VIZIO 8-Inch Tablet with WiFi - VTAB1008

by Vizio

• Android 2.3 operating system, 1 GHz Processor.
• 512 MB Mmemory, 4 GB (2 GB user accessible), microSD memory cards up to 32 GB.
• 8-inch LED-backlit LCD with multi-touch capabilities.
• Wireless-N Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n), Front-facing VGA camera (30 fps).
• 1.2 pounds.

Product Description

Amazon.com

Keep entertainment freedom at your fingertips with the 8-inch VIZIO Tablet (VTAB1008), which delivers movies, TV shows, and music in a thin, ultra-light design. Access hundreds of thousands of apps from the Android Market, and smoothly multi-task between browser and apps. Connect to your wireless network via ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi (802.11n) and even use the tablet as a universal remote control with the integrated IR blaster.

The VIZIO Tablet with 8-inch HD screen.

The VIZIO Tablet features an 8-inch, high-resolution capacitive touch screen, front-facing camera for video chat, and unique three-speaker configuration for stereo audio playback in both portrait and landscape modes. Its universal remote app controls everything in your home theater, while its built-in HDMI port enables HD video output to your TV. Other features include Bluetooth connectivity, 2 GB of internal storage, microSD memory expansion up to 32 GB, and USB port (see a larger image with all the ports).

Powered by the Android operating system, it's also the first product in the VIZIO Internet Apps Plus (V.I.A. Plus) ecosystem, which will bring a unified, intuitive user experience across a wide range of devices, including HDTVs, Blu-ray players, smartphones, and more. The V.I.A. Plus tablet ecosystem offers the same attractive, yet functional design as found on V.I.A. Plus enabled HDTVs.

Control Your Entire Home Theater

Master your domain with the VIZIO Tablet's built-in IR blaster and universal remote control app. This VIZIO-exclusive app enables the Tablet to communicate with your home theater devices and control them all with the Tablet. You can also set up a profile for each room in your house and then control those devices as you move from room to room. The built-in HDMI port is fully HDCP compliant so you can output HD video to multiple TVs and monitors, making it a breeze to watch HD content on your big-screen HDTV (requires HDMI port).

Powered by Android 2.3 and the VIZIO Internet Apps Plus (V.I.A. Plus) ecosystem.

Stereo Sound x 3

As you change the VIZIO Tablet's orientation, it intelligently transfers the sound to two of the three strategically placed speakers to deliver stereo audio in both landscape and portrait modes for movies, music, games, or video chats.

Built-in GPS

Find your way with the VIZIO Tablet's built-in GPS, which doesn't need Wi-Fi or 3G/4G to operate.

Flexible Storage

The VIZIO Tablet has room for all your media. In addition to the 4 GB of internal storage (2 GB user accessible), you can add more memory storage via the integrated MicroSD slot, which accepts MicroSD/MicroSDHC cards up to 32 GB in size.

Smart Design, Inside and Out

The VIZIO Tablet can be easily used in either landscape or portrait mode, as the screen automatically switches its orientation to match how you hold it. Additionally, touch-sensitive control buttons (Home, Back, and Menu) change their position and availability when you switch orientation (see larger image illustrating the control buttons). On the home screen you can add up to five of your favorite apps to the bottom dock for quick access, create categories of apps, and easily view notifications of new e-mails and more (learn more about home screen organization).

What's in the Box

VIZIO Tablet, charger, micro USB cable, cleaning cloth, quickstart guide

Specifications

Rear view.

Display: 8-inch LED-backlit LCD with multi-touch capabilities plus ambient light sensor and accelerometer (1024 x 768 pixels, native HD 720p) Camera: Front-facing VGA camera (30 fps) Audio: 3 speakers; SRS TruMedia enhancement Wireless connectivity: Wireless-N Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth Platform: V.I.A. Plus interface on Android 2.3 operating system Pre-loaded apps: Android Marketplace, Maps, YouTube, Gmail, IM Adobe Flash support: Yes

Processor: 1 GHz Memory (RAM): 512 MB Internal storage: 4 GB (2 GB user accessible) External storage: microSD memory cards up to 32 GB Ports: 1 HDMI (v1.4); 1 micro USB; 1 headphone jack Battery life: Up to 10 hours Dimensions: 6.6 x 8.1 x 0.48 inches (WxHxD) Weight: 1.2 pounds

Product Description

Keep entertainment freedom at your fingertips with the VIZIO 8" Tablet with WiFi. Featuring a high definition 8" touchscreen -it's your movies, TV shows and music in a thin, ultra-light design. Stay ahead of the game with hundreds of thousands of apps from the Android Market. Part of the VIZIO Internet Apps Plus experience, the VIZIO Tablet offers an elegant, easy-to-use user interface. It redefines entertainment with more choice, more fun, more freedom for all. Its universal remote app controls everything in your home theater, while its built-in HDMI port enables HD video output to your TV. Three strategically placed speakers deliver stereo audio in landscape and portrait modes for movies, music, games or video chats. Built-in 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth capability offer optimum connectivity, a front facing camera makes it ideal for video chats, and you can store all your media thanks to 2GB of internal storage with a MicroSD card slot for added space. Now that’s entertainment freedom.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

532 of 544 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad for the Price September 11, 2011

By Kodiak

I discovered the Vtab at a brick and mortar shop during my unsuccessful quest to find a local retailer with an HP TouchPad still in stock during the fire sale. I work in IT for a university and can sometimes spend upwards of 60% of my week away from my desk because of project meetings, committee meetings, and other meetings-for-the-sake-of-having-meetings. I don't like carrying around a laptop because they're big and heavy, but trying to follow up on email from the library on my Android phone, because it doesn't make sense to go all the way back to my office for the 30 minutes I have free between two meetings, is a less than pleasant experience. Still, I was having a hard time justifying the drop of $500+ for a decent tablet and I was less than impressed with the specs on the multitude of low-end Android tablets out there.

After doing some research on the VTab, I decided to buy it a few days later. Sure, the VTab isn't dual core and doesn't have a lot of features, but at under $300, it seemed like a good deal. I brought it home that night and quickly started downloading all of my favorite apps...well, the ones available for it, anyway.

There are a lot of apps I use all the time that don't show up in the Android Market for the VTab. Not being able to download TouchDown, which I use to access our Exchange email and calendaring system at work, nearly had me repackaging the device and returning it that very day. Fortunately TouchDown's publisher had a direct download link on its website and I was able to install using that without a problems (and the app works great).

The TouchDown experience gave me an idea: I knew that the Astro file manager (which I had installed on my phone) allowed me to back up my apps to my SD card. So I backed up everything I couldn't install on the tablet and transferred the resultant apk files to the tablet via my laptop. Using Astro on the tablet, I was able to open and manually install the apps and all of the ones I tried worked, except for Facebook.

I wasn't crazy about the custom Vizio launcher screen, so I quickly installed Launcher Pro as it was the only launcher I could find that was available in the Market. I wasn't crazy about it either, so I was extremely happy to see that Go Launcher Ex worked just fine after side loading it via the process noted above. Having certain widgets available to me, front-and-center, all the time was important, so I'm glad I wasn't stuck with the default interface.

After a couple weeks of use, I've been pretty happy with the VTab. The screen size is just right for reading (I've used an iPad before and I don't think I'd be comfortable using it as, for instance, an e-reader) and the weight (probably about 2 pounds with the case on) isn't too bad. Battery life seems decent (it gets me through the day, but the battery is kind of low by the time I get home), but we'll give it the true test when I head off to a conference next month.

At this point I haven't done too much with video, but I have watched a number of YouTube videos and they always play smooth and sound good. The orientation sensing speakers are a nice touch. Having a browser available in meetings to show off work on projects is helpful; I'm thinking about getting an HDMI to VGA adapter so that I can connect the tablet to our conference room projectors to make that even easier. I haven't tried to set up any video chat software, so I can't comment on that apparently lacking feature.

I set up the remote control app to control all of my home electronics and just about everything works--even my old bookshelf stereo that I got back in middle school, some 20+ years ago. The only thing that didn't was my off-brand VCR, but I haven't used it in probably 10 years, so I'm not too upset. Using the tablet as a remote is kind of bulky, so I doubt I'll do it often, but I could see it being handy in a pinch.

It seems, from every review I've read, everyone seems to love this tablet or hates it. For those that dislike it, many seem to have a misunderstanding of Android in the first place. Android is not iOS and Android tablets will never work the same as an iPad. Both systems have pros and cons, and it wouldn't surprise me if the Android/iOS debate is as hot as the Windows/Mac debate in a few years.

The lack of support by apps is more on the part of the app developers and how they set up their application manifest in the Android Market, and not so much on the device. Though I have no experience with other Android tablets, I suspect that they, too, may suffer from this same issue.

The VTab1008 is, IMHO, a great option for anyone looking to but a first tablet without spending a lot of money. Despite its hardware shortcomings it runs very well (and, if you think about it, it has a ton more power than an average desktop PC did 10-12 years ago!), and its multimedia features are impressive. If you are just looking for something to use for web surfing, checking email, playing a few games, and occasionally watching a movie, this tablet is a great option.

154 of 160 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars VIZIO makes a Tablet? August 4, 2011

By Bassic

I love my Vizio tv & blu-ray player, so I thought I give their tablet a try. My daughter has an iPad, so I'll start with saying that this is not an iPad, so I won't make the comparisons. But for the price (I paid $329), it's a terrific product. I noticed that it's now selling below $300, so I should have waited a bit longer...

First, the hardware is solid. The fit & finish is top-notch, and the slightly-rubbery texture of the case allows for a better grip. I love the screen size... 8" is fairly unique, and it's perfect for my hand (for emails), for e-books, and for portability. The screen quality is brilliant, and battery life seems long as well. I logged on to my gmail account, and everything synched up flawlessly (mail, photos, contacts). But my favorite part is the built-in universal remote control. I can control not only my vizio tv & blu-ray, but also the cable box, my Toshiba TV, and other audio products. And it can categorize by each room in my house. Such a convenient feature! I suppose only a TV company would come up with something like this.

The only bad thing I noticed is some software glitches. This may be normal for a new product, and it hasn't bothered me yet. I assume Vizio will update these glitches with software updates.

Overall, I am very happy with this product for its value, and I intent to get another one (for my wife) if the price really goes down below $300.

217 of 232 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Vizio 8" -- after two days July 26, 2011

By B. Tipton

I bought this at Costco on Sunday for $329 and have spent hours and hours on it since. The screen resolution is just beautiful. Have not been able to get video chat to work yet but haven't called support either. The best thing about it is the size since I love reading Kindle and library books on a tablet and believe the IPad and all the 10" tablets are really too big for this purpose IMHO. It's quite fast, as fast as my daughter's IPad, or seems to be. It takes a long time to fully charge (8hrs), and I can't seem to get widgets to work properly either. Again, I shouldn't complain about something not working until at least one phone call is made to the Costco Concierge service or Vizio support. The IR remote control is really neat-- it was easy to set up and works very well with my Samsung TV and Comcast cable service. Some people seem to be under the misapprehension that it works only with Vizio. To rate this is probably a bit premature, but I think I could give it 5 stars if video chat worked and it didn't take so long to charge. The guy at Costco said I could keep it for up to 90 days and get a full refund, so here's hoping Vizio downloads a more advanced operating system (it now has android 2.32) that will improve the charging problem and video chat within the 90 days. If not, I would consider an Amazon tablet but only if it is the right size and has a video camera. Frankly, my daughter almost had me convinced to buy the IPad (even though I thought it was too big for my purposes) when I read about Apple shutting Amazon and Google out of their store. I've been a prime customer since Amazon started it and don't think it's fair for Apple to charge them 30% to sell things through them. I'm sorry this review is so long but did want to try to include as much information as possible.