Database Users

Archos Tablets vs Galaxy Tab

I'm sure the Galaxy Tab will be slightly more powerful... But I can't believe by much.
The Archos Tablets are coming out late September-mid October.
There will be many different sizes... 10.1", 7", 4.3"... etc.
I see people saying the Galaxy tab will cost more than 600$. That's absurd.
All of Archos's tablets are <$300
I own a Vibrant, and believe me, I love it. But I personally will be getting an Archos 10.1 . $299 isn't asking for much.
What do you think.
http://www.archos.com/products/ta/index.html?country=us&lang=en
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Of course I am expecting some sort of hack to run the Market on the Archos... that's honestly the only down side but not necesarily a deal breaker.

I would be really hesistant to get an Archos tablet - they've been putting these out for a little while now, but their track record has not been great. Maybe this will change with their new designs - I hadn't heard or read up on the Archos 70 - but they just released the Archos Home 7 a few months ago, and it was not particularly well received.
EDIT: The Archos spec sheet says they are using an ARM A8 based processor, so it could be on par with the A8-based Hummingbird in terms of CPU power - no mention of what GPU is being used though. The GPU on the Hummingbird is an absolute (mobile) beast.

I honestly was about to buy a Z-180 til i heard of the Archos.
And yes... the GPU on the Galaxy S's are supreme...
10.1" Galaxy Tab = king. 7" is too small for me for a tablet. Tablet = halfway between smart phone and netbook. 7" tablet = halfway between smartphone and tablet. Lol

Spec wise, id say the Gtab has a great edge just because of its on board gpu. What you need to think about is how much of a difference that makes to you.
If you just want normal stuff, then no big deal. If you want to play 3d games or play true high def content then the Tab looks way better. If not then well.... The opposite.
Personally I think the archos is just for watching stuff, and the Tab is more of a daily driver.
I wouldn't think about pricing just yet, because until we get numbers from samsung, everything is bull****. Just cast it from your mind.
For me, the Tab is the right size. The appeal is that it'll fit in a coat pocket, or you can just toss out into a bag. 10 inches is huge (anyone who just smirked: shame on you!) and although the nice big screen is ok at home, to me its just impractical in public, particularly since you have to grasp it, not just let it rest in your hand.
Finally, does the archos have a phone in it? That would make.a difference to me to be honest.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

Yeah it's all down to personal preference about 7" or 10"... A tablet would be more of an 'at-home' thing for me... My phone is for the go aha.
I'm sure the Archos would be able to handle some 3d games though. We'll see...
They both hop on the 1GHz. I don't know much about Archos GPU though.

andershizzle said:
Yeah it's all down to personal preference about 7" or 10"... A tablet would be more of an 'at-home' thing for me... My phone is for the go aha.
I'm sure the Archos would be able to handle some 3d games though. We'll see...
They both hop on the 1GHz. I don't know much about Archos GPU though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yeah, the archos should handle the games and stuff as well as an equivalently specced phone, its certainly no slouch. Just the tab is 'better'.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

I'm in the same dilemma right now too...not sure whether to go with the archos 7 inch or 10 inch....or whether to buy the galaxy tab....and a major deciding factor will be the pricing of the tab once its announced...

Yes if the Tab is any more than 400 I probably will go with the Archos... Can't beat $299

The only thing about the GPU in the Hummingbird is that there is nothing to do (yet) with all that power. It's in a league of it's own when it comes to graphics horsepower, and until we see more Android devices take up the PowerVR SGX540 GPU, I doubt we'll see anything take advantage of that power.
Hell, unless/until we start playing games at 720p on TV/Monitors via HDMI, it's not entirely clear we need that kind of graphics processing either. Take a look at the "Epic Citadel" tech demo of the Unreal 3 engine running on the iPhone 4 (which uses the less powerful PowerVR 535 I think) to see what can be accomplished with a GPU with 1/3 the power of the Hummingbird.

Comparing things like that cross platform is fairly useless.
There ate several things that can run on my iphone's old hardware and i know if it were in Android with the same hardware it would run like a dog. Look at Symbian. Very.few Symbian phones use "modern" hardware, but Symbian has no problem with lag.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

mesasone said:
The only thing about the GPU in the Hummingbird is that there is nothing to do (yet) with all that power. It's in a league of it's own when it comes to graphics horsepower, and until we see more Android devices take up the PowerVR SGX540 GPU, I doubt we'll see anything take advantage of that power.
Hell, unless/until we start playing games at 720p on TV/Monitors via HDMI, it's not entirely clear we need that kind of graphics processing either. Take a look at the "Epic Citadel" tech demo of the Unreal 3 engine running on the iPhone 4 (which uses the less powerful PowerVR 535 I think) to see what can be accomplished with a GPU with 1/3 the power of the Hummingbird.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you put it like that, then I'd say that the added GPU power adds a degree of future proofing. I suspect that what with the slew of droid based tablets arriving, people will start developing things that take advantage of the screen size. Particularly since tablets have a lot more battery so you can game for a lot longer, and thus might be interested in prettier visual.
Food for thought anyway.
The equivalent 7" archos is a great looking device tho. Although, can someone fill me in on a few things (i know nothing of the devices). Firstly, the spec just says the GPU is '3d OpenGL' but doesn't say the actual chip set. Would like to know what it is. Secondly, it says up to 250gigs, and I assumed that was a choice of internal flash-drives, but the spec sheet has 8gig flash and 250gig HD. Does that mean you connect a HD with USB or a changeable 2.5" drive or something ?
Certainly would help me understand

As long as it has decent quality and runs latest stock android.
Sent from galaxy s. JG4 + oneclick lag fix version 2.3

BigJayDogg3 said:
Comparing things like that cross platform is fairly useless.
There ate several things that can run on my iphone's old hardware and i know if it were in Android with the same hardware it would run like a dog. Look at Symbian. Very.few Symbian phones use "modern" hardware, but Symbian has no problem with lag.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uh, like what specifically?

Heavy gunner.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

LostAlone said:
If you put it like that, then I'd say that the added GPU power adds a degree of future proofing. I suspect that what with the slew of droid based tablets arriving, people will start developing things that take advantage of the screen size. Particularly since tablets have a lot more battery so you can game for a lot longer, and thus might be interested in prettier visual.
Food for thought anyway.
The equivalent 7" archos is a great looking device tho. Although, can someone fill me in on a few things (i know nothing of the devices). Firstly, the spec just says the GPU is '3d OpenGL' but doesn't say the actual chip set. Would like to know what it is. Secondly, it says up to 250gigs, and I assumed that was a choice of internal flash-drives, but the spec sheet has 8gig flash and 250gig HD. Does that mean you connect a HD with USB or a changeable 2.5" drive or something ?
Certainly would help me understand
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's an 8GB Flash Memory 7" tablet, expandable with Micro SD, and then there's a 7" tablet with an actual internal 250GB Hard Drive.
The 10" has a 8GB internal (micro SD expandable) for 299$ and 16GB internal (micro SD expandable) for 349$

Ah ok I get ya.
I assumed that it was one device with aftermarket add ons *facepalm* the 250gig version sounds pretty GOOD in theory at least
WARNING - LONG POST AHEAD
Anyways, I think what will make the real difference to the choice will be how much you want mobile data. There seems to be two schools of thought on how to use a tablet device here:
a) Those who would be wanting a tablet to augment their current device.
b) Those who see a small form factor tablet as a total alternative.
For those in camp A, the archos has to be a better device. Not only because of cost, but the extra capacity is definitely a head turner.
For those in camp B, the Tabs 3g radio and actual phone capabilities wins the game hands down.
Personally I am much more of a B. I would certainly be happy with an archos. However, since Im not the kind of person who would use it at home, it'd only do service as a media device on long trips. And it'd make me happy in that capacity.
However, since the Tab offers that same performance (less capacity, but I can't see why I would ever need to load up 250gigs of anything) and extras, I just see myself using it more. In my head I can see me using it to hold my notes or whatever I'm working from, and then I can just kick over to a web browser to find what I need or take calls or whatever, all in one device. Of course, I can still use my phone as a phone and my Tab the same as the archos, but I have the choice.
I think that the times I am sitting on a station waiting for a train or whatever, I would kick myself for not having the data use, and anytime where I have to scrabble through my pockets for my phone.
Am still waiting on pricing of course. If the Tab is ridiculously priced (I maintain that this isn't likely to happen) then I may well say screw it and get an archos or indeed another tablet, because much as I love the tab, I'm only willing to pay so much for what I see as the bonuses of using one. If the Tab is competitively priced against the archos, I can't see why anyone would buy the archos (unless they are comitted to carrying a silly amount of media), because even if you never use the added 3g functionality, you know its there. I figure a lot of people will be waiting on the pricing, because if the Tab is say 50-100 bucks more than the archos, its a no brainer. 100-150 more, and its a personal preference. Any more than that and its to much.
The TLDR version:
With my lifestyle, the phoneness of the Tab makes it a real winner. To others, perhaps not, but then again we all have to make our own choices as to what device/s fits for us
MOD EDIT IN BOLD.

LostAlone said:
Ah ok I get ya.
BJD3's abbv. version.
I'd like a tablet that can replace my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is exactly the same boat im in. Id have to get one off contract since i just bought a captivate and plan on keeping it.
My thing is i just refuse to pay for two data plans, especially when i have AT&Ts grandfathered unlimited plan. And without 3G i can't justify the purchase of a tablet to myself.
So for me to even consider a tablet, it would HAVE to include a telephone. This is one reason i was so excited about the Streak, nut Dell kept dragging their feet bringing it to the US.
At this point, the Tab hits all my check marks, it just has to be priced somewhere south of 550 USD.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

I currently own and use an Archos 5IT 5" android tablet.
Hardware wise, it outperforms the T-mobile Galaxy S that my roommate uses, with a processor that is clocked at 600mhz. I do not remember the chipset information off the top of my head, but it is a TI chip that has some solid power on the graphics side, and OpenGL support is available now with the latest firmware updates.
The biggest issue with Archos 5IT is that while updates have been constant for the device, there is no plans to put Android 2.0+ on the device, it is currently running 1.6 and will continue to do so until a 3rd party is able to port over something newer.
The new Archos tablets will not have any "phone parts" included in them, that is part of the reason for the lower price.
It will also include their standard Archos Media Center addin, which is a rather nice full function media application that runs overtop Android on the 5IT. I use their built in media center application over any Android based ones due to its simple UI and built in access to network shares, and all in all its pretty solid.
Otherwise, I have had nothing but good things to say about the device, in spite of its few quirks, most of which are being addressed with the newest models.

I plan on using my Vibrant's "MobileAP" for 3g Data on Archos if ever needed. Why pay for two plans? Heh. So the phone capabilities don't mean much for me. Even then it'd be an at home kind of system.

Ill admit the Archos is a good tablet, but two things keep me from getting it.
It lacks a multitouch screen, and it doesn't have a 3G connection.
While I'd prefer a capacitive screen, but if the screen is like the one in my Fuze, i can deal with that, and as I've said, i can't justify a tablet if any size if it diesnt have a SIM card slot.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

Hardware & Software

I like the 8.9 although it will depend if it has all the stuff the 10.1 has dual wifi antennas, surround sound speakers(not a big deal, headphones), will all the accessories for 10.1 be for 8.9 like the dock or BT headset?
Touch wiz not a big deal...camera, ill use my phone why would u solely use a tab to take pics? you wouldnt...
the BT also was said in presentation to have a vibrating effect when u get calls, does that mean GT10.1 and 8.9 will both support that feature?
Just the little things make the difference...also
i would like to know which one feels better when using it or watching movies, or games, ect.

If the difference is 30$, I would blindly go with the 10.1 as it has a bigger screen

thats a reasonable argument if you are worried about the price.
ill pay the extra 30 either way i just want to know which is easier to operate while holding it.
the screen size is a little important although if the display is nice 8.9 will do i had the 7in tab and it was ok with movies but it needed to be bigger and they both are so they r both considered.

thenewak said:
thats a reasonable argument if you are worried about the price.
ill pay the extra 30 either way i just want to know which is easier to operate while holding it.
the screen size is a little important although if the display is nice 8.9 will do i had the 7in tab and it was ok with movies but it needed to be bigger and they both are so they r both considered.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I frankly feel an extra 1.2 inch diagonal increase in screen dimensions would not cause operational frustrations by any means
Also, I still don't understand why they need a 8.9 and 10.1 tablets, when both of them are nearly the same form factor devices. They might have avoided 8.9 and just redesigned the 7" to be thinner and release the new 7" and the 10.1.

Srikar_NBK said:
I frankly feel an extra 1.2 inch diagonal increase in screen dimensions would not cause operational frustrations by any means
Also, I still don't understand why they need a 8.9 and 10.1 tablets, when both of them are nearly the same form factor devices. They might have avoided 8.9 and just redesigned the 7" to be thinner and release the new 7" and the 10.1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd generally agree, but the 8.9" and 10.1" are quite a bit different in size, the diagonal difference doesn't really do well to explain the actual square inches in screen real estate difference. Not to mention that the 8.9" is a full .30lb lighter (the weight diff is certainly all battery). Very noticeable at that weight im sure.
That being said, not sure who all would choose to get the 8.9" considering the $30 price difference.

I am leaning 90% towards picking up 8.9".
Both 8.9" and 10.1" have
the same resolution 1280x800.
the same screen technology (PLS) <--- corrected Thanks StuMcBill
But, I like 8.9" because of the lighter weight and a bit smaller.
Of course, I would certainly wait complete reviews ... owner reviews ... to know exactly the ins and outs
As long as the 6000 mAH can maintain 10 hours video, that's fine with me
martonikaj said:
I'd generally agree, but the 8.9" and 10.1" are quite a bit different in size, the diagonal difference doesn't really do well to explain the actual square inches in screen real estate difference. Not to mention that the 8.9" is a full .30lb lighter (the weight diff is certainly all battery). Very noticeable at that weight im sure.
That being said, not sure who all would choose to get the 8.9" considering the $30 price difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

gogol said:
Both 8.9" and 10.1" have
the same resolution 1280x800.
the same screen technology (IPS)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's Super PLS AFAIK.
And I am being torn at the mo between 10.1 and 8.9, I will need to wait and see reviews and full confirmed specs before I decide.
Also, they haven't even been confirmed outside the US yet.
Sent from my Amiga 500 using Workbench

gogol said:
I am leaning 90% towards picking up 8.9".
Both 8.9" and 10.1" have
the same resolution 1280x800.
the same screen technology (PLS) <--- corrected Thanks StuMcBill
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I see in the press conference at CTIA, the 8.9 doesn't have a MicroSD slot. They specifically stated that only the 8.9 required an adaptor to their proprietary connector in order to plug in a MicroSD card.
For me this is a HUGE deal. The inclusion of MicroSD allows me to buy the $100 cheaper $499 16gb version of the 10.1 and add my own MicroSD card for cheaper than the $100 bump to a 32gb model.

martonikaj said:
From what I see in the press conference at CTIA, the 8.9 doesn't have a MicroSD slot. They specifically stated that only the 8.9 required an adaptor to their proprietary connector in order to plug in a MicroSD card.
For me this is a HUGE deal. The inclusion of MicroSD allows me to buy the $100 cheaper $499 16gb version of the 10.1 and add my own MicroSD card for cheaper than the $100 bump to a 32gb model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the video here (http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/22/samsung-galaxy-tab-8-9-and-new-galaxy-tab-10-1-thinner-than-the/) when she is doing a walkthrough of the ports on the 8.9", she says there is a MicroSD slot.
Looking at the picture from Engadget - it appears that the "Connection Kit" is to connect a Standard SD card. It actually says SD Card and the picture looks like a Standard card!
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gogol said:
the same screen technology (PLS) <--- corrected Thanks StuMcBill
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No Probs!

Well that's good to know. The adaptor for standard SD connections must be for camera connection etc.
Sent from my CM7-powered T-Mobile G2

martonikaj said:
Well that's good to know. The adaptor for standard SD connections must be for camera connection etc.
Sent from my CM7-powered T-Mobile G2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder why its only for 8.9 though?
Pretty sure it will be hacked to work with the 10.1 though!

StuMcBill said:
I wonder why its only for 8.9 though?
Pretty sure it will be hacked to work with the 10.1 though!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely no idea. Doesn't make much sense.
Sent from my CM7-powered T-Mobile G2

Looking into this ... I think this is USB Host functionality, or not?
User can put standard SD Card into this connection kit and attach it to the tab.
Then user can read / copy / work on the content (files).
If not, then whats the use? I don't get it.
StuMcBill said:
In the video here (http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/22/samsung-galaxy-tab-8-9-and-new-galaxy-tab-10-1-thinner-than-the/) when she is doing a walkthrough of the ports on the 8.9", she says there is a MicroSD slot.
Looking at the picture from Engadget - it appears that the "Connection Kit" is to connect a Standard SD card. It actually says SD Card and the picture looks like a Standard card!
No Probs!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I wonder why it's only for 8.9?

martonikaj said:
That being said, not sure who all would choose to get the 8.9" considering the $30 price difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having owned several 7" Tablets and a few 10" as well, 8.9 seems the perfect fit for my needs. Mind you, I'll still use a 7" as well...it's just a matter of situational usage. 10.1" is just too awkward in most cases for me.

Bandage said:
Having owned several 7" Tablets and a few 10" as well, 8.9 seems the perfect fit for my needs. Mind you, I'll still use a 7" as well...it's just a matter of situational usage. 10.1" is just too awkward in most cases for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And the 8.9" is only 1lb. Which is a huge difference from the 1.33lbs of the 10.1". And they both offer the same battery life.

Comparison of Archos Gen9 to Kindle Tablet [Poll Added]

So as we all know Amazon released their tablet today. It's a bit underwhelming as far as I can tell, but the price point ($199) makes it extremely enticing. How do we think this will affect Archos (which is generally the best price/performance option up to now). Below are the tech specs for both.
Archos 80 Gen9 Technical Details
Display:
8”: 1024 x 768
OS:
Android
Processor:
Standard version: ARM dual-core CORTEX A9 OMAP™ 4 @ 1GHz.
Turbo version: ARM dual-core CORTEX A9 OMAP™ 4 @ 1.2GHz to 1.5GHz (at start of 2012).
Storage:
Flash Memory: 8 or 16GB* + microSD Slot (SDHC compatible)
Webcam:
720p front camera with 720p encoding
microSD (SDHC compatible)
Dimensions & weight:
Flash series: 226 mm x 155 mm x 11.7 mm (8.90 x 6.11 x 0.46 inch) - 465g (17 oz)
Amazon Kindle Tablet Technical Details
Display:
7" multi-touch display with IPS (in-plane switching) technology and anti-reflective treatment, 1024 x 600 pixel resolution at 169 ppi, 16 million colors.
OS:
Android (Amazon isn't specific but apparently it is Froyo with Amazon's custom skin)
Processor:
Dual-Core 1GHz Proc (Amazon isn't specific as to exact processor. It may be the same dual-core Cortex that Archos is using, but who knows.)
Storage:
8GB internal. That's enough for 80 apps, plus either 10 movies or 800 songs or 6,000 books. Plus Free cloud storage for all Amazon content
NO MicroSD Slot
Webcam:
None
Dimensions & Weight:
(in inches) 7.5" x 4.7" x 0.45" (190 mm x 120 mm x 11.4 mm). 14.6 ounces (413 grams).

The G9 80 is way overpriced. Ditto for the rest of the G9 line. The competition has spoken.
That, plus Amazon's brand strength, service, and distribution muscle, it's no contest. Many more people will be buying the KF than the G9, which in turns means there'll be a much larger modding community for the KF than the G9.
Archos' ace, the video player, is less of a factor with this new gen, since the 4430 is pretty capable with the software players as it is. With Dice Player, you can play the majority of 720p MKVs on Tegra 2. With the 4430, all 720p should be playable.
My hope is that B&N will match the KF's $200 price with its upcoming NC2. It will also have a 4430. It should prove to be better for modding than the KF, assuming the inclusion of a SD slot as with the current NC.
PS: In case it's not already known, the KF's SoC is already identified as a dual-core OMAP4, which can only mean the 4430.
---------- Post added at 07:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:42 PM ----------
http://sizeasy.com/page/size_comparison/33040-Archos-G9-101-vs-Archos-G9-80-vs-Kindle-Fire
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@e.mote
I think we all know that amazon will sell more tablet than archos
it is like h&m and a little but good clothes job
Archos just isn't so public, and the "ipad-factor" is still there, people still ask me if it my 101 an ipad...
This is the cause why the new archos tablets aren't so low priced (i think they are low-priced, but not enough for some persons) : archos doesnt have many empoyes, they haven't big deals with the manufactures in china and they just dont sell so much like apple or samsung...
in france archos is much more etablished than f.e. in germany
Nobody knows archos here, i bought the first android tablet from archos, and 5 of my friends bought an archos tablet i think this is because, archos is just so good known here..
i wish to archos that they will be more public this time!
Back to this thread:
I think this is a good comparison because two good tablets so i hit thanks for techngro
Greets,
Lenn

@Lenn
I think the Archos tabs are more appealing for Europeans than for non-EU folks because of pricing. Archos tabs are priced pretty close to exchange rate, whereas for most other tablets, the price is much more lopsided.
For example, the newly introduced (basic) Kindle is USD$79, but for the UK it's £89 ($139) or 76% more.
For the Archos 80 G9: $300 for US, £200 for UK (or $313), or 4% more.
The Archos G9 just isn't very compelling in the US, price-wise or performance-wise. And now, it seems like poor build quality is an issue as well,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FK37WbzToo
More details here,
http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=57231

wifi on the booth
but Bluetooth ? Gps ? 3G ?

The Kindle Tablt has WiFi and BT, but not GPS or 3G.
I also read that even though it will have access to Amazon's Android App Store, it will not have access to the official Google Market. If true, that's a bit of a bummer. I'm sure Amazon can just throw some money at devs to make sure all of the top apps are ready for launch. I hope this gets rooted though.

No camera, so no Video-Skype.
And after the experience with the Amazon-Market ( free app of the day ), i hope that the devs don't do anything in and for the Amazon market.
http://shiftyjelly.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/amazon-app-store-rotten-to-the-core/

Oh yeah, I totally forgot about their App of the Day stuff. That sucks for devs. I hope they change it. It sounds like the kind of thing that is ripe for a lawsuit with the confusing language that Amazon uses in their agreement.
Anyway, once it's rooted most people will go back to using the Google Market. I don't think I've even once downloaded anything from the Amazon App Store.

How about the battery? I wonder how long can these 2 devices standby in idle mod

e.mote said:
the newly introduced (basic) Kindle is USD$79, but for the UK it's £89 ($139) or 76% more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You compare "special offers" Kindle with ordinal one. The Kindle without ads costs $103 in the US, so difference isn't that much. Yes, as far as I know all electronics in the UK is more expensive comparing to States.
kiemthu123, nobody knows about the battery yet. Kindle Fire will be available to public after mid-November.

I need a tablet that has a strong battery so I can comfortably use in my study. My archos 70 now can not standby in idle mod for 10 days, the battery runs out rappidly, I dont know what 2 do with it now. So Im wanna sell it and wait 4 the archos 80 G9 1.5GHz and 1G ram or maybe I should buy an IPAD 2

missing some specs there
Even the low end g9 has HDMI output usb 2. in/out GPS. Does the kindle?

I think Amazon is going to boost the Battery of the Kindle. And this will be one huge selling point.
The other official Specs of the Kindle are not that overwhelming.
So the G9 will be better than Kindel if the build - quality is ok.

The lack of a memory card slot on the Kindle is really unfortunate, I think.

kiemthu123 said:
I need a tablet that has a strong battery so I can comfortably use in my study. My archos 70 now can not standby in idle mod for 10 days, the battery runs out rappidly, I dont know what 2 do with it now. So Im wanna sell it and wait 4 the archos 80 G9 1.5GHz and 1G ram or maybe I should buy an IPAD 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, I don't know a tablet that can do standby for 10 days. I know the Kindle can, but it is totally different. The Kindle has a different kind of screen (e-ink), and totally different internals. I think you will have to be satisfied with either a replaceable battery (there are a couple), or a tablet that can charge via usb so you can top it off while you're in class or studying at the library.
bwills said:
Even the low end g9 has HDMI output usb 2. in/out GPS. Does the kindle?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're totally right, the Kindle Tablet does not have an HDMI or even mini HDMI (like my A70) and no full usb port. It has a micro usb that can do host mode with an adapter (like my A70). This is particularly puzzling considering that Amazon is really trying to make this a media device primarily.
It does make more sense that GPS would be one of the casualties of Amazon trying to hit the lowest price point possible. I have a phone that I use GPS on. Almost every smartphone these days does. I don't suspect that many people really NEED GPS on their tablet.
ryahayabusa said:
I think Amazon is going to boost the Battery of the Kindle. And this will be one huge selling point.
The other official Specs of the Kindle are not that overwhelming.
So the G9 will be better than Kindel if the build - quality is ok.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, but one of the things holding me back from the Gen9 are the size (I really love the size of my A70) and the design. I don't like the two-tone grey and black and I think they could have made it thinner like the Gen8s.
arpruss said:
The lack of a memory card slot on the Kindle is really unfortunate, I think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is another issue that puzzles me. I understand that Amazon wants this to be a media streaming/cloud device. If that's the case, shouldn't it have included 3G data components. How can I store my stuff in the cloud if I don't always have access to it? I (personally) can tether to my phone and get 4G, but it just seems strange that they overlooked this point.

They didn't overlook that point.
1. 3G would have made the tablet more expensiv.
2. You as an US citicen know the price for a real data flatrate, Amazon didn't want to be accused to be expensive.

Yes I think there is no need for GPS on a tablet, I use my tablet in studying and reading books so maybe kindle is what I need. But I wanna wait until archos 80 G9 1.5 GHz 1G ram is on store, then I will make a decision of selling my archos 70 and buy a new one

fzelle said:
They didn't overlook that point.
1. 3G would have made the tablet more expensiv.
2. You as an US citicen know the price for a real data flatrate, Amazon didn't want to be accused to be expensive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They may not have "overlooked" it, but it's still puzzling all the same.
It's not like there aren't other tablets with 3G, and those tablets aren't marketing themselves as always connected "cloud" devices like Amazon is marketing the KT. They put 8GB and no microsd because you're supposed to use all of their streaming services for most of your media/content (video, music, Amazon Prime, etc).
Well, public wifi isn't ubiquitous yet, and not everyone can tether their phones (especially since carriers seem to be cracking down on tethering without a tethering plan). And if I want to stream a video, I'd like to be able to do it while waiting for\on the bus and not have to limit myself to Starbucks or McDonalds. I'm not saying that every tablet has to have 3G, but when you specifically market your device as a cloud device, it's strange that you don't even have an option for a 3G capable device.
It couldn't have cost them that much more to add a 3G (not 4G) radio. Or they could have done what Archos did with their Gen 9 and just add a sim card slot so you can use your already existing data plan when you want. I would gladly pay $250 for a 3G tablet. It's still half the price of the iPad and they're selling it at a loss at $199 anyway.

That's the problem.
Amazon wanted a sub $200 Price for retail with a dualcore ips tablet.
And therefore they sacrifised all the things technogeeks like us "need",
because they are targetting the "normal housewife", granny and co,
because there are alot more out there that would buy for that price.

fzelle said:
That's the problem.
Amazon wanted a sub $200 Price for retail with a dualcore ips tablet.
And therefore they sacrifised all the things technogeeks like us "need",
because they are targetting the "normal housewife", granny and co,
because there are alot more out there that would buy for that price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All i'm saying is that they could have at least given the option, given that they are pushing it as a cloud device. Let the grannies pay $199 for a wifi version, and let us technogeeks pay $250 for a 3G version. Which is probably what they'll do in some form eventually. There are rumors that the Kindle Fire is just a first taste, and they will be releasing both a 7" and 10" tablet with more features in Q1 of 2012.

Is the XOOM still relevant?

I'm in the market to get a new/first tablet. I've been looking around the web a bit. The new Asus transformer prime is sounding like a beast, but with the keyboard dock it will probably be fairly expensive and I'm not sure I really need that kind of power for my uses. Then I saw the new Xoom2 and I was intrigued but saw a lot of "it's barely an upgrade from the Xoom" kind of posts. After looking at the specs for Xoom and considering the fact that it will probably be significantly cheaper than the new gen of tablets, I'm possibly interested in it. Here's what I want from a tablet:
+Browsing - I want a tablet that is very capable of browsing the internet with ease and fluidity.
+Work/Note-taking/productivity - I want to be able to write articles and write down lecture notes very easily. How good is the typing experience on 10inch tablets with the virtual keyboard? There is always the bluetooth keyboard option I suppose.
+Movies/youtube - I want a tablet that's great for watching videos. How's the display on the Xoom?
+Front-facing camera - I need a tablet capable of doing video chat well. How good is the quality of the front facing camera and video chatting?
+Speed - I don't need a super-powered beast, but I need something that won't struggle on a day-to-day basis and that runs fast. How's the speed and fluidity on this tablet? With the Quad-core transformer prime coming, I want to know how this actually performs.
+Camcorder - In actuality I don't plan on using a tablet for its camera or camcorder, but I would have some use for good video recording on a tablet. Not really a factor in my decision, but how is the video recording quality on this thing?
+Design/styling - I've seen a lot of references to the thickness of the Xoom, but it does't look bad to me in pics/videos. How does this tablet actually look irl to you?
+Future Updates - I understand that this will be getting ICS. Not sure it will continue to get further updates. However, it is my belief that the original Xoom is bound to have probably the largest online community for a tablet for a while. That means that even if this doesn't get future updates, the community here will probably be able to support this tablet for quite a while (like the OG droid). Does that sound right?
+Pricing/availability - How much do new Xoom's tend to cost? Quick ebay search seemed to say around $450+ but that doesn't sound right. I suppose once the Xoom2 is released, motorola will reduce the price on their website.
+Your opinion - What is your overall opinion on the Xoom? Would you still recommend it?
Thanks

the browsing experience in xoom is fantastic
For me, typing is not too bad.. i nvr use a bt keyboard but a tablet stand with typing angle
The display quality of xoom is just normal.. anyway with good video player, the quality is still above average
Video chat works great on skype n gtalk
In stock 3.2, for me, with normal use, the speed is good enough. Anyway if u wan blazing fast u may root n flash custom roms n kernels .. n may overclock it too
Video recording is nice
For me the design is good n solid. Thickness of this device makes my fingers wont feel tired after a long use .. too slim may tired our finger

At this point in time the xoom is outdated. We all knew it would happen, hell every other month something new and shiny comes out.
Wait for the Transformer prime the first tegra 3 (quad core) tab.

tpham08901 said:
At this point in time the xoom is outdated. We all knew it would happen, hell every other month something new and shiny comes out.
Wait for the Transformer prime the first tegra 3 (quad core) tab.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know in comparison to what's coming, the specs of the XOOM seem outdated. However, I believe that the Transformer prime with the keyboard dock will be quite pricey (and who knows when it will get to Canada) whereas the XOOM shouldn't be. I want to know if the XOOM is right for my interests as mentioned in OP.

There is hardly any real difference between any of the "main" tablets out there right now. The hardware is essentially the same, the only real difference is with the types of ports the tablets have (USB, HDMI, microSD, etc). I chose the Xoom after the release of the Tab 10.1 because I hated how Samsung went with their proprietary dock for everything (like Apple does), and also the tab 10.1 feels like it would break easily. Yes, the Xoom is still very relevant, it has the same hardware as all of the other current tablets, has the best build quality, gets OS updates first, and has all of the ports you'll need. The only detractor is the LCD is not as bright as say the Tab 10.1. It's barely any thicker than the other tablets, but it is a bit heavier, mainly due to the fact that it isn't made out of thin plastic.

I too don't like the "plasticky" look and feel of the Galaxy tablets.
I was looking around and it seems that the Xoom has no haptic feedback? I find haptic feedback quite useful for touch typing. Has it been a drawback for your typing experience or does it make no difference?

syrenz said:
I too don't like the "plasticky" look and feel of the Galaxy tablets.
I was looking around and it seems that the Xoom has no haptic feedback? I find haptic feedback quite useful for touch typing. Has it been a drawback for your typing experience or does it make no difference?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haptic feedback is nice for devices with garbage touch screens, or when your fingers are ice cold and as dry as burnt toast... But for my uses, it hasn't been missed on my xoom.
Without having a quad core tablet to test and compare to, it is hard to say which will be better for cost vs. benefit. Just like PC's I expect that going from a dual core to a quad core CPU will make almost no difference for most users for the first few months or years- except for those users who know exactly why they want a quad. Just a guess, and a large part of why I bought a xoom a couple weeks ago.
Basically for me: The xoom is the best supported, best built tablet on the market, with specs equivalent to the other new shiny tablets. The screen is perfectly acceptable to me, the battery life is mind-blowing and browsing is far better than I thought possible on an Android device. Just don't expect HD flash content to work well in a browser. The unlockable bootloader was also a major consideration. I don't feel like there is any other tablet that compares currently, and I don't think I'd give up my bootloader for 4 cores... and if that is so important to me, I doubt the quad would be worth the difference in cash for me to be an early adopter. (I like being an early adopter too!)
Anyway, that's my 2¢.

Let's be realistic about what you are going to do with your tablet. Read email, browse the internet, watch some youtube videos, read a book. The Xoom does all of these things exceedingly well. I would even venture to say that it does them all just as good if not better than anything else on the market at the moment.
Being power hungry is awesome, and the newer 67-core processors are sweet but you aren't doing high end graphics or video editing on your tablet...so is it worth the extra money? Right now you can get brand new Xooms for like $350 in some places. I gladly shelled out $600 for mine at the time...so $350 for a new one is a damn good deal.
Also, there is something to be said for the AOSP experience. The Honeycomb featured on the Xoom isn't loaded with a bunch of UI layers to "enhance" the user experience. It's straight Android.
I'd also say it will get ICS before any of the other tablets do.

nooomoto;19106377Right now you can get brand new Xooms for like $350 in some places. [/QUOTE said:
Can you give some examples of where I could get that? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

syrenz said:
Can you give some examples of where I could get that? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1335020

Actually the prime will be 499 and the original TF will stay at 399

I think people pay too much attention to the hardware, when the software matters more, or even most.
Hardware-wise, as someone already said, things are pretty similar. All Teg2 tabs perform the same, and the OMAP4 is roughly equivalent. The one exception is video. OMAP4 is better on HD vids, so get that if watching vids is important to you.
Buyers all want "smoothness." That mostly depends on the OS and apps, and things like the Flash plugin. Honeycomb was kind of a beta in this respect, and hopefully ICS will bring more refinement. This aside, my opinion is that "smoothness" is mostly within the user's control. Watch what apps you run in the background, and don't load up on stuff like live wallpapers, etc.
Software always run at least one cycle behind the hardware. Most Android apps and games I've seen are still geared toward phones, although many will use the higher resolution if available. I've yet to see a game that really tax the Tegra2. The latest AAA shooter, Shadowgun, runs smoothly on a Nook Color, which has only a single-core A8. My takeaway is that current tablets should be fine for all the software for this and next year, at least until the next cycle when Jelly Belly appears.
>Can you give some examples of where I could get that?
WalMart currently sells refurb 32GB Xooms for $350. I'm fairly certain these are clearanced Xooms being rebranded. The only diff is that they may have a shorter warranty. You can find out your warranty period here,
https://motorola-global-portal.cust...i-fi---service:-frequently-asked-questions#w1
These shouldn't be confused with the newer Xoom Family Edition (FE), which is also around $350. I'd suggest against the FE despite its better screen, since it has no community support at the moment, and probably won't. Devs & enthusiasts will either hang onto their current Xoom, or upgrade to a newer tablet.
That said, the new Xoom2's aren't that much more. The 8.2" will be $400, and the 10" will likely be $450. New toys will always get better support--from both the vendor and the new community--than old toys.

e.mote said:
That said, the new Xoom2's aren't that much more. The 8.2" will be $400, and the 10" will likely be $450. New toys will always get better support--from both the vendor and the new community--than old toys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are? That's not bad at all. Thought they were both over $500. Are they going to come to America/Canada though?

syrenz said:
They are? That's not bad at all. Thought they were both over $500. Are they going to come to America/Canada though?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The other question is whether the newer tablets (including Xoom two) will have unlockable bootloaders so they can be modded. The Xoom Family Media Edition doesn't, which is why there isn't any development for it.

Okay this is kind of mean to me... http://www.dailysteals.com/
I haven't had enough time to make my decision yet but this site wants to pressure me to get one within 22 hours and save... argh

Browsing - all 10,1" tablets available at REASONABLE price will perform similar
Work/Note-taking/productivity - you will not do that too often, trust me I use BT keyboard for longer cha...err... work, and Hacker's Keyboard (onscreen almost-real QWERTY keyboard) for quick texts.
Movies/youtube - I actualy re-discovered Youtube with my XOOM. You will need to buy Dice Player to enjoy full quality full length movies. XOOM's display is a little pale comparing to my SGS' sAMOLED screen. BUT it does not burn your eyes out.
Speed - like in every other IT field, the more crap you put, the less speed you get. You can always OC your tablet, but... what for?
Design/styling - XOOM looks like a heavy-duty device, while GT10.1 looks like a child's toy. Yes, aesthetics should not be discussed, since its interpretation is a matter of taste.
Future Updates - ICS for sure, who knows about the rest. As long as XDA Community exists, there is hope
Opinion - Well... I paid ~530$ last month for my second-hand XOOM 3G EU (yay, its good that all the people in Poland are sooooo wealthy that it makes no difference for us to pay much more for toys... ). And would pay it again if given another chance Played with Tab 10.1" - thin plastic didn't like that + the price? ~850$, geez... Thought about Transformer. Almost bought it, but with no keyboard dock and no 3G modem. ~530$. Docked and modem-ed? ~850$...
Well, you do not need a 16-core device to enjoy it, especially that there are no apps or games that could utilize all that power. I know, I know, some people buy themselves a Ferrari just to drive it slowly through the country, but... (well that was not a brilliant sentence).
Edited: one more thing - there ALWAYS is an upcoming, better-than-available device. You can wait forever.

Does the Xoom do what it did when it furst came out, yes, in which case to me it is still relivant.

>http://www.dailysteals.com/
They won't run out any time soon. The daily bargain sites rely on the classic buying button: a deal is more appealing when it's time-limited. "Hurry and buy now before it's gone!" Prices for Teg2 tabs will continue to drop. The Xoom will be $300 or less by Black Friday.
>there ALWAYS is an upcoming, better-than-available device. You can wait forever.
Tech toys and their pricing have cycles, and it's always better to buy at the start rather than the end of a cycle. You have more choices, and prices are lower (on the old toys). Moreover, the start of the tech toy cycle is timed to coincide with the holiday shopping season, which is when the best deals are to be had.
IOW, from now until the end of the year (any year) is the best time to buy new toys.
@OP
What's the "best" tab depends mostly on you and how you use one. The Xoom has many good qualities: high build quality, 32GB, good community support, available ports, dual-band wifi, etc. Its one notable drawback is that it's heavy.
Weight is a big deal if you plan to hold a tab unsupported for extended periods. It's not a big deal if you offset the weight with a supporting surface--your lap, a surface, etc. If your envisioned use is mostly while standing, then a lighter (or may be smaller) tablet is better.
More ergonomic stuff: I like the Xoom2's rubberized bezel (as opposed to edge-to-edge glass or plain plastic on most tablets). The more friction the bezel can provide, the lighter the needed handgrip, and the less hand fatigue.
OTOH, I don't pay much attention to the "thin-is-in" trend, although I understand it's necessary for marketing. A thinner tablet can actually be less comfortable to hold, if the edge is thin enough that it cuts into the palm of your holding hand. The tapered edge and smooth metal surfaces of the Asus TF Prime make it look very chic and sleek, but I wouldn't want to hold one for very long.
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syrenz said:
Okay this is kind of mean to me... http://www.dailysteals.com/
I haven't had enough time to make my decision yet but this site wants to pressure me to get one within 22 hours and save... argh
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw this link, and instantly pulled out my credit card.
I'm getting a xoom

Im a little late on this debate and the opinions are all completely valid.. I have had a xoom since my joining date of xda, also last week I just purchased another xoom after a very disappointing experience with an acer a500 (that i got to further provide experience in the realm of android); i also found the dev scene in xda on the a500 was rude and not at all friendly; that is a big thing for me I havn't been an a-hole to anyone and help as much as I can, the xoom forums are awesome for that as well
Browsing - browsing has been really good, first off I have to say i was a app junkie and had always used an app for the browser, flash worked well on most of them for me, some sites were poops but hey i also have a laptop lol.. i then rediscovered the xoom stock browser and say I use it almost exclusively and love it
Work/Note-taking/productivity - you can do many things, however my personal opinion is your ability to do these things are limited to exactly what you want to do. there are good-ish apps for work related things with office typed products; however for my university work I have noticed that I cannot do much of the things I want and compatibility issues are still there like good powerpoint manipulation etc, this is not a problem of the xoom this is a problem for the apps so whether you have a new/old whatever tab the experience with this is limited to my previous comments. If you need to type just documents like memos, letters, etc you should be fine with the current state of affairs
Movies/youtube - I havnt actually watched many videos on my xoom, as I dont have any on it at the moment, I will be on holiday soon and will definitely be watching some on the plane and i already have dice player in anticipation, it plays them quite clearly and depending on the video parameters you should be quite happy. I have watched flashed based videos on websites and they play great and keep me entertained
Speed - even with stock rom i had good speed, no lags, no reboots, nothing i was so stoked with my xoom, compared to the a500 where it had lag like all hell and rebooted frequently on stock rom, was poop
Design/styling - the xoom is not a elegant device as many are aware, however, in all honesty the asthetics are frequently covered by things such as a case, screen protector, hands, etc so why do people place so much emphasis on this. I wanted functionality, the xoom was the best for this and I am still smiling at it
Future Updates - ICS will come as soon as source is released, I think this is why the devs here are a tad quiet, they are either working on something now, or waiting until source is released, and then it will explode with a whole new set of roms
Opinion - i love my xoom, sure I am thinking about the transformer prime however, the price may make my stay away mainly because I have a laptop that I payed a small car for in price, I don't need to pay for other crap... i would like the prime maybe down the track when price is lowered or the dev scene is bigger like 'tegra3 dedicated games' or something of the like but I will almost certainly have to get one from overseas, australia is the last place to get electronics and we pay a premium for outdated stuff from our local vendors the screw merchants and they wonder why the aussie people are all buying online... anyway I digress.. I say go to your local walmart (or your stores over there sorry for the generalisation) and ask to have a little play, then you will instantly see what we are all talking about... even jump to the other forums on xda and see how the dev scene is and see how people treat each other, if your gonna buy a device on here im sure your going to be a part of the relevant thread and if you recieve no help or are screwed over you will be annoyed and resent your device
sorry for the long post and I hope i have helped

[Q] Which Win 8 Pro Tablet/Laptop Hybrid?

First off, I apologize if this has been asked, I could only find a relevant thread about RT versions. Also, I was not sure if this should be posted in the Windows 8 general forum or the Microsoft Surface forum (I figured it was only for the Surface, not all tablets), and if I placed this in the wrong place, please delete it.
So on to my question: does anyone have a suggestion as to which Windows 8 Pro Tablet/Laptop hybrid to get? I would be using it to replace my old laptop: I'd like to do the standard stuff (watch videos, browse the web, etc), use it for notes in class, play the occasional game (nothing serious, probably just WoW, the real gaming I do on my desktop), and code in Visual Studio. I definitely want one that comes apart, like the Asus Transformers, so I'm not even considering sliders or all-in-ones.
I've read a bit about some of the tablets, but I honestly have no idea which one to get when they come out. I wanted the Microsoft Surface, but the kickstand instead of solid base kinda kills it for me (I want to be able to type with it on my lap), and I just can't weigh the pros and cons of the other tablets. I love the build quality of Asus, but I've heard bad things about atom processors. Samsung has an i5 version, but I'm not so sure about the build quality (I've never cared for plasticy laptops). I know the Samsung has 4GB of RAM, and I heard Asus has only 2GB (which would be abysmal, if they don't offer higher that will probably make my decision for me). I don't want to go anywhere near Lenovo, and I haven't heard much about any other brand (where are the specs for HP, Dell, Sony?).
So unless I'm missing something, I'm looking at the Microsoft Surface if I suck it up and embrace the kickstand, the Asus Vivo or the Samsung Ativ. The Asus will probably have better battery life, but the Samsung will (I believe) be far more powerful. Battery life isn't that big a deal to me as long as it can last around 6 hours or so on a charge (side note: do the docks have batteries in them like in the Transformers?), and I don't really know how the atom fares for what I want it to do. I know there is more to be seen from the other companies, but I have heard little about HP and Dell, and I don't like the design of the Sony Vaio Duo 11. Not to mention I don't want to wait for several months for the Surface or any other tablet coming out later (my laptop is really starting to crap out... Thanks "best friend" for convincing me to get a Macbook Pro a few years ago ).
So anyway, my mind is all over the place and I really have no idea what to get. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Sorry if it seemed like I was rambling, I just really can't put all the factors together to make a decision.

Lysdexia said:
First off, I apologize if this has been asked, I could only find a relevant thread about RT versions. Also, I was not sure if this should be posted in the Windows 8 general forum or the Microsoft Surface forum (I figured it was only for the Surface, not all tablets), and if I placed this in the wrong place, please delete it.
So on to my question: does anyone have a suggestion as to which Windows 8 Pro Tablet/Laptop hybrid to get? I would be using it to replace my old laptop: I'd like to do the standard stuff (watch videos, browse the web, etc), use it for notes in class, play the occasional game (nothing serious, probably just WoW, the real gaming I do on my desktop), and code in Visual Studio. I definitely want one that comes apart, like the Asus Transformers, so I'm not even considering sliders or all-in-ones.
I've read a bit about some of the tablets, but I honestly have no idea which one to get when they come out. I wanted the Microsoft Surface, but the kickstand instead of solid base kinda kills it for me (I want to be able to type with it on my lap), and I just can't weigh the pros and cons of the other tablets. I love the build quality of Asus, but I've heard bad things about atom processors. Samsung has an i5 version, but I'm not so sure about the build quality (I've never cared for plasticy laptops). I know the Samsung has 4GB of RAM, and I heard Asus has only 2GB (which would be abysmal, if they don't offer higher that will probably make my decision for me). I don't want to go anywhere near Lenovo, and I haven't heard much about any other brand (where are the specs for HP, Dell, Sony?).
So unless I'm missing something, I'm looking at the Microsoft Surface if I suck it up and embrace the kickstand, the Asus Vivo or the Samsung Ativ. The Asus will probably have better battery life, but the Samsung will (I believe) be far more powerful. Battery life isn't that big a deal to me as long as it can last around 6 hours or so on a charge (side note: do the docks have batteries in them like in the Transformers?), and I don't really know how the atom fares for what I want it to do. I know there is more to be seen from the other companies, but I have heard little about HP and Dell, and I don't like the design of the Sony Vaio Duo 11. Not to mention I don't want to wait for several months for the Surface or any other tablet coming out later (my laptop is really starting to crap out... Thanks "best friend" for convincing me to get a Macbook Pro a few years ago ).
So anyway, my mind is all over the place and I really have no idea what to get. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Sorry if it seemed like I was rambling, I just really can't put all the factors together to make a decision.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you have against Lenovo? They make very good hardware, even if the design leaves something to be desired. But in your situation it might be ideal. The digitizer would help you with note taking, although I'm not sure how the Clover Trail processor will hold up to WoW or Visual Studio. I'm personally going to get one as a netbook replacement. Might be worth a look for you.

Yea I was going to say, right now its a decision between the Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 2 and the Microsoft Surface.
The Thinkpad has a keyboard that can support the weight or the screen, active digitizer, legacy application support among others. The Surface RT is lighter, will probably be cheaper and comes preinstalled with onenote.
Had the Surface RT come with a digitizer I would have been all over that.

Thanks a ton for the replies. I guess I've just heard a lot of bad things about Lenovo from friends, I'll look into it though. And I guess I'll have to wait for them to come out to see how well the processors fair, I think I'll end up going with an i3 or i5, but if the others aren't too far behind I may go for them instead for a cheaper price and longer battery.

Get a tf book...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

I hadn't heard of the tf book, but now that I've looked at it it really seems like a contender. Do you have any idea when it's going to be released?

I am in very similar situation to yours.
I am trying to follow information regarding upcoming devices. I used to have Asus 1201N (Atom [2 core] 330 + ION platform) and was very happy with size, weight, screen, performance. I do web/mail browsing, movies (downloaded or streamed) plus quite a lot of writing for some websites.
I got rid of it because it was very hot device with warm/hot air constantly blowing out of it. I swapped it for an iPad bo it is just a toy not someting I can use to work.
So... in my case I am looking for:
approx 11" device (10 is definitely to small to work... 12" not mobile enough - tablet itself would be to big)
I think I will go with Atom. I dot suppose it will be worse than current range of Atoms... if I can get smooth playback of 720p mkv out of it I am settled.
One more issue I see regarding i3 and i5 CPU's are battery life and heating. From what I have seen hybrid devices with iCore processors will have an active cooling system (fan) unlike ARM and Atom based devices
Screen resolution - 1366 x 768 not more. Why not Full HD screen? Two reasons.
1. Atom could struggle in this resolution.
2. Since all I watch (I do not have a TV - no time) on this device will be either downloaded or streamed Full HD screen will make those films look bad when compared to HD ready resolution
decent battery life, reasonable weight of the tablet part of the device (if I can stay around iPad 1 weight it would be cool)
As for now my focus goes with 2 devices: Asus 810 and Samsung Smart PC (PC Pro will have iCore CPU).

Have a look a this...
http://eee.asus.com/en/vivo-tab/features/
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It seems that we'll have an assortment of models, but are prices mentioned somewhere? All I've seen its the Vaio Duo with a price tag of $1200 and all I can shell out is two thirds of that.