Linx Commtiva N700 review

Linx has slightly customised its Android 2.2 operating system, modifying the homescreen, which only operates in landscape mode, to include a short-cut bar with four icons in it: email, eBooks (links to the GoSpoken store), media player and browser. The browser has a carrousel thumbnail view of your bookmarks that you can swipe through, when you select the shortcut, but is otherwise the basic Android version.

Adding new applications is easy as this tablet supports the full Android market out of the box. With more than 100,000 apps available, you’re bound to find the ones you’re after. It’s good to see support from big companies, including Sky+ remote record, ESPN Goals and Amazon Kindle apps.

The 3-megapixel camera on the rear produces acceptable shots in bright light, but in dark areas shots are very noisy. It’s a shame that there’s also no flash. There’s also a 0.3-megapixel camera on the front, which you can use for self-portraits or to make phone calls using over 3G, provided you install a SIM card. You can also make standard voice calls using the standard Android phone app. By default, the ViewPad 7 is set to speakerphone mode, so you’ll have to plug a headset or resort to a Bluetooth model to make private calls.

Thankfully, Linx includes a 4GB Micro SD card in the box so you can use the camera straight away; Viewsonic provides its tablet bare, so you have to factor in the price of a memory card in order to take photos and use some other applications.

All of this comes together to make it tricky to know whether to buy the Linx Commtiva N700. On one hand it’s a far better deal than the Viewsonic ViewPad 7, particularly as the price includes a memory card. On that basis, if you want a 3G-enabled internet tablet on a budget, there’s nothing cheaper this good. That said, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is a lot more expensive, but it’s quicker, has Flash support and a modified Android OS that makes it the easier and more polished tablet to use.

However, if 3G isn’t important, the Advent Vega is cheaper still, has a bigger screen and a faster processor. Provided you install the mod to get the Android Market (read our review for details), it’s a brilliant tablet and one we can recommend easily.