StorageOptions Scroll - review of an Android tablet

The surprise present this Christmas was an Android tablet, StorageOptions (SO) Scroll tablet PC. Here's a review if you have been considering one of these.

The SO Scroll is a 7" tablet with a touch screen that runs the Android operating system. It is a convenient size, about the same size as a diary, which is very unobtrusive. I've already used it as a handy cocktail recipe reference. It was just as convenient as a hardcopy cocktail recipe book and did not get in the way like a laptop might.

The desire for an unlimited cocktail recipe reference that can be dynamically updated online was, dear Reader, not actually the main reason for my brother to get me a tablet PC this Christmas. It was a quick conversation that we had when I mentioned that I had 5 hours of spare time per day on my train commute to and from work when I could be doing something productive, like writing blog posts.

Besides making better use of my time, I also need to communicate better with friends and colleagues. My mobile handset uses a Symbian UIQ operating system and I have not found any good Twitter or Facebook clients for it. This has caused me to miss last minute messages with details to meet up with friends.

Missing these sorts of messages prevents me from targeting influencers with engaging assets to access platforms for conversation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUNntV8jdqM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

How does the SO Scroll match up to these needs, I hear you ask, dear Reader? Does it enable me to recover my brand reach through dynamic reactive organic engagement?

It has five key disadvantages that I have found over the last 3 days
1. Wifi only
The SO Scroll is wi-fi only so you can only access the Internet and run those all important Twitter and Facebook clients when you are at a wi-fi hotspot. More expensive tablet PCs (iPad or Samsung Tab) can access the Internet over a 3G mobile connection.

2. Resistive touch screen, rather than capacitive
The SO Scroll has a touch screen (YES! Love touch screens. So useful when you have a mouse and sometimes handy even when you do) that uses resitive, rather than capacitive. Resistive means you have to push on it pretty decisively. This is the same tech used on my Sony Ericsson w960 mobile phone that can be a frustration sometimes. More expensive touch screens use capactive tech, like on the iPhone, that can support multi-touch pinch zoom etc.

3. No Java support
The SO Scroll has no Java support so some software and websites will not operate as they were designed.

4. Android 2.1, unupgradable, so no Flash support
The SO Scroll runs the 2.1 version of Android that does not fully support Flash. This means that you won't be able to use it to play the miriad of free online Flash games. The SO Scroll website FAQ makes it clear that it will not be possible to upgrade it to v2.2 Android. I must be very clear about Flash support. The packaging states Flash as a feature but I think this is only for FLV movies played from memory. Several websites that use Flash (such as BBC News) do not open correctly on the SO Scroll.

5. 800Mhz ARM11 processor
The SO Scroll uses an 800Mhz processor, which is a similar speed to the CPU that can be found in the Sony Ericsson Xperia x10 Mini. This means that it can be a little unresponsive when running a Twitter client, Facebook client, Yahoo client, Last.fm client streaming music, Blogger client, and web browser.

Having highlighted these cons, I have to say that the SO Scroll is impressive for an Android tablet available at under 150 pounds.

The SO Scroll can stream music online from Last.fm and write a blog post while running Twitter and Yahoo clients and receiving alerts. That stretches it and it crashes a few times but it can still be done.

The touch screen can be annoying, like any resistive touch screen. However, I cannot stand typing on touch screens and StorageOptions has a leather-look case cover accessory that has a keyboard, which uses the mini-USB on the Scroll. This is a really big advantage for the Scroll, in my opinion. The keyboard case makes the Scroll soooo easy to use!

Here are six good advantages
1. Photo and video camera
The SO Scroll comes with a camera for photos and video. This should be suitable as a QR Reader and also for some low quality video blogging on YouTube but I have not had chance to test it for that yet.

2. Long battery life
The SO Scroll has an impressive battery life that lasts at least 4 hours with several clients running simultaneously.

3. Headphone jack
The 3.5mm jack on the SO Scroll really makes it useful as an MP3 player.

4. Nice design
The SO Scroll is a very convenient size and good-looking design with good, intuitive hard buttons. It is easy to see it as a replacement for a diary and also as a digital photoframe.

5. Plenty of memory
The SO Scroll has 2Gb memory built-in plus microSD card slot expandable to 32Gb that is more than adequate for my music collection.

6. Responsive accelerometer
The SO Scroll responds quickly when it is rotated. I recently had a chance to try the latest Symbian 3 mobile handset, Nokia N9, and I am more impressed with the SO Scroll in this respect.

In conclusion, the StorageOptions Scroll is impressive for an Android tablet PC available at under 150 pounds but it is wi-fi only, has no Java support, and is only Android 2.1 that cannot fully support Flash plug-ins for webpages.

I have yet to try transfering videos and music from my PC onto the SO Scroll. I'm hoping it is simple but I'll update you, dear Reader, on how successful it is in due course.

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pushing the envelope

Compared to last year, this Christmas sees a number of changes for me, both professional and personal, which necessitate me to "push the envelope".

At the moment at work we are being asked to provide better for less; better services and efficiency improvements whilst still delivering over 20% spending cuts. This makes us go to the limits of what is technologically and physically possible - pushing the envelope.

Technologically we are getting the most out of what we have and sharing services where appropriate, which is a slight departure from what I was doing at my previous job last year before the cuts, where we were delivering service improvements and business change but not always sharing services.

My job as a Technology in Business Fast Streamer is pushing the envelope for me physically. This Christmas I need to do coursework, revise for an exam, write an essay, and read technical material. The coursework is for the Postgraduate Certificate in I.T. Professional Practice through the Open University that is part of professional development at work. The exam is for PRINCE2 Practictioner certification that is also part of professional development at work. The essay and reading material are for projects that I'm involved with professionally. Fitting it all in will be a physical challenge for me, which is totally different compared to last year when I had a clear break from thinking about work.

So, dear Reader, how am I pushing the limits of what is technologically and physically possible in my personal lifestyle, I hear you ask? Well, last year I had a 25 minute walk to work in the morning. Now I am getting used to a two and a half hour commute, door-to-door, each way every weekday.

This is pushing the limit of what is physically possible for me. I am torn between working in London and living in my beachfront appartment. So, dear Reader, alas I must move to the Big Smoke because I would like to spend more time with friends and less time in a relationship with British Rail.

What is the technological limit for me personally? My PC at home is 8 years old and showing signs of strain as the minimum requirement of modern technology (not even the latest, state-of-the-art technology) passes beyond the capabilities of my ShuttlePC still running XP.

Meanwhile my mobile phone is over two years old. There have been a number of significant improvements to phone technology over that time. Where the need for always-on Internet connection in your contract and 3G connectivity was rare, it is now a commonplace necessity. Hand in hand with unlimited mobile Internet, social networking now also pervades mobile devices.

For one reason and another I have not upgraded my handset. I am still using a Sony Ericsson w960 with a Symbian UIQ3 operating system. All mobile operating systems (Apple, Android, Palm, and the latest Symbian operating system) all have App stores. There are some apps for UIQ but unfortunately the latest apps are not being developed on that platform.

This means that my mobile handset is showing the signs of strain as I push it to its technological limit before it crashes; run a Blogger client, download emails, surf the web, upload photos onto Flickr and Tumblr, check Facebook and Twitter to keep up with friends and colleagues.

To push the envelope I had two solutions in mind; to upgrade to a Sony Ericsson Xperia x10 Mini Pro android mobile handset (250 pounds), or to splash out on a Sony Vaio z13 in carbon fibre (2500 pounds). However, it seems my brother and father may have found a middle option... StorageOption Scroll. Expect a review coming very soon...

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