Returned my G-Tab today, and bought the Xoom. I think I am having 2nd thoughts though.
I love the G-tab's size, and GUI (go figure). But saw the Xoom at Best Buy, and it was too irresistable to pass up. However, the xoom's size reminds me too much of the Ipad, and I just can't seem to get use to the Honeycomb GUI yet.
I guess the Xoom may just take some warming up to.
Anyone else feel my pain?
Guess I am just looking for some support.
nealwheels said:
Returned my G-Tab today, and bought the Xoom. I think I am having 2nd thoughts though.
I love the G-tab's size, and GUI (go figure). But saw the Xoom at Best Buy, and it was too irresistable to pass up. However, the xoom's size reminds me too much of the Ipad, and I just can't seem to get use to the Honeycomb GUI yet.
I guess the Xoom may just take some warming up to.
Anyone else feel my pain?
Guess I am just looking for some support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never had a Galaxy tab and would not want one (at least the current 7" model). I need more screen real estate. I already have an Android phone to cover the smaller screens. I don't like panning and zooming everything.
i love my xoom more and more everyday. I love the hardware accelleration in the browser but I don't like the lack of flash or. Lack of tablet optimized apps at the moment one thing to always remember is updates will always come sooner on a Google eperience device
android_geoff said:
i love my xoom more and more everyday. I love the hardware accelleration in the browser but I don't like the lack of flash or. Lack of tablet optimized apps at the moment one thing to always remember is updates will always come sooner on a Google eperience device
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And we already know those are coming, just takes patience. Good point about the Google Experience. Hopefully we will see some updates in the coming weeks.
yes I've seen alot of demos for new apps so I know there on there way. Its weird though if you go to the market and click apps for tablets there's only 16. Half of which are games but if you go to games for tablets section there are more
android_geoff said:
yes I've seen alot of demos for new apps so I know there on there way. Its weird though if you go to the market and click apps for tablets there's only 16. Half of which are games but if you go to games for tablets section there are more
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One of my wish list items for market improvement.
I had the Tab and it was a neutered Android phone. Xoom is the way to go...give it some time.
ur serously saying that u liked Android 2.2 on a tab more then honeycomb?
I had a Gtab originally. I got rid of it because the service through TMobile was spotty and the screen was too small. I however love my xoom. Especially since I found a good converter program for all my movies. Once we get SD card support ill be golden
nealwheels said:
Returned my G-Tab today, and bought the Xoom. I think I am having 2nd thoughts though.
I love the G-tab's size, and GUI (go figure). But saw the Xoom at Best Buy, and it was too irresistable to pass up. However, the xoom's size reminds me too much of the Ipad, and I just can't seem to get use to the Honeycomb GUI yet.
I guess the Xoom may just take some warming up to.
Anyone else feel my pain?
Guess I am just looking for some support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As an owner of the Tab and the ipad.....I have realized that 10 inches is for home and vacation use. 7 inches is portable and can be taken anywhere. I have an Evo which I thought was huge before I got the Tab....now it seems tiny.
I might buy the wifi Xoom if it is priced right but I already know from experience with 10 inches that it will stay at home.
Sent from my SPH-P100 using XDA Premium App
I sold my Galaxy Tab yesterday, I'm so gald to get rid of it. It was incredibly slow even after overclocking and 2.2 was NOT meant for tablets.
2.2 may not be meant for tabs, but at least it runs flash and all the apps work without being buggy.
mitchweight said:
2.2 may not be meant for tabs, but at least it runs flash and all the apps work without being buggy.
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Ran flash incredibly slowly, and the browser crashed all the time... sure.
Bauxite said:
Ran flash incredibly slowly, and the browser crashed all the time... sure.
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Click to collapse
really? I haven't had any problems with Flash or Dolphin. I watch more videos on the Tab than on my iPad (of course...lol).
Haven't rooted the Tab either (but rooted my Evo almost immediately after getting it)....haven't felt a need. The speed is fine for me.
Though I enjoyed the greater screen real estate (versus my EVO), the Galaxy Tab really is (as someone else already mentioned) just a neutered Android phone. After using the Xoom for several days, and using apps designed for Honeycomb, the difference is remarkable (just try Pulse, YouTube, CNN, or any of the games optimized for 3.0).
I do miss flash in my browser a bit, but that will come soon. I definitely do NOT miss the capacitive buttons on the bottom (a requirement for pre-Honeycomb devices)...it was terribly annoying to be enjoying a video or reading a document and having to be careful with the way I held so as not to accidentally press one of those buttons.
Also, the location of the stereo speakers on the Xoom is so much more sensible than the speaker on the G-Tab, where, once again, if you weren't holding it 'just-so' the sound would be muted by the palm of your hand.
**I have yet to significantly miss the SD card or flash. I do wish we could permanently set the UA string on the stock browser though, and I'm looking forward to the Citrix Receiver being updated for Honeycomb**
For me, flash, UA string, and Citrix will make this device a real killer, and it's good to know they will all be coming very soon.
khov07 said:
Though I enjoyed the greater screen real estate (versus my EVO), the Galaxy Tab really is (as someone else already mentioned) just a neutered Android phone. After using the Xoom for several days, and using apps designed for Honeycomb, the difference is remarkable (just try Pulse, YouTube, CNN, or any of the games optimized for 3.0).
I do miss flash in my browser a bit, but that will come soon. I definitely do NOT miss the capacitive buttons on the bottom (a requirement for pre-Honeycomb devices)...it was terribly annoying to be enjoying a video or reading a document and having to be careful with the way I held so as not to accidentally press one of those buttons.
Also, the location of the stereo speakers on the Xoom is so much more sensible than the speaker on the G-Tab, where, once again, if you weren't holding it 'just-so' the sound would be muted by the palm of your hand.
**I have yet to significantly miss the SD card or flash. I do wish we could permanently set the UA string on the stock browser though, and I'm looking forward to the Citrix Receiver being updated for Honeycomb**
For me, flash, UA string, and Citrix will make this device a real killer, and it's good to know they will all be coming very soon.
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Click to collapse
I agree. It's definitely a neutered Android phone...but it stills does everything I need it to do for a portable device. I would probably feel different if it was my only tablet and I didn't already have an iPad for the past year that's had Pulse, the new CNN app, plus too many games that I have spent a fortune on!
Is Word with Friends optimized for the Xoom? A friend brought her husband's Xoom in for me to play with and we downloaded it and the letters were cut off. i thought it was under the tablet optimized section.
I am eyeing the wifi Xoom simply because I prefer Android to iOS but not having Netflix, Hulu, and my games might be too much to give up. Hopefully we'll see more advancement with the Android tablets.
Related
I don't have mine yet but I love the fact that it fits in my pocket and not my iPad.
I agree. Ability to have 2 free hands is a god send.
Movies look awesome man. I've been playing games as well and I love it. On the cons side, I don't like that the browser takes you to the mobile version of the websites.
There is so much to like. Everything feels a lot more natural. Typing, browsing navigation. Yum
Sent from my SGH-T849 using XDA App
I would have to say portability is the best quality. The biggest con for me is I can do everything on my EVO that the Tab can do. Im going to fully use my 29days to figure out if I want it or not.
7" is a great form factor for a tablet (sorry Steve). Soon there will be more competition in this field, but the build quality, large battery and full-featureness of the Samsung Galaxy Tab will be hard to match. I can see a few ways to improve the Tab: display with better viewing angles, refersh rate and lower power consumption, dual core Tegra 2 processor (although the software would need to take advantage of it), better camera, built-in software (driver and app) for FM radio chipset, worldwide integrated DMB TV tuner (currently only in some parts of the world), HDMI stand included with tablet (currently an expensive accessory), standard mini USB plug, . . . But otherwise the Tab is a pretty great device as it is now
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App
The phone
Everything really. It really is 'one device does all'
When I'm on support duty, I need to lug around a netboot 'just in case' as well as my phone of course. Now can do it all from one device.
7" IS perfect. For me. (LCD Density app on the market helps get that little extra wiggle room, well recommended).
GF has an iPad that she enjoys, but she's getting frustrated by it's lack of flash more and more. Whilst she just uses it for email/browsing Perez whilst watching telly, it's been great. When she needs to do a bit of research, it's limitations are becoming clear. I've not had that issue. I've been able todo everything I need from it. (vnc'ing back to my linux box to handle work stuff, I have no problems with).
Also been able to setup my Everquest account to be able to be logged in and checked. Using vnc->Flash. It's slow, but it works. When I've tried todo that on the iPad, I've run into that whole 'no, you're not allowed todo that'. With the Tab (well, Android in general really), it's kinda the Unix philosophy, lots of little tools/apps that you can string together to let you work the way YOU want to.
Cons
hmm... Still annoyed that voice isn't as standard on the US models. That's just... well, stupid. Having to flash the euro rom works around it, but it's annoying to lose 3G for that. Unless it gets resolved properly soon (stock rom, and some app/mobile.bin that lets me use the mostly standard rom and get 3G AND get updates easily), I might look into the Skype/Google Voice solution that others have mentioned.
Wouldn't mind an earpiece so those rare moments I don't have the bluetooth headset, I can hold it up, and not mind looking silly. Maybe. Not sure. I'd like to have at least had the option.
The thing I really I love about my Tab is that it has turned my HTC Desire into just a phone, and my PC into something I just use during the day for work.
The Tab is now my primary method for internet and multimedia consumption when I'm not at my desk working.
Regards,
Dave
I am going to like my Tab better than the iPad I own.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
The fact that it's small and I can stop downloading apps on my g1 that dosen't do well with many apps lol. Also I like that its not extremely light and dosen't feel too fragile.
rotohammer said:
The phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sonofabitch!
TurckBoatTruck said:
You sonofabitch!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, and things I like about it...
What isn't to like? (Obviously trying to ignore US carriers' decisions to remove voice calling capability -- as that is a monster FAIL.)
This is one sweet piece of hardware. Actually, strike that. That doesn't do it justice.
This is... ahem... the coolest piece of gadgetry I have ever owned to-date. (Again, obviously trying to ignore the no-voice-calling horse**** -- and no, I can't leave that caveat off.)
Some of my friends working at the Apple Store are dissing the Tab as a failure...
Sent from my Droid using XDA App
qipengart said:
Some of my friends working at the Apple Store are dissing the Tab as a failure...
Sent from my Droid using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And that's surprising why?
Croak said:
And that's surprising why?
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Click to collapse
Heh agreed
Apple appeals to less intelligent people that thinks its fashion.
Imo the 10" tabs like ipad are to big and heavy to function well in the hands. It tire out my hands and you have to hold it in one hand to reach everything on the screen.
Its to big to have it with you all time and dont fit in the pocket. I can just take with me the laptop instead in the nice little bag.
I have the tab with me all the time. I dont have a phone with me anymore. It has perfect size and isnt to heavy. The screen resulotion does surfing better then on a phone and the 7" makes it easyer to see whats on it.
The sgt works well for chatting, atleast i can type fast as hell on it now. Almost the same as a regular keyboard.
Pretty entertaining games. Getting a little sick of Angry Birds now but there lots of fun game with pretty sweet 3D graphics.
Surfing works good altho the browser that came with the tab is a little stuttery. I use Opera most of the time now wich is super smooth for me and when i need flash to work or something isnt working correct in Opera i use Dolphin HD.
The screen is pretty good and watchin movies, reading books and magazines works great.
It feels realy good and sturdy even with the plastic back.
The battery seems to have no problem keeping up a whole day. I have bluetooth on the whole time, msn up and chatting alot, playing and surfing alot. Sitting next to my machine on my work and passing time with my little cute tab. And mine is going to get better because its still new. On my phone the battery time got a whole lot better after a while.
Hmm... what more, what more... Its just a sweet and imo perfect device.
The best is the screen of course. I love, love the big screen. At my office there are some hardcore iPad lovers and some Galaxy fans. And I have the biggest Galaxy screen!
I really like the brightness of the colors as well, everything looks so fresh and new. I get a lot of compliments from people around me, everybody wants to hold it. For me the 7inch was the deciding factor, 10inch is way too big for me, with my woman hands (at 1.60 m I don't have large hands). Working with the keyboard at landscape I can type really fast with just two fingers.
Considering I used to own WM devices before, I have to say I really, really like the Android platform. So I am not sure, that is the main reason but everything works really fast and downloads are easy.
I keep telling everybody that the Tab is a woman device, I can hold it in one hand, wonderful.
I think I haven't been this excited about a device for a long, long time.
It's 7" and fits right in one hand, the screen looks great, 2 cameras, I can type pretty fast with 2 fingers now, or swype. I do a lot of my writing on it while watching movie. And I can use it as a phone if I so desire.
Plus it's the best tablet that I can stick into my pocket and be on the go. Now I got to figure out whether I go for the T-Mobile or Verizon version first.
@dukins
Same here, I don't have the Tab, & just sold my Evo, but it's like...... 7" isn't that much for something that is just a bigger Evo LOL, would really prefer 10"
But since I'm going to WP7, I may get one eventually, if not an Archos & flash it to get the official market. Who knows, maybe I'll end up with an iPad, I really don't know. 7" just doesn't do it for me since every smartphone with a touch screen I've owned has been 3.7" to 4.3"
& it's like, now they are already talking about their new Galaxy Tab. I think I'll wait for the thinner, faster version then.
Camera zoom would be nice too. I mean I can live without 720p recording.. I guess that's what smartphones are for instead of smarttabs?
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
This must be my 6th tablet if I include the 'first out of the post' compaq tablets eons ago, a toshiba laptop/tablet, 2 different ipads and an advent vega, so I'd like to think I've got a fairly balanced view on tablets.
I won't get into any of the usual iOS/Android flames, suffice to say in my opinion after a week of using Honeycomb on the Xoom, Android is much more suited to a tablet format than iOS on an iPad, which is really just a big phone, albeit a very slick one.
I'm sure most on this forum will be used to acting as guinea pigs for new technologies and that's a choice most of us have made by getting this device to see the possibilities of an Android tablet, so a few bugs was expected. A couple more updates and there's no reason why Android tablets will be just as slick as an iPad (as it is in the smartphone world now).
Now the hardware just needs to improve. While the Xoom is nice solid tech, it is heavy. I was trying to use it standing on up a train and after a while, it was particularly uncomfortable to use. The screen could be brighter too.
My one unexpected observation though is the screen size. Is it me or is a more rectangular 10.1" just not as easy to type on as the squarer 9.7" iPad?
I find that the wider screen means the keyboard either takes up all the screen or is squashed and the keys are not as easy to use. When I had the iPad, I found typing in landscape mode absolutely no problem. On the Xoom it's not quite as easy to type quickly on.
Anyway, just my opinion... while each day I like honeycomb more and more, I'm not entirely convinced that the Xoom will be my final Android tablet.
thx. xoom's really a sweet device, although it has few bugs. enjoy mine very much too
The think about android is that you can change the UI the way you like, you can have the sweet thumb keyboard app and that problem its solved. I find it hard to the ipad will let you change that UI keyboard setting.
I agree the xoom is too heavy, maybe they should realese a keyboard like asus transformer so it can be held in the lap (sorry for my english).
The screen on the xoom is the same as a widescreen monitor you use on a pc. The ipad is somekind of cropped. you can tell if you play videos on ipad...they dont fit the screen.
The only think that im a little sad about the xoom is devs arent interested right now to release honeycomb support. Not even all google apps have honeycomb support but i guess its matter of months or maybe they are waiting for xoom 2
I also had my Xoom for a week, and like you enjoy using it so far.
You can try to install this thumb keyboard for easier typing, even though it’s in beta, I have not had any problems use it.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1055327
I only took the Xoom on the train for one day and also found it difficult to use. My issue is more to do with the size than the weight. So I went back to use my Galaxy Tab and leave the Xoom for mainly home use.
The only real issue I've found with Honeycomb/my Xoom is the chronic shortage of apps designed for tablets specifically.
VaKo said:
The only real issue I've found with Honeycomb/my Xoom is the chronic shortage of apps designed for tablets specifically.
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yes , my thoughts exactly !
SwiftKey tablet beta resolves any typing issues, I've been using it since before it went public beta, was part of the early testers. They've already listened to many of my suggestions, which is just great IMO.
i totally agree about the apps. I'm willing to wait...but is it me is the number of apps going down the market? It was 67 a few days, 64 yesterday and 60 rightnow.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
Does anyone notice that number of apps for tablet on android market decrease overtime ? The first day i got my xoom, there were 67 apps, 2 weeks ago: 64 apps. now there are 60 apps.
I wouldn't worry to much about the apps, with the huge list of android tablets dropping this year we can all expect to see a rather consistent flow of new apps......Hopefullly
tritran18518 said:
Does anyone notice that number of apps for tablet on android market decrease overtime ? The first day i got my xoom, there were 67 apps, 2 weeks ago: 64 apps. now there are 60 apps.
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Click to collapse
That's because when you click "Featured" Android Tablet apps, those are just "Featured". There are actually WAY more than that (150+) Honeycomb "optimized" apps in the Market.
It would be considerably more useful if there was a tablet part of the market, similar to iTunes having an iPad only part. There's no easy way to identify tablet optimized apps.
This is from a UK XOOM and I've a feeling that for some reason, Market is different in europe.
The fact that lists like this exist says volumes about the state of tablet support in the android market, but here is one of the user-compiled lists of apps that are either optimized for or work well with honeycomb:
http://forum.androidcentral.com/mot...al-optimized-honeycomb-apps-list-n-170-a.html
There's also the game compatibility thread in the xoom apps and themes section here on xda.
great resource... thanks!
scratch that... android c+?)&@l only allows 'registered users' to view links. Way to support open source guys!
Agreed. I'm sure the list is useful, but that kind of garbage makes me keep right on walkin.
yea its ridiculous
Is it that hard to register a free account?
in all honestly you should all already have android central accounts...it's the most popular android development site...
Xoom Gripes
First off, for what I use it for, my Xoom is better than my iMac and my MacBook Pro. That said, I have a couple of issues with it.
I hate the placement of the ports. I got a case from KeviKev (which is the bees knees), and I cannot prop it up while charging without putting strain on the cable/port.
When plugged-in to my TV (HDMI), the screen orientation changes in a very strange way. I turned the tablet upside-down so I could prop it up with the HDMI cable plugged in, and the picture on the TV went upside-down, too. I know I can lock the orientation, but I would like it if it were more intelligent about the way it handles screen orientation.
These flaws (if I can even call them that) are not an issue when I use the tablet out on the street, or when I lay it down on its back when I'm not really using the screen anyway. There isn't much that I can say about my Xoom that isn't praise. I have the U.S. 3G version and I live in Germany, and the lack of mobile broadband isn't a complete turn-off like I had anticipated. Kudos to Motorola and Google.
I noticed a lot of problematic threads, and just wanted to start a positive one. I just recently purchased a Metallic Grey 32gb Galaxy Tab and it's awesome. Also, I just purchased the Belkin Case.
If anyone has optimizations, preferred settings, etc... that they believe results in an improved user experience please post.
Me personally - I just installed the Launcher Pro Free versions and this thing is moving super fast now!
-Disabled Scrolling BG
-Disabled OpenGL on the browser
-Selected a Static Wallpaper (Not Live)
My co-worker had his iPad 2 for comparison. Although, the iPad did have a more 'responsive' interface, it had no personality. All you could do was select an icon and run apps. I really like the ability to make the Android OS look totally different from the next tablet. He bought the ipad2 for his daughter, which makes sense, but admitted that if he were to buy one for himself it would be a tab... side note: we are both software developers.
If you are please with your Tab 10.1 purchase, let us know!
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-You're-and-Your
Please read that.
matt310 said:
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-You're-and-Your
Please read that.
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Click to collapse
Thank you, I needed the laugh.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using XDA Premium App
Happy here! Just waiting on custom ROMS
"it had no personality" lol.
i am happy with my 10.1....my wife uses ipad2 and honestly speaking... it will take one some time to get the hang of 10.1 due to its 'personality' after some time with ipad2.
the very first thing i was looking for when got 10.1... the counterpart of that physical home button on ipad2...
I carefully avoid using you your you'r...
home=little button that looks like a house on lower left...no matter how you hold it!
didn't vote. i do like it a lot and find it the best of the current hc tablets for my needs, but definitely not the "best thing ever" and nothing really to deal with except the limitations of tegra2.
so i'm satisfied.
Traded my iPad 2 for one and wouldn't look back. Awesome device.
Considering a return
Honeycomb simply isn't ready yet.. still lots of crashes and hang ups. The browser on the GT10.1 is essentially useless between the bookmark bugs and the constant crashing.
Unless samsung or someone can get it fixed within 8 days I'll be returning.
Some performance things:
ADW or Launcher Pro -- I prefer ADW, seems more optimized for tablet use. Runs great.
Set plugins on the browser to on-demand
Perfectly happy with it. Honeycomb is still buggy, but it's not a dealbreaker for me.
Best tablet ever
I havent had mine for long, but so far i am loving it!
Sent from my Galaxy Tab 10.1 using XDA Premium App
Great tablet but will need some more software optimization to catch up to the iPad (1 or 2).
Please don't quote me hardware configs, that's like saying the 415hp mustang is the same or better than the 400hp Aston Martin. I have used them side by side and frankly honeycomb looks better, but needs work quite a bit
I still picked the Tab over the iPad cos I need m. office to work on the tablet even if it is just to read documents, spreadsheets, pdfs etc etc
Voted "I'll deal with it". I purchased a 32GB metallic gray.
So far it's the best Android tablet I've had. But there is still room for improvement.
No micro SD, Honeycomb being slow, no Netflix, and a lot of incompatible apps, keep me from being able to vote "Best thing ever". It's unfortunate because most of the issues aren't the tablet's fault.
I'm hopefully Ice Cream Sandwich comes to this tablet as soon as possible. I don't think Google will ever get Honeycomb fixed.
Got my replacement tab tonight and its flawless...love it!
Apps have a long way to go but i dont care about the lack of sd or usb.
I just got mine and I'm getting used to it (comming from using a Xoom), I think there's still a lot of room for improvements in Honeycomb to make it a more pleasant experience...I'll be waiting for the custom roms/kernels as with the Xoom they made a real difference...lets wait for them to come...
The good browser options being hidden in debug.
Choppy ui/typing.
No official USB/HDMI yet
Tegra 2 total suckage in video playback and gpu power.
Market annoyances.
Outside of that I love it thus far. HC needs work and accessories need to be released.
I'd stab myself in the foot if I had to trade this for an ipad.
I need a Honeycomb tab and I thought this Samsung was the best, but I've read a lot of complaints about it.
Now, after all these issues, should I go on with the purchase or do you think it's better to wait for something else? Thanks a lot
Frankie
that would depend on what you need. if you're looking for a multimedia device that plays just about everything out there, the archos 101 is better - but it has a crappy screen and locks up if you do more than one thing at a time.
if you need a netbook replacement, the transformer is the way to go. just be wary about the dock. it drains about 3-7% when docked,not in use and not charging. some reports says that if you let the dock drain it will not charge up again.
the galaxy tab 10.1 is a good general use tablet. where i find that it shines is reading comic books. the over saturated screen makes the colors really pop. plus being so thin, it feels like you're holding a comic. it also has the best screen of all the hc tablets currently. down sides are browser bookmarks that randomly change (not present in other tablets) and possible dust in your screen.
the two hc tablets have the same downsides of all hc/tegra2 tablets. poor selection in media playback, some bugginess with apps not working or crashing, browser gets bogged down with javascript heavy sites...
in my opinion, the gt10.1, or any hc tablet is just a good plaything for now (i'm not saying you can't be productive with it). hopefully by the end of the year a more complete product, software and hardware-wise, will be available.
I voted NO ...
If you know me from this board, I was trying and trying to get one imported from US (I live in Europe), but I got string of issues for that. Well, that's not the reason that I do not recommend this device, not at all. However, I took that as blessing in disguise
You know, I have no problem at all with the hardware. I don't mind Tegra 2 and I even prefer Tegra 2 compare to Exynos (mainly because I want THD gaming more compare to watching video). Also, I don't mind for not having SD card. And I really love the form factor, slim, thin, slick!
Now, why I don't recommend this tab?
Well, mainly because I am not sure with the current state of Android Honeycomb! I keep reading issues and bugs (?) on this new OS. For example: The slow (lag) text input on web browser, I don't think I can live with this issue because I use web browser a lot (right now, I am using my wife's iPad2). For me, this is crucial issue. From what I read, this is Honeycomb bug/issue as other tablets are experiencing the same.
So, yeah, I am now taking a break from finding my dream Android tablet. Until Google fixed this issue and other quirks on Honeycomb (like the sluggish performance on launcher, 4GB file size limit etc.). Which I think the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich will address all this.
I voted no.
I like my galaxy tab, but honeycomb still has a long way to go. I bought it mainly for browsing the net and it can hardly do that correctly. lol
gogol said:
Which I think the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich will address all this.
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I too think that the current generation of Android tablet software/hardware have been rushed to market to compete with iPad/iPad2. While Android and the manufacturers have done an excellent job for the given time frame, I think the 2nd generation of software/hardware will be a massive improvement. Google are taking their time to release Ice Scream Sandwich which is reassuring. The fact they haven't released source code for Honeycomb just further supports this. And while even the 2nd generation of tablet hardware will have issues as well, I think the main issues will be resolved regarding Android integration on tablet (i.e. performance).
I know full well that waiting for the next generation is a never-ending game but allowing the 1st generation to pass and waiting upon the 2nd generation isn't a bad strategy.
I vote yes.
Granted, honeycomb still has some work to be done (hopefully with the 3.2 update "in a few weeks"), but I'm more than happy with mine. I haven't really experienced the keyboard lag people are talking about, so I can't comment there, but I wasn't happy with the sometimes jittery motion while swiping through home screens. Installed adw launcher and I'm loving how fast it is now.
Early adoption sucks.. I owned a xoom before this, so maybe I can appreciate it more. That being said, I also have an ipad and ipad2 in the house, and I would take this any day of the week.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk
I think you should just pick one up and see how you feel about it. Many will say dont bother, and many will say its the greatest. Personally I love mine, regardless of the state of Honeycomb I'm in it for the long run. But its best you form your own opinion and now based your purchases on others completely.
Sent from my ThunderBolt
my question exactly, I can get it at a local dealer - decent price BUT no local warranty - he promises to ship it back and handle everything if it goes wrong ! should I take the leap or should I wait or just pick up the Transformer instead?
Really depends on the user.
No - to my parents, sisters, wife, other newbs. The ramp is still just a bit too steep still on .any. Honeycomb tab device. Froyo is much more completely baked as a general consumer-ready OS.
Yes - to any enthusiast who wants to dig into the device, config/customize/root, etc.
Maybe TouchWiz will add a little to the newb acceptance factor...
There are certainly some quirks with HC on the tab. I didn't seem to have as many issues with 3.1 on my Xoom. However, there isn't a better screen or sound out there right now. All my complaints are software related and will either be corrected by Google or out developers. I give it 2 thumbs up.
I voted "Yes" even though I disagree with the way the option is written. The Tab has issues, of course, but its more than usable. Maybe I just have mine set up better than some, but I have almost no problems at all with anything on the device. The Tab is neither buggish nor slow, so I really don't see how anyone could credibly choose the "No" option.
Yes, I would buy a Galaxy Tablet...
...after ICS and next wave of tabs have come out, so I can pick it up on Black Friday for $250 and put CM8 on it!
No early adopter am I... oops I mean
I voted yes, but it all depends on what you expect from a tab.
It is running an OS designed for small, portable devices.
I look at it like a 'handyman' device; a jack of all trades, and a master of none. It plays games, but not as well as a console. It browses the web/email, but not as good as a netbook. It handles business needs for working with documents, but not as well as a PC.
I just don't understand why so many people expect it to be a laptop replacement.
IF you're uncomfortable with the uncertainties behind Honeycomb and IceCreamSandwich:
-AND aren't willing to root, don't buy any Android tablet now.
-AND ARE willing to root OR don't mind Honeycomb:
--AND value expandibility over fit and finish or low cost, get a Transformer.
--AND don't need expansion, want a more polished tablet, and don't mind paying more, get a Galaxy Tab.
--AND don't need expansion, don't mind some rough edges, want to get your feet wet in Android without spending a lot, and are ok with Gingerbread, get a Nook Color to root.
He states that he needs a Honeycomb tablet, so stop voting NO because you think HC is not mature.
YES! GT10.1 is the best Honeycomb tablet out there bar-none!
pokey9000 said:
IF you're uncomfortable with the uncertainties behind Honeycomb and IceCreamSandwich:
-AND aren't willing to root, don't buy any Android tablet now.
-AND ARE willing to root OR don't mind Honeycomb:
--AND value expandibility over fit and finish or low cost, get a Transformer.
--AND don't need expansion, want a more polished tablet, and don't mind paying more, get a Galaxy Tab.
--AND don't need expansion, don't mind some rough edges, want to get your feet wet in Android without spending a lot, and are ok with Gingerbread, get a Nook Color to root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you put this into an IF-THEN-ELSE statement? I can I think follow it better that way..
e.mote said:
Can you put this into an IF-THEN-ELSE statement? I can I think follow it better that way..
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Click to collapse
Those aren't allowed in General.
Yes, absolutely.
Does honeycomb have some issues? Yes. That being said this is a beautiful device and in my opinion, worth the price over the other HC tablets just for a refined form factor. Awesome screen, very polished design.
I bought this device to be able to quickly access news, email and calendars, to be able to view office documents in meetings without having to drag my laptop around, and lastly to entertain myself on flights. This device does all of those perfectly. Even iPad 1&2 owners that have stopped by to check the device out were absolutely blown away.
Wow, the wording on this poll is pretty extreme - the best you can say about the Tab is that it's "still usable." Well I've had mine for a week now, and I absolutely love it. Having played with every other Android tablet out there, as well as the iPad, I think it wins hands down.
1. I don't get what people dislike about Honeycomb. It has so many features and is much more intuitive than my Froyo phone; why aren't people complaining more about the iPad's lack of a widget architecture? That's HUGE in my experience. iOS just gives you a screen with a bunch of icons, and jumping from app to app, while we have sophisticated widgets that put enormous functionality right on the home screens.
2. Flash is important. A few quick hacks and you can also watch Hulu (lame that it's not automatically allowed, I admit). But there is Flash on half the sites I visit, and the Tab does a great job with it. Having used Flash on a couple phones previously, I can say this is a big leap forward with 10.3 and the Tegra 2 processor. I can't imagine why every reviewer doesn't disqualify the iPads on that basis alone - it's a deal breaker.
3. In terms of other Android tablets, the Tab 10.1 has by far the best screen I've seen - it's beautiful. And the thin/light thing really makes a difference to me when it comes to a tablet that you have to hold in your hands 90% of the time you're using it. Plus, it's just a much more attractive design than the others I played with. I like the Transformer's additional ports and keyboard dock, but I have a laptop and a netbook and I don't want a tablet to substitute for those. I want it to be a tablet. That's what the Tab 10.1 does best.
In sum, it's not "still usable," it's the best tablet currently on the market.
markp99 said:
Really depends on the user.
No - to my parents, sisters, wife, other newbs. The ramp is still just a bit too steep still on .any. Honeycomb tab device. Froyo is much more completely baked as a general consumer-ready OS.
Yes - to any enthusiast who wants to dig into the device, config/customize/root, etc.
Maybe TouchWiz will add a little to the newb acceptance factor...
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Click to collapse
I think this sums it up. Android lacks the polish of iOS, but it's so damn fun exploring the endless possibilities of Android. Provided it's software related, there's also another option that works just as well or better. I have faith that any issues that currently exist will be resolved in due time. The hardware is great and I can work with the software.