprised if they would put their name to anything too cheap or tacky. It's not worth the reputational damage.

What would worry me, personally, a bit more is exactly what customisation had been done, and the potential for Tesco snooping on my usage habits. Of course, if a decent custom ROM becomes available, I might look at it, but personally, not with Tesco-supplied software on it.

[DanceswithUnix]

So my guess would be that that's what Tesco are doing .... buying and badging something that may well be a high seller in China, but is an unknown brand here. I'm no Tesco fan (in fact, haven't bought anything in there in years) but I'd be surprised if they would put their name to anything too cheap or tacky. It's not worth the reputational damage.

What would worry me, personally, a bit more is exactly what customisation had been done, and the potential for Tesco snooping on my usage habits. Of course, if a decent custom ROM becomes available, I might look at it, but personally, not with Tesco-supplied software on it.

It is an Archos designed machine who are French I believe, and have a good reputation for firmware support on their devices. I am guessing it is a cost reduced version of their gaming tablet that was announced this week.

I was in our local Tesco last night, and they had a display stand up already. Couldn't actually play with the tablet as it was stuck on an install screen unable to get a WiFi signal but at a quick glance it looked OK. The usual Archos large bezel around the display may put some people off.

[Saracen]

It is an Archos designed machine who are French I believe, and have a good reputation for firmware support on their devices. I am guessing it is a cost reduced version of their gaming tablet that was announced this week.

....

Noted. I saw the Archos stuff earlier too. But I don't know much about Archos. It strikes me as quite possible that, French or not, it's made for them in China, either to their spec, or based on something else, with their adaptations/modifications. Or not. Dunno. ??

[DanceswithUnix]

What isn't made in China.

Actually the failed sticks of Ballistix ram I just sent back had "Made in USA" stamped on them, so some things are not made there

[Golden Dragoon]

According to the FT and Tesco's chief information officer it's made by Wistron not Archos, will pick one of these up as it is much better to have grubby little hands ruin a £120 tablet than a much more expensive one.