You know, I never really got interested in owning a tablet before.

For one thing, I already have my iPod Touch. Pair it with my HTC Chacha and Kindle and I can basically do all the activities I want to do if I owned a tablet.

But the number one reason why I wasn’t really interested in owning an iPad  or any other tablet was because of the price. You have to admit, tablets ARE still pretty pricey nowadays.

But when I got my hands on the ainol NOVO7 Aurora, for a little while there, I actually wanted to own one!

So is this tablet really THAT good?

Don’t expect it to be like the iPad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab, but for its price (Only P9,399 for a 16GB model!) it’s a pretty good alternative for a tablet if you are on a budget.

UNBOXING

The box!

The tablet. Has a 2MP camera in front. Pretty decent for video calls. No camera on the back.

The back. Speaker on the lower left. The Aurora comes in black or white.

Comes with the usual suspects, HDMI cable, USB cable, earphones, and a to-usb convert. Comes with a power adaptor, too.

Warranty card and the quick start guide. You can access a more in-depth manual in the tablet.

CLOSER LOOK

Power and volume buttons on top.

Slots on the side. Audio, USB, HDMI, SD Card slot and the power slot.

Size comparison. Side by side with my Kindle.

AINOL NOVO7 AURORA IN ACTION

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

• MODEL NAME: Ainol NOVO7 Aurora
• CPU: Multi – Core A10 (1.2G MHZ)
• SYSTEM: Android 4.0 (ICS)
• DDR: DDRIII_1.0G
• HARDWARE: 16 gb
• OPERATING MODE: 5 Touch with Capacitive Screen
• DISPLAY : 7inch, 1024 x 600 Resolution  IPS with full angle
• NETWORK: Wifi: Wireless LAN 802. 11b/g/n, 300Mbps, Support external 3g
• PORTS: 1 mini usb 2.0 port (OTG), stereo headphone, jack tf card reader, 1 mini hdmi output, 1 DC in Jack.
• CAMERA:  Front 2 Mega Pixels
• Audio Player, Video Player, Support Full HD 2160P,
• G SENSOR:  3D 3G sensor
• PACKAGE: charger,  (5V 2 A), USB cable, earphone, otg cable, user manual plus warranty card

BATTERY LIFE
The battery on standby, with WiFi on, is okay. It can last 18-24 hours. But if you start using the tablet (such as heavy streaming, playing games, reading a book, Facebook and surfing) I’m guessing you can squeeze in around 6-8 hours of performance.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

• The tablet can get a little sluggish, though, when you’ve turned on a number of applications. You may want to install a Task Manager app to manage the memory.
• I don’t know if it was my internet but there were a few moments when the internet connection was really slow.
• The touchscreen has a bit of a lag. I discovered this when I was playing DrawSomething. It takes like a nanosecond before it draws a line where your finger was.
• Can you play Angry Birds on this? Oh, why yes of course!

GEEK GIRL VERDICT
Would I buy one? If you are looking for an affordable alternative to to the iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab, then this is a steal. It’s great for parents looking for a tablet for their children and a good choice for giving to your moms and dads who are not so techy, but would like to get their hands on a piece of tech.

In my opinion, the ainol NOVO7 Aurora is a pretty great tablet at an incredibly affordable price.

WANT AN AINOL NOVO7 AURORA? THEY HAVE A PROMO!

For every purchase of an ainol NOVO7 AURORA 16GB, you can get a FREE 16GB SD card and a 2GB USB cartoon character flash drive if you get one on or before 10 July 2012. and you must mention that you heard about the ainol NOVO7 AURORA Tablet from my blog, GeekGirlManila.com

PRICE OF THE AURORA 16GB: P9,399 for CASH, P10,699 for CREDIT CARD purchases (for HSBC card holders it would be 12mos 0% interest)

Purchase Aurora units from EGL Marketing, authorized distributor of the ainol NOVO7 Aurora in the Philippines, NOVO7 Tech, 3rd Floor University Mall, Vito Cruz Taft Avenue (beside La Salle University). You may also email ainolphilippines@gmail.com or contact them +63 917 8463449.

EGL Marketing provides warranty for ainol tablets to give buyers peace of mind — 7 day replacement, 1 year parts warranty and 3 years service warranty.

For more news and updates on ainol products, follow the Ainovo/Ainol Facebook Page.