OlivePad VT1000 is a seven inch Android 2.2 Tablet computer from India based Olive Telecom.
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OlivePad has been selling for a few months now, but it has not been able to create the interest Notion Ink has been able to generate on its yet to be released Adam tablet. I had been on a hunt for a decent Android Tablet for many weeks and never came across the OlivePad until one day saw one on eBay India. This led me to Olive Telecom’s website where I found out that OlivePad is available on retail at Croma stores across India. I picked up my OlivePad from the new Croma Store on the Outer Ring Road in Bangalore for INR 23999 (cheaper than the online prices at eBay.in).
This review is based on my hands on experience of using the OlivePad in the last three weeks. My familiarity with Android devices which includes a Samsung Galaxy S phone running Android 2.2, a Samsung Galaxy 3 that my wife owns. In between I also used a ten inch Chinese Apad ZT180 tablet running Android 2.1.
Lets begin the review with the Quick Specs of the Olive Pad VT1000.
| OS | Android 2.2 Froyo |
| Processor | ARM11 600MHz |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM7227 |
| Battery | Li Polymer 3240 mAh |
| Screen | 7 inch 800x400 LCD with Capacitive Touch screen |
| Connectivity | 802.11bg wifi, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, GPS, GSM, 3G |
| Memory | 512 MB RAM |
| Storage | 512 MB built in Flash, and my unit came bundled with a 16 GB micro-SD card |
| Camera | Rear 3 mega pixel, front VGA |
| Audio | microphone, stereo speakers, 3.5 mm stereo audio out |
| Others | G-sensor, e-compass, ambient light sensor. |
Hardware and Build
Design
The Olive Tab is rectangular with glass in front with a shiny black plastic in the rear. The sides are aluminum. The sides are not tapered like the Galaxy Tab which makes it look thicker. Nevertheless it’s comfortable to hold. The key here is the 7 inch form factor that is small enough to hold with hone hand. At 380 gm it’s not comfortable holding it for long duration. However, its much comfortable using the OlivePad tablet with the leather diary styled jacket.
Processor Speed and Responsiveness
OlivePad comes with a 600 MHz ARM11 processor. The Tablet is very responsive and I do not find any perceptible real world difference between the Galaxy S and the OlivePad in terms of responsiveness. However, ARM11 on paper appears slower compared to Cortex A8 chips being used in most recent Android Tablet, and not to mention the upcoming dual core Cortex A9 chips like the Nvidia Tegra2. Bottom line, the ARM11 chip in the OlivePd is adequate to give a very good user experience.
Storage and Memory
The SIM card and the SD card slots can be accessed from the side.OlivePad came bundles with a 16 GB microSD card. The internal flash is just 512 MB, which just leaves 173 MB for user applications. I wish OlivePad had at least 1 or 2 GH internal flash storage. With Froyo apps can be moved to the SD card, but still a lot of junk accumulates in the internal flash storage. The RAM is 512 MB is adequate and at par with most of the high end Android tablets or phones.
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Screen
The screen at best can be called average. It looks nice and vibrant when looking straight, but at the slightest angle the colours start getting weird. It indicates a cheap TN panel. I am not saying that it is not usable, but this no iPAD IPS panel or the Galaxy S Super AMOLED display. Fonts look good and crisp providing a good web browsing experience and reading eBooks is a good experience. I would suggest giving the bundled Aldiko reader the skip and installing FBReader or Cool Reader from the market.
Audio
Two speakers have been places on the top and the bottom side of OlivePad. The speaks are excellent for the form factor. These are clear and loader than the average tablet speaker and better than some Netbook speaker. a +1 to Olive Telecom fro this. This is a great when playing games and I can even dare to watch YouTube videos without a headphone.
Hi,
I have had my hands on the olivepad and today its available at around 17k INR at Croma.
Have you tried 3G on this? I havent been able to experience 3G, rest my reqts it fits well and I intend to buy it in a day or two itself.
Just wanted your opinion on the followings:
1) how good was ur 3G experience
2) Upgrade to future Android OSes (Gingerbread or watever)
3) Swiftkey – can you buy this app and replace ur default software keypad on the olivepad?
I have Never used any android device. Also can other default apps be disabled and replaced with better ones?
4) Flash Memory is way too less you mentioned above. With Froyo I understand you can install your apps in external SD Card (16GB comes bundled with olivepad). Does this make any difference in the apps performance as compared to running it on default flash memory?
Please reply to me on rajveer_help@yahoo.co.uk
Look forward to your positive reply.
Thanks for the review.
Regards,
Rajveer
Rajveer-
Thank for appreciating the review. Please find my response below.
I have not tried 3G on the olive pad. I mostly use it with wifi.
There is no new ROM available from Olive Telecom. However I have found one custom ROM in xda-developers. This is based on the latest ROM for the Viewsonic ViewPad 7 ( same h/w as the Olive PAD). I very much doubt there will be Gingerbread update, but even with Froyo the user experience is pretty good. The 600 MHz CPU is deceptively fast, this one has a floating point unit making it faster than most 600 MHz droid devices in market. I have compared this with a Galaxy 3 ( 600 MHz ARM11) and found olive pad much more responsive.
Go for SWYPE, beta available for free. I use SWYPE only now a days both on the Galaxy S and the Olive Pad. Root the OlivePad , you will be able to uninstall other default apps.
Use Apps2SD on Froyo, this will free up much of the Internal flash. If you root the device ( it can be done pretty easily) you will be able to free up more space by uninstalling some default apps that you wont use.
Hope it help. Let me know if you have more questions.
- Manas
I am using this vt 1000 but am not able to use the video call plus smm10 is not working on my pad.. please help
@Manas
First of, thanks, your above comments were very descriptive. Manas, I needed a little help though:
1) I need to know where exactly can I find details on how to root the Olivepad.
2) Where exactly can I find the 2.3 rom for olivepad? Sure viewsonic will do?
3) I know this is not s/w related, but where can I get a screen guard for this.
thanks..
@Achum
SMM10 is a part and parcel of the 16GB mem card. If you have somehow formatted it, do not worry, olivetelecom.in will give you a downloadable SMM10 rar that you should unpack and reload onto the SD card. I do not know about the videocall though. Hope that helps.
-Milton
@ Mitlon
Use Superoneclick – http://shortfuse.org/?page_id=2 to root Olivepad. Superoneclick can be troublesome at times, be persistent and use google you will be able to root the Olivepad. It too me good part of a evening to root it. You will typically get find superoneclick hung at “waiting for device” or “running psneuter”. be persistent you will get it to root the olivepad
I have not found any 2.3 gingerbread rom ( at least not a stable one yet). I recently moved to a viewsonice custom rom ( 2.2 android). If you find a stable gingerbread rom , please post back here.
I have not come across one in any local stores in Bangalore.
I am using 3.5 G and it is phenomenal, but there is a lot of drain on the battery. As for the screen guard. There is not a special one available for this but you may go for the one for samsung galaxy tab or the Ipad and then cut it to shape.
Some of the mobile stores where samsung tab is sold will be able to even install it for you.
Found one at Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Skinomi-TechSkin-Protector-Viewsonic-Viewpad/dp/B004LE2DB0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1315146456&sr=8-5
It’s kind of expensive, but from all the reviews I have read it’s quite good.
can u tell me what to do when it hangs
My olivepad has hung .
It does not go beyond opening screen.the machine is getting booted again and again. feeling totally help less.
Mail on support is useless. i have not received any response from support team.
Croma has disowned it”We are only responsible for sale and NOT service” this was the reply at croma.
Can anyone help?
Regards