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Well well well...
Now that the Transformer is confirmed for next week, what do I do?
I just bought my Xoom from best buy this week, and can return it with no hassles. I have a $120 PDAir leather case but im sure I can get most of my money back.....
Would you guys do the trade? Granted the $$ isn't the issue, I just really want the IPS screen and USB access.
What do you guys think? Would you swap them out if you could? Disregarding the $$ factor?
The most important thing to me is development, which the Xoom clearly is ahead in now...
I don't think the Transformer is for me. It's just a wee bit too large, and I need my cell data plan. AFAIK, Transformer is wifi only, right? I'm guessing that the Transformer works a lot better in the keyboard department, which is my main disappointment about the Xoom.
Really though, I don't think you could go wrong with either device. The Transformer wasn't quite as rushed to the market, so you might encounter fewer bugs, but ultimately, it seems like more of an issue of form factor. The USB sounds good, but in my case, I barely use USB for anything these days.
From the videos I've seen of the Transformer in action, it has a slightly worse viewing angle despite being an IPS panel (versus the VA in the XOOM). That said, the Transformer's panel looks more saturated. Conversely, the Transformer seems to suffer more from glare than the XOOM.
As for development, you nailed it with the XOOM being ahead at the moment. I assume that it will stay this way for a while, as the XOOM attracted a lot of early adopters and developers since it's the first official Honeycomb device.
Additional food for thought is that the XOOM has 1 GiB of RAM, whereas the Transformer has 768 MiB.
FWIW, I'd far rather have the XOOM. As such, it's what I have chosen for myself.
Edit: Sorry! I was wrong about the RAM. Turns out, I was thinking of the G-Slate.
Probably the biggest appeal the transformer for me is the usb port for future external drives. However there are ways around that issue. For me I prefer the look of the xoom, I believe motorola produces better quality items vs acer, and motorola is an american firm so I also support american designers. Win-win for me.
As I have said before. Just so long as people keep buying android tablets that's the important thing.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA Premium App
Don't forget the bezel either. It gets really annoying.
Much like why i am still waiting to buy a different dualcore phone other than the g2x. The g2x is awesome nonetheless its just the bezel that is ridiculously too much. But you get my point.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
You mean asus? I guess I should mention I have the wifi so thats not an issue. The biggest appeal for me is the USB and the screen as well. I just want more storage so I can put a bunch of movis on my xoom
tumbes20000 said:
Probably the biggest appeal the transformer for me is the usb port for future external drives. However there are ways around that issue. For me I prefer the look of the xoom, I believe motorola produces better quality items vs acer, and motorola is an american firm so I also support american designers. Win-win for me.
As I have said before. Just so long as people keep buying android tablets that's the important thing.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA Premium App
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Its Asus actually lol
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
willverduzco said:
Additional food for thought is that the XOOM has 1 GiB of RAM, whereas the Transformer has 768 MiB.
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Where did you get that from? The official website states 1GB memory:
http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_TF101/#specifications
For me it's the xoom. Dual band wifi and a much small bezel/size. I purchased the Moto BT keyboard and never use it, it's a tablet. If I wanted a netbook, i wouldve bought one.
DeerChaser said:
For me it's the xoom. Dual band wifi and a much small bezel/size. I purchased the Moto BT keyboard and never use it, it's a tablet. If I wanted a netbook, i wouldve bought one.
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I bought that too, its nice but I dont see myself using it either... in class maybe but all my classes have computers in them for notes
willverduzco said:
From the videos I've seen of the Transformer in action, it has a slightly worse viewing angle despite being an IPS panel (versus the VA in the XOOM). That said, the Transformer's panel looks more saturated. Conversely, the Transformer seems to suffer more from glare than the XOOM.
As for development, you nailed it with the XOOM being ahead at the moment. I assume that it will stay this way for a while, as the XOOM attracted a lot of early adopters and developers since it's the first official Honeycomb device.
Additional food for thought is that the XOOM has 1 GiB of RAM, whereas the Transformer has 768 MiB.
FWIW, I'd far rather have the XOOM. As such, it's what I have chosen for myself.
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Click to collapse
The xoom has horrible viewing angles. The screen on the transformer looks way better so far and according to reviews it is way better than the xoom screen.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App
I dunno..
I am not sure. I've had my xoom for about 3 weeks. I absolutely love it as its my laptop replacement.
However, the price of the Transformer is nice.. The screen tech also looks good. And of course there is working SD card and USB.
But damn, that bezel is ugly as hell on the Transformer. Reviews are also saying its plasticy.
Lastly, its hard to find a definitive answer on the software. Does Asus have a custom skin on there? I've told myself I will never ever buy a tablet or phone with a custom skin again. I am tired of waiting for updates from OEMs. This is one of the main reasons Im swapping my EVO for a Nexus S as soon as it drops on Sprint in the coming weeks.
What do all my fellow Xoom peeps think?
Only thing holding me back from immediately returning the xoom in favor odf the transformer is that the transformer apparently looks ugly and feels plasticy comparedto the xoom. I guess I gotta see it in person before I can decide.
I just bought my Xoom on the 17th from Best Buy. I have until May 1st to return it. If Best Buy has a Transformer on display, and I like it, I'll probably return the Xoom for that.
If it has almost everything the Xoom has, and I can get the keyboard dock and still walk away with $50 in my pocket from the return I'm happy.
I'm stickin to my Xoom... seems like it's better built. I didn't payf or it so the $$ factor doesnt bother me....
The bezel on the transformer is huge to make it fit in the dock, not really interested in that. Ill slap a 32 gig sdhc in and not worry about USB
I tested the transformer before I received my Xoom. For me the xoom wins hands down.
Its largley a matter of personal preference but I didn't actually like holding it, the bezzle is just too big to hold and type even if you had thumb key.
The screen really didn't look any better than the xooms maybe slightly more vivid colours. But the keyboard doesn't make sense to me on a tab, there is no USB on the tablet itself and currently only 16gb model is available.
But like I said that's all just personal taste
sent from my xoom. at last
wang1404 said:
Don't forget the bezel either. It gets really annoying.
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I want a bigger bezel. The bezel on the Xoom is only about 3/4 the size of my thumb. You can't hold this thing with one hand without activating the screen in some unwanted way. Maybe I just have big hands and you don't, but still this has become annoying.
The Transformer has a larger bezel to be wide enough to seat evenly with the netbook sized keyboard attachment, but I think that there's the added benefit of being able to hold onto it.
OH and the transformer is freaking $200 less... After purchasing my WiFi Xoom I find myself using it less and less. For something like this that I'm using quite casually, I don't mind a couple "flaws" (according to some) in order to save $200. Heck, when I return my Xoom I might not be buying a different tablet at all.
I'm going to return my Xoom this Sun to Costco. I love it but I'm kinda bored of it. I don't use it as much as before. The only time I use it now is when I'm in bed waiting to past out. Without XDA, I would of returned the Xoom after a few days of owning it. With the Transformer I get to save some benjamins.
After reading the Transformer Anandtech review, I would definitely get a Transformer over the Xoom... that is, if I wasn't such an aesthetic freak. The bezel size irriates me...
On a good note Anandtech says the display is "comparable to the iPad 2", and that it is definitely more impressive than the Xoom's.
sano614 said:
I just bought my Xoom on the 17th from Best Buy. I have until May 1st to return it. If Best Buy has a Transformer on display, and I like it, I'll probably return the Xoom for that.
If it has almost everything the Xoom has, and I can get the keyboard dock and still walk away with $50 in my pocket from the return I'm happy.
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you will be walking away -$50, the transform is $500 for the 32gb model
Do you have a tablet that you are on the fence about and thinking of returning it for the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 (US model)
Maybe your tablet has more ports or a keyboard dock or Google's baby(xoom) for updates.
I'd rather have a transformer but I think I'll stick with my galaxy tab anyway
I may return my Xoom for one of these. Depends on the reviews when they're released.
Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk
I took my Blackberry Playbook back to BestBuy today. I was actual really impressed with the Playbook. However, I feel Android is going to be the future of Tabs, and that the 8.9 would be a better every day use, portable form factor.
I managed to procure a Google IO 10.1 which will be here Monday. Really looking forward to these tablets!
Returning my Xoom for it
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
My xoom.. Motorola's handling of software upgrades (canada gets sd card functionality, but nothng for the us) is a joke, the screen is marginal and it is uncomfortable to hold on long flights.
Ultimately, my xoom bricked itself and never turned back on.. Thank goodness for costco's return policy.
My G-slate already went back. Eventhough I got it for $430 with no contract...
I might try the acer w500, people are saying it handles 1080p pretty well, this doesnt, also lack of expandable memory is a killer, although 3g is the only reason ill keep it for a while at least.
A nook color I'd prefer a slate that was meant to run honeycomb.
I'm not really returning it, just giving it to my friend.
I returned my Transformer. It was kinda tough, because I really will miss the microSD, micro USB, and mini HDMI ports on the tablet, plus the ability to use the most sweet keyboard dock ever.
I'm sacrificing a lot for the Galaxy Tab 10.1. But the Transformer did seem to have a lot of small annoyances too. Back was slippery. Glass was very thin. Tablet creaked a bit. Bezel was ugly. Felt a little cheap.
I'm going with the Galaxy Tab because it's lighter, something I value a lot in a 10 inch tablet, even small weight differences become noticeable over time.
The Galaxy Tab just looks a lot better. I don't mind admitting I care about the appearance of my tablet. Galaxy Tab looks sleek and elegant. Transformer looked quite ugly in my eyes with it's sharp angles and extra wide aluminum bezel.
Hoping the glass on the Galaxy Tab is thicker. I could push on the Transformer glass and easily see it bending like it was some cheap resistive display. Nothing like my iPad that doesn't bend at all.
I did the same thing,now I hope the GT10.1 will not disappoint me.
Ravynmagi said:
I returned my Transformer. It was kinda tough, because I really will miss the microSD, micro USB, and mini HDMI ports on the tablet, plus the ability to use the most sweet keyboard dock ever.
I'm sacrificing a lot for the Galaxy Tab 10.1. But the Transformer did seem to have a lot of small annoyances too. Back was slippery. Glass was very thin. Tablet creaked a bit. Bezel was ugly. Felt a little cheap.
I'm going with the Galaxy Tab because it's lighter, something I value a lot in a 10 inch tablet, even small weight differences become noticeable over time.
The Galaxy Tab just looks a lot better. I don't mind admitting I care about the appearance of my tablet. Galaxy Tab looks sleek and elegant. Transformer looked quite ugly in my eyes with it's sharp angles and extra wide aluminum bezel.
Hoping the glass on the Galaxy Tab is thicker. I could push on the Transformer glass and easily see it bending like it was some cheap resistive display. Nothing like my iPad that doesn't bend at all.
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Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
Ravynmagi said:
I'm sacrificing a lot for the Galaxy Tab 10.1. But the Transformer did seem to have a lot of small annoyances too. Back was slippery. Glass was very thin. Tablet creaked a bit. Bezel was ugly. Felt a little cheap.
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If you thought the back if the Transformer was slippery, then you're probably in for a surprise with the GTab. Personally, I'm not sure if I'll get the GTab or keep my Transformer.
Sent from my HTC Eva 4G using Tapatalk
Jocelyn said:
If you thought the back if the Transformer was slippery, then you're probably in for a surprise with the GTab. Personally, I'm not sure if I'll get the GTab or keep my Transformer.
Sent from my HTC Eva 4G using Tapatalk
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Really? In a couple of reviews I read they didn't mention anything about it being slippery.
http://androidcommunity.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-google-io-limited-edition-20110511/
Chandelure said:
Really? In a couple of reviews I read they didn't mention anything about it being slippery.
http://androidcommunity.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-google-io-limited-edition-20110511/
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I'm basing that off of owners who have posted in forums, not reviews. Moreover, I'm not really aware of any tablet review that's ever gone into how slippery the back of the tablet was.
Sent from my Asus Decepticon using Tapatalk
I was about to buy an acer iconia a500, but decided to wait for this one. I was worried about samsung forcing the touchwiz ui on top of it, but since I heard it is going to be optional I am gonna go with this for the size.
Jocelyn said:
I'm basing that off of owners who have posted in forums, not reviews. Moreover, I'm not really aware of any tablet review that's ever gone into how slippery the back of the tablet was.
Sent from my Asus Decepticon using Tapatalk
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Samsung says they put an easy grip material on the back to keep the tablet from slipping.
Though looking at the back of the Google IO tablets, they look different and may not have the easy grip material, and instead got the Android tiles. So maybe the final retail Galaxy Tab will be better.
I returned an a500 yesterday to wait for this tablet to come out. Don't fail me now samsung
Returned my transformer. Many annoying problems that were mostly solved by rebooting, but once the touch screen died I just returned it to newegg.
Also returned the tf after my screen stopped responding to touch. Will be picking up the tab come June 8th
I'm really surprised with myself and I'm sure I've been shunned away from the A500 forums, but I too returned my A500 for the 10.1.
I've been a huge fan of Samsung products and I didn't want to change now. I enjoyed my A500, but I feel like the online community and manufacture support will be better with this.
I hate waiting until the 8th of June for it, but I'm willing to do it for a sleeker, thinner, lighter model. I'm a professional firefighter and I hated taking my 17" laptop to work with me for 24 hours. I was originally going to purchase the Xoom, but the price made it not worth it for me. The A500 was perfect, but again, I feel like I will gain so much more here. The HDMI, USB, and MicroSD did absolutely nothing for me. I was surprised how little I used it. I never even used the MicroSD slot.
Anyways, like everyone else on here, I'm hoping that in the end this will be a good decision.
Had it for 1 whole day. THe quanlity feels cheap. New honey comb ui is good and very impressive. When I restart the tranformer at night, I saw at least 8 birght spots on my screen. So decied to return it to amazon. But I don't have the speaker problem.
Mine does not feel cheap. Feels well put together. Some people think it feels cheap because it has a plastic back. That to me doesn't mean it is cheap. I don't need metal to feel something is quality.
If you had problems with it creaking and seems like you had problems with the screen, I assure you that is not how it is supposed to be. RMA.
Quanlity ........ Lol.........something wrong with the keyboard too?
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
Mine creaks a bit and may give the impression of not being solidly built, but in my opinion, it's a really nice tablet.
Tired of these threads. If u don't like, just go away. It's a $399 tablet and build quality is excellent for a $399 tablet. Maybe some company will release a tablet for twice the price one day made out of carbon fiber, but who the hell cares if it does the exact same thing as a $399 tablet. Lets get over this once and for all. Next, everyone will be saying that its not good enough because it doesn't have tegra 3 chipset or it doesn't run Windows 8 or it doesn't make pancakes. The TF is a great tablet that many of us love and anyone who doesn't probably should just get an iPad 2 or wait for the iPad 3 or just avoid tablets altogether...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Indeed a little bit overdone to start a thread for this, but I must agree, the TF has some common issues, which keep me from saying that it's a real quality product. (Speaker problem, accelerometer not calibrated, backlight bleeding, dust under screen, dead touchzones, ...)
gadgetfann said:
Tired of these threads. If u don't like, just go away. It's a $399 tablet and build quality is excellent for a $399 tablet. Maybe some company will release a tablet for twice the price one day made out of carbon fiber, but who the hell cares if it does the exact same thing as a $399 tablet. Lets get over this once and for all. Next, everyone will be saying that its not good enough because it doesn't have tegra 3 chipset or it doesn't run Windows 8 or it doesn't make pancakes. The TF is a great tablet that many of us love and anyone who doesn't probably should just get an iPad 2 or wait for the iPad 3 or just avoid tablets altogether...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
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Don't be tired of these threads, everyone has the right to say what he thinks.
I had the Transformer for a day and had to send it back.
The quality of my Transformer was disappointing. The Upper rigth corner of the touch screen was not in line with the other corners, it was lower by 3 mm that the metal frame.The back was 3mm above the metal frame.
Not to speak that i could see through the hole between the touch screen and the metal frame.
So i think that those who got a good Transformer should be happy.But not all of them are great, in fact i think that the quality control was nonexistent.
NOT EVERYONE GOT A PERFECT TRANSFORMER!!!!!
If you did get o good one it does not mean the problems you hear about and you are tired off are not there.
I sent mine back and now i am waiting to get a replacement.
i have slight creaking only in the very edge of the top right an bottom left corner but its only a little other wise the build is good not cheap
I never understand why people want to start a whole new thread just to tell the entire world they're returning something.....
magicpork said:
I never understand why people want to start a whole new thread just to tell the entire world they're returning something.....
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Because they are butthurt and want to nag to other people to make themselves feel better.
By the way, if the OP wants good build quality you should pick up an iPad 2, they are half metal and feel sturdy. Just don't sell one of your kidneys like that kid.
yeah agree...why need to create another new thread ?? just find a related thread and post in it. next time another thread like this appear, can consider it as spam/troll
Oddly the demo units at staples feel like they were built like a tank. No creak or flex. Very solid despite plastic back.
I am on my fourth and waiting for my 5th TF.
EACH has suffered light bleed with the most recent one being the best so far.
However while it was solid on day one it now is creaking along the top left and right corners and a bit on the right side. If unit number five is no better they all go back and I get a Samsung. The dock for me is not so important as a laptop owner that I will accept such poor build quality.
my ipad 1 bought a year ago has no bleed no creaks after a year of use. The demo units in 3 stores of the transformer were all solid so I know Asus can build them well but likely make different units better made to be used as demos.
I suspect this as o e staples store who had just got product in and had not had their demo put out yet would not let me buy their demo unit.
ericc191 said:
Mine creaks a bit and may give the impression of not being solidly built, but in my opinion, it's a really nice tablet.
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Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Shawn_230 said:
Because they are butthurt and want to nag to other people to make themselves feel better.
By the way, if the OP wants good build quality you should pick up an iPad 2, they are half metal and feel sturdy. Just don't sell one of your kidneys like that kid.
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They have been suffering from the light bleed issues too...
Lol, you want to know how badly my 7'' Galaxy Tab creaks? That's cheap plastic. Creak creak creak. It creaks if you look at it sideways.
Also, check out this thread: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1122027 In fact, google up "ipad light bleed." Prepare to be astounded: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/12/poll-is-your-ipad-2-backlight-bleeding-video/
Look, if you don't have anything nice to say about the iPad2, don't say anything at all! Ignorance is bliss!! J/k. I think you may be right, a friend of mines co. Bought 10 iPad2 and ALL of them have it to some degree... They also have as many 1st generation iPads and the difference is dramatic.
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Fun, hey?
(I've only noticed light bleed when I turn it on and the screen displays boot animation, FYI. Any other time and it's not particularly noticeable.)
i was able to play with the Samsung 10.1 tab at the android central meetup in nyc and the Samsung tab had all the same UI issues as the TF. Yes it was thinner but to me the TF is fine the way it is and iits $100 less. My TF is fantastic and with the $$$ I saved I got a nexus s 4g. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
grainysand said:
Lol, you want to know how badly my 7'' Galaxy Tab creaks? That's cheap plastic. Creak creak creak. It creaks if you look at it sideways.
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My gf's Galaxy Tab is solid as any tab I've ever handled, so therefore I think all Galaxy Tabs are perfect and you have the only bad one.
Sarcasm (not directed at you personally), hopefully it was duly noted The TF has some bad batches, I think that's obvious. You can say, "Oh it's just a small number on XDA!" but you can probably use this small sample and apply it to the entire user base and come up with an idea of the amount of defective units. Sounds like the early batches were rushed out the door to meet a deadline and demand.
Mine is pretty solid. Creaky, one spot of light bleed, but tolerable for the cheapest HC tablet, and I love it like I'd love my first born, if I had a first born. Still the best deal out there.
wackadroid said:
i was able to play with the Samsung 10.1 tab at the android central meetup in nyc and the Samsung tab had all the same UI issues as the TF. Yes it was thinner but to me the TF is fine the way it is and iits $100 less. My TF is fantastic and with the $$$ I saved I got a nexus s 4g. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, Galaxy Tab 10.1 is supposed to be really thin but I still don't want it.
Compared to the Transformer it's more expensive, no expandable memory, no IPS display, and build is plastic just like our Eee Pads.
Honestly the Transformer has a few bugs, Honeycomb too... but overall you cannot beat this thing, no contest when you consider cost.
TF101FTW!
I was pretty happy with the overall design of the tablet but their quality control does leave a bit to be desired. I've had 2 tablets and both have a defect. One was light bleed and the most recent one came with a broken power button.
I'm not sure if I should keep trying replacements or call it quits on Asus.
Tutti-frutti said:
Indeed a little bit overdone to start a thread for this, but I must agree, the TF has some common issues, which keep me from saying that it's a real quality product. (Speaker problem, accelerometer not calibrated, backlight bleeding, dust under screen, dead touchzones, ...)
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i agree. it's not high quality, but good enough quality for the price - compared to the current market price for higher end android tablets.
I thought there was a lot of people with the screen bleeding issue? The way you guys make it sound that the screen be perfect. Unfortunately I noticed I got some serious bleeding myself. I just cant figure out if it's worth RMA and all that. It might take forever for KMART to get anymore back in stock.
I thought I read a lot of people had the issue also. It doesnt bother me at all really, but one of these posts made me feel that I should exchange it ASAP
I have been looking at getting a tablet for a while now. I have been very interested in the Adam especially for the pixel qi screen. I do a lot of reading and thought that it would be great. My question for everyone out there is what do you think the best way to go is:
Buy the Adam 1 now
Wait until the Adam 2 is released
or buy the Asus Transformer
Besides the Adam the asus kind of caught my eye, although it wouldnt be as good for reading, I love the dock and for indoor stuff like movies or what not the screen looks good.
I have tons of experience with rooting so am not afraid to get my hands dirty with the adam. Curious though, if even after rooting and flashing and what not if the adam is worth getting. And how the TF runs after root and what not
Where the crap did this thing come from and who has even heard of NotionInk? Does it run Honeycomb or what?
darkonex said:
Where the crap did this thing come from and who has even heard of NotionInk? Does it run Honeycomb or what?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_tablet
not even going to bother. ASUS Transformer all the way.
I was pretty excited about the Adam and the Pixel QI screen as well when it was announced. Subsequently, I've become much less excited. The device itself seems kind of clunky, the software has never worked very well as far as I can tell (they were trying to do some cool things, but I think they might have overreached a bit), and the Pixel QI screen isn't nearly so wonderful as it sounded. In backlit mode it's a relatively low-quality color screen, while it's not nearly as good as e-ink in reflective mode.
In short, I think NotionInk tried to do too much. That's why I have my TF for some uses, and my Nook 3G (e-ink reader) for others. So far, the tech's just not there for a real all-in-one device like the Adam tried to be.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
wynand32 said:
I was pretty excited about the Adam and the Pixel QI screen as well when it was announced. Subsequently, I've become much less excited. The device itself seems kind of clunky, the software has never worked very well as far as I can tell (they were trying to do some cool things, but I think they might have overreached a bit), and the Pixel QI screen isn't nearly so wonderful as it sounded. In backlit mode it's a relatively low-quality color screen, while it's not nearly as good as e-ink in reflective mode.
In short, I think NotionInk tried to do too much. That's why I have my TF for some uses, and my Nook 3G (e-ink reader) for others. So far, the tech's just not there for a real all-in-one device like the Adam tried to be.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
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I second that. I believe I am in the position to provide a valid comment on this having been an owner of the adam first and being a proud owner of the transformer now. Indeed I remained charmed by the adam when I read what that tiny startup in India was trying to achieve: a tablet with the an innovative hardware (the first pixelqi screen, tegra2 etc. ) and an inspiring vision.
Unfortunately, the implementation did not deliver on the promises. The the tablet was indeed buggy (software) and did not receive the honeycomb code. I therefore decided to sell it and buy the transformer: I am very happy I took that decision on time.
i remember the good old notion ink adam days, thank god it took about 4 1/2 months for a pre order invite that I gladly canceled. thing is a junk now R.I.P
What everyone else has said. Transformer all the way! Still have my Adam but haven't turned it on since getting my TF about 2 months ago. I do miss the USB and I thought the speakers were fairly good. It also felt great in one hand - harder to hold the Transformer in one hand unless you grip it hard but it still feels slippery. PixelQi seemed almost worthless indoors as it is difficult to read. Screen is terrible on the Adam. If you want picture comparisons let me know.
I wouldn't buy a notion ink, I saw some inside pictures! PURE HORROR! Build quality is questionable at least....
I am using thre transformer for 2 month now and I am very happy.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
But more on a serious note, I wouldn't even know why anybody would want the Notion Ink. It's running on the previous generation of Android that's not optimized for tablet use (or dual core in that matter).
It's a step backwards. ASUS Transformer all the way.
This can't be a serious comparison
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App
What a rediculous thread, LOL. What's next? Palm Treo (circa 2005) vs Samsung Galaxy S 2?
XL2001 said:
What everyone else has said. Transformer all the way! Still have my Adam but haven't turned it on since getting my TF about 2 months ago. I do miss the USB and I thought the speakers were fairly good. It also felt great in one hand - harder to hold the Transformer in one hand unless you grip it hard but it still feels slippery. PixelQi seemed almost worthless indoors as it is difficult to read. Screen is terrible on the Adam. If you want picture comparisons let me know.
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Would like to see pictures, yes. I quite like the idea of Pixel-Qi but have never seen one in action in person.
hmmm
I guess thats what I would love to know, is if any one has tried to two side by side. For sure the transformer is backed by a better company and has more support. Just curious if the Pixel QI screen is worth running an old android version or anything like that.
Ths has to be a joke. In no way are the two remotely comparable. Last I checked the price for that thing was near the price of the TF, possibly higher.
It's dated, the hardware is crap, the design is clunky and it has QC issues of its own so you're not going anywhere with that in terms of QC. There's literally no comparison here. It's crap.
Couple it with unimaginably poor customer service that makes Asus look like the greatest company on Earth. When I say their customer service is worse than Asus you know I mean it and it must be god awful.
They ignore your e-mails and really you have no other entity to send it back to for RMA repair than them and I think I remember they either request you send it back to their LA third party contractor or in some cases China. There was a huge forum filled with pissed off owners. I think NotionInkFans.com. If you thought this place was swamped with people making "I'm leaving" or "Good Bye" posts, that message board ****s all over this one. There must have been fifteen a day on that one.
notioninkscam.com
Whatever you do, don't buy anything from this flimsy joke of a company.
Despite what most people here are saying I too considered the Adam. The screen seemed very exciting as well as USB on main unit. With that screen you will never get the same quality as Asus/IPad IPS screen indoors. If reading is your main concern you could look into a Nook, but if you want an all-rounder the Transformer is tops and you have the comfort of Asus behind the warranty and not a small business enterprise.
If you considered waiting for the Adam 2, why not wait for Transformer 2? About same release date.
Kurian..Of Borg said:
notioninkscam.com
Whatever you do, don't buy anything from this flimsy joke of a company.
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Actually, they aren't a scam. I had an Adam. Sold it. Yes, they take AGES to ship, but it will arrive.
I much prefer the TF. The PixelQi screen sounded good, but in practice it wasn't anywhere near the level of, say, a Kindle screen.
I really wanted the Adam to succeed prior to getting it, but have to say I have no regrets in getting the TF.
So, recently I've seen a lot more threads comparing the Eee Transformer to the A500. Before I bought either of these tablets I did a ton of product comparison in store with various display models, at least 3 A500's and 3 Transformers.
Note: for full disclosure the Eee Pad what I thought I wanted when I first started looking at tabs.
I am writing this review as I believe all of these comparisons to date have been based on box stats and not real world trials. Below I will layout the features that really matter (e.g. I'm not going to review bluetooth, let's make some assumptions here) and how they stack up in a direct comparison.
Weight / Build Quality
Held each tab, A500 in my left, Transformer in my right, you CAN notice the difference, is it significant? Strangely when holding one tab the Transformer feels way lighter, however, when you pick the Acer up again, it feels almost the same. It's hard to explain, go try it yourself.
When holding the Asus you immediately realize the reason for the Acer's extra weight is better build quality. You can literally FEEL the build quality difference. I pushed on the screen of the Asus around the power button and it receeded about 1/8th of an inch! The Acer's screen also flexes, but not nearly as much. Asus build quality is terrible, I would gladly pay the extra weight penalty for the stronger build of the Acer.
If you are a thumb typer, and if you find wide bezels to be an issue, you will notice that the Acer actually has a narrower bezel than the Asus, I couldn't believe the Asus' bezel was wider, but it is!
Battery Life
Looking at the tech. specs each of these tablets should have pretty much the same battery life. The battery capacity of the Asus is 6600 mAH and the Acer is about 80 mAH less, a negligible difference. They run similar processors, however, some have said the IPS panel of the Transformer equates to better battery life. Something however is amiss in the numbers department though... Asus has said 9.5 hours of battery life, however, every review online (and I looked at 6) pegged the Asus' battery life at ~7.5 hours and the Acer's battery life at ~7.5 hours, there is no real world difference here.
Considering the Acer has low power DDR2 RAM while the Asus does not, this may also explain some of the balance as IPS panels have been shown to run less power.
Camera Quality (back camera, who cares about front anyway)
With the update to 3.2 and 1080P recording, the Acer has an AWESOME video camera now which takes great stills too, I was blown away (have you tried it yet? If not, try it now!). This paragraph will be short and sweet, the Asus' camera blows. It takes crappy video, it looks way less clear and crisp and the same is true for stills. Not even in the same league as the Acer's camera now and there is no flash, the Acer dominates in cameras bigtime!
Connectivity
The Asus tries hard, however, it just can't match the Acer. The USB port of the Acer will come in handy at least once in its lifetime, not to mention the ease of adding a keyboard, game controller, etc. Moreover, the HDMI connection on the Acer is micro, while the HDMI on the Asus is mini. Mini HDMI is much harder to find than micro, I had no problem finding a micro HDMI cable, however, mini HDMI cables had to be ordered off the web.
Price
$399 for 16GB, both models, no difference anymore!
UI Performance
The Acer I ran tested on the floor of course utilized Honeycomb 3.1 while the Asus was running Honeycomb 3.2. Even though the Asus has the latest version of Honeycomb, the Acer performs much smoother while scrolling the UI and loading applications. The difference was evident, so much so, this was ultimately the deciding factor for me. The Acer appears to dominate here even with the older software and similar hardware. Some have rumored that the speed increase of the Acer is due to its using LPDDR2 RAM when the Asus uses older DDR2 RAM. I can not confirm this, but benchmarks also showed a slight edge to the Acer.
Screen Quality
There has been a lot of discussion of Asus' screen quality vs. Acer's. I went in with the expectation that the Asus would be noticably different (I have perfect eyesight btw). I could not, repeat, could not tell a single damn difference between the two when both on high brightness with XDA Developers loaded in the browser. Perhaps the Asus was slightly "crisper", however, that could be my IPS bias. There is no difference folks, and if you can tell, my hats off to you.
The Acer losses out on glass though. The Asus uses corning name brand Gorilla Glass, while the Acer states it only uses "tempered glass". If you expect to not get a case, or if you are prone to dropping your tablet on its face (most likely you will destroy more than the glass) then you must consider this angle. Gorilla glass is going to help a bit with scratches and perhaps cracks, however, I also noticed it shows more finger prints than the Acer does. *see post #2 apparently the A500 does have gorilla glass!
Screen angles on both are a joke. You can look at the Acer up to 160 degrees, why would you want to? You can look at the Asus up to 179 degrees, but why would you want to? Screen angles are pretty much identical, both are very viewable from the side.
Accessories
Acer has basic cases and other crap, the Asus of course has the whole battery extending USB-porting keyboard dock. Obviously, Asus destroys Acer here. If you don't already own a laptop or netbook, this may matter to you. However, remember that most of your productivity applications are probably not in Android and if you want to be productive, a tablet no matter what dock it has is not nearly as effective as a laptop.
Sound Quality
Another landslide for the Acer, the Dolby sound is the best sound I've ever heard on a mobile device, no joke. I had heads snapping in my living room trying to figure out how such big clear sound was coming out of a tiny little tablet. People will notice. The Asus? Sounds exactly like you'd expect a tablet to sound, like a tin can.
Conclusion
In summary, I ended up buying the Acer A500. With the Asus I could get a bit lighter weight and a keyboard dock that's totally awesome. These were the main benefits the Asus offers over the Acer. As I discovered the lower weight was due to poor construction and materials, the slighter weight of the Asus was no longer a factor. As I didn't need a keyboard, the obvious choice became the Acer due to its superior usability overall.
I hope this helps prospective buyers!
Very nice review! Makes me glad I chose the Acer over the Asus too, although my main reason was that the Acer was available locally with no wait.
Just a quick correction though, even though Acer doesn't say so, according to www.corningorillaglass.com the A500 does sport the Gorilla Glass. I'm not sure why Acer wouldn't mention it, since it is a decent buying point, but there you go.
funny but i bought because of 100 dollar staple coupon.
and then keep reading reviews on amazon...this is best review i ever read.
ipad iconia and zt-180 v2 all over sofa and bed...
Very thourough review. I have been enjoying my A500 for a couple weeks now. Got a good deal on Amazon. I am new to Android devices, so I have spent a lot of time on xda forums learning how to root and flash new ROM on my device.
Would have been interested to hear how the mics compared for video calling etc.
pankaj2000 said:
funny but i bought because of 100 dollar staple coupon.
and then keep reading reviews on amazon...this is best review i ever read.
ipad iconia and zt-180 v2 all over sofa and bed...
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Exactly my reasoning as well! I was thinking that I may look at tablets around Christmas, since I am sure there will be some crazy deals, but I happened to see the $100 Staples coupon and decided to jump on it. It was originally intended for the kids but they have a hard time pulling it away from me.
Is it just my unit, or have others noticed a MAJOR difference in recorded video quality when running a custom 3.2 ROM as opposed to 3.1? I recorded some video in the kitchen of my house, played it back, and it looked extremely realistic. My wife who doesn't even like tech. was pretty happy about it, that's saying something. It was super crisp and clear, definitely the best video device I have now! But I also don't have any dedicated video camera...
goofytim said:
Exactly my reasoning as well! I was thinking that I may look at tablets around Christmas, since I am sure there will be some crazy deals, but I happened to $300 see the $100 Staples coupon and decided to jump on it. It was originally intended for the kids but they have a hard time pulling it away from me.
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got ipad for me on my birthday $400 and wife took it..$100 off staples coupon got me iconia
$300 and kids took it..now i m stuck with zt-180v2....but iconia is the best...
I liked the more solid feel, and the full size USB port on the tab itself. I couldn't tell much difference between the screens either.
Sent from my A500 using xda premium
As a transformer owner I can vouch on three things:
1. IMO the screen quality is miles ahead of the A500;
2. The weight difference is neglible but the A500 feels bulkier and slightly more awkward to hold;
3. The A500's sound quality is killer. The TF101's speakers make a train station passenger information system sound like a bose home theatre.. Yes, it's ****e !!!
Don't berate me, these are just my opinions...
The two are so close. The TF is noticeably lighter. Screen is a bit better on the TF. The keyboard dock is rad, but kind of pricey. Not a bad decision either way. It was a REALLY tough choice to pick between the two.
Sent from my A100 using XDA Premium App
Yes, it is a VERY difficult choice, for me, I love the sound and cameras and don't mind the weight nor need the keyboard dock. If you think like me, go Acer, if you really need the dock and the weight, perhaps a bit better screen (if you can notice), go the Asus!
I use my A500 mostly in portrait mode since I do a lot of reading so that makes the keyboard useless. The extended battery is a welcome addition but if I need the tablet docked while I'm reading, that seems kinda awkward. Also the color sucks. No offense to Asus owners but seriously the color sucks. The finish on the A500 is really nice and feels sturdy.
Dolby Mobile is awesome
I just felt like chiming in regarding the A500. I think the audio is better than any other tablet. The iPad does not have stereo. Even the TouchPad, with it's "beats" music system does not sound as good as the Dolby Mobile on the A500. Rock on!
I tried video conference the other day, and the audio on my A500 was horrible, can't hear anything. I have the Acer folio on it, so it should not be a problem?
I compared at a Office depot store, the screen seems brighter on the Asus, nicer, I feel. But given the fact that buying the Asus means I'll have to end up with buying a dock for $140 more, just not worth it.
ctiger said:
I tried video conference the other day, and the audio on my A500 was horrible, can't hear anything. I have the Acer folio on it, so it should not be a problem?
I compared at a Office depot store, the screen seems brighter on the Asus, nicer, I feel. But given the fact that buying the Asus means I'll have to end up with buying a dock for $140 more, just not worth it.
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You couldn't hear the audio? Do you know if the other side had their mic's turned up? The audio is very loud on my A500, too loud, I get complaints when I crank it up from the wife..
Has anyone tried the new video recording in 3.2 yet? It's epic on mine! Please, chime in with your experiences..
Nice comparative write up!
While I agree with just about everything you've written, I have to say that the difference in display is very noticeable....as noticeable as viewing an image on the A500 and TV via HDMI out at the same time. Colors are much more vibrant on a Transformer's display, but panel brightness is visually the same in my opinion.
When I was first in the market, I purchased both the Transformer and Iconia A500 to try with in the limitations of the return policy. I basically came to the same conclusion as yourself.
The first Acer I purchased had a questionable build. The upper left corner of the tab would creak under slight pressure. Very annoying, but after researching a bit...some people was stating the same experience and some were not. The Transformer seemed to be more solid in comparison.....well as solid as plastic could be, but at the time, the most important part was that it didn't creak nor had hairline cracks at the seams like the A500 I first tried.
Also the right speaker sounded like it was in a tin can while a pebble rattled around. I opened it up to see if the speaker was torn or what have you, only to discover a set screw was backed out enough to allow the speaker to vibrate against the mounts/casing.
But after going back to the store and checking to see if the display model shared the same annoyance, I realized I had received one that got past quality control. So I'm happy to say the current A500 is solid.
Anyway, in my opinion...if it weren't for the built in USB port, I probably would still be trying to decide between the two.
autom8r said:
Has anyone tried the new video recording in 3.2 yet? It's epic on mine! Please, chime in with your experiences..
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I'm using Taboonay 2.0 and I have to say yes the video recording id epic.
I couldn't find micro HDMI cables in Australia in any shop. Unless you count a micro to full HDMI adapter some idiot store wanted $99 for! I bought a 4m cable from eBay for about $20. Just starting to see cables in stores now, but still very expensive rip-offs.
As for keyboard ports, don't. Need them on the Acer as I use the Acer Bluetooth keyboard. Keyboard connectors are so old tech!
And when I bricked my machine playing with ROMs from in here, Acer was very understandering and fixed my machine for me. So i'll stick to the stock ROM. but I did appreciate acer rescuing my machine.
Sent from my A500 using xda premium