Android Review:Onda vx580w
 

Received the Android Onda vx580w from ownta.com. arrived safely just 8 days after
ordering.
Here's what you get:-

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/vx580w_1.jpg

Onda earphones. viewing stand, mini-usb cable,User instructions, Screen protector ,free soft bag from ownta and of course the MID device itself.

This player is the same spec as the Window N5pro2 but a bit cheaper and not as rugged.

The Window N5pro2 has quite a solid feel to it with a metal front bezel the Onda has a plastic
plastic front to it which is not as strong as the old vx585HD for example.
It's still ok you just need to be a bit more careful with it I think.

Comes with the usual collection of apps:-
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/vx580w_2.jpg

Thanks Knob for the review.... will you be adding more to this review?

Also, why did you choose ownta.com and not JTshopOnline? I'm just interested that's all.

ownta and Jtshop seem to be about the best places for these devices, I just happened to be browsing the ownta site, saw this and hit the buy button, you now how it is.

Later I found JTshop have it a bit cheaper! Also noticed JTshop are starting to get a lot of new stock in now, like an onda with a metal front bezel, I wish i'd waited now!

Here are some more photos.
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/vx580w_3.jpg
Has the usual set of sockets
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/vx580w_4.jpg

Again this player is lacking volume buttons, in fact it only has one
button which doubles as an on/off and back button.
The cheaper smart PMP do have volume buttons which for some apps works
much better in my opinion.
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/vx580w_5.jpg

Come with it's own display stand
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/vx580w_6.jpg

If your Android doesn't have a stand like the Window pro2 then these plate display stands are a good idea cheap from ebay
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/vx580w_7.jpg

Out of the 2 players I have reviewed I would say the WindowN5 pro2 is much the better player
for very little extra money, the build quality on the Window N5 MID is better and so is the
firmware.

There is quite an annoying issue (at least for me!) that if you plug the Onda device into a wall charger it always boots up, the Window N5 doesn't do this so you can charge it while shut down.

I have ordered a carrying case for the Onda which I will review when I get it.

just got my unit yesterday
1. wifi works
2. app market works

the unit advertised as android 2.2 - but the interface i dunno - my wife android phone and my kid galaxy tab both on froyo but the interface is different - dun really care coz i need the unit just to run some light apps and not intended for heavy use - no games

i do like to remove some chinese apps preinstalled - any clue how to remove em?

and i think the browser keyboard got chinese characters too - any way to change to english only
coz i dun read chinese

im still gauging the battery life

thx

Hi Kimi,

Where did you bought your player from?

Did you get the exact same model?

Nice photos Knob and thanks for the review.
What's the interface and navigation like between your two players? Was there any difference?
Was it pretty straight forward to use and easy to install apps?

i got my unit by mail order from local supplier - other similar 5" models avail were the ainol novo 5 and the ramos t11ad
yes it is the same model - onda vx580w

the default browser not working and crashes
i tried opera mini and it works

now im trying to figure out how to remove the chinese apps - seems that preinstalled apps are alot trickier to remove?

and yes i dun like the unit restarts everytime u charge em

The unofficial CyanogenMod7 port
 

The unofficial CyanogenMod7 port also works on my player, it's quite good too.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/vx580w_8.jpg

Android market and the G sensor doesn't work plus it is a bit more laggy, but the UI looks really cool. :cool:
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/vx580w_9.jpg

[DEV] unofficial CyanogenMod7 port for RK2818 tablets - xda-developers

You just need to swap out the boot.img and system.img and replace and repack into the Onda update.img using
AFPTool.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a.../vx580w_10.jpg

youtube is not working(?)

Youtube doesn't through a browser, you need to download the Youtube app then it works fine.

Interface is pretty much the same on these devices, I find it very easy to use once you get the hang on it, bear in mind though that the screen is resistive touch, so not as good as say an ipod touch when using your fingers, you need a capacitive screen for smoother navigation, but they cost a lot more at the moment.

Apps are easy to download from the market, if you don't have wi-fi just use app installer or a file manager app and install from a microSd card. I prefer to keep my favourite apps on an sd card anyway it's quicker to install them that way than from the market.

If you get one of these remember it needs Android USB drivers installed to be able to drag and drop to the sdcard and flash memory.

Thanks Knob,

My Windows 7 detects my Android PMP from JTShopOnline fine and I can just drag and copy the files onto the player's flash memory (like the old MP4 players). Just can't seem to get .apk files to play on it. Apparently my one is a 'light' version of the Android (didn't know there was such a thing) so doesn't player all .apk files either! :(

have you been into setting to allow to run apk files from other locations
not all apk will run as some require certain hardware, resolution etc etc,

which player did you get

i managed to update the firmware, and gone are the chinese apps - finally
but also gone is one app that i bought thru market - now trying to contact the developer how to get the apps back without purchasing again

i oso got tis message that pops out each time i start the unit
"The application BooksProvider (process.com.android.rk.books) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again"