PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Maverick Australian etailer Kogan has come under fire for altering the specifications of the firm’s new Agora 7" budget tablet after it went on sale.
Kogan announced the "world’s best value tablet" with the Agora 7-inch Android tablet offering surprising specifications for just £90 or $149 depending on the US or Australia Kogan portal.
The Wi-Fi only Android 2.2-powered tablet was listed as a 1GHz Cortex A8 CPU, 4GB of storage, HDMI port, Bluetooth and a 1024 x 600 capacitive touch screen which is an astonishing buy for that price.
As customers rushed to place orders the web page was updated with the device now listed as a 800 x 480 resolution screen and no Bluetooth. A number of customers immediately got in contact and cancelled their pre-orders.
Kogan lists rebadged Chinese-manufactured products well in advance of their actual shipping date with a curious pricing scheme called Live Price that ticks upwards as the release date approaches. At time of writing the tablet was still listed at £89 in the UK with the Australian price jumping to $155 and down to $147 in a matter of minutes.
Even with the reduced specifications, the Agora 7-inch tablet looks like impressive value and is a strong indication of the coming deluge of low end Android tablets.
However some disastisfied customers specifically called out the removal of Bluetooth as a reason for their cancelled orders, forcing the use of battery draining Wi-Fi tethering.
