How Craig Tablets Work

Craig Electronics markets a range of tablets -- 10 according to its Web site and many for less than $100.
Photo courtesy Craig Electronics

A pack of gum, lip balm, a magazine or beef jerky might make for an eye-catching impulse buy in the check-out line at our local drugstore, but an Android tablet? Really? Well that's what consumers can expect these days as more and more electronics makers enter the tablet market and the price points continue to become more competitive -- and more discounted.

One manufacturer whose discount tablets can be purchased at retail drug chains around the U.S. is Craig Electronics Inc. The company markets a range of tablets -- 10 according to its Web site and many for less than $100 -- but prices vary widely by distributor and type of tablet. We'll look at some specifications and features of a few of the tablets if you want to compare them or give one a try.

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Craig Tablet Specs

Ranging from 4.3 inches (10.9 centimeters) to 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) in length, Craig tablets offer many of the same features as their higher-end counterparts, as well as options for storage, speed and multi-media capabilities. Information on the weight, availability and pricing of each model was not provided on the Web site as of this writing.

Most of the tablet devices have digital touch screens, 4 GB of built-in Flash memory (with the ability to add more externally), built in Wi-Fi, and audio, gaming, photography, video and eReader capabilities. All are powered by Google Android, but exact specifications for several models are listed below:

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  • CMP736: 4.3-inch screen, powered by Google Android 2.2 OS, 800 MHz processor with 4 GB built-in Flash memory
  • CMP738A: 7-inch screen, powered by Google Android 2.2 OS, 700 MHz processor and 4 GB built-in Flash memory
  • CMP738B: 7-inch screen, powered by Google Android 2.2 OS, 800 MHz processor and 4 GB built-in Flash memory
  • CMP741: 7-inch screen, powered by Google Android 2.3 OS, 1.3 GHz processor and 4 GB built-in Flash memory
  • CMP743: 8-inch screen, powered by Google Android 2.3 OS, 1.3 GHz processor and 4 GB built-in Flash memory
  • CMP745: 10-inch screen, powered by Google Android 2.3 OS, 1.3 GHz processor and 4 GB built-in Flash memory
  • CMP741D: 7-inch screen, powered by Google Android 4.0 OS, 1.3 GHz processor and 4 GB built-in Flash memory
  • CMP741E: 7-inch screen, powered by Google Android 4.0 OS, 1.3 GHz processor and 4 GB built-in Flash memory
  • CMP743D: 8-inch screen, powered by Google Android 4.0 OS, 1.3 GHz processor and 4 GB built-in Flash memory
  • CMP745D: 10-inch screen, powered by Google Android 4.0 OS, 1.3 GHz processor and 4 GB built-in Flash memory

We'll take a look at some more features of the Craig tablets, next.

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Craig Tablet Features

Most of the Craig tablet devices have built-in Wi-Fi, plus audio, gaming, photography, video and eReader capabilities.
Photo courtesy Craig Electronics

As we mentioned previously, most of the Craig tablet devices have built-in Wi-Fi, plus audio, gaming, photography, video and eReader capabilities. They also come with a host of features, including the following:

  • Camera
  • Multi-point touch screen
  • Built-in rechargeable battery
  • 3-D gaming accelerometer
  • Speaker and microphone
  • Micro SD card slot
  • Headphone jack
  • Several apps, including a browser, e-Book Reader, e-mail, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and SlideME Marketplace

Craig also partners with electronics recyclers who can point you to drop-off locations for retiring old devices and computers.

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What Users Say About Craig Tablets

We'll get this out of the way upfront: We searched for reviews of Craig tablets from some of the most trusted online tech magazines, but came up pretty much empty. Consumer buzz on tech forums and in retail comments were mixed, with some users voicing concerns about hardware and capabilities to run multimedia, and others giving high marks for everyday e-mail and social media use.

There also were reports from some Craig tablet users about issues with video streaming, overall battery life and movie downloads, as well as with the tablets' abilities to maintain a multimedia function once it's going.

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If we have to point out a big red flag to readers, it's that we were only able confirm a few places where the tablets are actually sold. The Craig Web site doesn't provide any information on retail locations where they are available for purchase (or recommended retail prices, as we mentioned previously). However, a customer service representative with the company gave us 10 different retailers where the tablets were supposed to be available for sale, but we could only confirm a few that stocked them.

So while there may be many pros and cons to buying a budget tablet, you need to be sure you match your needs to the device you are purchasing. If you're choosing a tablet purely for e-mail, reading eBooks and using simple apps, Craig may be one of many options to consider. Just decide if the battery life and reliability as reported by users is worth your investment -- even for a tablet at such a low price point.

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Frequently Answered Questions

Who makes Craig tablets?
The Craig tablet is made by the American company, Craig Electronics.

Lots More Information

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More Great Links

  • AndroidPit.com. "Forum: Craig Tablet Owners?" AndroidPit.com. 2012. (July 22, 2012) http://www.androidpit.com/en/android/forum/thread/subscribe/454233/atom.xml
  • AndroidTablets.net. "Forum: Craig Tablets." AndroidTablets.net. 2012. (July 22, 2012) http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/craig-tablets/
  • Craig Electronics Inc. "Products: Tablets and eReaders." CraigElectronics.com. 2010. (July 22, 2012) http://www.craigelectronics.com/site/products.php?folder_id=57
  • MobileRead.com. "Forums: Craig Tablet." MobileRead.com. 2012. (July 22, 2012) http://www.mobileread.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-123208.html

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