Arnova FamilyPad 13.3″ Android tablet review | Part 1: Introduction

Only half a year ago, Archos released the ChildPad – an android tablet for kids. Now, the company introduced a new family member in Arnova G3 line-up – the FamilyPad. Just like Toshiba Excite 13, this new device packs a massive 13.3″ screen. Featuring lots of connectivity options and the quick stand, it is made for sharing and consuming media. Furthermore, the FamilyPad features an Allwinner A10 CPU running at 1 GHz with 1 Gb of RAM, dual cameras, 1080p HD video output via HDMI, all this combined in a stylish designed case with aluminum finish. Arnova FamilyPad should be available December this year starting at 299 € / £274.99 / ~$349.99, just in time for the big Christmas sales.

Our review will follow our usual methodology, first presenting the product packaging, the tablet and the quick stand design, performance, multimedia and other features; followed up by our conclusion. Enjoy !

Arnova FamilyPad Specifications

Operating System	Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
CPU	Single core Allwinner A10 running at 1 GHz (ARM Cortex A8) Integrated GPU: Mali 400 (single core)
Flash Storage Memory	Capacity: 8 GB Speed: Class 4 range (tested Read: 18633 Kb/s Write: 4883 Kb/s)
System Memory	1024 Mb
Additional storage	Micro SD slot (SDHC compatible, up to 32 Gb)
Display	1280×800 13.3 inches(34cm) LCD screen using TN technology 16/10 aspect ratio capacitive 10 points multitouch, 113 DPI density
Bluetooth	No
Wi-FI	802.11 b/g/n
Gravity Sensor	Yes
Camera	2.0 MPx (back facing) Pictures resolution: 1600×1200 2.0 Mpx (front facing) Pictures resolution: 1600×1200
GPS	No
HDMI	Yes(mini HDMI, aka HDMI type c connector)
Interfaces	micro USB Slave micro USB Host, Mass Storage Class (MSC) MicroSD slot
Battery life	Video playing: 7 hours 50 minutes tested More information on video playing test in part 3 of this review.
Google Play Store / Android Market	Yes
Kickstand	No (The quick stand acts as a kickstand)
Dimensions	As announced by Arnova: 262 x 171 x 12.5 mm
Weight	tablet alone: 1286g quick stand: 78g
Official Product page	on arnovatech.com

Arnova FamilyPad tablet packaging

The tablet box contains:

• the Arnova FamilyPad tablet
• the quick stand (=kickstand)
• a micro USB cable to connect the tablet to a computer
• a power charger with a DC connector to the tablet, it outputs 5V, 2.5A, with plugs for EU/UK sockets
• a micro USB to USB OTG cable to connect stuff to the tablet
• booklets: a “need help ?” paper, a warranty/legal and safety notice, a user guide which covers basic topics to get started

Continue to Part 2: Tablet design.

Arnova FamilyPad		AMAZON UK		£ 33.4
		AMAZON DE		247.91 EUR
		AMAZON FR		40 EUR
		AMAZON IT		261.03 EUR