Cheapest Android Tablet Computer: JDX s18

Last December, I purchased the cheapest Android tablet computer that I could buy ($39.95), just to see what I would get.  Then I could write up a review, with a story about it, and put it on my blog.

JXD s18 & What you get with it

My JXD s18 arrived yesterday in the mail.  It took thirty nine days to get here from Shenzhen China, via priority post. It booted right up out of the box. I had no problem logging in to my wireless home network. It came with several games including "Angry Birds in Space", and some good apps too. I tried the browser and it seemed to work just fine. Google Play was pre-installed too. So I tried that.  Whenever I tried to download anything all I got was Error -101. I thought that it might need a micro SD memory card to download to, so I went to Walmart and got an 8 Gb micro SD card. I put in the card and Error -101 was still there. Next, I searched the internet for a solution.  I found one website with a solution for the same error on a Samsung phone. So I tried that and it didn't work.  Next I tried a very similar procedure that I found on a different website.  It didn't work either.  I followed yet another website's suggestion which was to go to settings and reset the tablet to factory settings. I was surprised when it rebooted and came up in Chinese! OMG!  I couldn't believe it.  What did I do?  The warning said that it cannot be undone.(My Wondermedia wm8650 and other tablets come back in English whenever I do that.)  I searched for the firmware so that I could flash the operating system to reprogram the whole tablet.  I found a website with the software, but it was in Chinese too. Next, I went the JXD website to look for a solution.  They have several downloads including an updated firmware download for the JXD s18. I downloaded the file.

A Cheap Chinese Android Tablet Computer

The procedure for flashing the ROM, doing a mod, reprogramming the tablet, or whatever you want to call it, involves putting the files on the root of a SD card and booting up the tablet with the SD card in it.  So now I need a micro SD card reader so that I can put the files on the card. Walmart didn't have any, so I ordered one on ebay. It will be here in about a week or two. Meanwhile, I plan on showing my tablet to a Chinese person whom I know.  There is a Language section in the Settings menu but I can't read it.  Maybe a Chinese person could find an English display option?  I will keep you informed...

JDX s18 showing the Mini USB, SD card slot & headphone jack

The JXD s18 has a 4.5 inch touch screen, 1 GHz CPU, 512 Mb DDR RAM and 4 Gb NAND flash drive and accepts up to 32 Gb SD card.  It comes with Skype pre-installed, but it has no camera. No GPS neither.  It has a very crisp & vivid 2-point resistive touch screen. It is definitely faster than my Wondermedia wm8650 and has easy connectivity to the web.   Other than the problems that I encountered, It seems like a pretty good tablet for the money. I got it on sale for $39.95.  The regular price is $44.43 at A Happy Deal.