Marquis MP977 MarquisPad 9.7-Inch Texas Instruments 1.2GHz/ 1GB DDR2/ 4GB Internal Memory/ Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Tablet Computer (Black)
113 of 115 people found the following review helpful.
By Andre Lawrence
There are a few things to know about the Android OS ecosystem as it relates to smartphones and tablets (and how it differs fundamentally from Apple's "iOS" and the iPad, in particular.)
*** About Android and Apple ***
Unlike Apple and their all-encompassing network of computers, softwares and iOS-dependent devices, Google's Android operating system is largely an open-source application that developers and hardware manufacturers have a certain amount of freedom to create software and hardware around.
But this is where it gets tricky.
Not all manufacturers have a license to the most current Android OS and even if the most current OS is licensed, there's no guarantee that particular restriction imposed by Google (and there is) would allow that manufacturer to be able to say that "anything" can be done on any of its devices. This is why certain app's can be installed on some devices and not others; on one manufacturer's smartphone, but not its tablet.
*** Budget vs. Better ***
Not all Android devices are the same. A distinction has to made when considering any Android product, especially a tablet.
There are, what I call, "budget" Android tablets and "better" Android tablets.
Typically, the OS version on the budget devices is 2 years behind the current 4.1.2 "Jellybean." In addition, Google limits these devices from downloading many app's from all three (3) of the major Android app stores: Google Play, Amazon Appstore and Getjar.
Then there's, of course, the cheap, plasticy feel of the budget brands.
The line of demarcation is at $200. If you have a budget of $300-350, you'll have enough to buy a halfway decent Android tablet.
If the iPad, unarguably, is the benchmark for Tablet computers, for Android there are two models that the standard bearers for the latest in innovation: Google's Nexus - in 2 varieties-- and Amazon's own Kindle HD, respectively.
Just below that you have the respectable pack, which includes the Samsung Galaxy 2 and The Toshiba Excite.
I would also include Matsunichi's Marquis 9.7" tablet to this group.
*** Marquis' spec's ***
9.7" screen/ 1024 x 768 pix resolution
Android 4.0 ("Ice Cream Sandwich")
1.2 GHz dual core chip
1 GB DDR3 (internal RAM)
2 GB micro SD card--external storage.
*** Performance ***
Before I did anything with the tablet, I thought it prudent to buy a case-- eForCity Black Leather Carrying Case Cover Compatible With Apple® iPad® 3G tablet / Wifi model 16GB, 32GB, 64GB (fits 9.7" display of the iPad®) which you have several here on Amazon for less than $10. (That, along with at least an 8 GB microSD card, should have been included with this $250 device.)
Currently, this version of Android doesn't allow you to seamlessly transfer files on to the tablet without a third-party app. And, when it does, it takes a loooooong time to complete, if it doesn't freeze up and resets itself. It also won't install app's on the external card.
I got around this by buying a 16GB card which set me back $11 including s/h. Then, I took all of the files from my Android phone and created a file on my computer's desktop and removed that storage card. I replaced it with the new 16GB card and then transferred that file to the card and put it into the tablet. Matsunichi's customer service told me that they're working on a work-around for this.
I then went to the different App stores and installed MOST of the app's I purchased for my phone. But, the app's work perfectly and I like working on the bigger screen much, much more than on the phone.
Even gameplay, which I don't do that often, is sweet.
The tablet is almost identical looking to the iPad. The back is made out of a smooth, but hard plastic case. And, it feels to be about 2 lbs.
The speakers are standard and I'm a slight bit disappointed that it's not as robust as I would have liked but it's not any worse than the Galaxy or the Excite.
*** App's ***
I have about 115 app's installed. About a third are productivity app's. One third, art/video/music and the last third are various games.
App's like Sketchbook Pro and Evernote are a joy to work with. OfficeSuite Pro, Skype, SugarSync are flawless. And, Angry Birds/ Basketball Mania/ Asphalt 7/ PlumberCrack and Prince Of Persia gives PS3 and the Xbox a run for their money.
*** Battery life ***
Battery life is standard. It's a 4000 mAH battery. To give you some reference, a standard battery for a Android smartphone is about 1600mAH. But, you're looking at, essentially, a hyped-up smartphone called a "Tablet."
With the Marquis, you really start to notice a drain if you're in an areas where the internet reception --via WiFi or tethering-- is poor. The tablet, understandably, gets very hot and the battery drains very fast. Game-play, believe it or not, didn't drain the battery as fast as a poor internet reception and this includes Asphalt 7 and Drag Race.
A full re-charge from about 15% is about 3.5 hours.
*** Accessories ***
As I mentioned, the company should have included some kind of cover, but it didn't. And, I immediately took out the 2 GB card and installed a 16 GB one. I also bought a USB-female to USB micro adapter eForCity Micro USB OTG to USB 2.0 Adapter to connect it to my phone.
Because this is a Wifi reception-only device--- which I STRONGLY recommend-- I went to the Google Play store and installed PDAnet and Foxfi to enable me to get an internet reception from my phone.
All in all, you're only spending about $20 for these extras.
*** Pro's and Con's ***
Pro's
+ Beautiful display (although not an IPS screen)
+ Current Android OS
+ Good battery life
+ Solid and well-built (far better than the "budget" kind and on-par with the Samsung and Toshiba)
+ Good for $250 but would have been "great" with the added accessories--which in all honesty should have been a standard inclusion.
Con's
- Lack of standard accessories.
- Speaker system, nothing to write home about.
- Selling at $200-$225 would make this a "must buy" or an extremely strong consideration, if you're not inclined to consider the Kindle HD or The Nexus.
*** Conclusion ***
With the Marquis MP977, there's a whole lot to like about this very good, Android tablet. For most people, this is a great alternative to the Kindle HD or the Nexxus if you want a 10" screen (and not the 7") or you want to save $75.
With the money you'd save, you're still getting a very good deal if you bought some generic accessories like I did and didn't buy into the cellphone carriers insistence on buying an internet connection package.
4 stars.
40 of 40 people found the following review helpful.
By Spudman
The following is a review written by a first time electronic notebook owner and longtime techno-dummy. I have written this after experimenting with the pad's features and much trial and error, mostly error. For reference points, I own two laptops and a Kindle Fire (actually Mrs.Spudman's# and had the opportunity to look at an i-pad for a side by side comparison with the Marquis.
In the box I found the Marquis pad and a charging cord. One end of the cord plugs into the pad; the other end has a USB connection that in turn can be attached to a wall plug for charging. The Marquis may be charged using USB but charges much faster plugged into a wall. In my box there was no documentation of any kind, not even a warranty card; this might just be a packaging fluke. I've since purchased a case and some cleaning pads.
Having had experience with the Kindle, it was easy to figure out how to turn on and unlock the Marquis and figure out how to navigate around the pad. Some internet links and APPS are already installed on the pad. Among the installed links are: face book, Amazon, twitter, yahoo, Google, Picasa, Wikpedia, CNN, NYTimes ,eBay, and BBC. Of course, others can be added.
On the home page are tabs for: kindle, books, browser, calculator, calendar, clock, diagnostics, downoads, email, gallery, gmail, help, iReader, latitude, maps, marquis camera, movie studio, music, navigation, OI file manager, people, places, play store, search, settings. I've used settings, help most frequently as well as the handful of my downloaded apps.
A few specs:
9.7 inch LED-backlit 1024x768 pixel resolution at 132 ppi with Multi-Touch Display
Texas Instruments processor 1.2GHz dual-core DSP, low-power system, 1GB DDR2 Memory
Wi-Fi #802.11 b/g# Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
4GB internal memory Micro SD slot, #2GB MicroSD Card included, expandable to 32GB
VGA quality still camera - Good for using Skype or taking pictures of yourself
Lithium-ion battery with 3.7V 4000mA/Hrs
Accelerometer, Light sensor
30-pin connector port, Stereo headphone jack ,Built-in speaker, Microphone
9.5 x 7.5 x 0.49 in 1.6 lb
Display - The display is clear and vibrant with excellent color and clarity. I've enjoyed watching Netflix movies on this pad and viewing my Picasa photographs. Videos on You Tube are a mixed bag that depends on the quality of the original. I prefer reading books on this pad to the Kindle because of the larger display.
Sound - The audio quality is dismal, inferior to the Kindle's and far inferior to the i-pad's. The volume and sound quality are so lacking that when watching movies I attach earphones. Through the Bose earphones, the sound is very good, but sometimes I'd rather not be wired to the Marquis. I recently bought a bluetooth speaker for this pad. It's link is below. Set up was easy and the sound is terrific.
iHome iDM8R Bluetooth Wireless Speaker
Use and Fun Factor - It's been pretty good so far. Even I have figured out how to use many of the pad's features, and I seem to learn something new every day, mostly serendipitously. Browsing the Google store, I see that there are hundreds and hundreds of Apps, games, movies, and songs that can be downloaded to the pad. I've added Flickster, Netflix, and a handful of games. Graphics on the games are very good with smooth, jitter free movement.
Odds and Ends -
I don't like using my finger on the tablet so I tried a stylus. The stylus doesn't work nearly as well as a finger, and the owner's manual recommends NOT using a stylus.
I was disappointed to learn that I can't watch movies using Amazon prime because the android flash player isn't supported. Another reviewer wrote that he did find a version of Flashplayer that could be downloaded for the Marquis.
One time after charging the pad, I found that the pad was frozen in the charge mode. I couldn't turn the pad on or off even after unplugging the cord. Eventually I chanced upon a discussion link on which someone suggested reinserting the headphone. Doing that and holding down the off button for half a minute finally did the trick.
Customer service - I've written to customer service two times - once about flash player and another time for help with the freeze problem. Both times I received extensive, helpful and friendly responses. I've included both in the comments after this review.
Should you consider buying this model? For the occasional, casual user like myself, this pad is more than adequate. If you plan on using your pad often, and sound quality is important, then you may want to consider spending a little more. I've seen 10 inch Samsung and Toshiba pads on sale in the $350 dollar range.
rooCASE Netbook Neoprene Sleeve Case for Toshiba Mini Notebook NB305-N440BN 10-Inch Brown #Invisible Zipper Dual-Pocket - Orange)
Update - I like this tablet more and more every day. Adding a cordless speaker to the mix makes the Marquis even more enjoyable.
39 of 41 people found the following review helpful.
By J. Fuchs
It's impossible to review a tablet without comparing it to the iPad or a reader without comparing it to the Kindle, but I'll start with what's good.
The Matsunichi Marquis MP977 does what a tablet should - lets you connect wirelessly, send emails, use Android apps (more on that later), connect to popular sites such as YouTube, Google, Pandora, etc. with ease, use widgets such as navigation, and has a free Amazon Kindle app so you can read books on it.
You'll need a wireless connection to set up and use everything the MP977 has to offer, but once you have a good connection, downloading apps is easy through the Play Store.
Now for the inevitable comparison to the iPad:
Where the MP977 suffers is in screen resolution -- 1024 X 768 with 132 ppi (pixels per square inch) compared to the iPad's 2048 X 1535 with 264 ppi. It's like the difference between watching programming on standard and high definition television. It's not so much that it doesn't look good - honestly, it looks fine once you get used to it -- but that you notice eye strain much sooner. You could easily watch a movie on the tablet, though for reading it doesn't come close to a Kindle. At 1.6 pounds its slightly heavier than an iPad and much heavier than a Kindle, and if you do a lot of reading e-ink is quite a bit easier on the eyes. However, the Kindle app works seamlessly, with the benefit that you get to see the cover art displayed with a large number of books at a time. Pages are turned with either a sweeping motion or a tap in the margins. The touch screen isn't quite as sensitive as the iPad, but you get used to it. The controls aren't quite as intuitive either, but that's also a matter of getting used to how things are done on this tablet, which really isn't very difficult.
Android apps work on the MP977, but I did notice a big difference in some of my favorites. Word With Friends, for instance, doesn't work very well on this tablet - not only does the game board not take up the whole screen as it does on the iPad, but the edges of the letters in your tray are cut off. I ended up playing back on my iPhone, which despite the fact that it's much smaller, at least showed everything with the added benefit of higher resolution. Other apps worked just as well - YouTube was a piece of cake, although older clips suffered badly from the low res. Newer material was fine.
THIS TABLET DOES NOT SUPPORT ADOBE FLASH PLAYER so you cannot watch videos through Amazon or any other site that uses Flash. This was a definite minus for me, because it means I can only watch streaming videos while seated in front of my computer.
This is definitely a great value tablet which would be good for people without smart phones or who won't use a tablet that frequently. It would be great for kids or anyone just getting his/her feet wet in the tablet market.
If you're going to use a tablet a great deal, especially for extended reading or viewing, however, buying a higher end tablet with better resolution would be a worthwhile investment.
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