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After having a bit of time to play with my Xoom, I'd thought I'd tell everyone how I felt about the Xoom and whether you should be think of upgrading from your Galaxy Tab.
Build quality
The Xoom is very will built, all the components are solidly put together - there are no rattles or any bendy bits. That said the extra weight of the tablet is definitely noticeable compared to the Tab, and certainly makes reading while holding the tablet in one hand less comfortable - plus you don't really need the larger screen for this use.
The screen does not go quite as bright as the Tab, and is not so readable in sunlight. Also it attracts fingerprints like moths to a light, after an hour of using it it looked worse than an iPad does after a whole day, though you can't really see the fingerprints while the screen is on.
Software
This is the main part I was excited about - there has been quite a bit of hype surrounding Honeycomb. Sadly, IMHO, quite a bit of it is just hype -- the main changes are in the home screen and the task/notifications bar. Both of these work really well, the 3D carousel effect when turning pages of the Home screen is really smooth, and the new notification system works really well giving you a system which works quite like a desktop. Sadly you can't pinch the screen to show all of your desktops at once.
The rest of it though, it is pretty buggy. The settings app and gmail apps have force-closed on me a number of times - these are pretty important parts of the OS and so it's seriously disappointing to see them not quite finished. The Facebook app seems to work for a few mins then crashes and won't work until I restart the device.
The browser is very nice, with proper tabs (and incognito tabs!), but if you dare to switch on Flash 10.2 all the time then the whole thing is no faster than the Tabs browser with Flash enabled -- in fact it's quite possibly worse than my Tab with an OC kernel and the latest leaked ROM.
But main problem is - where is the software? Google made much issue about Android 2.x not being fit for tablets but the truth is all they've mostly done is what Samsung did - the email app now has one pane with a list of your emails in and another showing the content of your email. It's the same with the other apps, nowhere is there an incredibly large difference in functionality between the modified Samsung apps and the new Honeycomb ones.
Sure you get a film editor app, but that was pretty much put in to grab a bit of press after Apple put iMovie on the iPad - I'm sure most people, me included, would prefer a decent photo editing/retouching app more than a pretty basic video editing one.
No free, Xoom optimized apps with the device or a store for them like you get with Samsung.
And then we get to media playback, or rather, the almost complete lack of it. So you've just bought a nice new tablet that will play "HD". Like to play your MKV on it? Nope. AVI? Nope. Xvid? Nope. DivX? Nope. WMV? Nope. MP4 and MP4 only (to the point where you have to rename M4V files to MP4 to make them work even though they are the same thing but with a different extension). Yes I know I can use RockPlayer etc but this simply isn't as good as native support. If Archos could afford it the Moto sure can.
That might not be so bad if there was a store like the Samsung Movies Store or iTunes where I could buy or rent a movie in a compatible format. Except this being a "Google Experience" device there are no apps apart from the few that Google put on there (and aside from film studio that's just upgraded standard Android apps). So you have a tablet that doesn't support that vast majority of media formats used by the largest desktop OS; I feel justified in saying that is a slight fail -- is Youtube supposed to be my entire source of entertainment? It's not like you can call the quality of most Flash videos on the web HD.
The one upside is the tegra 2, and all the nice games it will let you play. Except there are only a couple at the moment, and if the Tegra Zone app is to be believed, most of them won't be out for another couple of months. That said the few that are available are very nice, and run perfectly smooth.
Overall
Overall I'd give the Xoom 7/10. It's good, and the first Honeycomb tablet, but I think it will probably not be in the top 5 come the end of the year.
I can understand some people might buy it over others on the promise of slightly quicker updates, but I'm seriously considering taking mine back and waiting for the Tab 8.9, I have a few more days to play around with it before I decide. Sure it will have customized interface so it might not get updates as quickly, but actually it will do much more out of the box than the Xoom does, and it will still probably do more than the Xoom will even after the Xoom has received an update.
I used to be someone who bought plain Android devices on the basis that they quicker updates (have an NS, had an N1, etc), but a lot of the time it makes little difference. Google doesn't actually release updates often enough anymore for that to be much of an issue, and in some cases these days manufacturers have actually made things better than Google did (e.g. the standard browser in the Galaxy S on 2.2 is far better than the stock browser on a Nexus S on 2.3).
Sadly in this case the bad experience reflects badly on Motorola even though it isn't really their fault - they've had nothing to do at all with the software. At the same time that is their fault - it's their tablet and if I was head of a Motorola I'd want to make sure the software I was putting my name on did everything I wanted and worked properly - Android manufacturers should stop getting so desperate to compete with Apple and actually focus on the quality of their own products.
So my advice would be wait. And possibly in this case don't let the factor of whether it's a pure Google device affect your decision so much -- Honeycomb is still an infant and it really needs some features added on for a full tablet experience.
* I was completely aware the Xoom would come with no added extras like the Tab did when I bought it. I just thought Google would have put more work into making Honeycomb for great for tablets.
That's a pretty accurate description. I went through 2 XOOM's which I bought once they released the WIFI only model, and my experience was the same if not worse. Lots of potential, but they really missed the mark with that one. The second XOOM had a hardware failure and refused to charge, and since I was pretty let down overall, and that needle thin power adaptor is just waiting to snap off, I got rid of it entirely. I bought my first Galaxy Tab WIFI model Monday from Tigerdirect, got it Wed and have used it since and I absolutely love it.
That's an interesting review.
It surprised me that honeycomb still isnt working perfectly. I thought that they would update it regularly.
The Xoom seemed to me, to be a liitle bit too fast released device.
I also agree that it probably wont be the best in the flow of the year - off course.
I think HTC looks quite promising, if they release a bigger version of their Flyer.
Let's see if the Companies learn from the others - if a company releases later, it always has a lower risk of failing, because it can learn out of the mistakes of the others...
And then we get to media playback, or rather, the almost complete lack of it. So you've just bought a nice new tablet that will play "HD". Like to play your MKV on it? Nope. AVI? Nope. Xvid? Nope. DivX? Nope. WMV? Nope. MP4 and MP4 only (to the point where you have to rename M4V files to MP4 to make them work even though they are the same thing but with a different extension). Yes I know I can use RockPlayer etc but this simply isn't as good as native support. If Archos could afford it the Moto sure can.
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This, x1,000. I own an original iPad, and picked up a T-Mo Galaxy Tab for $100 on Craigslist. Once the wifi Xoom came out, I went to Staples to pick one up.
Disappointment doesn't begin to capture it. Such a lovely screen...why, why, why wouldn't you include a Movies app with the tablet? Videos that played flawlessly on the Tab would stutter and whimper on the Xoom. That's just inexcusable.
I also co-sign everything you said about Facebook; I had the same experience with Seesmic.
I bought it on Friday evening. I returned it on Sunday afternoon. I can handle rough edges with software, but this goes beyond that. And selling it for $600? Yeah...not so much.
That said, I'm keeping an eye on the Asus Transformer; $399 is a sweet price point.
rnoboa said:
That said, I'm keeping an eye on the Asus Transformer; $399 is a sweet price point.
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If you're interested, here's my short review of the Transformer, originally posted in the Transformer XDA forum. I do compare it to my Galaxy Tab, so I don't think it's unreasonable to post here!
Regards,
Dave
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I've had my Transformer for 4 full days now, and I've a few comments to make for prospective purchasers.
First of all, a little background - I've had Android phones since the original G1 was released in the US (I was there when it was released), and since then have owned the HTC Hero, the HTC Desire, and now the Desire HD (and a Pulse Mini as a backup device).
I also have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7", which I've been using since October last year and I still think is a fantastic device, so most of my observations on the Transformer (henceforth called the TF) will be in comparison to Galaxy Tab (henceforth called the GT). As an aside, I also have a Toshiba AC100 Android netbook, so I think I have some feel for how the TF will be once the keyboard dock arrives.
Build quality
The TF feels like a really high quality device. I know some people have reported issues with back light bleed etc, but I've had no such issues. The aluminium case is really nice to the touch, as is the back of the device which is a plastic made to look a bit like carbon fibre.
Design - the design is generally really nice, though if I had one criticism it is the size of the bezel is rather large. Additionally, it does feel a little odd holding the device in portrait mode as it comes over as very tall and thin, especially when compared to the GT.
The IPS display is lovely and crisp, though it does seem a little less bright than the display on the GT.
OS and software
This is both simultaneously the best and worst feature that the TF has over the GT. In general browsing use, the TF is much more like a laptop/desktop experience than the GT, and you can see Honeycomb has great potential. However, it does feel very much like an unfinished product.
When the GT first came out, the stock browser was notoriously laggy (fixed in later iterations), and the TF suffers from the same issue - in fact it is worse because whilst the GTs browser was basically just laggy, the TFs browser is laggy and buggy.
Specifically, clicking on links in other applications often causes the browser to pop up, but it doesn't load the new page - this can be fixed by "killing" the browser and restarting it, but it shouldn't be this way. Whilst I much prefer the native browser when it works correctly, I'm now using Opera Mobile for day to day use.
Honeycomb Gmail on the TF is a revelation - it is a far superior client than the client on the GT.
Other minor Honeycomb/TF complaints are:
1. There doesn't seem to be a way to clear all notifications easily.
2. Just getting to the Settings menu is overcomplicated.
3. The keyboards do seem overly large in my opinion, and there don't seem to be enough long press options to get to alternate characters, though I'm aware these are easily replaceable.
4. Overall the TF performance is good, but I don't feel that Honeycomb is taking advantage of the dual core Tegra 2, and thus in general use it doesn't really feel any faster than my single core GT.
Media Playback
This is an easy one - the GT is a better media player than the TF, simply because it natively supports more formats (e.g. DivX).
I'm not unused to transcoding video to H264, as I had to do this often on my earlier Android devices, but with the advent of Cortex A8 class devices with Neon, I found software players like RockPlayer more than acceptable. This does not seem to be the case for the TF, since Tegra 2 doesn't support Neon instructions. However, the AC100 is a Tegra 2 device, and the built-in media player is much better than the stock TF one too, so really I think that Asus should have done more here.
With the TF, I'm back to having to transcode media, and to be honest for the most part that means I'll just my GT instead.
Overall Usage
Here's where it gets interesting!
The TF provides a very different experience to the GT and for the most part it is very enjoyable- when I bought the device, I knew it be mostly be a "coffee table" device, and that the size, weight, and built-in 3G of the GT was going to a distinct advantage over the TF when it comes to travelling.
What I didn't expect is that the GT still holds some advantages at home too.
Put simply, the TF is still too big and heavy sometimes - when I get up in the morning, I usually take my GT off charge and slip it into the pocket of my dressing gown, and this means it goes with me when I go to make a coffee, visit the "office" in the bathroom etc.
Also, late at night, if I want to watch something whilst lying in bed, the GT is simply much more comfortable to hold for any period of time, and coupled with better media support is always going to be the preferred option.
The Future
I don't think it is really fair to judge the TF until the keyboard dock becomes available, because I honestly think this will significant change the nature of the device.
When I first got my AC100, it was running Eclair and to be honest it was pretty rubbish, but it got so much better when Froyo landed.
I can see the TF similarly getting a completely new lease of life once the dock arrives.
Also, Honeycomb does feel like a work in progress, and I'm hoping for regularly updates to this device, which again should improve the experience, along with more Honeycomb specific apps on the market.
Conclusion
I think the TF is a fantastic product and the price is extremely good for what it is. I certainly wouldn't want to put anyone off buying one if they have a genuine interest this form factor. In the UK at least, I think the Xoom has priced itself out of the market massively, which currently leaves the TF as the 10.1" tablet of choice.
The biggest issue for me is that 10.1" tablets are generally too big and heavy, and whilst newer tablets may be lighter, they will still be similarly sized unless they can dramatically reduce the size of the bezel.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9" may well be a better compromise, and I will be looking closely at this once it arrives. However, it won't fit in a jacket pocket, so would still likely just be a coffee table tablet for me.
Ultimately, I think my ideal tablet device would be a 7" form factor device like the GT, similar internal hardware to the TF (dual core, IPS, memory etc), and built-in 3G. Until something like this ships, I think my GT will still be my primary media consumption/browsing device.
Steve Jobs may think that there is no market in 7" tablets, but in my case he's wrong!
Thank you soooo much for the Tab vs Xoom reiew. I was looking at the Xoom a couple weeks ago, but when I saw Sprint marked the Tab down to $199, I bought it instead. Although the Xoom is a gorgeous device, I am becoming quite sold on the 7" size. After using my Tab for a week, I love it! Now if the Xoom was only, say $100 more than the Tab, I may change my mind, but as it is now, it's way too expensive for what it offers out of the box. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Xoom have a price drop soon.
How bad is Honeycomb? The reviews of the G-Slate, Xoom, and even Eeepad Transformer suggest that Honeycomb itself is... not ready and quite laggy. How does it compare to plain old Froyo on a 7'' Tab?
so if understand correctly, android market does not install the tablet version of gmail or any other app on the galaxy tab?
You will have special section of apps created for the Honeycomb and for 2.2 or 2.3.
Apps that are not suppose to work will not be shown on the Market.
Some apps created for phones freeze or fail to work but overall you can find apps that suit your needs. I would agree that at this point software has rough edges but this is always an issue for the early adopters. The 1st iphone had no software choices at all and it took more than half a year to get something else.
Screen size and resolutiin make Xoom almost a laptop.
I like Xoom but prefer Galaxy Tab because of size and weight.
The major selling point for the Kindle Fire is of course the price. Especially in this forum where all we really care about is the price and hardware so we can put custom ROMs on later.
So as i see it, they both have similar processors, the same amount of RAM and cost the same but the Ideapad has a bunch of other stuff- dual cameras, gps, bluetooth and a microsd slot.
so assuming both devices get rooted why would we choose the Fire over the Ideapad?
cant tell if the A1 has an IPS screen
specs show that the A1 has TI OMAP 3622, which isnt listed on the ti omap page, but the nc is 3621, so guessing its the same chip, @ 1ghz rather than 800mhz.
the A1 also has a smaller battery 3550 mAh vs 4000 mAh (11% smaller or about 7hrs, if NC has 8hr baseline)
so, guessing that if the A1 does have an IPS screen, it would have same performance to an O/C nook color, but with 1hr less battery life. with the NC2 coming out very soon, for the A1 to complete, guessing that sony will have to drop the price for the 16gb model to $200 to be competitive.
I have been wondering myself how this is all going to fall out.
Supposedly the ideapad may be a minimum 250$ for those of us living in the states with no SD card option.
While the kindle fire is nice.. 16 GB can feel small on a phone.. so I don't know if it is practical for a tab at all without SD card expansion.
If the roms maintain the silk browser and amazon storage.. it may be worth it.
The downsides to the Kindle I see are as follows.
1. lack of buttons.
2. any mods done may be more permanent since it is a more modified version of android.. So once it is rooted/romed.. I worry it may not be able to go "back to stock" which is a bit more damaging.
The only advantage to the kindle I see is the dual core processor..which by itself is sex/tempting..
But, honestly I don't see any other advantage unless the only reason you want a tablet is as an ereader in the first place (which is true of many people)
It does have an IPS display and from what i understand there are is an 8gb version for $200 that wont ship in the US and a 16gb for $250 that will (i didnt see anything about no sd slot in the 8gb version)
Maybe the release of the kindle fire will push lenovo to sell the $200 8gb version in the us.
actually the lack of button seems like a big deal. i mean, we can root it but how functional is android without the home and menu buttons?
IPS display, gorilla glass & price are the only positives.
Oh, one more, it will drive the price down on every other tablet except for the ipad.
ok to lack of hardware buttons Cm7 for the book puts an on screen section on the status bar for menu, back and search.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium
The A1 has a single core CPU vs the dual core on the Kindle Fire. That's pretty big for me. I already have a Nook color and it can get a bit sluggish sometimes, even o/c to 1200.
I also have an NC, and it runs fine for what I use it for. I don't use widgets/apps that run continuously. It can play MKV/AVI movies OK at SD resolution, using QQPlayer.
The big question is how good is the KF as a modded device, and lack of an SD slot is a major bummer--not just for ease of modding, but also for storage expansion. 8GB (actually, 5GB) isn't a lot. The unrooted KF can get away with it, since it uses Amazon's cloud services. CM7 can't.
But the Lenovo A1 isn't in the equation, as you can already get the same (except cams & GPS) from the existing NC right now for $150. And the NC is already a CM-supported device, so you don't have to wait around a couple of months for it to get dev support. As for the missing features--cams, GPS, HDMI-out--you have to ask yourself what's important for your use. Those aren't important to me.
I'm looking forward to the NC2, which is rumored to have the same 4430 SoC. Hopefully, B&N will match the KF's $199 price, but if the NC2 is as moddable as the NC, at $250 it would still be a good deal for the SD slot.
I agree, NC is probably still a good deal than the A1. I had a nook color before, I liked it for a while but was disappointed that it didn't have a mic. and the speed was a little bit slow as well, even after OC. then, I sold it and got a 7 inch galaxy tab. I loved the tab a lot, it only costed me 260 (woot deal) and it came with everything and 99% of games and app worked fine after gingerbread upgrade. Then I was stupid enough to trade the tab with the 10.1 tab... the 10.1 tab was good and much faster than the 7 tab but too big and half of my apps didn't work.
Anyways, i am also looking for a 7-8 inches tablet.. I want a dual-core, gps, mic, sd-card, at least 8 hours battery life and under $350. mic and gps are must since I have many apps and games for my sons that they need mic and gps..
I am waiting for the galaxy 7+.. Any other idea?
Eh.. Maybe I will regret it later..
I really like the idea of "cheap, no frills" tabs.
I mean in my phone I get the idea.. GPS is nice since if I get lost odds are I will have my phone.
Bluetooth is nice since I'm using my phone anyway.
In a tablet device.. if I can get it cheaper without frills.. then so be it.
I'm really going back and forth both ways on the kindle fire. I may pick up one if I decide to hop on a tablet yet.
It really depends on whether or not the A1 comes out and what kind of reviews it gets.
I guess what we expect the tablet to do also plays into it a lot though. I mean, I just want a web browsing/manga reading device
I've been looking at these too. The IdeaPad is supposed to have a GPS, which is really nice. I'm not sure what the screen is going to be like.
Anyway, I think the Fire is going to appeal to the common man, but the IdeaPad is going to appeal more to the hacker. I'm shopping for my wife, so I'm suck in the middle.
Either way, I welcome the device. Android doesn't really have a main stream tablet. The Transformer is highly tech cool and the Galaxy 10 is pretty and refined, but nothing has really come along to put Android into the main stream tablet world. Sure it's most likely 2.3, but the Fire is going pull a ton of attention to the Android tablet world.
I think an unexplored angle is that it could even break into Apple's bread and butter iPod touch market. If game developers pick up on it, it becomes a very attractive touch competitor. Better browser, better CPU, better screen, same price. I'm sure it will run Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja. In 6 months the reburbs will be $150, fairly close to the magic $100 disposable tech line.
israel102 said:
The major selling point for the Kindle Fire is of course the price. Especially in this forum where all we really care about is the price and hardware so we can put custom ROMs on later.
So as i see it, they both have similar processors, the same amount of RAM and cost the same but the Ideapad has a bunch of other stuff- dual cameras, gps, bluetooth and a microsd slot.
so assuming both devices get rooted why would we choose the Fire over the Ideapad?
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Because of the integration with Amazon media services and their Cloud storage. I already have a Xoom 10.1 tablet so I'm not looking for the benefits of a tablet. The Fire will be a convenient device to read, email, watch an occasional movie and wait for the hackers to do their thing.
If I were buying a tablet it would not be a 7 inch one regardless of the capabilities.
1215kids said:
Because of the integration with Amazon media services and their Cloud storage. I already have a Xoom 10.1 tablet so I'm not looking for the benefits of a tablet. The Fire will be a convenient device to read, email, watch an occasional movie and wait for the hackers to do their thing.
If I were buying a tablet it would not be a 7 inch one regardless of the capabilities.
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Though I see the logic in the point you mention for your planned usage, I still do not see much point in a rooted Fire. Kind of a rat in the cage, due to the lack of storage expansion. Not to mention the Amazon interface and their closed app system would be compromised (not seeing Amazon letting that happen). In short, a person will have a few GB of space and that is it. Android market? What is the point? No room for apps & media
Seems the price is not worth the trade-offs, IMO.
I also have a KK which I paid $139 and for $60 more I will have a much more capable device. Also currently have 20gb of storage in the cloud that includes pics, docs, etc. plus the hundreds of songs. The music doesn't count against the 20gb.
My wife uses the KK exclusively.
Looks like the A1 is up on the Lenovo site, but at $229 for the 2GB model. The 16GB is $250.
Has anyone seen this for $199 anywhere?
The magic $199 price has me looking for a table to add as a remote control & some light couch surfing, emailing and occasional travel use. I like the fact that the Fire is dual core, but think the sd card, cameras and gps would be nice to have.
it was 199$ on the lenovo site for a while..
The release date has been pushed back twice already.
I am guessing they are selling well.
Its 229 and that's on SALE! It retails for 350!!! It also only has 2 gig internal. NO IPS, no dual core... same or worse RAM.... the only redeeming factor in my mind is that I think it has an expansion slot??? Also I don't like lenovo for bussiness or home..
s0m3f00l said:
Its 229 and that's on SALE! It retails for 350!!! It also only has 2 gig internal. NO IPS, no dual core... same or worse RAM.... the only redeeming factor in my mind is that I think it has an expansion slot??? Also I don't like lenovo for bussiness or home..
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It will probably always be "on sale".
What are the chances of an internal SD in the Fire?
There's bound to be a moderately simple way for Amazon to flash the thing, and I doubt it would take long to replicate once it's released.
Snow_fox said:
it was 199$ on the lenovo site for a while..
The release date has been pushed back twice already.
I am guessing they are selling well.
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I saw that too... other colors were available at the time as well, now it is only Black or White.
Also, the employee discount is only $10, which seems odd, so that means $239 for me - but I am still not sold on it at that price. If I could have gotten the discount on the lower spec one priced @ $199, I prob would have bit.
Estimated ship date is 11/8, but the rep I am chatting with now claims it will ship before then.
He has also stated that it does not have Gorilla Glass (which I think I read elsewhere in this thread that it has).
ETA: the rep I am talking too also says that the A1 ships with android 3.1... and just offered it to me for $219.
ETA2: he backtracked on the 3.1, and is also unable to confirm the release of 2.3
ETA3: I ordered a white one @ the $219 price: bonus = Free Shipping!
I want to buy a tablet for playing games, but I also need it to handle 3G, have some decent GPS and a camera. Since Nexus doesn't have 3G, a decent GPS (it doesn't have GLONASS) and a rear camera I'm not happy with it (I can buy 3G modem, but with other things there's not much I can do), but I read that it is totally awesome when it comes to games.
So my question is: is it? I presume it has access to some Tegra3 exclusive games, but are there so many of them and are they unique enough to make me care? Also, since it's Tegra3 it probably handles most games better than older devices, but do higher details and more FPS compensate for small screen? I wonder whether to buy some 10 inch tablet instead (eg. Galaxy Tab 2 P5100, Acer Iconia A501, Motorola XOOM MZ601, Galaxy Tab P7500).
It seems like you would be happier with a Transformer Prime or TF300. The Nexus has a fine GPS (I always lock within seconds) and is great at playing games (Tegra 3 is second to none in regards to gaming right now).
Lack of 3G and a rear camera seem like deal breakers for you though. Get the tablet that has everything you need, or you will end up regretting it.
Off course tegra 3 is great at handling games....
But as far u want 3g ang gps too u can look for galaxy tab 2 7"(dont go for 10" it is a over priced waste.u can look for note 10.1 instead).it have everything u want and its also perform great in games....
For 10" variant my suggestion is note 10.1
Transformer or Note are a little too expensive for me. I should've mentioned that I have limited budget (I live in Poland and Nexus 7 costs about 300$ here, and that is the most I'm willing to spend on a tablet).
I was just wondering whether I will be able to live without a camera and with an additional device for 3G thanks to the Tegra3 gaming experience. That's why I'm trying to figure out how good is it. I'm not convinced that a 7inch screen will provide a significantly better gaming experience than a 10inch screen, even when details and FPS are better (I have 32inch HD Ready TV and 21inch Full HD monitor and I prefer the former). Also, I read that Tegra2 exclusives are available on other devices thanks to Chainfire 3D, although I can't find any information about how those games perform on eg. Samsung Galaxy 2 10.1 (P5100). And as for Tegra3 exclusives, there are not that many of them out there, right?
humanista said:
Transformer or Note are a little too expensive for me. I should've mentioned that I have limited budget (I live in Poland and Nexus 7 costs about 300$ here, and that is the most I'm willing to spend on a tablet).
I was just wondering whether I will be able to live without a camera and with an additional device for 3G thanks to the Tegra3 gaming experience. That's why I'm trying to figure out how good is it. I'm not convinced that a 7inch screen will provide a significantly better gaming experience than a 10inch screen,
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you're telling me that you're hands will do better on a 10" screen then a 7" screen? you cant even compare the gaming experience between the two. 7" wins hands down. how are you gonna hold that 10" clunky piece of garbage in your hands and be comfortable?
MRsf27 said:
you're telling me that you're hands will do better on a 10" screen then a 7" screen? you cant even compare the gaming experience between the two. 7" wins hands down. how are you gonna hold that 10" clunky piece of garbage in your hands and be comfortable?
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It isn't that hard to hold a 10 inch tablet. Unless you of course have fairly small hands.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
MRsf27 said:
you're telling me that you're hands will do better on a 10" screen then a 7" screen? you cant even compare the gaming experience between the two. 7" wins hands down. how are you gonna hold that 10" clunky piece of garbage in your hands and be comfortable?
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I'm talking about the visual experience, not the convenience of holding a tablet. I have large hands, 10" screen won't be a problem.
humanista said:
I'm talking about the visual experience, not the convenience of holding a tablet. I have large hands, 10" screen won't be a problem.
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bigger screen = the need for more pixels so they dont look stretched
smaller screen = could have the same amount of pixels for less space to make it look better.
I've have tegra 3 games such as modern combat 3, nova 3, and some pinball game, that I'll tell you right now, look absolutely crazy. If you decide to get a nexus 7, root it, overclock it and it'll run even better.
For me a bigger screen is better, unless there is some radical difference in quality. It seems we have different taste.
I've looked on those titles you've mentioned and they look impressive indeed. Are there more of those Tegra3 exclusives? And do Tegra2 exclusives look better on Nexus than on Tegra2 devices?
humanista said:
For me a bigger screen is better, unless there is some radical difference in quality. It seems we have different taste.
I've looked on those titles you've mentioned and they look impressive indeed. Are there more of those Tegra3 exclusives? And do Tegra2 exclusives look better on Nexus than on Tegra2 devices?
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im pretty sure if you go to the google play store website and type in "tegra 3 games" it'll show the variety
On Google Play website it isn't even mentioned that Modern Combat 3 is optimized for Nexus 7. Even on tegrazone most of the games are not exclusives. It's pretty confusing.
humanista said:
On Google Play website it isn't even mentioned that Modern Combat 3 is optimized for Nexus 7. Even on tegrazone most of the games are not exclusives. It's pretty confusing.
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modern combat 3 may have been a bad example because I don't think that game was made specifically for tegra 3 devices. Check out dead trigger, shadowgun, riptide gp, or fort courage is a good one to
Tegra optimized games will usually have THD in their title
Sent from my Nexus 7
Well, I've just read several reviews and absolutely everyone claim that for gaming there is no better device than Nexus 7 and that a 7 inch screen is better than a 10 inch screen. I'm pretty surprised by this concept, since I thought that I will just put a tablet on my laps and then play, but somehow it seems that you have to hold your device while playing. It is pretty weird, but that many people probably cannot be wrong.
Coming from an iPad, I prefer the N7 for gaming. Its smaller and lighter when playing games and the GPU is absolutely amazing. I find that android has a lack of games and apps in comparison to iOS though. I have already played most of the games on my iPad that I find in the play store now.
Well, you've pretty much convinced me to buy a Nexus 7. Now I have to figure out how to overcome the lack of 3G, because that's the most serious deal-breaker for me. I can probably handle lack of camera and GPS without GLONASS, but I absolutely need my tablet to have 3G. MiFi seems like perfect solution and those devices have a microSD slot, but I don't know whether I will be able to install games on a card accessible through WiFi. I guess I'll just buy it and find out.
I'm now the proud owner of a Nook HD. It's my second android device (phone is a GS3) and my fourth device for which I have sought guidance in this incredible forum. After perusing the Nook section of this site, I felt like I needed to reflect on why I chose this device.
1. I need to read more...again. I used to read all of the time. I'm a high school English teacher, so I have a passion for reading. However, like so many of my teenage students, I am easily distracted. I thought that I would read on my iPad, but that didn't happen since there are so many great games out for tablets. As a father of a 3-year old, my time and energy has seemed to be more prone to go to a mindless video game for a few minutes of gameplay rather than delve deep into a classic from one of my favorite authors. So, I'm hoping my Nook HD is the answer I need for this. Since it is smaller, maybe I'll have it along with my more often so I can read more often. Also, since B&N doesn't seem to have any intention of competing with iOS on the scale of game offerings, I won't be tempted to play N.O.V.A. or Modern Combat over reading Eliot.
2. 7" seems to really be the perfect size for a reading tablet. Sorry HD+ owners, you're not going to like this point. If that HD+ is your first tablet, I hope you will at least heed or remember my thoughts here. My iPad (or any 10" screen) is too big to read on enjoyably. I've had an iPad for almost 2 years and I have spent many hours reading on it. It's an amazing device for things like producing writing, annotating essays, playing games, or watching movies, but the size of the blessed thing is just not ideal for reading*. Think about it, why are most paperbacks around 6-8" tall? I think it's because you naturally read faster and more easily when your eyes don't have to travel too far up an down the pages. A 7" tablet has the same effect. After reading on my HD for a while today, I can honestly say that the reading experience seems easier and more natural. Plus, being able to hold it with one hand makes it more convenient as well.
*I also looked at a couple magazines on my Nook HD and I will say the 10" screens are more suited for that. Looking at Entertainment Weekly caused some eyestrain. I suppose that's one reason B&N invented Article View.
So, that's my spiel. Feel free to concur or show obloquy as desired.
I got the HD because:
1) It had faster benchmarks than the Nexus 7
2) It had a better resolution and an overall better screen than the Nexus 7
3) It was rootable
4) I originally paid $180, but then returned it and got it for $149 at Staples
5) Nexus 7 16GB was not available anywhere.
Overall, I am very happy with the little tablet. I got my wife the HD+ at Staples for $199. She's not so happy with it, so I'll have two tablets and she'll end up getting the iPad Mini when the retina version comes out since her first gen iPad is getting outdated. Both the HD and HD+ were rooted but updated to 2.0.5, but Play still works. I was able to sideload Chrome since Play shows it incompatible. I also have them both booting to CM10 which has been pretty stable so far.
I agree about the 7" size. I have a 10" android tablet for playing games and surfing the web. I got the HD for reading. I rooted it to put other reading apps on it and so it can be more of an all-around device when necessary.
I get the HD+ for the size and resolution. I use the size for reading manga, smaller would just make it not very readable. Also I already have a Note II which is 5.5inches. So getting HD is kinda redundant. Also I found that using the HD+ connecting to my notebook using iDisplay to show my pictures when I'm working on them is quite useful.
Obviously 7inch and 9inch are aim at different type of consumers.
someone0 said:
I get the HD+ for the size and resolution. I use the size for reading manga, smaller would just make it not very readable. Also I already have a Note II which is 5.5inches. So getting HD is kinda redundant. Also I found that using the HD+ connecting to my notebook using iDisplay to show my pictures when I'm working on them is quite useful.
Obviously 7inch and 9inch are aim at different type of consumers.
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Those are good points. Like I said in my op, magazines are a bit small on the HD, so I'm sure the HD+ is better for anything illustrated.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Great briefing now there is thread to point out to confused potential buyers
Sent from a hybrid phablet !
The HD+ gives a quite nice two-column reading experience in landscape. I would have stuck with something smaller if comic books and magazines were lower on my priority list, but my old Nook Color always felt a bit cramped for those. I've honestly been on a comic book and audio book jag ever since I got the HD+ and not reading much in the way of straight text.
nikufellow said:
Great briefing now there is thread to point out to confused potential buyers
Sent from a hybrid phablet !
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Good idea. Title changed to help that type of buyer searching.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Even if the title weren't change it just mean people would look at the remarks and can tell, that maybe there is something they want to do and HD isn't good at but HD+ does better. It's no confusing at all. Reasons to buy alone isn't very informative w/o reasons not to buy. Information is information, period.
I went from Sony Reader to Kindle 3 to Nook Tablet to Nook HD+.
Nook Tablet is perfect size for reading books and bringing along with me--I agree with you there.
I read lots of magazines in PDF format. That's the main reason I went with the bigger HD+. I've grown accustomed to the size now and like the bigger screen.
Hardback books are about the size of the HD+, and I have always liked Hardback covers over paperbacks. So my yin to your yang.
However I have yet to use this thing for anything but video and some light music.
migrax
Has anyone here tried the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 also?
I'm on the fence between a Kindle Fire HD 8.9 and a Nook HD+. I wasn't sure if I wanted a 7" or 9" at first but I think I need a 9" because I mostly will want to use it to look at PDF tech manuals and CAD schematic drawings when I'm on the go crawling around in areas where it is inconvenient to carry a laptop. Aside from that, its nice to have something to use on the plane or sitting around at the airport.
The main differences I see are:
Kindle: thinner (barely), has mimo wifi (don't know if its a real diff), camera (already have a phone camera), micro usb (don't have to buy proprietary connectors), ambient light sensor (might save some batt)
Nook: lighter (not by much), higher ppi (barely), external storage (although I'm not sure if I really need it)
Price is about the same if I look on ebay. Software is the same if I put on CM10, although I'm not sure if the kindle is as far along.
For me, seems like the biggest diff is the micro usb vs the external storage, and maybe the weight, hard to know how important 2.4oz is. I suspect that the external storage won't really be needed so if the weight isnt a big diff, I think I may lean towards the kindle.
I'd be interested in any other important differences people have noticed.
There is more difference between the Nook HD and Nexus 7 than some people think. The Nook HD provides the main essentials like good screen etc but has very limited sensors.
The nexus 7 is like a phone and has a full collection of sensors like an ambient light sensor, gyroscope, GPS, compass, proximity sensor, camera + more.
These sensors can be useful in some circumstances. Gyro is good for games and alot better than an accelerometer
sorrowuk said:
There is more difference between the Nook HD and Nexus 7 than some people think. The Nook HD provides the main essentials like good screen etc but has very limited sensors.
The nexus 7 is like a phone and has a full collection of sensors like an ambient light sensor, gyroscope, GPS, compass, proximity sensor, camera + more.
These sensors can be useful in some circumstances. Gyro is good for games and alot better than an accelerometer
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Yes, if you only have one tablet/smartphone device the choice is harder. However, I have a smartphone and a 10" android tablet. I wanted a light reader with added functionality. I fell in love with the nook HD screen as I am a screen-o-phile and can't go back to TN displays with poor color representation. The Nook HD has fantastic colors as well as a good resolution. Images just pop. I think it has over 90% adobe RGB gamut which is better than the nexus 7 (86% if I recall correctly) along with a better resolution.
Now resolution is not everything. The next gen ipad certainly has a ridiculous resolution that requires an overpowered GPU for most purposes ... that is all purposes except reading where every bit of resolution helps to discern text. Likewise, the extra bit of resolution on the Nook HD really makes it a good reader.
The Nook HD is also very light and has removable storage which is a HUGE plus for me. All the major tablet/phone manufacturers charge like 100-200 bucks more for pennies worth of Nand. 720p screens require at least 32gb to enjoy videos and media at that resolution IMO.
Overall, I am very happy with my purchase. B&N produced a quality product at a good price. They did shortchange in certain areas (no camera, no sensors), but I don't care about camera as almost all of them suck anyways in 7" tablets (especially the front ones) and the sensors are kind of a pain but I already have a smartphone so what do I care?
The Nook HD is a fantastic reader and secondary tablet. Hopefully with some more work on CM10/10.1, it will be a better primary one too.
Diogenes5 said:
720p screens require at least 32gb to enjoy videos and media at that resolution IMO.
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Can you clarify what you mean by this?
a 720p video file certainly isnt 32gb. maybe 1gb per movie depending on quality
It may take more memory to play it but the memory has nothing to do with the 32gb storage.
As for sensors, I dont care about the camera. GPS would be nice but the kindle doesnt have it either.
I don't see the use of a proximity sensor. The gyro is needed for some games. and the light sensor is somewhat important to output the right amount of brightness.
enricong said:
Can you clarify what you mean by this?
a 720p video file certainly isnt 32gb. maybe 1gb per movie depending on quality
It may take more memory to play it but the memory has nothing to do with the 32gb storage.
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A decently compressed feature-length 720p movie will range from 1.5-4GB depending on encoding, and a straight rip without decent compression might run 6-8GB or more. If you want to have more than one such movie on your tablet and maybe a couple of TV episodes as well as other media (magazines, PDFs, comics) it piles up fast. I don't even watch many videos on my tablet, and getting by on less than 32GB for what is essentially a media portal would be a pain.
Most 720p movies I've watched are in the 1-1.5 range. Beyond that I havent noticed alot of difference but maybe that's just me. Regardless, I don't see myself watching alot of movies on this and I wouldn't need to store more than one or two at a time. My primary purpose would be using it when it is inconvenient to carry my laptop like when I'm out in the field and need to pull up a pdf manual and/or cad drawings. This does not require much storage space.
It does sound like the trade is between the piece of mind of being able to upgrade storage and having a couple more sensors + the convenience of a microUSB.
i agree that 7" is a darn good size for reading and on hand holding, but i occasionally do things other than reading and 7" kinda limited me. i upgraded my galaxy tab 8.9 to this device. i do have a 10.1 galaxy note but do find that one too big for reading most of the times. it's not heavy, just awkward holding with one hand while laying down reading.
The 7" form factor is great, but even as much as I like expandable storage and getting every last possible pixel per inch, the Nook HD just doesn't stand up to the Nexus 7 in that market. The 32GB N7 is at least adequate in storage, and only $20 more than a 16GB Nook HD. The PPI difference is not that major, they're about the same weight with equally generic design, but the N7 has considerably more powerful innards, a full sensor array, and it's already a Nexus device: no hacking required. You'd have to really, really like the Nook HD display and see limited functionality as a positive thing--I could maybe see it if you were buying with young children in mind.
The HD+, on the other hand, has only one competitor within 30-40% of the asking price, and that one (the Kindle 8.9") is still asking more for less. Like the Nook Color when that device came out, the HD+ is the best screen for the money right now and also happens to have a distinctive design, not just because there's a hole in it but because it has a unified aesthetic other than "fat black bezel."
Taosaur said:
The 7" form factor is great, but even as much as I like expandable storage and getting every last possible pixel per inch, the Nook HD just doesn't stand up to the Nexus 7 in that market. The 32GB N7 is at least adequate in storage, and only $20 more than a 16GB Nook HD. The PPI difference is not that major, they're about the same weight with equally generic design, but the N7 has considerably more powerful innards, a full sensor array, and it's already a Nexus device: no hacking required. You'd have to really, really like the Nook HD display and see limited functionality as a positive thing--I could maybe see it if you were buying with young children in mind.
The HD+, on the other hand, has only one competitor within 30-40% of the asking price, and that one (the Kindle 8.9") is still asking more for less. Like the Nook Color when that device came out, the HD+ is the best screen for the money right now and also happens to have a distinctive design, not just because there's a hole in it but because it has a unified aesthetic other than "fat black bezel."
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Sent from my Barnes & Noble Nook HD using Tapatalk HD
This had way top many overgeneralizations for me to ignore. For one, the storage difference is significant. For the same price I can get a nook HD with a 64gb micro SD card as a 32gb nexus.
The PPI difference is still significant. I compared both devices directly and the nook HD had better color accuracy and sharper text. 900p is actually over 25% more pixels than 800p. It is a huge difference for reading and text-based media consumption.
Weight is also very important for me at this form factor and given my usage patterns. The nook HD is the lightest device in its class and feels even lighter than my phone. I feel weight definitely matters especially for a device meant to be held and used as a replacement novel unlike say an iPad which can reasonably be expected to be laid down or held upright by a case instead.
Powerful is relative. The tegra 3 GPU is seriously underwhelming to adreno and mali. I know, I own a transformer infinity. For most virtually every process the nook HD is just as smooth as the nexus 7 which is all that really matters, not epeen statements about power. Devices need only be powerful enough for their intended use.
Nexus devices are definitely nice but so is cynmogen mod. Nook HD definitely takes more work to enjoy. Sensors are also irrelevant if you use them. How man people do you know actually use the cameras on their tablet for example. How about GPS? Having the option is definitely nice but irrelevant in most cases to the vast majority of people.
Its ironic that you mention the hd+ as being better. I found using it underwhelming. After having owned the infinity, I know how hard it is for current gen tech to power full HD displays. The nook HD+ was very slow at loading PDFs in store and kind of clunky in terms of performance. Understandable as even my infinity lags with an over clocked tegra 3. A nook HD was however completely smooth for me.
To each his own, but I think the nook HD is a much better device for me than a nexus 7. Even if I didn't ave a larger tablet, I would have gotten a nook.
In my opinion tablets are all about screen first, practicality second, and smoothness second. The nook HD does a better job at being a media consumption device than the nexus 7 across many metrics.
I'm looking to purchase a tablet for light work/recreational purposes. Price point on this tablet seems good considering the cost of the higher end tablets. I don't want to spend over $400.
I've read the processor is not great. Does the tablet act sluggish sometimes? How is the screen?
I'll mostly be using it to view PDF, Excel, Word files, and use various Android apps. Not gaming so much but could be one here and there. Thoughts? Is there a better device for the money out there?
Also, what Android version does this ship with? I'm having trouble finding that out.
CCallahan said:
I'm looking to purchase a tablet for light work/recreational purposes. Price point on this tablet seems good considering the cost of the higher end tablets. I don't want to spend over $400.
I've read the processor is not great. Does the tablet act sluggish sometimes? How is the screen?
I'll mostly be using it to view PDF, Excel, Word files, and use various Android apps. Not gaming so much but could be one here and there. Thoughts? Is there a better device for the money out there?
Also, what Android version does this ship with? I'm having trouble finding that out.
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I use it for light reading, Netflix and WSOP poker. It does have some lag with the poker game after 1/2 hour or so. Web browsing, etc works well.
Android 10 June security patch.
The Exynos 9611 is about equal to the SD660, albeit with a weaker GPU. This is a productivity tablet more than anything, I'd say, as the highlight is definitely the s-pen.
For day to day tasks it's pretty snappy and I rarely notice any stuttering (I set the animation scale to 0.5 and everything opens instantly), I use it for reading, browsing, taking notes and just jotting down sketches and work-related stuff.
The screen looks great, even coming from a higher (~273) ppi tablet, I don't notice much of a difference, it's crisp and bright enough.
The rule with Tab S6 Lite is this: if you don't game heavily and you need an active/s-pen and, like me, dislike the Apple way of doing things, then the lite is your best bet on a budget.
Otherwise, if gaming is involved or you don't need the spen - there are better options out there, the S5e, if you can still get one, will do better in gaming and has superior speakers and
screen (I myself don't like the OLED flicker, hope they fixed it on the newer S7+).
On the dark side the iPads rule this kingdom performance and prices. The 7th gen iPad cost the same and runs circles around it, the Air 3 is another option, with better screen and specs.