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Have tried out the 10.1v this week

Was lucky enough to get some hands on time with a pre release 10.1v at the gadget show live in the UK, along with the Xoom (both versions) and the Asus EEE Transformer. Probably spent a good 20 minutes running through the OS with the guy demoing the 10.1v and I have to say, it felt a seriously well made piece of kit.
I went to the show with the intention of buying either a Xoom, Transformer or an iPad 2 depending on my first experiences with Honeycomb, but I now think I'll wait for either the 10.1 or 10.1v; the contours and embossed back of the 10.1v made it very comfortable and light.
There was also a pre honeycomb version of what is to become the Iconica tab on the Acer stand but the unit itself left me massively underwhelmed.
As for the transformer; not impressed at all. It felt and looked like it was all bezel.

that's what i don't like about the Transformer.. too much bezel, but i guess that's because it has more ports, and maybe the SRS speakers add to it as well.. did you get to try out the speakers? are they any good?

I didn't think to really, it was at a massively busy exhibition and when I think of the use I'd get from a tablet I generally imagine I'd be using earphones.
One thing I would say is that the Xoom (and this isn't necessarily a bad thing) did feel noticeably heavier, but at the back if that makes sense.
Just seen that Vodafone Australia has opened up pre orders to start shipping 1st May so hopefully UK will follow suit today.

I bought a 10.1V last week... and I'm planning to return it back.
In general i liked it. A lot.
Honeycomb UI is quite good, well organized and easy to use.
It convinced me more than the Ipad.
I believe that with some bug fixes and optimization it could be very good for this use as tablet.
The Honeycomb version of chrome is quite decent.
It runs heavy pages full of pictures and embed videos very good, what is nice for those like me that pretend a tab most for web browsing.
But there a few things that I didn't like:
It lacks the SD card slot...
And unfortunately, I only found that V version is the only one without after open the box.
And it seems that does't have enough horsepower to run videos on HD!
It works... but not as smoothly as expected.
Also, multitask is not so multitask as I expected.
Most background applications are freezed, wich means for example changing from youtube videos to browser or even a new tab... sound stop playing.
Battery life is nice... but could be better.

dfelix said:
But there a few things that I didn't like:
It lacks the SD card slot...
And unfortunately, I only found that V version is the only one without after open the box.
And it seems that does't have enough horsepower to run videos on HD!
It works... but not as smoothly as expected.
Also, multitask is not so multitask as I expected.
Most background applications are freezed, wich means for example changing from youtube videos to browser or even a new tab... sound stop playing.
Battery life is nice... but could be better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HD playback issues are a know problem of Tegra 2 and "false" multitasking is due to Honeycomb. Are you gonna return Samsung Tab and wait for kal-el (quad-core Nvidia processor) and a more mature version of Honeycomb or you gonna just buy another tablet on the market? The complaints will remain if you follow the later option.

myself11 said:
HD playback issues are a know problem of Tegra 2 and "false" multitasking is due to Honeycomb. Are you gonna return Samsung Tab and wait for kal-el (quad-core Nvidia processor) and a more mature version of Honeycomb or you gonna just buy another tablet on the market? The complaints will remain if you follow the later option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If 10.1V had the SD slot I would keep it...
The reason I bought a tablet was a compact solution for web browsing and media.
And the 10.1V would fulfill the objectives if it had more storage.
Now I really don't know.
The real 10.1 would be enought for now.. but probably only come to Portugal in the end of next month.
And I guess Kal-El based devices will only be available in the end of the year.

10.1 will come out in the US in June. Expect at least a month later here in Portugal.
The reason I haven't bought 10.1v is fear that Samsung won't release updates to it, which are necessary 'cause Honeycomb is still imature.

myself11 said:
10.1 will come out in the US in June. Expect at least a month later here in Portugal.
The reason I haven't bought 10.1v is fear that Samsung won't release updates to it, which are necessary 'cause Honeycomb is still imature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what this site is for
Although, I doubt there will be many developers for the 10.1V.

If only 10.1 ROM's worked on 10.1v...

Thanks for posting that dfelix, I've been wondering whether to get the 10.1v when it comes out over here in the UK.
I have to be honest, at the moment I'm pretty close to not bothering with any of the current crop of tablets. They're all "alright" but I think dropping that sort of money on something that is the equivalent of a 3 year old laptop in spec (weight aside) isn't that attractive now I've used most of them.
But that's sensible me. REAL me wants a thin 10.1v and an iPad 2 so I get the best of both worlds.

mrdannyaitch said:
wants a thin 10.1v and an iPad 2 so I get the best of both worlds.
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Whats the "best" coming from the iPad 2? i honestly cannot see why they are popular with the alternative 10.1 and XOOM

Apps, that's the best of ipad2. And its hardware dimension, also battery life.
Everything else are not that good in my opinion.
I own one, for my wife mainly while i am waiting the Samsung 8.9".

Stability, apps, weight. The whole ecosystem has massive flaws but I also think the iOS consumer base has a bigger draw for developers and manufacturers. Believe me, I HATE iTunes with a passion but I don't think you can fault their equipment that far. Xoom is heavy and the screen is rubbish. I've tried it on at least five occasions trying to convince myself it was ok, but it's just not.
I said in my other post I want a thin 10.1v, I mean the 10.1 obviously.
There seems to be a massive thing whereby you have to buy one or the other out of Android or iOS which I just don't understand.

2 days left to return XOOM to BB -> Samsung 10.1

Got the XOOM wifi for my Bday. Totally enjoying the android tablet experience (also a Fascinate phone user). There are a few minor nit-picks for me with the XOOM. Seeing the Samsung 10.1 at Google IO is making me reconside my selection:
XOOM Nit Picks:
A bit Heavy (but certainly sturdy). I don't have any real need to lug this thing too far from my home office, so not really a deal breaker.
Power button on the back. I lie the XOOM flat on my desk. I need to pick it up to wake it up - many time per day. I find this oddly annoying!
Display just feels washed out to me. I have gotten away from the conservative auto-brightness to manually adjusted to better suite my taste. This is surely an UNFAIR LED vs Super Amoled comparison (like on my phone), but nonetheless, it is an issue for me.
Non-USB charging - yep, one more cable to manage. Again, this is an Android Tablet general concern, not specific to the XOOM.
So, the Samsung hits a couple topics for me: Lightweight, thinner, button on edge. But has its own set of issues for me:
Not 3.1 yet, Samsung seem terribly slow to push out upgrades (maybe really a Verizon issue on my phone?).
No HDMI/USB support. I am guessing they will provide some sort of dongle to provide these features, but ONE MORE piece to manage.
No SD Card support. I don have a big concern here, but who knows in the future?
Construction. The Google IO devices really looked/felt like cheap-plastic with that funky white back - but this may be how they get the weight spec to fall just below the iPad2. This is one of my gripes with the Fascinate phone - cheap back. I've not heard any reports of the retail config in June. Will it be like the IO devices, or return to something more like the original 10.18.9 black back.
I am totally on the fence here. Any suggestions??
Thanks,
Mark

Have you held a tab 10.1? it does not feel cheap and plasticy.

Xoom:
Available now w/3.1
802.11 a/b/g/n (as far as I know it's the only device with 5ghz wifi)
OTA updates (kies LOL)
Weight:
I typically carry mine around in some sort of folio case, or padded bag. To me, a few grams of weight is 100% negligible because of that fact... if I had any other tablet I'd stick it in a folio or case of some sort as well which surely adds to the weight. I don't know very many people that use their tablets without any form of cover/folio/case/screen film/etc. Even when I'm "around the house" I put it in a gel sleeve which adds to the weight. So... truly... is weight an issue on any of these tablets?
Screen:
I've held an ipad, an ipad2, a xoom, and an acer all together (not at once) - generally the screen on the ipads just seem better. dont know what the trickery is because its not just the fact that its an IPS screen vs a TN panel... I played with an Acer which is supposedly IPS as well and I thought it looked practically the same as my Xoom. I did get to hold it side by side with my Xoom at a tradeshow, it was a fun little tablet but it felt a little awkward to me. The button and output placement on it was better.
Peripheral placement:
Where the Xoom "sucks" the most if i may say it... is where everything plugs in. Short of the contacts for the power dock being on the bottom everything else is just wrong. You can't dock it and plug it into USB at the same time, gee thanks motorola.
My opinion:
Someone gave you a Xoom and you're out nothing. If you want a samsung tablet just wait until it comes out and sell your Xoom for $399 to someone as a deal and use that money to subsidize your samsung purchase.

I've got until tomorrow to return mine if I want. I've owned the original iPad, the Playbook and rooted a Nook Color. Currently, I have a Transformer on order and who knows if it will ever ship. Anyway, I agree with the previous poster that a little weight really is of little importance, especially when you put on a case. Also, for me, the connectivity is a concern because I use HDMI out a lot.
The Galaxy Tab looks appealing and I'm sure the screen will impress. However, I wonder if it will suffer from the light bleeding issues other such screens seem to have. I am also hesitant to jump in because of the stated concerns about Samsung not updating their products. That wouldn't be as great a concern if 3.1 wasn't such a dang improvement in performance and stability. Personally, I think the wiser course of action is to wait until the Galaxy 8.9. By then, surely 3.1 will be implemented and you will get a better form factor for carry.

Hi MarkP,
I think it`s really a hard decision, every review is saying great things about the Tab 10.1, for me the mains CONS are exactly those you mentioned, lack of ports and SD Reader (to be confirmed, actually, there are rumors that the retail version will have an SD reader).
Just to correct one point, the Tab 10.1 is not AMOLED, Samsung did not mention the display technology and people is speculating that it could be a Super LCD (the qualitty is very good), but is no AMOLED for sure.
I would be very worried about the pace of updates from Samsung, specially in the case of the retail tab which is supposed to come with some sort of TouchWiz (TouchWiz in itself is a big MINUS in my opinion, I like the Google Experience).
I think in any case you will be with a nice tablet, dependes of what is more important to your specific use case.
Regards ans good luck.
Sandro

dulaney22 said:
I've got until tomorrow to return mine if I want. I've owned the original iPad, the Playbook and rooted a Nook Color. Currently, I have a Transformer on order and who knows if it will ever ship. Anyway, I agree with the previous poster that a little weight really is of little importance, especially when you put on a case. Also, for me, the connectivity is a concern because I use HDMI out a lot.
The Galaxy Tab looks appealing and I'm sure the screen will impress. However, I wonder if it will suffer from the light bleeding issues other such screens seem to have. I am also hesitant to jump in because of the stated concerns about Samsung not updating their products. That wouldn't be as great a concern if 3.1 wasn't such a dang improvement in performance and stability. Personally, I think the wiser course of action is to wait until the Galaxy 8.9. By then, surely 3.1 will be implemented and you will get a better form factor for carry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, weight is a non issue for the most part, and I also agree about waiting to see if samsung updates...I mean, I have a Samsung Vibrant and have had a Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the updates are slow to come(if they come at all.)...Don't get me wrong maybe Samsung will shape up in the future, but for now til I see it I am going to try to stay clear of Samsung Android devices.

I personally don't understand the argument of Xoom's weight. Did people become that fragile that they can't carry around a device that is less than 2 lbs?
Also, Xoom will have a superior build quality compared to Tab 10.1, this is why it is heavier. You cannot have a slim, lightweight device that will have fantastic build quality. When you make a device that lightweight, you are giving up quality.
To me, it seems Xoom will always get it's updates quicker than any other Honeycomb tablet. Don't forget, Iconia and Transformer will get it in June, even though they are already available. With Samsung having touchwiz, my guess it will get updates a few weeks if not more after Xoom. And remember I/O? Xoom was the device Google used through out their experiments. If this is any indication, Xoom will probably get more dev support in terms of hardware capabilities.

I guess I can't really add anything that numerous people here have already pointed out. My biggest disappointment with the xoom is the display. It's just not vibrant in any way. Pretty dull really, in my opinion. However, the fact that the xoom has pure honeycomb and will get updates much faster than other tablets that contain OEM bloat is the key factor in my wanting the xoom over others. And, the bootloader is open. My first and current android device is the Moto Atrix, and I really wish I waited or researched the android world more before I bought it, and go a device that didn't have a locked bootloader, or could be unlocked.
If you're really on the fence about it, just return the xoom before it's too late, wait for the Samsung to come out and go compare them side by side. Unless of course you must have a tablet to use between now and release.

holtenc said:
I guess I can't really add anything that numerous people here have already pointed out. My biggest disappointment with the xoom is the display. It's just not vibrant in any way. Pretty dull really, in my opinion. However, the fact that the xoom has pure honeycomb and will get updates much faster than other tablets that contain OEM bloat is the key factor in my wanting the xoom over others. And, the bootloader is open. My first and current android device is the Moto Atrix, and I really wish I waited or researched the android world more before I bought it, and go a device that didn't have a locked bootloader, or could be unlocked.
If you're really on the fence about it, just return the xoom before it's too late, wait for the Samsung to come out and go compare them side by side. Unless of course you must have a tablet to use between now and release.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think the display is bad from vibrant standpoint, but I wish there was some way to change the color temperature to make it a little warmer. Frankly, I don't care much for the overly saturated colors of the Samsung or iPad.

samsung has always been slow and lazy on updates.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

i think I need to see the galaxy 10.1 display in person because the colors I have seen in all the pictures look a little too saturated to me...I think that would get annoying after a while. From a color saturation standpoint, I would prefer the xoom over the GT 10.1

Thanks everyone!
A few notes to add:
The Bday gift was to myself
Yep. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 display is also LED, not amoled like my Fascinate (I wish!). Probably will look very much the same as the XOOM, unless Samsung is able to config color/contrast/saturation default levels before shipping - or provide an interface for these options.
I think I may just return the XOOM, and go tablet-less until ~June 4 timeframe, then try to find a Samsung 10.1 display to do the touchy-feely stuff.
Worse case (or best case) - I buy the XOOM again, probably for a discount over the $599 I paid ($569 prices around today).
Will be only a small issue to go tabet-less for the next 20-30 days!

Looks like the GTab 10.1 i/o devices are suffering from a bit of backlight bleed themselves.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=13959199#post13959199
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qVS8KhM_rtXC555bw011jg
Good luck being able to rip open 10 of them on launch day to find a good one. Sometimes the quality control (or lack thereof) just baffles me.

^something like that I completely allowed on my $200 nook color. But when you double-plus the price, my tolerance grows quite thin and I expect the hardware to be as close to perfect as possible. Meaning: no back-light bleed.

Why not return, then repurchase at a different merchant to re extend your return time so you can wait for the Samsung to come out and be able to make a more informed decision? Once you sign into Google with the newly purchased xoom, virtually everything but your movies music and photos will be loaded back onto it.
You probably shouldn't do this, I only did something like this one time when i had a wedding shoot and really needed the money but had just sold my Sony nex. I went to Walmart and bought a dslr camera and returned it after the shoot. I'm sure if lots of people do this, it could **** with the merchants and Motorola. But, you know, its all well within your rights, just frowned upon. Your call.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App

Xoom is not the best, but enough to make me satisfied. The problem is Honeycomb itself (lag, missing apps..) not the xoom hardware.

tritran18518 said:
Xoom is not the best, but enough to make me satisfied. The problem is Honeycomb itself (lag, missing apps..) not the xoom hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you still having lag issues even after 3.1? Are you able to surf the net and listen to mp3 without any issues? I have a TF and I dont know if its worth waiting for 3.1 in June. My return date for my TF is at the end of May. I heard good things about 3.1. Listening to my music and surfing is one of the thing I do the most, and on 3.0 using either playerpro or PowerAMP cause so much lag that it will lock up the browser or the player. With PlayerPro it will actually stutter during playback

I was planning on waiting for the 10.1 but started having doubts when I heard about the lack of SD card, then in a moment of doubt I found a xoom on ebay for $405, I definitively think its worth it fr $405.

tritran18518 said:
Xoom is not the best, but enough to make me satisfied. The problem is Honeycomb itself (lag, missing apps..) not the xoom hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you not on 3.1?

erzhik said:
I personally don't understand the argument of Xoom's weight. Did people become that fragile that they can't carry around a device that is less than 2 lbs?
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Click to collapse
no ****. you gotta laugh when someone complains how tablet x is soooo much heavier than tablet y... and the difference is only 100 grams!

Xoom vs TF101 vs Galaxy 10.1 vs iPad2

Hey all,
Figured I'd pass on my opinions of these devices, and since I finally chose the TF, I figured I'd get the least flames posting here - lol. Looooong time gadget geek/hacker going way back to the Palm Pilot days. If it was a tech gadget, and particularly if it was internet capable, I probably owned one. My current phones are a HTC Desire Z (w/ NAM AT&T 3G) running CM7, and an iPhone 4 jailbroken.
Over the past couple of months I've owned (or still own) the Xoom, iPad 2, TF101 (w/dock) and GTab 10.1. I still own all but the Xoom, and here's a few of my thoughts on all of them and why I'll be keeping the TF.
Xoom - Well built, sturdy, and nice design. Lousy screen (comparitively) and lack of promised features like LTE and the SD Card werre a bummer, but my biggest reason for selling that one was the screen, and seeming lack of "responsiveness" from Moto on the device. Plus I knew cooler devices were coming soon.
iPad 2 - Not yet Jailbroken (grrr) but it's still a suprisingly good media consumption device as is. I go the 32GB AT&T model, and have used it for a couple of trips as a laptop replacement. It'll be cooler when I can JB it, but since I have a fiarly big investment in iOS software, I'll probably keep it a while. Not real impressed with it's Safari performance, considering all the hub-bub about how fast it is. But it does do games great, is slick and trouble free, and nice sized with a great (smart-cover) solution.
Galaxy Tab 10.1 - I got this one on Sunday, so I haven't given it a whole lot of time. It's a beautiful, "Apple like" device from a design perspective. Also the screen while very saturated, is very nice, light weight and thinness also gets it lots of oooohs and aaawwwws from everybody. I hate that Samsung doesn't allow direct mounting of the internal storage, and we're forced to use that awful KIES software. I've just been using Drobbox and all my music is in the Google cloud. This one would have been my second choice if I didn't already have (and love) the...
Transformer 101- now this one is my keeper. A lot has to do wth the dock - I'm an "ultraportable" laptop fan (current Lenovo x220) so I like smaller laptops, and man this thing makes a damn good laptop substitute with tablet caapabilities. The screen is gorgeous, the responsiveness of the OS is equal to or better than the other Androids, and even beats iPad when Safari is sucking wind. I love the quick controls in the browser (missing in the Tab) and that it feels like there's a really robust community developing for this device. I'm not rooted on any of these yet, and actually pretty content like that. Therre's a few things I'd do with root (and anti ad hosts file for one!) but for the most part I'm ok with them as is. When I start to get bored I'll probably root this too.
I sold the Xoom about a month aftr I bought it, I'll keep the iPad (partly for the fun things to try like iOS 5 and it's great for kids to play games on) but the Tab is going back to BB (restocking fee be damned.
I just really like the versatility of the TF w/dock. I have it paired with a small BT mouse and it's like a pretty full featured laptop, that goes into Tablet mode at the flick of a switch. Still on the hunt for the slimmest folio case for it that allows it to be propped up for typing, but the kybd dock does that for now.
Hope these tips help some people interested in any of these, remember their just mmy opinions and everybody has different needs and required attributes that may differ from mine. Either way their all fun.
If anybody has any question about my experiences, fire away, love to chat gadget talk abou the cool toys.
-Joel

well played!

Shouldnt be a restocking fee witjin 14 days. I returned a tab a few weeks ago to wait for tf no issues
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App

gottahavit said:
Shouldnt be a restocking fee witjin 14 days. I returned a tab a few weeks ago to wait for tf no issues
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know thaks, I'll push and see what they say, thanks for the heads up!

Good Post. Thanks.
Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt.

I quite agree with you.
From all these devices i tried the iPad 2 and the ASUS transformer.
Im already acquainted with iOS and although its simple and intuitive it's kind of boring. im quite into personalizing my device which the iOs wont really allow.
The bigger and wide screen on the transformer is really nice, and although build-wise it may seems "cheaper" then the iPad (everything that is not shiny-aluminum-ultra-appleish is cheap nowdays) its a comfortable device to hold in the hand.
Price-wise the transformer costs less, + the keyboard dock which increases battery life and also allows you to use it as a netbook.
Performance seems to be almost identical on both A5 and the Tegra 2. BUT the transformer is overclockable, therefore you can squeeze some more juice out of it.
I didnt use the other two, but by reviews i understood that the xooms screen is washed out and not all that great, and the lack of a MicroSD on all of the three (xoom,iPad,GT10.1) is meh-ish.

just picked up mine last night after doing a lil bit of reseasch for a week or so glad i chose this one,, love you wife she bought for me.. BAMBAM

good...
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

Thanks for the comparison.
Regarding TF and Tab 10.1 screens, which do you prefer? Which is nicer for news/e-book reading? Does Tab 10.1 oversaturation mess with your eyes?

a042349 said:
I hate that Samsung doesn't allow direct mounting of the internal storage, and we're forced to use that awful KIES software.
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Don't agree with this point. I had the Tab 10.1 for about 3-4 days and I had it mounted on my PC as a plug-play device and was able to transfer files directly. All your need is to install the proper USB drivers from the Samsung US site

myself11 said:
Thanks for the comparison.
Regarding TF and Tab 10.1 screens, which do you prefer? Which is nicer for news/e-book reading? Does Tab 10.1 oversaturation mess with your eyes?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it does. Although the Galaxy screen seems better than the TF , its for sure over saturated and hurts your eyes if watched closely for lot of time.

Srikar_NBK said:
Don't agree with this point. I had the Tab 10.1 for about 3-4 days and I had it mounted on my PC as a plug-play device and was able to transfer files directly. All your need is to install the proper USB drivers from the Samsung US site
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Yeah, you could be right. I'm just so happy with the flexibility of the TF that for now (and for now could be 1-3 months lol) it's the one I'm choosing. IAs I stressed, this is just my humble opinion, hope everybody is happy with their respective choices.

glad to see that are still people who can choose between products without trashing another.
i'm stlll not sure if i'll send my tf back. i do like the versatility it has but seeing that i am keeping my gt 10.1 it's really hard to justify keeping it.

I don't think the keyboard dock can be stressed enough, and I wish I saw more advertising from Asus around the tremendous increase in productivity it provides. It's really not "just" an external keyboard or dock. It really does turn the TF into a completely different class of machine.
That said, I'll admit that if it weren't for the dock, I'd probably opt for the GT 10.1. I don't really use the microSD card I have in my TF right now, and I doubt I'll ever use HDMI. So if choosing between the two on the screen, size and weight alone, I'd probably lean toward the GT. However, man, the keyboard dock makes me want to stick with the TF no matter what else might be out there. As someone who needs to be able to write long-form stuff anywhere, I can't think of a better device than the TF...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

i'd have to suppose the lack of advertising is one major factor for the price of the tablet. moto, apple, samsung all have commercials yet i've not seen one asus commercial, not even for their laptops.

To each his own I guess. I played with them all as well including the acer and viewsonic and kept the wifi Xoom. I really wanted to like the Asus because of price but it was just as bulky as my xoom and had serious build quality issues. The Asus screen was great, the quality around the screen, not so much. Enjoy your new toy dude. Aint technology fun
The only one I haven't played with is the tab 10.1, I secretly want one but Samsung and I have bad history.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App

wynand32 said:
That said, I'll admit that if it weren't for the dock, I'd probably opt for the GT 10.1. I don't really use the microSD card I have in my TF right now, and I doubt I'll ever use HDMI. So if choosing between the two on the screen, size and weight alone, I'd probably lean toward the GT. However, man, the keyboard dock makes me want to stick with the TF no matter what else might be out there. As someone who needs to be able to write long-form stuff anywhere, I can't think of a better device than the TF...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
This!
The dock is the absolute biggest reason for my choice. With my BT mouse (dislike trackpads) I feel like I'm using a real computer, with 16hr batter life and tablet flexibility. Love the shape, size and design of both the iPad and Tab 10.1, but just love the flexibility of the keybd dock too much - at least for the next 90 days or so. ;-)

a042349 said:
This!
The dock is the absolute biggest reason for my choice. With my BT mouse (dislike trackpads) I feel like I'm using a real computer, with 16hr batter life and tablet flexibility. Love the shape, size and design of both the iPad and Tab 10.1, but just love the flexibility of the keybd dock too much - at least for the next 90 days or so. ;-)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know about the 90 day shelf life all too well
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App

wynand32 said:
I don't think the keyboard dock can be stressed enough, and I wish I saw more advertising from Asus around the tremendous increase in productivity it provides. It's really not "just" an external keyboard or dock. It really does turn the TF into a completely different class of machine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Not just a different class of machine, but two machines!

My 2 Bitz
Ok, I'm a little late to the game... but if anyone buys one of these tablets second hand.... like I just did, then here goes nothing: I bought a Motorola XOOM wifi (32gb) and an Asus TF101 (16gb) (and I nearly bought a Galaxy Tab 1 and an iPad Gen. 1). It's my first tablet; I haven't yet figured out what I'm gonna do with it, but there ya go.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 1: I passed on the Sammy because it did not have an SD card slot.
iPad Gen. 1: I passed on the iPad because.... well, it's an iPad. About as useful as a maxi-pad to me. I was put off by the closed system. It means far less choices for free or hard-to-get apps (of the kind I might need), and limited storage with no SD card options. It wouldn't do, even for a kid's tablet. (Despite the fact I have an iPhone....).
Asus Transformer Eee Pad TF101: I really wish they would have stuck to one name, and left it at that. What was the original name? The "Asus Transormer Mario Consuela Maria Concito Esperanto Gonzalez Eeee Pad TF-101"?
Motorola Xoom: Anyway, it came down to Asus and the Xoom. And boy, I had a hard time deciding. So hard, I spent 3 days of my life testing these two tablets, up, down, backwards and forwards. I ended up settling on the Xoom, but first, the Asus....
The Asus has a gorgeous screen, compared to the Xoom. The TF101 is sharper, more clarity, brighter, blacks and whites are more darker and brighter, respectively. Better contrast and angle viewing, and reading books is less of a strain with a more muted white for the background.
THe sound of the Asus however, is like slamming a suitcase lid down on twelve kittens while Freddy Krueger scratches his name out on the chalkboard. It's the ridiculous choice of stuffing really tiny speakers so they can fire out both sides of the unit. Even EQ'ing the thing with Viper4FX could not hide the tinny shortcomings of the speaker sound. Which also had a tendency to break up at louder volumes (its particularly keen to distorting around 500hz). Connected to a stereo though, was quite another matter.
Though much less bass, richness and body, the Asus resolved timbre better than the Xoom on music program material, output through a stereo via headphone jacks. However, I still preferred the sound of the XOoms (yes, "Xooms" as in I had TWO Xooms to compare), because the Asus was causing some degree of stress through its sound and picture, as compared with the calmer energy of the Xooms.
The construction of the Asus was nice in parts (ie. color, back design, aluminum frame)... but the superb construction, design, looks, case and smaller size of the Xooms is what pushed me toward the Motorola choice. I have not seen any tablet as well built as the Xoom. The Xoom has a timeless design and hough it is heavy on the wrist if you have to hold it up, it just feels nicer in the hand than the ultra-wide Transformer; which appears more dated due to its size and design. The really nice charging dock and 32gb internal (vs 16gb of Asus) also helped me accept the inferior colors and viewing angle of the Xoom. I also liked the nice design of the various white & green charging LEDs, around the screen of the Xoom - the Asus has none of that. I was not enamored by the fact that Asus required special prorpietary data cables, where the Xoom uses microUSB. What also pushed me toward the Xoom was the mediocre camera in the Asus. No flash and grainy photos (though it let in an unusual amount of light, despite or because of no flash... but it was too much light, and washed out detail at times). The Xoom 5mp camera was excellent... perhaps better than that on my iPhone. I like the idea of snapping pictures on a tablet, because of the large viewfinder.
I'm kind of a stickler when it comes to design. On pure performance and lightness of weight, the Asus wins. But you might not feel like a winner, trying to listen to vidoes and music on those tinny built in speakers for extended periods of time.
My wife has a Samsung Tab 4, and comparing it with the Asus, I don't find the Tab 4 any much better in any way, and in some ways, not as a good (it has a cheaper build, for example).

[Q] Galaxy 10.1/Tranformer/Xoom?! Which one?

Hi all, trying to decide which tablet to get. Hoping to get some honest unbiased opinions. I am coming from an IPad 1 which i loved. Also, I have the $100.00 off staples coupon, however I can NOT get the Asus at 100 off. Everywhere I checked in my area would not honor the coupon because Staples does not have it in stock, I can only get the xoom or Samsung 100.00 off. SO I know most of the pros and cons of each but most reviews that favor the Asus like it because of the price cut. I am going into this with all 3 the same price (only difference being I can get a 32gb xoom at the price of the 16gb asus and samsung)
ASUS 16gb - 399.99
What I like about the ASUS:
Screen I read is the best.
Mini HDMI
SD Card
Lots of mod potential
CONS:
heavier
proprietary cable that i can not find for sale anywhere
large frame.
less than quality build
I dont care about the dock, probably wont buy it.
XOOM - 32gb - 399.99
What I like about the XOOM
largest capacity
Updates first
quality build
SD card slot
HDMI out
no proprietary cable
lots of accessories
CONS:
not the best screen
heaviest
seems to be a little slower than the others (not as responsive)
not a lot of mods available
Galaxy Tab - 399.99 16gb
Pros:
light
quality build
smaller frame
optional keyboard if I want
nice screen
fast/responsive
good mod community
CONS:
proprietary cable
no SD Card slot (huge)
no HDMI out
So with all that said, any opinions/suggestions would really help. Like I said I have the 100.00 coupon and I hate to not use it. So with it I can get all 3 for 399.99 BUT if I choose the Samsung, I would probably pay the 499.99 for the 32 gig (using the 100.00 off) since it has no SD card slot which REALLY SUX. Id be using the tab for movie watching a lot, lots of web browsing, and some EBOOK/PDF mag reading mainly with light gaming and light music listening.
I REALLY need some help.

Build Quality is a BIG factor
Personally I think you will be less than impressed with the build quality of the Asus. True, the screen is the best, but I have held one for extended periods of time and compared to the Xoom, it is really poorly made. The feel of the plastic and poor quality made me frustrated while using the device for 15 minutes. It would really bug me if I paid good money for one and had to hold the cheap feeling device every time.
The Galaxy is a nice device with a decent UI built on top of HC 3.1. The screen was a bit too washed out and saturated for me. I think the Xoom has a softer, more true color balance. The proprietary cables and lack of expansion slot is why I would not migrate to Samsung. Needing an additional dongle cable for I/O kind of stinks.
Here is a review I wrote for the Xoom and compared it in some areas to Asus, Acer, Toshiba and Samsung.
As with any purchase it boils down to preference, price and personal taste. I went from an Acer to the Xoom because of the build quality, Out of the Box support, accessory support, and OS support. The hardware and software integration had less problems on the Xoom than the Acer. Toshiba is experiencing big issues in this area as well. Screens not waking up and other issues with the OS and hardware are problems.
Also keep in mind the Xoom integrates with your PC for file transfers. Other HC devices do not integrate as easily. The Toshiba and Acer can not see their internal storage when attached to a PC. There is no way to easily transfer fies from a PC, Mac or Linux. With the Xoom it is seen as a removable drive.
Also, waiting for Samsung or Asus to release their approved updates could be frustrating if you want the latest and greatest from google. Acer is just now getting the 3.1 update to their devices because of the manufacturer UI integration. The Xoom is the cleanest HC OS with no UI laid over the stock ROM from Google.
Happy hunting.

Xoom charges the fastest. That matters to me.

I had the Xoom, returned it for the Transformer, then returned the Transformer for the Galaxy tab 10.1. I will be keeping the 10.1 and love it.
The Xoom screen is TERRIBLE and it's way too heavy. And up until recently the Xoom was the most expensive tablet on the market, despite having the worst features.
The Transformer was just a big POS. Software was extremely slow on laggy, build quality was abysmal.
I have no need for microSD or HDMI so that was no big deal for me. what I wanted was a light tablet with a wonderful screen and high build quality. The Galaxy tab 10.1 is the only one that gives me that.
What the Xoom has going for it is that it is the first to get Honeycomb updates, and it's built like a tank (in a good way, meaning it's sturdy).
I would use the $100 Staples coupon and get the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Thankfully it is still shipping without Touchwiz, since I don't like how Touchwiz tries to make Honeycomb look like iOS (seriously Samsung, get off of Apple's nuts already, it's embarrassing).

I'm in the same boat as you kinda. Looking at which tablet I will be buying.
Unfortunately, as of yet there is not one that I say I want and has everything I want. Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1 come closest, but then again - screen quality on Xoom seems to be poor whilst on the Galaxy there is no micro SD expansion possibility (which is a must in my eyes).
Will probably go for a Xoom - just need to convince myself a bit more and hope I'm not disappointed with the screen.

screwhead89 said:
I'm in the same boat as you kinda. Looking at which tablet I will be buying.
Unfortunately, as of yet there is not one that I say I want and has everything I want. Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1 come closest, but then again - screen quality on Xoom seems to be poor whilst on the Galaxy there is no micro SD expansion possibility (which is a must in my eyes).
Will probably go for a Xoom - just need to convince myself a bit more and hope I'm not disappointed with the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is driving me crazy...I'm a painter and use the Xoom as my mobile portfolio. I have compared the photos on the Xoom screen to the photos on my pc and the actual artwork, and the colors are extremely close to true life. I know that humans are attracted to over-saturated colors, but that would be a big problem for me.
I have no noticable issues with ghosting. I'm extremely satisfied with the Xoom screen. It works for me but YMMV.
.

yeah. xoom is the best overall. maybe not hands down or overwhelmingly. but the best nonetheless.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

Unless you're directly comparing the xoom screen right next to another device, you won't notice a thing.

EvoXOhio said:
I had the Xoom, returned it for the Transformer, then returned the Transformer for the Galaxy tab 10.1. I will be keeping the 10.1 and love it.
The Xoom screen is TERRIBLE and it's way too heavy. And up until recently the Xoom was the most expensive tablet on the market, despite having the worst features.
The Transformer was just a big POS. Software was extremely slow on laggy, build quality was abysmal.
I have no need for microSD or HDMI so that was no big deal for me. what I wanted was a light tablet with a wonderful screen and high build quality. The Galaxy tab 10.1 is the only one that gives me that.
What the Xoom has going for it is that it is the first to get Honeycomb updates, and it's built like a tank (in a good way, meaning it's sturdy).
I would use the $100 Staples coupon and get the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Thankfully it is still shipping without Touchwiz, since I don't like how Touchwiz tries to make Honeycomb look like iOS (seriously Samsung, get off of Apple's nuts already, it's embarrassing).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Xoom has the worst features? Just because you don't use HDMI or microSD (that will probably change) doesn't mean you can ignore those features. The only downside I can see is that it doesn't have an IPS display - but even that isn't a big deal. When you aren't in a showroom, those IPS displays (like on my brother's iPad 2) are blinding. It may have taken a while to reach its potential, but the Xoom is still the best Android tablet you can buy.

Thx for the responses, although I'm still just as confused as before lol!

The ones you have listed basically have the same specs all around the board, it really comes down to built quality and the extra features. While the Transformer has some cool add-ons, they're expensive as Hell. When it comes to build quality I give the edge to the Xoom. Some people complain that it weighs...all of 1.6 pounds, I actually prefer for something I might be holding to have a little bit of weight, otherwise I may forget I'm holding it and drop it. The Xoom also has the best cameras, if that makes any difference, and has the most accessories. I really wanted to get the Tab 10.1, but when I found out it has (or will have) a stupid dongle like the iPad, then I decided against it. It's just something else to lose or break, and is completely unnecessary, but that's just the way that Samsung tends to do things.

brandogg said:
The ones you have listed basically have the same specs all around the board, it really comes down to built quality and the extra features. While the Transformer has some cool add-ons, they're expensive as Hell. When it comes to build quality I give the edge to the Xoom. Some people complain that it weighs...all of 1.6 pounds, I actually prefer for something I might be holding to have a little bit of weight, otherwise I may forget I'm holding it and drop it. The Xoom also has the best cameras, if that makes any difference, and has the most accessories. I really wanted to get the Tab 10.1, but when I found out it has (or will have) a stupid dongle like the iPad, then I decided against it. It's just something else to lose or break, and is completely unnecessary, but that's just the way that Samsung tends to do things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One more thing that just struck me on my way to work...the Xoom is a serious device for getting things done. I never use my laptop in the field anymore; the Xoom does it all. I don't know how the other tabs stack up when it comes to serious work but it's a consideration for me.

I have gone thru 3 ipads -- 2 ipad 1 (wifi then 3g) and an ipa2 3g, Galaxy Tab (7"), and the Evo View 4G (7"), as well my Xoom. I decided against keeping the ipads mostly because they're really just oversized iphones (which I already use) and I was looking for more. I love the smaller form factor of the 7" devices but ended up more convinced of the Honeycomb than the earlier Android OS. I've compared the Xoom display to virtually all the others now being offered including HP's new Touchpad. It's pretty subjective IMHO -- yes, the GTab 10.1 more highly saturated colors give a first impression of "better" colors, but having used the Xoom daily since it first arrived in Feb, I can honestly say none of the other displays was good enough to convince me to give up the Xoom. It's a workhorse and seems to remain ahead of the others because XDA-Developers continually offers advancements that Moto and Verizon haven't even thought about yet.

I had the Galaxy Tab 7" and got the Xoom when it came out. The Tab is more refined than the Xoom but I am pretty sure that's because the Tab is running 2.2 and not Gingerbread. Once the update for the Xoom hits mine I'm sure I'll like it much more than I currently do with the missing SD card and 4g.

goinovr said:
I had the Galaxy Tab 7" and got the Xoom when it came out. The Tab is more refined than the Xoom but I am pretty sure that's because the Tab is running 2.2 and not Gingerbread. Once the update for the Xoom hits mine I'm sure I'll like it much more than I currently do with the missing SD card and 4g.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're rooted (and I sure recommend it) why not try the Tiamat 2.0 Manta Ray in the Xoom development section. It is really super - updates to HC 3.2 with additional features the stock OS won't have. I've had SD card access since early in my Xoom's life thanks to these XDA developers and virtually all my gripes have been addressed. This is a great tablet once the OS is where it needs to be.

planning to buy one soon...some questions?

Hi all, I'm new to this forum
I'm a computer science student and I'm finally switching from old fashioned way of studying to tablets...many reasons for that, but most importantly because of the price of the textbooks compared to PDF and e-book. after many researches, I guess galaxy note 10 is my pick!
I'm mostly looking for a tablet that is good for reading(ESPECIALLY READING) and wouldn't hurt my eyes that much, or is light to hold in hand, can open +500 page PDFs and make notes on them easily...is GN 10.1 the answer?!
I really liked kindle paperwhite tablet(has great light), it looks really good for reading, but it does not have s-pen, and not probably good for note taking...also IPAD would be good since it has a better resolution which helps for reading, but again no stylus...but is GN 10 resolution/lighting really bad as some people mention?! do you suggest any tablet that is really good for the purpose of reading and making notes?!
Does anyone know if there will be a newer version of it coming anytime soon?! it's been a year now...I really need to buy one these days as the semester has already started, but if there be any official news about anytime soon, I'd rather wait for that...especially with all the complaints about the resolution, I guess that'd be the area they fix! do u think I should wait?
thanks guys

swamks said:
Hi all, I'm new to this forum
I'm a computer science student and I'm finally switching from old fashioned way of studying to tablets...many reasons for that, but most importantly because of the price of the textbooks compared to PDF and e-book. after many researches, I guess galaxy note 10 is my pick!
I'm mostly looking for a tablet that is good for reading(ESPECIALLY READING) and wouldn't hurt my eyes that much, or is light to hold in hand, can open +500 page PDFs and make notes on them easily...is GN 10.1 the answer?!
I really liked kindle paperwhite tablet(has great light), it looks really good for reading, but it does not have s-pen, and not probably good for note taking...also IPAD would be good since it has a better resolution which helps for reading, but again no stylus...but is GN 10 resolution/lighting really bad as some people mention?! do you suggest any tablet that is really good for the purpose of reading and making notes?!
Does anyone know if there will be a newer version of it coming anytime soon?! it's been a year now...I really need to buy one these days as the semester has already started, but if there be any official news about anytime soon, I'd rather wait for that...especially with all the complaints about the resolution, I guess that'd be the area they fix! do u think I should wait?
thanks guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Berlin IFA 2013 Exhibition to Be Held on September 6, with Participation of New Products from Samsung so it maybe worth waiting a week or so to see what Samsung has been working on.
.

I agree that you should wait for IFA next week.
But anyway, Galaxy note 10.1 is great. I'm an orthopedic Surgeon, and I read a lot of books and references and articles. and I had chosen this tablet over the ipad for the Spen, and reading large books
After one year of using it, I'm not regretting a bit. I can open > 1GB pdfs quickly. Books over 3000 pages. Also making notes, underlines, highline, adding photos, illustrations, all is easy and enjoying to do. And more than this using application called ezPDF reader, you can save all your annotations and sync them with your smartphone. And voice versa.
About resolution, is totally comfortable for me at less 50%brightness.
I really highly recommend this, especially at its low price currently.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

thanks guys
well assuming at IFA Samsung reveals a new galaxy note, how long will it take to release the product?

btw, how much was it when it first released?

The 32gb WiFi (8013) was $550 and the 16gb was 500.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

I'm literally on the same exact boat. CS major, hate textbook prices, want something that I can ditch textbooks AND regular notebooks with.
Anyway, I'm waiting a little for the conference in September like people above me mentioned. If they announce something soon and it's similarly priced, then I'll get it. If not, then the price of the current generation will go down once the new one comes. Either way, it's a win-win. I agree that you should wait just few more weeks. Just use your laptop for the textbooks in the meanwhile.

All the talk so far for IFA has been the GN3 SMARTphone and no tablet talk at all. I would have picked up a GN8.0 but the Samsung is too stupid to offer a 32GB version so I refuse to get stuck with limited storage. I may take the plunge and get the GN10.1 but will likely hold off until IFA next week just in case they shock up with some big news. Somehow I doubt it.

There is rumor that there will be Samsung Galaxy Note 12.0 .... but 12 inches ?!?! it's really too big!! and 8 is too small for taking notes for me! if they could upgrade the 10 one with better resolution, I'll definitely go for it...I wish I could get something similar to Kindle Paperwhite screen...my friend has it and it's great for reading!!! but it's kinda too small plus it doesn't have stylus, and not good for note taking! these companies... they can easily make a product that have all the great qualities, but they don't, instead they make different products each with some special feature......keeping people hungry!
btw doesn't the 8 one come with SD card tho?

exactly the price of the books!!! I'm an international student and really the price is crazy for some books...Do they even consider who the buyer of their books are?! students...who are mostly not in a situation to pay 250 for a physics book! lol
There is rumor that there will be Samsung Galaxy Note 12.0 .... but 12 inches ?!?! it's really too big!! and 8 is too small for taking notes for me! if they could upgrade the 10 one with better resolution, I'll definitely go for it...I wish I could get something similar to Kindle Paperwhite screen...my friend has it and it's great for reading!!! but it's kinda too small plus it doesn't have stylus, and not good for note taking! these companies... they can easily make a product that have all the great qualities, but they don't, instead they make different products each with some special feature......keeping people hungry!
btw doesn't the 8 one come with SD card tho? I don't think I really need 32GB for my tablet!

swamks said:
8 one come with SD card tho?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it does have micro SD slot
See the 1 minute mark http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hllY_mn31b4

swamks said:
There is rumor that there will be Samsung Galaxy Note 12.0 .... but 12 inches ?!?! it's really too big!! and 8 is too small for taking notes for me! if they could upgrade the 10 one with better resolution, I'll definitely go for it...I wish I could get something similar to Kindle Paperwhite screen...my friend has it and it's great for reading!!! but it's kinda too small plus it doesn't have stylus, and not good for note taking! these companies... they can easily make a product that have all the great qualities, but they don't, instead they make different products each with some special feature......keeping people hungry!
btw doesn't the 8 one come with SD card tho?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The rumor os the 12.1" tablet seems very solid, but at that size it's just unusable for tablet use for that I have a 17.3" notebook. If this is part of Sammy's IFA announcement then my support for the Dev community will go undeterred as I rely on the Devs to fix what the OEM's won't OS Updates.
---------- Post added at 09:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 PM ----------
kkretch said:
Yes it does have micro SD slot
See the 1 minute mark http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hllY_mn31b4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While it does have microSD it has insufficient internal storage. 16GB is a JOKE, they should never have made it or released it. The 32GB is still MIA for US import and that was announced 4-5 months ago. I gave up waiting for Expansys-USA to get them.

The only reason why I have this tablet is because I got it for free. I would have never purchased it on my own, and here is why:
The price is astronomical for the quality and screen resolution.
S-Pen is really for the most part a gimmick, unless you use it for GIMP or something similar.
Samsung software (TouchWiz) is crap and just lags the tablet down.
Gonna give you the obvious here: get the new Nexus 7. You can substitute the S-Pen for a regular $1 stylus and have it work just as well for most purposes.

dwegiel said:
The only reason why I have this tablet is because I got it for free. I would have never purchased it on my own, and here is why:
The price is astronomical for the quality and screen resolution.
S-Pen is really for the most part a gimmick, unless you use it for GIMP or something similar.
Samsung software (TouchWiz) is crap and just lags the tablet down.
Gonna give you the obvious here: get the new Nexus 7. You can substitute the S-Pen for a regular $1 stylus and have it work just as well for most purposes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a Nexus 7 and returned it, it was just to small. When the keyboard is on the screens text window is just to small and the cheap rear firing speakers were also a real turnoff. I also own a Blackberry Playbook and it also has a 7 inch screen but the screen layout was so much better than the Nexus 7 and the forward speakers on the Playbook are the best in any tablet, including my Note 10.1. The feel in your hands of the Nexus was also very annoying to me, it just did not feel comfortable in my hands compared to my other 3 tablets that I own (playbook, kindle fire and Note 10.1).
Remember...... There is always something new coming out and I think people have a pretty good idea as to what they are going to buy before asking question here. A trip to a Best Buy or similar store would be a good idea to see what the devices look and feel like in your hands.

kkretch said:
I had a Nexus 7 and returned it, it was just to small. When the keyboard is on the screens text window is just to small and the cheap rear firing speakers were also a real turnoff. I also own a Blackberry Playbook and it also has a 7 inch screen but the screen layout was so much better than the Nexus 7 and the forward speakers on the Playbook are the best in any tablet, including my Note 10.1. The feel in your hands of the Nexus was also very annoying to me, it just did not feel comfortable in my hands compared to my other 3 tablets that I own (playbook, kindle fire and Note 10.1).
Remember...... There is always something new coming out and I think people have a pretty good idea as to what they are going to buy before asking question here. A trip to a Best Buy or similar store would be a good idea to see what the devices look and feel like in your hands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree the 7-8" tablets are simply too small for real keyboard use. I got an iPad mini LTE 64GB for free and its getting sold after a week. Free is great, but I will take the cash and invest it into a better Android tablet. I feel the GN10.1 is still worthy of purchase and device support ios still strong a year later. I don't plan on running TW anyways, custom ROM's all the way.

RaptorMD said:
I have to agree the 7-8" tablets are simply too small for real keyboard use. I got an iPad mini LTE 64GB for free and its getting sold after a week. Free is great, but I will take the cash and invest it into a better Android tablet. I feel the GN10.1 is still worthy of purchase and device support ios still strong a year later. I don't plan on running TW anyways, custom ROM's all the way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe check out their ATIV line of devices instead? I got the chance to use a Nexus 7 today and yeah, it is about an inch short of glory (not meant to be sexual...). It's oddly phablet-ish. Still, this 1280x768 isn't bad, it's just not great. Ultimately, it's all up to the user anyways. Go take a look in a store and see what fits you. Everyone's preference is different.

dwegiel said:
The only reason why I have this tablet is because I got it for free. I would have never purchased it on my own, and here is why:
The price is astronomical for the quality and screen resolution.
S-Pen is really for the most part a gimmick, unless you use it for GIMP or something similar.
Samsung software (TouchWiz) is crap and just lags the tablet down.
Gonna give you the obvious here: get the new Nexus 7. You can substitute the S-Pen for a regular $1 stylus and have it work just as well for most purposes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S-Pen is great for annotating and for taking notes in a class environment. S-Notes imho is the best software for notes which is not available for non touchwiz tablets. TouchWiz itself is pretty good. At least most bluetooth problems are resolved by Samsung before release unlike the nexus 7 2013 that has quirks in Bluetooth. A 7 inch tablet is not optimal in a class or note taking environment imho, the screen is much to small.
I feel like you couldn't be more wrong about everything. All that said i would advise the op to wait a week or so and see what comes. A new unit is inevitable. At that point they will unshelve the old units and the price will take a drop on eBay. Or buy the new model which should serve even better.

conan1600 said:
S-Pen is great for annotating and for taking notes in a class environment. S-Notes imho is the best software for notes which is not available for non touchwiz tablets. TouchWiz itself is pretty good. At least most bluetooth problems are resolved by Samsung before release unlike the nexus 7 2013 that has quirks in Bluetooth. A 7 inch tablet is not optimal in a class or note taking environment imho, the screen is much to small.
I feel like you couldn't be more wrong about everything. All that said i would advise the op to wait a week or so and see what comes. A new unit is inevitable. At that point they will unshelve the old units and the price will take a drop on eBay. Or buy the new model which should serve even better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S Suite just sucks. I can't import PDFs (S-Note will crash). To me, it is all just a gimmick. OneNote makes it slightly better (but only slightly).
The quirks of the nexus 7 are due to Android 4.3. Bluetooth was already borked in the 4.1.2 to 4.2 transition. Oh well.

conan1600 said:
S-Pen is great for annotating and for taking notes in a class environment. S-Notes imho is the best software for notes which is not available for non touchwiz tablets. TouchWiz itself is pretty good. At least most bluetooth problems are resolved by Samsung before release unlike the nexus 7 2013 that has quirks in Bluetooth. A 7 inch tablet is not optimal in a class or note taking environment imho, the screen is much to small.
I feel like you couldn't be more wrong about everything. All that said i would advise the op to wait a week or so and see what comes. A new unit is inevitable. At that point they will unshelve the old units and the price will take a drop on eBay. Or buy the new model which should serve even better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah the thing is I'm kinda in a hurry to get it sooner since I need it so bad for this semester!
do u have any idea how long will it take for the price to drop if something new didn't come out?! I'm not a constant follower of tech devices so I don't have enough info about when things get cheaper etc etc
I won't go for ebay to buy it! can't really trust it!lol...prefer best-buy...does anyone know if I buy it today and the price drops in a a few weeks, can I go back and get a refund of the difference?! I'm a foreign guy, lol...not familiar with the policies that much!
I heard cosco is selling it for 370 in LA!!!!!!!!!!! have to check that out!

I am a phd candidate molecular biology/virology/immunology.
I use my note 10.1 a ridiculous amount every day. Suggestions if you want to do it without pulling your hair out.
1. Get an aftermarket s-pen. This is not optional if you plan to write, highlight, etc a lot. The one it comes with is crap and sort of a gimmick as someone said. Having a real full size pen makes the s-pen functionality go from "so close" to "works how it should". I use the bamboo stylus feel carbon because I like a heavier feeling pen. There are many other alternatives that are great aftermarket pens too.
2. If you want to do reading and highlighting, use EZPDF reader which is on sale now for reading textbooks and highlighting. Sale is here. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=udk.android.reader&hl=en.
3. Use dropsync with your textbooks or something similar so your reading, highlighting, and notes/work on assignments are not only backed up in the worse case scenario but accessible from multiple devices like a pc at home or a phone on the go when you need to look at something quickly. Use multiple folders and keep things organized.
4. Get a small external keyboard if you have note heavy classes, writing with the pen just isn't fast enough to me, when I can type and have it perfectly legible. I use this one because I can switch to typing on tablet, phone, or home pc with one button http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...SIN=B0099SMFVQ&linkCode=as2&tag=digitren08-20
If you want a cheaper one, I used to have this one and had no issues. http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Keyb...833&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+keyboard+android
5. For note taking I use lecture notes. I keep the keyboard in my lap to type, the tablet on the desk/table to add illustrations and diagrams or insert an image from my textbook pdf (multitasking for the win). If you have to do math based things the formula recognition is nice but has a fairly unforgiving learning curve for more advanced math. If you can get it done, it's best to do the math in snote with the formula recognition and simply import the math into lecture notes for the pages you need it.
6. Use a custom rom, don't use stock touchwiz. It's garbage. I use android revolution, and designed my own layouts on top of it and my own icon set (this part is not necessary, only the rom is)
7. GMD spen control is great for quick shortcut gestures. This one is optional, but I set one for ezpdf, snote, lecture notes, graphing calculator, periodic table, open currently running apps, and a few other apps I use a lot. Makes stuff very fast. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gmd.spencontrol&hl=en
8. If you're going to be on campus a lot, consider a external battery charger. Let's me charge my tablet from 0-100% once as well as my phone from 0-100% in one charge, simultaneously if need be. When I know I'm going to be using it long term I just plug it in so it doesn't burn down. I use this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008YRG5JQ/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
9. Master multitasking on it. I usually have ezpdf reader open, lecture notes open, and snote open at a minimum at one time and switch back and forth between them by gestures. People watching must think i'm going ape**** on my tablet.
I use to have a giant gaming laptop, so I took my old case from that and bought some foam and cut it to fit the tablet, keyboard, and external battery. It was a really nice case so I felt it was wasted sitting there. Makes carrying my stuff around very easy and it's hilarious how the thing feels like a pound or two compared to 20 like my old laptop. Took all of 20-30 minutes to modify it.
Outside of school I use it to read comics and draw. I couldn't be happier with it. Like others have said, a true 1080p screen would be nice, but I've never had it hurt my eyes or anything. The new one if it is 12 inches is just too big :/
The tablet certainly isn't perfect. There's a lot of suggestions/ways to improve things that I would have for samsung mostly workflow and tweaks to functionality, but enough they would have some work to do. For a first try at trying to get into academia they did a decent job, but their second attempt whenever it is better have a lot of gripes fixed. It could be the number one contender in academia with some work, but I wouldn't trade it for a surface or anything similar that is out nowadays.
I typed this in a hurry, so sorry it's a disorganized mess.