Coby Kyros 8-Inch Android 4.0 4 GB Internet Tablet 4:3 Capacitive Multi-Touchscreen with Built-In Camera, Black MID8048-4

This tablet is one of the best purchases I've made in a long time. For the price, I really don't think it can be beat. One nice thing about it is that Coby, while a cheaper brand, is at least a BRAND. They have a website with contact information, help topics, and support available. They have products available everywhere etc.The reason I point this out is because in this price range, you will mostly get no name tablets from who knows who. If you have trouble, I would not know who to contact or even who to be mad at, since so many of the cheap tablets are not branded at all. Coby is a value brand, but seem to be putting everything they have into building better and better products.The main thing I would stress to anyone interested is that in addition to Getjar app store, you can also access the Amazon Android app store (as well as several others you can find online). You can easily find the information online on how to download it. It's also on Amazons app site, just do a search for it. You can even get the free app each day that they charge for every other day. I check every day and there are some good ones that it's fun to get for free. Even Getjar is pretty good. Unless you have a very specific predetermined list of apps you must have, the sources available on this tablet will suit you well. And for many things, you can simply bookmark the mobile website if there is no app for something that is primarily a link to the website anyway.Now, I use my tablet as a book reader, to play some games, check email etc. Just normal stuff. No business apps. No need for the games that only a few powerful computers can run. I'm just a casual user. I have looked at some of those lists like "the 100 best android tablet apps" etc and have not found any that I wanted that I couldn't get from Getjar or Amazon. But that' just me.The screen is better than I expected. I have used the Kindle Fire and it's screen is definiately better. However, this screen is crisp, clear, bright, and accurate. The touch mechanism is perfect. Just an easy tap and things work. Side by side, they may look differently, but I don't anyone would look at the Coby by itself and think anything is bad about it. I have read ebooks on it for hours at a time and have no complaints. Page turns are very smooth. All of the normal adjustments are there. Font, font size, black on white/white on black lettering etc.The speaker is fairly strong. The sound is loud and doesn't distort much when turned up. Wifi reception could be a little better. Doesn't drop the signal, but has less bars than my laptop sitting right next to it. Seems like it's a little slower on the downloads when it's getting minimal bars. When I'm close to the router, it's faster. Haven't used Skype yet, and may not ever use it. But the camera on this tablet is pretty low quality. But I did want one with a camera, just in case I want to video chat once in a while.. Some of the really cheap ones have no camera at all.Battery life is not as long as the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire, but I have been getting about 6 hours if I am downloading apps or watching video the entire time. I get longer if I am reading books. I do adjust the screen brightness down a bit for reading. It is better for my eyes and does keep the battery fuller longer. I am satisfied with the battery, just don't expect 12 hours like some of the tablets are advertising now. I don't think they actually get quite that long for most people, but it is how they are advertised.Note for anyone looking at this tablet--Coby is coming out with a newer, updated 7 inch model called the MID7065 in spring of 2013. I didn't want to wait and pay $50 more for it, but it dual core and has Google Play installed. Otherwise, it appears to be exactly the same, appearance wise. But I look at it this way--if I really wanted a dual core tablet with Google Play for more money, those were already available when I chose this one. I am quite happy with the tablet and would recommend it to everyone except "power" users who know they need more. For the rest of us, for under $100, it's really hard to beat. I don't think I could have gotten anything better for this price and I didn't really want to spend much more. Nothing about the tablet has been a disappointment.It also comes with a regular wall charger in addition the usb cable. Amazon charges for it with the kindle fire. This also has no ads like the kindle fire. This Coby case also included a sleeve style case to protect it when carrying it around. Cases are extra on most tablets. This tablet also comes with a nice manual to help you get started. Some others don't really include a guide at all.Edit: Now that I have had this tablet for a while, I still love it. The Amazon app store is great, content wise, although I do have to reload it on the tablet sometimes to get it to work. I don't think it's the tablets fault, just a compatibility issue between the hardware and software. I really don't think the Google Play store would give me anything significant I can't get from the Amazon Store. The only downer of this tablet is that it doesn't charge from the mini USB port. The only way to charge is by the included charger.Battery life is good though. I turn off wifi when I am not actively using it and it makes a huge difference in battery life. I would not recommend leaving wifi on when the tablet is just sitting around but turned on or while reading books etc. I also do not keep the screen at maximum brightness all of the time. It helps preserve battery as well. I have downloaded an app to make turning wifi on/off quick and easy and adjusting the screen brightness easy too--without having to go into menus and find the settings.

Amazon-- for whatever reason -- lumps all these Coby Kyros reviews together by product generation. The 7 and 9 inch screen Kyros are easily rooted by now, and I'm sure the 10.1 inch version will eventually be rooted, but even without rooting the little device is FANTASTIC.Don't get me wrong, the tablet has flaws and if I cared about using the internet browser, I'd most likely not be as satisfied as I am.I knew what I wanted when I bought the tablet. I wasn't 100% sure that the Kyros would accomplish everything I wanted, but I took a gamble and came out very satisfied.The first thing you're going to want to do if you're not rooting the tablet is get Amazon Market app from amazon.com on the device's browser. After that...1. I wanted something to read comics while at work without bringing my physical copies with me. I downloaded ComicCat from the Amazon Market app. The app let me import and read every CBR file I'd all ready had in my PC's library. It works great on this device.2. I wanted to be able to draw and sketch with the tablet. Once again, I hit up the Amazon Market app and downloaded SketchBook Pro. The app works great, with only a very small delay between my strokes on the screen and the brush's stroke through the app. If you want to use SketchBook, you'll definitely want to get a stylus for your device. Works great though.3.I wanted to read Ebooks, and the Kindle for Android app works great on this as well.4.I wanted to play some simple games. The Kyros has handled everything I've downloaded for it.The SD card expansion is great. You can even use an external USB HDD for removable storage but it's not as convenient as the SD Card. If you're wanting to watch videos you could buy multiple cards and fill them with video and just pop them in and out of the device for unlimited storage.So the stuff that would have disappointed me if I'd been into other activities.The screen position sensor is a little wonky and sluggish at the same time. If you want to turn the tablet and change the view mode from portrait to landscape, the device will take a little over a second to make the transition... but on occasion the sensor will tell it that the little wiggles and body shifts natural to holding the device without resting against a desk or something means that you want to shift it to another view mode. This means you have to wait for it to shift, then wait for it to shift back. In apps where this becomes annoying, I just turn off the app's use of that function.The keyboard is sluggish at times. If you're wanting to write a book or something, I'd definitely recommend getting something else.You'll want to periodically fully power down the device and make sure that you aren't running extraneous apps in the background to prevent over taxing the processor. As long as you're somewhat attentive and patient, the tablet is fantastic. If you can't take a few seconds to set up your apps to counteract the tablet's flaws... then maybe you'd be better served spending several extra hundred dollars on a Xoom, Touchpad, or Ipad.