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Topic: Laptops

Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

Summary: $99 ... plus $60 'shipping and handling.'

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

When something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

This is the NOVO7 by Chinese manufacturer MIPS Technologies. It claims to be the world's first Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet. What's more, it's only $99.

Sounds good? Personally, I think it sounds too good to be true.

Now, let's ignore the lackluster specs (after all, what do you expect for $100) and just straight to the catch. Clicking on the button to add this to your PayPal shopping basket (yep, that's how it works) adds a whopping $60 shipping and handling fee to the price. I find it hard to believe that shipping and handling should cost this much and conclude that it's a crafty way of bumping up the price.

So a $99 tablet suddenly becomes a $159 tablet.

No thanks!

Related:

Thanks to George Ou for pointing me in the direction of this "$99" tablet.

Topics: Laptops, Android, Google, Hardware, Mobility, Tablets

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20 comments
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  • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

    I'm beginning to agree that tablets need a third contender. Android tablets have lost their shine, and no matter how hard one tries (Unless you trust buying from China and don't mind using something that should be in a McDonald's Happy Meal), a $99 tablet is never going to happen, no matter how subsidized it is.
    The one and only, Cylon Centurion
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

      ooops
      Rob.sharp
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

      @Cylon Centurion

      The 3rd contender is Microsoft and it will happen in 2012. Android isn't the answer...For everything thats good theres 10 manufacturers producing garbage that only drags them down. MS and Apple won't allow that to happen. Sure the Softies are behind but it's a wait worth while because how many Android early adopters are kicking themselves for purchasing an over glorified tablet that shaky at best!
      Rob.sharp
      Reply Vote

  • You .....

    get what you pay for comes to Mind.

    Me, I think somewhere between 200 -300 USD would be a GREAT price point .
    linux4u
    Reply Vote

  • Adrian says "No thanks" to a US$159 tablet

    but he embraces enthusiastically a $599 tablet with lackluster specs.
    markbn
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

      @markbn : Yeah I saw that too. He attacks an ad but never evaluates the machine itself.

      BTW: if you go to the link they are sold out, so obviously those people didn't have that problem. I ordered the Novo 7 with Android 2.3. Fortunately the machine is easily upgradeable so I'm looking forward to it.
      fldbryan@...
      Reply Vote

  • They said it was being released in the US later this month, right?

    Why don't we wait and see what the price-point will be using their distribution chain the way the intended?
    daboochmeister
    Reply Vote

    • That's True. You Can't Tell From an Opportunistic Importer

      @daboochmeister
      I agree. This isn't the official release of this tablet in the US. It's someone opening up an import site to take advantage of the recent news stories. You can't tell what the price will actually be from this.

      In actuality I suspect there will be disadvantages to this tablet in build quality and materials. It will probably have a plastic screen (fingerprints show up more readily) and be a bit flimsy. Whether it'll be worth the price they charge or not is up in the air, but I don't think it will stand up in build quality to most $250+ tablets.
      CFWhitman
      Reply Vote

  • Nothing new...

    Third-party vendors at Amazom.com have been doing this for years. For example, search for "HDMI cable" and you can find some listed for $0.01 plus $4.99 "shipping" while others sell for $2-$3 with no shipping. Why Amazon allows them to get away with this scam is anyone's guess, but it lowers my otherwise high opinion of Amazon.
    nfordzdn
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

      @nfordzdn Tell me about this! The last 2 Amazon purchases I made surprised me when 50% of the purchase price was added for shipping. BEWARE 1 click puchase on Amazon. If you buy from Ebay they do the same. Personally when I sell and ship I try to keep cost at a minimum providing a safe ship and hoping for return buyers.
      nuzerxe
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

      @nfordzdn There's a couple of ebay sellers who do this crap too - one in particular was selling a bluetooth headset for $0.99 with shipping of $39.99. For a used headset.
      athynz
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

      @nfordzdn Charging inflated shipping fees to boost revenue is nothing new and has been in use since mail order started.
      non-biased
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

    First just because it is out of stock doesn't mean the purchasers aren't having issues. Also $159 if it is just better than substandard is a risk on the quality of the tablet construction materials, chipset, features, reliability. I wouldn't throw away $159.
    sms21@...
    Reply Vote

  • Even still...

    Not an uncommon practice, you shouldn't consider yourself savvy for spotting an inflated shipping price. Lots of sellers essentially put the "our cost" price as the sell price, and inflate the shipping by enough to build the profit margin in there rather than the price tag.

    The real question is this:
    This costs $41 less than a Kindle Fire (shipping on Kindle Fire? I haven't looked at one), at least.

    Is it still a good value, given the reduced specs?
    That's the real question.
    This is still a bargain price, it's not as though the shipping charge invalidates that.
    geolemon
    Reply Vote

  • Doubt it's inflated

    What do you think it costs to ship from China? That is probably FedEx, in which case that seems cheap. Even Postal would be close to that and it needs to be insured. But why bother, there are decent tablets showing up for $200, which means by this time next year there will be great tablets for $200 and decent ones for $100-$150.
    stano360
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

      @stano360 That is at least double what FedEx would charge to ship.
      non-biased
      Reply Vote

  • Wake up

    Geez! First, it doesn't take rocket science to figure this out. This practice is typical. Those who complain about Amazon must lead sheltered lives. This happens on *every* retailer's site that provide goods from third parties. Always has. If you are so pressed for time in your life you have to use one-click for every purchase? Your fault.

    Regarding the tablet, the price with the shipping is still great! Lackluster specs? Are you kidding? For less than $200 you get two cameras, a decent main processor, a dedicated video processor, excellent connections and - possibly - access to the Google market. That is ground-breaking! That is as big as it sounds in the hype. When it is announced here, additionally, you can bet the shipping will be reasonable. I'm in.
    Lucky2BHere
    Reply Vote

  • Totally Absurd Article

    Why don't you wait until the tablet is actually released here in America *before* complaining about the shipping prices? Third party retailers all over the net do this: lure you to an item with an attractive (low) price but then jack up the shipping charges.

    Lackluster specs? Didn't you just complain about the $60 shipping price tag? So I'm guessing you didn't actually purchase the device to play with it, am I correct? Therefore, you have no idea what you're talking about do you? Unless you know of someone who already had the device and you got a chance to use it?

    The fact that rise of the cheap tablets is going to make a dent on Apple's $500+ tablet is making a lot of people scared. In my opinion, the perfect price range for a 7" tablet should be anywhere around $150-$199. The fact that the Novo7 can play 1080p content (probably useless anyways on such a small screen), has dual cameras (probably not the best of quality but hey, the iPad 2 is known for their awesome camera quality right?), standard battery life, 3G capabilities, micro-SD card for space expansion, and HDMI out makes this tablet well worth the $100 price tag, heck even $160. This bad boy can already do more than what the Kindle Fire can.
    Isolated
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

    I tried to order one but it was not possible; guess they read ZD as well.
    But I couldn't really find the specs in a table like fashion, just in the advertising blurb. As for shipping, companies like deal extreme ship for free so $60 for p&p is hilarious. Not uncommon though, I've seen nice things offered at ebay for afe bucks, p&p at 15 euro is no exception. Buyer beware is still necessary.

    But I'd pay 99,- for a small tablet. If it were to suck, it's just a 99 dollar suck, and we all know that dreams seldom do come true. I've invested worse...
    jpelfman@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' tablet for $99? Maybe not

    I think this author is a little threatened about the onslaught of competition of his beloved apple products that pay him a crap load for "free" publicity. This "article" has no merit and isn't based on one piece of fact. I think that the fanbois out there are starting to subconsciously have some deja vu going on. Like what happened with Mac computers. A closed system that is based solely on a status symbol and actually hurts the industry has a whole will never survive. There are plenty of reports of users that did risk it and shelled out the 160 finding out for its purpose its great. Its not going to run Crysis but it holds its own and for what tablets do, its great. Portable, light, good battery life and gets you online. Sorry Apple guys, but until Apple actually creates something new the marketing juggernaut can only go so far. Free market always wins and freedom of choice is inherent in all of us. Mark my words, in 5 years after Apple has exhausted most of its cash buying IP licenses for all the patients they are infringing on, will be broke and asking Google or Msft for another bailout. The irony of all if it is it will be Apple's own undoing with starting the patient war in the first place. If they would just compete in the free market and let the best man win, they would do ok.
    topgun966
    Reply Vote
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