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Verdict
Despite the score and the savaging we've given it on certain counts, we're actually quite fond of the Hannspree Hannspad.
It really puts a different spin on Android 2.2, with an interface that makes use of its power, but also of the extra screen space of tablets. We like to see technology that really focuses on its purpose, and the Hannspad does that. Except for where it totally fails to do that.
We liked
The Tap UI that's been overlaid on Android 2.2 is really very impressive, even if it lacks the polish of iOS on iPad or the forthcoming version of webOS for the HP TouchPad. It makes good use of the space that tablets offer, but still features the power of the OS underneath.
This comes through in the web browsing, which is snappy and features slick Flash performance. Considering we now know that early Android 3.0 tablets, such as the Motorola Xoom, won't feature Flash during the American launch, this is doubly impressive.
The battery life is strong, and the specifications are up there with the best, including the 16GB of internal storage and microSD expansion.
The media performance is superb, too. 1080p playback was as smooth as you could ask for, and we quite liked the music player.
Though the lack of the Android Market is disappointing, the App Center is pretty well stocked, with plenty of games and other apps on offer.
We disliked
The dislikes boil down to a few simple problems, but they really are doozies. They take the tablet from being a potentially strong contender to an also-ran.
The unresponsive touchscreen is the first hurdle, and it's a problem that tablets just can't have if they're going to be good. Touch is the only interaction, and when it's dodgy, the whole experience suffers.
The Tap UI feels like it needs a little more optimisation, which we could forgive, but in conjunction with the laggy touchscreen it worsens the experience.
There's also the low quality of the display. The poor viewing angles ruin the idea of the tablet as a social computer and it's just not the right place to cut costs.
The fact that the sleep mode doesn't work properly is infuriating. Who wants to turn their tablet on from scratch every time they want to use it? And that it still churns through power when the screen's off is ridiculous – it means you'll have to charge it almost every day, even if you barely use it, totally ruining its good battery life elsewhere.
Verdict
The Hannspad's score doesn't indicate that we didn't like it, because we were actually quite taken with it in many ways. Good battery life, stunning media power and strong web browsing are just the sort of things a tablet should excel at.
The score is a reflection of the fact that we just can't really recommend it for purchase. Not with an unresponsive touchscreen, a display with terrible viewing angles and irritating standby issues.
It feels like a wasted opportunity. There's the making of a great tablet here, but it's been squandered.
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