I'll copy this from my review @ amazon.com. If anyone finds it useful I'll add to this.
I'll update this at a later date. I also have a "Honeycomb" (3.2) Gateway A60 (Acer Iconia A500) - much prefer this for the road.
It's not for everyone as it lacks some common features such as GPS, dual-core processor, Honeycomb or higher, rear facing camera with flash/auto-focus, 3G/4G, Bluetooth, limited 4GB of device (internal) flash memory and so on.
On the other hand, as tablets are in the 'rapid' innovation cycle of their product life-cycle it makes sense for me to get an 'eco-model' then upgrade once the landscape is somewhat more stable. Much like PCs - even the cheapest can run everything one requires (within reason) these days - but this was not the case many years ago. Just a matter of time until Ice-Creme-Sandwich (and whatever comes after such as "Jelly Bean") is in every tablet anyways. So I'm waiting until the landscape stabilizes more until putting down big $$ for another top of the line tablet. Besides my Nokia X-7 has (voice) GPS and a 8 MP camera with a flash so it's a redundant feature for me.
By the way, as I write this the Tegra-3 Quad core (Kal-El) (4 plus a low power core) is coming out which is 5 times faster then the dual-core system. Later in 2012 version 10 times faster will be released. So the Coby is a great tablet to use as prices plummet in the year ahead.
I use this mainly for travel as its 3 hours at the airport (I get there early), 21 - 24 hours en-route to Asia, then another 8-hour drive to my house. I use a battery pack which uses 4 D-rechargeable batteries (and I bring along LOTS of extra batteries). The 5 VDC connector (most people use the AC adapter in this plug) works perfect for this. So I can watch many movies, listen to music (although my Philips Muse is much preferred due to the FullSound), get work done and everything I require. So battery life is not an issue with a good battery pack (my travel time is typically 35 hours which is way beyond even run-times the best tablets). Actually the hardest part is to keep the extra batteries if your passing through the US.
* I'm updating this to a gel-cell. The Coby 1125-4G has a internal battery which is 20 WH (3.7 V, 5500 mAH). A rechargeable 4-D NiMH battery pack is about 48 WH (1,1 A, 4.6VDC) and a small 12 VDC gell cell is about 84 WH (7A, 12 VDC) and up. In other words: 4-D = 2.4 charges, the gel-cell about 4.2 charges. Of course, make sure to use a step down to the correct voltage (12 VDC to 5 VDC) and make sure you have the correct polarity, voltage (per transformer output), amperage and so forth. Interestingly I also tried a 5VDC 0.5 A USB and while it slowed the discharge rate it was able to slowly recharge the tablet when it was turned off. Of course, due your homework, these are simply my own personal experiences.
In Asia I can log into my PC in North America for my security system & cameras, uTorrent downloads and so on. I can get my email, browse, access my 15-TB personal cloud (or use my dropbox), sketch out designs and so forth. I have a laptop along for heavier work anyways. I just wait until I can access a free-WiFi (often at malls) and I'm "good-to-go". The 16:9 aspect 10" screen is small enough to hide in clothing - very important in overseas locations. No way I could do that with my Gateway A60 (Acer Iconia A500).
Back in North America it works well for simple everyday tasks. For example, I take it with me when I take the wife shopping so I can surf the web while she shops. It's small enough to hide in my jacket, but not too small like our Nokia X-7 for reading/browsing. As it's very inexpensive so if it i ever stolen it not as big hit to the wallet.
Check YouTube and there is an excellent video on how to install Android Market [see comment section for the YouTube]. I suggest this be the first thing done as the "market" which comes it is useless. For example, I needed MoboPlayer, Dolphin HD and extensions and so forth and that is only to be found at the Android Market. Chat video is an issue (Skype, Yahoo..) so if you need these functions look elsewhere (whcm knows when it will get supported?, if ever).
The second is to install 32 GB (MicroSD). Make sure it is class 10 (fastest) and format it using FAT32, NOT FAT nor HTFS. Transfer as much as you can to the SD card as internal memory is very limited.
I also have additional USB thumb drives and SD/mini/micro cards (with a USB adapter) that I store movies on when on the road. Not all USB devices work - it's hit-or-miss so make sure test them first. Also I find I have to turn the tablet off, then turn it back on, for it to be read correctly. A few hard drives (formatted FAT32) will also work, but many, will not. It's not designed for it but it was a nice discovery.
Also recommended, one of those leather/stand/keyboards. For about $20 it makes your Coby 1125 into a some more akin to a Asus Transformer dock (sans battery). Works well, albiet, a small glitch using CAPS (have to press SHIFT twice).
So if you want a solid no-frills tool, fantastic price (I paid under $ 200) and good quality this might be for you if you do not mind the limitations. In two years we all know the hardware will improve by leaps and bounds anyways.
Note: I use a Iomega ScreenPLay TV Link DX to watch HDTV 1080p movies (rather than tie up my PC). I going to test this tablet shortly to see if it could perform a similar function.
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Thumb Drives:
1. Should be formatted as FAT32. HTFS will not work and FAT is limited to 4 GB (per thumb-drive). There is a great (free) partition manager you can get on cnet (download.com) for this task, let me know if you require the name.
2. 4 GB per file size limit. 1080p files are usually too large & wastes space.
3. Turn off the COBY, insert thumb drive, restart. It may detect it when inserted without powering down, however, on mine this works better.
4. Use media converters on a PC or Mac (if you have one) to adjust media to a format better suited for the Coby (resolution, screen ratio..). I'll post what specifications I use in another post if you wish. I use Aimersoft DRM Media Convertor for this. I usually get the file size to about 1 GB for a full movie. Sometimes I format the movie so it works on my 3" Philips Muse screen as well as my Coby.
* If using on a jet try to go dual-voice rather than "subs" (sub-titles) for such things as Japanese anime. I find watching 30-minute episodes sometimes better than taking along 2-hour movies.
(Working Thumb Drives)
1. Duracell 8GB (I bought this at Futureshop)
2. Lexar 16 GB
* I will update this shortly as I will retest two other thumb-drives.
* I have not had any luck with 32 GB thumb-drives yet although some others have (one person even got a hard drive working)
(Using a NexxTech USB to SD Card Adapter from TheSoure (RadioShack)
1. Dane-Elec 16 GB Class 10 SD Cards (I have 6 of these as they are much smaller than thumb drives). I bought this at TheSource (Radio Shack) when they were 50% off. Roughly a dollar per gigabyte is a good deal for a "class 10" (fastest) card.
(Using a MicroSD adapter)
I have several MicroSD cards I've used. They are in other devices right now so I'll update this once I can power them down. Once prices drop this option is better as MicroSD cards take up very little space. As with SD cards go for the "class 10" units. Look for a bundle which includes a USB adapter (if you do not already own one) so you can add/remove files directly on your PC. The best part is as most new electronics seem to use micro-SD cards so you can use them 'down-the-road' for whatever other electronics you buy.
TIP: Lets say you buy a new cell from Amazon and it comes with a 4GB card which you 'upgrade' to 32 GB. Save the old card and use it for your Coby to store movies. Recycle old cards rather than put them in a landfill.
In the works, tips and notes:
1. I am now exploring the option of using a projector on the HDMI port. You can get a Pico LED projector for about $150 (iGo) and up (very small, works in very dark rooms only) and bulb media projectors for about $ 400 (2700+ lumens and higher for brighter rooms). Amazon has a great selection & very good prices.
This way when I travel I can show family & freinds (example: party, outdoors..) photos much easier (80" or greater projection size) and also watch movies "on the road" (I plan to use a white, blank wall for this). The HDMI will also work with my 32" LCD computer screen (I use a HDMI switcher). The projectors will work with other devices as well such as a PS3.
2. For those into Japanese anime and manga here are some tips. Try "Crunchyroll" - you can stream pretty much any episode of most Japanese Anime to your Coby. It's free and legal. So if you just need to catch up on the latest episode of Bleach or Naruto while waiting for a jet at the airport, as long as you can find a free WiFi 'hotspot' you're in luck. As they are streamed episodes they do not reside in your internal memory of SD card. It's basically the same as watching a YouTube video. There are many manga readers as well as 'comic' readers, audio-books and e-books available for those whom would rather read. You can usually load up books and chapters ahead of time for times when you do not have a WiFi connection. Amazon, of course, is famous for books.
3. Many jets are also offering WiFi (at extra cost), some even on overseas flights. Something people on long flights may wish to consider. You'll either need an external battery pack or a power outlet on the jet if the flight is of a long duration.
4. I'll post about clouds, streaming video players shortly as well as some 'must-have' programs. I like the Iomega Cloud hard drive, I have had troubles with the Seagate GoFlex. I can stream via the WiFi from the drive right to my tablet, way cool. You can also stream to many other devices such as a PS3.
5. I use this daily for music listening as well. I have some portable speakers which use 4-C batteries (designed for portable DVD players). I recommend a program called "PowerAMP". You can try it for free, although, it's $ 4.99 to purchase (which I did). If you adjust the equalizer and the StereoFX" in the "Volume/Tone" area you can get amazing sound. Of couse it has many features from standard "playlists" to lyrics and more. Basically the Coby functions as my portable stereo now. I use 900 MHz wireless headphones when I need even greater portability.
* You can also use a "FM transmitter" to broadcast it to your home stereo, portable stereo or car stereo. Quite handy but sound quality is not as good (sounds like s FM station).
6. Try Opera Mobile if you need a fast browser. Make sure to goto "options" and turn the Turbo "ON" for very fast load times. I usually browse while running PowerAMP at the same time. I highly recommend downloading "Adobe Flash" as well. Both are free.
7. I am testing a $ 4.99 program which allows the camera to be used as a (real)radiation detector. I plan to test this soon due to the ongoing Fukushima issues.
8. Testing some other external batteries. Using a 140 WH I ran the tablet all night and morning updating 1,000 chapters of Manga and the battery was down only 25%. With certain restrictions you might be able to use a CCTV rechargeable Li-Ion battery pack. I'm testing one now which has 5 VDC, 9VDC, 12 VDC output. Handy when you require extended runs off the grid.
9. For about $ 15 you can purchase a great keyboard-stand-case (fake-leather). So at times when you need to type a-lot it 'transforms' your tablet into a laptop of sorts. Mine works fine except I have to press the "shift" key twice for CAPS. Dollar stores have great tablet stand available for $ 2. It will hold your tablet in the portrait or landscape mode. It's small enough so you can watch movies from the food tray during a long flight. In an emergency you can purchase for $ 1 stands which normally hold up plates and portraits. There is also a 10.1" padded hard-case for about $ 10 which is a nice size and will hold the $ 2 stand as well as the tablet.
10. If you want a better keyboard layout when typing (and audible clicks) on the tablet itself and more options, try "GO Keyboards", it's also free to try if I remember correctly.
11. I have not used a scratch protector. I clean the screen using a 'micro-fiber' cloth which you can buy for $ 1.
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Coby MID 1125-4G Home Theater Setup (or How to Pimp Your Ride)
I was conducting further tests in a "home theater" type setup. I never intended my Coby MID1125-4G for this application but none-the-less, a wonderful surprise. I am outputting 720p/1080p HDMI to an Epson EX5210 projector to a screen output size of about 120" for these tests (I will test it at 200" next). The "screen" is a wall - I just removed two pictures and remount them once I am done. Why waste space?, and why pay extra for a pull-down screen? Aside from the tablet an excellent device to use for this application is the Iomega ScreenPlay TV Link DX.
The tablet-projector setup is very well-suited for family outdoor movie nights, apartments (if space is very limited 'short-throw' projectors should be considered), homes, businesses and even hotel rooms. I'll review the Epson EX5210 elsewhere but it has some great features - for example - it does NOT require a bulb cool-down period - very, very important if travelling in nations where power outages are frequent (else the bulb goes "boom"). 2700 lumens is good for "dark to moderately-lit rooms" but you'll need more light output in very bright rooms. The tablet is handy if (say) a PC/Mac is located in another room.
Why bother with HDMI extenders, wireless HDMI - just use your tablet beside your projector. Also handy in situations (ie: outdoors) when you only have 1 long extension cord with 1 3-prong outlet. Plug the projector in, use battery powered speakers and run the tablet from it's internal batteries and/or battery-extender pack.
** btw, the $$$ you saved in a Coby over an iPad2 can easily pay for the projector and then some.
For sound I used the speaker jack on the Coby and outputted to some battery powered speakers designed for mobile DVD players and powered by 4-C batteries. You could just as easily run a cable to your home stereo. Output may not be 7.1 digital-surround-sound but it will do. Beside's who's listening when your gaze is fixed to a 200" screen? Actually it's kinda funny having a 10.1" tablet output to 100" or 200".
I plug the HDMI cable in AFTER the Coby has booted so it is properly detected. A "HDMI" should appear in the top, left portion of the screen next to where the battery status normally appears (if you've enabled it). If it doesn't simply unplug the HDMI cable and replug it in. Pull down the menu & select the HDMI and you can adjust the HDMI settings without having to go-to "settings" - handy. I ran 1080p without a problem, if the screen appears "blank" on the projector try moving it to "720p" mode. On my projector the output is XGA so 720p is fine (1080p translates in the projector to 720p).
* I got a micro-HDMI to HDMI covertor and mini-USM to USB adapter both for about $5. The COBY does NOT use a full size HDMI or USB slot.
Quality at 120" is sharp and quite nice for movies, slide presentations, and so forth. He*l, everything looks good! One minor glitch - on video playback the Coby screen may appear "garbled" but the playback on the projector is fine. Not really an issue - if you touch the screen the controls will appear 'ungarbled' in the forefront and the touch options work as expected. So with running video files it may not always be a two monitor setup.
** Note1: On the Coby the:
- SDCard is usually referring to the Coby's internal 4GB memory,
- scsi_sda1 is usually the USB mounted storage device such as a "thumb-drive",
- tflash usually refers to the (optional) microSD card. I use a 32 GB, class 10 on mine.
** Note2: Testing many players such as:
Music
KMplayer
Mobo Video Player
MoboPlayer
Zimly
Gallery
MX Video Player <- My Preferred player
QQPlayer
PowerAMP <- My default for all music
TubeMate (Downloads YouTubes)
VLC Direct
AndroMote < Handy to transfer from my cloud to the tablet in one shot on my WiFi
.. and others - have 6 or so "streaming" apps being tested right now.
** Note3: If you're (say) listening to a business mp3 one trick is to "save it to flash" for later listening. On mine I open the mp3 (or media file), select "Opera" (DO NOT CHECK THE BOX THAT SAYS "Do THiS EVERY TIME"). When Opera Mobile opens I select "Download", the select the menus until I get to TFLASH (the microSD card is called TFLASH on the Coby). There in my 32 GB microSD card I have setup file folders for music, business presentations, movies, camera photos and so on. Select the correct folder, and let it save. Select "minimize" to run the download in the background. Once downloaded to the tablet I can then use whatever media player I wish to play it back. This trick works with most media files such as videos. For example, for business mp3's I tend to use PowerAMP and run it to my wireless headphones connected to the media jack so I can get other work done at the time time. This is very handy when you've got temporary access to a free-WiFi zone - save it and play it later.
** Note4: So far no problems running BlueRay quality 1080p files. I would imagine I'm really pushing the single-core, 1GHz processor sans video chips. None-the-less has kept up well. I am conducting tests on many multi-sound track files as well as sub-titled ones. Just like I RIP my CDs for convenience I do the same with my DVDs I bought. COvert hem then store them so they don't take up all my space.
Method "A"
Make sure to insert the thumb-drive and/or (micro)SD card and adapter BEFORE starting the Coby so the card is detected. Turn off the Coby and insert another card, reboot. Start-up your player and the rest depends upon your specific player.
Method "B"
If you have a GoFlex (cloud) or Iomega "cloud" drive you can use your web browser to log into the hard drive (it's really a mini-Linux setup) and transfer over your files to the Coby. From there you just follow method "A".
Method "C"
Use a utility like "AndroMot" to move files (movie, music, photo collections (digital camera..)..) via your local WiFi network. You can select files on your cloud enabled hard drives, transfer, and then watch. This works well and doesn't tie up the WiFi Wireless LAN for too long (just the transfer). It's similar to Method "B" but with a nice GUI interface. I'm going to buy AndroMOT as works great for me.
Method "D"
Stream from an on-line media service. Some may cost extra and others are free (funded by ads). I have NOT tested Hulu or Netflix. I do run the CrunchyRoll android app to run and watch Japanese anime like Bleach - streamed from their server over my wireless link into the Coby. Works great and looks amazing at 120". It's also free and legal.
Method "E"
Remote control a PC application. I am testing this using VLC-Remote. I'm not particularly interested in this myself.
Method "F"
Stream using DLMP and so on. I'm testing this now. Unlike AndroMote the files remain on the (cloud/streaming-enabled network) hard drive(s) and "stream" to the tablet. It ties up bandwidth on your WiFi *BUT* doesn't require any storage space on the tablet. Also as my drives have Pogo and other utilities built in in theory I should be able to stream outside to the web (example: pull up a movie while waiting in the airport) but I am researching various security concerns BEFORE I unplug ports on my router or setup a DMZ zone. Variations do exist - for example, one is a "dropbox" like utility where you can stream from a cloud where you 'rent" space.
I'll update this at a later date. I also have a "Honeycomb" (3.2) Gateway A60 (Acer Iconia A500) - much prefer this for the road.
It's not for everyone as it lacks some common features such as GPS, dual-core processor, Honeycomb or higher, rear facing camera with flash/auto-focus, 3G/4G, Bluetooth, limited 4GB of device (internal) flash memory and so on.
On the other hand, as tablets are in the 'rapid' innovation cycle of their product life-cycle it makes sense for me to get an 'eco-model' then upgrade once the landscape is somewhat more stable. Much like PCs - even the cheapest can run everything one requires (within reason) these days - but this was not the case many years ago. Just a matter of time until Ice-Creme-Sandwich (and whatever comes after such as "Jelly Bean") is in every tablet anyways. So I'm waiting until the landscape stabilizes more until putting down big $$ for another top of the line tablet. Besides my Nokia X-7 has (voice) GPS and a 8 MP camera with a flash so it's a redundant feature for me.
By the way, as I write this the Tegra-3 Quad core (Kal-El) (4 plus a low power core) is coming out which is 5 times faster then the dual-core system. Later in 2012 version 10 times faster will be released. So the Coby is a great tablet to use as prices plummet in the year ahead.
I use this mainly for travel as its 3 hours at the airport (I get there early), 21 - 24 hours en-route to Asia, then another 8-hour drive to my house. I use a battery pack which uses 4 D-rechargeable batteries (and I bring along LOTS of extra batteries). The 5 VDC connector (most people use the AC adapter in this plug) works perfect for this. So I can watch many movies, listen to music (although my Philips Muse is much preferred due to the FullSound), get work done and everything I require. So battery life is not an issue with a good battery pack (my travel time is typically 35 hours which is way beyond even run-times the best tablets). Actually the hardest part is to keep the extra batteries if your passing through the US.
* I'm updating this to a gel-cell. The Coby 1125-4G has a internal battery which is 20 WH (3.7 V, 5500 mAH). A rechargeable 4-D NiMH battery pack is about 48 WH (1,1 A, 4.6VDC) and a small 12 VDC gell cell is about 84 WH (7A, 12 VDC) and up. In other words: 4-D = 2.4 charges, the gel-cell about 4.2 charges. Of course, make sure to use a step down to the correct voltage (12 VDC to 5 VDC) and make sure you have the correct polarity, voltage (per transformer output), amperage and so forth. Interestingly I also tried a 5VDC 0.5 A USB and while it slowed the discharge rate it was able to slowly recharge the tablet when it was turned off. Of course, due your homework, these are simply my own personal experiences.
In Asia I can log into my PC in North America for my security system & cameras, uTorrent downloads and so on. I can get my email, browse, access my 15-TB personal cloud (or use my dropbox), sketch out designs and so forth. I have a laptop along for heavier work anyways. I just wait until I can access a free-WiFi (often at malls) and I'm "good-to-go". The 16:9 aspect 10" screen is small enough to hide in clothing - very important in overseas locations. No way I could do that with my Gateway A60 (Acer Iconia A500).
Back in North America it works well for simple everyday tasks. For example, I take it with me when I take the wife shopping so I can surf the web while she shops. It's small enough to hide in my jacket, but not too small like our Nokia X-7 for reading/browsing. As it's very inexpensive so if it i ever stolen it not as big hit to the wallet.
Check YouTube and there is an excellent video on how to install Android Market [see comment section for the YouTube]. I suggest this be the first thing done as the "market" which comes it is useless. For example, I needed MoboPlayer, Dolphin HD and extensions and so forth and that is only to be found at the Android Market. Chat video is an issue (Skype, Yahoo..) so if you need these functions look elsewhere (whcm knows when it will get supported?, if ever).
The second is to install 32 GB (MicroSD). Make sure it is class 10 (fastest) and format it using FAT32, NOT FAT nor HTFS. Transfer as much as you can to the SD card as internal memory is very limited.
I also have additional USB thumb drives and SD/mini/micro cards (with a USB adapter) that I store movies on when on the road. Not all USB devices work - it's hit-or-miss so make sure test them first. Also I find I have to turn the tablet off, then turn it back on, for it to be read correctly. A few hard drives (formatted FAT32) will also work, but many, will not. It's not designed for it but it was a nice discovery.
Also recommended, one of those leather/stand/keyboards. For about $20 it makes your Coby 1125 into a some more akin to a Asus Transformer dock (sans battery). Works well, albiet, a small glitch using CAPS (have to press SHIFT twice).
So if you want a solid no-frills tool, fantastic price (I paid under $ 200) and good quality this might be for you if you do not mind the limitations. In two years we all know the hardware will improve by leaps and bounds anyways.
Note: I use a Iomega ScreenPLay TV Link DX to watch HDTV 1080p movies (rather than tie up my PC). I going to test this tablet shortly to see if it could perform a similar function.
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Thumb Drives:
1. Should be formatted as FAT32. HTFS will not work and FAT is limited to 4 GB (per thumb-drive). There is a great (free) partition manager you can get on cnet (download.com) for this task, let me know if you require the name.
2. 4 GB per file size limit. 1080p files are usually too large & wastes space.
3. Turn off the COBY, insert thumb drive, restart. It may detect it when inserted without powering down, however, on mine this works better.
4. Use media converters on a PC or Mac (if you have one) to adjust media to a format better suited for the Coby (resolution, screen ratio..). I'll post what specifications I use in another post if you wish. I use Aimersoft DRM Media Convertor for this. I usually get the file size to about 1 GB for a full movie. Sometimes I format the movie so it works on my 3" Philips Muse screen as well as my Coby.
* If using on a jet try to go dual-voice rather than "subs" (sub-titles) for such things as Japanese anime. I find watching 30-minute episodes sometimes better than taking along 2-hour movies.
(Working Thumb Drives)
1. Duracell 8GB (I bought this at Futureshop)
2. Lexar 16 GB
* I will update this shortly as I will retest two other thumb-drives.
* I have not had any luck with 32 GB thumb-drives yet although some others have (one person even got a hard drive working)
(Using a NexxTech USB to SD Card Adapter from TheSoure (RadioShack)
1. Dane-Elec 16 GB Class 10 SD Cards (I have 6 of these as they are much smaller than thumb drives). I bought this at TheSource (Radio Shack) when they were 50% off. Roughly a dollar per gigabyte is a good deal for a "class 10" (fastest) card.
(Using a MicroSD adapter)
I have several MicroSD cards I've used. They are in other devices right now so I'll update this once I can power them down. Once prices drop this option is better as MicroSD cards take up very little space. As with SD cards go for the "class 10" units. Look for a bundle which includes a USB adapter (if you do not already own one) so you can add/remove files directly on your PC. The best part is as most new electronics seem to use micro-SD cards so you can use them 'down-the-road' for whatever other electronics you buy.
TIP: Lets say you buy a new cell from Amazon and it comes with a 4GB card which you 'upgrade' to 32 GB. Save the old card and use it for your Coby to store movies. Recycle old cards rather than put them in a landfill.
In the works, tips and notes:
1. I am now exploring the option of using a projector on the HDMI port. You can get a Pico LED projector for about $150 (iGo) and up (very small, works in very dark rooms only) and bulb media projectors for about $ 400 (2700+ lumens and higher for brighter rooms). Amazon has a great selection & very good prices.
This way when I travel I can show family & freinds (example: party, outdoors..) photos much easier (80" or greater projection size) and also watch movies "on the road" (I plan to use a white, blank wall for this). The HDMI will also work with my 32" LCD computer screen (I use a HDMI switcher). The projectors will work with other devices as well such as a PS3.
2. For those into Japanese anime and manga here are some tips. Try "Crunchyroll" - you can stream pretty much any episode of most Japanese Anime to your Coby. It's free and legal. So if you just need to catch up on the latest episode of Bleach or Naruto while waiting for a jet at the airport, as long as you can find a free WiFi 'hotspot' you're in luck. As they are streamed episodes they do not reside in your internal memory of SD card. It's basically the same as watching a YouTube video. There are many manga readers as well as 'comic' readers, audio-books and e-books available for those whom would rather read. You can usually load up books and chapters ahead of time for times when you do not have a WiFi connection. Amazon, of course, is famous for books.
3. Many jets are also offering WiFi (at extra cost), some even on overseas flights. Something people on long flights may wish to consider. You'll either need an external battery pack or a power outlet on the jet if the flight is of a long duration.
4. I'll post about clouds, streaming video players shortly as well as some 'must-have' programs. I like the Iomega Cloud hard drive, I have had troubles with the Seagate GoFlex. I can stream via the WiFi from the drive right to my tablet, way cool. You can also stream to many other devices such as a PS3.
5. I use this daily for music listening as well. I have some portable speakers which use 4-C batteries (designed for portable DVD players). I recommend a program called "PowerAMP". You can try it for free, although, it's $ 4.99 to purchase (which I did). If you adjust the equalizer and the StereoFX" in the "Volume/Tone" area you can get amazing sound. Of couse it has many features from standard "playlists" to lyrics and more. Basically the Coby functions as my portable stereo now. I use 900 MHz wireless headphones when I need even greater portability.
* You can also use a "FM transmitter" to broadcast it to your home stereo, portable stereo or car stereo. Quite handy but sound quality is not as good (sounds like s FM station).
6. Try Opera Mobile if you need a fast browser. Make sure to goto "options" and turn the Turbo "ON" for very fast load times. I usually browse while running PowerAMP at the same time. I highly recommend downloading "Adobe Flash" as well. Both are free.
7. I am testing a $ 4.99 program which allows the camera to be used as a (real)radiation detector. I plan to test this soon due to the ongoing Fukushima issues.
8. Testing some other external batteries. Using a 140 WH I ran the tablet all night and morning updating 1,000 chapters of Manga and the battery was down only 25%. With certain restrictions you might be able to use a CCTV rechargeable Li-Ion battery pack. I'm testing one now which has 5 VDC, 9VDC, 12 VDC output. Handy when you require extended runs off the grid.
9. For about $ 15 you can purchase a great keyboard-stand-case (fake-leather). So at times when you need to type a-lot it 'transforms' your tablet into a laptop of sorts. Mine works fine except I have to press the "shift" key twice for CAPS. Dollar stores have great tablet stand available for $ 2. It will hold your tablet in the portrait or landscape mode. It's small enough so you can watch movies from the food tray during a long flight. In an emergency you can purchase for $ 1 stands which normally hold up plates and portraits. There is also a 10.1" padded hard-case for about $ 10 which is a nice size and will hold the $ 2 stand as well as the tablet.
10. If you want a better keyboard layout when typing (and audible clicks) on the tablet itself and more options, try "GO Keyboards", it's also free to try if I remember correctly.
11. I have not used a scratch protector. I clean the screen using a 'micro-fiber' cloth which you can buy for $ 1.
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Coby MID 1125-4G Home Theater Setup (or How to Pimp Your Ride)
I was conducting further tests in a "home theater" type setup. I never intended my Coby MID1125-4G for this application but none-the-less, a wonderful surprise. I am outputting 720p/1080p HDMI to an Epson EX5210 projector to a screen output size of about 120" for these tests (I will test it at 200" next). The "screen" is a wall - I just removed two pictures and remount them once I am done. Why waste space?, and why pay extra for a pull-down screen? Aside from the tablet an excellent device to use for this application is the Iomega ScreenPlay TV Link DX.
The tablet-projector setup is very well-suited for family outdoor movie nights, apartments (if space is very limited 'short-throw' projectors should be considered), homes, businesses and even hotel rooms. I'll review the Epson EX5210 elsewhere but it has some great features - for example - it does NOT require a bulb cool-down period - very, very important if travelling in nations where power outages are frequent (else the bulb goes "boom"). 2700 lumens is good for "dark to moderately-lit rooms" but you'll need more light output in very bright rooms. The tablet is handy if (say) a PC/Mac is located in another room.
Why bother with HDMI extenders, wireless HDMI - just use your tablet beside your projector. Also handy in situations (ie: outdoors) when you only have 1 long extension cord with 1 3-prong outlet. Plug the projector in, use battery powered speakers and run the tablet from it's internal batteries and/or battery-extender pack.
** btw, the $$$ you saved in a Coby over an iPad2 can easily pay for the projector and then some.
For sound I used the speaker jack on the Coby and outputted to some battery powered speakers designed for mobile DVD players and powered by 4-C batteries. You could just as easily run a cable to your home stereo. Output may not be 7.1 digital-surround-sound but it will do. Beside's who's listening when your gaze is fixed to a 200" screen? Actually it's kinda funny having a 10.1" tablet output to 100" or 200".
I plug the HDMI cable in AFTER the Coby has booted so it is properly detected. A "HDMI" should appear in the top, left portion of the screen next to where the battery status normally appears (if you've enabled it). If it doesn't simply unplug the HDMI cable and replug it in. Pull down the menu & select the HDMI and you can adjust the HDMI settings without having to go-to "settings" - handy. I ran 1080p without a problem, if the screen appears "blank" on the projector try moving it to "720p" mode. On my projector the output is XGA so 720p is fine (1080p translates in the projector to 720p).
* I got a micro-HDMI to HDMI covertor and mini-USM to USB adapter both for about $5. The COBY does NOT use a full size HDMI or USB slot.
Quality at 120" is sharp and quite nice for movies, slide presentations, and so forth. He*l, everything looks good! One minor glitch - on video playback the Coby screen may appear "garbled" but the playback on the projector is fine. Not really an issue - if you touch the screen the controls will appear 'ungarbled' in the forefront and the touch options work as expected. So with running video files it may not always be a two monitor setup.
** Note1: On the Coby the:
- SDCard is usually referring to the Coby's internal 4GB memory,
- scsi_sda1 is usually the USB mounted storage device such as a "thumb-drive",
- tflash usually refers to the (optional) microSD card. I use a 32 GB, class 10 on mine.
** Note2: Testing many players such as:
Music
KMplayer
Mobo Video Player
MoboPlayer
Zimly
Gallery
MX Video Player <- My Preferred player
QQPlayer
PowerAMP <- My default for all music
TubeMate (Downloads YouTubes)
VLC Direct
AndroMote < Handy to transfer from my cloud to the tablet in one shot on my WiFi
.. and others - have 6 or so "streaming" apps being tested right now.
** Note3: If you're (say) listening to a business mp3 one trick is to "save it to flash" for later listening. On mine I open the mp3 (or media file), select "Opera" (DO NOT CHECK THE BOX THAT SAYS "Do THiS EVERY TIME"). When Opera Mobile opens I select "Download", the select the menus until I get to TFLASH (the microSD card is called TFLASH on the Coby). There in my 32 GB microSD card I have setup file folders for music, business presentations, movies, camera photos and so on. Select the correct folder, and let it save. Select "minimize" to run the download in the background. Once downloaded to the tablet I can then use whatever media player I wish to play it back. This trick works with most media files such as videos. For example, for business mp3's I tend to use PowerAMP and run it to my wireless headphones connected to the media jack so I can get other work done at the time time. This is very handy when you've got temporary access to a free-WiFi zone - save it and play it later.
** Note4: So far no problems running BlueRay quality 1080p files. I would imagine I'm really pushing the single-core, 1GHz processor sans video chips. None-the-less has kept up well. I am conducting tests on many multi-sound track files as well as sub-titled ones. Just like I RIP my CDs for convenience I do the same with my DVDs I bought. COvert hem then store them so they don't take up all my space.
Method "A"
Make sure to insert the thumb-drive and/or (micro)SD card and adapter BEFORE starting the Coby so the card is detected. Turn off the Coby and insert another card, reboot. Start-up your player and the rest depends upon your specific player.
Method "B"
If you have a GoFlex (cloud) or Iomega "cloud" drive you can use your web browser to log into the hard drive (it's really a mini-Linux setup) and transfer over your files to the Coby. From there you just follow method "A".
Method "C"
Use a utility like "AndroMot" to move files (movie, music, photo collections (digital camera..)..) via your local WiFi network. You can select files on your cloud enabled hard drives, transfer, and then watch. This works well and doesn't tie up the WiFi Wireless LAN for too long (just the transfer). It's similar to Method "B" but with a nice GUI interface. I'm going to buy AndroMOT as works great for me.
Method "D"
Stream from an on-line media service. Some may cost extra and others are free (funded by ads). I have NOT tested Hulu or Netflix. I do run the CrunchyRoll android app to run and watch Japanese anime like Bleach - streamed from their server over my wireless link into the Coby. Works great and looks amazing at 120". It's also free and legal.
Method "E"
Remote control a PC application. I am testing this using VLC-Remote. I'm not particularly interested in this myself.
Method "F"
Stream using DLMP and so on. I'm testing this now. Unlike AndroMote the files remain on the (cloud/streaming-enabled network) hard drive(s) and "stream" to the tablet. It ties up bandwidth on your WiFi *BUT* doesn't require any storage space on the tablet. Also as my drives have Pogo and other utilities built in in theory I should be able to stream outside to the web (example: pull up a movie while waiting in the airport) but I am researching various security concerns BEFORE I unplug ports on my router or setup a DMZ zone. Variations do exist - for example, one is a "dropbox" like utility where you can stream from a cloud where you 'rent" space.
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