Database Users

[Q] Xoom or Galaxy Tab 10.1?

Hey All Geeks
So, i decided that it's time to get a tablet, and finally found that Android 3.0 is the long-awaited, dream OS for me. But here is where the problem kicks in (Bad English?). Xoom and GTab2 (Easier name) are bothi running the almighty Honeycomb... so now i'm confused which one to get? i've been thinking for a week now, but my experience isn't as your (Geeker people and Devs ) experience and i thought i would ask you if you don't mind. So, far what i want is: Continuous Development ( because i'm NOT a Dev so i'm putting my faith in you guys and going with the tab you're choosing)
Extra's:
Pro's of Gtab2:
Design is Gorgeous...
Light weight...
Con's of Gtab2:
No SD Card
No MicroUSB
Pro's of Xoom:
MicroUSB
SD Card
Con's of Xoom:
Typical Design (not really bad but not innovative)
bad rear camera position
In short:
I DO want the GTab2 for the Design BUT will i regret getting that for the missing of Micro USB (which is my most concern) and SD Card (Which isn't REALLY bad but bad)
Q2: Which one will have MORE development (assumption)?
(for Xoom Forum): UNLOCKABLE Bootloader means ONLY for Devs? if so, as a normal human (xD JK JK) will i be able to do custom ROMs?
Help!

LOL the Topic i posted at Xoom forum is really ALIVE (better development sign?) BUT the winning device isn't the Xoom xD it's actually the GTab2 lol IF ONLY SAMSUNG included SD Card slot and MicroUSB T_T Or IF MOTO improved the design and provided 1080p recording and playback that would be THE PERFECT Device and they would OWN the market with either devices... but PERFECTION is even BEYOND IMPOSSIBLE

Very long debate...
I'm getting a tab. Its beautiful, deving will be there, not like tab 1, and its going to kick ass.

I have to say that now having two of these tablets to choose from I am really torn :-(.
I love Moto specs and Samsung looks.
To be completely honest because of that I am already very disappointed with both.
My major fear is that if I will buy one of them I will have this disturbing and annoying thought at the back of my head that I made a mistake... should have gone for the other one It is not good considering the price of both devices... with this kind of money one should have 150% of satisfaction.
Moto... Samsung.... I HATE YOU BOTH! :-(

devil snake said:
Q2: Which one will have MORE development (assumption)?
(for Xoom Forum): UNLOCKABLE Bootloader means ONLY for Devs? if so, as a normal human (xD JK JK) will i be able to do custom ROMs?
Help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speaking as Nexus One and Nexus S owner, I can say that the power of 'fastboot oem unlock' is a force to be reckoned with...
That said, this is XDA, and you can be sure that both will be hacked and modded. Since they're so similar in terms of specs and quality, I would go with the prettier one, but that's just me. The USB issue isn't that bad, the last I heard about the issue was that it had USB functionality through its dock port--meaning you just need a special cable.

I do not mind USB in the dock. I do not see many thing I would have to connect to tablet directly. HDMI I also do not care about - it is a mobile device for me to watch and surf on the go, not a local NAS player. But lack of SD card support seems like a very big issue and not only to me (everywhere I look ppl are complaining about this).
What I would love is to see an explanation from Samsung why??? What was the logical process behind this decision not to include this port. Hey, SAMSUNG, please tell us why?

Maybe Honeycomb can't handle more then 32GB of storage. And the Tab have 32GB internal memory already.
The XOOM have a sd card slot. Only problem is that is not activated when you buy it. So maybe Android is not compatible whit more memory then 32GB.
I personally have problem to decide witch one to get. Witch one of does have the best screen? And will GT be Xvid certified?
Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk

Well, form me this device was about (mainly) about media consumption. I do have Asus 1201N bot it is just tu big... but my Wife's NC10 cant play the movies I do watch.
Tablet that I will buy has to give me access to Hulu (free) as PC does. Has to work on batteries for approx. 8h (that is why I do not have tablet with Windows, as I said I already have netbook) and play divix (all kinds) nicely. Since I do go for holidays (from time to time) and I plan to use built in camera I need storage space
32GB is simply not enough and since Xoom has problem with playing 720p videos (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=968308&page=3) I am simply devastated. I did not buy an iPad (because of the issues above), I am waiting for over a year and what... nothing :-(.
Please tell me I am wrong

I almost jumped on the Xoom train yesterday.... They had a 25% off glitch coupon going and I missed it by like 5 - 10 minutes.

Don't worry... 2nd of March they will get a first reason to lower prices (a bit). I expect Apple to laugh (in a laud matter) at all those things that were supposed to give us an iPad killer and are not with us yet . And if thing will continue to go the way they do with Honeycomb and Xoom (more and more issues + more features "coming soon"). Ppl will refuse to pay $800 for something that is "almost" ready
Do you think (since hardware is the same) GT10.1 will have the same problem with playback of video as Xoom has (everyone is complaining about it!!!)? It would make him bigger than GT1 and worse :-(.
For Tegra 2, 2h of video that works on tegra 2 takes approx. 8GB of storage... this is unacceptable :-(
Links you might want to take a look at (seems all tablets with T2 inside are useless as an mobile entertainment device):
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4144/...ra-2-review-the-first-dual-core-smartphone/14
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4181/...-a9s-coming-to-smartphonestablets-this-year/3
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=968640
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=970428
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=968640
Seems that issue is with 720p as well :-(

Concerning video playback I think Samsung does a better job. Like on the galaxy s, where they play a lot of video files with no additional software, meaning they included the necessary codecs.

Is the lack of SD card slot a sure thing? I suppose in the videos there is no visible slot along the sides...in my daydreams you can screw the samsung logo off the back and reveal the hidden sd slot! A guy can dream?
Daydream update: Since the logo is big, when you screw it off, there's actually 2 sd card slots. Yeah! Not deluding myself at all.

I am afraid it is :-(.
First I fell in love with Xoom and than I saw Galaxy Tab 10.1 OMG i looks awesome...
But now reality strikes... no sd card slot... and since you can not play (straight away) stuff you can download... GOD! I was so hoping to swap my netbook fro tablet :-(
This is especially painful as in all ads and information that is exactly what you are being offered. Not a word that video support is limited compared to what last years netbooks and older tablets (Archos 101, Galaxy Tab) can do :-(
At the moment (if above will get confirmed, and it will :-( ) I am thinking again about tablet with windows on-board (although I really hate this idea as I do not need BIG system in a device like this) or hoping for 10" Playbook.
Both Xoom and GT10.1 so close to perfection... ehh :-(

Soyou are saying that neither Samsung Gtab 10.1 nor the Xoom can play video like the Samsung Galaxy S i9000?

Tegra 2 can not play high profile mkv videos and this is one of the most popular formats to download HD stuff...
Go to rslinks.org or other sites and see what you can get... without spenidng extra time for re-encoding it will not play :-(
I got over 500GB stuff on my NAS drive - no way I will waist time to change format of that all just so I will be able to spend 700 euro
Idea for me was that it will be able to replace my netbook and will give me longer bat. life. Well it can not :-( And it is twice as expensive. Because iPad do/did only part of what I require I haven't bought it.. same here. You can (well.. you will be able to) watch flash but videos only in specific format. Who has time for that?
One would think that what we are talking about is pretty basic stuff and I thought that was the main idea behind tablets:
- web browsing on the go like at home
- full multimedia support
- long battery life
- limited weight
Something that has not been offered so far (windows tablets - limited batt. life, iPad - other limitations .

Correct.
You forget one point: acceptable price point ( i think the honeycomb tablets are a little to expensvie)
And one negative point for windows tablets: often they have a fan

I dont mind the price... it is the same as the iPad. I understand that for a gadget like that you pay Premium - OK. (of course if it would be free I wouldn't complain! .
I do know about fan in the Windows tablets... I got Asus 1201N that gets really hot sometimes... tablet with fan is out of the questions (imagine to shake a hand with someone after watching a movie!)
Another thing is that "BIG" stuff i do on desktop any way so I do not need full windows (heavy system) on a tablet.... I do not need photoshop or dwg editor. But I want web pages to look like they are supposed, I want to read without magnify glass, I want to watch a movie (without thinking before if it will work), listen to music, look at the pictures, etc... Just normal things Maybe play a game once in a while...

I was also considering one of these two tablets, but then i found the Acer Iconia A500. It has the same specs as Xoom and Galaxy 10.1, but WITH MicroUSB, SD Slot and HDMI. And, from what I can see, around half the price!!
Well, if all this is true, I know what I'm getting!!!

If this thing does not have USB port, how can we sync or copy files to the internal memory?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

It will have USB connectivity through the propriety port, and I would be surprised if there won't be a dock that offers hdmi connectivity also.
We also have to wait and see if samsung will offer an accessory like the iPad and xoom (or soon to be introduced) that can be plugged into the propriety port allowing sd cards to be connected or even an external USB drive. I really hope so. That would be ideal.
The tab 10.1 doesn't have all the ports we want built into the unit, but there is a benefit of that......the weight and size is notably reduced, far lighter than any of the upcoming tablets.
The weight is a big thing for me as I currently carry my iPad around in a small bag and any weight loss would be welcome

[INFO] Got Acer Iconia A500

So, I called BestBuy today to see if they have the Transformer in stock. The girl said no but she did note that they have "the Acer one." I realized it's the Iconia A500 that's suppose to release on Sunday. The manager was willing to let me open it and play with it. I ended up buying it.
It has few things over the Xoom (current have) and the Transformer it seems.
-NVIDIA’s ULP GeForce graphics on top of Tegra2
-Full USB on the tablet itself
-I heard rumors of the microUSB slot is also an inactive LTE 4G sim slot (not sure about this.
The screen is slightly better than the Xoom when compared.
I'm going to go back to Best Buy and compare to the Transformer on Tuesday if they get them in see how the 2 fair. We are looking at $50 difference.
Iconia A500 has full standalone GPS (it's advertised on the box). It also vibrates for gaming and notifications. Screen is not bad at all.
In the 2nd picture, Iconia is on top. Will post comparison later when it's fully charged.

Apparently, transformer does not have GPS chip in it. That is a real deal breaker.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App

dumon said:
Apparently, transformer does not have GPS chip in it. That is a real deal breaker.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sure, many sources say it does. I think all official Honeycomb devices are going to have standalone GPS chip by default. The Xoom Wifi didn't have GPS advertised but, I put Copilot in it and it navigated perfect. I tethered to my phone, and Google Navigation was flawless. Don't worry about it. Transformer is going to have it too.

dumon said:
Apparently, transformer does not have GPS chip in it. That is a real deal breaker.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you get this information please?
As far as i know that you need Wifi connection to set up destination and stuff. After that you can be out of wifi range you can still get tracking via gps. Also if there is map on your device the gps can work with that too...
Also Iconia dont have Gorilla glass. Which for me is a big plus for Transformer.

dumon said:
Apparently, transformer does not have GPS chip in it. That is a real deal breaker.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was confirmed yesterday by Anand that it DOES have GPS hardware - he confirmed with Asus. It should function just like the (edit) WiFi (/edit) Xoom does - for Google Maps, it needs a data connection (to stream map data)... but it should otherwise be able to pick up a GPS signal.
There are a few threads here talking about it and providing links and quotes and such... I just figured I'd try and mention this early on in this thread.

shin lucifer said:
Where did you get this information please?
As far as i know that you need Wifi connection to set up destination and stuff. After that you can be out of wifi range you can still get tracking via gps. Also if there is map on your device the gps can work with that too...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, it's a full GPS chip, stupid engadget has been falsely spreading bull about the Transformer tablet like wild. The map data is not stored locally, that's all.
Anyway, OP... is the screen s-ips? I'm holding out for the Transformer, but kinda curious...

dumon said:
apparently, transformer does not have gps chip in it. That is a real deal breaker.
Sent from my htc hd2 using xda app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it has gps!

gordec said:
It has few things over the Xoom (current have) and the Transformer it seems.
-NVIDIA’s ULP GeForce graphics on top of Tegra2
-Full USB on the tablet itself
-I heard rumors of the microUSB slot is also an inactive LTE 4G sim slot (not sure about this.
The screen is slightly better than the Xoom when compared.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All Tegra 2 devices have the same ULP GeForce graphics. If they didn't, they'd have no use for a screen.
I haven't heard the rumors about the microUSB being an "inactive LTE 4G sim slot," and that really doesn't make much sense to me.
About the screen being better, that's interesting. I can't wait to compare the Transformer's to the Xoom's when I get my Asus hopefully next week. I'll report in when I do.

Wow, I didn't know the Xoom had a yellow tint like that.

We've already had 5 threads on this Yes, the transformer has gps.

LTE future 4G
From Slashgear recent review:
"There’s a removable cover at the top (or the side, however you’d like to look at it,) that reveals your SDcard slot and future functional slot for LTE SIM card. You can jam up to 64GB of memory on an SDcard in that first slot, while the SIM card slot remains inactive for now."
http://www.slashgear.com/acer-iconia-tab-a500-review-20147156/
Fact or fiction. You be the judge. Pretty exciting thought though if it's true.

Gordec, comparison aside, how do you find that the Iconia fits what you expect out of a tablet? Any surprises (good or bad) in there for you?

gordec said:
From Slashgear recent review:
"There’s a removable cover at the top (or the side, however you’d like to look at it,) that reveals your SDcard slot and future functional slot for LTE SIM card. You can jam up to 64GB of memory on an SDcard in that first slot, while the SIM card slot remains inactive for now."
http://www.slashgear.com/acer-iconia-tab-a500-review-20147156/
Fact or fiction. You be the judge. Pretty exciting thought though if it's true.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that makes some sense and it's how things are configured on the 3G Xoom. I'd been referring to your OP that said the "microUSB" was going to double as an LTE SIM card slot.
The big question would be, though: which carrier would allow the use of the tablet on their network without any branding? Normally, they like to sell these things themselves, although of course there are unlocked cell phones that aren't branded either.
I wonder if perhaps a place for a slot is there but will only be functional on a carrier-branded version one day? For example, the Xoom has the same space on the wifi-only version where the 3G version has a functional LTE SIM slot.
Does any Acer documentation confirm that the wifi-only version will one day be able to convert to a 4G version on a carrier? That would certainly be a plus...

dfin13 said:
Wow, I didn't know the Xoom had a yellow tint like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It probably doesn't have it. It's the effect of bad white balance of the photo. Or it could be viewing angles related (but in reality it will never be that bad).

Magnesus said:
It probably doesn't have it. It's the effect of bad white balance of the photo. Or it could be viewing angles related (but in reality it will never be that bad).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
all the moto droid phones I've played with had a yellowish tint, even the cameras had the tint. the xoom was no different.

jamerican413 said:
Gordec, comparison aside, how do you find that the Iconia fits what you expect out of a tablet? Any surprises (good or bad) in there for you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's lighter than the Xoom but the construction doesn't feel as expensive and sturdy as the Xoom or Ipad even though the back suppose to be aluminum. It's not bad but not great. Otherwise, it feels the same as Xoom There is no Acer custom UI at all, just pure Google experience tablet.
Wifi, GPS and USB both work as is described. My old Western Digital MyBook Syncs pretty well. Some review say external HDs don't work, but mine worked fine. It supports FAT or FAT32 only though. My NTSC USB jump drive didn't read.
Overall I would say little nicer screen than the Xoom. The experience is the same. Full USB is a big plus for me. I have to see what the Transformer's IPS screen looks like though.

wynand32 said:
Does any Acer documentation confirm that the wifi-only version will one day be able to convert to a 4G version on a carrier? That would certainly be a plus...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, Acer's manual doesn't mention it. It doesn't even mention that the Sim slot is there, just say microSD slot. I'm too lazy to call Acer.
I don't see a significant advantage of the Iconia over the Transformer on paper.
Iconia:
Pros:
- full USB
- Dolby sound
Cons:
- possibly less stellar screen
- $50 more
Transformer
Pros:
- IPS screen
- $50 cheaper
Con:
- no USB on the tablet
I wouldn't even place the whole ghost sim slot into your decision making. I doubt this version would support 4G.

gordec said:
Nope, Acer's manual doesn't mention it. It doesn't even mention that the Sim slot is there, just say microSD slot. I'm too lazy to call Acer.
I don't see a significant advantage of the Iconia over the Transformer on paper.
Iconia:
Pros:
- full USB
- Dolby sound
Cons:
- possibly less stellar screen
- $50 more
Transformer
Pros:
- IPS screen
- $50 cheaper
Con:
- no USB on the tablet
I wouldn't even place the whole ghost sim slot into your decision making. I doubt this version would support 4G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sound doesn't matter one bit, by the way the transformer has "SRS 3D" sound. In reality they're all just tiny speakers with subpar sound.

Thanks for the info, OP. Please keep us updated on your thoughts on the Iconia. I was looking into the Iconia and was disappointed to not find many comprehensive reviews out on the Interwebz on it.

gordec said:
It's lighter than the Xoom but the construction doesn't feel as expensive and sturdy as the Xoom or Ipad even though the back suppose to be aluminum. It's not bad but not great. Otherwise, it feels the same as Xoom There is no Acer custom UI at all, just pure Google experience tablet.
Wifi, GPS and USB both work as is described. My old Western Digital MyBook Syncs pretty well. Some review say external HDs don't work, but mine worked fine. It supports FAT or FAT32 only though. My NTSC USB jump drive didn't read.
Overall I would say little nicer screen than the Xoom. The experience is the same. Full USB is a big plus for me. I have to see what the Transformer's IPS screen looks like though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So... do you think you like it enough to keep it, knowing there are a sea of tablets coming down the pipeline?

Samsung 10.1 vs Transformer

Hey everyone,
I'm trying to purchase a tablet and am undecided between the transformer and samsung tab 10.1. Just wondering if anyone who has used one or both could help me out with the decision. Ill be using the tablet mostly for entertainment and for school once or twice a week. Thanks for the help!
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

The Gtab 1 or 2? If you're refering to the first gen, of course Transformer is better. As for second gen, its not released yet so anything people say is mostly opinion based on specs

I prefer the asus spec wise. All the extra standardized ports and external storage slot are why people choose android over ios, imo. Internals seem similarly matched, Sammy gets the prize for prettiest tablet. If these were laptops sammy would be an nice ultra portable and asus would be the good all-purpose.

I would get the TF for best bang for the buck. You will save 100 bucks and on top of it it has a microsd slot and hdmi port, where the Samsung 10.1 does not. If you just wants looks well then go with the 10.1. I believe that Samsung made a huge mistake not including a microsd slot.... PLS vs IPS screen,what 10% brighter then the IPS screen on the TF not worth it to me. With that extra 100 bucks you save you could get the dock.....TF for the FTW.....

I wanted a galaxy.. but I have to say the lack of SDcard slot on the thing was an absolute dealbreaker. I really couldn't be happier with my transformer at this point.. especially with 3.1 fixing the YouTube / video problems

SLG951 said:
Hey everyone,
I'm trying to purchase a tablet and am undecided between the transformer and samsung tab 10.1. Just wondering if anyone who has used one or both could help me out with the decision. Ill be using the tablet mostly for entertainment and for school once or twice a week. Thanks for the help!
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this may be a little off.. but no one can compare the Samsung 10.1 since its not out. ill give you my opinion about the Xoom and the 10.1 off what i know.
I have heard from people who got the special edition Samsung 10.1 version, was that it had a better screen than the Xoom. the only thing that attracts me to the Samsung 10.1 is the thinness.. but after having a transformer, the size feels just right. I want something there , not just paper thin.
To be honest, get the Transformer.. I had the Xoom for 2 weeks and straight out of the box i knew there was an issue. I tried to enjoy it, but the screen kept turning me off. I went to the motorola forums and random other people posted asking if they would fix it via a firmware update? kinda like how the Nexus 1 got tweaked. There was no solid info regarding the screen. if your looking at the screen 100% of the time it needs to look good. At Angles, the Xoom looked blurry. I always had to hold it directly at me. While my Transformer (4 days new) i can set it down and tilt my head from my PC or any angle and it looks nice, colorful and sharp.
One of the turn off was that the Samsung 10.1 tab had a 3mp camera for front while the Transformer has a 5. these are just minor things but to me, id rather have a 5mp.
IMO, The colors stand out better than the Xoom but i cant compare the Samsung 10.1 which is not out yet.. With the new firmware 3.1 , it kicks even more ass. Samsung has said it would ship with 3.1 out the door. I haven't had any screen bleeding or creaking like a few have stated. Im completely happy in my purchase. Now i want the dock (which is not something i wanted originally) but the Transformer is an excellent Tablet.
What it comes down to is features, Skins ect. The Xoom has a Barometer built in, Transformer has a GPS without a carrier (but works better at tracking you when you uses a hotspot type of device) beyond that, its a click and it shows you the map where your at... i have had problems following me ...say in a car, while im driving. I think the built in Transformer GPS is meant for not moving objects but just a quick glance of the location. If you want it actively following you, like a cell phone GPS use a hotspot from Comcast 20$ a month or create a hotspot with your cellphone.
Im not sure what the Samsung 10.1 has exclusively built in. But since i purchased the transformer, ive forgotten about the Sammy 10.1 tab.

Thanks for the input everyone. Ya the biggest fear I had was not enough ports, especially the hdmi. The transformer is looking like a better pick to me. Just making sure that cloud based storage and remote desktop is standard on all of them right?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

SLG951 said:
Thanks for the input everyone. Ya the biggest fear I had was not enough ports, especially the hdmi. The transformer is looking like a better pick to me. Just making sure that cloud based storage and remote desktop is standard on all of them right?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
the remote desktop is kind of a joke, the reason being that you have to be on the same network as the computer youre linking to. mightbas well use the computer itself if youre that close! but this can always be replaced with other apps readily available in the market. i heard PhoneMyPC was a good alternative, only $15. as for the unlimited storage, its free for a year starting from when you sign up.

coasterman927 said:
the remote desktop is kind of a joke, the reason being that you have to be on the same network as the computer youre linking to. mightbas well use the computer itself if youre that close! but this can always be replaced with other apps readily available in the market. i heard PhoneMyPC was a good alternative, only $15. as for the unlimited storage, its free for a year starting from when you sign up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You do not have to be on the same network. Please don't spread false information.
Sent from my CM7 Supersonic

The screen on the TF is imho, very good but not great. With all the hype, a more objective review is required. I find the red a bit too brown and the black levels weak. You can see this if you use the attached color chart from this review's video: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Asus-Transformer-Eee-Pad-TF101-vs-Acer-Iconia-A500-vs-Motorola-Xoom-vs-Apple-iPad-2.53242.0.html . I suspect the samsung will have a better screen since they want to showcase their new PLS screen technology.
Note: the attached file size was limited to a 96k upload limit so it is better to download it yourself.

I had been going back and forth for over a month on if I wanted the Transformer or Galaxy Tab 10.1.
I purchased a Transformer a month ago when it first game out and like it, but was also bothered by some small issues. And I kinda think it's a little ugly. I ended up returning it and waiting on the Galaxy Tab 10.1
At the time I thought the Galaxy Tab 10.1 would have a micro SD slot (it was shown having one at CTIA). But now it seems the Wifi model doesn't have a micro SD slot. And one thing I learned from my 16GB iPad 1 experience is 16GB and no micro SD slot are a bad combination. So if I was going to by a Galaxy Tab 10.1, I'd have to spend at least $600 on the 32GB model.
I love the look of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, I love how thin and light it is. I love the PLS display. At least I love all that third hand from what I've seen of it so far. But the price difference for me is now $200, since I could get a 16GB Transformer and use a 16GB micro SD card I already own to get 32GB, versus having to buy a 32GB Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Yesterday I canceled my pre-order for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and today I went to the store and bought the Transformer again. It's not perfect, but it's pretty dang good and better than anything else available now and apparently in the near future.
I love that it has micro SD, mini HDMI, micro USB, an IPS display, and is still pretty light compared to the other Honeycomb tablets out now.
I'll learn to live with the crappy speakers, goofy wide with rough edges, and ugly color. For only $400 though, it's also pretty amazing deal. And if I can ever find a keyboard dock, that'll just make it even sweeter as an Android netbook.
I really wanted to love the Galaxy Tab 10.1. If it wasn't for the lack of a micro SD slot, I would still be waiting for that instead. That is just one thing I really don't want to sacrifice. Samsung really is copying Apple a little too much these days.

coasterman927 said:
the remote desktop is kind of a joke, the reason being that you have to be on the same network as the computer youre linking to. mightbas well use the computer itself if youre that close! but this can always be replaced with other apps readily available in the market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh? Port forwarding! btw Splashtop is much better then logmein and its free with the purchase of TF. RD is a must for me casue I have my server which has no keyboard mouse, or monitor, having the ability to access it from the TF is much more easier then use my notebook.

dazz87 said:
Huh? Port forwarding! btw Splashtop is much better then logmein and its free with the purchase of TF. RD is a must for me casue I have my server which has no keyboard mouse, or monitor, having the ability to access it from the TF is much more easier then use my notebook.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll add that there's a version of Splashtop coming that will support connecting to any device via a Gmail account. The desktop version has already been updated to support that, and so all we need is an update to the Android version. Then, you'll be able to connect to any machine over the Internet without fussing about with port forwarding that the like.
I remember Asus stating that support for the feature will be coming over the summer, and so we don't have long to wait. And I'm very impressed with how well the solution performs over wifi--I use it to watch TV via Windows Media Center on my desktop while my wife watches something else on the TV in the bedroom. It's as good as being at the desktop.

coasterman927 said:
the remote desktop is kind of a joke, the reason being that you have to be on the same network as the computer youre linking to. mightbas well use the computer itself if youre that close! but this can always be replaced with other apps readily available in the market. i heard PhoneMyPC was a good alternative, only $15. as for the unlimited storage, its free for a year starting from when you sign up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I enjoy remoting my pc which is on the second floor while I'm having a meeting on the 4th floor. you'll be the joke when you keep giving bad example.

I was in the same boat. But I saw it on amazon and just bought the ASUS. Done and done.

Nuke please.. it duped.

You can go either way if the lack of the SD has no impact to you.
On the other hand, there is the support side of it, which was the major decision factor for me.
20,000 people on a Samsung Pad is good, and there may be some good XDA support.
200,000+ people on the Asus EEE Transformer with custom kernels and fixes before asus can even think about addressing them is the biggest factor when it comes to android based devices.
Its the same reason I was on the moment, and same for the Epic 4G. Tons of people, tons of community support, so anything that might be broken has an incredible chance of being actually addressed as people will take it into their own hands.
Plus the factor that Developers will support and ensure their software works on the devices with pure numbers.
Oh, and on the Splashtop chatter. Take a look at your running services, its already there "Splashtop Remote". Just be nice to be able to use it, or has someone figured out how we can use it already?

Anonnie said:
Oh, and on the Splashtop chatter. Take a look at your running services, its already there "Splashtop Remote". Just be nice to be able to use it, or has someone figured out how we can use it already?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My cloud app >[a bunch of next buttons]> my desktop and that runs splashtop for you

I had the same difficulty, though I was under the assumption that the Samsung had miniHDMI / MicroSD / USB ports. Of course I choose the transformer in the end because the extra battery / keyboard option is a nice addon though I don't plan on to buy but if i ever wanted more battery I'd know how to get it xD. The other thing that help me decide was that I personally believe ASUS has a better support staff for computing than Samsung, personal experience.

I walked into a Best Buy today and was looking for a TF, which of course they did not have. they had an Acer Iconia, so I went to go check it out. It was really heavy, and was wondering if the TF is similar in weight. Looking back, it might have been something attached to the Iconia that might've made it heavy, but I am not so sure. Also, all internals for Iconia/TF/Tab are all the same so they will perform similarly if used the same way, correct?

Why is the Iconia so far behind?

I still cannot understand why the A500 is not in the top 5 tablets, rarely in the top 10. I love my a500 and I think it out beats any other tab. It has all the ports you need, its fast, just as fast as an overclocked Xoom or G-tab, and it cant be overclocked yet!!!!!! Wait till the new kernal comes out! But so far the Xoom, Eee Pad, Playbook and Galaxy 10.1 are always beating it. The A500 has all the features of all these tablets combined. The Xoom sd doesnt work and no usb port, same with the Eee pad, Galaxy has not ports at all (damn you apple for influencing such a stupid idea)! and the playbook is half the size and lacks everything, more like a big phone. It might be heavier (by an arm tearing, wrist breaking, cardio session .25lb) than all these tabs but who cares if you get all the ports, cameras gps, gyroscope, accelerometer and compass.
Why is the Acer not acknowledged for what it has?! I think it is the king right now.
What do you guys think?

I think all the tabs are good to some extent, but it seems the A500 always takes a hit on wieght and the screen. I personally love mine. I have no issues with the videos I have watched and as for speed, I think it is on par to the rest. The reviews that lump the PlayBook and iPad2 in with the android pads are not fair. They are not the same class of tab. Completely different OS. If I was a business man using a Blackberry phone, I would have chose the PlayBook. They play well together because the PlayBook was designed that way. If I want to play a few games, surf the WEB, read a book, or friend then I would choose an iPad or the Galaxey 10.1.
That is not what I wanted. I wanted the flexability to expand and use periferials without a special cable, adapter or such, so I chose the Acer A500 and am quite pleased with it. I with all the useres would quite bashing the other tabs. Each like what they like for what ever reason they like it. No different here. Next year the next great tab will come out. For now, for me, it is the A500. I do not need to defend my decision. It is mine.
Happy tabbing.

I do love mine too, and sincerely, I don´t care to top lists or trendings.
I used to have an iPhone 4, never got used to it. I never got the concept of missing a home screen, the need of iTunes and a lot of other details.
Anyway, if you are happy with your tablet, ignore those lists. It´s your opinion that matters to yourself, period.

I don't know, I just love this fat bus****!

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I ve had the xoom for 10 days i got the sd to work and upgraded to 3.1
the build is quite nice but for the price and the lack of usb i returned it for an a500 and am loving it... Go acer

I for one don't know or care why the Acer is rated so low. I did quite a bit of reading and research before I got mine and compared to the other tablets I was looking at, it had the most features and a really good screen. With the possible exception of the Toshiba tablet which isn't even out yet the Acer has the most bang for my hard earned buck. My one complaint and its a small one is the lack of accessories. I do like me some accessories.

karlkarloff said:
I for one don't know or care why the Acer is rated so low. I did quite a bit of reading and research before I got mine and compared to the other tablets I was looking at, it had the most features and a really good screen. With the possible exception of the Toshiba tablet which isn't even out yet the Acer has the most bang for my hard earned buck. My one complaint and its a small one is the lack of accessories. I do like me some accessories.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What accessories do you want? You have a case, docking station, screen protector, HDI cable and a pethra of USB items that you can attach. Way more than most of the other tabs on the market. The after market seems to be getting on the band wagon too. Won't be long until you will find anything you are looking for.

maybe some hardcase angrybird, or diamond cover stuff...
hahaha
Actually I will do prefer have more "case, cover" choices, not just a sad black leather things....
but
I have to say
WEIGHT should not be taken as a bad point... for me it's a better point I do love feel what I have in the hand.

i think its just because of the brand...
come on, acer vs apple vs samsung vs motorola
this is all about brand, you know 80% of people in this world are branded mind...

There was an article on Cnet yesterday that says Acer is vieing for the number two spot in the tablet market right now.
http://m.cnet.com/Article.rbml?nid=20073055&cid=null&bcid=&bid=-64

Search for top android tablets on cnet.......a500 is at 5th position....and in the specs.....the ram is given as ddr3...!
Sent from my XT720 using XDA App

Isn't the Xoom barely thinner and the same weight anyway?
Either way i'm happy with my device, and that's really all that matters. Even though some of the others may look nicer and be thinner/lighter, it's not worth the price premium imo.

Xoom has a very poor build, like anything moto.
Either way guys ,perhaps you haven't noticed the price on the Iconia.
Corners have been cut where they've not been strictly essential, eg. no divx support (codec) and especially no ads. This thing hs been available right from the start in my country (some hell hole on the border of the EU) where things always come in last.
If there were no ads, I imagine tech sites like engadget haven't been paid to make a proper review (no, they don't do them for passion for technology, only for cash or when a product reaches critical hype)
That being said, this is a product for the tech savvy who don't get a device just because of the hype. I like my device cheaper and less advertised, thank you.

Bec07 said:
Xoom has a very poor build, like anything moto.
Either way guys ,perhaps you haven't noticed the price on the Iconia.
Corners have been cut where they've not been strictly essential, eg. no divx support (codec) and especially no ads. This thing hs been available right from the start in my country (some hell hole on the border of the EU) where things always come in last.
If there were no ads, I imagine tech sites like engadget haven't been paid to make a proper review (no, they don't do them for passion for technology, only for cash or when a product reaches critical hype)
That being said, this is a product for the tech savvy who don't get a device just because of the hype. I like my device cheaper and less advertised, thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Omg I want a LIKE Button for can LIKE this post !!!!

still not sure if i want it - why did you buy?

i am still not sure i want to by the Acer,,, or the Asus..
be honest with me.. why did YOU buy the Acer.
it doesnt have to be Asus vs Acer. it can just be why you got the Acer.
was it the usb port?, the expandable memory? price? (target has them for $399 so i am really tempted.)
so what pushed you over the edge to buy the Iconia ?
i also am still not sure if it cna see dSLR cameras on the USB port to read the images off the cameras memory card so if someone says it works for their dSLR then thats a huge game changer for me.
i own an ipad and its really really a tough choice given the app and game availability on the ipad, but i am an android phone user so i am very familiar with Android.

USB Full
All the features, mainly usb

To be honest, it was down to the Acer or the ASUS for me although I did like the fact the hardware was working at launch (SD slot, USB etc).
While everyone seems to be complaining on the Acer ROM update schedule, or lack thereof, I am happily running a custom ROM (of which there are several now) which is now at 3.2
What drove me to the Acer was it was available when I decided to buy. Otherwise, it would have been a hard choice. But, I think after actually looking and holding the ASUS I would have picked the Acer.
I use it primarily for business (sales) showing customers products by using well bookmarked PDF files, email (I moved my domain over to Google Apps for business and quick lookups while I am on the road (WiFi tether to my HTC phone) so I don't need a seperate data plan.
No complaints.

do either of you own or owned an ipad to give me your thought comparisons outside of the obvious massive App lead that the ipad has?

I got it for free... kinda... I traded some work for it.
I needed an upgrade from the Archos 101 which was only about three weeks old at the time I saw the upcoming Acer. Preordered it from BB.
I still would have gotten the Acer if Asus TF was available. I need the USB. Period. And I don't care about the TF dock feature.

Well I just plugged my Canon Power Shot A1100 IS in and the Aconia recognized it right away and the pictures showed up right away.
I haven't tried my Nikon or Canon DSLR yet but no reason why they shouldn't work as well on jpg files.
I bought it because of the USB slot, expandable memory, HDMI and the price.

Bought mine for simple reasons
I did the stupid thing and did not bother to do any homework before going out and buying my first tablet (apple I pad 2) - returned to the store the next day. Had no idea it had no native flash support (the "solution" was to use Skyfire for crummy flash support).
Went home, did my homework - when it came down to simple price/vs features the Acer Iconia seemed like the best choice - microSd, full size USB port (awesome for me - it works with a USB hub also, I have lots of USB devices).
Not sure we can claim apple has much if any "app lead" over android tablets - and once you consider how many apps are written for the Android phone but run great under Honeycomb as well. Don't feel much of an app shortage here, the Droid market is freaking huge.
All in all, very happy with my purchase.

I bought mine largely due to the full-sized USB port as I'm an avid retrogamer, so getting to play emulators with the actual controllers (I have USB adapters for them) on my tablet was pretty much a childhood fantasy come true ^_^.
Anyway, that and I really love the metal casing... it just feels solid and sturdy, not large or bulky at all even though it's the heaviest tab of the bunch. I'm sure in some instances, like holding it up over your head in bed or something, you'd notice the weight, but really, there are no heavy or bulky tablets in this category at all, only those that are impressively small like the Galaxy Tab 10.1.
I will note that Acer is so far the worst at getting updates out, but the community here seems pretty devoted, not to mention there's a ton of cross-developer action as the Tegra 2that all of these share means much of the software can just be transplanted from one brand to another. So, if you're going to root and run roms, software becomes a bit less of a concern. As far as the hardware goes, I love it myself.

It was a choice between the Acer and Asus for me. I got the Acer because I was impatient, but I ended up not returning it because after using it I couldn't see myself getting by with no usb and no flash. I considered the new Galaxy Tab as well but for the same reason I decided not to wait.
If I DID end up waiting, I'm sure I'd have decided to wait for a Kal-El based tablet. At some point in the 'waiting for better to come' game, you have to take a step or you'll never buy a product. I use the tablet daily, even my wife uses it now and so it's proven it's value to me.
I use the flash for extremely stupid things, but tbh to each his own, right? One of these things is to sneak into bed at night. By the time I go to bed sometimes my wife is already sleeping and she's a very light sleeper. Flicking a light on to see where I'm going would surely wake her up and it's sometimes difficult to navigate around the bed (without smacking off a big or little toe). I thought, "can I live without the flash? Sure!" But it would be an inconvenience, especially if I do ever find myself in a slightly more important scenario where I need it and don't have (for taking a pic in low light, for eg).
The USB is a must as I travel a lot and the big reason for getting the tablet beyond using it in my home is so I can travel light (without having to use my laptop). With the usb I can plug flash drives or hard drives in and watch my tv series and movies or use it to juice my phone if I strain it chatting too long or whatever.
Other than that, I didn't like the feel of the Transformer and I didn't want to depend on getting/using the keyboard part to have usb functionality. I had been keeping up with all the pics of the light bleed and saw it first hand. Who wants to worry about getting a tablet with light bleed at a time when they weren't in very many stores? That would have meant back and forth shipping. Not my thing.
The Acer is fully usable as-is, with the Asus and Samsung you MUST buy accessories for them to get a usb port.
I also considered resale value, like any tech head . If I am to resell my Acer A500 right now, I'm going to get ~$400 for it (not everyone knows about the sale price of 350 at certain stores). In a few months, I will lose another $50 to depreciation...as by then I'm sure the price will further fall to something more attractive to fringe and impulse buyers.
The Samsung with added accessories to make it function similarly to the Acer is already in the $550 region, but it will depreciate exactly the same as the Acer, unfortunately. Same with the Asus.
So after you buy the accessories to get USB (if you need it), you still end up selling the other tabs (with accessories) for approximately the same price as the Acer, as resale value for accessories is little to nothing and you can very rarely if at all sell them on their own. (This is based on the many, many times I've seen people reselling their tablets with accessories like docks and cases for way, way less than what they got it for).
In essence, you lose more money with the other tablets IF you need* to accessorize them. *(to play catch up to the A500, like buy the keyboard section for Asus or buy the proprietary addon for the Samsung to get USB)

I replied before reading the whole thread and missed the inquiries into the Apple side of things <insert evil grin>... imma hate me some on Apple, hoo wee. Android is slowly doing to Apple in the mobile market what Microsoft did to Apple in the computer market. What's amazing is that everyone always said Microsoft beat Apple because of developer support, because Windows had all the software, all the games. Now, we've seen the exact opposite, Apple with all of the software goodies and their competitor standing out alone on their OS alone... but what happened this time? Android is proving once and for all that Apple's walled-garden approach, their almost communistic approach to electronics just isn't going to appeal to the masses once they are exposed to the idea of choice, something Android offers in spades. We all want to do whatever we want with our devices... they are OUR devices after all, not Apple's or Samsung's or HTC's or Google's. Apple has made it clear that they intend to impose strict control over their hardware and software, whereas Google has opened the door wide and invited everyone in with a gentle wave. I, for one, after having had (and at the time loved) an iPhone for 2 years, will NEVER buy a single Apple product again.

entropy.of.avarice said:
I did the stupid thing and did not bother to do any homework before going out and buying my first tablet (apple I pad 2) - returned to the store the next day. Had no idea it had no native flash support (the "solution" was to use Skyfire for crummy flash support).
Went home, did my homework - when it came down to simple price/vs features the Acer Iconia seemed like the best choice - microSd, full size USB port (awesome for me - it works with a USB hub also, I have lots of USB devices).
Not sure we can claim apple has much if any "app lead" over android tablets - and once you consider how many apps are written for the Android phone but run great under Honeycomb as well. Don't feel much of an app shortage here, the Droid market is freaking huge.
All in all, very happy with my purchase.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not a huge Apple fan at all but in their defense they do have a huge "app lead" and it's not necessarily the number or amt. (though it certainly does have that as well) it's the popularity of the device. The iPad has had hulu and netflix forever and Android is just getting it now. It's not a huge deal but the fact is, apps will almost always hit IOS first, and that IS saying something.
I agree with you though, I don't feel a shortage. I have every app I need (and many I don't, lol) so I'm not worried. With Hulu and Netflix now on 2.2/2.3 and heading soon to 3.1 I can safely say I'm completely happy with my purchase as well.

v_lestat said:
do either of you own or owned an ipad to give me your thought comparisons outside of the obvious massive App lead that the ipad has?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't, my daughter and son-in-law do (Ipad 1 & 2). I had enough time to use theirs but to each his own they say.
I like being able to read/write office files (Polaris) and maybe you can do that in the App Store?? I also don't like needing to use iTunes for everything (and maybe you don't?).
Like I said, no regrets on my part.

If I was going to be torn between devices it wouldn't be between the Acer and the Asus it would be between the Acer and the Toshiba Thrive.
I have the ipad2 32gb 3g Verizon. Stood in line on March 11. It's nice I play w/ it occasionally. I really like my Acer a500 though. It does more than the ipad can. Imo the Acer is a better machine.
I have the Nikon d3100 dslr. Both tablets will display the jpegs. I pop out the SD card and use a card reader, in the Acer, or the adapter, in the Apple, to access the pictures.
Also, starting tomorrow, the Acer is $350 at Target ($399-50gc).

Like most people, full size USB. All Android tablets are pretty much the same... this had full size USB so easy choice.
However, if I had to make a choice now, it'd be a bit harder cos the Tosh Thrive has it as well but that looks massive! But you can get it in pretty colours.. oooh!
edit: Oh, I also see it has a full size hdmi! I've already broken 2 micro-hdmi cables on the Acer cos all u need to do is put a tiny bit of pressure on the cable and the end snaps off!

For me it was all about the SD expandability, if I had known about the Toshiba Thrive, I probabbaly would have waited. It's not all about micro-weight and thickness with me. Acer tab has micro SD up to 32 G, Toshiba has full SD up to 128 G I believe.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App

has anyone compare this acer iconia a500 to the viewsonic gtab, which have similar hardware. only difference is the older android 2.2. it has usb and hdmi and etc... i am debating between the two. also gtab aonly cost 260 buck at amazon

As far as the gTablet goes, the software isn't a concern since roms for all of these Tegra 2 devices are becoming plentiful and easy to install, so finding 3.0 or 3.1 on the gTablet is likely a piece of cake. Now, as far as the SCREEN goes ...
The aspect ratio on the gTablet is just off... everything is squished just a little, so round things are slightly ovular, squares are slightly rectangular... I got a Pocket eDGe off of woot a while back and it was the exact same way. The screen on the gTablet is also off-center with that thick-ass bezel along the bottom. Personally, I originally wanted a gTablet until I saw that screen, but if you can live with it and wanna run a custom rom, it's the cheapest way to get a Tegra 2 tablet, and it even has a full-size USB port on there, which was one of the reasons I'd originally considered it. As for how it feels in the hand, I played with one and it feels like a cheap Xoom... similar thickness and feel to the edges, but obviously a lower (though acceptable) build quality. I still think the way my Acer feels in my hands is the best of all those I've tried, including the Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1 (oh but the GTab 10 is f-ing sexy... my bf has that one). If you can afford the Acer, I'd still say go for that one, but if money is your primary concern and you're not bothered by the screen, go for it. Just remember, the screen's resolution is slightly lower (1024x600 vs 1280x800 on the rest), and there's only 512MB RAM in there vs the 1GB the others have... also only a front facing cam, none on the back, but I never take pics with my tablet anyway... that's what my phone is for. Otherwise, it's Tegra 2 all the way... it's definitely worth what they're going for these days, but so is the Acer even though it costs more.

Torisen said:
For me it was all about the SD expandability, if I had known about the Toshiba Thrive, I probabbaly would have waited. It's not all about micro-weight and thickness with me. Acer tab has micro SD up to 32 G, Toshiba has full SD up to 128 G I believe.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm right there with you. I'm still within my return window, so I'm seriously considering returning the a500 and getting the thrive when it comes in august. I've always been a toshiba fan.
My only concern is will the toshiba be locked down and unrootable.

Mainly because of Android (aka not an oversize iPod) and the USB slot.
Would have gone for another if it was thinner. Now with the acer case on it's darn fat and heavy. If you don't really care about the USB go for samsung 8.9. I'm still torn between the two.

Target plus $50 gift card
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App