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Hi folks,
as a long time reader I have the following question.
My old Macbook is breaking down ... and I need a new surfing and media consumption device. Which of the following would you recommend me for my purposes.
Most of the time I am:
- surfing the web (GoogleReader, Forums, News)
- watching movies (Netflix, AVIs, Youtube, Hireing)
- writing letters (most of the time in GoogleDocs)
- printing (I guess that will be the hardest).
And that with the longest battery lifetime possible, and less maintenance of keeping updates
I was thinking about the following devices.
1. Asus Transformer with Keyboard Dock.
2. Chromebook (I like the Samsung Series 5)
3. Netbook (i thought about the HP dm1 with AMD Fusion or one with Atom/Ion2)
My PROs/CONs:
1. Transformer:
+ Movies (Android Movie ... even offline viewing, Netflix soon I guess)
+ Battery (13 hours of surfing)
o maintenance (simple in android but a lot apps to update always)
- Surfing (I guess the Android Chome is a bit slower then a Full browser)
- writing letters (Does GoogleDocs work in the browser? Good office apps?)
- printing (guess not possible directly)
2. Chromebook
+ Surfing (that's what it was developed for)
+ writing letters (GoogleDocs)
+ maintenance (simple)
o battery (8 hours of surfing)
- printing (guess not possible directly)
- movies (Netflix but no offline viewing of rented movies I suppose)
3. Netbook
+ Surfing (should work fine in windows)
+ writing letters (should work fine in windows)
+ printing (no problem in windows)
- movies (Netflix but no offline viewing of rented movies I suppose)
- battery (5 hours of surfing)
- maintenance (windows updates and all that)
the transformer had many good office apps as well as one of the fastes browers I have ever used
Go for it you will like it
Take a look at the 11" Macbook Air, if price is not an issue, it's great.
Small, silent, long battery life, the 13" has even longer life too.
You can get the base 64GB SSD 11" model refurbished like new from Apple
for not much more than a Transformer + dock.
The Transformer is very much a work in progress...
SonicTab said:
Take a look at the 11" Macbook Air, if price is not an issue, it's great.
Small, silent, long battery life, the 13" has even longer life too.
You can get the base 64GB SSD 11" model refurbished like new from Apple
for not much more than a Transformer + dock.
The Transformer is very much a work in progress...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. These new google OS are more of a toy than a computer. If price is a problem, why don't you look for a cheap used Thinkpad X200? This line is awesome, with the right battery, it lasts 6+ hours.
I went with the Transformer for my mobile needs (vs. my desktop and full-size notebook, the latter of which is getting MUCH less use lately) over these sorts of alternatives for a very simple reason: the Transformer is both a tablet and a netbook, whereas the others are netbooks only.
There are certain things, like browsing, ebook reading, multimedia, newsgroup reading, etc., basically anything that doesn't require copious amounts of text entry, that I simply find more pleasant and efficient on a tablet. The tablet can be used in more situations and positions (lying down, standing up, etc.) and the direct interaction with the touchscreen feels more natural.
Of course, anything that requires large amounts of data entry are better on a device with a physical keyboard. And that's what makes the Transformer special: use it as a tablet when that makes sense, and then when you're ready to start writing, just pop it in the dock. And, the dock also makes for a nice way to carry the device around (a little heavier but protects the screen) and serves as a nice portable charger. Heck, I even use the dock to charge my smartphone when I'm out and about. And, because it's based on a mobile processor that generates very little heat, I can even use it on my lap in bed without worrying about blocking heating vents or getting overheated--there are no vents, of course, and it runs very cool.
Overall, I'm finding that for 95% of what I do when I'm highly mobile (maybe 100%, but I'm being conservative here), the Transformer works perfectly. It's really a great hybrid device that's really pretty unique at this point.
popophobia said:
This. These new google OS are more of a toy than a computer. If price is a problem, why don't you look for a cheap used Thinkpad X200? This line is awesome, with the right battery, it lasts 6+ hours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't agree at all that Android is a "toy," if you're including that in your analysis. I can do most of my work on the Transformer in keyboard dock. I only find myself using my desktop when I need to do video editing and such, which I don't typically do when I'm mobile anyways, and I've found myself rarely using my HP Envy 14 notebook. In fact, if the Transformer had come out in November of last year, I wouldn't have bought the Envy at all.
This thing isn't a toy by any means. I'm finding it to be a very productive tool, and the best mobile device I've ever used for most of what I need to do. Now, of course, everybody's needs are different, but from what the OP describes, the TF with keyboard doc would work very nicely.
I find myself using Google Reader very often, as well as google docs. I also have a TF with keyboard doc. Google Reader is not very functional yet (there are readers out there, Newsr, etc, but they are slow and not very convenient). Google Doc app is inadequate. Alternatives (Documents to Go) are not measure up to the web app.
The browser, while fast for a mobile device, is in no way comparable to Chrome. No mouse over function. The UI is optimized for touch, so you cannot really click on a smaller things, even with a pointer.
Also, say what you will, but the ability to see two windows at once of Windows or Mac is irreplaceable. You will miss it if you use the Transformer as your only device (replacing the laptop).
All that said, I still love the transformer, but I haven't dare to bring it to class to replace the laptop yet.
I originally bought the TF to replace my hp dm1 but after using it for a week I decided to keep both. android is not polished enough fit me to replace my netbook.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA Premium App
definately the transformer and dock. Its a joy to use and it kinda makes you enjoy 'working' after using productivity apps on honeycomb. Overall a net book or a chromebook experience could never replicate the experience on the Transformer.
Regards
Proud owner of Asus Transformer, Xperia X10 Stock with JIT and optimus one overclocked running megatron.
Hmm I think I have to get hands on a TF to see how the browsing experience is.
A Motorola Atrix with Chome OS instead of the Firefox docking stuff would be perfect for me
Macbook Air was a nice idea but I think I want to stay below 500 bucks.
SonicTab said:
Take a look at the 11" Macbook Air, if price is not an issue, it's great.
Small, silent, long battery life, the 13" has even longer life too.
You can get the base 64GB SSD 11" model refurbished like new from Apple
for not much more than a Transformer + dock.
The Transformer is very much a work in progress...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know what you consider "not much more", but it's $300 more than TF + Dock ($550).
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC505LL/A?mco=MjEwNTg3NDQ
One major + you forgot for Chromebook and Android Tablet is instant on. That's one thing a Windows Netbook won't be able to keep up with.
I am glad I am not the only one facing this decision. I too am looking for something to use for school, but I have a MacBook for "serious" computer use, and I am considering the Transformer, simply because I am familiar with Android, but I really like the Chromebooks as well.
wynand32 said:
I went with the Transformer for my mobile needs (vs. my desktop and full-size notebook, the latter of which is getting MUCH less use lately) over these sorts of alternatives for a very simple reason: the Transformer is both a tablet and a netbook, whereas the others are netbooks only.
There are certain things, like browsing, ebook reading, multimedia, newsgroup reading, etc., basically anything that doesn't require copious amounts of text entry, that I simply find more pleasant and efficient on a tablet. The tablet can be used in more situations and positions (lying down, standing up, etc.) and the direct interaction with the touchscreen feels more natural.
Of course, anything that requires large amounts of data entry are better on a device with a physical keyboard. And that's what makes the Transformer special: use it as a tablet when that makes sense, and then when you're ready to start writing, just pop it in the dock. And, the dock also makes for a nice way to carry the device around (a little heavier but protects the screen) and serves as a nice portable charger. Heck, I even use the dock to charge my smartphone when I'm out and about. And, because it's based on a mobile processor that generates very little heat, I can even use it on my lap in bed without worrying about blocking heating vents or getting overheated--there are no vents, of course, and it runs very cool.
Overall, I'm finding that for 95% of what I do when I'm highly mobile (maybe 100%, but I'm being conservative here), the Transformer works perfectly. It's really a great hybrid device that's really pretty unique at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this. I don't use my laptop much at all anymore. My wife uses it far more than me, though she uses it for work as she works from home. I just picked up the transformer prime off of craigslist with the dock for only $200, no lie. Great deal for me. Does the majority of what I would use laptop for in the evenings. If I am going go do any development (I'm a Software developer) then I'll use my desktop anyway.
I briefly considered a chrome book actually. I have a friend that has one and loves it. I like the instant on-ness of it, and it browses the web using chrome which is what I use on the desktop so all bookmarks etc would be there. I just wasn't ready to make the leap to a computer that is that limited quite yet. At least with android, I still have apps and a linux base, etc. Plus I love the touch screen aspect, and the portability of it. Just wish it supported opening apps in windows rather than everything being full screen.
buy a tablet and a netbook.
The more I use my TF the more I like it. Although I understand that people with problems need to vent I want to add another positive post to the forum.
First off, I do NOT believe that there is such a thing as the "perfect tablet" (but that doesn't mean that there is not a lot of crap out there!). For some the iPad might be the best, for others the XOOM, for some the Transformer or even the Nook Color.
Now here are some of the Transformer's benefits that make it the currently best tablet for me:
The dock. This was probably the main reason for switching from the XOOM. I was looking for a case with Bluetooth keyboard for so long that the dock just came like an answer to my quest. I do a lot of typing so a physical keyboard was a must for me. The additional battery life and connectors are a HUGE plus (see more below). The keyboard is very sturdy and it is fun to type on. And of course the touch pad. Especially when browsing the web the pointer makes it indefinitely easier to click those tiny links!
ASUS's software. The widgets are minimalistic and beautiful. They add to the Honeycomb experience without forcing a manufacturer's UI upon the user. The applications that are included are well designed and work great.
Polaris Office. So far the best office suite that I have tested. This restores my faith in developers caring about productivity on tablet as compared to only entertainment and "consumption".
Connectivity. I was amazed. I have setup media sharing on my PC so I could stream videos and music to my PS3s. The first time I fired up MyNet it automatically detected my PC and the content was instantly available. No settings to alter, no messing around. Then just yesterday I connected my external HDD (NTFS) where I ripped all my movies in HD (as compared to the 640x480 res for my iPod). It also was detected and mounted automatically and the content plays flawlessly (with Mobo Player). SD card, microSD card, everything works out of the box; I remember how much trouble that was with the XOOM...
The display. Well, admittedly, an IPS screen is just great even though it might not have the most natural color reproduction or brightness. However, the viewing angles and contrast are amazing! I also like the wider bezel (compared to the XOOM) which allows for holding it in one hand without touching the actual touch screen (and I have not the biggest hands!). Sure, I have a bit of light bleed but the one on my Nook Color is worse. If I want to see it I will...
Updates. For not being a "Pure Android Experience Device" the ASUS got updates rather frequently. There seems to be a real person from ASUS support active in this forum and on other social media like facebook (in Europe at least).
Weight and Build. The TF feels nice and light when held. That it is made of plastic is unfortunate because it does feel kind of cheap but it is not too flimsy. I was apprehensive about the goldenish color but I have gotten used to it. I covered the back with carbon fiber skin though
So everyone considering to buy one of these I can only recommend it. There might be some lemons out there but you will have that with every device. If you want to wait for the newest gadgets, good luck, because as soon as you buy a high-tech device you can be sure that it's obsolete a week later...
Hope that helps some folks that were still indecisive.
I have to agree with you my experience with the transformer and dock has been wonderful. My roomate asks why I didn't just buy a net book/laptop and whenever I detach the tablet and go to work or a coffee shop it makes it worth it all. Being able to have the tablet for casual use and the dock for longer/power use is the flexibility a lot of people want. For the most part at home it's in the dock just for ease of use, battery, and I don't have to prop it up on something.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Great post!
I would like my Transformer build quality to be a little better, but otherwise I can't complain too much after getting my dock firmware update.
It is so cool to snap the Transformer into the dock and have a netbook with an additional SD card of storage. The keyboard is pretty good, but the trackpad is amazing. I really like the feel of it. Using the trackpad doesn't feel tacked on either, Honeycomb feels like it was designed to be used with a mouse and keyboard.
I also really liked how my tablet was down to about 40% power, and when I put it in the dock it automatically started leeching energy from the dock and recharging itself. Now that is impressive! (The dock wasn't even plugged in.)
Really looking forward to Honeycomb 3.1!
bleclair said:
Great post!
I would like my Transformer build quality to be a little better, but otherwise I can't complain too much after getting my dock firmware update.
It is so cool to snap the Transformer into the dock and have a netbook with an additional SD card of storage. The keyboard is pretty good, but the trackpad is amazing. I really like the feel of it. Using the trackpad doesn't feel tacked on either, Honeycomb feels like it was designed to be used with a mouse and keyboard.
I also really liked how my tablet was down to about 40% power, and when I put it in the dock it automatically started leeching energy from the dock and recharging itself. Now that is impressive! (The dock wasn't even plugged in.)
Really looking forward to Honeycomb 3.1!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good point! I forgot the touch pad. Will add it right now
Two things also impressed me about the keyboard dock that I hadn't thought of and wasn't expecting:
1. My Logitech Anywhere MX mouse works perfectly with it. Just plug the adapter into one of the dock's USB ports and it just works. For whatever reason, I didn't think it would, but I'm very happy to see that it works so well.
2. I've been using the dock to charge my Epic while away from a charger. I also hadn't thought about using the dock as a portable charger for my phone, but that works great as well.
Overall, this combo is working better than I expected, and I think my expectations were pretty high. I haven't used my HP Envy 14 notebook since I got the dock, and so I'm left wishing the TF had been available last November. Would have saved me $1000 for the Envy.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
wynand32 said:
2. I've been using the dock to charge my Epic while away from a charger. I also hadn't thought about using the dock as a portable charger for my phone, but that works great as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
However, I noticed you can only charge a device when the tablet is docked.
I still can't believe the dock didn't come with it's own power cord. For $150 it really, really should have.
shoehopper said:
However, I noticed you can only charge a device when the tablet is docked.
I still can't believe the dock didn't come with it's own power cord. For $150 it really, really should have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that's true: the tablet has to be docked, but it doesn't have to be open or turned on. So, when stored for carrying it can charge.
And agreed: it would have been nice to have another charger and cable. Given the build quality of the dock and the fact that it includes a full-size battery, I don't know that $150 is enough at retail to give the gross margins they're looking for if they included an adapter and cable. And given that they're pricing the tablet at $399, I'm sure they're happy to maybe squeeze out a few bucks of additional gross margin out of the dock.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
The killer features were undoubtfully keyboard with a trackpad (I hate taking hands off the keyboard just to move focus around), and the battery life.
Also, I see this becoming an awesome combo once running desktop Linux on it is perfected. That way I can pick whether I want the battery-conserving Android or full-size productivity desktop at any given moment.
int_19h said:
The killer features were undoubtfully keyboard with a trackpad (I hate taking hands off the keyboard just to move focus around), and the battery life.
Also, I see this becoming an awesome combo once running desktop Linux on it is perfected. That way I can pick whether I want the battery-conserving Android or full-size productivity desktop at any given moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have never used Linux (well, I tried to use it in the late 90s) but just to have the option is exciting! I wish to have an OS that allows for multitasking in different windows, even if it's just 2 or 3. Hopefully the Android of the future will have that!
funnycreature said:
The more I use my TF the more I like it. Although I understand that people with problems need to vent I want to add another positive post to the forum.
First off, I do NOT believe that there is such a thing as the "perfect tablet" (but that doesn't mean that there is not a lot of crap out there!). For some the iPad might be the best, for others the XOOM, for some the Transformer or even the Nook Color.
Now here are some of the Transformer's benefits that make it the currently best tablet for me:
The dock. This was probably the main reason for switching from the XOOM. I was looking for a case with Bluetooth keyboard for so long that the dock just came like an answer to my quest. I do a lot of typing so a physical keyboard was a must for me. The additional battery life and connectors are a HUGE plus (see more below). The keyboard is very sturdy and it is fun to type on. And of course the touch pad. Especially when browsing the web the pointer makes it indefinitely easier to click those tiny links!
ASUS's software. The widgets are minimalistic and beautiful. They add to the Honeycomb experience without forcing a manufacturer's UI upon the user. The applications that are included are well designed and work great.
Polaris Office. So far the best office suite that I have tested. This restores my faith in developers caring about productivity on tablet as compared to only entertainment and "consumption".
Connectivity. I was amazed. I have setup media sharing on my PC so I could stream videos and music to my PS3s. The first time I fired up MyNet it automatically detected my PC and the content was instantly available. No settings to alter, no messing around. Then just yesterday I connected my external HDD (NTFS) where I ripped all my movies in HD (as compared to the 640x480 res for my iPod). It also was detected and mounted automatically and the content plays flawlessly (with Mobo Player). SD card, microSD card, everything works out of the box; I remember how much trouble that was with the XOOM...
The display. Well, admittedly, an IPS screen is just great even though it might not have the most natural color reproduction or brightness. However, the viewing angles and contrast are amazing! I also like the wider bezel (compared to the XOOM) which allows for holding it in one hand without touching the actual touch screen (and I have not the biggest hands!). Sure, I have a bit of light bleed but the one on my Nook Color is worse. If I want to see it I will...
Updates. For not being a "Pure Android Experience Device" the ASUS got updates rather frequently. There seems to be a real person from ASUS support active in this forum and on other social media like facebook (in Europe at least).
Weight and Build. The TF feels nice and light when held. That it is made of plastic is unfortunate because it does feel kind of cheap but it is not too flimsy. I was apprehensive about the goldenish color but I have gotten used to it. I covered the back with carbon fiber skin though
So everyone considering to buy one of these I can only recommend it. There might be some lemons out there but you will have that with every device. If you want to wait for the newest gadgets, good luck, because as soon as you buy a high-tech device you can be sure that it's obsolete a week later...
Hope that helps some folks that were still indecisive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Such positive vibes! maybe it's not as bad as some people are trying to make out
Agree with the OP on most points. People have to keep in mind that the users with bogus units are always going to be the most vocal so it makes it seem like there are more problems than happy customers.
After the latest update that fixed my dock/keyboard, I am 99% happy. I have a discernable amount of light-bleed at the bottom left that bugs me a bit when watching video/on a dark screen. If not for that, i would be at 100%.
My sleep of death issue seems to have gone away and beside the high profile x264 issue, I don't regret my purchase one bit.
the list keeps growing!
Just shamelessly bumping this thread due to plenty of whiny 'I return my Transformer for the iPad' threads...
More things that I love about the TF:
Overclock. Yep, it's done! Several kernels now available (Netarchy's Netformer, Blades' 1.6GHz MEATABALL).
Network integration. I mentioned that in the OP but I have to reiterate how great the TF works with the installed software. The past few days I was cleaning the house a lot and simply turned on my PC, turned on my TF and streamed videos and music without having to adjust anything.
USB ports. Also mentioned in the OP. I found an awesome use for them: hooked up a goose neck USB reading light and the keyboard shone even more
I’ll be starting grad school in the fall and am in the market for a laptop/tablet and currently the Transformer is at the top of my list right now. I was hoping I could get some honest opinions on how the well the transformer works as both a media and productivity device (primarily concerned with the latter). I plan on using it for grad school, but since I’ll also be working a full-time job during the day, hope to use it as a work device as well. I also moonlight as a photographer, and am looking for ways I can incorporate the transformer into that as well.
My main concern is the stability of Android. I’ve owned both an EVO and an HTC HD2 running Android/Windows Phone 7 (thanks xda!), and although I loved the openness and overall capability of Android, the instability and battery life made things too cumbersome at times. My phone doubles as a work and personal device, so I fire off a lot of e-mails all day, view docs, send calls, etc etc. Nothing was more frustrating than having the phone lock up in the middle of something important, or die in the middle of the day if I used it a lot (on days when I need to use it a lot). Currently using an iPhone 4, which I know doesn’t get a whole lot of love around here, but simply works when needed. Not an Apple fanboy by any means…actually an old Windows Mobile guy, but sometimes stability and accessibility are important…particularly for heavy users like me.
Secondly, I’d like to know how productive one can really be on the transformer. What’s piqued my interest about Android on a tablet is the ‘desktop-esque’ experience it provides. As good as iOS to me is on a phone, its utterly neutered and has very little utility on a tablet IMO. For instance, true multi-tasking isn’t too important to me on a phone, but it would be on a tablet. Interested in knowing how well the tablet handles word docs, excel sheets, and PDF files…particularly from those who have experience with the keyboard dock.
Looking for honest answers here, and hope people can look beyond ownership bias. Hoping to hear the good and the bad. I’ve used enough mobile and desktop OS’s and devices to know that nothing is ever perfect.
I can't really comment on the productivity end as I mainly use my Transformer to read, watch videos, play games, and web browse. For what I need it to do it is great. HD videos on YouTube play great. It does have issues playing HD videos that are in mkv format but one they are re-encoded they play great.
The screen is where this thing really shines though. I have yet to see a better screen on a tablet anywhere. None of the HC tablets even come close, imho. I do have some light bleed but it isn't enough to bother me and I don't even see it unless I am in a dark room with the brightness cranked up.
One thing you won't have to worry about is battery life. The battery in this thing is way better than I expected. I can get 2 days with my average use, easy. It also hardly loses any battery when in standby also.
Honeycomb does still need some tweaking but it is not a big problem. There aren't a lot of apps optimized for HC yet but the list will increase with time.
Personally I think you would be better off with a laptop for your needs.
I think you will suffer the same frustration you did with your andriod phones if you are using the tablet for lots of documents, spreadsheets and other office type apllications.
I think these things are really designed for web browsing, casual email, game playing, music & video playing, etc.
You can edit docs etc and the optional keyboard helps a lot, but I think of these as a secondary machine. I have a desk top and a laptop too. At home it has pretty much replaced the laptop but not for work related tasks.
Im new to tablets and android all together. As a computer tech by trade, I figured it would be good to learn somethign new, did some research and went with the transformer. And I must say, coming from a windows & iOS background, Android has been a HUGE let down.
the hardware on the tablet is great. Build quality, the screen, the dock works wonderfully. USB ports that charge my phone. etc. All top notch.
Android is the downfall of the eee pad. To get the tablet to perform anywhere near the capabilty of my iPhone or PC, its about 5x the amount of work.
Video playback is a joke. when I try to copy any file over 3 or 4 gigs onto it, it crashes. And of all the videos ive copied over, only 2 worked properly. Even supported file formats are iffy at times.
App support is also very weak. The list of apps on this site that are supported by the eee pad is pretty much all you get. Which is sad compared to the App support that the iPad / win7 tablets have.
From a work standpoint, the failure of the proxy support is huge. I have to use a proxy server at work for my devices to function properly. Laptop: works fine. iPhone: works fine. Android: doesnt work at all. Native proxy support in 3.1 just doesnt work. Using apps to get proxy support KIND of works, but is flakey at best. If your work/school relies on proxy servers , then dont expect to use the eeePad there.
Hotspots.. again, a big problem. Bluetooth tethering KIND of worked for me, but since the proxy support is so shoddy, that started interfering with tethering when proxy wasnt needed and... you guessed it, didnt work. Not only that but for proper adhoc tethering , youll have to root the device and install a custom kernal or something.
So, all those issues are Honeycomb related. Gonna hit the same problems on the Xoom or anythign else that uses 3.x The only reason im keeping my eee pad is because software issues get worked out in time. They better... because right now this thing is just a giant paper weight for me. still on the edge of returning it and buying it again later once all the problems are fixed. So ya, it may be able to handle word, excel and such documents (so can the iPad by the way), but with such severe connectivity and networking issues, it really doesnt matter. *shrugs. honesty! EP121 anyone?
The TF would be good to SUPPLEMENT a full desktop or more powerful laptop but it could never be my primary machine. I need the application/device support of windows.
Being said if I had a computer at home I could have made it through college with the transformer as my mobile device.
As for the guy above me i havent experienced any of his issues. It only supports a few video files but that goes for all android stock media players. Recoding them to mp4/m4v in handbrake results in flawless video playback, never had a failure.
Apps are weak, its a new ecosystem. Like the ipad when it came out the vast majority of the "compatible" apps are just the phone apps scaled up. That will change.
Not sure about the proxy, havent encountered that. Ive never had a hotspot issue. In a restaurant, at work, using my Evo to wireless tether or on the plane. Its connected to every "infrastructure AP" network Ive ever tried and that is all I encounter. I have never had a need to connect AdHoc.
Before I got my tablet, I had imagined all these things I would use it for.
I was going to be able to do all of the following on one device!
For productivity:
- Check emails
- Read textbooks in pdf format, be able to highlight, save bookmarks and annotations...all in digital format.
- Use office programs like Word & Excel for typing up papers and creating charts.
- Watch video lectures & tutorials
- Use Anki flashcards
For entertainment:
- Watch videos from streaming sites
- Have a library of HD movies/miniseries on the device
- Be able to HDMI out my video library wherever I was
- Have emulators with a whole bunch of games I could play whenever I had down time
- play Android market games
This is what happened after I got the Transformer:
I realized I could do all the above, but ended up going to other devices because it just felt cumbersome on a tablet.
About all I used the tablet for was to watch videos and...watch videos..oh yeah and casual web browsing.
- Checking emails...I ended up just pulling out my phone.
- Reading textbooks...not many available in PDF...and it's not that great on a digital screen. Writing notes...don't even try it...even with one of those capacitative pens.
- Word and Excel are ok...but you can't do multi worksheet formulas...etc. I ended up just using my laptop or desktop.
- Video lectures...a lot of them required plugins and the browser/OS did not support that...back to laptop.
- Videos from streaming sites...choppy...unwatchable.
- HD movies...commonly downloaded ones dont work...had to re-encode or transcode at least 80% of them.
- HDMI haven't tested....I had to return my transformer...since the touch screen locked up.
Emulators...never did it.
- Android games...as a gamer...I find the current crop of games to be too simplistic and boring (minus Spectral Souls)
I have another one on order that's arriving today, so I'm still giving it a chance. Maybe I'm not using it properly...in any case it is still a pretty cool device to have around. I would consider it a borderline second device...but more like a third (i.e. Desktop for true power productivity/gaming, Laptop for moderate mobile productivity, then a Tablet when you go on quick vacations and you don't want to carry the others).
I would look for something like a laptop that cam run windows and android at the same time. Like the viewsonic pro.. acer w 500..better yet the evolve three convertible.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
I have my Transformer for about 2 weeks now. Actually today is the day I would have to decide either to keep it or to return it back to BB. Just finally got the keyboard dock just 2 days ago. My perseption before and after having it is completely different.
Before having it, I was really excited, kind of hoping finally the perfect device has arrived. A perfect device that can do everything I need.
I kind of know from reading everywhere, mostly from this forum what to expect and what is not there yet. Yet I finally decided to buy it with big hopes that with time, everything will be there. Buying the transformer also means I decided to invest in the Honeycomb platform rather than others (like iPad). I have no luxury of keep buying new devices, so I had to be careful to choose and decide.
My previous experience with Android was very good indeed (have a HTC Evo, my first Android phone). Before that, I always used Windows Mobile phone, which did everything I needed.
Well, my HTC Evo did everything and more, and that's why I had a big hope with the transformer/honeycomb. I chose the transformer among other honeycomb tablets for some obvious reasons: the keyboard dock that has the USB ports and the SD Card reader, and extra battery.
I also like photography and I needed to make sure I can use it to transfer pictures from my camera SD Card to an external HDD. I checked and found out the transformer does that perfectly, with the NTFS support right out of the box. That's incredible in my opinion.
I also imagined I would be able to connect to my work network and do anything I needed to via Citrix. And for personal communication, there is a Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, and Skype.
After getting it, my expectation dropped and everyday is a learning day for me, as well as improvement day.
My first day with the transformer, I got all my emails setup (dual Exchange support! My Evo does not do that (I heard some custom ROM can do that), then I could not find Yahoo Messenger (dissapointed, well, there is a Yahoo messenger for my android phone, and its perfect!), Skype is a phone version and looks weird and many features missing (video call is the most important missing feature).
Day after day, until now, I still do the improvement jobs, and got many items not available previously. Got Yahoo Messenger from a good guy here in the forum, got a battery indicator wigdet from this forum also, and many bug fixes here and there.
For work purposes, I also drop my expectation. The connection from Citrix client in honeycomb takes very long (3-5 minutes) while from my Evo it takes much quicker. Not sure why, I contacted Citrix support about this. They said they both should perform the same as the core are the same, but they behaves differently.
Checking email only is not enough for me, if somebody sent an email, it comes with an issue to fix.
Yes, its hard to decide to let it go, or continue to keep it. I decide to continue to keep it, again, with hope, over time, things get better and better.
What do I gain from the transformer compared to my netbook?
Well, battery life, like many said here, is very exceptional. I got 2 full days. 1 day plus without the keyboard dock before. Really full day till night, with everything I do, from emails, browsing, youtube, reading, etc.
Instant on and ready. Wifi always on.
No spinning harddrive. No heat.
I was surprised! The device was not hot at all. Very different even compared to my Windows phone, connect to the wifi to a while and you can feel the heat. I'm not even talking about my netbook.
And I agree that many said here that its not a primary/replacement device. I still need my Windows machine to do most of the work.
It pains me to agree, but the above coments are true, as follower of android from day one. to anyone who has used an rooted/jailbroken ipad, honeycomb is way behind, to be honest google should be ashamed. as i type this on my transformer the lag is horendous. with the ipad you can nearly replace a netbook, full printing, ipgages and numbers are real tablet work tools. The TF is just about ok for web browsing, but just. As a media device it sucks. I tried to watch a streaming movie on movie stream, ok it plays but stutters and is awful. switched on my now ancient ipad with 256mb ram clicked on istream net and bang same movie looking almost 720p smooth as a nut. All the points brought against the ipad now seem to be a joke to me, even the no flash issue. Ok you have limited access by usb and SD card but there is some plus work arounds. I mentioned on a Archos site that i could stream any movie via air video from a crappy netbook hooked up to a 1TB HDD and if not in playable format they could be converted on the fly, this is over a local wireless network or over 3g anywhereon the ipadand they all took the piss, but its true. As an owner of a TF and Ipad, I have togive credit to ASUS, i love the concept. But as stated in an earlier post, I will be reaching for my HTC desire or IPAD more than the transformer. Lets hope Google step up, and support ASUS and the other manuacturers.
If honeycomb worked like the ipadit would blow apple out of the water. Anyway going to watch Tron on my year old Ipad.
i have to echo most of the above sentiment.
this is such a good idea, but it's just not ready...at least for me. i bought it for the reasons the op cited, and i'm let down. the lag kills the experience, even typing this on the keyboard is painful. honeycomb is great for usability imo, and the open ability to customize, but it is flat out slow. the browser is capable, but slowdolphin is buggy, adbloc is hard to come by (that works properly)
editing docs in polari is slow, screen rotation is slow, it's just everything i so slow. my dell mini 9 runs faster for the few times i need to doc edit, and the ipad run circles around it in terms of tablet function (but has several huge letdowns in its own right)
the one difference from some of the above posters is that i won't hang onto it and hope software gets smoothed out, by the time that happens we will have at leat one generation newer devices, maybe 2...so suffer with inferior experience to be outdated..not for me.
As I sai in another thread, i see this concept as the future...without doubt. my days of wanting to pay to beta test are over though.
Edit from my iPad. - see all those missing letters at the ends of words, that was typed with the dock..that's how bad lag is. I see no choice but to return it, I can't see google/ ASus releasing a realistic fix in the next couple weeks...but I hope I'm wrong.
Stability: maybe I'm lucky but I find Transformer to be VERY stable. Only FCs I have were when closing some game and maybe once in the browser.
Honest opinion: it's still only a toy. Don't expect it to be able to do anything better (or even on par with) than laptop or PC - but it is quite a good toy for many thins.
Right now I do most of my browsing on Transformer, for browsing it's in some things better than computers/laptops but in others it lacks greately (adblock, lack of extenstions in browser). It's also great for comics and PDF. And it's quite good for small games (Aporkalypse is great!).
I bought it mostly to write applications for it. In my personal opinion the OS is just great. The apps are mostly a mess with some pearls in it - like Newsr which just great or Dolphine Browser HD (or many others that you can find mentioned here and there on this forum). The problem is there is quite a huge lack of pearls in some departments. But it will change, I don't see what could stop it.
SCARED
I wish I had not read this thread. I´m very exited to collect my TF tomorrow. Looking forward to it for weeks. Planning on using it on the couch for browsing, playing with some apps, reading and responding to email, hanging around in a variety of forums etc.
Same as I do now with my HTC Desire and Asus T101MT netbook...so no really heavy stuff...
But as I read all these unsatisfied experiences I feel a bit uncertain about it. I mean I´m not an Applefanboy (ok, I do own an iPod) and I always feel a bit pity for all those people who buy an iPad just because it's an iPad...but now I'm in doubt...
Is this toy really that bad???
jpvdw said:
I wish I had not read this thread. I´m very exited to collect my TF tomorrow. Looking forward to it for weeks. Planning on using it on the couch for browsing, playing with some apps, reading and responding to email, hanging around in a variety of forums etc.
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For things like that it's great. Only problem is that on some forums (this one is an example) most browsers are slow (but usable and with keyboard dock it should be much more easy to write on forums thank using screen keyboard).
Is this toy really that bad???
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It's not.
If you are not sure - go to some shop and play with it for a while. By "it" I mean - any tablet with HoneyComb.
Well after using the TF for about 3 weeks, I have to admit it is only a good toy. If you want productivity at school and home, stay away from the tablet form factor as a whole. HC is good, but the app support is bad, and its still a platform which is evolving. Other than watching YouTube videos, I don't use it much. The stock browser even on 3.1 is bad and slow. The browsing experience is way better on the laptop than this one.
Will try the Tab 10.1 too and see if it has a better experience. Otherwise, I don't feel the need for a tablet now, especially keeping in mind the current state of HC. Won't go for an iPad because I feel 4:3 aspect ratio is ridiculous.
Great toy for work and home. Wife loves it and my 7 year old enjoys it. Is hc beta? yes. Will it get better? yes
What's wrong with document editing in Polaris? Certainly it's a good deal better, in UI and features, than say QuickOffice or Doc2Go. I don't know if the rest of you are trying to manage complex multi-sheet spreadsheets or something, but for basic word processing it seems more or less adequate. Some people have weird and unrealistic expectations.
Be realistic as to what to expect
im new to the tablet and android world. When i bought the tablet, i wasnt expecting it to replace my laptop for heavy duty usage. Simply not there yet..
Allow me to give you and example of every day usage for me:
My tablet is always on.(sleep mode) i wake up, check my emails, the news, weather, all while im still in bed. I even check XDA forum to see the latest "oh no..im returning the transformer (sad Face)" thread...
when i get home, i do the same, but this time i sit in front of my tv, watch some nba finals, lookup some articles or "do it yourself" tutorials.. i get bored, open some tabs, tune my guitar (with the TF), and just jam out.. (reading tabs on portrait mode is beautiful)
Then my little girl gets to play on my "little computer" (barn stack, angry birds, read a long stories, etc.... which came in super handy on our recent road trip)
Before bed, i lookup some reviews on Netflix, add them to my instant queue, fire up the TV, check my Chase account (also app), more emails,
its convenient..
just last night i wanted to be nos and see how much the house on our street is selling for.. (zillow App) quick, with a gorgeous map. My xboxlive app notifies me of whose online.. just a lot of cool features
And im sure im not using the tablet to its full potential.. Ive tried the cloud jsut once (and monitored my laptop as it downloaded some "Stuff"//haha)
grainysand said:
What's wrong with document editing in Polaris? Certainly it's a good deal better, in UI and features, than say QuickOffice or Doc2Go. I don't know if the rest of you are trying to manage complex multi-sheet spreadsheets or something, but for basic word processing it seems more or less adequate. Some people have weird and unrealistic expectations.
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Click to collapse
Lag. Also, the touchpad in the dock is a mess....unless I missed a way to disable tap clicking natively. It really has to be turned off. Polaris as a program is fine, and I liked the easy integration with dropbox...but even editing a light 2 page resume was laggy. It's probably not polaris' fault..the platform is laggy.
@jpvdw I actually think the iPad would be better suited for what you want to do. I see a ton of shortcomings with the iOS devices, but most of them involve getting work done for me. Like uploading files through a web browser and wanting to use a real keyboard (though there are bt options).
I want to move to android...there's just nothing for me to move to that can equal what I get. If maybe the device was 15% faster I'd bear with it.
two things..
first, there has to be a memory leak in one of the stock apps, or os, or something. i can reboot and be working fine for about 10 mins... then it gets all wonky again.
i reset the browser to factory defauults, and it actually seems like it's a bit faster now. even with plugins enabled
People - please DON'T EXPECT tablet performing well as your laptop or desktop replacement....how could a Tegra 2 with integrated GPU comparing to your laptop/desktop power horse!!
Now please go and enjoy your own Transformer device while sitting on the couch, lying on the bed or even in your bathroom (make sure you have accidental damage insurance in case you drop into the water ...)
For me, this tablet makes me more connecting to digital world...well sort of because sometimes I just use my blackberry without tablet or desktop at all...
good luck/enjoy!
rcjpth
So I was just wondering what is the overall feeling about this tablet? I'm thinking about getting it and i was just wondering if everyone likes it or if its 50/50 or what?
I've owned the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Acer Iconia, Motorola Xoom, and the Transformer. I can say that the Transformer is the best tablet for the money on the market. It's not as sexy as the Galaxy, but it's more functional, far more flexible, and a hell of a lot cheaper.
Always hard to get objective views on a product specific forum.
I'm in a love/hate relationship with it at the moment. I love the form factor and the functionality. I hate the lack of tablet optimized apps/games and the awful build quality.
To me, it feels like a beta product. This isn't a bad thing per-se as I like to tinker.
I like mine a lot, and its definatley the best bang for your buck Honeycomb tablet out there right now. Although I do wish it had the form factor / looks of the Galaxy 10.1, the HDMI out and Micro SD card slot are oh so nice to have, especially for $100 less
The build quality and lightbleed issues are the only downsides to the tablet in my opinion. I got one with a few creaks in the back and some light bleed, but I just look past it. Its not enough for me to sell or go through ASUS to replace it. Still works great for me. Also, not all of the tablets have this, and Im hoping the newer builds have been fixed.
If your thinking about getting one, I would definatley consider it. Great tablet and a great price right now.
Other big plus is that Asus is really quick at getting the Honeycomb updates out. We've got Honeycomb 3.2 already which is great.
rilot said:
Always hard to get objective views on a product specific forum.
I'm in a love/hate relationship with it at the moment. I love the form factor and the functionality. I hate the lack of tablet optimized apps/games and the awful build quality.
To me, it feels like a beta product. This isn't a bad thing per-se as I like to tinker.
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Click to collapse
I definitely feel like im a beta tester, but I dont really consider it a bad thing. I enjoy using new equipment and working out kinks. Just wish i didnt have to pay so much for it . That being said, a lot of the kinks are worked out now from my experience.
Keyboard lag is gone. Havnt had a sleep of death since the first update. Everythings running a lot smoother with the last firmware update.
Its replaced my laptop in class more or less completely. I use evernote and ezpdf to take notes and its wonderful.
do you use any of the attachments?
I got a Transformer and didn't regret, that I bought it. I got it without dock, because I only wanted a nice tablet ... for everything else I have an i7 notebook with 6 GB RAM.
If I can recommend it? Maybe ... depends on what you want to do with it.
Regarding quality control ... it's the fortune of the early adopter nowadays to be a beta tester. Example: I also got me a Galaxy S2 and though I'm very happy with it, the S2 forum here at XDA is full of complaints about QC.
jnad32 said:
do you use any of the attachments?
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The keyboard is the big attachment and its really the selling point of the tablet. If you anticipate ever using it then the TF is the way to go, if you dont anticipate ever using it then you could be happy with the Samsung, albeit with no SD card and costing a lot more.
The TF has a great screen, its flexible and its cheap. Its not built as well as an ipad (or the other android tablets) but I havent had any functional issues with its built, its not like its breaking on me. Its just you can feel the difference in the "tightness" between the two.
Being said I ended up buying a second for the girlfriend, tired of her constantly using mine.
I got mine in the first batch to come out- from TD. I have had no real issues accept a tiny light bleed- build quality is great for mine. no creaking etc.
It has done everything i ask of it and thrown at it. I use mine for about 70% work related with notes at meeting, signatures on contracts, email, polaris app etc. Even skype calling..
Constantly listening to music watching movies etc. Never had any issues with Battery usage.
I think it has gotten better with each update. Yes little bugs here and there after an update ut usually fixed or have work around within 24 hours. That stuff doesnt bother me.
I never got the keyboard because i felt it was an option that i would never really use so i invested in a nice case- ( PDAIR ) I love the concept of the keyboard but just wasn;t going to use itand did no need the extra bulk.
For me never needed to root it yet (maybe down the road ) but for now it is great as stock.
Last thing i will say is there have been alot of new choices out since i have bought it... yes they might have had a thing or 2 that the TF did not have but i never have second guessed my choice.
Good luck.
Well you get 16hrs of battery life with the dock. No other tablet has this kind of a feature at this price point.
The screen quality and responsiveness is in the top quartile of tablets released so far.
I am pretty happy with my purchase. 10x better build quality than the Archos 101 I purchased earlier!
I absolutely love my TF, probably best 399$ I have ever spent on gadget, mine also comes with some light bleed, other than that, build quality is great. Have 2 Ipad2 in the house and they both have worst light bleed.
Would I suggest this tablet to a friend over other Android tablet? Yes, best tablet in the market IMO.
Over an Ipad2? Probably not unless someone familiar with Android and a geek just like me...
tonyz3 said:
I got mine in the first batch to come out- from TD. I have had no real issues accept a tiny light bleed- build quality is great for mine. no creaking etc.
It has done everything i ask of it and thrown at it. I use mine for about 70% work related with notes at meeting, signatures on contracts, email, polaris app etc. Even skype calling..
Constantly listening to music watching movies etc. Never had any issues with Battery usage.
I think it has gotten better with each update. Yes little bugs here and there after an update ut usually fixed or have work around within 24 hours. That stuff doesnt bother me.
I never got the keyboard because i felt it was an option that i would never really use so i invested in a nice case- ( PDAIR ) I love the concept of the keyboard but just wasn;t going to use itand did no need the extra bulk.
For me never needed to root it yet (maybe down the road ) but for now it is great as stock.
Last thing i will say is there have been alot of new choices out since i have bought it... yes they might have had a thing or 2 that the TF did not have but i never have second guessed my choice.
Good luck.
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Click to collapse
So my question to you is my boss has an ipad that we use for our invoices and paper work to get people to sign off on pdf files and what not. Does android have an app that lets you do that? And overall how good is it for work?
I got my U.S. Transformer a few weeks ago, and I enjoy using it very much:
With my PC, most of the time is spent going on the Web, so on the Transformer I just set up bookmarks for my most frequently visited sites in both the stock browser and the Dolphin for Pad (downloaded from the Market) browser and that takes care of my usual browsing needs. Email is now handled through the stock Gmail app, so again most of that can be done on the Transformer side.
For music, I've started using Google Music to upload my stuff, so I can just stream down to my Transformer through WiFi. For videos, I had already encoded a lot of stuff to MP4 format using Handbrake to play on my phone. But with ES File Explorer installed on my Transformer, I can now keep those MP4 files on my networked server and then stream them to the stock video player. This all works great and takes up no local storage.
Games that I had on my smartphone are all installed onto the Transformer and work fine. I've also found that classic game console emulators work quite well on the Transformer.
If I'm desperate to watch Hulu or Netflix (without any hacked or rooted methods), the MyCloud > My Desktop > SplashTop method works acceptably well.
Painting with SketchBook Pro is quite fun with this fantastic paid app, and I'm looking into various do-it-yourself stylus methods to enhance the experience.
I haven't had the need yet to use Polaris Office yet, but after reading user reviews, it looks to be a very capable Office app when compared with other non-free competitors, and I actually appreciate Asus for giving this for us.
The build quality, in my opinion, is quite nice. I don't have any LCD light bleed issues. The LCD itself is great with fantastic viewing angles. The built-in speakers are surprisingly loud. The touch screen is very responsive. And the textured plastic back panel keeps the whole unit lighter and gives it a nice feel.
The only negatives I have are:
Camera - absolutely terrible, especially when using indoor lighting. But I already know that the video and photo taking experience on almost all tablets is not good anyway, so I never expected much. I almost never use the stock camera app. I have Vignette installed on my Transformer for the heck of it, but this rarely gets used either. I leave picture taking to my digital camera and my smartphone.
Browser - for some sites, I get slowdowns with both the stock browser and Dolphin for Pad. With Android 3.1, I experienced quite a bit of force closings with the stock browser. It's improved with 3.2, but it still happens. I find it hard to believe that Google makes such a good browser as Chrome but has such a mediocre one for Honeycomb.
Linux support - the only thing I ask for is the simplicity of plugging my Transformer into my Linux PC and have access to its SD and MicroSD cards. But I have to jump through the hoop of running a few lines in Terminal just to get those drives mounted and unmounted. It's a pain, and I wish it was as easy as the Windows experience.
Since using my Transformer more and more, my smartphone has pretty much been relegated back to being just a phone which is fine. This morning I began charging my Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 once it dropped to 1% battery power...and it had been running on that one full charge for 174-hours-33-minutes! I'll still use the phone for navigation and portable music after I get over the honeymoon period with the Transformer, but right now using my smart phone just isn't the same any more.
So since I've gotten the Transformer, I've made a conscious effort to reduce using my PC and my smartphone, and it's worked out great as a personal computing device. For a business environment, there might not be enough apps to support various needs just yet, but it'll get there, I'm sure. The Transformer is a very good bang-for-the-buck kind of device, and I have no regrets about having it.
Enjoy my tablet a great deal. I actually use it more than i thought i would. Im constantly looking for new apps that will make this into my swiss army knife.
I use splashtop a lot, and now added a Wake on Lan app which now has got me the bright idea to go out and purchase a home server...lol
build quality is definitely not the greatest. Personally, i dont think it compares to the newer tablets coming out. (build)
Dont own the keyboard. Im waiting for a good deal down the road when it drop to around $100. by then, i figure, ill give the TF to my wife (with a keyboard), and ill jump on to the newest tablet. (maybe TF2)
Im a first time android/tablet buyer and user, so i came with no expectations..
Ill know what to look for in my next purchase though.
(so, i guess im a beta tester)
jnad32 said:
So my question to you is my boss has an ipad that we use for our invoices and paper work to get people to sign off on pdf files and what not. Does android have an app that lets you do that? And overall how good is it for work?
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Click to collapse
There are applications that let you fill out and/or sign PDF files. Adobe also has an app that converts things to PDF. Ive used my TF to fill out forms and sign them multiple times.
jnad32 said:
So my question to you is my boss has an ipad that we use for our invoices and paper work to get people to sign off on pdf files and what not. Does android have an app that lets you do that? And overall how good is it for work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are alot of choices for this. I use Repligo PDF and love it.After i sign or client signs,on the TF I email it and looks just as clear as original.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.cerience.reader.app&feature=search_result
worth the $4.99 investment,
Love mine, I'm confident I made the right choice. £400 for a tablet-only device is not a wise spend. £400 for a tablet AND a netbook IS thou...
Aside from the keyboard drain (which is being fixed under RMA as we speak), I have no issues whatsoever with my device, and overjoyed with it.
jnad32 said:
So my question to you is my boss has an ipad that we use for our invoices and paper work to get people to sign off on pdf files and what not. Does android have an app that lets you do that? And overall how good is it for work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd be very surprised if there is any app that iPad can do, that Android can't, as because of Android's open and less restrictive nature, you won't find missing apps, because "Apple don't like it, or Apple can't make money from it, or it cuts into Apple's buisness".
My TF is all good I have no problems with my tablet, maybe one of the lucky ones or just the fact that those few who have bad units choose to come to forums like this to seek advice and let everyone know how bad their unit is. With the dock it is an amazing bit of kit, I have tried the xoom, Acer and the Gtab, and unless you want form over function the TF is the best of the current bunch. As all the present android tablets running honeycomb are running the same os and internal spec. My own preference would be ports and functionality, screen, speed of updates and build quality. For me the TF ticks all the boxes.
Xoom, highintial price, lack of support and working ports, poor screen
Gtab, lack of ports, slow updates from Samsung.
I like the design of the TF especially when combined with the dock, equal to any high end net book, Asus have done a great job with amazing fore sight, it is original only the Gtab is thinner and that is purely because it is an I pad clone.
I would think the units with defects are no different to apple I pad or even the Gtab on a percentage basis, plenty of apple units go back to their stores.
With regards to being beta testers, we are with regards android for tablets, like we were back in the 90,s with win 3.11. My recommendation to anyone wanting a android tablet with the best all-round functionality at the best price, get the TF.
Had my TF about two weeks now, and am yet to have any issues with it. I love peoples reactions when I undock the screen though, it's brilliant.
Has anyone tried to use the Note to replace a phone, tablet and laptop? If so how successful was it and was there anything you could not do such as printing?
It can't replace a laptop but it can do quite a bit including printing.
I'd be able to do many things with the Note if I had to if my laptop broke. But for everyday use - no way. Playing games, reading stuff, browsing, media etc. - yes. Writing an official letter several pages long comfortably- no.
Basically, no it can't replace a laptop but it'll replace a phone and tablet quite easily (in fact, tablets will seem excessively bulky after you get used to the Note). Perhaps in a few months/years when developers actually make good software for Android that rivals that of Apple's App Store, it could replace a laptop, but until then it won't.
It's quite capable hardware-wise of replacing all three but its missing the software component of it - the software available on the Market and preinstalled just isn't taking full advantage of the phone's capabilities. It's sad, really. Hopefully this will change with ICS and the release of the Pen SDK.
Depends on what you use your laptop for. If its just browsing the web and some multimedia stuff then maybe. If its things like word processing then probably no.
Gaugerer said:
Has anyone tried to use the Note to replace a phone, tablet and laptop? If so how successful was it and was there anything you could not do such as printing?
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Gaugerer said:
Has anyone tried to use the Note to replace a phone, tablet and laptop? If so how successful was it and was there anything you could not do such as printing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will never replace a Laptop/Notebook. At least NOT in the next 5-10 years to say a minimum. Before everyone starts shooting at me... Why? I will try to explain my opinion in a simple manner:
A Desktop/Tower PC: You have a keyboard and a screen but its not portable.
Laptop/Notebook(13"-18.4"): You have a screen and a keyboard and it's portable.
Netbooks(10"-13"): You again got have a screen and a keyboard and it's portable but the small screen is not very comfortable to use. Subjective so NO bushing please. For me it's not, but I agree those tiny things are very portable.
Tablet(7"-10.1"): Good performance, NO hardware keyboard on most, virtual typing on flat surface or even in a angle NOT very comfortable for long typings and (usually)half the screen is GONE also and it's NOT even near to a Laptop/Notebook/Netbook's usage comfortability.
For everyone else that does not require often writing or specific tasks, it's near perfect.
Tablet(7"-10.1") with keyboard dock: Android might be good, but is NOWHERE near or close to Windows or OCX or Linux as every day usage for almost everything.
And also to be honest here. A Tablet with a keyboard dock? Then the main difference with the Netbooks, is the Operating system. Think about it.
And last but NOT least, Phoneblets: Same performance as Tablets, PERFECT MIX to a phone and a tablet, it CAN indeed replace them, but it will NOT directly replace the Tablets(might replace it for some that are satisfied with 5.3", like me) or neither any above categories for the above aforementioned reasons.
The main reason is the smaller screen. A 7-10.1" might not be very pocketable, but it's much more easy to work on those screen sizes.
Everything exists in it's own category. Before you ask why, because other people need/want what we DO NOT need or want. E.g: I don't need Tablets, I own a Notebook/Laptop which is a 18.4".
Why that screen size? Because I need/want a 17-18" Laptop/Notebook. Like people need/want a Tablet or a Netbook or a Phoneblet or a economic car, while others don't care and get a 5.0L V8 instead of a 2-3L Hybrid.
In the end? They will give us/make what the Market Demands. That's all there is to it. Market demand and profit. Where's a Market to get into, there's profit. If not, they move on.
P.S: While I love my GNote and I never owned personally a Tablet (had a GTab for 2 weeks), if I had own one, it would have replaced it. Hell, I barely use my Laptop now(fiance does tho ) and mostly I'm on my Desktop and my GNote.
And productivity is going very well also. GNote for social "work" and some quick emails(also some games, funny apps, killing time, oh and calling) and if I need something more "advance" or specific, I just use my PC.
But when I visit friends, I usually take the Laptop/Notebook with me. Even if I love my GNote it cannot replace it as of now. But the future is looking very promising tbh.
Gaugerer said:
Has anyone tried to use the Note to replace a phone, tablet and laptop? If so how successful was it and was there anything you could not do such as printing?
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The obvious answer is, of course, what do you do?
The biggest difference between a laptop and a smartphone is the operating system. Only being able to have one app open at once is a dealbreaker as far as productivity goes. And that's just one difference.
People bring up mouse/keyboard but you can use a bluetooth keyboard/mouse with the Note. So that's irrelevant.
Highly dense text/apps would be much easier on the eyes with a tablet. I've already hit a few games that had just unbearably small text. The new amazon store has quite small text, but still readable.
As a phone - no question it works, unless you tend to use pockets that would be too small to hold the note. ( The note is far more pocketable than people think though ).
- Frank
I have found very little use for my laptop since I bought the Note.
My main machine is a desktop with 2x 24" monitors, so that's where my design work happens. Anything else is a satellite to my desktop, and the Note replaces both my old Android (Desire HD/Ace) and my laptop for pretty much everything, with the added advantage of having stylus input. Being able to write to USB stick over OTG cable is a big win too.
I used to have a tablet, but a 7" device isn't pocketable so I left it at home all the time. The Note is small enough to pocket but big enough to show clients images, layouts, videos, Flash, and to annotate effectively, especially with the laptop-level resolution.
I haven't received my Note yet. I get it next Wednesday.
But as a Dell Streak, HP TouchPad, and Macbook Pro owner my usage ranking is; Macbook Pro, Dell Streak, then TouchPad.
I like the larger tablet with some activities, but as an all around tablet I take the smaller 5" Streak every time. The Note will do everything my Streak does but better.
Soon, I'll just be a Macbook Pro and Note owner. I think that's my ideal form factors... and there is a specific void they both fill well.
Gaugerer said:
Has anyone tried to use the Note to replace a phone, tablet and laptop?
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replacing laptop? what have you been smoking son?
There are many "levels" of laptops. From netbooks to workstations. You have to be more specific. I mean do you think the Gnote can replace my W520 that I use to run adobe software while driving three external monitors?
investmenttechnology said:
replacing laptop? what have you been smoking son?
There are many "levels" of laptops. From netbooks to workstations. You have to be more specific. I mean do you think the Gnote can replace my W520 that I use to run adobe software while driving three external monitors?
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For those that use the Laptops just for surfing the net, occasional e-mailing, some text writing and in general very, very basic stuff, then yes, it possible to replace them.
But then again laptops for the mentioned usage(performance wise) are much cheaper than the Note.
for me it easily replace phone (htc hd2 runnig android) and tablet (galaxy tab 7" still prefer tab over note over ebook while i have both under my hand) but laptop i dont think so as koniakki said if you only surf, email, office it may replace laptop for you at some situations but generally it cant replace laptop.
let's have some more inputs on this from note/note 2 users.....
can it really replace a laptop...?
for someone who is mostly uses the laptop for surfing the web, listening to music, watching videos reading ebooks/pdf and travels often carrying the laptop around, Can the note/note 2 be considered a laptop replacement device....?!?
No it can't replace laptop completely. I use btooth keyboard and mouse and it almost replaces laptop until when I need to do serious photo editing or work on a complex excel sheet or compile few c# codes. These exceptions are once in a blue moon stuff and hence I wouldn't feel comfortable to give up laptop for Note or Android tablets. Windows 8 tablet may finally replace laptop.
Sent from GNote.
willstay said:
No it can't replace laptop completely. I use btooth keyboard and mouse and it almost replaces laptop until when I need to do serious photo editing or work on a complex excel sheet or compile few c# codes. These exceptions are once in a blue moon stuff and hence I wouldn't feel comfortable to give up laptop for Note or Android tablets. Windows 8 tablet may finally replace laptop.
Sent from GNote.
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+1
Although the Note is an epic device, and can do almost anything, For situations like that ^^ it cannot replace a laptop / pc
I use mine for everything, I do all my emailing / surfing / movie /music watching + streaming on the Note ( Mainly because im too lazy to move to the other side of the room to access the PC lol)
I would imaging for your average user then yes, It can / could replace a laptop, But at some point there will be a moment where you think 'Damn it ! wouldn't this just be easier on my computer?'
I must also add, Im super lazy, I have remote desktop app on my Note so I can access my computer and print files without leaving the sofa, I also have the Viera connect app so I can control my TV when I cannot be bothered to reach over for the remote control lol..... All I need now is for someone to pump my chest every few seconds so I dont have to waste energy breathing :laugh:
I adore my Note. Still it will never replace my PC/laptop. The specific reason for me is productivity. Productivity means MS Office, Digital Audio Workstations, large screen, large and higher precision input devices (mouse, normal size keyboard). Although I have been able to tackle some productivity tasks using the Note - "send me a PDF of the paper document you filed at the registry office", "take a look at this excel and tell me when it can be ready" etc.
Hm, now that I think of it - I often read XDA on the Note but have written only 1 post from the Note - I'd really rather do it using a normal keyboard.
well before my htc desire broke down i was planing to buy tablet... and when it broke down i had no choice but to use my money to buy new phone... i had to chose between sony xperia s (i think, cant be sure now) and note... i chose note cos i hoped that it will satisfy my need for tablet...
it didnt.
i end up buying tablet few months later
so NO! it cant replace not even tablet, and definitely not pc/laptop
tatkovladko said:
I adore my Note. Still it will never replace my PC/laptop. The specific reason for me is productivity. Productivity means MS Office, Digital Audio Workstations, large screen, large and higher precision input devices (mouse, normal size keyboard). Although I have been able to tackle some productivity tasks using the Note - "send me a PDF of the paper document you filed at the registry office", "take a look at this excel and tell me when it can be ready" etc.
Hm, now that I think of it - I often read XDA on the Note but have written only 1 post from the Note - I'd really rather do it using a normal keyboard.
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I agree. Note hardly replaces my notebook for the productivity. However, it can be used as a substitute while you travel light. Reading and sending emails, paying bills, communicating, reading news and books, watching movies, listening music, playng games all are possible. Great gadget for me. The best.
Sent from my GT-N7000
I stopped bothering switching on my laptop long before i got the GNote.
No.