Database Users

Transformer vs Galaxy tab 10.1

I literally just put my order in about 3 days ago and will see my TF on Thursday, but I'm having second thoughts. A friend of mine just got his TF in today, and - well I dunno, I'm not all that impressed.
Out of the box came with the speaker issue (one side is louder than the other). The sound wasn't all that loud
Screen brightness was kind of low
The sharp edges were cutting my fingers
So I started to have a read about the differences between the Transformer & the Galaxy tab in the Galaxy Tab section. However, I think everyone posting there is biased toward the tab because they are now tab fanboys posting in their forum.
A few things I do like about the TF. Price of $399 (unbeatable) Expandable ports, dock option, memory slot, hdmi out, 5mpx camera. Do I think I'll use all of that (except price)? Probably not.
A few things I like about the Tab. Same size screen with less bulk, thinner, lighter, rounded edges, very solid build quality. Do I think its worth an extra $100 for these items? I think so. Plus I know the resale value will definitely be there because its a well known brand.
I haven't made up my mind completely on this but im about 80% of the way there in returning my TF and going with the Tab.
Thoughts, comments?

Nobody can decide for you. Do whatever you are happiest with.

Having used a hybrid tablet/netbook like the Transformer, I would never buy a tablet-only device.

^x2
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

It's more than $100 (or here in germany 100€). You don't have a MicroSD Slot and HDMI-out. Do you need both options you must pay way more. And for the same price you can get a Transformer+Dock.
I don't see, why anybody would pay more for less...

Hi mate,
I have had the TF since release day and to be honest I'm very happy with it. It does what I need it to do very well: reading books, browse internet, playing games, plays movies (although there are some issues).
On the other hand I don't need and I will never get the dock, simply because if I wanted a netbook there are much better options on the market. And I have one of them as well.
Because of that I'm waiting to see the Galaxy Tab in real life, hold it in my hands. And if that offers everything that I need and is better than the TF I might go for it.
So good luck choosing! Let us know what you go for.
rio
PS: Actually what I'm considering at the moment is the small Galaxy tab 8.9 (I think). That one was on the Samsung website for a while, but I'm not sure what is the current status

rio911 said:
PS: Actually what I'm considering at the moment is the small Galaxy tab 8.9 (I think). That one was on the Samsung website for a while, but I'm not sure what is the current status
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Click to collapse
Actually that is the "MEDIUM" Galaxy Tab. THe "small" one is the 7 inch versions and there are two of them. The powerful 3G/Wifi one and the neutered and less power Wifi only version.
The MAJOR downside to any Galaxy Tabs are :
1.) Updates are so slow....MONTHS behind the others.
2.) 10 inchers have no expansion slots.....and the 8.9 as well I think.
Get whatever YOU decide to be happy with. Others cannot make that choice for you. Only YOU can.

Some people like smaller I would not be able to stand a 7" tablet or laptop without optical media. My motto has always been its the size/shape that makes it portable it doesn't matter if its 20lbs its still light and easy to move around. But then again I compare it with moving around 300-400lbs.

Digiguest said:
Actually that is the "MEDIUM" Galaxy Tab. THe "small" one is the 7 inch versions and there are two of them. The powerful 3G/Wifi one and the neutered and less power Wifi only version.
The MAJOR downside to any Galaxy Tabs are :
1.) Updates are so slow....MONTHS behind the others.
2.) 10 inchers have no expansion slots.....and the 8.9 as well I think.
Get whatever YOU decide to be happy with. Others cannot make that choice for you. Only YOU can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gtab. 10.1 also with build issues. Many are suffering from Newton rings. Dust under screen. Colors are way oversaturated.....
If u want android in an ipad like body then go Samsung. If Samsung would have made the device 1 or 2 mm thicker and put in micro SD and HDMI they also would have been able to prevent the Newton ring issue and have the one killer tablet.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

Digiguest said:
1.) Updates are so slow....MONTHS behind the others.
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Click to collapse
I don't know how you can say that really.... there hasn't been any major updates for Samsung to pass onto the Tablets. The only time when you'll be able to use that point is when Ice Cream Sandwich comes out. I'd say that 1/2 months is a good enough turn around for manufacturers to update their devices a major version.
I'd also like to note that I have a Galaxy S. While Americans are still using Eclair because of their crappy carriers wanting to hack the firmware to bits, us using unbranded european devices got Gingerbread before any other device (bar the Nexus devices). Samsung know what they are doing.

The way I see it, from my experience with the TF is this:
16GB is not enough. My music alone is near this and more. Since there is no additional storage options on the GT, you are going to have to opt for a 32GB or more which equals greater $$$ to spend. But sacrifices could be made...
So, I would say the dock is the real reason to get this thing. If you are not too excited about the dock, I wouldn't bother. The GT excels in design, but the TF excels in utility and value.

If the "sharp edges" of the Transformer are really "cutting [your] fingers," that's a physical problem with the device (or your fingers, I guess!).

Buy sleeve m8,than will be perfect

Your not the first to have these concerns. I bought the tf and was considering selling it for a tab. But what you've stated (price, microsd, HDMI out, and KB option) kept me from doing so.
I played with the tab for an hour or so and still prefer my tf. I didn't like the button placement on the tab, (they're in a more natural placement on the tf.
I did have the speaker issue on my tf but it was an easy fix. Just root it (there's a very well written guide by yours truly ;-)) and read up on the thread in the development section and it's as easy as editing a txt file.
If the edges bother you, grab a case, I'm currently using the roocase multi-angle which I got from amazon for under $30.
Other than that the only downside of the tf I see is the charger. Proprietary connection, short cable and sometimes the adapter doesn't want to work.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App

I was in the same boat. I traded my iPad2 for an Android tablet and had lots of offers. I was looking at the Galaxy Tab and thought it was for me until I found that it didn't have any expansion ports like the iPad2. It is one of the reasons why I HATED the iPad2 because you had to carry around the special USB cable to sync it... then you needed special software for it to work...
Screw all that. I need to be able to quickly get files on and off the my tablet. I don't want to have to rely on another computer or a computer with special software to read my stuff.
90% of the time you'll have access to a Home or Work PC which you will probably have setup properly... but trust me... you WILL find yourself somewhere needing to pull a picture off or text or an attachment or something and you'll be stuck. It will happen more often the more you use it.
Plus the price point. I was trading my iPad2 for whichever I wanted. Did I need the keyboard dock? No. Will I use the keyboard dock often? No. Is it badass? Yes.
The keyboard dock has an additional battery that will charge the tablet battery when docked. It also increases the functionality of the tab.
Both tablets are identical in hardware except the Transformer has lots of additional ports. microSD is a must and HDMI out is actually very handy for throwing pictures, movies, games, etc on a larger screen.
I just can't see buying the Galaxy Tab 10.1 for the same price as you could buy the Transformer + Dock.

sontin said:
It's more than $100 (or here in germany 100€). You don't have a MicroSD Slot and HDMI-out. Do you need both options you must pay way more. And for the same price you can get a Transformer+Dock.
I don't see, why anybody would pay more for less...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't exactly call the Samsung as "less" than the Transformer. I think they're different enough that it's gonna come down to how you personally use it.
One thing I'd like to point out - the Gtab is much easier to hold in your hand than the Transformer. Corners aren't as sharp, it's lighter, and seems better balanced. The texture on the back of the Gtab is easier to grab, though this could be solved with a sleeve on the Transformer.
Another point is screen reflection. The Transformer's glass is much farther away from the LCD than the glass on the Samsung. IPS screens are nice, but unless you're always going to be in a optimally lit room, you'll see a lot more reflections with the Transformer than with the Samsung Tab. Some Samsung Tab's have issues with the screen actually touching the LCD and making oil marks, but most don't.
So - the differences are definitely there. I don't you can write off the Gtab's advantages. The reflection and ergonomics itself might be worth $100.

My experience is that I just bought the Galaxy Tab 10.1 16GB about 5 days ago. I played with it over night and returned it the next day.
The following day, I purchased the Transformer 16GB and a dock for $50.00 more.
Now that I've owned the TF for 3-4 days, I'm very satisfied with it for many reasons:
- Multiple media input/out options: mini HDMI out, x2 USB ports, and SD/MMC card reader. - Will work perfectly with my Nikon P100's SD card and I can use a external HDD and plug it right into the USB port if I want to watch my movies.
- Dock acts as extended battery: I also tether my HTC Thunderbolt and plug it into the dock to keep a charge on my Thunderbolt while tethering my 4G to the Transformer.(SO MUCH WIN!!!)
- Having a keyboard when I want to compose an email is x100 better than thumbing my words through the tab. - I still use the touchscreen kb for somethings.
- Dock/keyboard has shortcut buttons which I take advantage of all the time.
- Textured casing makes handling the tablet/net book very secure and eliminates any smudges.
*I do not see where in the world you could cut your hand/finger on the tablet or the docking station. - You should tell your friend to get an RMA because there's something wrong with the one he has. Either that or he may need to see a dermatologist about amyloidosis, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Re: Samsung Galaxy 10.1
I chose that tablet first because of the sleek design. I was extremely impressed with the way that Samsung engineered the design.
HOWEVER, no more than 1-2 hours after playing with it, I came back to my senses and see how limited I was with any options. Not only does it look like an iPad but it also has all the shortcomings in hardware that the iPad does.
I have had a few Android devices and so it's practically a religion to have a microSD card for my stuff. Samsung decided to cut back on adding any option to extend storage and that was a the biggest decider for me. - All the selling points that a Android tablet has in terms of hardware-media expansion was nerfed on latest Galaxy Tab. Did Samsung want to imitate Apple so much that they even decided to try and sell a tab that requires additional parts to make it comparable to all other tablets?
In the end, this is only my real life opinion having owned both devices and what I still have now is the Asus Transformer.
Once I used the keyboard/dock with my tablet, I can not imagine another tablet without this option. Asus did a decent job in engineering the look/feel of the tab with the dock/keyboard.
*I did have to return both tab and dock/keyboard to Best Buy until I found the right Best Buy which had B60 as my previous ones were B50.
Good lucking in making your decision. If you buy it at Best Buy, you can at least return it in 14 days without restocking fee and get the other one. If you felt that first one was better than you can simply return it again and go back to the other model. I am in NO WAY suggesting to abuse a return policy but it's there and it works as mentioned.

coachclass said:
I wouldn't exactly call the Samsung as "less" than the Transformer. I think they're different enough that it's gonna come down to how you personally use it.
One thing I'd like to point out - the Gtab is much easier to hold in your hand than the Transformer. Corners aren't as sharp, it's lighter, and seems better balanced. The texture on the back of the Gtab is easier to grab, though this could be solved with a sleeve on the Transformer.
Another point is screen reflection. The Transformer's glass is much farther away from the LCD than the glass on the Samsung. IPS screens are nice, but unless you're always going to be in a optimally lit room, you'll see a lot more reflections with the Transformer than with the Samsung Tab. Some Samsung Tab's have issues with the screen actually touching the LCD and making oil marks, but most don't.
So - the differences are definitely there. I don't you can write off the Gtab's advantages. The reflection and ergonomics itself might be worth $100.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course the closer together glass in the gtab has led to the oil blob effect for Many
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

I've had my TF since right after it launched in the US and I do love it. With that being said, I do plan on picking up a galaxy tab tomorrow, the last day that you can use the $50 off coupon for any tablet at staples.
The TF definately has the advantage when it comes to storage, because of the SD card and dock if you want to buy it, which I have no interest in. The galaxy tab however has a great form factor and from my limited use with one seems to have snappier performance than my TF, even though they have almost idendical specs, and my TF is overclocked. I also prefer the screen on the tab compared to the TF.
Honestly I think that the OP will be happy with either one. My only real gripe against the TF is that the majority of them seem to suufer from light bleed or some manufacturing defect, thankfully I only have minimal bleed, and that Asus has been slow with delivering on most of the official accessories that they promised months ago. I really want the desktop dock, which is readily available for the GT at a reasonable price.
I will say that if the galaxy tab disappoints me in any way during my return window, I will gladly buy a second TF after returning it.

I own the TF since late May...only problem I have with it is that the right speaker is louder than the left.
This past Sunday I bought the Galaxy Tab for someone and yeah it looks very nice it's thinner and lighter, but it seemed to have less options than the TF (specially within the browser settings.) The browser actually froze up on me and didn't want to display any pages. Didn't like that fact that it doesn't have an external microSD slot! I ended up returning it 2 hours later because the person preferred a laptop! My short experience with it wasn't good

7.7 Portability vs iPad3

One of the big problems with the iPad other than overheating and under charging is it's poor portability. If you want to use it outside the home then you need a big bag similar to a laptop bag to carry it. The 7.7 easily fits in ladies handbags and fits in jacket pockets making it very portable.
Because the iPad3 is mostly house bound then you need to compare it with other mostly house bound devices such as laptops, netbooks, ultrabooks etc. where it does not fare well.

What is the point of this post, may I ask? Preaching to the converted?

Thanks for your random op/ed.
Sent from my iPad

alvinlts said:
What is the point of this post, may I ask? Preaching to the converted?
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Click to collapse
What right have you to question the appropriateness of other people's posts?

Gaugerer said:
What right have you to question the appropriateness of other people's posts?
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Welcome to the internet!

I think he is just haring that the Tab7.7 has better portability and I agree with him, no other tablet can rival its portability.

EarlZ said:
I think he is just haring that the Tab7.7 has better portability and I agree with him, no other tablet can rival its portability.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps the GT 7.0?
Just joking no offence
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda premium

edwinpang said:
Perhaps the GT 7.0?
Just joking no offence
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda premium
Click to expand...
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Lol its a thicker device!

EarlZ said:
Lol its a thicker device!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My bad
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda premium

I just saw somebody holding a GT 7.0, and yes, the 0.7" make a difference, especially in a case. However, I don't really mind the extra waist of my 7.7.
I too find anything larger than 7.7 to be a bit cumbersome.
sent from my dz

There can be little doubt that the 7.7 tab is more portable than the iPad and for me that was the main reason I got it over the iPad3. Not counting the size and form factor advantage the 7.7 has the iPad3 is the better device in most other areas.
Give me an 8.5 inch screen with 1920x1200 resolution in a package about the same size as the 7.7 and I'd be even happier. And, I'd even PREFER it to be about 1mm thicker for two reasons: first, room for an even bigger battery; and second, I think the 7.7 is a little TOO thin and being a bit thicker would make it easier to hold by the edges.
The iPad is too close in size to a small notebook so it's hardly any more portable than that. The 7.7 is smaller than a sheet of paper (8.5x11) folded in half -- or about the size of a paperback book.
Brian

I've got a cheap Chinese 7 inch tablet as well my 7.7 and i've got to say the .7 really does make a difference in terms of portability. The 7" one fits much more easily in a pocket anss is a lot lighter.
Oh, and the "cheapo" chinese tablet is on ICS and has much more flexible connections than the Sammy.

palexr said:
I've got a cheap Chinese 7 inch tablet as well my 7.7 and i've got to say the .7 really does make a difference in terms of portability. The 7" one fits much more easily in a pocket anss is a lot lighter.
Oh, and the "cheapo" chinese tablet is on ICS and has much more flexible connections than the Sammy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
flexible connections ? like what ? can i know the model number thingking of getting 1 as a remote for my htpc and whats the resolution ?

This 7.7 slides easily on my jeans front pocket lol
Everytime I pull it out, people are looking with a confused face 'where in the world thit that huge slab came from' = priceless

ThE_SoUrCe said:
This 7.7 slides easily on my jeans front pocket lol
Everytime I pull it out, people are looking with a confused face 'where in the world thit that huge slab came from' = priceless
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So true but the question I always get is "is that an ipad?" A bit anoying but I always tell them "no its better " lol!!!
Using Galaxy Tab 7.7 P6800

geogetski666 said:
flexible connections ? like what ? can i know the model number thingking of getting 1 as a remote for my htpc and whats the resolution ?
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Click to collapse
Hi, well the device i got was this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/NATPC-M009S-Capacitive-Gingerbread-Responsive/forum/Fx1DBIDSXCYCEJH/-/1/ref=cm_cd_f_h_dp_t?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B006M07X34 Not sure if you can get that where you are, it is a pretty generic android tablet. But it is surpisingly well made and works fine. It is slightly thicker than the 7.7 but noticeably lighter and narrower, which makes it easier to hold in one hand and put in a pocket.
In terms of the connections it has an easily reached microsd slot (no fiddly cover which feels like it is going to snap off any minute), a built-in HDMI (output to 1080), a mini-usb, 3,5 audio and a seperate power in.
The bit that I like is that I can use HDMI directly without having to pass-through the power cord. I can also use all the connections seperately. So in terms of your htpc question, it has actually replace mine. Bluetooth dongle for keyboard/mouse, hdmi to TV, power in or not, wifi connected streaming directly or from files on my PC.
The single proprietary IN on the 7.7 is a bind as far as I am concerned.
It came with 2.3.4 gingerbread on it but there are ICS 4.0.3 FWs to upgrade to - from the manufacturer.
The res is a "lowly" 800x480 but it works for me.
For £100 it is well worth the money, certainly compared to products from a certain company that thinks it sits somewhere on the right hand of whichever deity you might adhere to.

palexr said:
Hi, well the device i got was this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/NATPC-M009S-Capacitive-Gingerbread-Responsive/forum/Fx1DBIDSXCYCEJH/-/1/ref=cm_cd_f_h_dp_t?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B006M07X34 Not sure if you can get that where you are, it is a pretty generic android tablet. But it is surpisingly well made and works fine. It is slightly thicker than the 7.7 but noticeably lighter and narrower, which makes it easier to hold in one hand and put in a pocket.
In terms of the connections it has an easily reached microsd slot (no fiddly cover which feels like it is going to snap off any minute), a built-in HDMI (output to 1080), a mini-usb, 3,5 audio and a seperate power in.
The bit that I like is that I can use HDMI directly without having to pass-through the power cord. I can also use all the connections seperately. So in terms of your htpc question, it has actually replace mine. Bluetooth dongle for keyboard/mouse, hdmi to TV, power in or not, wifi connected streaming directly or from files on my PC.
The single proprietary IN on the 7.7 is a bind as far as I am concerned.
It came with 2.3.4 gingerbread on it but there are ICS 4.0.3 FWs to upgrade to - from the manufacturer.
The res is a "lowly" 800x480 but it works for me.
For £100 it is well worth the money, certainly compared to products from a certain company that thinks it sits somewhere on the right hand of whichever deity you might adhere to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the 7.7 but would not mind it being a tad thicker if that meant an even bigger battery. I would like the bezels to be smaller making it easier to hold on the sides and, once again, I think being a tad thicker would help here as well. But 800x480 -- NO F'n WAY! Not interested.
The Android makers are in a bind with Apple at one end eating up the premium dollars and the Kindle/Nook and Chinese knock offs at the other end driving the price down to unprofitable levels. The 7.7 is expensive and will likely not sell well even though the display is top of the heap and the size and form factor make it more usable than the iPad. When Apple pushes out the 7.85 tab that will be the final nail in the Android tab coffin...
Brian

Raptor1956 said:
But 800x480 -- NO F'n WAY! Not interested.
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Click to collapse
Ha, ha, ha. Yes, it really makes a world of difference
Oh, and I happen to be in the electronic component distribution industry, I can tell you the final nail in the coffin will be when the manufacturers persist in ripping the public with their vastly inflated prices. Maybe people will fall off the Apple hype wagon ahd those trying to copy them will be forced to re-evaluate their business models. Bring on the kindles and Chinese 'knock offs' (knocking what off I don't know but hey, let's stereotype why not?).
I love my 7.7 but then I didn't pay for it...

The 0.7 inch does make a difference. I had the GT 7 for a year and waited for the 7.7 for a long time for its beautiful screen the thinness. Now that I have it, it is just a tad too big. It will fit in the pants pocket but not as comfortable as the GT7.
Now, all I need is the 7 with AMOLED screen andless than 7mm thick. Next year's Super GT 7 I guess
---------- Post added at 08:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:24 PM ----------
Raptor1956 said:
When Apple pushes out the 7.85 tab that will be the final nail in the Android tab coffin...
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Click to collapse
Thats funny. As much as I like the iPad, I think the 7.85 form factor is going to be a tougher battle for Apple than the 10". I certainly won't be buying one. I tried the GT 10.1 and that is just too big, not comfortable at all.
To me between 7 to 10 (only in the 4:3 aspect ratio of the iPAD, not 16:9) is the ideal size for a tablet. And the Android devices certainly offer more choices in that range.

If Apple is smart they'd sell the 7.85 at cost to get a large percentage of the market. After all, they make 30% off of the apps and media they sell so they can sell the 7.85 at cost, kill Android in the process, and still make money from apps and media. They won't be able to so easily do this in the smart phone space, but tablets are another thing and Apple, if they play things smart, could kill Android in tablets and still profit.
When I say kill Android I'm not counting the Kindle or Nook and maybe some of the cheap Chinese ones but the major players looking to build quality tabs will not be able to do so AND make a profit...
Brian

Samsung Galaxy Tab with 11.8-Inch 2560×1600 resolution rumored again

http://androidcommunity.com/samsung...-2560x1600-resolution-rumored-again-20120810/
Sent from my GT-P6800 using xda premium

I hope there will be a 7.7" successor with full 1920x1080 resolution (and stylus). The P68x0 is easily the best tablet in the 7" category, if only it hadn't been hampered by Honeycomb and Apple lawsuits. The 7" category is significant as it's the only form factor that can be held comfortably in one hand (or in two hands for prolonged time), that is similar in size and weight to most paperback books and that allows for quick stashing in the back of your jeans or jacket pocket while in the road (whereas anything larger needs a bag). Which is also why Apple apparently wants in on this form factor as well.
I'm wondering about the use cases for these huge 10"+ tablets though. Is the size really worth the additional weight? Tablets are meant to be held, if the main use case is putting it in a stand and connecting a Bluetooth keyboard why not get a convertible laptop instead (I have a 12.1" convertible and love how I can put it down almost anywhere and still work on it).

nephridium said:
I hope there will be a 7.7" successor with full 1920x1080 resolution (and stylus). The P68x0 is easily the best tablet in the 7" category, if only it hadn't been hampered by Honeycomb and Apple lawsuits. The 7" category is significant as it's the only form factor that can be held comfortably in one hand (or in two hands for prolonged time), that is similar in size and weight to most paperback books and that allows for quick stashing in the back of your jeans or jacket pocket while in the road (whereas anything larger needs a bag). Which is also why Apple apparently wants in on this form factor as well.
I'm wondering about the use cases for these huge 10"+ tablets though. Is the size really worth the additional weight? Tablets are meant to be held, if the main use case is putting it in a stand and connecting a Bluetooth keyboard why not get a convertible laptop instead (I have a 12.1" convertible and love how I can put it down almost anywhere and still work on it).
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I would love to have a ultra high res 7.7 ... Let`s hope for the best. :good:

This would be one tablet. That apple will have to watch out for with 256ppi its screen would be quality Of ipad3, also it will have exyone 5 and t. Mali 604 which could surpass ipad3, but it would be interesting. To see if apple tries to ban this one too......
Sent from my Galaxy s3 GT-I9300

[Q] TF810 vs Ativ 500T

Seems simple as they are almost the same we should go for cheaper one...but...
is getting Samsung really a better deal?
Your thoughts? Which hybrid with Atom is the best choice and why?

I own the Samsung 500t. What I like about it besides being $200 cheaper, is the rotation lock button, full sized USB port, and a slot to store the s-pen. What I don't like is the glossy slippery plastic back, the weak speakers, and lack of second battery in the dock.
The TF810 looks like it has better build quality with mostly aluminum and some plastic, shouldn't be slippery, I think the "Quad-Speakers" are probably going to sound better. It's got a brighter Super IPS+ screen which helps if you need to use the tablet outside. And it has a second battery in the dock. Oh and it is just better looking too.
The Atom is okay, but it's video playback kinda sucks. It seems many of these Atom tablets have various driver quirks that are still being worked out. Things just don't seem to be quite ready yet and I'm already second guessing the wisdom of spending $750 on the Samsung. So I definitely wouldn't pay $950 for the ASUS (with dock).
I'm looking at the HP Envy X2 also. HP has it on sale for $750 (not sure how long this sale will last), that includes the dock. I really like the all aluminum build and the latch mechanism doesn't stick out as much as other tablets. It's also get a second battery in the dock, but has no stylus or a Wacom digitizer (apparently uses some cheaper digitizer). And some day the keyboard isn't that good either.
Seems like all the Atom tablets have some downsides that we have to figure out which ones we can accept.
I'm also thinking about just giving up on the whole keyboard docking thing and saving some money and getting a 10 inch ASUS VivoTab Smart. At least it'll make a better tablet being lighter and easier to hold. And I can prop it up in a stand and use a bluetooth keyboard. And lastly I won't feel so bad spending so much money to be a first generation Windows 8 tablet guinea pig.

Lenovo Lynx is looking pretty good too. $600 for the tablet, $150 for the dock.
http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/tablet/ideatab/lynx-k3011/?menu-id=learn&ref-id=learn
Being a Lenovo that means the keyboard should be pretty good, and the keyboard dock has a battery. Built quality looks quite nice overall, and a textured back appears grippy and finger print resistant. It has no pen though. And what really makes me nervous is the specs say the micro SD slot supports up to 32GB. No SDXC in 2013, seriously? I'm really thinking that's got to be a mistake, but I'm not sure. It's definitely a deal breaker if it isn't a mistake.

Ravynmagi said:
I own the Samsung 500t. What I like about it besides being $200 cheaper, is the rotation lock button, full sized USB port, and a slot to store the s-pen. What I don't like is the glossy slippery plastic back, the weak speakers, and lack of second battery in the dock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is a true downside. I got Galaxy S3 and I have dropped it few times beacuse back has no grip at all , I suppose laptop/tablet will be less mobile than phone but still it should allow me to carry it in safety.
Ravynmagi said:
The TF810 looks like it has better build quality with mostly aluminum and some plastic, shouldn't be slippery, I think the "Quad-Speakers" are probably going to sound better. It's got a brighter Super IPS+ screen which helps if you need to use the tablet outside. And it has a second battery in the dock. Oh and it is just better looking too.
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Click to collapse
My thoughts exactly. So fat I have only seen 500t in reality as Vivo Tab is not in shops yet... but I just like the way it look.
One more downside of Asus in Poland is TERRIBLE warranty service. Services are being run by small companies that have agreement with Asus Poland and in most cases they blame user for everything - standard reply is "Seal was broken/tempered with - warranty void" even having pictures of it before send for repairs is not helping .
Ravynmagi said:
The Atom is okay, but it's video playback kinda sucks. It seems many of these Atom tablets have various driver quirks that are still being worked out.
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What exactly are your issues?
This device that I will buy has to be able to play (smoothly) most video formats, most popular being .mkv 720p.
If this has similar problems to "old" Tegra 2 devices (remeber?) than it is a BIG PROBLEM.
On the other hand I used to have old Asus 1201n netbook with dual-core Atom 300 and first gen. Nvidia Ion onboard and it played everything without an issue (12" screen with 1366x768).
So... what is going on here?
Ravynmagi said:
I'm looking at the HP Envy X2 also. HP has it on sale for $750
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Click to collapse
Saw it... don't like it either. Had HP/Compaq in the past and always had problems with them.
Since hardware of HP and 500t is the same I would go with Samsung in this one (I guess).
Ravynmagi said:
Seems like all the Atom tablets have some downsides that we have to figure out which ones we can accept.
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More details, please
Ravynmagi said:
I'm also thinking about just giving up on the whole keyboard docking thing and saving some money and getting a 10 inch ASUS VivoTab Smart.
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Click to collapse
I was considering it, but in my case size of screen matters . When I write texts I work with few windows an 10" is just to small .

What's the difference between the tf810 and the tf810c? Is there a tf810 with LTE or any cellular connectivity?
Also the Samsung device looks to be a afterthought device from Samsung. Avoid
If its possible, I'd say wait another season or two for more competition.
If not, go TF810.

WingCero said:
What's the difference between the tf810 and the tf810c? Is there a tf810 with LTE or any cellular connectivity?
Also the Samsung device looks to be a afterthought device from Samsung. Avoid
If its possible, I'd say wait another season or two for more competition.
If not, go TF810.
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Click to collapse
Can't wait I am waiting last 2 year to replace iPad with something that will do what I need.
I need Windows to work, I need mobile device to work away from home during weekends ( yes I know)
And I dont want just laptop as I has to be entertainment device as well.
Why do you say: Samsung device looks to be a afterthought device...?

galtom said:
Can't wait I am waiting last 2 year to replace iPad with something that will do what I need.
I need Windows to work, I need mobile device to work away from home during weekends ( yes I know)
And I dont want just laptop as I has to be entertainment device as well.
Why do you say: Samsung device looks to be a afterthought device...?
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Click to collapse
In terms of the Samsung device, its build quality looks to be just as bad as it's phones. Samsung laptops are probably the best in the world (Series 9) To see the ATIV coming from them is a clear sign that they didn't really put much thought into it, especially when you compare it to DELL and ASUS' hybrids.
Looks like we're in the same situation. I cannot wait either :-/
I just posted this so maybe you'll find some help alongside of me.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2093981

Thanks for link.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

I have a TF810C and it's beautiful, the battery life is quite incredible. I consider this device perfect, except for the downsides:
-Slightly visible pixels at normal viewing distance, due to lowish resolution screen
-The pen bugs out when drawing 1cm near the edges of the screen
-The pen lacks drivers, and so does not work for Photoshop or nearly anything else. It works with some Windows 8 apps and both desktop & metro OneNote. When it does work, it works really well.
-Tinny speakers that are situated at the back of the tablet. They get a little bit distorted.
-No complex gestures for the touchpad. I like to tap on the right click area instead of pressing down, but the drivers for the tablet don't allow this!
-Dodgy, dodgy chipset drivers. Expect a BSOD every 2 days, sound that completely breaks until you reboot once a day, stability problems, unresponsive touchpad when waking from sleep, etc. These can happily be fixed by installing Samsung/HP/Acer drivers.
-No ASUS support at all. Drivers are not being updated, and the website doesn't even list the device correctly.
-The CPU can't handle fast-moving 720p 10bit .mkv files in VLC Player. Media Player Classic works, but it breaks for complex subtitles. Thankfully, a kickstarter for Windows 8-style VLC Player has been funded, and may offer better performance.
...And that's pretty much it for the problems. Every last one of them.
The tablet is thin, light, shiny, has a colourful and bright display, well-balanced with the keyboard dock, brilliant in every other way.
I can definitely recommend it, and hope that ASUS will eventually get around to fixing these problems rather than making users depend on other devices' drivers.

galtom said:
What exactly are your issues?
This device that I will buy has to be able to play (smoothly) most video formats, most popular being .mkv 720p.
If this has similar problems to "old" Tegra 2 devices (remeber?) than it is a BIG PROBLEM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's fortunately not as bad as the Tegra 2. I'm not sure if it's a hardware issue or maybe just a driver issue. I have trouble playing back some 1080p videos, there are noticeable frame drops. Stream HD video from Amazon Prime or YouTube gets choppy sometimes (not referring to buffering issues) as it's dropping frames. The ABC Player app in the Windows Store also drops frames. The Netflix app however seems to work flawlessly. And if I download 1080p YouTube videos and play them back with VLC that seem to work fine usually. 720p MVK files work most of the time, think I've had some higher bit rate ones that got choppy sometimes.
I have a smoother and more reliable video playback experience with my Kindle Fire HD. I'm hoping this is just a driver issue and things will get smoothed out soon.
Other driver issues...
Wireless sometimes has trouble reconnecting to an access point with bluetooth is being used. Some have also mentioned dramatic slows with wifi using bluetooth, though I haven't done any file transfers while using my bluetooth mouse yet, so haven't seen that first hand yet. If I disable the bluetooth the wireless never seems to have trouble reconnecting, only with bluetooth on.
The keyboard/trackpad don't seem to go to sleep when the tablet does. With the tablet in the keyboard dock, if I close lid this often causes the tablet to wake back up, even the screen will come back on. And it make stay on. I've also found that apps I didn't open will open up after I close the lid. I the tablet coming within close proximity of the trackpad while it's close is causing it to register clicks or interaction and wake up and run apps. I now have to manually press Fn-F5 to disable the track pad before closing the tablet lid on the keyboard. This seems to help a lot and now the tablet will go to sleep most of the time. Hopefully a driver update will make the keyboard/trackpad also sleep at some point.
However I don't think the keyboard/trackpad is the only issue preventing the tablet from going to sleep. Seems like if I have some applications running it has trouble sleeping as well. So if it doesn't sleep I may need to close some apps or go back to the Windows Start screen.
The audio is inconsistent. Sometimes the volume sounds good and sufficient and other times I have a real hard time hearing it. It's different on an app by app basis. Hopefully this can be improved through drivers.
galtom said:
More details, please
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Click to collapse
I seem to run into big cons with each tablet I look at...
Samsung 500T, slippery back, no secondary battery.
ASUS TF810, expensive, no pen silo.
HP Envy X2, No pen, poor keyboard.
Acer W510, Too small, poor keyboard.
Lenovo Lynx, No pen, 32GB SD limitation.
Lenovo Tabet 2, No keyboard dock.
Dell Latitude 10, No keyboard dock, too small.
Pick your poison. I'd prefer a keyboard dock that converts the tablet into a clamshell laptop design (so I'm not a fan of the Surface kickstand and type cover design). 10 inch tablets mean the keyboard is going to be too cramped, so the W510 is too small (and the Dell is too if it had a keyboard).
Originally I didn't care about a pen, however after using the Samsung 510T for a while, I'm starting to realize the pen is pretty nice to have. It helps with desktop apps, such as when I want to highlight some text in the browser, which seems to be impossible to do by finger. I don't ink on my tablets, so the pen is just to make working with the desktop apps easier. And I need to be able to store the pen in the tablet otherwise it'll be hugely inconvenient. This is probably the one con I can overlook, I think I could live without the pen, it's just something I'd really like to have.
Seems like on the Lenovo Lynx has the 32GB micro SD limitation. I already own a 64GB microSD card and I got to be able to use this with my tablet. 64GB is going to already be cramped on the tablet (only about 32 to 40GB is available depending on the size of the recovery partition). I'm hoping the 32GB limit is an error in the specs list, but it's mentioned more than once in different places.
Lack of secondary battery is more an annoyance. So far I've been able to get through an entire tablet with my Samsung 500T despite not having a second battery. I'm also not using the tablet constantly all day long, but I do use if frequently through out the day. And the battery life of the Atom is already impressive. So it's disappointing there is no second battery, but it's not a deal breaker.
A slippery back on a tablet almost is a deal breaker. While I don't feel like there is any danger of dropping it, it's so huge, so it won't slip out of your hands that fast. But it does make holding it even more awkward than the weight and size already make. Fortunately this potential deal breaker issue is somewhat solved with a skin I put on the back from Decalrus. The skin is smooth, but it is still a decent improvement than the glossy plastic of the tablet. It doesn't feel slippery anymore.
At this moment I'm probably going to end up keeping my Samsung 500T. If the Lenovo Lynx supported 64GB micro SD then I'd be highly tempted to switch to that. However if the sleep issues with the Samsung keyboard keeps bothering me, it's possible I just may give up on a tablet+keyboard=laptop dream and just go with a pure 10 inch tablet without keyboard and get an ASUS ME400 (VivoTab Smart) and save myself $250. And wait for the Bay Trail tablet at the end of the year.
---------- Post added at 08:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:38 AM ----------
One positive thing about the 500T. Despite some driver issus with the wireless, it seems like Samsung has been doing a good job with driver updates. And the tablet has been quite stable. I've never had a bluescreen of death and don't need to reboot it.

Ravynmagi said:
A slippery back on a tablet almost is a deal breaker. While I don't feel like there is any danger of dropping it, it's so huge, so it won't slip out of your hands that fast. But it does make holding it even more awkward than the weight and size already make. Fortunately this potential deal breaker issue is somewhat solved with a skin I put on the back from Decalrus. The skin is smooth, but it is still a decent improvement than the glossy plastic of the tablet. It doesn't feel slippery anymore.
QUOTE]
It seems a couple people posted about the slippery back of the Samsung ATIV 500T. I have owned this tablet for about 3 weeks now and I have had no issues at all with the material on the back of the tablet. Honestly I dont even feel like it is slippery. Its not like my fingers glide across the back when I am gripping it. Or I have never set it on a surface and feared that it would glide to the other end and fall to the ground. Just my opinion.
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knlmwq said:
It seems a couple people posted about the slippery back of the Samsung ATIV 500T. I have owned this tablet for about 3 weeks now and I have had no issues at all with the material on the back of the tablet. Honestly I dont even feel like it is slippery. Its not like my fingers glide across the back when I am gripping it. Or I have never set it on a surface and feared that it would glide to the other end and fall to the ground. Just my opinion.
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The back is smooth glossy plastic. When your hands are perfectly dry there is no issue. Unfortunately for us humans, up to 60% of our body is water and most of us have a little bit of moisture that forms in our palms. So unless you are constantly rubbing your hands dry and wiping the back of the tablet with a cloth, it's going to get slippery for most people.
I have no fear it's going to just pop out of my hands like a wet bar of soap. But it's difficult to hold in the palm of one hand while interacting with the screen, because it keeps slipping.
This back is one of the big reasons I'm returning mine. It's just too much of a hassle.

In all those devices with 64GB SSD - how much space is left for user?

A base Win8 64-bit install will use ~15GB, counting pagefile, hiberfile, etc. (size highly variable on the amount of RAM installed, among other things). Adding things like Office and the legacy .NET frameworks will drive that up somewhat. Realistically, If there's a recovery partition (likely), it'll probably be at least 5GB and possibly as much as 15GB (if there's a ton of pre-loaded crap) but that just depends on where you get it from, and you can create external recovery media (flashdrive or similar), nuke the recovery partition, and extend the main partition into the space. Realistically, I'd say you should expect to have 30-40GB of fully usable free space - you can go higher than that, especially if you disable hibernate, but it will slow things down if the storage gets too full.

Thanks for the info - that is all I needed to know.
As far as I understand there will be no problem in moving recovery partition to USB drive/NAS disk/ or even to cloud (Skydrive) just for storage?

galtom said:
Thanks for the info - that is all I needed to know.
As far as I understand there will be no problem in moving recovery partition to USB drive/NAS disk/ or even to cloud (Skydrive) just for storage?
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Click to collapse
You can move it to a USB flash drive, it needs about 8GB of space. I probably wouldn't put it in a cloud drive since if you actually need it it'll need to be on a USB flash drive anyway.
BTW, with my Samsung 500T, I sometimes had to reboot twice before it would recognize the USB recovery drive (USB boot is weird on this thing).

Hi Guys, I had both the Ativ 500t and now the TF810. For me the 500t seemed slower and seemed to freeze. so I returned it and last week I got the TF810 for my Bday. It is so much better quality and performance. I also had a huge problem with the keyboard disconnecting on the 500t. The keyboard is soo much better with the TF810 and the battery adds atleast an additional 8hours. All this aside I ended up winning a contest at work and will receive the surface pro when released so I will probably sell the TF810 and throw in the Keyboard for free. It turns out we just missed out on the extended return with Amazon holiday because Adorama is only 15days into the new year.
Out of the 2 the TF810 for me was the far better machine. Granted I have only used it for a week but everything from the Pen on is so much better.

Great to hear that my decision to spend more and get Tf810 was/is a good one

Before you sell the TF810, it would be interesting to observe your comparison with the Surface Pro. I have the Surface RT and love it, but I'd like to see some comparisons of the x86 options. The Surface is very tablet-y; it can be used as a laptop (I have the Touch Cover, which works but is not perfect) but even with the kickstand and all, it feels a bit more natural as a tablet. I'm worried that Surface Pro may try a little too hard to be a tablet (despite its disadvantages in weight, thickness, etc.), and end up being good at neither.

If I still have it when the Pro comes I will do the comp video. But right now it is on EBay with keyboard included for only $799 so I doubt it will last long. As it is priced to sell.

What is a "phablet" anymore?

I had three people tell me the Note 3 would be too big. I would hate it. This, of course, was based on their opinion of holding the Note 2 and being put off by the size. I get it, it's not for everyone. It may not even be for me. Two years ago, I know it wasn't. But today, I might be coming around.
A relative of mine had the first Note. At the time I had the Evo 3d. I remember being so put off by that monstrous phone that I thought no way could I deal with something as big. But then I got a Galaxy Nexus. And now I've held the S4. And I see the G2. And I have to wonder, is this really a HUGE phone anymore?
Below on the left are the phones I've owned with the GN being the current. On the far right are the current choices for top in the Android world. Is the Note 3 bigger than average? Yes, but not so much anymore. Now it just seems like it's ahead of the curve.
So is this really a device in a different category due to it's size, or is this just progress?

My original smartphone was the Droid eris. I then moved to the Galaxy Nexus, and at first i thought the screen was pretty big, but I got used to it within a week lol...
fast forward to last week, when my nexus died... I have me beat up old eris and I cannot wait to have a big screen again lol...
yes, the note is big, but that much bigger than current phones, whereas the original note was gigantic compared to the current phones of the day.

I have the Note 1 and think its great, but like you said people go what the hell you need a phone that big. Then I show them how much more I can do because I have a bigger screen and 9 out of 10 people after go, "that not so bad after all". Just need to think beyond only calling and texting

Handling it should be no problem for you seeing that you're used to a gradual increase in size...and if you think note is big see the z ultra in person XD..you won't understand till then

3 years ago I bought s1 and everyone told me that my phone is too big to use comfortly.:laugh:

Ergonomically, there is a huge difference and more relative to hand size and finger length. The main function for a lot of people is phone and text. Most prefer one hand operation most of the time in that regard. Previous size progression did not breach this function for most people until the phablet, hence the term.
Phablet is a fair and accurate term for most people. Either choice depends on the user and nobody else. If I did not have a tablet, I would get the N3, since more display and IMO, a better all-in-one if no tablet. I though have a Excite 7.7, TF300, Nook HD+ and iPad 4. I will stick with the S4, but would not be surprised if there is a S800 refresh of some form for the S4.

I have the (original) Note, bought it when they first came out, before it was even evident that any of the US carriers would offer it. So I didn't even have a chance to see one in person before I ordered it. I mocked up the phone by gluing two pieces of corrugated cardboard together, cut out to the same size as the Note. It fit in my pocket, and didn't feel awkward holding it to my face, so I ordered it. Once I got the phone, I loved it, and wouldn't go back to something smaller. However, I also don't want anything larger, as I do feel this pushes the limits of what comfortably fits in my pockets in certain clothes or activities. In fact, I wish they would have rounded the ends of the N3 more like the S4 just for that reason. But it really took no time at all for the size to seem normal to me. Of course, I grew up holding the Bell "trimline" phones to my face, so the Note is an amazing shrinking of technology from that perspective. When I first got the Note, I did get occasional "is that a tablet or a phone" questions, but not so much any more.

Size is not a big factor nowdays even more for those who seek the best experience
I am in full agreement with most of you on this matter. Basically my thinking and reasoning is this: I want the best (IMO) smartphone but at a reasonable size, so I want to look at Galaxy S4, LG G2, Sony Z1,Nexus 5 and Note 3. But hey, these mobiles are quite big and in my case in which I have small hands, it is difficult to operate them in one hand. So in essence, all these smartphones are big for me so the size factor is almost eliminated and therefore I am only after the total power, experience and functionality from those smartphones! Therefore I think Note 3 is the winner! Not to mention that Z1 is almost reaching the Note 3 dimensions but having only 5 inch display, so Note 3 at least is exploiting the big screen at an optimum level compared to its size! Now I hope the battery life of this beast will be great and at least to be on Note's 2 range.

SAVVAS. said:
I am in full agreement with most of you on this matter. Basically my thinking and reasoning is this: I want the best (IMO) smartphone but at a reasonable size, so I want to look at Galaxy S4, LG G2, Sony Z1,Nexus 5 and Note 3. But hey, these mobiles are quite big and in my case in which I have small hands, it is difficult to operate them in one hand. So in essence, all these smartphones are big for me so the size factor is almost eliminated and therefore I am only after the total power, experience and functionality from those smartphones! Therefore I think Note 3 is the winner! Not to mention that Z1 is almost reaching the Note 3 dimensions but having only 5 inch display, so Note 3 at least is exploiting the big screen at an optimum level compared to its size! Now I hope the battery life of this beast will be great and at least to be on Note's 2 range.
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This is exactly where I'm at. I just want the best phone. And at the moment, the Note 3 looks like it. It just happens to be a bit bigger than average. But I think much of the stigma of holding the "phablet" to your head is gone with the Note series. I mean, is it maybe a half inch longer and quarter inch wider than the S4? Not so noticeable anymore.

dscline said:
I have the (original) Note, bought it when they first came out, before it was even evident that any of the US carriers would offer it. So I didn't even have a chance to see one in person before I ordered it. I mocked up the phone by gluing two pieces of corrugated cardboard together, cut out to the same size as the Note. It fit in my pocket, and didn't feel awkward holding it to my face, so I ordered it. Once I got the phone, I loved it, and wouldn't go back to something smaller. However, I also don't want anything larger, as I do feel this pushes the limits of what comfortably fits in my pockets in certain clothes or activities. In fact, I wish they would have rounded the ends of the N3 more like the S4 just for that reason. But it really took no time at all for the size to seem normal to me. Of course, I grew up holding the Bell "trimline" phones to my face, so the Note is an amazing shrinking of technology from that perspective. When I first got the Note, I did get occasional "is that a tablet or a phone" questions, but not so much any more.
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Click to collapse
I cut out cardboard last night for the Note 3 size... Glad I'm not the only one who obsesses over things like this.

I think we've become desensitized to devices the size of the Note (all three are similar as is OG Pro). I've been using a N2 for eleven months and it’s become "normal." It's not normal though. One-handed operation was and still is a pain in the a- and I've got fairly large hands. I was recently visiting some friends and family in another state and they all had iPhones (at least a dozen of them) in various shapes and sizes. I felt like Gulliver with my N2.
I would never buy anything larger that the Note to use as my only phone. I have a large tablet so don't need my phone for the majority of my consumption. I'm betting others increasingly have 7-10" tablets too. And at least with a Note you can justify the larger screen as anything smaller would make multitasking and inking impractical. What’s the justification for the XZ Ultra?
So what problem does something like the XZ Ultra or even the One Max really solve? They create a portability problem if they are someone's primary communication device. I guess the problem they solve is not having to buy and/or carry both a phone and a tablet. But a 5.9-6.6" display is still too small for a tablet which is why the 8" form factor is the fastest growing. And God knows 5.9-6.6" is laughable as a communication device.
It kind of reminds of pre-gas crisis times where gargantuan SUVs were the biggest selling segment and people that didn’t need them bought them purely because "bigger was better" and the statement they made - “mine’s bigger than yours.” I think phones larger than the N3 will find their niche but I think once the novelty wears off people that buy them and use them as their primary device will come to their senses.

Other phablets are just "big smartphones." The Note is an honest to goodness productivity machine. There are plenty of options in terms of larger smartphones, but there is only one (well 3 now) Note.

hdad2 said:
I cut out cardboard last night for the Note 3 size... Glad I'm not the only one who obsesses over things like this.
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Click to collapse
I am glad I'm not the only one who did a cardboard cut out

The phone is just a feature
Bah, I got the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 3G (T-311). Why bother with tablet + phone? Just carry one device. But seriously, it really depends how important the phone function is to you. For those who only take the occasional call, the bigger the screen, the better. The Sony SBH52 handset will take care of the rest.

joe_dude said:
Bah, I got the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 3G (T-311). Why bother with tablet + phone? Just carry one device. But seriously, it really depends how important the phone function is to you. For those who only take the occasional call, the bigger the screen, the better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Talking isn't the limiting factor to me. I don't talk much, I text, email, and browse much more. I could hold an 8" screen up to my face and talk, but it would be an issue fitting that into many of my pockets or keeping on me for certain activities. The Note is about as big as I'd want to go for someone who prefers to just drop it in a pocket & go.

dscline said:
Talking isn't the limiting factor to me. I don't talk much, I text, email, and browse much more. I could hold an 8" screen up to my face and talk, but it would be an issue fitting that into many of my pockets or keeping on me for certain activities. The Note is about as big as I'd want to go for someone who prefers to just drop it in a pocket & go.
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Click to collapse
Short answer: Cargo pants/shorts
What I did was get a belt pouch that was designed to carry a small tablet. Easier to take out while sitting down, and no wardrobe malfunctions. 8) It leaves my hands free, which is the important part. But again, it depends on each person's needs. I wanted one device to do everything, including remote desktop.

joe_dude said:
Short answer: Cargo pants/shorts
What I did was get a belt pouch that was designed to carry a small tablet.
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Click to collapse
I suppose if I could or wanted to wear cargo pants to every thing I did, that would be an option. It's rare (read: never) that I'm interested in sporting some kind accessory to carry my phone in. For those who are willing to dress around their phone, then sure, size isn't really an issue. May as well carry a full tablet around. Heck, you can make calls on a laptop if you want.

dscline said:
I suppose if I could or wanted to wear cargo pants to every thing I did, that would be an option. It's rare (read: never) that I'm interested in sporting some kind accessory to carry my phone in. For those who are willing to dress around their phone, then sure, size isn't really an issue. May as well carry a full tablet around. Heck, you can make calls on a laptop if you want.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, 8-inch tab is about the biggest that can be held in one hand. Even then, it is a bit extreme. It's kinda like heading back to the days of carrying a ghetto blaster. Totally retro, man!

staryoshi said:
Other phablets are just "big smartphones." The Note is an honest to goodness productivity machine. There are plenty of options in terms of larger smartphones, but there is only one (well 3 now) Note.
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I agree. I've been a Samsung user for years, and I have to say that the gradual changes that they've made with the S series and now the Note series have been nothing but benefits. It's crazy, I didn't even know until recently that Samsung offers phones even larger than the Notes: the Mega has a 5.8 inch screen in diameter, and the second one in that series is at 6.3.

BarryH_GEG said:
I think phones larger than the N3 will find their niche but I think once the novelty wears off people that buy them and use them as their primary device will come to their senses.
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If you don't care about one handed use, and i don't, then the biggest practical phone is the one that still goes where your current phone goes.
I could easily go a bit bigger than the note 3. I know several girls who have the note 2 that carry the phone in their purse and there is no reason they couldn't go bigger as well.
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