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Hola Guys...can somebody list some reasons to own a XOOM tablet if you already own a laptop(macbook pro)? Everyday im drooling more and more for this tablet...but I don't see a very good reason to own one if somebody have a laptop thats in very good condition...
Well.. if you didn't already figure this one out yourself, here is a list from the top of my head:
With a laptop:
1) You can't hold a laptop with the lid open in one hand and use it (for a long period)
2) You can't remove the keyboard from the screen if all you want to do is read/watch movies (it's stuck there forever)
3) You can't use the screen to navigate (you need the touchpad or "joyknob" or mouse)
4) You don't have a camera on the back to snap pictures
5) You usually have to carry an extra bag/backpack (charger, cables, mouse, ..)
With a tablet:
1) You can't read/write DVD's
2) You can't use it for high CPU/memory intensive tasks (coding, video editing, 3D raytracing,etc.)
Most people can perfectly combine a tablet and a laptop for their tasks: a laptop for coding/video-editing/burning, and a tablet for email, ebooks, twitter/fb, movies, music, (video)chatting, pictures and browsing.
The biggest one for me would have to be: you can't connect an external hard drive to a tablet.
I have all my videos on my 1tb 2.5"...
I'm planning on selling my laptop- probably wont get much for it, but keeping it seems redundant.
Sent from N1 XDA
magicdroid's list hits all the major pros and cons. For me, the major incentive is instant-on for web browsing and a few other apps.
asianxtreme - most of us just have a decent size SD card and rotate shows/movies.
OP - the one catch to all the arguments in favor of a tablet would be having the latest Macbook Air. It has instant-on and amazing battery life. I'm no Apple fan, but having one of those would easily convince me to ditch almost any tablet, as it is extremely thin and light. Of course, the pricetag is pretty unfriendly.
Dont you already have an incredible/fascinate?
asianxtreme said:
The biggest one for me would have to be: you can't connect an external hard drive to a tablet.
I have all my videos on my 1tb 2.5"...
I'm planning on selling my laptop- probably wont get much for it, but keeping it seems redundant.
Sent from N1 XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'd really want to stream anyway. Local storage is starting to phase out in a way. Everything is in the cloud or at least stored on a home media server/desktop.
SMB is used for accessing public shares... and the apps for running them from an SMB are getting better.
For me, why I want a tablet?
1. Battery life
2. Instant on (no need to wait for booting!)
3. Easy to carry and hold
4. Touch screen friendly (I hate mouse)
That's all the points, bottom line, it is for most of daily tasks and entertainments:
- Web browsing, email, movies, photo viewer, reading?, facebook, games ...
If I need heavy duty tasks like photo / video editing, coding then I will sit in front of my desktop computer.
Otherwise, just lay down in the couch or bed with the tablet!
Fast, easy and simple
For me I had purchased a G73 asus laptop, which is way to heavy for daily carry. So a tablet will be something i will use for class and entertainment purposes when i'm out and about. the laptop will remain in the house and only be carried out when I need to do some extensive work on it for class.
I decided to get a tablet when I had a crappy delivery job for 3 days and needed to enter delivery information into a google spreadsheet while driving. I tried it unsuccesfully with a 17" Toshiba X205-S9349 laptop... it was marketed as a gaming laptop so it's not a perfect example. It is BARELY a laptop as heavy as it is. It's heavier in a laptop bag then my kindle, evo, thumb drives, pens, cables, evo, and a viewsonic g-tablet in my messenger bag.
I also say DON'T SELL YOUR LAPTOP. Unless you are on a right budget, it's better to have backup devices because things break. My parents talked me out of selling my laptop and it has saved my ass on numerous occasions. Be a true geek and have a device for every occasion. Your tablet will be your everyday mobile device that can do pretty much all of what you could need on the go. It can read/edit documents... record audio(actually I'm unsure about this and can't find an answer, did they forget to put a mic on this thing?), pictures, video. It offers you full internet, which is a big deal because you can do most anything with web apps these days. Think Star Trek, or Stargate Atlantis, or any other sci-fi where they use a tablet. I really do think one day laptops will be obsolete.
We will simply have tablets with docking stations. I mean think about how capable your phone is. My HTC EVO does EVERYTHING I need on the go, except that it is too small for some things and a touch slow on some. The difference between a 4.3" EVO and a 10.1" Xoom is not just a superior UI.. its 450% increased screen area.
Stargate Atlantis is why I'm getting a tablet, it's the future.
There is no easy way to mane anything because in actuality eventhough tablets are pretty cool they have not got far enough yet to replace a laptop yet....Don't get me wrong they are close all they really need to do is make it so u can collect external hard drives and cd/dvd drives.
vamp6x6x6x said:
There is no easy way to mane anything because in actuality eventhough tablets are pretty cool they have not got far enough yet to replace a laptop yet....Don't get me wrong they are close all they really need to do is make it so u can collect external hard drives and cd/dvd drives.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's been reported that Laptops only just overtook the desktop last year. I dont think true tablets will ever support external devices like hard-drives or cd-drives. It's not the direction of technology. Yes, we need them now, but we wont in 5 years. solid state drives will hit the TB range by then if not sooner. Also, most of our pictures will be on the cloud, videos will be streamed from your home media server or you'll buy (own) the rights to stream shows/movies from the web instead of having subscriptions (think eBooks, but with movies).
Tablets will overtake laptops, but we'll still have need for docking stations, for real work, for at least another 10 years.
I think I could almost get away with using a tablet as my primary work device.
I already use Google Docs as my word processor, so no problems there.
For coding, the only thing I need is a terminal and an SSH client, since most of the stuff I do is remote using Vim.
Of course, I do need some sort of physical keyboard, when I'm doing heavy-duty stuff, so I'm hoping that something like this...
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/keyboards-mice/e65a/
...is eventually released for tablets with the Xoom's form factor.
That said, it would be more difficult for me to lose the Gimp, which I use frequently. I am still not happy with the online graphics tools I've found. Maybe Adobe will eventually release a more powerful version of Photoshop for tablets, but I'm not holding my breath.
Xevilious said:
I think I could almost get away with using a tablet as my primary work device.
I already use Google Docs as my word processor, so no problems there.
For coding, the only thing I need is a terminal and an SSH client, since most of the stuff I do is remote using Vim.
Of course, I do need some sort of physical keyboard, when I'm doing heavy-duty stuff, so I'm hoping that something like this...
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/keyboards-mice/e65a/
...is eventually released for tablets with the Xoom's form factor.
That said, it would be more difficult for me to lose the Gimp, which I use frequently. I am still not happy with the online graphics tools I've found. Maybe Adobe will eventually release a more powerful version of Photoshop for tablets, but I'm not holding my breath.
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Click to collapse
You can use any Bluetooth keyboard with the Xoom. The tablet only has to support (HID) protocol. Actually, if you go over to the MOTO website, there's a docking station as well as MOTO keyboards.
kenyu73 said:
You can use any Bluetooth keyboard with the Xoom. The tablet only has to support (HID) protocol. Actually, if you go over to the MOTO website, there's a docking station as well as MOTO keyboards.
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Click to collapse
Yes, but I'm more interested in a solution that includes a keyboard embedded in a case. To me, it just seems more convenient than having to carry around a cradle and keyboard with my tablet.
Xevilious said:
Yes, but I'm more interested in a solution that includes a keyboard embedded in a case. To me, it just seems more convenient than having to carry around a cradle and keyboard with my tablet.
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Click to collapse
I hear that Google VoiceSearch v12.6 will have full speech recognition that will make keyboards and mice obsolete!
It reminds me of Star Trek IV where Scotty tries to interact with a Mac by talking to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19BWJQ8kjrw
Xevilious said:
Yes, but I'm more interested in a solution that includes a keyboard embedded in a case. To me, it just seems more convenient than having to carry around a cradle and keyboard with my tablet.
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Click to collapse
If you want a keyboard in a case.. buy a laptop
In all seriousness I do find that a little silly, though I can understand the logic and utility of such a thing. Carrying it all the time like that though, which it sounds like you want to do is well and truly a laptop. A keyboard that is dockable would be good.. but I still think a seperate keyboard is fine.. and just prop the tablet up in a folio case.
setite said:
If you want a keyboard in a case.. buy a laptop
In all seriousness I do find that a little silly, though I can understand the logic and utility of such a thing. Carrying it all the time like that though, which it sounds like you want to do is well and truly a laptop. A keyboard that is dockable would be good.. but I still think a seperate keyboard is fine.. and just prop the tablet up in a folio case.
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Click to collapse
I already have a laptop, and it's perfectly fine for many tasks, but it lacks a lot of tools that I would get with a tablet. I would much rather bring my laptop to a coffee shop, but when I'm traveling, I like to do some light work, and a tablet (GPS, Verizon data, e-reader) makes for a friendlier traveling companion than a laptop. If I had a tablet with a keyboard, I could have most of my tools in a single package. Without a physical keyboard, I'd have to bring my laptop along for the ride, and I'd really rather not have to bring two larger devices every time I travel.
Truth be told, there's nothing I would love more than a tablet that let me make voice calls via a bluetooth headset. With that, I'd even dump my phone.
Xevilious said:
I already have a laptop, and it's perfectly fine for many tasks, but it lacks a lot of tools that I would get with a tablet. I would much rather bring my laptop to a coffee shop, but when I'm traveling, I like to do some light work, and a tablet (GPS, Verizon data, e-reader) makes for a friendlier traveling companion than a laptop. If I had a tablet with a keyboard, I could have most of my tools in a single package. Without a physical keyboard, I'd have to bring my laptop along for the ride, and I'd really rather not have to bring two larger devices every time I travel.
Truth be told, there's nothing I would love more than a tablet that let me make voice calls via a bluetooth headset. With that, I'd even dump my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For my sake, may I ask what tools the tablet has that your laptop lacks. I don't say that as a challenge, but rather I am seeking ways to use the device that I am not aware of yet.
kenyu73 said:
You'd really want to stream anyway. Local storage is starting to phase out in a way. Everything is in the cloud or at least stored on a home media server/desktop.
SMB is used for accessing public shares... and the apps for running them from an SMB are getting better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem with this is we are starting to see the beginning of the end of unlimited data plans. So if we have to stream everything, that will come with more data use and cost.
So a tablet won't be able to access an external hard drive? Even with an app like like Astro?
I didn't think it would be possible, but I think it would be cool to have access to an external dvd/cd/blu ray burner with plug and use/play technology.
If these 2 things were possible, people could really ditch their laptops and netbooks for the tablets. Netbooks had the possibility of an external drive, which opened up the usability imo.
Hi all,
To those that have received or tried an Atrix, could you please share your experience of Webtop? To many of us, how good or bad Webtop is will affect our decision as to whether to buy or not to buy the Atrix, so I personally think that it is important to gather as many thoughts as possible.
So, is it acutally usable/useful? Or just a useless gimmick?
Is it quick enough for normal use? Or is it frustratingly slow?
Is the user interface natural? Or is it confusing?
Is the Firefox same as the desktop counterpart? Or is it dumbed down?
Do extras like Flash or Firefox Addons work correctly? Or is everything locked down?
Is the "virtual phone" window usable and responsive? Or is it a laggy distraction?
Is there an unreasonable limit of resolution/mouse/keyboard/etc? Or is it pretty flexible?
Does it work as advertised? Or are there catches?
Etc.
Please share.
Thanks.
I have only one question.
Can it run citrix or RDP in full screen??
NonovUrbizniz said:
I have only one question.
Can it run citrix or RDP in full screen??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you'll see Citrix Receiver here running in full screen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WzeIGZKW_Y
Max resolution for Citrix Receiver is apparently 1280 x 1024.
take a look at this very good preview http://www.anandtech.com/show/4165/the-motorola-atrix-4g-preview/6
Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
Thanks. Sounds like it will be quite frustrating to use...
wywywywy said:
Hi all,
To those that have received or tried an Atrix, could you please share your experience of Webtop? To many of us, how good or bad Webtop is will affect our decision as to whether to buy or not to buy the Atrix, so I personally think that it is important to gather as many thoughts as possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got both docks, and an generally pleased with them so far.
So, is it acutally usable/useful? Or just a useless gimmick?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's been quite usable to far. I'd say it really depends on your needs for whether it is useful or not. I've really been enjoying the media player on my TV as well as the web browsing, and the lapdock is a neat way to charge your phone and have an extra screen to run video on next to your PC, or use for general web browsing and whatnot on the go. Battery seems to be quite good so far.
Is it quick enough for normal use? Or is it frustratingly slow?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's about like using the Asus eeepc netbook I got when netbooks first came around for most tasks, although media definitely works better on the Atrix.
Is the user interface natural? Or is it confusing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's very Mac OSX-ish, so I guess it depends on your opinion of that.
Is the Firefox same as the desktop counterpart? Or is it dumbed down?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the same, it actually says it is an Ubuntu build of Firefox.
Do extras like Flash or Firefox Addons work correctly? Or is everything locked down?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash works great for the video / games I've tried. I just tried Adblock Plus since I hadn't tried addons yet, and it installed and is functioning correctly. Pretty limited testing there, but its good to know addons are a possibility, not that I'd want to install too many. Remember, you don't even actually have a gig of ram.
However, I currently have the Android window, 2 Firefox tabs and a second Firefox window playing flash video and 35% of the memory on the device is still free, and everything is running okay.
Is the "virtual phone" window usable and responsive? Or is it a laggy distraction?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This seems to work just fine, haven't noticed any usability issues with it so far.
Is there an unreasonable limit of resolution/mouse/keyboard/etc? Or is it pretty flexible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't used it with my PC monitor yet, but the lapdock is 1366x768, and the entertainment dock connects to my HDTV @ 1280x720, and they both seem to work about equally.
The bluetooth keyboard and mouse work great, as does the remote. I plugged in my Razer Naga to the lapdock, and it detected immediately and is working fine as well.
Does it work as advertised? Or are there catches?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most everything so far seems to work fairly close to how it was advertised. I'd say its more a matter of setting the correct expectations. The phone is slightly more powerful than a good Netbook, and the OS takes less resources than Windows or a full on Linux distro, but on the flip side it IS running both the phone OS and the webtop OS at the same time.
I think how I put it above probably sums it up the best - it runs about as well as a Netbook, but with better media playback power, the catch being it isn't a full blown OS, so outside of documents to go and things of that nature, you most definitely can't replace a full laptop, nor is the entertainment dock as powerful and flexible as a standalone media center PC.
For a device that does a little of all of it though, it does what it does quite acceptably, and I suspect software revisions will only improve things.
If you aren't flush with cash (or a foolhardy tech geek), I'd probably go with the recommendations of most sites. If you don't have a media PC, the entertainment dock is quite nice. If you don't have a laptop, analyze heavily what you will need a laptop for; web browsing, email, video/music and some light document work? The lapdock is fine, particularly if you want the ecosystem benefits of everything you do on your laptop being immediately available on your phone as well.
However, and its a big however, even the launch combo price of $300 for the lapdock makes it extremely questionable to get the lapdock over a netbook or low end laptop, barring your feelings on the ecosystem benefits mentioned. At $500, it is most certainly not worth it.
I hope any of that helps. If you'd like to know more I'll try to answer what I can, but I've also only had it all for a day myself, so I'm still experimenting.
tomit12 said:
I got both docks, and an generally pleased with them so far.
(cleaned up for bandwidth)
I hope any of that helps. If you'd like to know more I'll try to answer what I can, but I've also only had it all for a day myself, so I'm still experimenting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great review tomit12.
I agree with your assessment, in general it is very much like a first rev netbook. I've been able to install all my normal FF add-ons (adblock, xmarks, url tooltip, no menu, etc) and they seem to work fine.
As far as the "OS" goes it does what it needs to, but is not very customizable. I wish for instance you could move the "taskbar" over to one side and get more vertical space but no-go. I paired a BT mouse with it, and as long as I wait until the Webtob OS has loaded before turning it on, it works great. If I turn on the mouse before WT loads, the scrolling and buttons seem to get messed up.
I'm still not sure if I'll be keeping it. If I didn't know it was all coming from a phone I'd be pretty disappointed in the performance, but knowing it's all coming from my phone, it's kind of impressive.
YMMV
Thanks for sharing your oppinions guys; I was thinking about licking it up; I know I would love it,but I just don't have a use for it now; if someone/ were to take the iPad off my hands I might though.
The concept is amazing though and I'm sure Ill end up getting one down the road.
Rooted/ROM Captivate
Rooted Atrix
Many many thanks for sharing. I cannot express how much I appreciate it.
I think I'll wait first to see if there is going to any way of customising the Linux distro. There are apps (such as Chrome) I want to put in.
I was wondering if any of the developers here have been following the Windows 8 stuff? I just read and article that they are going to release the first build of it this week at the big Microsoft thingy thats going on. They are releasing the build to developers, AND to the public!
Now, since Win 8 will be ARM supported, I'm wondering if were going to be able to put it on our A500's. I had originally wanted to buy a W500, but when your buying off craigslist you get what you find, and i love my A500 plenty fine, but i've always liked playing with the new Windows versions coming out, and the OS is pretty much designed for touch and tablet.
I know i'll be keeping my eyes open one way or another and hitting download as soon as i see they open a beta build up for us.
I don't think our A500's will be supported by MS, but since there aren't any quad-core tablets out there yet (production-wise, that I know of), MS will probably be using the tegra 2, which means it should be at least compatible.
So, it should hopefully run, but I think it's going to require a bit of hacking.
I really doubt that it will run on our a500's for one reason, hard drive space! Look up windows 8 demo on you tube and you will see that it is very similar to windows 7, just with a tablet friendly ui. You can still access good old windows with the touch of a button. I do have to admit that its looks pretty slick.
If you read into things, windows 8 is supposed to be -very- small operating wise, it's designed to gear towards tablet interfaces, it is able to run off of a flash drive.
I think our Acer Iconia will be one of the better suitors of Windows 8 thanks to its USB port. I would love to have Windows 8 ported on my Acer, especially if they are giving the build to the public.
kd75 said:
I really doubt that it will run on our a500's for one reason, hard drive space! Look up windows 8 demo on you tube and you will see that it is very similar to windows 7, just with a tablet friendly ui. You can still access good old windows with the touch of a button. I do have to admit that its looks pretty slick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows 7 only takes like 10GB fresh, with a good compression, or just a 32GB SD card for more space, it'd run just fine. Space isn't an issue.
They are, the BUILD conference is at 9am today, and they are supposed to release it to public and developers at it today.
I'll still love to see it runs on a quad core thing, with the ability to turn down part of the processor or dramatically turn down the clock when running on battery to save power.
I used this A500 long enough to realize that Android is just a toy. To be serious, it has a long way to go. It is so convenient to use for before nap browsing, that I don't turn on my laptop at night after all, but if you tell me I only have this for the week, I'll just say no. Better to bring both with me. Windows 7 is essential for me.
ctiger said:
I'll still love to see it runs on a quad core thing, with the ability to turn down part of the processor or dramatically turn down the clock when running on battery to save power.
I used this A500 long enough to realize that Android is just a toy. To be serious, it has a long way to go. It is so convenient to use for before nap browsing, that I don't turn on my laptop at night after all, but if you tell me I only have this for the week, I'll just say no. Better to bring both with me. Windows 7 is essential for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From a day-to-day use stand point, this just isn't true. However, if you need a power house, then I agree with you. But getting this tablet was one of the reasons for getting rid of my netbook. Outside of heavy gaming, which I don't do anyways, I do not see anything I can do on the netbook that I couldn't do on the tablet for everyday functions (except print, but I almost never do that either lol)
I got rid of my laptop (Was going out anyway) And got the a500 instead of another laptop. So far im pleased, i wished Skype would get working, i'd use it a lot more. I have a pretty nice powerhouse for a desktop so for anything that i need to do with some real power, gaming and such, i can sit at it for without a problem.
Id love to get a microsoft arc keyboard or something, small enough to use on my iconia, cause right now, since i have a laptop stand still, i use a old apple keyboard via the USB, its easier for typing more after all.
I'd like to see windows 8 on it, simply to see what i could do with it, i like toying with it, my A500 is my toy, rather than a significant use item, i can do what i need on it, so it serves its purpose, but it was still more a toy then anything else when i got it.
fermunky said:
From a day-to-day use stand point, this just isn't true. However, if you need a power house, then I agree with you. But getting this tablet was one of the reasons for getting rid of my netbook. Outside of heavy gaming, which I don't do anyways, I do not see anything I can do on the netbook that I couldn't do on the tablet for everyday functions (except print, but I almost never do that either lol)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The one thing missing for me is the ability to develop android applications on the iconia. It's funny that you need another OS to code for Android.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
Well unfortunately the builds thate came out were only on desktop uses, not for the ARM processor, guess was cross our fingers and wait.
Just like WP7 is limited to certain chipsets, I believe the ARM version might only be limited to Tegra 3 and some other faster processors.
I read somewhere from ms that win8 arm will run on many chips.as well as tegra. But not sure where this article went.I do know it was direct from Microsoft.
Here is the link to information
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/br229516
Preview of Win 8 tablets. Acer's is running on an AMD chip, not a Tegra:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4811/windows-8-tablets-running-on-ti-qualcomm-nvidia-amd-intel-silicon
tkolev said:
The one thing missing for me is the ability to develop android applications on the iconia. It's funny that you need another OS to code for Android.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
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Click to collapse
Regardless of OS, if your day-to-day function is coding/dev work, I would imagine you wouldn't be doing it from a tablet anyways Thats like a mechanic trying to run a full garage with a 25 piece "mechanics" tool set from Walmart lol. I am a project manager and I couldn't imagine not having a full laptop to do what I need it to do. I do also have a PC at home, hooked to my TV. But if I was not running an IIS server or if I didn't do web design work, I would probably not have anything else at home but a tablet.
fermunky said:
Regardless of OS, if your day-to-day function is coding/dev work, I would imagine you wouldn't be doing it from a tablet anyways Thats like a mechanic trying to run a full garage with a 25 piece "mechanics" tool set from Walmart lol. I am a project manager and I couldn't imagine not having a full laptop to do what I need it to do. I do also have a PC at home, hooked to my TV. But if I was not running an IIS server or if I didn't do web design work, I would probably not have anything else at home but a tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that's the only thing I'm still doing on my laptop since I got the tablet. Would be nice if I had the chance of doing it with the tablet too and not bring both when going on trips.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
kjy2010 said:
Preview of Win 8 tablets. Acer's is running on an AMD chip, not a Tegra:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not our tablet. That's the Acer Iconia Tab W500 not the A500. The A500 runs NVIDIA Tegra 2.
In any case, i'm still really hopeful for getting Win 8 onto the A500. With the ARM support, there has to be a way that this can be done eventually. I was actually starting to think that I might have to sell my Iconia and get a new tablet in March when its released. But now only time will tell. But just the possibility of running Windows here is awesome. =D
stefan2305 said:
That's not our tablet. That's the Acer Iconia Tab W500 not the A500. The A500 runs NVIDIA Tegra 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No schiznit really?!
Here I thought my tablet had an Atom processor in it!
Well here is a small update. It does not help us Iconia A500 people, but it does help people with other tablets! And puts out hope that if Microsoft delivers a preview for the ARM version of the OS we may be able to test it out some.
Here is the link to the article showing how to install the developer preview of Win 8 on a Win 7 running tablet.
http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-build-your-own-windows-8-tablet-using-existing-hardware/
Hi,
I am considering on buying transformer tf101 with dock in a couple days, to replace my windows xp netbook.
I am planning on using it, on working with documents(words), creating slides(powerpoint) and presentation(connect it to vga projector). Accesing my email. Reading pdf. Using skype on the go(i guess i need the transformers with modem installed)
My questions are,
- user interface from xp to honeycomb (or ics), any simmilarities?
- should i root the device in order to upgrade to custom rom?
- if that the case which custom rom would you suggest for me?
- until now i always work my documents with microsoft office, so which office apps would you recommend me ? Since there are several out there.
- what about presentation with vga connector, any experience?
- how long does the battery last, without dock and with dock?
Thank you for your feedback.
indiziert said:
Hi,
I am considering on buying transformer tf101 with dock in a couple days, to replace my windows xp netbook.
I am planning on using it, on working with documents(words), creating slides(powerpoint) and presentation(connect it to vga projector). Accesing my email. Reading pdf. Using skype on the go(i guess i need the transformers with modem installed)
My questions are,
- user interface from xp to honeycomb (or ics), any simmilarities?
- should i root the device in order to upgrade to custom rom?
- if that the case which custom rom would you suggest for me?
- until now i always work my documents with microsoft office, so which office apps would you recommend me ? Since there are several out there.
- what about presentation with vga connector, any experience?
- how long does the battery last, without dock and with dock?
Thank you for your feedback.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Similarities none.
Yes only if you want to I did because custom tf101 roms with custom kernels far surpassed stock in many aspects with honeycomb with ice cream sandwich there is alot to be done before they reach the same level.
Development is on going and icys is new so cant pick one at the moment to be all round better.
The tf101 and tf101g etc come with Polaris office which is good and reads MS Office docs but there are lots of options on the market comes down to preference.
Never tried it but I know you can wirelessly.
Its different between stock and custom but I can get 18hrs with dock probably 8-10 without depending on usage and settings.
Hope this helps
Also if your keeping the xp netbook as a backup or plan to keep it try windows8 on it you may find abit of a speed boost and its compatible with all programs from xp to the last win7
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium HD app
A tablet can not yet replace a laptop IMHO
indiziert said:
I am considering on buying transformer tf101 with dock in a couple days, to replace my windows xp netbook.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMHO any Tablet will not replace a WindowsXP notebook completely. When it comes to typing, even a Transformer with a keyboard, is not as good as a laptop with Windows or GNU/Linux. The Android Office applications are designed for the touch screen, and not for a keyboard use, which makes them painful for nominal editing with a mouse and regular keyboard.
indiziert said:
I am planning on using it, on working with documents(words), creating slides(powerpoint) and presentation(connect it to vga projector). [
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That IMHO is a show stopper. You will be severely disappointed.
indiziert said:
Accesing my email. Reading pdf. Using skype on the go(i guess i need the transformers with modem installed)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Skype on the go is GREAT ! For just portable reading, a Tablet is far far far superior IMHO. BUT if you wish to reply, then a Tablet fails in comparison.
indiziert said:
- user interface from xp to honeycomb (or ics), any simmilarities?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its very difficult with the Asus Transformer to stop the update to ICS.
indiziert said:
- should i root the device in order to upgrade to custom rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Someone else needs to answer this. I have not rooted my Tablet.
indiziert said:
- until now i always work my documents with microsoft office, so which office apps would you recommend me ? Since there are several out there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, IMHO you will be disappointed with the Interface. Don't do this to yourself. Keep your winXP. A Tablet can not compete here.
indiziert said:
- what about presentation with vga connector, any experience?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Transformer has an HDMI output, and one can purchase an Asus HDMI to VGA adapter. I have done so and it works reasonably well, with the exception that it chops of the lower part of the Android display when projecting on the 'big screen'. That is a bit annoying, but as long as one keeps the projected material of interest on the top 80% of the screen it is not a problem.
indiziert said:
- how long does the battery last, without dock and with dock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on your use. I drove an external projector continuous for about 8 hours and when the Transformer got down to about 20% battery I got nervous and plugged in the keyboard dock (which has a battery). And went for another couple of hours when our 10 hour work day was over. I still had battery power left.
I like my TF101 Transformer. I have ICS installed. I suffer from the reboot problem (with reboots once/day) IF I never switch OFF my transformer. But if I switch OFF my transformer a few times/day (when walking to work, when walking home from work, prior to going to bed at night) then I don't have the reboot problems. Asus are working on the reboot issue.
Good luck in your consideration process.
I think a TF101 with the dock is great for reading and sending emails. Much quicker than booting up a winxp machine, even from hibernation etc.
I use my Tablet primarily for reading pdf's, books, email, calendar and useful for all the available apps like google maps etc. I would definintely not buy one with the mindset for using office on it on the go, because it is no where near the standard of using Microsoft Office and probably won't be for a while. In saying that I use it quite a lot for word typing etc. anywhere there is a decent wifi hotspot as I use splashtop to remotely access my pc/laptop, and thus have access to all the programs on my windows pc, however you need a decent wifi connection for this to work well but when it does work well it is just like running windows on your tablet (if using the dock).
Cheers,
Sent from my Transformer TF101G using Tapatalk
Polaris and Quick Office pro on par (with Polaris i have some saving probs, but it has a nice and quick interface - Quick Office is good with Googledocs and Dropbox, sometimes is has probs reading the right extensions). Third place: documents to go
You can use office for simple creating and editing. Writing a letter is no problem. Using open/libre office on linux/windows with mouse is way faster and easier.
Silverlight doesnt work properly: some things do work, some things don't. You have to find alternatives or 'workarounds'. For my work (teacher among other things) it replaces my netbook (with linux/windows) almost completely.
I love the silence, the coolness, the easy to pick up (still easier than a netbook), the battery (16+ hours with dock - so: no strings attached )
I think in the whole: my productivity jumped 15%+ (email, reporting, calendar, todo, making notes, individual instructions). pe when i write a note (i use Jotterpad HD a lot) i can send it way quicker than on a netbook (email, contactlist is under my finger). The intensity or quantity of communication jumped around 25%.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
indiziert said:
Hi,
My questions are,
- user interface from xp to honeycomb (or ics), any simmilarities?
- should i root the device in order to upgrade to custom rom?
- if that the case which custom rom would you suggest for me?
- until now i always work my documents with microsoft office, so which office apps would you recommend me ? Since there are several out there.
- what about presentation with vga connector, any experience?
- how long does the battery last, without dock and with dock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. they are both... graphical? lol. Well thats pretty much where the similarities start and end
2. I dont think you have to, but Id recommend it to get a different recovery, which has a lot more options than the stock.
3. Youre gonna have to try them out yourself and see which fits you the best.
4. Alternatives to office? Remote Desktop from the tablet to a Windows PC. yeah...
5. Dont know.
6. My battery lasts anywhere between 6 and 10h usage, depending on load. Idle it would last around 5 days (note: IDLE, as in, no usage).
Thats without the dock. I dont have the dock so cant give any information about that.
But in short: A tablet cant really replace a windows machine. Well, when I say that it obviously depends on your needs.
When I get my dock my TF will replace my laptop, as I only use that to browse the web and watch some movies before going to sleep.
But if you are in need of the microsoft office tools, for example, your best option is to buy a 10" netbook instead, or if youre like me and can remote control a windows PC most of the time, then the tablet is a good option again.
"if you wish to reply, then a tablet fails in comparison"
...did i read that right? was that about replying to emails? if so, i would like to wholeheartedly disagree.
Anyway, let me answer the OP in this way, i pretty much replaced my computer with the tablet for the following activities:
* media consumption (watching/downloading movies) little caveat of maximum of 720p. 1080p is hit or miss. I typically do HDMI out for this to my tv. it's excellent with dice player. i recently got a netflix account going. aside from the fact that there's nothing on netflix i really want to stream...the device works very well with the service.
* web browsing - not as quick as computer, but definitely a good experience. i tend to frequent media-heavy sites (flash videos, etc) and it manages to chug along.
* light document editing. again, touch screen is not the same as a mouse, and android, even with a mouse/touchpad, is just not designed to work with the input device. word processing, with the right app, is definitely doable. spreadsheets, and presentations...probably a bit much.
** get yourself a wireless printer (they've gotten cheap over the years) and an app called PrinterShare. very nice combo.
* games...oodles of fun
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Coming from a Win XP netbook, you can expect a lot more performance on the TF with ICS.
Even better with the lastest custom ROMs.
Can't recommend a stable one because they are all still in development fase. Maybe Revolver 4 1.3.1 or ARHD 3.10.
You'll have to take some time to adapt, as Android has touchscreen based UI.
But overall you will have a much improved experience for sure.
18 hrs ?!?
Danzano said:
Similarities none.
Yes only if you want to I did because custom tf101 roms with custom kernels far surpassed stock in many aspects with honeycomb with ice cream sandwich there is alot to be done before they reach the same level.
Development is on going and icys is new so cant pick one at the moment to be all round better.
The tf101 and tf101g etc come with Polaris office which is good and reads MS Office docs but there are lots of options on the market comes down to preference.
Never tried it but I know you can wirelessly.
Its different between stock and custom but I can get 18hrs with dock probably 8-10 without depending on usage and settings.
Hope this helps
Also if your keeping the xp netbook as a backup or plan to keep it try windows8 on it you may find abit of a speed boost and its compatible with all programs from xp to the last win7
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@Danzano, 18 hrs? never imagine that kind of long lasting battery.
i am planning to left my netbook at home and using it at backup, therefor no need the windows 8.
only use the tf101g on the go, without dock as document / email reader and with dock as to create documents.
kinda curious, what about using mouse on tf101?
You might try a search. All these questions have been asked and answered several times.
80% from vga output
oldcpu said:
IMHO any Tablet will not replace a WindowsXP notebook completely. When it comes to typing, even a Transformer with a keyboard, is not as good as a laptop with Windows or GNU/Linux. The Android Office applications are designed for the touch screen, and not for a keyboard use, which makes them painful for nominal editing with a mouse and regular keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but it is still possible to use mouse on tf101? any experience(especially in working on document or creating power point)?
oldcpu said:
That IMHO is a show stopper. You will be severely disappointed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so, you suggest it's a no go for document editing?
oldcpu said:
Skype on the go is GREAT ! For just portable reading, a Tablet is far far far superior IMHO. BUT if you wish to reply, then a Tablet fails in comparison.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, only use skype with bluetooth headset in order to receive calls on the go.
oldcpu said:
Its very difficult with the Asus Transformer to stop the update to ICS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess i have to rely on the custom ICS rom from XDA dev.
oldcpu said:
Again, IMHO you will be disappointed with the Interface. Don't do this to yourself. Keep your winXP. A Tablet can not compete here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i intend to keep it, but not to take it everywhere with the tf101. so i only travel with one device, hopefully it's the tf101. .
oldcpu said:
The Transformer has an HDMI output, and one can purchase an Asus HDMI to VGA adapter. I have done so and it works reasonably well, with the exception that it chops of the lower part of the Android display when projecting on the 'big screen'. That is a bit annoying, but as long as one keeps the projected material of interest on the top 80% of the screen it is not a problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
80% should be enough. or should i adjust the screen orientation from vertical to horizontal ? is it possible with the dock attached?
oldcpu said:
It depends on your use. I drove an external projector continuous for about 8 hours and when the Transformer got down to about 20% battery I got nervous and plugged in the keyboard dock (which has a battery). And went for another couple of hours when our 10 hour work day was over. I still had battery power left.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, i asume up to 8 hour with the docking should be no problem.
oldcpu said:
I like my TF101 Transformer. I have ICS installed. I suffer from the reboot problem (with reboots once/day) IF I never switch OFF my transformer. But if I switch OFF my transformer a few times/day (when walking to work, when walking home from work, prior to going to bed at night) then I don't have the reboot problems. Asus are working on the reboot issue.
Good luck in your consideration process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hope asus resolve the problem soon. howeverm your experience with tf give me insightful thinking, how to utilize tf wisely. thank you.
remote home pc
kitchenfork said:
I think a TF101 with the dock is great for reading and sending emails. Much quicker than booting up a winxp machine, even from hibernation etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yap, reading and sending email is what my future tf should be capable.
kitchenfork said:
I would definintely not buy one with the mindset for using office on it on the go, because it is no where near the standard of using Microsoft Office and probably won't be for a while.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, maybe i can still imagine using it as word editor. but slide presentation power point editor? i still have no clue. any experience creating presentation on tf (with dock and mouse)?
kitchenfork said:
In saying that I use it quite a lot for word typing etc. anywhere there is a decent wifi hotspot as I use splashtop to remotely access my pc/laptop, and thus have access to all the programs on my windows pc, however you need a decent wifi connection for this to work well but when it does work well it is just like running windows on your tablet (if using the dock).
Cheers,
Sent from my Transformer TF101G using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's a nice feature, remotely access my home pc. i'll consider it.
phoranix said:
Polaris and Quick Office pro on par (with Polaris i have some saving probs, but it has a nice and quick interface - Quick Office is good with Googledocs and Dropbox, sometimes is has probs reading the right extensions). Third place: documents to go
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess i will these three office first, and consider which one is the best for me.
phoranix said:
You can use office for simple creating and editing. Writing a letter is no problem. Using open/libre office on linux/windows with mouse is way faster and easier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i agree with you, but still i want to travel only with my tf101 and left my linux/windows at home.
phoranix said:
Silverlight doesnt work properly: some things do work, some things don't. You have to find alternatives or 'workarounds'. For my work (teacher among other things) it replaces my netbook (with linux/windows) almost completely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
also using your tf101 for presentation? this is important because i also want to connect it with projector, which mostly in my place use the vga connector. any experience ?
phoranix said:
I love the silence, the coolness, the easy to pick up (still easier than a netbook), the battery (16+ hours with dock - so: no strings attached )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yap. the long lasting battery alongside with the silence and coolness are several reason why i consider to go for tf101.
phoranix said:
I think in the whole: my productivity jumped 15%+ (email, reporting, calendar, todo, making notes, individual instructions). pe when i write a note (i use Jotterpad HD a lot) i can send it way quicker than on a netbook (email, contactlist is under my finger). The intensity or quantity of communication jumped around 25%.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i hope the it can raise my productivity level. many thanks to share your experience.
thanks for your experience using tf101 without dock,
Goatshocker said:
1. they are both... graphical? lol. Well thats pretty much where the similarities start and end
2. I dont think you have to, but Id recommend it to get a different recovery, which has a lot more options than the stock.
4. Alternatives to office? Remote Desktop from the tablet to a Windows PC. yeah...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'll try to root my tf101. and remotely access the windows pc is not possible, since i merely work only on my netbook. .
Goatshocker said:
But in short: A tablet cant really replace a windows machine. Well, when I say that it obviously depends on your needs.
When I get my dock my TF will replace my laptop, as I only use that to browse the web and watch some movies before going to sleep.
But if you are in need of the microsoft office tools, for example, your best option is to buy a 10" netbook instead, or if youre like me and can remote control a windows PC most of the time, then the tablet is a good option again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
. the main reason on considering the tf101 for me is to replace the netbook that i usually travel with. so you are suggesting that tf101 cannot replace my netbook for the heavy ms office work.
i wont suggest you to use android tablet for document editing.. its not that good yet.. you will be frustrated.. simple editing is ok, adding few words.. formatting not good.. document viewing is ok, though not really 100% the same as you see on microsoft office.. varies about 80-99%
other than that, it's cool..
finalhit said:
"if you wish to reply, then a tablet fails in comparison"
...did i read that right? was that about replying to emails? if so, i would like to wholeheartedly disagree.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess @oldcpu try to share the experience, replying to skype message on the go, so not the whole replying to emails. which i cannot image taping the 10' tf101 virtual keyboard on the go. .
finalhit said:
Anyway, let me answer the OP in this way, i pretty much replaced my computer with the tablet for the following activities:
* media consumption (watching/downloading movies) little caveat of maximum of 720p. 1080p is hit or miss. I typically do HDMI out for this to my tv. it's excellent with dice player. i recently got a netflix account going. aside from the fact that there's nothing on netflix i really want to stream...the device works very well with the service.
* web browsing - not as quick as computer, but definitely a good experience. i tend to frequent media-heavy sites (flash videos, etc) and it manages to chug along.
* light document editing. again, touch screen is not the same as a mouse, and android, even with a mouse/touchpad, is just not designed to work with the input device. word processing, with the right app, is definitely doable. spreadsheets, and presentations...probably a bit much.
** get yourself a wireless printer (they've gotten cheap over the years) and an app called PrinterShare. very nice combo.
* games...oodles of fun
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i will try to find the office editor which optimally utilize the tf101 dock keyboard + mouse, but the wireless printer function sound very interesting!
thanks for your opinion.
linuques said:
Coming from a Win XP netbook, you can expect a lot more performance on the TF with ICS.
Even better with the lastest custom ROMs.
Can't recommend a stable one because they are all still in development fase. Maybe Revolver 4 1.3.1 or ARHD 3.10.
You'll have to take some time to adapt, as Android has touchscreen based UI.
But overall you will have a much improved experience for sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the custom rom hint. but i will definitely take my time to adapt with the android UI. many thanks.
Rumbleweed said:
You might try a search. All these questions have been asked and answered several times.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the reminder, i think i post this on the wrong forum section. It should be on the Q & A. .
i hope i can still get various user opinions and experiences, especially on:
* is it possible replace my netbook with tf101, only for the light editing office functionality.
* and experience on using vga connector with tf101 for presentation
and i hope this information to be useful for others,
thanks.
eugoreez said:
i wont suggest you to use android tablet for document editing.. its not that good yet.. you will be frustrated.. simple editing is ok, adding few words.. formatting not good.. document viewing is ok, though not really 100% the same as you see on microsoft office.. varies about 80-99%
other than that, it's cool..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
about 80% and up. that's already good enough, i assume. .
For word processing, I think Kingsoft Office is closest to Microsoft Word, and Kingsoft Office is free to download from Google Play Store.
You definitely will want to use an actual keyboard though, so you can see more of the screen as opposed to having a virtual keyboard clog up a big block of it. You don't have to buy the ASUS keyboard attachment. Any standard Bluetooth keyboard works too, like this one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6mm-Alumini...Signal-For-Smartphone-Tablet-PC-/320879043382
For spreadsheets and presentations, there are solutions out there, but I haven't found anything really great yet.
hi all,
recently my laptop started going up the creak so have been looking for a replacement.
anyway i saw this on offer at argos for 399.99 with dock, and was thinking of getting one, would you say its a suitable laptop replacement or should i get a standard laptop again?
i love android and am not a noob with it which is why i was looking at this haha will still try putting windows 8 on it though since i enjoy using photoshop and after effects but would be nice to have an android tablet to take on the train when im going on long jeorneys to see my dad
anyway thanks
btw if i get one i will be making a userbar for it so if anyone would like it then let me know (see sig for more info)
Had it for two months now and it's Fab
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2
whitest0rm said:
hi all,
recently my laptop started going up the creak so have been looking for a replacement.
anyway i saw this on offer at argos for 399.99 with dock, and was thinking of getting one, would you say its a suitable laptop replacement or should i get a standard laptop again?
i love android and am not a noob with it which is why i was looking at this haha will still try putting windows 8 on it though since i enjoy using photoshop and after effects but would be nice to have an android tablet to take on the train when im going on long jeorneys to see my dad
anyway thanks
btw if i get one i will be making a userbar for it so if anyone would like it then let me know (see sig for more info)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its a great tablet but it really depends what you are using it for.
As a true laptop replacement, something you plan to use for work that requires third party programmes, it is just not realistic. I have found it has replaced my laptop in most situations that I would use my computer for entertainment (web browsing, youtube, videos etc), but for real work like data analysis, report writing, multiple monitors and true multitasking, my laptop gets the job done in half the time.
As for windows 8, definately dont buy this in the hope that you will be able to put windows 8 on it. I think the chances of that happening are close to zero. Ubuntu maybe, and remote desktop, yes, but native windows 8... i dont think that will ever happen.
All in all I would summarise by saying:
Tablet Pros:
Lightweight
Portable
No heat/moving parts
Insanely good battery life vs laptop
Detachable screen
Touch Screen
More enjoyable as an entertainment and media consumption device
Many games are more accessible, especially with touch screen controls.
Likely to be cheaper than a laptop
Laptop Pros:
Larger screen (for work)
Full OS means you will be much more productive
Most if not all of the advantages of a laptop come from the operating system so i wont expand on this.
It all comes down to one thing - what you want to be using it for.
RolloJarvis said:
Its a great tablet but it really depends what you are using it for.
As a true laptop replacement, something you plan to use for work that requires third party programmes, it is just not realistic. I have found it has replaced my laptop in most situations that I would use my computer for entertainment (web browsing, youtube, videos etc), but for real work like data analysis, report writing, multiple monitors and true multitasking, my laptop gets the job done in half the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I fully agree on this, I still use my laptop when I have to create more than just an email. For work the TF300T is only a benefit when it comes to reading a lot of documents. It saves time, for printing documents is not needed. Annotations however are a bit harder to make (as they involve typing on the tablet keyboard), but doable.
ok then brilliant thanks, see i do use it alot for graphic design but only when im out of the house sincei have a dedicated computer for that, other than that it will be for messing around on, playing games, youtube and web browsing so think i will have to get it btw wat do you think on the price?
£399.99 for the tab and dock/keyboard
whitest0rm said:
btw wat do you think on the price?
£399.99 for the tab and dock/keyboard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty good I think ^^
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2
i love my gfx and i love my tf300 but the 2 dont mix well lol, photoshop for android is a joke its nothing like the real version, but saying that do you know of any good gfx apps for android???
i dont know any at the moment since my only android is htc wildfire s lol not the best for much of anything haha, will try dual booting windows 8 if possible, then i can run windows for photoshop and android for everything else, will have a look for good gfx android apps though