Related
I'm loving it, the browser is nice and fast enough. I also use the miren and xscope browser from the phone and works great. Once I'm done doing what I need I undock the phone and I can continue where I left of.
Wish the price was cheaper but so far its awesome.
I love the laptop dock.
Cost was not a factor for the phone and dock so that takes thie second thoughts out of the equation.
The build/fit and finish were just about perfect and feel very high end like a MacBook pro or think pad from the good old days.
The webtop experience is very useable and great for remote desktop and citrix.
Once the webtop gets more hackable it will be near perfect. I really have to keep reminding myself that this is a phone even though it has nearly the same hardware as the xoom
No regrets here.
I was going to return it today but after playing with citrix. I found some more use for it.
It definitely needs some work:
- better screen. Bad viewing angles, blacks are pretty bad.
- needs better keyboard. I find myself hitting wrong keys because the keyboard is a bit off center.
- needs a built-in 720p cam for video conferencing
- while charging the power light in the corner keeps blinking, what kind of usability genius thought of that.
- better trackpad, just take ques from unibody macbook and move on motorola. No multi-touch???
- needs to be lighter, from the tear down, this hardware is way from being optimized. Again take apart macbook air. They can definitely fit a bigger battery. Seems like a lot of unnecessary plastic.
- the phone needs to have more memory. I open 2-3 browser windows and I get a low memory warning. I would like to android to be more aware of the dock, for example killing browser process while in the dock to shift more memory to firefox.
What I love though is this and I think this is truly revolutionary, is the convergence of the cell phone with laptop. I think through combination of cloud computing and virtualization this could be the future of mobile computing.
Not to mention how cool would be to have a linux webtop vs honeycomb webtop (native no emulation).
What I am hoping is going to happen that other companies will realize that this is just an accessory and that we could have several options for laptop docks. I could see this as a huge market for enterprise customers.
I did not know that the webtop can be hacked? What have you guys hacked so far?
I'm really interested to try it out, but don't know if I can justify the expense. Like a lot of other people have concluded, I'd kind of rather a netbook of equal (or lesser) value along side my phone instead of that. If it was a tad bit cheaper or had a few more features to offer, I might be sold.
CC Lemon said:
I'm really interested to try it out, but don't know if I can justify the expense. Like a lot of other people have concluded, I'd kind of rather a netbook of equal (or lesser) value along side my phone instead of that. If it was a tad bit cheaper or had a few more features to offer, I might be sold.
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Buy it at best buy and try it for a few days. you dont like it take it back, end of story. having a netbook and atrix is like having two devices. atrix and laptop dock is like having ONE device!
If all you do in a laptop is browse the web and email, this dock is for you!
personally, I hate it. It's like working out of a Altoids tin.
JasjarMan said:
Buy it at best buy and try it for a few days. you dont like it take it back, end of story. having a netbook and atrix is like having two devices. atrix and laptop dock is like having ONE device!
If all you do in a laptop is browse the web and email, this dock is for you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To an extent I agree. It's like having one device in the fact that one is entirely useless without the other. So functionally, you have one device. So you have the functionality of one device, but have to carry around 2 devices and pay the price of 2 devices. I can't say I agree with the concept of paying $400 for the laptop dock that requires the phone to work when I could spend that same amount of money to get a netbook with a significantly higher level of capabilities. If I buy a netbook, I get 250 gb of memory, 2 GB ram, built in camera AND a full OS.
Basically, my complaint is: You pay more for the atrix + laptop dock to get less functionality than you could get out of a netbook that costs the same as the dock alone.
If it had the option to utilize additional ram built into the dock as well as hard drive space/flash memory for additional storage then it might be a bit more worth it. Right now, you're paying $400 for a screen, battery, dock, keyboard and track pad that all require an additional device to function.
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea and would love to own one. I have no doubt I would make good use of it. I just see no reason to buy it at that price other than having the extra money and nothing better to spend it on (and I can think of quite a few better things to spend $400 on). It really needs a lower price, more features or a mix of both.
You CAN add more memory like USB flash drives. They work just don't know many MB it will read.....
One thing what the atrix+ laptop dock wins over netbooks is its lighter and another is the battery life which is really really great on the dock and also charges the phone, About a year ago i bought a asus 1201n which is a powerful netbook which has duel core and nvidia ion 12.1in screen pretty loaded which i paid 579$ for it but the battery life sucks on it 3hours too max 4hours if you lower all the power options which makes it slower which is useless like the screen brightness.
With the laptop dock the battery seems too last forever even with the screen brightness on max lol. Hopefully they can make it a bit faster threw a update but i made it faster on browsing which i turn flash off and it ony will work when i click on the ad or video and that made it faster.
Pretty much what you paying for is the build quality metal casing which feels more solid than my 1201n netbook and the screen is also better and the keyboard i really love on the laptop dock.
I paid 299$ for it from qt&t store which was suppose too be 399 than 100$ off threw a 100 rebate but they waive it for me because i had the phone before i bought the dock. But ya for 500 or 599$ regular price that some places selling it for that's too much and i wouldn't pay that much, even at 400$ i was thinking of not getting it.
Would be nice if other company would make there netbooks build quality like this product.
Even with great build quality, I'm still running into that block of it being really expensive for not a whole lot in terms of functionality (compared to what you could get at that price). Even at $300, I feel like I'd rather a netbook of equal cost to pair with the atrix. I'd have to see the dock dropping below $250 to consider it and below $200 to actually decide for sure I want it. Honestly, I'd just love to see it offer slightly improved performance when the phone is connected. That's something I could justify.
CC Lemon said:
Even with great build quality, I'm still running into that block of it being really expensive for not a whole lot in terms of functionality (compared to what you could get at that price). Even at $300, I feel like I'd rather a netbook of equal cost to pair with the atrix. I'd have to see the dock dropping below $250 to consider it and below $200 to actually decide for sure I want it. Honestly, I'd just love to see it offer slightly improved performance when the phone is connected. That's something I could justify.
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I could see it dropping down too 250$ in the future, But under 200$ i would think maybe in couple years, Sense right now the media dock is even 99$.
But i get what you mean its just a screen keyboard and mouse and battery which was making me hard too decide if it was worth it, But mainly why i got it is so i can take it too work and don't have too worrying about plugging it in too charge anything, Which with my netbook or laptop i had too take the ac adapter and find a outlet were i am at. With this i don't have too worry about that. I also like how thin it is so i can fit it in a small sleeve or case.
I know there's netbooks out there with great battery life too but i got too many laptops/netbooks.. lol
But ya this dock isn't for everyone.
And if i wanted too sell my atrix i would sell the laptop dock too with it and i would get more than what i paid for both of them, And this dock might be universal for motos future phones hopefully that's if i buy another moto phone because so far the atrix boot loaded is lock tight still But it has ony been out like 2weeks ony.
I also hope they release updates too make the docks faster and more customizable.
One problem is i also have a galaxy tab with 3g sprint plan... lol Wish i knew about the atrix and dock before i bought the galaxy tab.. But i did get a good deal on the tab.
I definitely hope they continue this concept because it seems like it will only get more and more useful as these phones get more powerful. If it becomes available on more devices in the future, it will definitely help the pricing as we wont get suck covering the initial development/design costs.
Who's looking forward to the first "tablet dock"?
I love this laptop dock. Most of what I do on my laptop is just surf the web and watch movie, which this does both. This thing is perfect so far for what i need, it's nice being able to access the phone from it and answer text or email, full web browser and most of all close the dock pull the phone off and I have a full charge on my phone. Right now even as much as I like this thing I would never pay $500 for this, I bought the combo and even then it's a little expensive. But now having it I don't regret buying it. I hope after time goes by and other moto phones get this webtop that more applications and tweaking become available. For now, Great video quality, network printing, Complete phone access and full web browsing is pretty sweet....no to mention it looks slick.
JasjarMan said:
Buy it at best buy and try it for a few days. you dont like it take it back, end of story. having a netbook and atrix is like having two devices. atrix and laptop dock is like having ONE device!
If all you do in a laptop is browse the web and email, this dock is for you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you say this like its a good thing...how do you figure its like having one device? do you not have to carry both with you to use them? at least with the netbook i can still use it without my phone...
what i meant is that im using my phone while its docked. so whatever i do on the dock it SEEMS like im on a small laptop. But once i unhook the phone and later i want to access my info i say to myself " i got that info on my laptop" but than i remember its on my atrix! know what i mean?
And no I dont carry the dock around, it sits in my desk and by my bed. I work of my home.
I need a Honeycomb tab and I thought this Samsung was the best, but I've read a lot of complaints about it.
Now, after all these issues, should I go on with the purchase or do you think it's better to wait for something else? Thanks a lot
Frankie
that would depend on what you need. if you're looking for a multimedia device that plays just about everything out there, the archos 101 is better - but it has a crappy screen and locks up if you do more than one thing at a time.
if you need a netbook replacement, the transformer is the way to go. just be wary about the dock. it drains about 3-7% when docked,not in use and not charging. some reports says that if you let the dock drain it will not charge up again.
the galaxy tab 10.1 is a good general use tablet. where i find that it shines is reading comic books. the over saturated screen makes the colors really pop. plus being so thin, it feels like you're holding a comic. it also has the best screen of all the hc tablets currently. down sides are browser bookmarks that randomly change (not present in other tablets) and possible dust in your screen.
the two hc tablets have the same downsides of all hc/tegra2 tablets. poor selection in media playback, some bugginess with apps not working or crashing, browser gets bogged down with javascript heavy sites...
in my opinion, the gt10.1, or any hc tablet is just a good plaything for now (i'm not saying you can't be productive with it). hopefully by the end of the year a more complete product, software and hardware-wise, will be available.
I voted NO ...
If you know me from this board, I was trying and trying to get one imported from US (I live in Europe), but I got string of issues for that. Well, that's not the reason that I do not recommend this device, not at all. However, I took that as blessing in disguise
You know, I have no problem at all with the hardware. I don't mind Tegra 2 and I even prefer Tegra 2 compare to Exynos (mainly because I want THD gaming more compare to watching video). Also, I don't mind for not having SD card. And I really love the form factor, slim, thin, slick!
Now, why I don't recommend this tab?
Well, mainly because I am not sure with the current state of Android Honeycomb! I keep reading issues and bugs (?) on this new OS. For example: The slow (lag) text input on web browser, I don't think I can live with this issue because I use web browser a lot (right now, I am using my wife's iPad2). For me, this is crucial issue. From what I read, this is Honeycomb bug/issue as other tablets are experiencing the same.
So, yeah, I am now taking a break from finding my dream Android tablet. Until Google fixed this issue and other quirks on Honeycomb (like the sluggish performance on launcher, 4GB file size limit etc.). Which I think the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich will address all this.
I voted no.
I like my galaxy tab, but honeycomb still has a long way to go. I bought it mainly for browsing the net and it can hardly do that correctly. lol
gogol said:
Which I think the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich will address all this.
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I too think that the current generation of Android tablet software/hardware have been rushed to market to compete with iPad/iPad2. While Android and the manufacturers have done an excellent job for the given time frame, I think the 2nd generation of software/hardware will be a massive improvement. Google are taking their time to release Ice Scream Sandwich which is reassuring. The fact they haven't released source code for Honeycomb just further supports this. And while even the 2nd generation of tablet hardware will have issues as well, I think the main issues will be resolved regarding Android integration on tablet (i.e. performance).
I know full well that waiting for the next generation is a never-ending game but allowing the 1st generation to pass and waiting upon the 2nd generation isn't a bad strategy.
I vote yes.
Granted, honeycomb still has some work to be done (hopefully with the 3.2 update "in a few weeks"), but I'm more than happy with mine. I haven't really experienced the keyboard lag people are talking about, so I can't comment there, but I wasn't happy with the sometimes jittery motion while swiping through home screens. Installed adw launcher and I'm loving how fast it is now.
Early adoption sucks.. I owned a xoom before this, so maybe I can appreciate it more. That being said, I also have an ipad and ipad2 in the house, and I would take this any day of the week.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk
I think you should just pick one up and see how you feel about it. Many will say dont bother, and many will say its the greatest. Personally I love mine, regardless of the state of Honeycomb I'm in it for the long run. But its best you form your own opinion and now based your purchases on others completely.
Sent from my ThunderBolt
my question exactly, I can get it at a local dealer - decent price BUT no local warranty - he promises to ship it back and handle everything if it goes wrong ! should I take the leap or should I wait or just pick up the Transformer instead?
Really depends on the user.
No - to my parents, sisters, wife, other newbs. The ramp is still just a bit too steep still on .any. Honeycomb tab device. Froyo is much more completely baked as a general consumer-ready OS.
Yes - to any enthusiast who wants to dig into the device, config/customize/root, etc.
Maybe TouchWiz will add a little to the newb acceptance factor...
There are certainly some quirks with HC on the tab. I didn't seem to have as many issues with 3.1 on my Xoom. However, there isn't a better screen or sound out there right now. All my complaints are software related and will either be corrected by Google or out developers. I give it 2 thumbs up.
I voted "Yes" even though I disagree with the way the option is written. The Tab has issues, of course, but its more than usable. Maybe I just have mine set up better than some, but I have almost no problems at all with anything on the device. The Tab is neither buggish nor slow, so I really don't see how anyone could credibly choose the "No" option.
Yes, I would buy a Galaxy Tablet...
...after ICS and next wave of tabs have come out, so I can pick it up on Black Friday for $250 and put CM8 on it!
No early adopter am I... oops I mean
I voted yes, but it all depends on what you expect from a tab.
It is running an OS designed for small, portable devices.
I look at it like a 'handyman' device; a jack of all trades, and a master of none. It plays games, but not as well as a console. It browses the web/email, but not as good as a netbook. It handles business needs for working with documents, but not as well as a PC.
I just don't understand why so many people expect it to be a laptop replacement.
IF you're uncomfortable with the uncertainties behind Honeycomb and IceCreamSandwich:
-AND aren't willing to root, don't buy any Android tablet now.
-AND ARE willing to root OR don't mind Honeycomb:
--AND value expandibility over fit and finish or low cost, get a Transformer.
--AND don't need expansion, want a more polished tablet, and don't mind paying more, get a Galaxy Tab.
--AND don't need expansion, don't mind some rough edges, want to get your feet wet in Android without spending a lot, and are ok with Gingerbread, get a Nook Color to root.
He states that he needs a Honeycomb tablet, so stop voting NO because you think HC is not mature.
YES! GT10.1 is the best Honeycomb tablet out there bar-none!
pokey9000 said:
IF you're uncomfortable with the uncertainties behind Honeycomb and IceCreamSandwich:
-AND aren't willing to root, don't buy any Android tablet now.
-AND ARE willing to root OR don't mind Honeycomb:
--AND value expandibility over fit and finish or low cost, get a Transformer.
--AND don't need expansion, want a more polished tablet, and don't mind paying more, get a Galaxy Tab.
--AND don't need expansion, don't mind some rough edges, want to get your feet wet in Android without spending a lot, and are ok with Gingerbread, get a Nook Color to root.
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Click to collapse
Can you put this into an IF-THEN-ELSE statement? I can I think follow it better that way..
e.mote said:
Can you put this into an IF-THEN-ELSE statement? I can I think follow it better that way..
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Those aren't allowed in General.
Yes, absolutely.
Does honeycomb have some issues? Yes. That being said this is a beautiful device and in my opinion, worth the price over the other HC tablets just for a refined form factor. Awesome screen, very polished design.
I bought this device to be able to quickly access news, email and calendars, to be able to view office documents in meetings without having to drag my laptop around, and lastly to entertain myself on flights. This device does all of those perfectly. Even iPad 1&2 owners that have stopped by to check the device out were absolutely blown away.
Wow, the wording on this poll is pretty extreme - the best you can say about the Tab is that it's "still usable." Well I've had mine for a week now, and I absolutely love it. Having played with every other Android tablet out there, as well as the iPad, I think it wins hands down.
1. I don't get what people dislike about Honeycomb. It has so many features and is much more intuitive than my Froyo phone; why aren't people complaining more about the iPad's lack of a widget architecture? That's HUGE in my experience. iOS just gives you a screen with a bunch of icons, and jumping from app to app, while we have sophisticated widgets that put enormous functionality right on the home screens.
2. Flash is important. A few quick hacks and you can also watch Hulu (lame that it's not automatically allowed, I admit). But there is Flash on half the sites I visit, and the Tab does a great job with it. Having used Flash on a couple phones previously, I can say this is a big leap forward with 10.3 and the Tegra 2 processor. I can't imagine why every reviewer doesn't disqualify the iPads on that basis alone - it's a deal breaker.
3. In terms of other Android tablets, the Tab 10.1 has by far the best screen I've seen - it's beautiful. And the thin/light thing really makes a difference to me when it comes to a tablet that you have to hold in your hands 90% of the time you're using it. Plus, it's just a much more attractive design than the others I played with. I like the Transformer's additional ports and keyboard dock, but I have a laptop and a netbook and I don't want a tablet to substitute for those. I want it to be a tablet. That's what the Tab 10.1 does best.
In sum, it's not "still usable," it's the best tablet currently on the market.
markp99 said:
Really depends on the user.
No - to my parents, sisters, wife, other newbs. The ramp is still just a bit too steep still on .any. Honeycomb tab device. Froyo is much more completely baked as a general consumer-ready OS.
Yes - to any enthusiast who wants to dig into the device, config/customize/root, etc.
Maybe TouchWiz will add a little to the newb acceptance factor...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think this sums it up. Android lacks the polish of iOS, but it's so damn fun exploring the endless possibilities of Android. Provided it's software related, there's also another option that works just as well or better. I have faith that any issues that currently exist will be resolved in due time. The hardware is great and I can work with the software.
i am still not sure i want to by the Acer,,, or the Asus..
be honest with me.. why did YOU buy the Acer.
it doesnt have to be Asus vs Acer. it can just be why you got the Acer.
was it the usb port?, the expandable memory? price? (target has them for $399 so i am really tempted.)
so what pushed you over the edge to buy the Iconia ?
i also am still not sure if it cna see dSLR cameras on the USB port to read the images off the cameras memory card so if someone says it works for their dSLR then thats a huge game changer for me.
i own an ipad and its really really a tough choice given the app and game availability on the ipad, but i am an android phone user so i am very familiar with Android.
USB Full
All the features, mainly usb
To be honest, it was down to the Acer or the ASUS for me although I did like the fact the hardware was working at launch (SD slot, USB etc).
While everyone seems to be complaining on the Acer ROM update schedule, or lack thereof, I am happily running a custom ROM (of which there are several now) which is now at 3.2
What drove me to the Acer was it was available when I decided to buy. Otherwise, it would have been a hard choice. But, I think after actually looking and holding the ASUS I would have picked the Acer.
I use it primarily for business (sales) showing customers products by using well bookmarked PDF files, email (I moved my domain over to Google Apps for business and quick lookups while I am on the road (WiFi tether to my HTC phone) so I don't need a seperate data plan.
No complaints.
do either of you own or owned an ipad to give me your thought comparisons outside of the obvious massive App lead that the ipad has?
I got it for free... kinda... I traded some work for it.
I needed an upgrade from the Archos 101 which was only about three weeks old at the time I saw the upcoming Acer. Preordered it from BB.
I still would have gotten the Acer if Asus TF was available. I need the USB. Period. And I don't care about the TF dock feature.
Well I just plugged my Canon Power Shot A1100 IS in and the Aconia recognized it right away and the pictures showed up right away.
I haven't tried my Nikon or Canon DSLR yet but no reason why they shouldn't work as well on jpg files.
I bought it because of the USB slot, expandable memory, HDMI and the price.
Bought mine for simple reasons
I did the stupid thing and did not bother to do any homework before going out and buying my first tablet (apple I pad 2) - returned to the store the next day. Had no idea it had no native flash support (the "solution" was to use Skyfire for crummy flash support).
Went home, did my homework - when it came down to simple price/vs features the Acer Iconia seemed like the best choice - microSd, full size USB port (awesome for me - it works with a USB hub also, I have lots of USB devices).
Not sure we can claim apple has much if any "app lead" over android tablets - and once you consider how many apps are written for the Android phone but run great under Honeycomb as well. Don't feel much of an app shortage here, the Droid market is freaking huge.
All in all, very happy with my purchase.
I bought mine largely due to the full-sized USB port as I'm an avid retrogamer, so getting to play emulators with the actual controllers (I have USB adapters for them) on my tablet was pretty much a childhood fantasy come true ^_^.
Anyway, that and I really love the metal casing... it just feels solid and sturdy, not large or bulky at all even though it's the heaviest tab of the bunch. I'm sure in some instances, like holding it up over your head in bed or something, you'd notice the weight, but really, there are no heavy or bulky tablets in this category at all, only those that are impressively small like the Galaxy Tab 10.1.
I will note that Acer is so far the worst at getting updates out, but the community here seems pretty devoted, not to mention there's a ton of cross-developer action as the Tegra 2that all of these share means much of the software can just be transplanted from one brand to another. So, if you're going to root and run roms, software becomes a bit less of a concern. As far as the hardware goes, I love it myself.
It was a choice between the Acer and Asus for me. I got the Acer because I was impatient, but I ended up not returning it because after using it I couldn't see myself getting by with no usb and no flash. I considered the new Galaxy Tab as well but for the same reason I decided not to wait.
If I DID end up waiting, I'm sure I'd have decided to wait for a Kal-El based tablet. At some point in the 'waiting for better to come' game, you have to take a step or you'll never buy a product. I use the tablet daily, even my wife uses it now and so it's proven it's value to me.
I use the flash for extremely stupid things, but tbh to each his own, right? One of these things is to sneak into bed at night. By the time I go to bed sometimes my wife is already sleeping and she's a very light sleeper. Flicking a light on to see where I'm going would surely wake her up and it's sometimes difficult to navigate around the bed (without smacking off a big or little toe). I thought, "can I live without the flash? Sure!" But it would be an inconvenience, especially if I do ever find myself in a slightly more important scenario where I need it and don't have (for taking a pic in low light, for eg).
The USB is a must as I travel a lot and the big reason for getting the tablet beyond using it in my home is so I can travel light (without having to use my laptop). With the usb I can plug flash drives or hard drives in and watch my tv series and movies or use it to juice my phone if I strain it chatting too long or whatever.
Other than that, I didn't like the feel of the Transformer and I didn't want to depend on getting/using the keyboard part to have usb functionality. I had been keeping up with all the pics of the light bleed and saw it first hand. Who wants to worry about getting a tablet with light bleed at a time when they weren't in very many stores? That would have meant back and forth shipping. Not my thing.
The Acer is fully usable as-is, with the Asus and Samsung you MUST buy accessories for them to get a usb port.
I also considered resale value, like any tech head . If I am to resell my Acer A500 right now, I'm going to get ~$400 for it (not everyone knows about the sale price of 350 at certain stores). In a few months, I will lose another $50 to depreciation...as by then I'm sure the price will further fall to something more attractive to fringe and impulse buyers.
The Samsung with added accessories to make it function similarly to the Acer is already in the $550 region, but it will depreciate exactly the same as the Acer, unfortunately. Same with the Asus.
So after you buy the accessories to get USB (if you need it), you still end up selling the other tabs (with accessories) for approximately the same price as the Acer, as resale value for accessories is little to nothing and you can very rarely if at all sell them on their own. (This is based on the many, many times I've seen people reselling their tablets with accessories like docks and cases for way, way less than what they got it for).
In essence, you lose more money with the other tablets IF you need* to accessorize them. *(to play catch up to the A500, like buy the keyboard section for Asus or buy the proprietary addon for the Samsung to get USB)
I replied before reading the whole thread and missed the inquiries into the Apple side of things <insert evil grin>... imma hate me some on Apple, hoo wee. Android is slowly doing to Apple in the mobile market what Microsoft did to Apple in the computer market. What's amazing is that everyone always said Microsoft beat Apple because of developer support, because Windows had all the software, all the games. Now, we've seen the exact opposite, Apple with all of the software goodies and their competitor standing out alone on their OS alone... but what happened this time? Android is proving once and for all that Apple's walled-garden approach, their almost communistic approach to electronics just isn't going to appeal to the masses once they are exposed to the idea of choice, something Android offers in spades. We all want to do whatever we want with our devices... they are OUR devices after all, not Apple's or Samsung's or HTC's or Google's. Apple has made it clear that they intend to impose strict control over their hardware and software, whereas Google has opened the door wide and invited everyone in with a gentle wave. I, for one, after having had (and at the time loved) an iPhone for 2 years, will NEVER buy a single Apple product again.
entropy.of.avarice said:
I did the stupid thing and did not bother to do any homework before going out and buying my first tablet (apple I pad 2) - returned to the store the next day. Had no idea it had no native flash support (the "solution" was to use Skyfire for crummy flash support).
Went home, did my homework - when it came down to simple price/vs features the Acer Iconia seemed like the best choice - microSd, full size USB port (awesome for me - it works with a USB hub also, I have lots of USB devices).
Not sure we can claim apple has much if any "app lead" over android tablets - and once you consider how many apps are written for the Android phone but run great under Honeycomb as well. Don't feel much of an app shortage here, the Droid market is freaking huge.
All in all, very happy with my purchase.
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Click to collapse
I'm not a huge Apple fan at all but in their defense they do have a huge "app lead" and it's not necessarily the number or amt. (though it certainly does have that as well) it's the popularity of the device. The iPad has had hulu and netflix forever and Android is just getting it now. It's not a huge deal but the fact is, apps will almost always hit IOS first, and that IS saying something.
I agree with you though, I don't feel a shortage. I have every app I need (and many I don't, lol) so I'm not worried. With Hulu and Netflix now on 2.2/2.3 and heading soon to 3.1 I can safely say I'm completely happy with my purchase as well.
v_lestat said:
do either of you own or owned an ipad to give me your thought comparisons outside of the obvious massive App lead that the ipad has?
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Click to collapse
I don't, my daughter and son-in-law do (Ipad 1 & 2). I had enough time to use theirs but to each his own they say.
I like being able to read/write office files (Polaris) and maybe you can do that in the App Store?? I also don't like needing to use iTunes for everything (and maybe you don't?).
Like I said, no regrets on my part.
If I was going to be torn between devices it wouldn't be between the Acer and the Asus it would be between the Acer and the Toshiba Thrive.
I have the ipad2 32gb 3g Verizon. Stood in line on March 11. It's nice I play w/ it occasionally. I really like my Acer a500 though. It does more than the ipad can. Imo the Acer is a better machine.
I have the Nikon d3100 dslr. Both tablets will display the jpegs. I pop out the SD card and use a card reader, in the Acer, or the adapter, in the Apple, to access the pictures.
Also, starting tomorrow, the Acer is $350 at Target ($399-50gc).
Like most people, full size USB. All Android tablets are pretty much the same... this had full size USB so easy choice.
However, if I had to make a choice now, it'd be a bit harder cos the Tosh Thrive has it as well but that looks massive! But you can get it in pretty colours.. oooh!
edit: Oh, I also see it has a full size hdmi! I've already broken 2 micro-hdmi cables on the Acer cos all u need to do is put a tiny bit of pressure on the cable and the end snaps off!
For me it was all about the SD expandability, if I had known about the Toshiba Thrive, I probabbaly would have waited. It's not all about micro-weight and thickness with me. Acer tab has micro SD up to 32 G, Toshiba has full SD up to 128 G I believe.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
has anyone compare this acer iconia a500 to the viewsonic gtab, which have similar hardware. only difference is the older android 2.2. it has usb and hdmi and etc... i am debating between the two. also gtab aonly cost 260 buck at amazon
As far as the gTablet goes, the software isn't a concern since roms for all of these Tegra 2 devices are becoming plentiful and easy to install, so finding 3.0 or 3.1 on the gTablet is likely a piece of cake. Now, as far as the SCREEN goes ...
The aspect ratio on the gTablet is just off... everything is squished just a little, so round things are slightly ovular, squares are slightly rectangular... I got a Pocket eDGe off of woot a while back and it was the exact same way. The screen on the gTablet is also off-center with that thick-ass bezel along the bottom. Personally, I originally wanted a gTablet until I saw that screen, but if you can live with it and wanna run a custom rom, it's the cheapest way to get a Tegra 2 tablet, and it even has a full-size USB port on there, which was one of the reasons I'd originally considered it. As for how it feels in the hand, I played with one and it feels like a cheap Xoom... similar thickness and feel to the edges, but obviously a lower (though acceptable) build quality. I still think the way my Acer feels in my hands is the best of all those I've tried, including the Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1 (oh but the GTab 10 is f-ing sexy... my bf has that one). If you can afford the Acer, I'd still say go for that one, but if money is your primary concern and you're not bothered by the screen, go for it. Just remember, the screen's resolution is slightly lower (1024x600 vs 1280x800 on the rest), and there's only 512MB RAM in there vs the 1GB the others have... also only a front facing cam, none on the back, but I never take pics with my tablet anyway... that's what my phone is for. Otherwise, it's Tegra 2 all the way... it's definitely worth what they're going for these days, but so is the Acer even though it costs more.
Torisen said:
For me it was all about the SD expandability, if I had known about the Toshiba Thrive, I probabbaly would have waited. It's not all about micro-weight and thickness with me. Acer tab has micro SD up to 32 G, Toshiba has full SD up to 128 G I believe.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
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I'm right there with you. I'm still within my return window, so I'm seriously considering returning the a500 and getting the thrive when it comes in august. I've always been a toshiba fan.
My only concern is will the toshiba be locked down and unrootable.
Mainly because of Android (aka not an oversize iPod) and the USB slot.
Would have gone for another if it was thinner. Now with the acer case on it's darn fat and heavy. If you don't really care about the USB go for samsung 8.9. I'm still torn between the two.
Target plus $50 gift card
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
After realizing that I dont need a powerful Core i3, i5, or i7 laptop for my daily use, but do need long battery life similar to the tf700 in a sleek chassis that's preferably fanless, I've been trying to find a good looking, Clover Trail Atom 11"-13" Windows 8 generation laptop/netbook, but it seems that everything is a hybrid I got excited when I saw the Lenovo IdeaPad 11", but to my dismay, it's running RT via ARM. Such a missed opportunity. Recalling my time with the Asus Transformer Infinifty TF700, and how that was a great piece of hardware (minus the flimsy dock + Asus' bugs) I've decided to fold and get a hybrid + a large DropBox account. After looking through the Googles, and YouTubes, it seems that my best bet would be the TF810. Only issue I'm having is I live in the states. Another issue is it's price. It's waaaay too close to a Acer S7 11" variant which was what I originally planned on buying, if that's what I'd have to pay then I'd pay it. From what I've seen and read, the new Atom processors
run Windows 8 relatively flawlessly. I do not plan on playing games on it at all.
My purposes for a laptop are:
YouTube, Netflix, Hulu+, HBOgo
Light Image editing via GIMP
Google Docs and Office Suit for on the go doc editing
(hence the need for long battery)
RSS reading when not using my iPad mini
Google Chrome + extensions
LTE would be a plus, but I can tether.
What are your suggestions for me?
Thanks for your time.
Your needs and observations are similar to my ones.
I have question though, and how is you being in USA an issue in all this?
From what I know at least you will get better price on your device than we in Europe
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Have you considered the Acer W510? From what I understand from your post, it should fit right in your pocket
Now one thing the build quality isn't on pair with say an ipad or a surface tablet, but then again its quite cheap, and personally I really like it
//M
W510 would be okay if you just wanted a tablet without a keyboard. The keyboard doesn't seem that good, and keyboards on a 10 inch tablet are too cramped. And if I was just getting a tablet, the upcoming ASUS ME400 looks a lot better.
I like the Samsung 500T, it's what I have. It's downside is the glossy plastic back is a bit slippery and no secondary battery. It's upsides is a full sized USB port on the tablet, front facing speakers (which are a kinda weak at times though), and a pen with a convenient storage slot. Also Samsung seems to be doing pretty well so far with driver updates.
Another possibility I like is the Lenovo Lynx. This huge downside to this one seems to be the 32GB limit on the micro SD slot (I'm kind of hoping this is a mistake in the specs, seems odd to not support SDXC), also has no pen. The upside is the quality looks really nice and Lenovo usually has great keyboards.
m.klinge said:
Have you considered the Acer W510? From what I understand from your post, it should fit right in your pocket
Now one thing the build quality isn't on pair with say an ipad or a surface tablet, but then again its quite cheap, and personally I really like it
//M
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I did. 10" is just not enough for work. 11-12" seems to be the best compromise between fun/mobility/tablet itself usability and work mode in laptop look (I don't know if what I just said makes any sense).
Since I want to use this device for watching films I am glad they are limited to 1366x768 res.
Netflix, Hulu+, HBO Go and 720 p mkv dont look that good on Full HD screen.
Also Atom would struggle even more with higher res and battery life would be shorter.
My takeaway from CES 2013 reports is that the second wave of Win8 toys will be better than the first (2012) wave in every way: availability/functionality/performance/price. These should start dribbling out in spring, and pricing will come down for back-to-school in Aug, perhaps sooner. I would not consider a 1st-gen Win8 device at this point, not unless there's a substantial discount--that includes the Surface Pro. Of course, it depends on whether you can wait.
My second takeaway from CES is that RT is on life support. Virtually all of the CES roll-out was about x86. Big vendors like Samsung and HP won't have RT models. Whether RT dies or not will depend on MS' handling of it, which has been spectacularly incompetent thus far. I think it will live on, if only because MS will need ARM to compete against Android at the $200-300 price points. But as of now, RT has no value proposition to speak of.
It's not only the hardware that is v1.0. Win8 is a v1.0 as well, and will take time to get over the teething issues. I fully expect a point upgrade (or SP) by summer at latest, in time for back-to-school. I think it'll be a point upgrade, as Windows 8 has a stigma attached in the eyes of the public, and a 8.1 or 8.5 is the simplest PR method to convey improvements.
Succinctly, Win8 RTM (and associated hardware) in 2012 was basically a second public beta. The real launch will be by Q3 and Q4 2013. Whatever you buy today will be substantially outmoded by year-end, so I would stay away from anything too expensive. Think stopgap.
e.mote said:
My takeaway from CES 2013 reports is that the second wave of Win8 toys will be better than the first (2012) wave in every way: availability/functionality/performance/price.
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Isn't it the usually way with everything in IT/electronic world?
I can also bet that 3rd generation will be better than the 2nd and in some cases we might see it by the end of this year...?
I don't mind W8 issues and hardware that will be "old" in few months as long as it will do what I need it to do.
I also would not be so harsh with Windows 8. Either they run out of time or inconsistency between Modern Ui and Destkop mode was not that visible for those who created system as they worked with it every single day + they are advanced user not "Mr Joe Public".
They need small SP (mostly for essential programs like Mail or IE) so that they can work "as one" in both modes - sort of like Chrome today.
Second thing is inconsistency between operations in two modes. Right click on the mouse should show more similar functions (like lack of properties in modern ui).
Anyway - for me question is - which hybrid with screen of 11" will be/is the best and will last longest.
As much as I am scared of Asus Warranty service in Poland it look like TF810 is the best choice.
I just bought 128GB SSD for W8 in my desktop (old C2Q machine) and the only thing that bothers me is size of "HD" (64GB) in those devices... seems to me that W8 Pro truly needs 120/128GB + sd extension for nice, long-haul relation ship.
I agree with e.mote.
First generations tend to be the most rough. It's called the bleeding edge of technology for a good reason. Your second to third generation they usually have the design issues mostly figured out, the drivers issues resolved, and it's mostly about performance. But this first generation, there are lots of mistakes being made, lessons to be learned, and problems yet to be fixed. The first generation is the beta test for the die hards willing to pay for it.
I don't mind - just want to get the best device out of those bad ones
I need it for almost everyday work - I write a lot an I need something like that - at the same time ultrabooks are to big, laptop blow hot air... so... hybrid with atom looks like a best choice...
And will allow me to keep ipad "evening comfort"
>Isn't it the usually way with everything in IT/electronic world?
It's the old chestnut: Buy whenever you want, because tech will always get cheaper/better. But as savvy shoppers know, product releases are seasonal, and certain times are better than others to buy things. As well, veteran users of Microsoft products know that MS v1.0 is not where you want to be.
>I can also bet that 3rd generation will be better than the 2nd and in some cases we might see it by the end of this year...?
That's an interesting remark, as the usual PC cycle is annual, but recently we've seen multiple product intros within the same year, eg the iPad 3 & 4 last year. That's due to the quickened pace of competition n a wide-open market. Then, all the more reason not to buy into a v1.0 if possible, because a v2.0 is only a few months off. That's where the biggest functionality jump lies. 2.0->3.0 is usually more incremental.
>Anyway - for me question is - which hybrid with screen of 11" will be/is the best and will last longest.
Your selection will be broader come spring/summer, as opposed to the handful available at this point. This is the worst time of the year to buy new PC gear. As said, it depends on whether you can wait.
There is also the larger question of whether hybrid as a category will fly, or will it suffer from the neither-fish-nor-fowl syndrome. There haven't been enough models out yet to judge, but we'll find out this year. Surface Pro will be a bellwether.
For now I will wait since the only device in Polish shops is (are, as there are two) Ativ Tabs.
I will wait until I can compare them (touch them) in the shops and than decide.
I definitely have get device before summer as I will not be able to work away from home
Since I do not think 2nd gen will be out till summer I may get one now.
If W8 will be slow and if 1st gen hybrids with W8 will be slow I don't think manufacturers will rush with 2nd gen.
Atom hybrids are supposed to replace netbooks but not with this price level, especially that we have the likes of Asus X202 (small laptop with touch screen) that are much cheaper.
I guess we will see some premiers in autumn, lots of marketing talk, shows, etc... but it will take some time before they will actually get to the shops. Few manufacturers will make it in time for X-mass but again it will be worth to wait until all of them are in the shops.
This way I would never buy anything as 3rd gen would be "right behind the corner" .
If it will have nice screen, keyboard to write and will play movies + no fan and log battery life I can have it now.
It will be way better than Android Transformers
After soul searching for a few weeks I decided to sell my 12.2. I really wanted a one device replacement for my tablets and laptop. As much as I tried, this just did not fit the bill. I was also surprised at the lack of any development on this tablet.
It is a solid device but needs a dock in my opinion and can't quite service all my needs in one device.
Bye bye 12.2. It was fun for a while.
Yeah I don't know if you're like me but as much as I wish for it there will never be a true "laptop replacement" other than a laptop itself lol. I always cringe a little when new users come to the note pro forums here or on Android Central and ask if these devices would serve them well as a laptop replacement. Truth is they do for some use cases but not all.
Sorry things didn't work out for you. It's too bad about lack of development too. Taking matters into ones own hands by using things like xposed gives some relief but it's not the same as true custom roms.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
So, what you end up getting?
Moderate Replacment ?
Mike02z said:
After soul searching for a few weeks I decided to sell my 12.2. I really wanted a one device replacement for my tablets and laptop. As much as I tried, this just did not fit the bill. I was also surprised at the lack of any development on this tablet.
It is a solid device but needs a dock in my opinion and can't quite service all my needs in one device.
Bye bye 12.2. It was fun for a while.
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muzzy996 said:
Yeah I don't know if you're like me but as much as I wish for it there will never be a true "laptop replacement" other than a laptop itself lol. I always cringe a little when new users come to the note pro forums here or on Android Central and ask if these devices would serve them well as a laptop replacement. Truth is they do for some use cases but not all.
Sorry things didn't work out for you. It's too bad about lack of development too. Taking matters into ones own hands by using things like xposed gives some relief but it's not the same as true custom roms.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
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petercohen said:
So, what you end up getting?
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Im looking to use this as a light laptop replacement for school. I have a large 17.3 inch laptop that I lug around and i commute so its starting to be a pain. I want to use this for notes, writing in class , going over power points and light work. I will leave the serious stuff for my laptop at home. I will probably buy a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Do you think the device can cover these areas well ?
I went with a big i7 Surface 3. I had a lot of Amazon gift cards. With the dock, I'm thinking it *may* be my one device solution. Time will tell....
naruto.ninjakid said:
Im looking to use this as a light laptop replacement for school. I have a large 17.3 inch laptop that I lug around and i commute so its starting to be a pain. I want to use this for notes, writing in class , going over power points and light work. I will leave the serious stuff for my laptop at home. I will probably buy a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Do you think the device can cover these areas well ?
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Click to collapse
"Well" is subjective, particularly when it comes to generalized requirements. Take an existing powerpoint done on a computer that has complicated transitions and embedded objects and all bets are off as to whether or not the tablet will handle it "well" if at all.
I'm an engineer so I always err on the side of conservatism so I can't go on record telling you it will fit your needs perfectly. That said I think in general yeah you should be okay provided your specific requirements with regards to office file compatibility are not too high.
naruto.ninjakid said:
Im looking to use this as a light laptop replacement for school. I have a large 17.3 inch laptop that I lug around and i commute so its starting to be a pain. I want to use this for notes, writing in class , going over power points and light work. I will leave the serious stuff for my laptop at home. I will probably buy a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Do you think the device can cover these areas well ?
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Click to collapse
It varies from person to person. I've used it for that in my last year and it served it's purpose well. (With a Logitech K810). As for if it will work for you, I can not say.
Mike02z said:
I went with a big i7 Surface 3. I had a lot of Amazon gift cards. With the dock, I'm thinking it *may* be my one device solution. Time will tell....
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Click to collapse
I really like the idea of the Surface. It's just such a shame they had to use a 1990's level GPU. You get an i7, 16GB RAM.... and an Intel HD 4000. If there was ever the definition of a bottleneck, it's an Intel HD. That piece of junk is not worth 2000 quid. Not worth 800, either. 150, maybe.
I require a dedicated GPU for my day to day usage of a laptop (Design/Gaming).
If the Surface 4 gets an Nvidia, now that will be worth considering.
I do no gaming and no graphic design work so it seems to be just want I needed. So far, so good.
I don't think the Surface 3 Pro is advertised anywhere as a gamer machine.
Mike02z said:
I do no gaming and no graphic design work so it seems to be just want I needed. So far, so good.
I don't think the Surface 3 Pro is advertised anywhere as a gamer machine.
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I know. And if you're happy with it, don't let me stop you. (no really, I mean it. This is just my opinion, you don't need my opinion to enjoy your device )
I just don't think it's worth the price it sells for. Not in terms of hardware.
My laptop has an IntelHD 4000 and an Nvidia 740M. (That requires some managing as a gamer.) Inside is the same range of an i7 and 16GB RAM. When I select the IntelHD as the device to play a 2k film, it freezes every few minutes, botches up the render of several shot switches and if it's 4K, simply doesn't even get past the very first frame. The sound plays, but the video simply can't be rendered.
That's how weak an Intel HD is. Now tell me, is that worth 800 quid? Let alone 2000?
I like the idea, I really, really do. And if they add an Nvidia, I will absolutely buy the top-tier one.
But I can't understand why people would pay so much for such outdated and lousy tech.(But then, I feel the same about Apple users.) Or why companies are so utterly stupid in adding them. It's bloody difficult to even find a decent laptop below 8000 quid that doesn't have one of those useless Intel HD's. Intel HD should've been banned from the market year ago since the Family 4.
I recently had the Surface Pro 3 and it really was a solid device. I actually returned my Wi-Fi GNP12.2 to get it. But for what it cost, I really expected more. That device needs broadwell. Thermal issues and such really prevent you from taking advantage of it's higher potential performance capability. It ended up being a basic media and light productivity device, for which I found the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 to be fully capable of doing, for considerably less money.
I decided to go back to the GNP12.2, except this time I went with the SM-P907A as my "small notebook replacement" device. Add in the solid Samsung keyboard case, S Mouse, and I'm ready to roll. The Snapdragon still does it's thing better than the Exynos, I've got LTE everywhere (love that feature), and with the right apps, it really has been able to do everything I need out a portable computing device. I mean, it's light, excellent battery life, crisp screen... the list goes on.
Keeping in mind, I do have a more powerful 15" Ultrabook and high-end fixed workstation for more demanding tasks. But for the day-to-day mobile stuff, it's been working great for me. Well, at least until something more interesting comes along. With that said, I do agree it's not for everybody. Nothing ever is. But probably at least worth giving a shot for many. Either way, good luck! :good:
Mike02z said:
I went with a big i7 Surface 3. I had a lot of Amazon gift cards. With the dock, I'm thinking it *may* be my one device solution. Time will tell....
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Click to collapse
Hey man I am in the same boat. I just went through Dell Venue 8 pro-->11 pro--> Note 10.1 2014--> note pro 12.2. All in the matter of like a month.....
I have this to say about them all.
Dell venue series I bought out of a desire to try and stay cheap but still have an active digitizer. I am trying to digitize all of my notes for my masters program so that when I write my thesis it will all be accessible in one place. Venue 8 was too small, 10 was underpowered and the active digitizer on both was crap, I mean really bad. The note 10.1 was great but I wanted some more real estate so I went with the 12.2 for a week or so. Since it is the thread I am writing in I will make a few observations
1. Great tab overall, well powered but overwhelmed by Samsung TW UI, easy to take care of with root/greenify and what not.
2. For importing the pdfs and ppts from lecture it just took forever, I played with some different note taking apps and I always ended up with the S-pen app which is awesome, but it would not handle my 1000+ page books at all. I don't know how long I waited for snote to import it and then it crashed. What a shame because it was a champ otherwise.
3. One thing both the notes had for me was the multiwindow function, watch a lecture and take notes at the same time, but I noticed when I was streaming lectures that were in HD I would get some lags from the Snore and Spen. Again shame because I know the tab has the power to run it but I am guessing that its the TW issues again.
4. Why I ended up going elsewhere.(surface 3 i3)
- I want to get rid of carrying around my old 09 MBP and become a little more streamlined. I am relinquishing my MBP to be a home desktop/server since I dropped an extra 4gigs of ram and a 1TB HD in it through the years. This tab just didn't do it for me. It was soooooooo soooooo close but it just didn't quite get there from a productivity standpoint FOR ME.
5. I am a flashaholic with my phone sooooooo having something to run Odin/LGflashtool on when I am on the go would be nice so that I don't have to worry about ending up in bootloops and not have a phone the rest of the day.
Note to Samsung if you are reading this.
First, bravo on a great tab, seriously it is an awesome machine but
Second, get out of the way of the android experience a little(read a lot) more and let the hardware shine. I would love to see the android L update on this tab with a minimized TW UI so that you can really see the beast that is in the tablet.
I have gone from cheap to some of the best hybrid tablets you can go and I have this to say. The Note pro may be for you because its awesome but know what you need and what you don't. If you are trying to replace a laptop then the Note pro may not be for you unless you are talking about partial replacement to just carry around during the day and then use the big laptop back home, it may work then. BUT, if you want a true laptop replacement, like leave your old one to collect dust it may not be right for you.
Just trying to prevent so many open box items at my local best buy........
-Ice3186
I too use this tablet for school and for the price ($416 on ebay) it's a miracle device. I tried the surface pro 3 and the handwriting was not as good which was a deal breaker for at its price ($999 for the i5). I chose to just acept that ill have to carry around my toshiba a little while longer. snote is a underpowered app with frustrating lag when navigating through different ui but still the best there is. As a side note, I'm not sure why to would want to import pdfs into it when you can multi window them in a reader.
Tsk_Tsk_Tsk said:
I too use this tablet for school and for the price ($416 on ebay) it's a miracle device. I tried the surface pro 3 and the handwriting was not as good which was a deal breaker for at its price ($999 for the i5). I chose to just acept that ill have to carry around my toshiba a little while longer. snote is a underpowered app with frustrating lag when navigating through different ui but still the best there is. As a side note, I'm not sure why to would want to import pdfs into it when you can multi window them in a reader.
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GOOGLE LECTURE NOTES it's what snote should be
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Even as a power user, I have had no problem using the NP12.2 as a primary enterprise device. I travel a lot for business, do presentations and lecturing and so forth. My demands are quite high and I have loved the 12.2. On the occasion that I have needed something more powerful, the use of one of the remote apps (I like PhoneMyPC and have used it for years) works just fine as long as I keep my laptop at home, powered on, and connected to the internet. Then, when I need a file or something from the PC, well... that is what Dropbox is for. Couple the NP12.2 with a bluetooth keyboard case (and mouse if you need it) and it has been the best tablet that I have ever used, and I owned the first 10.1 android tablet two days after it came out.