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Can some help me out with how the PixelQi screen compares to E Ink? So far, the reviews I have read have stated that the screen is pretty bad for indoor reading without specifying how bad. Apart from PixelQi, I guess the Xoom is a far better tablet than Adam though obviously more expensive (rumored). If the PixelQi screen is as bad as the reviews state it to be, I guess the wait for the best PDF e-reader continues.
Secondly, I wonder why none of the big companies have taken a liking so far to PixelQi. Hopefully, the Lattice Innoversal will come out soon and provide a second glimpse of PixelQi in action on a tablet.
Someone posted a video of it in action and it looked good to me. It requires light on the screen to reflect back the picture, so it may need more than an ereader.
Sent from my EVO using XDA App
As I have a pixelQi enabled adam in my lap right now, I can state that while the pixelQi in the adam is /not/ a perfect replacement to e-ink
(The extra glossy glass layer added to the top of the pixelQi display removes some of it's benefit, sadly, as light has to travel further to hit the actual pixelqi display, so it doesn't diffuse right, if I'm thinking of the right word)
It is, however, pretty awesome if you've got the right lighting. I work in a very well lit office, and actually prefer reading off the kindle app with the pixelQi mode enabled (backlight off) and it works ok. However, under normal lamp light, it's not as good as the kindle is.
I wonder how out would work under airplane light. Also, is it only greyscale our is there color with just the pixel qi screen on?
Sent from my EVO using XDA App
I am guessing that is one of the reasons why it has not been adopted by any major player...most of them seem more interested in Mirasol. My question was rather related to flights - I wonder how easy it is to read on flights with Adam.
If this is the case, I wonder why there is so much enthusiasm over Adam. It has terrible support if not for XDA folks and the hardware is similar to Xoom. I guess that's what happens when a bunch of engineers try and run a company. I guess I will have a bunch of Solomon Adamites running wild on me for my comments but most of my words come from experience with startups. Adam for the present is just acting as a stop gap solution to the non iPad tablet market. It has potential but they better hire a business guy.
Again, the PixelQi screen is still pretty great, it just seems the glass layer ontop of it from the adam is a bit too thick to use it to its full potential.
Unfortunately, I cannot say as far as airplane light, as my next flight won't be until march. If you mean as in light from the windows, yes, that will be more than bright enough to light it up for great visibility. If you mean the dinky little overhead lamp you push in to turn on when the rest of the plane is dark, I'm not sure.
As far as enthusiasm over the adam, I agree, so far there has been a bunch of missteps from the company, with them having blog posts about finding matte glass, then it ending up as a matte screen protector, a bunch of shipping debacles and misinformation about dates, and other issues. However, I can say the hardware itself is quite solid. If you ignore the eden UI (which, when working is pretty great), the pure android experience is great.
If you consider that the adam has the identical hardware to the xoom (with possibly a different/unique/betterdependingonopinion screen), and the fact the Xoom is currently looking to be launched at $800 after contract, the adam is a /waaay/ better deal for the cash.
I of course can only speak from my experience, but so far I'm really enjoying the adam. Only real complaint I've had is that the GPS is either not working or somehow calibrated wrong, as it thinks I'm in China.
Edit: Sirchuk, to answer your question, depending on the light, there is still some color to be visible. We're talking /slight/ color, as far as I can tell, but it's there. If you don't have enough light you'll really only see white/grey, as far as I can tell.
The original CES video showed that with direct sunlight the screen was full color to the point of almost HD quality. I don't think that is the case anymore.
Sent from my EVO using XDA App
I also think one of the reasons NI can afford to price it so less is because they don't have to worry about Service, Support, Marketing, Legal, etc.,
The Matte and Glossy goof up is unforgivable. I was seriously hoping that NI would solve my PDF e-reader problem but I guess I will need to wait
The Xoom and the Adam don't have the same hardware -- they just have the same SoC. While it does make the similar, they are not the same. It's the same comparison with the ViewSonic G-Tab... same SoC != Same Hardware. There's a number of other things to consider...
(Storage, Screen, RAM, GPS, Wifi, Bluetooth, 3G/2G, Materials, Build Quality, Support, etc, etc.)
True, they aren't the same, but should deliver the same/similar functionality. Sure, the Adam doesn't have as high a resolution LCD (close) but it's also about half the price.
$425 shipped for the base model Adam, vs a rumored $800 shipped for the Xoom? I think Verizon will sell it for $700 after a subsidy, but that's still a steep price difference.
Honestly, I was set on a Xoom, until I compared the two and judged that the differences weren't worth almost twice the price.
Yep, I guess even am going in for the Adam mainly for the hardware but the FCC pics did look scary
Sirchuk said:
True, they aren't the same, but should deliver the same/similar functionality. Sure, the Adam doesn't have as high a resolution LCD (close) but it's also about half the price.
$425 shipped for the base model Adam, vs a rumored $800 shipped for the Xoom? I think Verizon will sell it for $700 after a subsidy, but that's still a steep price difference.
Honestly, I was set on a Xoom, until I compared the two and judged that the differences weren't worth almost twice the price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like joshua.lyon said, the viewsonic g tablet has the "same" (similar) hardware. It is available at your local Kmart or Sears, so no waiting and it's about half the price of the xoom at $399. It already has hacker/developer support, etc..
But then again that "same" (similar), isn't similar enough... IMHO Xoom<Adam just because it's 1 or 2 hardware differences, mainly the option of PQi, lack of USB Host (both rather huge differences)..
Shoot, you want really cheap "similar" hardware, eLocity A7...
-CC
Comparables: http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=pdacom...&id5=2577&id6=2747&id7=2290&id8=2291&id9=2609
clockcycle said:
Like joshua.lyon said, the viewsonic g tablet has the "same" (similar) hardware. It is available at your local Kmart or Sears, so no waiting and it's about half the price of the xoom at $399. It already has hacker/developer support, etc..
But then again that "same" (similar), isn't similar enough... IMHO Xoom<Adam just because it's 1 or 2 hardware differences, mainly the option of PQi, lack of USB Host (both rather huge differences)..
Shoot, you want really cheap "similar" hardware, eLocity A7...
-CC
Comparables: http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=pdacom...&id5=2577&id6=2747&id7=2290&id8=2291&id9=2609
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Click to collapse
I don't know, I'm hearing mixed reviews of the PQi display. Granted, USB host is pretty nice. The Xoom does have twice the memory though and higher resolution. I still don't see how they think they can price it at $800 though.
My main concern is the longevity of the Adam. I don't even know if it has a warranty. It's open though, and that counts for something.
The thing that sealed the deal for me was watching the video of full HDMI output. Phones don't even do that, and it's a feature I will take advantage of.
Hulu, YouTube, Netflix (soon) and anything else online or offline output to my TV? heck yeah...
Sirchuk said:
I don't know, I'm hearing mixed reviews of the PQi display. Granted, USB host is pretty nice. The Xoom does have twice the memory though and higher resolution. I still don't see how they think they can price it at $800 though.
My main concern is the longevity of the Adam. I don't even know if it has a warranty. It's open though, and that counts for something.
The thing that sealed the deal for me was watching the video of full HDMI output. Phones don't even do that, and it's a feature I will take advantage of.
Hulu, YouTube, Netflix (soon) and anything else online or offline output to my TV? heck yeah...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 DVDs, self made recordings, Anime, HUGE eReader... endless options, heck yeah!
Eujin said:
As I have a pixelQi enabled adam in my lap right now, I can state that while the pixelQi in the adam is /not/ a perfect replacement to e-ink
(The extra glossy glass layer added to the top of the pixelQi display removes some of it's benefit, sadly, as light has to travel further to hit the actual pixelqi display, so it doesn't diffuse right, if I'm thinking of the right word)
It is, however, pretty awesome if you've got the right lighting. I work in a very well lit office, and actually prefer reading off the kindle app with the pixelQi mode enabled (backlight off) and it works ok. However, under normal lamp light, it's not as good as the kindle is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm interested in the Adam for reading lots of PDF files during the day in an office environment. Can you give some more details on what type of lighting that works well with the backlight off mode of Adam? Do you with normal lamp light mean for example a 60W bulb in a desktop office lamp with the light source positioned about 1 meter from the Adam screen. Would that not be good enough lighting for a good reading experience on Adam?
A second question to anyone with an Adam, since there's also been some talk about HDMI output here. Is there some HDMI to VGA adapter that works with the Adam? Most projectors at my work are still VGA only and I'm very interested in using Adam for powerpoint-like output.
joshua.lyon said:
The Xoom and the Adam don't have the same hardware -- they just have the same SoC. While it does make the similar, they are not the same. It's the same comparison with the ViewSonic G-Tab... same SoC != Same Hardware. There's a number of other things to consider...
(Storage, Screen, RAM, GPS, Wifi, Bluetooth, 3G/2G, Materials, Build Quality, Support, etc, etc.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must also take into consideration the adams abundance of ports, the XOOM only offers one micro usb, one micro hdmi, and a 3.5mm jack. so you have to either get them from Motorola or get some adapters. that mean no thumb drives or normall usb powered devices.
Tomorrow ill make a full review of it in all conditions
Sent from my Adam using XDA App
LeviathanPT said:
Tomorrow ill make a full review of it in all conditions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. The best video of the e-reader capacity of Adam that I have so far found is by the goodereader team (google "Notion Ink Adam vs. Apple iPad and Amazon Kindle" to find it; my user account don't allow posting direct links yet)
That video still has a few problems that I hope some other video review will avoid:
1. doesn't say if the have applied the matte screen sheet or not. And if there are any drawbacks to using the matte screen sheet?
2. does not show what types of background light they have and does not compare different background lights
3. moves around the camera and/or Adam to much to quickly for the viewer. To shoot it with a fixed camera for 10+ seconds at a time and then change zoom mode and/or lighting and repeat the 10+ second shot, making sure to let it focus before counting, would be much more useful.
4. the reviewer hasn't actually done much reading on the device, e.g. tried reading a few book chapters in various use enviroments -- at an office table in sunlit indoors environment, outside, at night with an office table lamp, at night with a bedside lamp. Is it really important to position the lightsource just right to avoid reading-worsening reflection?
5. isn't shot in 720p or 1080p
My Adam has not arrived yet (I am a 5.31% factionalist)
but I use a Pixel Qi screen daily and have for the last six months. I can give you some insight into it's use on a laptop.
All screens reflect strong light to some extent. Your laptop does it. What do you do? You turn it to an angle that does not reflect light or reflects as little light as possible. You will do the same thing with the tablet. Many people are showing videos and photos that show how much light the Adam reflects, not how little light you can get it to reflect by just changing the angle a bit like you do now with your laptop. Your laptop screen is probably more reflective than the Adam screen and you wouldn't send it back because of it.
I am sure the contrast of the Adam Pixel Qi screen is not going to be as dramatic as your dedicated e-reader, but it is perfectly acceptable and has the advantage of being more of a full service device. I use mine to read in full sunlight by the pool for hours at a time frequently. The advantage of being able to watch videos, surf the web, read books, RSS, and emails and use thousands of programs (spelled Angry Birds) over weighs a greater degree of contrast on the screen. The only downside is that the black parts get too hot to hold. Don't even think about touching the touch pad! We need a terricloth Adam case please!
E-ink is probably better if all you are going to do is read books and documents. If you are living in the real world and do not want multiple devices, you need a Pixel Qi tablet or laptop. You can buy a laptop from ebay, and buy and install a Pixel Qi screen for less than a top of the line Adam.
The Pixel Qi screen needs different color correction profiles to enhance it's view-ability. I have three different profiles that change brightness, gama and contrast that can be employed with one click depending on the environment I am in. I hope we will have that capability on the Adam. Usually this would not be a big deal in Android, but with the Pixel Qi it is.
To get a nice white/black screen in reflective mode you need to use one profile. For full saturation in a dark room in transmissive you need another. Transflective mode is variable, and so can use a profile of it's own to your taste. This screen is not the old on/off you are used to. It will take some getting used to, but then you will never look back.
Hope this helps!
johnboatcat: thanks, very useful feedback.
I plan to read a lot on the device I end the end buy. But mostly PDF files with graphics or text that can't be easily reflowed. I am under the impression that Kindle type devices don't support that very well. I also have need for quickly jumping back and forth between pages while reading the PDF documents and the slowness of Kindle refresh rules it out.
So I am definitely waiting for an Adam-like device with decent e-ink-type screen mode, fast refresh and that also can fits common netbook use cases: emailing, writing shorter texts, browsing and so on.
Adam seems the most promising candidate at present. But the glossy glass above the screen looks worrying to me. From the videos I've seen it looks much more glossy than any laptop I have owned. So I'm awaiting more videos I guess. When you do receive you Adam please post some new feedback on this topic. With your experience with a PQ screen in another device you'll be in a very good position to judge just how much the Adam glass sheet changes the reading experience.
I should also say that I plan to do my reading on it mostly indoors: at an office desk and in bed. So positioning it to avoid distracting light source reflections might be much easier in those situations.
Hello everybody,
I would like know opinions from users about Adam as an e-book reader.
I've seen all the videos in the archive about that, and i've seen that the screen looks pretty poor as an ereader vs a true e-paper, so my question is:
I would use it for academic books in pdf or djvu that i need for my university exams and academic papers.
considering that Adam is a tablet and can do a lot more than an ebook reader, i could be satisfied with a poor e-reading experience,
so i would like to know from whom of u who already owns it if u would suggest it or not for my pourpose.
In other words, if i have to spend about 400 € for good ereader, but i can have an adam for 500 € considering that i would use it for a lot more thing than studying, if the pixel qi technology is quite satisfieing i would chose an adam..
Here is a review from a site that does nothing but talk about and review ereaders, it is a bit long but it probably has the info you are looking for:
hxxp://goodereader.com/blog/tablet-slates/notion-ink-adam-hands-on-review/
Thank u, i've already seen that, but i would like to hear some user opinion since that review doesn't speak in terms of e-reading experiece but more of powersaving possibilities with the pixel qi.
I don't want a tablet, i want an e-reader, but for those prices, since i need it for reading big pdfs of scanned books (and i would need a 9" expensive e-reader for a sporadic use) i would like to understand if Adam could do the trick of giving me a decent e-reading experience.
In that case i would justify the price paid since i would use it for more much things than only studying and reading academic papers.
No one out there does use it for reading manuals and academic books that they can't afford to print?
Thanks
First, I haven't yet ordered an adam, due to the Mastercard issues, but when I finally do, I plan on getting one with the Pixel Qi screen, and one of it's uses will be as an ereader. I don't plan to do all my reading in the Pixel Qi mode, but there are many situations where a standard LCD just won't cut it for me, so I need the option.
Here is my take on it judging by what reviews are out there in reference to the Pixel Qi and the experience viewing documents on my 4" android phone...
Software:
Will the adam work as a good e-reader? Sure, there are many apps available for android that provide for a pleasant reading experience. There are apps to view just about any format you want (many of them free), so you can choose to convert it to the best format, instead of possibly settling for another because of limited support. Combine that with a 10.1" screen, fairly low weight, and ergonomic weight distribution (concentrated on one side as opposed to spread out evenly, which makes it feel lighter) and it will make a great reader.
Hardware:
Is Pixel Qi as good as e-ink? No, not quite. In the 'e-ink' type mode, it is a reflective grey-scale lcd screen, and doesn't have as good of a contrast ratio as you will see on the newest e-ink screens, and therefore not as crisp. Is the Pixel Qi as good as a regular LCD? Again, not quite. It isn't as bright as a normal LCD screen, and again the contrast ratio is also a little lower, but it isn't that bad either. There are people looking into tweaking the display settings (like gamma and such) like you can in Windows, to optimize the experience. Also, while good, and with the software needing further tweaking to make it better, the battery life won't be as good a dedicated e-ink reader.
The pro's of this are that it is still an LCD screen, and while in transmissive/transflective mode, is full color, and can be taken out into the bright sunlight and still be read clearly (although with loss of color). Also, as you said, the adam is a tablet which can do a lot more than a dedicated ebook reader.
I mostly read novels, so these are some comments for a few paper-back sized readers, not for text books, but maybe there's some useful information here anyway.
Kindle3 (6"):
Good for reading outside. Super high resolution. Put it under a microscope and it looks like it was laser printed. Not so good if there is not a lot of ambient light. Expect to need a nice bright light nearby when using it indoors. This is my current book reader of choice for use outside. I pretty much hate the GUI. Anything beyond read, turn page, read, is an exercise in patience and frustration.
Dell Streak (5"):
Good for inside and under most lighting conditions. Nearly ideal size for reading novels. Very sharp text and great contrast. This is my current book reader of choice for anything but outside in direct sunlight. Great battery life you can read forever in airplane mode.
iPhone 4:
Similar experience to Streak. Even sharper text. You have to turn the page a lot. Not really a problem.
iPhone 3Gs:
Similar to iPhone 4, but text is a little blurry in side-by-side comparisons with the others. Still O.K. though. I read on one of these for 5 hours straight NY to LA and liked it, but it did need recharging for some reason.
I haven't used either the iPad or Adam PQi for much reading yet, but i did play with them side by side (my son has the Adam), and think I would prefer all of the above to either for extended reading. In fact a Kindle + Streak combo is still smaller, lighter and more readable than an iPad or Adam.
So maybe the take home message is 'Jack of all trades, master of none.'
Additional notes.
iPad:
Hard to hold. Too big and heavy for long reading sessions. If you keep it out of direct light, i.e., in your shadow its just as good as the PQi. Inside it is way better owing to greater contrast and seemingly higher resolution.
Adam PQi:
That rounded handle makes it way easier to hold than in iPad. Not so thrilled with the stability of the software so far. PQi in direct sunlight is better than iPad, but still no fun to read. It's not even close to e-ink for direct sunlight.
Other notes on the PQi:
I think people have been way too kind in describing how much of a compromise the PQi display really is. For somewhat better outdoor performance, you get the poorest LCD display quality I've ever seen.
The text looks more pixelated than I've have noticed on other 10.1" displays or the iPad. I expect this is because every other row of the LCD is dedicated to the reflective elements. I put it under a microscope and every other row of pixels is off in LCD mode, so I think that explains it. It probably also explains the lame contrast. In PQi mode it looks a little sharper, but still pixellated. I have a PQi Adam on the way and kind of wish it was an LCD version.
i don't mind lightness as i won't be using it for reading novels. Actually here in Italy e-books are almost nonexistent. I read novels on paper mostly because of that and also because i don't think reading on 4" backlit display is a good experience (i've a Nexus One)
I would read pdf scans and that is a thing u can't do with a kindle3 because as i've read it is not possible to zoom if i am right...
My concerns are only about studying sessions on backlitted displays, i don't want an exploding headache after 4 hours reading on an LCD.
And no, i don't want to buy a book on the cost of 50€ for using it 2 months of my life for a specific exam. Yes i could lend it from a library and that's the way i go for now, but a lot of texts aren't available, not for speaking of manuals regarding things like digital art or photography, in which i'm involved but that are impossible to get in italian libraries near where i live.
I think th PQi is a good compromise on that since in the transreflective mode on indoor good lightining conditions i could get good non-eye-tiring reading. (Am i right?)
And i don't really mind a sharp display or with intense colors since i would use it for surfing the web, reading news, socials, mails, and leave to my laptop the multimedia things.
Actually i'm almost convinced that it will be a good choice for my pourpose.
ptok said:
Adam PQi:
That rounded handle makes it way easier to hold than in iPad. Not so thrilled with the stability of the software so far. PQi in direct sunlight is better than iPad, but still no fun to read. It's not even close to e-ink for direct sunlight.
Other notes on the PQi:
I think people have been way too kind in describing how much of a compromise the PQi display really is. For somewhat better outdoor performance, you get the poorest LCD display quality I've ever seen.
The text looks more pixelated than I've have noticed on other 10.1" displays or the iPad. I expect this is because every other row of the LCD is dedicated to the reflective elements. I put it under a microscope and every other row of pixels is off in LCD mode, so I think that explains it. It probably also explains the lame contrast. In PQi mode it looks a little sharper, but still pixellated. I have a PQi Adam on the way and kind of wish it was an LCD version.
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Click to collapse
What are you basing this analysis on? You don't have an Adam PQi as of yet, did you get hands on someone else's to make this determination?
-CC
clockcycle said:
What are you basing this analysis on? You don't have an Adam PQi as of yet, did you get hands on someone else's to make this determination?
-CC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My son got his in the last batch. Mine is on the way. I get to play with it in the few moments when he is not using it.
zanzabros said:
i don't mind lightness as i won't be using it for reading novels. Actually here in Italy e-books are almost nonexistent. I read novels on paper mostly because of that and also because i don't think reading on 4" backlit display is a good experience (i've a Nexus One)
I would read pdf scans and that is a thing u can't do with a kindle3 because as i've read it is not possible to zoom if i am right...
My concerns are only about studying sessions on backlitted displays, i don't want an exploding headache after 4 hours reading on an LCD.
And no, i don't want to buy a book on the cost of 50€ for using it 2 months of my life for a specific exam. Yes i could lend it from a library and that's the way i go for now, but a lot of texts aren't available, not for speaking of manuals regarding things like digital art or photography, in which i'm involved but that are impossible to get in italian libraries near where i live.
I think th PQi is a good compromise on that since in the transreflective mode on indoor good lightining conditions i could get good non-eye-tiring reading. (Am i right?)
And i don't really mind a sharp display or with intense colors since i would use it for surfing the web, reading news, socials, mails, and leave to my laptop the multimedia things.
Actually i'm almost convinced that it will be a good choice for my pourpose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I look at an LCD all day long, It doesn't bother me.
The Kindle can zoom on a PDF but it's limited and frustrating. Like I said, turn page, read, turn page, read, that's what it's good for.
I don't think the PQi display is right for me, but it may be for you. I think the only way to really find out is to try it.
zanzabros said:
I would read pdf scans and that is a thing u can't do with a kindle3 because as i've read it is not possible to zoom if i am right...
My concerns are only about studying sessions on backlitted displays, i don't want an exploding headache after 4 hours reading on an LCD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to use the device fir a paper replacement while studying, you definitely need a tablet instead of an ereader.
Speed (searching and page turning) and possibility to annotate make a tablet a very good paper replacement.
Transflective display means you can use the tablet under more circumstances (especially in Italy where you DO have sun ;-D).
Re eye strain I tend to agree with tpok. LCD is not too bad on the eyes
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Up Close and Personal With the Pixel Qi Display
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/01/the-pixel-qi-display/
QI looks great the brighter the sun shines
Hi!
With Kindle-reading-mode ADAM's QI display looks very crisp, while you're reading in bright sun.
Compared to the iPad the LCD-Mode inside is not that good, but this is definitely better if you turn off the automatic-light-dimming. I use ADAM at 80% of it's available Backlight-power, then inside, sometimes it's already too bright for me.
QI is way better than iPad for outside-usability!! Also in the shaded areas iPad suffers already any contrast where ADAM looks much more crisp, but already without any regardable colour. In the sun, where I want to use a tablet-PC very often, there is nothing compareable, it's very nice to see and with "Kindle"-Mode books are very good to read, they weight of ADAM is not more than a big paperback and with it's curved edge it's good to hold. I wish the rubberized surface of the batterie-cover would be allover ADAM's backside, this would increase the good handling of ADAM.
I'm waiting for a solution to fix it to my bike, so there will be an readable(!) navigation for exploring "the wilderness" with my bike by using GPS-tracks
With honeycomb I think ADAM's lack of performance in some apps will be history...
best regards, Stefan
bestmichels said:
Hi!
I'm waiting for a solution to fix it to my bike, so there will be an readable(!) navigation for exploring "the wilderness" with my bike by using GPS-tracks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man that's crazy! and if u fall say goodbye to ur adam!
I use my desire for music and MyTracks for GPS Stats by i put it in a safe place in my backpack
Good e-reader
zanzabros said:
Hello everybody,
I would like know opinions from users about Adam as an e-book reader.
I've seen all the videos in the archive about that, and i've seen that the screen looks pretty poor as an ereader vs a true e-paper, so my question is:
I would use it for academic books in pdf or djvu that i need for my university exams and academic papers.
considering that Adam is a tablet and can do a lot more than an ebook reader, i could be satisfied with a poor e-reading experience,
so i would like to know from whom of u who already owns it if u would suggest it or not for my pourpose.
In other words, if i have to spend about 400 € for good ereader, but i can have an adam for 500 € considering that i would use it for a lot more thing than studying, if the pixel qi technology is quite satisfieing i would chose an adam..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using the plain LCD model with a Skinomi screen protector (get rid of the matte protector it distorts) with FBReader and like it. My partner likes me reading in bed with night mode. I've used Kindle and Kobo and it isn't straightforward comparing them. Without going into great detail, I buy books from Amazon and get to read books as e-pubs on these devices. The Kobo is light and book-like, but the Adam is different ... I can read while I listen to digital radio (TuneIn) or music (3 by Fillipe Abrantes is a great player) via BT Jabra stereo headset. I need two devices if I try this with a Kobo or Kindle ... My N1 plus Kobo. As I stated earlier, the comparison is not straightforward .... In short, I am happy, and I am hard to please!
How are those Skinomi screen protectors?
DOEBeats said:
How are those Skinomi screen protectors?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wondering about that too, because the original one really sucks :-D Removed it within the first 24 hours of application..
I wanted to bring some pictures I took last night to the forum. As a Xoom owner (now former, just took it back) and in anticipation of the Transformer's release, I scoured the internet over the past few weeks in search of some good comparison pictures between the Xoom's LCD and the Transformer's IPS LCD. At the time, there were not a ton of photos comparing these two specific devices.
I decided to setup my tripod and try to capture the viewing angle differences of these two displays while I still had both devices in my possession. Both devices were at 100% brightness, and I let the camera choose the shutter speed (aperture priority - Nikon D200). Some of the shutter speeds selected made the overall image darker, but it still gives a good idea of the color and contrast differences between the two displays (in addition to viewing angle differences). My goal wasn't to compare brightness - both devices are more or less on par in that area.
If anyone was on the fence regarding the two devices, maybe these images will offer better insight into one of the most important aspects of a tablet - the display. The price gap is big enough, and the screen technology is different enough (all in favor of the Transformer), that someone being on the fence regarding these two devices is hard for me to imagine. You never know though.
You can view the flickr stream here. (25 total images)
The flickr stream description mentions this - but I'll mention it here too: The Xoom is on the LEFT or the TOP, and the Transformer is on the RIGHT or the BOTTOM in the pictures.
I hope someone finds these pictures interesting.
I have attached one of them here.
Wow....look at that difference. Are you able to do the Asus vs the Acer? Or anyone able to?
couple of the pics xoom is better (or you can say brighter), but the most is to Transformer.
I don't like the strong brightness on the xoom specially in the reading part. I like feel it will hurt my eyes after while of reading. On the other hand, smooth colors in the Transformer, and easy on the eye.
Thanks for showing us the differences.
Thank you for taking the time and posting this.
Not as dramatic a difference as I expected (colors wash out, but things are still legible, unlike the gTab), but the Transformer still wins, especially with the price difference.
Thank you for taking your time and posting the pictures.
The xoom looks a little overexposed, but kind of I thought there would be more different. Seeing them side by side I think the xoom, not having a IPS screen, has a very nice one (compared to others I have seen in other tablets).
Regards.
Yeah, good job!
The transformer is a clear winner here.
Thanks for posting it. This should make it little easier to convince a couple of friends who are on the fence (iPADers!).
x2 on the Xoom versus Transformer - that picture is very accurate.
The Xoom also has a bluish tint that bugs me (common TFT issue, I believe). The Transformer IPS screen color balance is better, imo.
kxs783kms said:
Wow....look at that difference. Are you able to do the Asus vs the Acer? Or anyone able to?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, I do not have access to the Acer. Sorry!
Wow, I was debating between a few tablets, by with the support the transformer is getting here on xda, and seeing these pictures, I'm pretty much sold on waiting for the transformer
Sent from my Inspire 4g using XDA Premium app
dfin13 said:
Not as dramatic a difference as I expected (colors wash out, but things are still legible, unlike the gTab), but the Transformer still wins, especially with the price difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right ... it is not terrible - and to be honest, I probably could have continued to use the Xoom and been perfectly happy. The price difference played a pretty big role and contributed a lot to wanting to switch to the Transformer. I suspect that there would have always been a thought in the back of my mind bugging me about how the Xoom's screen "could have been better."
Overall, I love the difference in the screen though - it has certainly helped me in a number of practical ways where I was previously disappointed with the Xoom's screen performance in regards to viewing angles and color. Specifically while the Xoom was sitting flat on my desk at work - things were hard(er) to read due to the wash out and loss of contrast at the angle I was viewing it at.
There is another Xoom screen artifact to mention here too. If anyone has ever seen a Xoom's screen when portrait mode, then maybe you have noticed. You could see horizontal lines in the actual panel itself for every row of pixels - most noticeably on a white background. I've read other reviews stating the same thing. I have a friend at work who also noticed the same thing on his Xoom. It wasn't noticeable when in landscape orientation. It was easy to overlook though and not a deal breaking issue for me. The Transformer's IPS LCD does NOT do this.
kxs783kms said:
Wow....look at that difference. Are you able to do the Asus vs the Acer? Or anyone able to?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have pictures but I compared the Acer to my NC yesterday, also an IPS screen, and I can say with certainty that I saw really comparable results to the Xoom v Asus comparison. Even dead on, Acer had slightly washed colors when compared to an IPS screen and at angles > 45... well it was pretty hopeless for the Acer while the NC was perfectly visible and vibrate.
Regardless to say, Acer went back to BB last night and waiting for my Asus to come in tomorrow.
dustindw said:
I wanted to bring some pictures I took last night to the forum. As a Xoom owner (now former, just took it back) and in anticipation of the Transformer's release, I scoured the internet over the past few weeks in search of some good comparison pictures between the Xoom's LCD and the Transformer's IPS LCD. At the time, there were not a ton of photos comparing these two specific devices.
I decided to setup my tripod and try to capture the viewing angle differences of these two displays while I still had both devices in my possession. Both devices were at 100% brightness, and I let the camera choose the shutter speed (aperture priority - Nikon D200). Some of the shutter speeds selected made the overall image darker, but it still gives a good idea of the color and contrast differences between the two displays (in addition to viewing angle differences). My goal wasn't to compare brightness - both devices are more or less on par in that area.
If anyone was on the fence regarding the two devices, maybe these images will offer better insight into one of the most important aspects of a tablet - the display. The price gap is big enough, and the screen technology is different enough (all in favor of the Transformer), that someone being on the fence regarding these two devices is hard for me to imagine. You never know though.
You can view the flickr stream here. (25 total images)
The flickr stream description mentions this - but I'll mention it here too: The Xoom is on the LEFT or the TOP, and the Transformer is on the RIGHT or the BOTTOM in the pictures.
I hope someone finds these pictures interesting.
I have attached one of them here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For anyone interested in reading some more "general thoughts" between the two screens, I have finally published the blog post that I started the night I posted these pictures.
http://dustinwilkins.com/2011/05/03/it-is-all-about-the-screen-transformer-vs-xoom/
thanks alot
dustindw said:
For anyone interested in reading some more "general thoughts" between the two screens, I have finally published the blog post that I started the night I posted these pictures.
http://dustinwilkins.com/2011/05/03/it-is-all-about-the-screen-transformer-vs-xoom/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Music? Did you say music? Now I must know.... is your ID the same on last.fm, because anyone who listens to Shearwater and The National gets a thumbs up from me!
this post makes me feel so much better about buying the transformer having cancelled the Xoom, as pc world delayed me. I saved 100 pounds too! well 50 including the dock im still waiting on...
I have had my xoom for almost 3 weeks now and have no problem with how my screen looks from any viewing angle cuz the main angle I'm looking at is right in front of me. That's how all these devices are designed to be looked at. Not like a tv from various different angles. so I don't even understand why people complain about how a screen looks from a different angle. If its really that important to u plug it up to your tv via hdmi. Then see if u can still complain. I love my xoom. Yeah the price is a lil steep. But I work with electronics and if there's 1 I've learned in 12 years its you get what you pay for. Wanna cheap price. More then likely you'll have a cheaply made product
Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk
Well, I think you don't truly appreciate viewing angles until you have a tablet that excels at them.
And this is important for those of us with kids that love fingerpainting or playing Angry Birds with you! I love how they are now able to sit next to me comfortably and not have to peer right at the screen to get the viewing angle just right.
So, I've been taunted by the Acer the day before launch at BB and had someone open one up to demo for me. After somehow avoiding the purchase I did more research and found the Asus release date and figured I'd wait. Well we all know how that went..
Anyhow as I sit here reading thread after thread deciding on the Acer now, or Asus later, I am torn about the screen quality. I have heard many things like "as good as Ipad" "way better than Xoom" the amazingly grammatically correct; "it Sux" or just "terrible"
I don't care about the dock....at all. Battery life, build quality and screen crispness i do care about.
I'm hoping this thread can be to discuss the goods and bads about the screen in as unbiased a way as possible. I would love for people who have interacted with both chime in!
The screen "quality" is fine. Text looks great (read for over an hour with no eyestrain). Videos look good. Viewing angles are even fine, which is unusual for a TFT.
But the glare!!! Yikes. I realize that the glare probably has more to do with the glass than the screen technology, but the bottom line is that they both contribute to my enjoyment, or lack thereof, of the screen.
I have a Nook Color and I can place the A500 and the NC right next to each other and the difference is dramatic in terms of glare. Sure, the NC has some reflection, but it's a great deal more muted than then A500 which is practically a mirror.
I don't have any particular problem with the screen. It looks sharp. Runs in 1280x800 resolution.
Some people complain about the grid that can be visible, but I have NEVER seen it during normal use. I didn't even know what people were talking about until I held it at weird angles directly under a light source (as in...10 inches away from my lamp).
The thing is a finger-print magnet though, so if you have OCD issues with that sort of thing you will always need to be replacing screen protectors or having a microfiber cloth in your back-pocket.
I picked one up from bestbuy a few days ago. The screen is very nice. The grid does bother me, but it's not often that I see it.
Games look good, videos look good. Everything is snappy
I don't have a transformer or an ipad to test it against but I think the acer is worth buying if you don't care about the keyboard dock on the transformer.
The screen itself is very good with decent colour and contrast with excellent viewing angles. As others have said though, you do get glare from the high gloss glass panel and it attracts fingerprints when you just go near it. With the right lighting direction I can see the grid in the same way I have seen it on virtually all capacitive screens.
Would I use any of this against the A500? - no. These issues are minor to me but I can see how for some they would be a more major issue.
I think the quality is really good but could use some tweaking. Why in the world are there no apps that allow you to tweak gamma contrast color and all that? Calibrating would make it much better but for some reason we are expected to keep it as delivered?
Also slightly unrelated, has anyone noticed if you use a 1280x800 image as a wallpaper it looks liek crap? What resolution do we need wallpapers to be in? The stock ones are too borring.
volcaicstrad37 said:
So, I've been taunted by the Acer the day before launch at BB and had someone open one up to demo for me. After somehow avoiding the purchase I did more research and found the Asus release date and figured I'd wait. Well we all know how that went..
Anyhow as I sit here reading thread after thread deciding on the Acer now, or Asus later, I am torn about the screen quality. I have heard many things like "as good as Ipad" "way better than Xoom" the amazingly grammatically correct; "it Sux" or just "terrible"
I don't care about the dock....at all. Battery life, build quality and screen crispness i do care about.
I'm hoping this thread can be to discuss the goods and bads about the screen in as unbiased a way as possible. I would love for people who have interacted with both chime in!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look, the IPS display is "better"....that's that. If you need something with a gorgeous screen, wait.
Is the A500 screen terrible, bad, etc.? Not by a long shot. It's bright, crisp and the viewing angles are very, very good. The 'grid' you read people referring to, is barely visible and you'll only notice it on very lightly colored, black or white backgrounds, and that's with your face plastered to the screen. It isn't a deal breaker for many people but it might be for you. If you can afford to wait, wait....and make an informed decision and one you won't regret once you're able to compare them side by side. Unlike the TF, the A500 is in supply and I doubt they'll be running out any time soon so time and supply are on your side (for the Acer, anyway).
here are a few pictures of the iconia and transformer screens. Pics are captured by motorola atrix camera. Hope it can help with the buying decision.
home screen landscape and portrait
thickness and back. For some reasons, I can't upload the video
Wow the one on the right looks so much better. Orange county area? I live in Tustin lol. Where did you get your hands on a transformer?
keroppilee said:
Wow the one on the right looks so much better. Orange county area? I live in Tustin lol. Where did you get your hands on a transformer?
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Click to collapse
hahaha, nice to have a neighbor on this forum. Yep, the transformer has the best screen but the iconia is not that bad. I got my TF at Fry's. I saw an employee there carried 3 TFs to the stock room. I jumped on them right away, got one for my best friend and one for my brother. Both of them want the TF so bad. As for me, I am settled with the iconia at Best Buy. I just like the build quality and how it feels in my hands. If I knew, I could have got the last TF for you
appreciate the thought
I'm still deciding between android or I pad. I really feel I pads polish in multimedia is a big plus. I'm trying my roommates xoom and youtube doesn't even run without stutter :/
Netflix is nice on I pad too
I do love the PC I sh feel of android. Much more customizable
Back light bleed through
Some transformer owners have complain about back light bleed through when watching videos.
hey in the past week i have tested the view sonic gtablet , the archos 101 and the playbook . the view sonic and the archos dont even come close to what the acer is i picked up the acer after i saw it at best buy today and i was impressed i also picked up the xoom last week but returned it after 24 hrs because the price 599 was on my mind the whole time i was playing with it .
the screen i feel is like the apple ipad which i have . i really can not notice the difference. and if anyone is thinking about the gtab and the archos dont get them if your not holding it at the right angle all the time your not going to see much.
I had the gtablet for 3 weeks and recently sold it and picked up the Acer A500 yesterday. I was also comtemplating on buying the Xoom at Bestbuy, but after playing with both tablets I couldn't justify spending the extra $ on the xoom so I went with the Acer and so far so good. It's like night and day compared to my old gtablet.
texonex said:
home screen landscape and portrait
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LoL. Please clean the screen of the Iconia What a difference...
I'm a Transformer owner, but over the weekend I had a chance to play with both the Xoom and the Iconia in store.
The screen on the Tranformer is definitely the best of all three tablets, and this was clearly evident even without having the Transformer to hand to compare side by side.
However, I would still rate the Iconia's screen as "very good" (the Transformer's screen would be rated "excellent"), and significantly better than the screen on the Xoom (which I would rate as just "ok").
Regards,
Dave
P.S. Just an FYI, but I'm keeping an eye on the Iconia forums because I'm thinking about getting an A100, not to troll regarding A500/Transformer comparisons!
if you want to see the real difference between the Iconia and Transformer, take a pic from the side with about a 150 deg angle.
MCWatter said:
. Viewing angles are even fine, which is unusual for a TFT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It not a regular TFT screen , in fact there are 4 differents technologies ( TN, MVA, PVA, IPS )
Acer choosed PVA for the A500 , it provides the highest contrast ever measured on a tablet (1126:1) when the Ipad and its IPS Screen is rated (960:1) , but the latency is not as good as its competitors (even if asus came out with a trick , to correct that , by inserting a black picture every 3 images )
People tends to think that IPS is superior , but in fact it depends of the usage.
A500's screen might not be the best screen in the world , but it is for sure a very good one.
I just want to say: the TF's screen by itself makes it better than the Xoom. I've been looking at them side by side since I got my TF yesterday (well, not constantly, but you know what I mean). The TF is just in a different class than the Xoom based on the screen alone.
First, the colors and temp of the TF screen is far more natural and pleasant--I had no idea the Xoom's screen was so cold/blue. After looking at them side-by-side, I couldn't go back to using the Xoom.
Second, the viewing angle discrepancy really is striking--putting them both flat on a desk, the Xoom starts fading pretty much the second I get a little off-angle. The TF stays crisp and clear almost all the way to the horizontal. Again, I had no idea the Xoom was so bad comparatively, and I'd never to back to the Xoom for that reason alone.
I just don't know how Asus managed to squeeze this screen into a $399 price point. Even if they cut somewhere else, I'd be fine with it. I'd much rather have marginally lower build quality (which I really don't think is the case) and that screen. It's awesome.
I got a chance to look at an Eee Pad at Memory Express last night (Someone returned it) and I was very impressed with the screen. Much nicer than the Xoom I returned due to the poor quality screen.
The Eee Pad screen appears to be of the same quality as the iPad screen.
The real test will be when I can take one home and use it in normal light conditions.
Hope you get one soon The screen is crazy. I woke up this morning and needed to show my lady some stuff on the web while we were still lying in bed -- with my gTab, when I flipped it around for her to see, I could never tell if she was seeing the page or a psychedelic mishmash of colors. But now I know when I show people things on the screen, they are seeing what I saw. Very nice, love this tab.
couldn't agree with you more. When I show my transformer to friends and family I don't have to put a disclaimer anymore like I used to do with xoom. I usually go "the screen is not the best, but..." With the Transformer, its "check out this beauty ..." lol
Cmon guys, there are all ready a fair few threads on this, could this be reposted in one of them?
Thanks
Badwolve1