Database Users

Galaxy Tab review in the making. Need suggestions!

Hello XDA!
I managed to get my hands on a Galaxy Tab to review. I'm an avid android user and I know what I would want from a device like this. Thing is, I want to know what YOU, dear XDA members, would like to know about the device!
Kindly leave me questions that you wish to be answered in the video review of the Galaxy Tab.
The sooner I get the questions the sooner I'll be able to post up a video.
Note: Kindly note that I cannot root the device nor change the flash version of android that runs on the device.
Firmware version: P1000XXJH1
Specs of the device as per Quadrant Advanced:
Quadrant score: 1,000
CPU: 1437
MEM: 1684
I/O: 791
2D: 201
3D: 886
Linpack score: 13.877
Total memory available: 435MB of which 174 is used on fresh boot.
System information(via Quadrant Advanced).
htt p://img215.imageshack.us/i/20101005100755.jpg/
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htt p://img697.imageshack.us/i/20101005100848.jpg
htt p://img411.imageshack.us/i/20101005100911.jpg
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(Apologies for the low quality photos)

It would be nice if you describe display quality - viewing angles, panel type (is it IPS) how it performs in sunlight. Is minimum brightness good for reading in dark conditions? Thanks!
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

vitalij said:
It would be nice if you describe display quality - viewing angles, panel type (is it IPS) how it performs in sunlight. Is minimum brightness good for reading in dark conditions? Thanks!
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
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Viewing angles are a subjective issue, personally when i pick up my mobile device and look into it, it's always straight in front of me, so that's all i want, but if you have a viewing angle of over 45 degrees like the Tab, all you get is people on the bus, train or plane looking sideways to see what you're looking at
I'm based in England at the moment, they don't have that much sunlight and even less direct sunlight
First impressions, it feels to plasticky, not like it's price suggests that it should, not as bad as an X10, but almost.

checkbox111 said:
Viewing angles are a subjective issue, personally when i pick up my mobile device and look into it, it's always straight in front of me, so that's all i want, but if you have a viewing angle of over 45 degrees like the Tab, all you get is people on the bus, train or plane looking sideways to see what you're looking at
I'm based in England at the moment, they don't have that much sunlight and even less direct sunlight
First impressions, it feels to plasticky, not like it's price suggests that it should, not as bad as an X10, but almost.
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How is the call quality/ease of use.. Does the tab "feel" swift?

Hello guys,
Thanks for the initial question. I will cover this question in the video review.
I need more points of focus for the review.
MOARRRR
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App

Like if you have had chance to use the ipad, maybe like how does it compare value wise? As I think how much it costs £599 is putting me off, but if it is worth it compared to other tablets then I would consider it more

Phen0m said:
How is the call quality/ease of use.. Does the tab "feel" swift?
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Wouldn't know about call quality as it's only owned by an engineer that comes into our office, he doesn't have any problems as far as i've heard, but as with other threads here just don't expect it to fit into you jacket or trouser pocket, one it's to big and another it's to heavy to be comfortable.
You may have visited the dell streak forum, or heard of how fragile the dell streak lcd screen is? because of it's large size the body flexes but LCD's by their very nature cannot flex and they snap. Well just look at the size of the LCD on the Tab, and the body of the Tab is made of plastic and (not titanium as per streak) to save weight, this by it's very design will make it more suceptible to breakage, (the body will flex under pressure the LCD will not) = ££££££
sebbo90 said:
Like if you have had chance to use the ipad, maybe like how does it compare value wise? As I think how much it costs £599 is putting me off, but if it is worth it compared to other tablets then I would consider it more
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Well the ipad and the Tab are two completely different entities, one is a bookreader trying to be a netbook pc, the others a smartphone with obesity problems. They shouldn't be compared IMO.

checkbox111 said:
Wouldn't know about call quality as it's only owned by an engineer that comes into our office, he doesn't have any problems as far as i've heard, but as with other threads here just don't expect it to fit into you jacket or trouser pocket, one it's to big and another it's to heavy to be comfortable.
You may have visited the dell streak forum, or heard of how fragile the dell streak lcd screen is? because of it's large size the body flexes but LCD's by their very nature cannot flex and they snap. Well just look at the size of the LCD on the Tab, and the body of the Tab is made of plastic and (not titanium as per streak) to save weight, this by it's very design will make it more suceptible to breakage, (the body will flex under pressure the LCD will not) = ££££££
Well the ipad and the Tab are two completely different entities, one is a bookreader trying to be a netbook pc, the others a smartphone with obesity problems. They shouldn't be compared IMO.
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Thank you. Do you have any questions that you would like answered about the device?
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App

Halulz said:
Thank you. Do you have any questions that you would like answered about the device?
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App
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Similar to all owners i would think! why did samsung insist on utilising such a large bezel around the screen? therebye turning a 7' screen device into one more akin to a 10' without any benefits of a 10'?, and adding nothing to the looks of the device at the same time.

Well the ipad and the Tab are two completely different entities, one is a bookreader trying to be a netbook pc, the others a smartphone with obesity problems. They shouldn't be compared IMO.
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Lol yeah I get the point, what I was more curious was in relation to the size, like is 7" too small to get a full web experience? Is it too big to carry round yet too small to use around the home? etc

sebbo90 said:
like is 7" too small to get a full web experience?
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No, because the 5" dell streak isn't to small for that!
sebbo90 said:
Is it too big to carry round yet too small to use around the home? etc
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As in other posts! you will not carry this around on your pocket, unless you want to break it! You might try a large overcoat with a very wide collar, if the pockets big enough and you want to look like the FBI everywhere you go.
https://www.urbantool.com/hq/laptop-cases/show-pocketbar

checkbox111 said:
Troll
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Thanks for trolling another thread entirely off the rails.
To the OP:
A few things that I'd like to see discussed. Firstly how does it feel to type on it ? I've seen in a few first-impression pieces that it feels good (like a galaxy S in landscape) but it'd be great to get the feelings of a regular user. Also, some shots of the keyboard in action would be nice.
Secondly, can you toss some 720p video on there and show us how it looks. It never looks the same in video as in person, but it'd give us an idea of how the screen does as far as contrast and colour vibrancy is concerned.
Finally, how does the device feel to you ? Does it feel to you like you could carry it in a pocket all day ? Does it meet your expectations for speed/ease of use ?
GL with the video, hope to see it soon!

It is maybe off topic, but ... here goes :
- What release of Android is running ? Same as the one on Galaxy S device ?
- Does this android release supports multiple Exchange sync accounts (like HTC Desire & Desire Z do) ?
- Does it have 2 SIM card slots ? (saw that somewhere, don't remember ... where). If so, is it one for voice plan, second one for data plan ?
- Does it come with a USB host port (or the hw to take care of it) ?
Thanks.

Does it play 1080p files (mkv & flash) or does i only output 1080p..?

I got my hands on this last week to try out for a good half hour, and i loved it. The size was great, and great to watch movies on.
Looking forward to it. Release in Norway is 21. okt )

could it be confirmed if the Tab is going to require Kies in the same way as the Galaxy phones, e.g. for firmware updates
i assume that there will be no difference between this and their phones, but as Kies is software that i truly dislike, i am living in hope that it does not.

johnnewhouse said:
could it be confirmed if the Tab is going to require Kies in the same way as the Galaxy phones, e.g. for firmware updates
i assume that there will be no difference between this and their phones, but as Kies is software that i truly dislike, i am living in hope that it does not.
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Yes, it is confirmed by Samsung already. In their official site, it says in the "PC connectivity" section "KIES". Sorry. I know, I hate that application with a passion myself...

If you have time, it would probably interest many people if you'd manage to try some popular apps from the market and see how they act with the increased resolution. We all probably have out own top10 lists for software, but I think browsing appbrain for most popular and trying a few of them would give people some idea how far that compatibility is.
(I, personally, would love to see how WidgetLocker, Beautiful Widgets and Launcher Pro work on that, but unfortunately at least the first two ain't free.
But more generally, how do widgets work on that screen? What I've gathered from the pictures is that the Tab has a FIVE column display (instead of the traditional 4) on the homescreen. How do widgets work with that? does a 4x4 widget scale to full size, or does it live a "column" free. Also, how many rows does the screen have?
EDIT: oookay, I don't know why these two posts became separate, this was supposed to be an edit to that earlier...

Actually thats a good idea.
I even forget that widget locket etc are even apps these days! But yes that'd be good to see if they scale up or still work properly on the big screen.
I imagine beutiful widget and switchpro you could make them bigger with launcherpro+ if they won't scale up by themselves, same with any other widgets, but it'd be good if they did it for free! However I think the 'grid' on the Tab is bigger anyway, so 4x2 widget would cover more space, but then it appears to have more rows too, so they might still appear small
Anyways, if you have any paid for apps on your main smartphone, you should be able to put the same market account on the Tab and download them again, so that's one way around paying twice just to demo them.

A few things I'd like to see:
- Spotify in action if possible.
- Proper comics and hos they scale to the screen and if it's easy or hard to read them (The Walking Dead for example.)
- A bit more on reading eBooks in different lights.
- In-depth look at the calendar and how flexible it is.
- If possible, how the accessories (like the keyboard) work.
- How it handles different resolutions of video.
Thank you for accepting suggestions!

[Q] Flash player 10.1 on Toshiba Folio 100

Hello,
I just received my Toshiba folio 100 with android 2.2. I'm trying to install 10.1 version of adobe flash since 2 hours but without success.
Has anyone already done it?
There's no Android Market on this device. I've downloaded the 10.1.95.2 apk file and installed it, but it froze my browser.
Any help would be welcomed.
Thanks,
Pedro

Sorry I can't help as I don't have one but when did they launch and where can you get one? How much?
How are you finding it? Would love to hear a review.

It has Opera Mobile 10 doesn't it? would that version work for other phones as well?

cmit37 said:
Sorry I can't help as I don't have one but when did they launch and where can you get one? How much?
How are you finding it? Would love to hear a review.
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Not that great, and not coming to the US either.
Toshiba Folio 100 preview
By Paul Miller posted Sep 2nd 2010 12:21PM
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/02/toshiba-folio-100-preview/
We just got to handle the Folio 100, after witnessing it bolted to a wall earlier, and we have to admit that it's lighter and thinner than it looks at first glance. Unfortunately, it still feels pretty cheap, and we're not sure how much we trust ourselves one-handing something this large and fragile seeming. Our brief glimpse of Toshiba's custom skin on here was most depressing -- it's not final, but we're not sure why Toshiba is even bothering showing anything in this abysmal state. The bits we've seen of Toshiba's market (for music, apps, e-books and so forth) look a bit better, but as far as we know there's no official Android Market on this thing -- a kiss of death for almost any Android device. Toshiba's biggest failure here, however, is probably the LCD it sourced for this tablet -- the screen looks as cheap and low res as could be, and while a €399 list price is decent for a tablet this size, it hardly seems a good excuse to stoop to KIRF-level components. Hit up the gallery for all the angles, along with some comparison shots with the mind share monopolizing iPad.
Update: We just heard from Toshiba's US team and there are apparently no plans to bring the Folio 100 stateside. Given our lackluster first impressions, we can't say we're all that upset by that...
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I can't seem to find anywhere this Toshiba Folio can be purchased yet, it's apparently supposed to be released October 2010 for £329.
A dump of that Opera Mobile should be interesting as it's not going to be out yet for Android publicly probably for a little bit longer. It's been shown off since February and here's a video on the Galaxy S. It's the same guy in both videos but his hair seems to have green since February in the latest one.
Are there any other reports of Opera Mobile being preloaded on any other device?
About the Adobe Flash though, the press release here [PDF] advertises it's Adobe Flash 10.1 trueness so I would assume it's pre-installed like on the Froyo Galaxy S update (albeit not the latest version, it's always updating being Flash and all).
If you're trying to install it from a provided APK and it's crashing maybe it's because the NVIDIA Tegra2 the tablet's supposed to have is a dual core chip and Adobe needs to provide a special version for it (don't trust me on this).

Currys in Croydon has one on display. I had a play with it and haven't been very impressed.
Good:
- Android 2.2
- We plugged in a USB keyboard and it worked instantly and the sales advisor said that a USB mouse worked just as well.
- The Toshiba file browser makes it easy to access the USB port and the SD card (Full sized SD slot I think)
- Has four buttons on the side but I like the fact that you have to press them deliberately to activate them rather than just accidentally brushing over them and closing your app like with my Galaxy S.
- Tegra 2
Bad:
- It looks really cheap and the LCD panel is like one of the cheapest netbook panels you can find on the market. The Galaxy Pad and the iPad were displayed next to it and they just made it look even cheaper
- Fonts don't look very smooth
- I couldn't get flash websites to play when just switched on. I found an apk of 10.1 and installed it however it started to crash the android browser. The sales assistant said that he would look into enabling flash. I'll check back in a few days to give flash on BBC iPlayer a go.
- Barely any apps installed by default. - I'd forgive the app problem in the case of the Vega due to the much lower price but is not forgiveable in the case of the Folio when it looks like a Asda's own brand electronic photo frame and it costs £330
- Swiping through the interface didn't feel any smoother than on my Galaxy S
If the Vega turns out to be a better quality product I will probably get it.

cmit37 said:
The Galaxy Pad and the iPad were displayed next to it and they just made it look even cheaper
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Where do you live that the Galaxy Pad is on display? What country / store?

I got my Folio 100 today, and im looking forward to do some real nice modding here, and first get Market app working, as done on Eken M001, so that experience can easily help us here..
I know from my motorola and htc, that the flash player 10.1 you can download, does a model check, and is , as far as i know, only working on N1,desire,droid,milestone phones, maybe that check is no longer present..

cmit37 said:
- It looks really cheap and the LCD panel is like one of the cheapest netbook panels you can find on the market. The Galaxy Pad and the iPad were displayed next to it and they just made it look even cheaper
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pricetag on it, is also for us in Denmark like 50% percent off almost.. so comparing to another galaxy pad or little cheaper ipad, im not sure you can expect LG lcd inside such a model, but ill see if the quality is acceptable.
most of them can be calibrated anyways, so if its a color issue, it can be fixed.
cmit37 said:
- Fonts don't look very smooth
- I couldn't get flash websites to play when just switched on. I found an apk of 10.1 and installed it however it started to crash the android browser. The sales assistant said that he would look into enabling flash. I'll check back in a few days to give flash on BBC iPlayer a go.
- Barely any apps installed by default. - I'd forgive the app problem in the case of the Vega due to the much lower price but is not forgiveable in the case of the Folio when it looks like a Asda's own brand electronic photo frame and it costs £330
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All this is without modding, lets just get the modding started, and ill think less of what Toshiba accomplished and look at others when their packs are in place.
cmit37 said:
- Swiping through the interface didn't feel any smoother than on my Galaxy S
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? what exactly do you mean? i got Galaxy S, and if you already state its just as good, im looking forward to it
how can it be bad?

Paul22000 said:
Where do you live that the Galaxy Pad is on display? What country / store?
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I live in UK

Dexter_nlb said:
? what exactly do you mean? i got Galaxy S, and if you already state its just as good, im looking forward to it
how can it be bad?
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I don't know - I just expected the Tegra 2 Dual Core to just obliterate the single core CPU in the Galaxy S. I have no doubt that the Folio is a great platform to loads apps on I just expected a lot more of it considering it costs £130 more than the Advent Vega in the UK.
That said if someone gave me one I would sing it's praises
Have you gotten any good 3D games on it? I'd love to see how good the Tegra 2 is.
I think I saw an article today saying that Toshiba rushed to get the Folio out and didn't include Flash. It is or it should be downloadable from the Toshiba Market and the second batch due in Q1 2011 will have it installed by default.
On a side not I upgraded my Galaxy S to Froyo today and it is so cool playing all flash content, chrome2phone etc

cmit37 said:
Have you gotten any good 3D games on it? I'd love to see how good the Tegra 2 is.
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not yet, it has so far been more technical, and trying to root it, and get into recovery so i can somhow make a proper backup of the device before i start changing everything..
cmit37 said:
I think I saw an article today saying that Toshiba rushed to get the Folio out and didn't include Flash. It is or it should be downloadable from the Toshiba Market and the second batch due in Q1 2011 will have it installed by default.
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and no, i looked at the system partition right now, there is no flash apk's and no libs indicating any flash support.

Dexter_nlb said:
not yet, it has so far been more technical, and trying to root it, and get into recovery so i can somhow make a proper backup of the device before i start changing everything..
and no, i looked at the system partition right now, there is no flash apk's and no libs indicating any flash support.
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Toshiba is expecting to release flash for the FOLIO during next week (expected 10th). This should be available through Toshiba Market.
/Kevin (DK)

Out of all the Android tablets the only 2 that shine is the Toshiba Folio 100 and the Advent Vega.
Why?
Well firstly they're both >8.8" so you get a generous dose of screen-estate and the form factor is still nimble/small. These could substitute for netbooks but 7" tablets cannot imho.
Secondly they're generous in they're offerings (BT, Wifi, HDMI, USB host, SD slot) and high-performance.
I live in Australia so we always get devices a little later than US/UK. So for me the availability does not matter as the transaction would occur through the internet.
I may be importing an Advent Vega or a Toshiba Folio 100 ... so I am eagerly waiting for reviews (none available yet, just Google'd).
What will be the general deciding factor would be:
1) Display.
We know that Froyo supports only upto 600p. We know both devices have 10.1" TFT screens, so I hope they've kept the gloss to a minimum.
We know Toshiba Folio 100 has a 600p display and the Advent Vega was leaked to have a 600p resolution. However, in a recent video (@3:20) the PR says videos play above 720p but below 1080p on the Vega. This implies 1366x768 resolution which would mean (once Gingerbread is ported) sharp graphics, no need to convert videos, possible to watch digital TV.
These are huge advantages over the Folio 100, but it could've been said accidentally and he may have meant to say "the device can playback more than 720p but less than 1080p content via videoOUT but not on the device screen". If this is the case its upsetting because Tegra2 is supposed to be able to smoothly playback 1080p video ... so this implies a performance bottleneck (most likely by a smaller 512Mb RAM, if not then a lack of drivers).
2) Performance.
I've already gotten into the subject; which one has more RAM? Both have the same Tegra2 SoC which is supposed to be blazing fast, but if it only had 512Mb RAM it would only be as fast as the current-highend (Galaxy S, Desire Z, Droid2). And would mean it might jitter at the performance-intensive applications we currently have, and one's we will have in the future.
3) Battery life.
We don't know the REAL battery life on either device, must wait for reviews.
4) General build/features.
They're pretty even as far as "hands-on" describes but the Toshiba is slightly ahead because it has an SD slot (cheaper cards) than Vega's microSD. Also the Toshiba has a removable battery which the Vega may not have (unknown at the moment). The Toshiba has 3G connectivity, which the Vega lacks but may get in 2011Q1.
5) Price.
Wait and see.
Currently I'm hooked on the Advent Vega (name reminds me of Vegeta) and the prospect of a 720p tablet. I don't care much for the price, if the Advent Vegeta really gets a 720p screen and 1GB RAM I would easily overlook its shortcomings (No Market, No 3G, microSD, nonremovable-battery, plastic build) I would be happy to pay in the iPad range
.... I will get Market hacked, MIUI loaded, tether (I've already got 2GB/month on my GalaxyS) hehehe

I got mine yesterday. I think they are a little on the crazy side releaseing this table so early as people will give it negative feedback based on their expereince. This device is not ready for the general public. If your technical you can work you way around it, but you need to be at developer level to get this performing to its bes. Im going to hang on to mine for a while, although no flash player or sound when im playing video files and a slightly dodgy HDMI port are worrying me.
be nice if we could get a folio device section on here....

second that with the need for a Folio section
Has anyone had any problems with the DNLA or UPnP? I cant get mine working when all the other devices like xbox, archos and pcs all find the UPnp server

I had the Folio 100 for a while but returned it, I started a thread on Modaco with all my info.
Short version:
Current flash APK crashes _hard_ it will not work without an update from Adobe or Tosh (or the OEM that really made it)
All the games I tried wouldn't run at all. Either they were trying to rely on /mnt/sdcard (which doesn't exist due to the way they mount the internal memory), the opengles lib segfaulted (Look like the drivers are alpha quality) or they used the Android market call-home anti-piracy check, which fails due to not having the market.
Also the deep power-save it goes into could get stuck (and would always kill adb when the screen went off)
The OS is signed with the SDK _test keys_ (talk about amateur mistake)
IMHO, combined with the _terrible_ screen I'd steer clear until the software is updated at the least.

I think that we need a Folio section too.

A Test2 build seems to be out ...
Working for live stream of the F1 practice.
Still beta as it managed to reboot the Folio just now

CHECK YOUR TOSHIBA SERVICE STATION PEOPLE FLASH PLUGIN BETA AVAILABLE!!!!!!!
Working well on BBC Iplayer!

Xoom vs. The Toshiba Tablet

I'm really eager to get my hands on a Xoom but the Toshiba tablet is very intriguing as well.
The specs look really good and the thing I love is that it'll have a replaceable battery.
Does anyone know if the Xoom's battery will be easily replaceable?
More info on the Toshiba Tablet here:
http://www.thetoshibatablet.com/

I'm leaning Toshiba
Any news on USB Host on Toshiba...Could I split the Normal Size USB to run both keyboard and Mouse for when i want a normal PC experience?
Also Swear I read or watched somewhere that the mentioned the HDMI was 2 ways, so the Toshiba could be used as a monitor as well? ANYONE?
I did see a youtube video that said it handled the new card types, so it could run 128 gig card even and wasnt limited to 32.

flipper44 said:
Also Swear I read or watched somewhere that the mentioned the HDMI was 2 ways, so the Toshiba could be used as a monitor as well? ANYONE?
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I have not read or heard that anywhere.
I'm also interested in this tablet, especially if it is cheaper than the leaked prices of the Xoom.

They don't make 128gb card yet so I don't think that it matters. I wouldn't be mad if someone proved me wrong but I think I'm right.
Sent from the moon ***** using XDA App

Are the Xoom and the Toshiba the only two Honeycomb options at least for the first half of the year?

Drewmungus said:
Are the Xoom and the Toshiba the only two Honeycomb options at least for the first half of the year?
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Not sure when the LG slate is coming in. Have been hearing Q2 launch from LG...

Im on the fence between these two :-(
BIONIX V -Vibrant

The Toshiba tablet is looking more enticing tonight.

The only thing that scares me with the Toshiba Tablet is the community support. As long as the Xoom isnt totally locked up it should be very popular and have lots of customization done to it rather quickly.
I do not personally trust Toshiba to be giving me updates/etc.
If anything this is pushing me towards the Gtab.. you can pick one up used for 200-250 and it has a pretty large developer community already. Specs wise its good (other than not as good res and terrible viewing angles) I would prefer the Xoom but only time will tell i suppose.

Drewmungus said:
Are the Xoom and the Toshiba the only two Honeycomb options at least for the first half of the year?
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T-Mo's LG G-Slate coming sound March.
I have my eyes set on Xoom or G-Slate.
Sent from my Bionix powered Vibrant

Xoom vs. Toshiba
If the Toshiba Tablet matches the Xoom's hardware and software, and undercuts it in price, the decision will be easy. I'm sure Toshiba will support it fully with updates, etc. Btw, I read somewhere that Toshiba was the largest manufacturer of laptops in the world, so I'm sure their Tab will be a quality product.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent from my Palm Pilot III

Wow, USB host mode with full size usb port, hdmi port and full SD slot. How did I miss the Toshiba tablet last month? Personally this is my new favorite; naturally there's a lot of unknowns here that could totally sink it, like battery life, screen performance, internal memory, RAM, etc. But being wifi only means a lower price point (I hope!) and I'm already digging the added "full computer" like features that I haven't seen anywhere else. (Notion Ink aside, sorry Adam fans) I never did understand why these tablet OEMs didn't use full size SD cards instead, it's not like they couldn't fit them in and they're soo much cheaper, faster and more reliable (from my experience)

Now if only we knew when Toshiba's would come out. Trouble is that it takes a lot of willpower to not get a tablet (Xoom) when you know that it is available out there
"Spoken like a typical gadget-whore"

Yep, im over the Xoom. Toshiba it is. And if you see some of the videos on youtube a couple of reps quoted the $500 price range
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

I find this Toshiba tablet a bit ugly, but hey..who cares. Let's hope it'll be as good as Xoom (in specs), but much cheaper

The Toshiba Tablet is nice, but it is thicker than every other tablet out there excluding the Adam.. I assume this is because of its added peripherals..
Oddly such a minor detail is somewhat irritating to me.

I'm leaning toward the Toshiba for 2 reasons:
1) Price
2) Read the specs page, says "Battery Replaceable? Yep. By screwdriver-savvy people like you."
The latter leads me to believe opening the case isn't going to void your warranty, whereas I can't see Motorola being so consumer-friendly.

Why do you want the possibility to replace the battery by your self?
By the time the battery in XOOM gets old and loses it's power you have already sold and bought a other Tab.
Sent from my GT-P1000

bd85 said:
By the time the battery in XOOM gets old and loses it's power you have already sold and bought a other Tab.
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True dat
After a year, XOOM II will be out.

It's not about wanting to replace the battery, it's about their openness to you opening the case, rather than a "DON'T TOUCH THE INSIDE OF YOUR OWN DEVICE OR ELSE".

[INFO] Got Acer Iconia A500

So, I called BestBuy today to see if they have the Transformer in stock. The girl said no but she did note that they have "the Acer one." I realized it's the Iconia A500 that's suppose to release on Sunday. The manager was willing to let me open it and play with it. I ended up buying it.
It has few things over the Xoom (current have) and the Transformer it seems.
-NVIDIA’s ULP GeForce graphics on top of Tegra2
-Full USB on the tablet itself
-I heard rumors of the microUSB slot is also an inactive LTE 4G sim slot (not sure about this.
The screen is slightly better than the Xoom when compared.
I'm going to go back to Best Buy and compare to the Transformer on Tuesday if they get them in see how the 2 fair. We are looking at $50 difference.
Iconia A500 has full standalone GPS (it's advertised on the box). It also vibrates for gaming and notifications. Screen is not bad at all.
In the 2nd picture, Iconia is on top. Will post comparison later when it's fully charged.

Apparently, transformer does not have GPS chip in it. That is a real deal breaker.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App

dumon said:
Apparently, transformer does not have GPS chip in it. That is a real deal breaker.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sure, many sources say it does. I think all official Honeycomb devices are going to have standalone GPS chip by default. The Xoom Wifi didn't have GPS advertised but, I put Copilot in it and it navigated perfect. I tethered to my phone, and Google Navigation was flawless. Don't worry about it. Transformer is going to have it too.

dumon said:
Apparently, transformer does not have GPS chip in it. That is a real deal breaker.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you get this information please?
As far as i know that you need Wifi connection to set up destination and stuff. After that you can be out of wifi range you can still get tracking via gps. Also if there is map on your device the gps can work with that too...
Also Iconia dont have Gorilla glass. Which for me is a big plus for Transformer.

dumon said:
Apparently, transformer does not have GPS chip in it. That is a real deal breaker.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was confirmed yesterday by Anand that it DOES have GPS hardware - he confirmed with Asus. It should function just like the (edit) WiFi (/edit) Xoom does - for Google Maps, it needs a data connection (to stream map data)... but it should otherwise be able to pick up a GPS signal.
There are a few threads here talking about it and providing links and quotes and such... I just figured I'd try and mention this early on in this thread.

shin lucifer said:
Where did you get this information please?
As far as i know that you need Wifi connection to set up destination and stuff. After that you can be out of wifi range you can still get tracking via gps. Also if there is map on your device the gps can work with that too...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, it's a full GPS chip, stupid engadget has been falsely spreading bull about the Transformer tablet like wild. The map data is not stored locally, that's all.
Anyway, OP... is the screen s-ips? I'm holding out for the Transformer, but kinda curious...

dumon said:
apparently, transformer does not have gps chip in it. That is a real deal breaker.
Sent from my htc hd2 using xda app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it has gps!

gordec said:
It has few things over the Xoom (current have) and the Transformer it seems.
-NVIDIA’s ULP GeForce graphics on top of Tegra2
-Full USB on the tablet itself
-I heard rumors of the microUSB slot is also an inactive LTE 4G sim slot (not sure about this.
The screen is slightly better than the Xoom when compared.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All Tegra 2 devices have the same ULP GeForce graphics. If they didn't, they'd have no use for a screen.
I haven't heard the rumors about the microUSB being an "inactive LTE 4G sim slot," and that really doesn't make much sense to me.
About the screen being better, that's interesting. I can't wait to compare the Transformer's to the Xoom's when I get my Asus hopefully next week. I'll report in when I do.

Wow, I didn't know the Xoom had a yellow tint like that.

We've already had 5 threads on this Yes, the transformer has gps.

LTE future 4G
From Slashgear recent review:
"There’s a removable cover at the top (or the side, however you’d like to look at it,) that reveals your SDcard slot and future functional slot for LTE SIM card. You can jam up to 64GB of memory on an SDcard in that first slot, while the SIM card slot remains inactive for now."
http://www.slashgear.com/acer-iconia-tab-a500-review-20147156/
Fact or fiction. You be the judge. Pretty exciting thought though if it's true.

Gordec, comparison aside, how do you find that the Iconia fits what you expect out of a tablet? Any surprises (good or bad) in there for you?

gordec said:
From Slashgear recent review:
"There’s a removable cover at the top (or the side, however you’d like to look at it,) that reveals your SDcard slot and future functional slot for LTE SIM card. You can jam up to 64GB of memory on an SDcard in that first slot, while the SIM card slot remains inactive for now."
http://www.slashgear.com/acer-iconia-tab-a500-review-20147156/
Fact or fiction. You be the judge. Pretty exciting thought though if it's true.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that makes some sense and it's how things are configured on the 3G Xoom. I'd been referring to your OP that said the "microUSB" was going to double as an LTE SIM card slot.
The big question would be, though: which carrier would allow the use of the tablet on their network without any branding? Normally, they like to sell these things themselves, although of course there are unlocked cell phones that aren't branded either.
I wonder if perhaps a place for a slot is there but will only be functional on a carrier-branded version one day? For example, the Xoom has the same space on the wifi-only version where the 3G version has a functional LTE SIM slot.
Does any Acer documentation confirm that the wifi-only version will one day be able to convert to a 4G version on a carrier? That would certainly be a plus...

dfin13 said:
Wow, I didn't know the Xoom had a yellow tint like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It probably doesn't have it. It's the effect of bad white balance of the photo. Or it could be viewing angles related (but in reality it will never be that bad).

Magnesus said:
It probably doesn't have it. It's the effect of bad white balance of the photo. Or it could be viewing angles related (but in reality it will never be that bad).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
all the moto droid phones I've played with had a yellowish tint, even the cameras had the tint. the xoom was no different.

jamerican413 said:
Gordec, comparison aside, how do you find that the Iconia fits what you expect out of a tablet? Any surprises (good or bad) in there for you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's lighter than the Xoom but the construction doesn't feel as expensive and sturdy as the Xoom or Ipad even though the back suppose to be aluminum. It's not bad but not great. Otherwise, it feels the same as Xoom There is no Acer custom UI at all, just pure Google experience tablet.
Wifi, GPS and USB both work as is described. My old Western Digital MyBook Syncs pretty well. Some review say external HDs don't work, but mine worked fine. It supports FAT or FAT32 only though. My NTSC USB jump drive didn't read.
Overall I would say little nicer screen than the Xoom. The experience is the same. Full USB is a big plus for me. I have to see what the Transformer's IPS screen looks like though.

wynand32 said:
Does any Acer documentation confirm that the wifi-only version will one day be able to convert to a 4G version on a carrier? That would certainly be a plus...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, Acer's manual doesn't mention it. It doesn't even mention that the Sim slot is there, just say microSD slot. I'm too lazy to call Acer.
I don't see a significant advantage of the Iconia over the Transformer on paper.
Iconia:
Pros:
- full USB
- Dolby sound
Cons:
- possibly less stellar screen
- $50 more
Transformer
Pros:
- IPS screen
- $50 cheaper
Con:
- no USB on the tablet
I wouldn't even place the whole ghost sim slot into your decision making. I doubt this version would support 4G.

gordec said:
Nope, Acer's manual doesn't mention it. It doesn't even mention that the Sim slot is there, just say microSD slot. I'm too lazy to call Acer.
I don't see a significant advantage of the Iconia over the Transformer on paper.
Iconia:
Pros:
- full USB
- Dolby sound
Cons:
- possibly less stellar screen
- $50 more
Transformer
Pros:
- IPS screen
- $50 cheaper
Con:
- no USB on the tablet
I wouldn't even place the whole ghost sim slot into your decision making. I doubt this version would support 4G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sound doesn't matter one bit, by the way the transformer has "SRS 3D" sound. In reality they're all just tiny speakers with subpar sound.

Thanks for the info, OP. Please keep us updated on your thoughts on the Iconia. I was looking into the Iconia and was disappointed to not find many comprehensive reviews out on the Interwebz on it.

gordec said:
It's lighter than the Xoom but the construction doesn't feel as expensive and sturdy as the Xoom or Ipad even though the back suppose to be aluminum. It's not bad but not great. Otherwise, it feels the same as Xoom There is no Acer custom UI at all, just pure Google experience tablet.
Wifi, GPS and USB both work as is described. My old Western Digital MyBook Syncs pretty well. Some review say external HDs don't work, but mine worked fine. It supports FAT or FAT32 only though. My NTSC USB jump drive didn't read.
Overall I would say little nicer screen than the Xoom. The experience is the same. Full USB is a big plus for me. I have to see what the Transformer's IPS screen looks like though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So... do you think you like it enough to keep it, knowing there are a sea of tablets coming down the pipeline?

[Q] Should I swap my p1010 wifi only galaxy tab for one of these?

So simple question really has anyone had any experience using both? (specifically the wifi only tab which I have which is worse than the 3g model)
I use my tab for reading books, reading comics and browsing the net. I have a gs2 so for gaming it is much better than my tab. I wont be doing much else than what I have listed so what do you guys think which is better?

Well overall the device is good enough for what you need it for, gaming (if you ever wish to) shouldn't be a problem on this due to the tegra 2 processor. Honeycomb is being ported and so far so good so that's a plus. Although the viewing angles on the screen are horrible, front on its beautiful but try looking at it from the sides its quite bad.
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M..N said:
Well overall the device is good enough for what you need it for, gaming (if you ever wish to) shouldn't be a problem on this due to the tegra 2 processor. Honeycomb is being ported and so far so good so that's a plus. Although the viewing angles on the screen are horrible, front on its beautiful but try looking at it from the sides its quite bad.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I agree...the screen is horrendous. Little bit chunky...but over all a decent wee tablet. With external hdd support using usb host (fat32 seemed to work best for me)...then onto your big hdtv! Cant do that on a ipad haha!
Ive not used the original galaxy tab...but im guessing sammy has used a nice screen...I would keep it if you already have the sgs2.

badasschris said:
I use my tab for reading books, reading comics and browsing the net.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The answer is NO, the viewing angle is really small and (at least for me) at an very awkward angle for intensive reading and only works well in landscape mode. For reading I prefer white on black, but the backlight is bleeding like crazy.

Although I believe there have been some attempts, to replace the screen with one that has a better viewing angle.
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badasschris said:
So simple question really has anyone had any experience using both? (specifically the wifi only tab which I have which is worse than the 3g model)
I use my tab for reading books, reading comics and browsing the net. I have a gs2 so for gaming it is much better than my tab. I wont be doing much else than what I have listed so what do you guys think which is better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMHO
Yes, you get a tablet with a bigger screen, same performance, 3G connection, and HoneyComb (in development).

Thanks guys for your helpful replies.
I think for me the tab probably is better but I just have to get used to the fact it is a rather limited device. I've always thought the Advent vega looked like excellent value for money but as I use my tab pretty much exclusively for reading/comics and web I shouldn't get annoyed that it is not very good at doing much else.

No!
The Tab's screen may be smaller but it really is night and day between it and the Vega's screen as far as viewing angles and sheer quality goes!

If all you want is a bigger screen then yes, the Vega is amazing value for money. I'm typing this on mine right now! However I'm using an allternative ROM, launcher, browser etc because out of the box it's just useless.
It definitely has problems though, I mean it took me quite some time to get the software to make it behave the way I wanted to, the colours are very washed out (Samsung's screens on the other hand are very good with colour) and the 16:9 presentation is quite useless for anything but movies , especially with the huge menu bar the thing comes with if you don't mod it. Finally, the accelerometer has problems with games, I've not yet had an accelerometer-based game work properly on it...
I bought mine to showcase my portfolio without carrying a load of paper around and for that purpose it's pretty good but it really could do with better colours.