This tablet is the second edition released by Kogan, following on from the Agora ICS Tablet release in the middle of 2012. The price point has been kept the same at $199 for the 16GB version making it super affordable. Kogan have also released an 8 inch model and a couple of difference’s memory sizes (8GB & 16GB) starting at $119.
Basic Specs
Model: Kogan 10″ Agora Dual Core Tablet
OS: Android Jelly Bean (4.1)
Screen: 9.7″ (1024×768 pixels)
CPU: Dual-core ARM Cortex A9 1.6GHz
RAM: 1GB
Let’s have a look at different aspects of the Kogan Agora Dual Core tablet:
Design
The design is simple with a Matt black finish on the plastic backing. This does makes it reasonably fingerprint resistant on the back, compared to polished or glass surfaces.
The back does not flow directly around to the front to join the screen as you might see on an iPad. The back and front are clearly different parts joined together by a rim around the outside edges. This outside rim actually has a bit of an indented edge around it, which in turn has the consequences of providing a better grip. Without this it could be a little more slippery, so it’s not actually a bad thing.
In the end you can’t expect amazing design for the price point this tablet is at, but it’s simple and sufficient for its’ purpose.
Speed
The dual core processor makes a big difference in this model of the tablet. The first ICS model often lagged and froze, having to close apps, or sometimes even restart the tablet to get performance back to normal. We have been using this tablet for around one week and have not seen ours lag or freeze yet.
Display
It’s a good standard display, with resolution at a solid 1024 x 768 pixels which is sufficient for watching movies and browsing the web. In comparison, it is the same resolution as what you get on the iPad 2.
Screen brightness is fairly good but wouldn’t be recommended for using in bright outdoor environments (but neither are most devices).
Battery
Battery performance is much improved from the previous model.
In a simple test playing a movie for almost 2 hours, it only used approx 15% of the battery. We have had the device on standby for several days without charge, and it was still holding around 40% until last use. The WiFi didn’t seem to stay connected during this time, so this would be a large factor in this performance. But generally the battery seems to have been improved overall, which is always positive.
Positives
Price definitely has to be the main positive with this device.
The many different ports on the device are also a great advantage, especially for anyone who has tried using an iPad and wanted to plug in other attachments. The slots give you the ability to plug straight into HDTV (with mini HDMI adaptor), or plugging a USB drive in and browsing/copying/editing files.
Negatives
We did notice an apparent bug in our device, and aren’t sure if it is limited to just our device, or the range. When it is plugged into charge, the keyboard seems to malfunction. When pressing the ‘Shift’ or ‘?123′ (for changing keyboards) buttons, the tablet reads that many other letters have been entered. We found it impossible to type anything accurately that required capitals, numbers or special characters. Oddly enough, we never experienced this issue running off battery alone.
Summary
The Kogan Agora Dual Core Tablet will give you good access to apps, internet, watching videos, and reading e-books. It will be generally reliable, and the battery life is good.
Overall it is great value for money and a really good starting point for a first tablet for any age. Don’t buy this tablet expecting super speed & super resolution. But if you just want to start off simple, explore the benefits of a tablet, and get good value for money – then this would be the right one for you.
I am a big one for having right expectations when buying a device. For someone who has used, or likes to use a high-end tablet like the latest iPad, Samsung, or Windows tablets – then this may seem a little cheap or not to standard. But that’s exactly what it is, $199 at the most, and it isn’t pretending to be the top model on the market. For my line of work I wouldn’t necessarily rely on it as my main business tablet, but it is fun to play with, and good access to the Android platform.
If you are an online shopper, and have been considering Android tablets you have found online, maybe sourced from China – then consider this tablet as a good option, that will give you an Australian warranty backing.
- Mathan Allington
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Bought one for the kids and they cracked the touch screen within days. Kogan does not have any spares or repair centres, so you will be left with a paper weight if this happens to you.
If they want to play with the big retailers, they should sell and provide serviceable items as far as spares, repairs and accessories are concerned if the problem is not subject or outside their warranty.
I’ve had one of these for about four months now and it’s been great!
I bought it as a gentle intro to Android and tablets in general.
Mine is used mainly as an e-reader and media/web browser at home. The wifi is rock solid, web-browsing and video playback over both LAN and web is smooth and steady.
The screen is more than adequate for reading and video, the touch-control is responsive, but the in-built speakers are very tinny. Much better to use some ear-buds. The overall build quality is on the el-cheapo side, but not horrible. The cameras are very average but certainly good enough for the odd snap or two, or for skyping.
As for battery use: I use it at least a couple of hours a day for reading and/or video viewing, and when used like that, I find that it only needs charging every 3 or 4 days.
Lately, I’ve tried using it as an IP Security Cam during the day, so I can keep an eye on things at home when I’m on the road. At those times it drains the battery in about 14 hours due to the wifi energy usage. To be expected really, so no biggie. I just keep the charge connected on those days and it works beautifully.
It’s a cheap, flexible and so-far *reliable* Android platform that can perform a lot of useful functions very well. In my opinion, this unit is great value for money.