Binatone HomeSurf Tablet 705 review

For some reason Binatone has included a software control bar at the top of the screen with the Home, Back and Menu buttons, despite the fact that the HomeSurf has physical buttons for these. This bar just wastes precious space on the screen, although it doesn’t appear on all apps.

As with many budget Android tablets, there’s currently no Android Market and many of the standard Android apps are missing. Unfortunately, there’s no way to install these either with no hacks for the tablet currently available. As it stands you’re limited to using the bundled GigaStore. This alternative app store doesn’t list apps by category, but instead by New, Popular and Recommended.

Apps are listed in no particular order and with no description, and most are rated at half-a-star. It also doesn’t help that this app launches upside-down. There only seem to be a couple of hundred apps available, and mostly consist of joke or game apps, with a number of obvious rip-offs of well-known apps such as Angry Birds. This is a minefield for new users, and frankly we think the HomeSurf would be better off with no app store rather than this.

The software control bar, top, is a waste of screen space

There are some redeeming factors. Battery life wasn’t too bad, and the HomeSurf managed to play our test video for over five and a quarter hours. There’s also a microSD card slot for adding more storage. As a basic web browser (without Flash), eBook reader and internet radio (with the bundled TuneIn radio), the HomeSurf does have some uses, but its limitations are painfully obvious. Strangely, these limitations are also what makes it ideal for use as the client end of the Mindings app, but without being able to test that service we can’t really recommend it.

If your budget is limited, the HomeSurf may be tempting as an introduction to Android, but it really doesn’t show off the platform’s potential. You’d be much better off saving up another hundred pounds to buy the Advent Vega.