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Augen Genbook 108: the little Android netbook that (almost) could

Augen introduced this netbook late last year, and it died shortly thereafter.

The cause of death was that it ran poor software on adequate hardware.  (I still think it’s worth hacking!) But mine only cost $100, so perhaps I shouldn’t complain too much.

I bought it because I wanted an Android netbook. I wanted to see first hand the problems Android has when you try to port it to a device based on a keyboard and trackpad. I could have guessed about most of the problems, but a few surprised me.

 

Hardware

The Genbook 108 definitely lives up to the netbook label. It weighs less than 2 pounds and is relatively thin and light when compared to any of my other laptops.

It has a fairly good quality 10″ (1024×600) screen, but the drivers aren’t properly calibrated. I know there’s a problem with the screen drivers because a number of apps (including the browser) hang off the right side of the screen. BTW, given that this is Android it really should have had a touchscreen; that would have fixed a number of the usability issues.

Other than the one minor problem with the screen, the specs are adequate. It’s running v2.1 on an 800MHz CPU (Telechips TCC8902), which is more than enough if you think of this as a netbook. But as an Android device it’s like most budget tablets – underpowered (but still adequate). Mine also had 8GB Flash, a SD card slot, 3 USB ports, speakers, headphone & microphone jacks, ethernet, and (iffy) Wifi.

The keyboard and trackpad are quite usable, and really the only problem with it is that it needs better drivers to make it act more like a netbook. For example, it lacks the keyboard shortcuts you might expect. Even Y/N don’t work for yes and no. Tab doesn’t work to jump you from one field to the next in a form (and other things like that).

But I do like that they did some customization. The row of function keys are tied to specific apps/menus (settings menu, Wifi menu, video player, etc). And Ctrl-Alt-Del shuts it down.

BTW, I initially had trouble with the Wifi but as it turns out the Genbook didn’t like my home network. It’s not the first device to object, but that does render the Wifi support iffy.

Apps

The Genbook 108 shipped with a decent suite of apps including ES File Explorer, IReader, RepliGo (a PDF app), Docs2Go, Skype, and others. Once I got the Amazon Appstore installed, I had no trouble downloading and installing apps. I had trouble installing the Kindle app at first, but after I downloaded the update from Amazon the problem fixed itself.

The short of it is that this netbook comes with most (all?) of what you’ll need to use it as a netbook. And they mostly work well with the trackpad.

Video

This was a surprise. The video performance was very good for the specs. Sound was decent (tiny speakers), but the video – it upgraded a 650×350 video to full screen and kept it sharp with no fuzzy spots or faded colors. It wasn’t until I found the CPU specs that I realized how good it is.

Battery

It’s specced at 2.5 hours, and I got well over 2.5 hours of video+Wifi.Turn off the Wifi and it should exceed 3 and a half hours.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a sleep mode.  If you press the power button briefly you will turn off the screen, but the Genbook won’t actually be asleep. Boot time was nearly a minute, so the missing sleep mode is a serious shortcoming.

Reading

The Kindle app is a little slow. It’s adequate, but I don’t really like it on a 10″ screen.  RepliGo (PDF), on the other hand, worked well. It was reasonably easy to use with the keyboard  and trackpad.

Opinion

I’m still not sure I’d recommend this for average user, but it is simply crying out to be hacked. It has decent hardware and an okay suite of apps; what it lacks is tweaking so it behaves more like a netbook and less like a phone. It is a cute little netbook. If you go into it expecting to get a netbook that costs only $100, you won’t be disappointed.

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Comments


RobBrown May 8, 2011 um 11:56 pm

It seems unlikely to me that this device will attract hackers. It doesn’t seem to be widespread and it doesn’t have any novelty about it… still, maybe some of the hacks for other TCC8902 devices will fit it.
In other news, you had a post "Augen to release 2 new e-readers in April" https://the-digital-reader.com/2011/01/08/augen-to-release-2-new-e-readers-in-april/
Did anything come of them? Augenus.com doesn’t have any details. Augen seems to be producing nothing but vapour at the moment!

Nate Hoffelder May 9, 2011 um 7:43 am

They haven’t said anything.


issac July 3, 2011 um 2:22 pm

The gen book will not allow my mifi device to connect to wifi,also will not except the factory set pass word. I can’t figure it out is there a way? I need some help.

Nate Hoffelder July 3, 2011 um 3:36 pm

I’m not sure.

All I can recommend is that you look for the tech support pages for whoever sold you the Mifi. They’ll probably have a troubleshooting guide.

If you work your way through the guide and it doesn’t solve your problem then you might be seeing the Wifi driver problem I had with the Genbook. It just won’t work with some Wifi networks.


Daily Deals: $80 Android netbook, $70 Eken Android tablet, – The Digital Reader July 22, 2011 um 1:08 pm

[…] netbook late last year. I have one and it has pretty decent specs and performance for the price. This is a nice little sub$100 netbook. If you’ve ever wanted to experiment with an Android netbook, this would be a small […]


Hydeia Trammell August 15, 2011 um 5:48 pm

can someone please help me. My genbook is acting weird. It cuts on but stays on the blue screen

John December 21, 2011 um 11:40 am

There is no help for the Genbook.Big hype no action a real piece of crap.The company I bought it from even"temperarly"terminated thier 1-888#to better serve thier customers(yeah that sure helps us)Don’t recommend it to anyone……..


First Impressions of eGlide eReader Pro (World’s Funkiest Android Tablet) – The Digital Reader November 15, 2011 um 2:31 pm

[…] a stock Android firmware installed before being sold to the unsuspecting public.  I’ve seen an Android netbook that fit that description and that’s what I expected with the eGlide. I am at least slightly […]


steve February 22, 2012 um 7:33 pm

I’ve had this for a wile now it has ben siting sor abot a year or so imjust now starting to use it agen I’m having problems with the app market is there a website I can go to get get updates for the software version and things like that?

Lisa March 3, 2012 um 9:21 pm

Hey Steve, Did you ever get it to move off the bot. Mine just started today not finishing loading. Ggrrrrrr… Mine has been sitting on the darn android bot all day. I feel like throwing it out the window!!!! If anyone can help me please email me at [email protected] Thanks!!!!


Kevin March 29, 2012 um 5:21 pm

I can’t get my netbook to have sound / audio at all. Is there an app i have to download? Someone PLEASE HELP?


Denise July 27, 2012 um 10:36 pm

When I turn it on it does nothing but stays on the home screen, I don’t even see the cursor. What is wrong with it?


Harsimran Singh July 8, 2015 um 6:20 pm

Hi my name is Harsimran Singh. I have Augen netbook Windows CE OS Black Netbook.
Whenever i start my netbook it stops after loading And I have to reset and start it again and it stops again. Can somebody help me?

Nate Hoffelder July 8, 2015 um 7:00 pm

No, sorry.

I spent a few minutes trying to find a guide to fixing this problem. I could not find one. sorry.


veldahall August 14, 2016 um 2:52 pm

how can I get my Genbook Augen to do more then then stay on the home screen can someone guide me through to where I can see more then the home screen thank you so very much.

Nate Hoffelder August 15, 2016 um 2:45 pm

What happens when you press, for example, you press the app drawer button or an icon?

Could the touchscreen be brokwn?


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