Asus or Samsung? - Eee Pad Transformer General

I've been comparing the Transformer to the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 and thus far I've been riding on the Asus wagon. But it does seem the Transformer has many more problems than the Tab... Speaker balance, light bleed issue, creaking bezel, random shut downs, etc... I just want to know which TABLET is better, no keyboards attached.
Obviously since I'm posting in the Transformer thread, many will say Asus. I'll post in the SGT 10.1 thread as well.

Though both have annoying proprietary connectors, the Trans at least has a microsd slot and costs less. Heck, if Asus had put the connectors on the device, rather than force people to buy a keyboard (ASUS admits their cost model depends on people buying the keyboard for them to make money)- I would own a Trans right now.
BTW, the different issues impact all Honeycomb tablets to some degree and Asus will be FAR more reliable for firmware updates.
Transformer wins this fight.

I've been comparing the mentioned tablets for quite a while now, and browsing through various forums my obvious choice (samsung) doesn't seem so obvious anymore.
I've had the chance to try hands-on both the samsung and the asus tablet, and overall look&feel has left me longing for the samsung's european release. In my opinion, Samsungs industrial design is a little better in terms of weight and the feel of quality. Transformer is a bit heavy to my taste.
Samsung's battery life is going to be a little better as well, and I'm really looking forward for Samsung to support all the codecs they've handled pretty nicely in the past (mkv, xvid, etc). In the other hand, Transformer's connectivity is a lot better.
Samsung has verified HDMI and USB ports are going to be available as accessories, which of course add to the base price quite a lot.
I haven't had the chance to compare side by side, but I loved the Samsung's screen, even compared to Transformer's IPS-screen.
To sum it up:
Samsung
+ Battery life
+ Weight
(+3g option)
- Connectivity
- Price
Transformer:
+ Keyboard
+ Connectivity
+ Price
- Weight
- Battery life (without keyboard)
(-no 3g yet)
I'd say both devices offer great value for the money, and if you can live without the 3g, Transformer would be the obvious choice.

the 3g with most people having phones with tethering and such, I personally just connect it to my iphone with its 6 gig package and away i go.

Go with Asus instead of Samsung products...
Jardicel said:
I've been comparing the Transformer to the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 and thus far I've been riding on the Asus wagon. But it does seem the Transformer has many more problems than the Tab... Speaker balance, light bleed issue, creaking bezel, random shut downs, etc... I just want to know which TABLET is better, no keyboards attached.
Obviously since I'm posting in the Transformer thread, many will say Asus. I'll post in the SGT 10.1 thread as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would stay away from Samsung products... They are well known not to support their products in terms of software (or OS) updates... Just look at the Samsung Galaxy S lines and Galaxy tab 7 inch... took them almost one year to come out with Froyo (for Galaxy S) and (Gingerbread) for Galaxy tab 7... Asus had three or four updates already in three months... Now that's good OS/ software support!!!

Speaker imbalance is not a hardware problem. It's a software problem and it was resolved in the latest OTA.
@mikewong27: That is wrong. Stop being so judgmental.
Froyo for the Galaxy S (I9000) was released early. The delay was because of U.S. carriers approving of the ROM.
The updates ASUS are putting out are MINOR and they aren't big. I will admit that the Android 3.1 update was released pretty quickly and Android 3.2 is on the way.
The I9000 already has Gingerbread on their phones. The U.S. variants have yet to because of U.S. carriers. U.S. carriers tend to add bloat and custom features on top of the original ROM.
When it comes to manufacturers, Samsung is one of the better ones out there.
- Easy to root
- Bootloaders aren't locked (*cough* HTC *cough*.. don't even say they promised unlocked bootloaders. they have YET to deliver and still releasing phones with locked bootloaders. I'll pass HTC)
- Great screens (Super AMOLED is where its at)
- Samsung also gave a CM developer a free Galaxy S2 to dev on.

Awesomeness!
zephiK said:
Speaker imbalance is not a hardware problem. It's a software problem and it was resolved in the latest OTA.
@mikewong27: That is wrong. Stop being so judgmental.
Froyo for the Galaxy S (I9000) was released early. The delay was because of U.S. carriers approving of the ROM.
The updates ASUS are putting out are MINOR and they aren't big. I will admit that the Android 3.1 update was released pretty quickly and Android 3.2 is on the way.
The I9000 already has Gingerbread on their phones. The U.S. variants have yet to because of U.S. carriers. U.S. carriers tend to add bloat and custom features on top of the original ROM.
When it comes to manufacturers, Samsung is one of the better ones out there.
- Easy to root
- Bootloaders aren't locked (*cough* HTC *cough*.. don't even say they promised unlocked bootloaders. they have YET to deliver and still releasing phones with locked bootloaders. I'll pass HTC)
- Great screens (Super AMOLED is where its at)
- Samsung also gave a CM developer a free Galaxy S2 to dev on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ha ha man you really got your facts down, we need more senior members like these around here!

SystemErrorOne said:
Ha ha man you really got your facts down, we need more senior members like these around here!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty active around here. Don't know what you're saying
Just really hate it when people are HTC fanboy/Samsung fanboy/whatever fanboy.
I'll admit I'm a Samsung fanboy in some way when it comes to phones but that's just because I appreciate their openness for the development group. On top of that they make great hardware. Yeah, I'll admit I hate their plastic backcovers but when you put a case over it. It's pretty good. The plastic backcover makes the phone a lot lighter and to be honest. I use a Nexus S (highly criticized for not having a external sd card) but you have to admit it's a really attractive phone.
When it comes to HTC, for them to EVEN think about locking their bootloaders and when they do unlock them. I'll still have some kind of bias against them for even thinking that locking their bootloaders would be a good idea. Seeing them as the creator of the Nexus One and first Android phone. You'd think they would know better. The Android development community is what made HTC where they are now. Screwing them over and then changing your mind? Nawww.. I'll pass.
But back onto the OP's question. I'd go with ASUS Transformer without a doubt. It's the most popular non-iPad tablet out there and you can save $100 dollars and spend it on something else. Maybe even the dock?

I compared both and chose Asus too.
I too was between the Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. the Transformer before making my purchase decision. In the end, what drove me to the Asus was the MicroSD & HDMI. And when you add the keyboard dock (which I don't own yet), the equation becomes even more skewed. The fact that I had to buy a dongle to get those features in addition to the $100 difference was a deal breaker for me. Why pay more for less? I'm not cheap, and I like to buy quality products. But I like to think that I have a sound fiscal mind, and paying more for less does not compute. I also don't think that the 1/4 pound weight difference is a big issue. At least that's my opinion.
The only other option for me was the iPad 2. This had a bigger chance of getting my $$ than the Galaxy Tab to be honest. Tons of apps and games, most compatible with my iPhone; Great. But iOS doesn't do flash (frash doesn't cut it), and the tablet I was going to purchase had to cover 8/10 of my PC needs (barely use my laptop anymore). Until the world of the web changes, I can't have a tablet without Flash, for better or for worse. Oh and the home screen widgets on Android are fantastic.

I had a Tab for a couple of weeks, having had a TF + dock before. I had the "Newton rings" problem on the first, but a quick chat session with Amazon and I had a replacement in my hands the next day. The replacement was absolutely perfect. Like, what people expect from the iPad kind of perfect. No dust, no rings, no light bleed even with the backlight turned to eye searing mode, no creaks, no lifting screen, etc.
Ultimately though I switched back to the TF because I was missing the keyboard dock. I thought the Tab with a stand case and a BT keyboard would do it for me, but found that having the option of typing with the tablet in my lap was important for me. By the way, the official Samsung book stand case is amazing: with the case closed around the Tab, it's still thinner than the TF.
If the lack of a TF-style dock or memory expansion is not a problem for you, and you're willing to pay a premium for fit and finish, then by all means get the Tab. All that said, I now have a B6O Transformer and it has none of the issues people frequently ***** about, including bleed.

pokey9000 said:
Like, what people expect from the iPad kind of perfect. No dust, no rings, no light bleed even with the backlight turned to eye searing mode, no creaks, no lifting screen, etc.
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The iPads (1 and 2s) we have have had both dust and light bleed issues. Also, the screens have cracked on a few. It is very difficult to build a screen that big that users can bang at all days with their fingers.

jerrykur said:
The iPads (1 and 2s) we have have had both dust and light bleed issues. Also, the screens have cracked on a few. It is very difficult to build a screen that big that users can bang at all days with their fingers.
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Click to collapse
That's why I said "what people expect". My wife has a recently out of warranty Macbook with a swelling battery registering only 25 charge cycles. It reminds me every day that they don't poop perfectly formed quartz spheres in Cupertino.

Related

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

Got the XOOM wifi for my Bday. Totally enjoying the android tablet experience (also a Fascinate phone user). There are a few minor nit-picks for me with the XOOM. Seeing the Samsung 10.1 at Google IO is making me reconside my selection:
XOOM Nit Picks:
A bit Heavy (but certainly sturdy). I don't have any real need to lug this thing too far from my home office, so not really a deal breaker.
Power button on the back. I lie the XOOM flat on my desk. I need to pick it up to wake it up - many time per day. I find this oddly annoying!
Display just feels washed out to me. I have gotten away from the conservative auto-brightness to manually adjusted to better suite my taste. This is surely an UNFAIR LED vs Super Amoled comparison (like on my phone), but nonetheless, it is an issue for me.
Non-USB charging - yep, one more cable to manage. Again, this is an Android Tablet general concern, not specific to the XOOM.
So, the Samsung hits a couple topics for me: Lightweight, thinner, button on edge. But has its own set of issues for me:
Not 3.1 yet, Samsung seem terribly slow to push out upgrades (maybe really a Verizon issue on my phone?).
No HDMI/USB support. I am guessing they will provide some sort of dongle to provide these features, but ONE MORE piece to manage.
No SD Card support. I don have a big concern here, but who knows in the future?
Construction. The Google IO devices really looked/felt like cheap-plastic with that funky white back - but this may be how they get the weight spec to fall just below the iPad2. This is one of my gripes with the Fascinate phone - cheap back. I've not heard any reports of the retail config in June. Will it be like the IO devices, or return to something more like the original 10.18.9 black back.
I am totally on the fence here. Any suggestions??
Thanks,
Mark
Have you held a tab 10.1? it does not feel cheap and plasticy.
Xoom:
Available now w/3.1
802.11 a/b/g/n (as far as I know it's the only device with 5ghz wifi)
OTA updates (kies LOL)
Weight:
I typically carry mine around in some sort of folio case, or padded bag. To me, a few grams of weight is 100% negligible because of that fact... if I had any other tablet I'd stick it in a folio or case of some sort as well which surely adds to the weight. I don't know very many people that use their tablets without any form of cover/folio/case/screen film/etc. Even when I'm "around the house" I put it in a gel sleeve which adds to the weight. So... truly... is weight an issue on any of these tablets?
Screen:
I've held an ipad, an ipad2, a xoom, and an acer all together (not at once) - generally the screen on the ipads just seem better. dont know what the trickery is because its not just the fact that its an IPS screen vs a TN panel... I played with an Acer which is supposedly IPS as well and I thought it looked practically the same as my Xoom. I did get to hold it side by side with my Xoom at a tradeshow, it was a fun little tablet but it felt a little awkward to me. The button and output placement on it was better.
Peripheral placement:
Where the Xoom "sucks" the most if i may say it... is where everything plugs in. Short of the contacts for the power dock being on the bottom everything else is just wrong. You can't dock it and plug it into USB at the same time, gee thanks motorola.
My opinion:
Someone gave you a Xoom and you're out nothing. If you want a samsung tablet just wait until it comes out and sell your Xoom for $399 to someone as a deal and use that money to subsidize your samsung purchase.
I've got until tomorrow to return mine if I want. I've owned the original iPad, the Playbook and rooted a Nook Color. Currently, I have a Transformer on order and who knows if it will ever ship. Anyway, I agree with the previous poster that a little weight really is of little importance, especially when you put on a case. Also, for me, the connectivity is a concern because I use HDMI out a lot.
The Galaxy Tab looks appealing and I'm sure the screen will impress. However, I wonder if it will suffer from the light bleeding issues other such screens seem to have. I am also hesitant to jump in because of the stated concerns about Samsung not updating their products. That wouldn't be as great a concern if 3.1 wasn't such a dang improvement in performance and stability. Personally, I think the wiser course of action is to wait until the Galaxy 8.9. By then, surely 3.1 will be implemented and you will get a better form factor for carry.
Hi MarkP,
I think it`s really a hard decision, every review is saying great things about the Tab 10.1, for me the mains CONS are exactly those you mentioned, lack of ports and SD Reader (to be confirmed, actually, there are rumors that the retail version will have an SD reader).
Just to correct one point, the Tab 10.1 is not AMOLED, Samsung did not mention the display technology and people is speculating that it could be a Super LCD (the qualitty is very good), but is no AMOLED for sure.
I would be very worried about the pace of updates from Samsung, specially in the case of the retail tab which is supposed to come with some sort of TouchWiz (TouchWiz in itself is a big MINUS in my opinion, I like the Google Experience).
I think in any case you will be with a nice tablet, dependes of what is more important to your specific use case.
Regards ans good luck.
Sandro
dulaney22 said:
I've got until tomorrow to return mine if I want. I've owned the original iPad, the Playbook and rooted a Nook Color. Currently, I have a Transformer on order and who knows if it will ever ship. Anyway, I agree with the previous poster that a little weight really is of little importance, especially when you put on a case. Also, for me, the connectivity is a concern because I use HDMI out a lot.
The Galaxy Tab looks appealing and I'm sure the screen will impress. However, I wonder if it will suffer from the light bleeding issues other such screens seem to have. I am also hesitant to jump in because of the stated concerns about Samsung not updating their products. That wouldn't be as great a concern if 3.1 wasn't such a dang improvement in performance and stability. Personally, I think the wiser course of action is to wait until the Galaxy 8.9. By then, surely 3.1 will be implemented and you will get a better form factor for carry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, weight is a non issue for the most part, and I also agree about waiting to see if samsung updates...I mean, I have a Samsung Vibrant and have had a Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the updates are slow to come(if they come at all.)...Don't get me wrong maybe Samsung will shape up in the future, but for now til I see it I am going to try to stay clear of Samsung Android devices.
I personally don't understand the argument of Xoom's weight. Did people become that fragile that they can't carry around a device that is less than 2 lbs?
Also, Xoom will have a superior build quality compared to Tab 10.1, this is why it is heavier. You cannot have a slim, lightweight device that will have fantastic build quality. When you make a device that lightweight, you are giving up quality.
To me, it seems Xoom will always get it's updates quicker than any other Honeycomb tablet. Don't forget, Iconia and Transformer will get it in June, even though they are already available. With Samsung having touchwiz, my guess it will get updates a few weeks if not more after Xoom. And remember I/O? Xoom was the device Google used through out their experiments. If this is any indication, Xoom will probably get more dev support in terms of hardware capabilities.
I guess I can't really add anything that numerous people here have already pointed out. My biggest disappointment with the xoom is the display. It's just not vibrant in any way. Pretty dull really, in my opinion. However, the fact that the xoom has pure honeycomb and will get updates much faster than other tablets that contain OEM bloat is the key factor in my wanting the xoom over others. And, the bootloader is open. My first and current android device is the Moto Atrix, and I really wish I waited or researched the android world more before I bought it, and go a device that didn't have a locked bootloader, or could be unlocked.
If you're really on the fence about it, just return the xoom before it's too late, wait for the Samsung to come out and go compare them side by side. Unless of course you must have a tablet to use between now and release.
holtenc said:
I guess I can't really add anything that numerous people here have already pointed out. My biggest disappointment with the xoom is the display. It's just not vibrant in any way. Pretty dull really, in my opinion. However, the fact that the xoom has pure honeycomb and will get updates much faster than other tablets that contain OEM bloat is the key factor in my wanting the xoom over others. And, the bootloader is open. My first and current android device is the Moto Atrix, and I really wish I waited or researched the android world more before I bought it, and go a device that didn't have a locked bootloader, or could be unlocked.
If you're really on the fence about it, just return the xoom before it's too late, wait for the Samsung to come out and go compare them side by side. Unless of course you must have a tablet to use between now and release.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think the display is bad from vibrant standpoint, but I wish there was some way to change the color temperature to make it a little warmer. Frankly, I don't care much for the overly saturated colors of the Samsung or iPad.
samsung has always been slow and lazy on updates.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
i think I need to see the galaxy 10.1 display in person because the colors I have seen in all the pictures look a little too saturated to me...I think that would get annoying after a while. From a color saturation standpoint, I would prefer the xoom over the GT 10.1
Thanks everyone!
A few notes to add:
The Bday gift was to myself
Yep. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 display is also LED, not amoled like my Fascinate (I wish!). Probably will look very much the same as the XOOM, unless Samsung is able to config color/contrast/saturation default levels before shipping - or provide an interface for these options.
I think I may just return the XOOM, and go tablet-less until ~June 4 timeframe, then try to find a Samsung 10.1 display to do the touchy-feely stuff.
Worse case (or best case) - I buy the XOOM again, probably for a discount over the $599 I paid ($569 prices around today).
Will be only a small issue to go tabet-less for the next 20-30 days!
Looks like the GTab 10.1 i/o devices are suffering from a bit of backlight bleed themselves.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=13959199#post13959199
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qVS8KhM_rtXC555bw011jg
Good luck being able to rip open 10 of them on launch day to find a good one. Sometimes the quality control (or lack thereof) just baffles me.
^something like that I completely allowed on my $200 nook color. But when you double-plus the price, my tolerance grows quite thin and I expect the hardware to be as close to perfect as possible. Meaning: no back-light bleed.
Why not return, then repurchase at a different merchant to re extend your return time so you can wait for the Samsung to come out and be able to make a more informed decision? Once you sign into Google with the newly purchased xoom, virtually everything but your movies music and photos will be loaded back onto it.
You probably shouldn't do this, I only did something like this one time when i had a wedding shoot and really needed the money but had just sold my Sony nex. I went to Walmart and bought a dslr camera and returned it after the shoot. I'm sure if lots of people do this, it could **** with the merchants and Motorola. But, you know, its all well within your rights, just frowned upon. Your call.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App
Xoom is not the best, but enough to make me satisfied. The problem is Honeycomb itself (lag, missing apps..) not the xoom hardware.
tritran18518 said:
Xoom is not the best, but enough to make me satisfied. The problem is Honeycomb itself (lag, missing apps..) not the xoom hardware.
Click to expand...
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Are you still having lag issues even after 3.1? Are you able to surf the net and listen to mp3 without any issues? I have a TF and I dont know if its worth waiting for 3.1 in June. My return date for my TF is at the end of May. I heard good things about 3.1. Listening to my music and surfing is one of the thing I do the most, and on 3.0 using either playerpro or PowerAMP cause so much lag that it will lock up the browser or the player. With PlayerPro it will actually stutter during playback
I was planning on waiting for the 10.1 but started having doubts when I heard about the lack of SD card, then in a moment of doubt I found a xoom on ebay for $405, I definitively think its worth it fr $405.
tritran18518 said:
Xoom is not the best, but enough to make me satisfied. The problem is Honeycomb itself (lag, missing apps..) not the xoom hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you not on 3.1?
erzhik said:
I personally don't understand the argument of Xoom's weight. Did people become that fragile that they can't carry around a device that is less than 2 lbs?
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no ****. you gotta laugh when someone complains how tablet x is soooo much heavier than tablet y... and the difference is only 100 grams!

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

Hi all, trying to decide which tablet to get. Hoping to get some honest unbiased opinions. I am coming from an IPad 1 which i loved. Also, I have the $100.00 off staples coupon, however I can NOT get the Asus at 100 off. Everywhere I checked in my area would not honor the coupon because Staples does not have it in stock, I can only get the xoom or Samsung 100.00 off. SO I know most of the pros and cons of each but most reviews that favor the Asus like it because of the price cut. I am going into this with all 3 the same price (only difference being I can get a 32gb xoom at the price of the 16gb asus and samsung)
ASUS 16gb - 399.99
What I like about the ASUS:
Screen I read is the best.
Mini HDMI
SD Card
Lots of mod potential
CONS:
heavier
proprietary cable that i can not find for sale anywhere
large frame.
less than quality build
I dont care about the dock, probably wont buy it.
XOOM - 32gb - 399.99
What I like about the XOOM
largest capacity
Updates first
quality build
SD card slot
HDMI out
no proprietary cable
lots of accessories
CONS:
not the best screen
heaviest
seems to be a little slower than the others (not as responsive)
not a lot of mods available
Galaxy Tab - 399.99 16gb
Pros:
light
quality build
smaller frame
optional keyboard if I want
nice screen
fast/responsive
good mod community
CONS:
proprietary cable
no SD Card slot (huge)
no HDMI out
So with all that said, any opinions/suggestions would really help. Like I said I have the 100.00 coupon and I hate to not use it. So with it I can get all 3 for 399.99 BUT if I choose the Samsung, I would probably pay the 499.99 for the 32 gig (using the 100.00 off) since it has no SD card slot which REALLY SUX. Id be using the tab for movie watching a lot, lots of web browsing, and some EBOOK/PDF mag reading mainly with light gaming and light music listening.
I REALLY need some help.
Build Quality is a BIG factor
Personally I think you will be less than impressed with the build quality of the Asus. True, the screen is the best, but I have held one for extended periods of time and compared to the Xoom, it is really poorly made. The feel of the plastic and poor quality made me frustrated while using the device for 15 minutes. It would really bug me if I paid good money for one and had to hold the cheap feeling device every time.
The Galaxy is a nice device with a decent UI built on top of HC 3.1. The screen was a bit too washed out and saturated for me. I think the Xoom has a softer, more true color balance. The proprietary cables and lack of expansion slot is why I would not migrate to Samsung. Needing an additional dongle cable for I/O kind of stinks.
Here is a review I wrote for the Xoom and compared it in some areas to Asus, Acer, Toshiba and Samsung.
As with any purchase it boils down to preference, price and personal taste. I went from an Acer to the Xoom because of the build quality, Out of the Box support, accessory support, and OS support. The hardware and software integration had less problems on the Xoom than the Acer. Toshiba is experiencing big issues in this area as well. Screens not waking up and other issues with the OS and hardware are problems.
Also keep in mind the Xoom integrates with your PC for file transfers. Other HC devices do not integrate as easily. The Toshiba and Acer can not see their internal storage when attached to a PC. There is no way to easily transfer fies from a PC, Mac or Linux. With the Xoom it is seen as a removable drive.
Also, waiting for Samsung or Asus to release their approved updates could be frustrating if you want the latest and greatest from google. Acer is just now getting the 3.1 update to their devices because of the manufacturer UI integration. The Xoom is the cleanest HC OS with no UI laid over the stock ROM from Google.
Happy hunting.
Xoom charges the fastest. That matters to me.
I had the Xoom, returned it for the Transformer, then returned the Transformer for the Galaxy tab 10.1. I will be keeping the 10.1 and love it.
The Xoom screen is TERRIBLE and it's way too heavy. And up until recently the Xoom was the most expensive tablet on the market, despite having the worst features.
The Transformer was just a big POS. Software was extremely slow on laggy, build quality was abysmal.
I have no need for microSD or HDMI so that was no big deal for me. what I wanted was a light tablet with a wonderful screen and high build quality. The Galaxy tab 10.1 is the only one that gives me that.
What the Xoom has going for it is that it is the first to get Honeycomb updates, and it's built like a tank (in a good way, meaning it's sturdy).
I would use the $100 Staples coupon and get the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Thankfully it is still shipping without Touchwiz, since I don't like how Touchwiz tries to make Honeycomb look like iOS (seriously Samsung, get off of Apple's nuts already, it's embarrassing).
I'm in the same boat as you kinda. Looking at which tablet I will be buying.
Unfortunately, as of yet there is not one that I say I want and has everything I want. Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1 come closest, but then again - screen quality on Xoom seems to be poor whilst on the Galaxy there is no micro SD expansion possibility (which is a must in my eyes).
Will probably go for a Xoom - just need to convince myself a bit more and hope I'm not disappointed with the screen.
screwhead89 said:
I'm in the same boat as you kinda. Looking at which tablet I will be buying.
Unfortunately, as of yet there is not one that I say I want and has everything I want. Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1 come closest, but then again - screen quality on Xoom seems to be poor whilst on the Galaxy there is no micro SD expansion possibility (which is a must in my eyes).
Will probably go for a Xoom - just need to convince myself a bit more and hope I'm not disappointed with the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is driving me crazy...I'm a painter and use the Xoom as my mobile portfolio. I have compared the photos on the Xoom screen to the photos on my pc and the actual artwork, and the colors are extremely close to true life. I know that humans are attracted to over-saturated colors, but that would be a big problem for me.
I have no noticable issues with ghosting. I'm extremely satisfied with the Xoom screen. It works for me but YMMV.
.
yeah. xoom is the best overall. maybe not hands down or overwhelmingly. but the best nonetheless.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
Unless you're directly comparing the xoom screen right next to another device, you won't notice a thing.
EvoXOhio said:
I had the Xoom, returned it for the Transformer, then returned the Transformer for the Galaxy tab 10.1. I will be keeping the 10.1 and love it.
The Xoom screen is TERRIBLE and it's way too heavy. And up until recently the Xoom was the most expensive tablet on the market, despite having the worst features.
The Transformer was just a big POS. Software was extremely slow on laggy, build quality was abysmal.
I have no need for microSD or HDMI so that was no big deal for me. what I wanted was a light tablet with a wonderful screen and high build quality. The Galaxy tab 10.1 is the only one that gives me that.
What the Xoom has going for it is that it is the first to get Honeycomb updates, and it's built like a tank (in a good way, meaning it's sturdy).
I would use the $100 Staples coupon and get the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Thankfully it is still shipping without Touchwiz, since I don't like how Touchwiz tries to make Honeycomb look like iOS (seriously Samsung, get off of Apple's nuts already, it's embarrassing).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Xoom has the worst features? Just because you don't use HDMI or microSD (that will probably change) doesn't mean you can ignore those features. The only downside I can see is that it doesn't have an IPS display - but even that isn't a big deal. When you aren't in a showroom, those IPS displays (like on my brother's iPad 2) are blinding. It may have taken a while to reach its potential, but the Xoom is still the best Android tablet you can buy.
Thx for the responses, although I'm still just as confused as before lol!
The ones you have listed basically have the same specs all around the board, it really comes down to built quality and the extra features. While the Transformer has some cool add-ons, they're expensive as Hell. When it comes to build quality I give the edge to the Xoom. Some people complain that it weighs...all of 1.6 pounds, I actually prefer for something I might be holding to have a little bit of weight, otherwise I may forget I'm holding it and drop it. The Xoom also has the best cameras, if that makes any difference, and has the most accessories. I really wanted to get the Tab 10.1, but when I found out it has (or will have) a stupid dongle like the iPad, then I decided against it. It's just something else to lose or break, and is completely unnecessary, but that's just the way that Samsung tends to do things.
brandogg said:
The ones you have listed basically have the same specs all around the board, it really comes down to built quality and the extra features. While the Transformer has some cool add-ons, they're expensive as Hell. When it comes to build quality I give the edge to the Xoom. Some people complain that it weighs...all of 1.6 pounds, I actually prefer for something I might be holding to have a little bit of weight, otherwise I may forget I'm holding it and drop it. The Xoom also has the best cameras, if that makes any difference, and has the most accessories. I really wanted to get the Tab 10.1, but when I found out it has (or will have) a stupid dongle like the iPad, then I decided against it. It's just something else to lose or break, and is completely unnecessary, but that's just the way that Samsung tends to do things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One more thing that just struck me on my way to work...the Xoom is a serious device for getting things done. I never use my laptop in the field anymore; the Xoom does it all. I don't know how the other tabs stack up when it comes to serious work but it's a consideration for me.
I have gone thru 3 ipads -- 2 ipad 1 (wifi then 3g) and an ipa2 3g, Galaxy Tab (7"), and the Evo View 4G (7"), as well my Xoom. I decided against keeping the ipads mostly because they're really just oversized iphones (which I already use) and I was looking for more. I love the smaller form factor of the 7" devices but ended up more convinced of the Honeycomb than the earlier Android OS. I've compared the Xoom display to virtually all the others now being offered including HP's new Touchpad. It's pretty subjective IMHO -- yes, the GTab 10.1 more highly saturated colors give a first impression of "better" colors, but having used the Xoom daily since it first arrived in Feb, I can honestly say none of the other displays was good enough to convince me to give up the Xoom. It's a workhorse and seems to remain ahead of the others because XDA-Developers continually offers advancements that Moto and Verizon haven't even thought about yet.
I had the Galaxy Tab 7" and got the Xoom when it came out. The Tab is more refined than the Xoom but I am pretty sure that's because the Tab is running 2.2 and not Gingerbread. Once the update for the Xoom hits mine I'm sure I'll like it much more than I currently do with the missing SD card and 4g.
goinovr said:
I had the Galaxy Tab 7" and got the Xoom when it came out. The Tab is more refined than the Xoom but I am pretty sure that's because the Tab is running 2.2 and not Gingerbread. Once the update for the Xoom hits mine I'm sure I'll like it much more than I currently do with the missing SD card and 4g.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're rooted (and I sure recommend it) why not try the Tiamat 2.0 Manta Ray in the Xoom development section. It is really super - updates to HC 3.2 with additional features the stock OS won't have. I've had SD card access since early in my Xoom's life thanks to these XDA developers and virtually all my gripes have been addressed. This is a great tablet once the OS is where it needs to be.

Galaxy Note 10.1 vs. Asus Transformer Infinity

This has been discussed in other threads, but hopefully this will be a more rational discussion. Please, no fanboys or trolls. It seems to be an obvious comparison right now: Samsung Note 10.1 vs. The Asus Transformer Infinity.
I'm getting a new tablet soon, and was hoping for some helpful information. Along the way it'll be great if this thread helps others with their decision. I had a Samsung 8.9 LTE and loved it, but it was stolen. Just a bit slow though. If either the Note or the Infinity came in a 8.9" form factor I'd buy it immediately. My wife has an Ipad 3. Sorry, but I don't like it. Too much of a PITA to deal with. (Did I mention that I DETEST Itunes?) Great for her though. I will be using the tablet as a portable media center (movies, music and ebooks; I spend a great deal of time on the road.), web browsing, and using it profesionally to look at large, image heavy, PDF documents. Rendering speed and search speed of those documents is very important.
I have not seen a note 10.1 yet... I've read everything I could find on both though. I have played with the infinity and the Tab 2 10.1 at Best Buy. My impressions so far:
Build quality: It's a wash for me. I've seen a number of complaints about the Asus. However, the demo model at Best Buy seemed just fine. I guess I'm not too worried about it; if there's any problems with the Asus I could return it to Best Buy. And I would without hesitation. Same with the Samsung, but every Samsung product I've had has been fine. (With the exception of some BT problems on 2 early Skyrockets.)
Display: Another wash for me. OK, OK, the Infinity is full HD. That said, the display on the Tab 2 was just fine. I could see no pixelation. To be honest, the extra bright mode on the Asus impressed me more than the resolution. Also, I need to view large PDF images, and speed of render is very important. Though I didn't get a chance to view any large images on the Asus, I'm going to guess that it will render somewhat slower due to the resolution. And yes, an extra second matters in this case. maybe I'm wrong about the render time? The render time is the primary reason I want the Note over the Tab 2.
Performance: Advantage Note. See render time above under display.
The Stylus. Not sure about this one. I do need to take notes and draw occasionally. I'm wondering if after six months the pen would become something I couldn't live without? I wonder if there will be CAD programs come along that will take advantage of the stylus? It would be great if I could do 2D CAD work on the tablet and do the 3D stuff later at home...
Docking Keyboard: Advantage Asus. Seems very, very nice. Especially with the extra battery life. How well do BT keyboards work with the Samsung I wonder? On the other hand, I'm a slow typist. I could see myself becoming addicted to the stylus... Or, I might never use it. Only one way to find out I guess.
Speakers: Advantage Samsung. I listened to both. No contest here, the Sammy blows the Asus away. This also makes the Sammy the winner in movie watching for me.
Web Browsing: I'm not sure.
I would appreciate any insight or opinions anyone has to offer.
Thanks!!!
I think Acer also has FHD tab (iconia 700 or something). I guess that also deserves to fight here as it seems to be same-spec'd as Asus Infinity.
If the full hd does not TRUELY matter, I would say the note fits you better. Your need for a tablet seems more fitted towards entertainment, so keep in mind fhd is better for movies and reading. I've read a few issues on the infinity having issues or slow rendering with big PDFs (I forget which one and it could be fix by now). Again so if you can't really tell the difference between the two resolution, get the note. For entertainment, the note will give you stereo speakers (two speakers pointed towards you), Bluetooth with aptx codec (if the quality of streaming audio matters). The infinity has been out for awhile now so most, if not all its flaws are known and most of those flaws are not deal breakers. The note hasnt been mass release yet so it's still not a fair fight between the two. Wait til the note is officially release and see if there's any flaws in the tablet.
If the spen is really what you need then the note is for you. But with me fhd and the spen are equally weighted. it will really depends on how many flaws each tablet has that will lean me towards the other.
( even though the a700 is fhd at the same price the infinity is better all around)
I returned my Transformer Infinity and somehow ended up here looking for a new tablet. (Related thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1830473) Simply put, I'm never buying another Asus product again.
I'm really leaning towards buying a Galaxy Note as soon as possible. Unless I find some other tablets that look better or find some flaws on Galaxy Note, I will probably buy it. Looks like "Meet the new way" thing is going to happen soon in New York, and hopefully I will be able to buy them within a few days if not hours.
I own the TF700. I am actually considering the Note. Here is what I have been considering...
My TF700 is super fast after the last update. I have zero issues.
I have not had a chance to test out any blue tooth stuff yet, since I dont have any blue tooth headphones. Never owned any, and I really dont know if I will.
I am a HUUUUGE music guy. All my music is in Google's cloud using Google Play. This is why I chose Android over Apple, strictly cause of the way I can store music, along with how the interface looks. Music is my number 1, period.
with that said, i dont listen to music or any audio for that matter using the external speaker. No need for it. I know the note has those stereo speakers, but I dont know if I would ever use them. My stuff sounds great right now through cans, so I am not sure if I am going to hear a difference with the Note.
Display - HD vs whatever the display of the note is. Now, I dont THINK I would have an issue with going from HD to the display of the Note. If the Note display can look as good or better than my wife's Ipad2 that would be awesome.
Quality Control - I have light bleed at the bottom of my tab. this is a VERY common problem. I sent the first one back which had it, and now my second has it. Other than that, the tablet is perfect, really. I only see it during boot up. I thought who cares cause the thing is so fast, but I know it is there, so I am sure the Note will have more of a quality build.
Benchmarks - I dont know about this. From the videos posted here, the Note is getting the best benchmark, beating the TF700. But I personally feel that user experience is what should drive this. That said.....I still have in the back of my mind that the Note will be faster in stock, and be even faster with DEV roms But am I going to see it? But I still want it
Support - This is number 2 to my music. Asus puts out firmware like my wife buys shoes. We are also getting Jelly Bean very soon (confirmed, but no date). I have read that Samsung stinks at pushing firmware? can anyone comment on that? Also, has there been any word on when JB will be hitting the Note? With the Note having an issue with exfat on the SD cards, when will a fix be pushed? Those lack of updates scare me with Samsung.
Spen - I dont care. I guess I could use it for taking notes at work, but I was considering the transformer keyboard (maybe) for mine. Not a huge deal at all for me.
Dual screen thing - very cool, but the Overskreen app does that as well, so I dont really care for this feature either.
So my thinking is, I am actually very happy with my tablet, but I am one of those who dwell on the fact that I could return it (in my 30 day window with BB) and grab the note and could have that little bit more of performance, more quality control...but it is possible I could lose the firmware/jelly bean pushes (can someone speak to that?) and lose the HD.
I am still considering the Note. Hell, I might even keep my TF700 until the 30 day mark, and return it all together until I can see some real life stats of the Note. If I dont think it will suit my needs, I go back and get the Asus. Sounds dumb, but for 500 bucks, I am looking for perfection.
My usage is Music by far #1, Browsing #2, and maybe some games. That is what I am using it for at the moment. It is a luxury item for me right now.
If I find that real life stats on the Note just SMOKE the Asus, I may be getting it.
I know for sure I will get it if they push updates and it gets jelly bean soon, soon as in this year, not next.
I hope that makes sense, and I was trying to be objective and not be a fanboy
I am really considering the Note, but I need some real life stats before I make the change.
Good idea for a thread, because there ARE people out there like me, who are considering one or the other, or already own one and are thinking about switching.
Connectivity
hot_spare said:
I think Acer also has FHD tab (iconia 700 or something). I guess that also deserves to fight here as it seems to be same-spec'd as Asus Infinity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The biggest asset for me is connectivity; i.e. full size USB, memory cards, HDMI, etc. This is where Samsung have not progressed and ACER and ASUS (with the dock) have. How much more would it cost the manufacturers to have an option to add more RAM?
Having said all that, the Note 10.1 is impressive and the unlocked tab costs SAR2,600 here in Saudi Arabia from various leading shops. ($1=SAR3.75)
was watching the live stream and the guy said jb will be out for the note by this year
Another big Plus is the usage as telephone in the 3G Version.
Since I have a dual card, its nice answering phone calls, while watching a movie.
This isn't meant as a put-down on Asus; they deliver great value. But that value comes at a price. Since the OG Transformer they've had design, QC, and performance issues. The latter due to using second-tier suppliers to keep costs down. Here are some examples.
HannStar Displays - All Asus tablet forums have threads on backlight bleeding, bad pixels, and other types of display defects that affect a larger than typical number of devices. There's also haptic feedback issues which could be the panel, digitizer, or both.
AzureWave Wi-Fi Radios - Premium manufacturers use Broadcom. AzureWave is why Asus doesn't support 5GHz Wi-Fi and most likely the source of BT interference that bogs down streaming when BT is connected.
Cheap NAND - All of Asus’ tablets suffer from IO issues.
Assembly Issues - Creaking, displays becoming separated, frames bending around the dock connector, and other issues that point to weak assembly tolerances, poor design, or some combination of both. This thread in the TF700 forum describes (by owners) some of the issues. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1815968. In addition, a tear-down of the Prime reinforces issues in the assembly process. http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/cr...ardown-solid-tablet-but-not-without-flaws/399
Service and Repair – Their outsourced repair facility in Texas is atrocious. All of the Asus forums are riddled with stories of devices damaged while being repaired, accusations of customer induced damage to avoid warranty costs, long turnaround times, and ineffective communication for status.
Warranty Void for Unlocking the Bootloader – And they don’t provide NVFlash support for people to be able to recover on their own.
Samsung outsells Asus (N7 excepted) three-to-one in tablets and we all know they are the dominant player in non-Apple smartphones. They also manufacture a great deal of their own components. Because of this their cost-of-goods is untouchable by other manufacturers. So for Asus to deliver more than Samsung when their component costs are higher means there had to be cuts made somewhere. What I listed above are just some of those cuts. If folks are happy with their Asus products and aren’t personally experiencing or concerned about the issues that riddle their forums that’s totally cool. Like I said, Asus tablets are a great value. And things like ports aren't a functional differentiator, all can be replicated via add-ons for the Note. It's a matter of adding the additional cost to the total price you're willing to pay. But different strokes for different folks.
Here are some things that, at least for me, made me buy the Note. Even without a 1080P display.
Performance - It feels in use exactly what the benchmarks portray.
Rock Solid Wireless – The Note has BT 4.0 and aptX. If none of you have listened to lossless audio over BT it’s incredible. I have it on my One X and it sounds better with high-end headphones than a physical connection. The Note also has a/b/g/n Wi-Fi support with channel bonding and Samsung’s always supported 5GHz. GPS also supports Glonass.
Durability – I’ve had a Samsung phone and two Samsung tablets (three counting the Note). From experience and watching activity on their forums there are fewer issues with build quality and longevity with Samsung products than any other. They may be “plasticky” but they stand up to tough treatment very well.
Specific Note Features – I won’t elaborate because they’re already being talked about.
- S-Pen
- Multi-view
- Overall performance
- Browser experience
- Wireless performance
- True stereo output with forward facing speakers
- Build quality and support
- TW mini-apps, Awake Stay, Pop up play, AllShare Cast, Buddy Photo
All of this is a big YMMV because everyone has different sensitivities and uses their devices differently. So agreement on which is better, the Note or TF700, will never happen. And for the love of God, those of you that are diehard Asus fans don't go on a tear about the commentary I've provided. Whether it's happening to you or not all of it is substantiated on the TF101, TF201, TF300, TF700, and N7 forums with threads over 10 pages long discussing each item I've outlined.
I need to see one and test one in real life before the 3rd to make my decision.
I am hoping BB gets them in stock.
---------- Post added at 01:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:09 PM ----------
Barry...I am still waiting for those videos
All the full reviews are starting to be released now that the announcement’s been made. They were already written but embargoed. Since we've been talking about the display and agree how important it is, here's a comment from PCWorld. I've noticed the same thing because when I put my P7500 next to the Note, in spite of them both having the same resolution, the display on the Note is clearly superior.
"However, Samsung has clearly done something with this tablet to boost its display performance. The sharpness and color of images is dramatically better than the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, and my high-resolution images in the Google Gallery had sharpness and detail that came close to what you'd find on the high-pixel density displays. (Another observation: Android tablets typically struggle with skin tones, but the Note 10.1 produced some of the most realistic skin tones I've seen.) Text clarity was better than than on the abysmal Galaxy Tab 2, but it couldn't hold a candle to what you'd get on any of the high-pixel density displays."
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2609...w_the_pen_sets_this_android_tablet_apart.html
P.S. – In the article they talk about an attachment issue with Gmail. If anyone has an issue with it the solution is to set Gmail up using push via ActiveSync in the stock e-mail client. I do that anyway because it’s better integrated with other stock apps and my other e-mail accounts.
qnfauf said:
I returned my Transformer Infinity and somehow ended up here looking for a new tablet. (Related thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1830473) Simply put, I'm never buying another Asus product again.
I'm really leaning towards buying a Galaxy Note as soon as possible. Unless I find some other tablets that look better or find some flaws on Galaxy Note, I will probably buy it. Looks like "Meet the new way" thing is going to happen soon in New York, and hopefully I will be able to buy them within a few days if not hours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just noticed up my infinity to take it back tomorrow. By far the worst tablet experience I've ever had. Screen flicker, screen bleed, and the brightness even with auto brightness of constantly fluctuates. And the Asus seems very sluggish to me also. I've got a nexus 7 that runs as smooth as can be, but my int. htc one x with tegra 3 is very lagy also. Makes me wonder just how great tegra 3 chips really aren't?
I do love the keyboard dock though, would be nice if Samsung came out with something like it.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium
The Huawei FHD may be worth considering also, it had great specs and a similar dock to the asus, I'm looking at these 3 tablets but I'm going to wait until the Huawei gets reviewed before I decide which one to buy
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
jimbob456 said:
The Huawei FHD may be worth considering also, it had great specs and a similar dock to the asus, I'm looking at these 3 tablets but I'm going to wait until the Huawei gets reviewed before I decide which one to buy
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When is the huawei mediapad coming out? And that thing only has a 6600mAh battery, with the high resolution screen, it won't be enough.
I am hoping best buy has them in Stock soon. I am taking this up there and comparing it have never used touch wiz.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using xda app-developers app
lardo5150 said:
I am hoping best buy has them in Stock soon. I am taking this up there and comparing it have never used touch wiz.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You probably won't be a fan. I'm not particularly. It does provide some decent additional features, integration, and short cuts but it's both bland and cartoonish at the same time. Bland in the way the different menus and editorial are presented and cartoonish based on the widgets and icons. I have a One X and HTC does a fantastic job with Sense. Both in the way it's presented and by giving it a more polished and contemporary feel. The widgets on the Note blow. For example the calendar widget is 4x6 and can't be resized. Same thing with the other S-Planner widgets which are 4x4 so you can't stack them vertically. I'm still pissed they left out Social Hub. It's not the world's greatest social solution but at least I got all my notifications in one place instead of having multiple odd looking widgets with each individual app cluttering the notification bar when something new comes in. The pop-up mini-apps have been around since the OG G-Tab but with the power of the Note they are actually usable now. You do get 50GB of Dropbox for two-years and it’s well-integrated with all the other apps and a lot of third party apps. That beats the 6GB from Asus with their proprietary cloud. If you end up getting a Note it won’t be because of TW.
Can you not install third party widgets like hd widgets,?
I will be looking at how chrome performs how smooth things open and close and how Google music works with touch wiz.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using xda app-developers app
I'm also considering the note 10.1 and returning my infinity, too many issues, returned my prime for the infinity, much better than the prime, but doesn't feel right, good luck
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
I guess I'm not the only one struggling with this same decision. I almost bought a TF700t around a week ago until I started reading about all of the IO issues with the transformer line. The keyboard dock ability for the ASUS is something I would like to have but Samsung does have an official keyboard dock for the note that will be available also so it at least gives me an option for that. It may not have an extended battery and the extra full size ports but I think I can live with that.
Overall I am really seriously leaning towards the Note 10.1 for the following reasons.
1) Stock Performance - if its this good out of the box, Custom Roms will really fly.
2) 2GB Ram = future longevity & multitasking
3) Odin = easy to mod, fairly hard to brick. Asus could have this too with NVFlash but it sounds like they have done some work to make sure users cant use it.
4) Stereo front facing speakers - Yes headphones are better but it would be nice to have real speakers on the device. Having speakers facing away from the user is junk.
I still own a Galaxy S (Epic 4G) for my daily driver. I removed touchwiz from it long ago in favor of Cyanogenmod and haven't looked back. And while Samsung has been pretty bad on their software updates in the past, I do feel like they have been getting better with the newer devices, plus there's always the dev community to the rescue. Their hardware on the other hand, I have always thought was some of the best on the market.
lardo5150 said:
Can you not install third party widgets like hd widgets,?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, third party apps and widgets perform the way they always do.
I will be looking at how chrome performs how smooth things open and close and how Google music works with touch wiz.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you use Chrome you'll lose multi-view. Only certain stock apps work in multi-view. The stock browser's incredibly fast and Samsung's always done an excellent job with h/w browser acceleration. Between stock and Chrome I'd bet stock is faster.
iamchocho said:
Stock Performance - if its this good out of the box, Custom Roms will really fly...
...I removed touchwiz from it long ago in favor of Cyanogenmod and haven't looked back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The difference is all the Note's proprietary apps. Just like today, if you replace Sense or TW with a third party launcher none of HTC or Samsung's widgets work outside the overlay. If the devs tweak the stock ROM making sure to preserve all the stuff like the functionality of the S-Pen, multi-view, and the other imbedded stuff everyone should be fine. Putting an AOSP ROM on the Note will obliterate all the features you're buying it for. Unless you're really buying it just for the h/w platform. The Note is further away from stock Android than any other device on the market because of all the non-standard stuff Samsung's baked in.

Why I chose the Galaxy Note... one mans journey

I had been in the market for a tablet for a few weeks, having not owned one before, I felt it was time to take the plunge. The main purpose was for evening internet browsing, maybe accompanied by a pint of beer. I'd previously purchased a galaxy Note phone for this very purpose, but I found even that was too much of a compromise screen wise, 5" just wasn't doing it for me, I had to go large. And if I had a tablet I could downgrade to a smaller size phone in future.
After extensive research on the net I narrowed the choice down. A 7” tab would be too small a leap in screen real estate for my needs, so the Nexus was ruled out, which left the front runner been the Transformer TF300, I though a keyboard would be nice for my very basic needs of Word and Excel, and of course it had the Tegra 3, which I had convinced myself I needed. I was aware the 300 could have a few ‘issues’ after reading the xda forums.
I resisted the urge to purchase as the Berlin IFA was about to commence, and Samsung and others would be releasing their latest tech there. Along comes the Note 10.1. And with that comes more frantic Googling for the latest internet reviews ( I ain’t gonna let go of £400 without knowing exactly what I’m buying!).
After reading the review at Android Police the Note seemed a pile of crap. A turd in the bath. A stink in a cesspool. However, my research goes further than that and I started reading user reviews and of course the review from Lisa Gade on youtube. All these seemed to counter what android Police had stated. With my head spinning I had to put some rational thought to my purchasing decision, and my thoughts were…
Do I need a keyboard – would be nice, but given my very limited use of work related stuff, and a large onscreen keyboard on tablets anyway, it would be possible to manage without, I shouldn’t compromise other factors just to have a keyboard.
Front facing stereo speakers – basic design principles tell me this is the way it should be done.
S pen – never really used it on my phone, but I was intrigued by the ‘hover’ function when viewing the web.
Charging cord – Another bummer mentioned at Android Police, its only 3 feet long, no way I could use the Note when its charging. Solution, charge it overnight.
Build quality – now that review at AP had a lot to say about flexing, squeaking and poor fitting. I saw the videos on that site and I agree with what the reviewer was showing us there. But I can only conclude that the unit he had must have been either pre production or had been subjected to some fairly vigorous tear downs.
I have my Note here and I must say it has very high build quality, absolutely no squeaking, all panels are flush fitting, and the only flex is right in the middle of the back panel, which incidentally is where I never hold it anyway. Also I’ve never had an issue with lightweight back panels, right from my first Samsung Galaxy phone. The technology is there to make things like that these days, it just makes sense, lightweight and no signal interference.
Tegra 3 – The reason I was after a Tegra device was so that I could ‘enter the tegra gaming zone’. It seems a nice place. But then again I don’t spend much of my life playing games and I can easily get my fix from whats available on Google Play.
Now that I have a Note I’m very happy in the knowledge that I have an even better processor, preloaded with masses of codec support and developed hand in hand with the Note to give a great browsing performance.
Cameras – I have no need for cameras on a tablet, waste of time. Oh hang on though, what have Samsung got here, this thing watches my eyes and doesn’t dim the screen unless I fall asleep, clever b******s.
GPS – I’ll only want this if I use Google Sky maps, I usually know where I am if I’m in my own house.
But it’s good to know that Glonass is included on the Note, another thumbs up in the high quality components list.
Audio quality. - Note has a Wolfson DAC. Nothing more to add here.
A note about resolution. One tablet I considered was the transformer Tf700 for its high res screen. Much talked about and much coveted. I wouldn’t turn it down. But when people are buying a tablet they need to consider what device they will be replacing. For me it will be primarily replacing my laptop, which has a 17” screen with a resolution of 1600 x 900. So just by downgrading to a 10” size screen with 1280 x 800 I’m getting higher res anyway, and given that it’s a PLS screen its higher quality to boot. So I’ve already gone ‘high res’ just by getting the note.
I’ve only wrote this review because I’m so impressed with my Note. I hope many others buy it and it gets the success it deserves.
Nice review, enjoyed reading it and hopefully teaches people not to be in haste at knocking a device without seeing real world usage user reports.
I think you have made a good choice and am happy that you are enjoying your note as it is out of the box, hopefully with the Jelly Bean update around the corner it will get even better.
Also love Lisa's reviews because her reviews do not seem to be biased unlike a number of other 'professional' reviewers.
same things i considered and bought note on its day of launch in india..
btw u forgot multiscreens and an extensive battery life
Sent from my GT-N8000 using XDA Premium HD app
Here's my bottom line. If I could have bought a 10.1 inch tablet with a 1920 x 1200 screen and a wacom digitizer and pen along with a 1.4 ghz quad core CPU and zero lag for $500 instead of this I would have.
Doesn't exist.
So I bought this.
** The problem I have with reviewers who have slammed this tablet is that they are comparing it either to tablets that do far less or simply do not and cannot exist at this price point. The lowest price for a pen based Windows RT tablet from Samsung will start at $150 more. And that will have worse dpi than this.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2
mitchellvii said:
Here's my bottom line. If I could have bought a 10.1 inch tablet with a 1920 x 1200 screen and a wacom digitizer and pen along with a 1.4 ghz quad core CPU and zero lag for $500 instead of this I would have.
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Click to collapse
Hehe, +1.
mitchellvii said:
Doesn't exist.
So I bought this.
** The problem I have with reviewers who have slammed this tablet is that they are comparing it either to tablets that do far less or simply do not and cannot exist at this price point. The lowest price for a pen based Windows RT tablet from Samsung will start at $150 more. And that will have worse dpi than this.
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I get a sense that what the OP and I need is more like Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 with GN 10.1 specs less s pen + better screen / premium quality. I don't really care that much for the s pen. I do need everything else you mentioned out of the tab though. So, I feel that some of the low points of this tab, screen resolution and lack of premium build feel, could've been mitigated had Samsung saved the money on S Pen and associated hardware and software expenses.
SM05 said:
Hehe, +1.
I get a sense that what the OP and I need is more like Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 with GN 10.1 specs less s pen + better screen / premium quality. I don't really care that much for the s pen. I do need everything else you mentioned out of the tab though. So, I feel that some of the low points of this tab, screen resolution and lack of premium build feel, could've been mitigated had Samsung saved the money on S Pen and associated hardware and software expenses.
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Lol, yeah that crazy Samsung with their crazy s-pen.
It's simple, if you don't need or use pen input, why the hell are you buying this tablet? Buy an iPad or an Infinity that are pure consumption devices. The SGN 10.1 is for people that want to do WORK with their tablet.
mitchellvii said:
It's simple, if you don't need or use pen input, why the hell are you buying this tablet? Buy an iPad or an Infinity that are pure consumption devices. The SGN 10.1 is for people that want to do WORK with their tablet.
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If it were that simple I wouldn't be replying on my GN 10.1. I posted this before but yeah, consumption device is what I mostly need. I don't plan on buying any Apple devices, don't wanna say ever but for a long time. That leaves android, which I prefer anyways (GS2 is my current phone). There aren't that many stable, fast and well built android tabs out there. Build quality + specs is why I went with GN. S pen is just an appendix as far ad I'm concerned. Lol
So, if you're listening Samsung, give us galaxy tab 10.1 with the same specs as GN, premium/better finish and improved screen dpi, if possible, and no s pen. All under 500 please. Lol
SM05 said:
If it were that simple I wouldn't be replying on my GN 10.1. I posted this before but yeah, consumption device is what I mostly need. I don't plan on buying any Apple devices, don't wanna say ever but for a long time. That leaves android, which I prefer anyways (GS2 is my current phone). There aren't that many stable, fast and well built android tabs out there. Build quality + specs is why I went with GN. S pen is just an appendix as far ad I'm concerned. Lol
So, if you're listening Samsung, give us galaxy tab 10.1 with the same specs as GN, premium/better finish and improved screen dpi, if possible, and no s pen. All under 500 please. Lol
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Yes, they need 2 models. Consumer - $400, without the pen. Creator / Producer - $500 includes pen . Display on both needs to be the same (highest resolution and quality they can manage without slowing the system down.)
mitchellvii said:
Lol, yeah that crazy Samsung with their crazy s-pen.
It's simple, if you don't need or use pen input, why the hell are you buying this tablet? Buy an iPad or an Infinity that are pure consumption devices. The SGN 10.1 is for people that want to do WORK with their tablet.
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Click to collapse
I wouldn't say the infinity is a pure consumption device. I like my note a lot more then the prime I owned but with the keyboard dock it really does move it out of a pure consumption device.
nice review. exactly what i went thru lols
I mentioned it elsewhere, but the first review I read was from Lisa. Always unbias and as someone that knows about stylus's and wiacoms, she was very to the point about the device. Most if not all the others, reviewed the device as a competitor to the iPad, Transformer etc, when in reality those devices do not do what the Note does. After reading that stupid review from AndroidPolice, and I say stupid since no journalist/writer would make such a headline or put in stupid comments of the device giving them cancer, I went to the store to test it myself. It was nothing like what the reviews mentioned and right then and there I knew this was the tablet to get. A few days later I got it.
Haven't regretted it since.
is it the perfect device, No. nothing is, no matter what any one says, including Apple. Each and every device has its pro and cons, but this device runs circles around my previous Lenovo and overall, its one awesome device.
TS
As has been noted, I did not buy the Note for its pen, this was low on my list of needs as I had never found much use for it on my Galaxy Note phone (I found it just too cramped a space for my liking). I was instead drawn more by its quality and cutting edge components. However, given that the pen was there I’ve been giving it a go anyway, and I’ve found it a much better experience on this larger screen, infact I’m now beginning to use it all the time, it just seems easier and quicker for most things.
Websites are not designed to be prodded at with fingers, but to be used by a precise pointing device, so navigating using the pen feels quicker and more natural. When playing games (Air Attack HD) its easier to slide the pen around the screen and fingers are not blocking out the action.
Oh, I forgot about another reason that swayed me towards buying the Note, and that was to do my own little bit to support Samsung against the dark forces of crApple and its abuse of the (broken) patent system. Or as someone else on the net succinctly put it – the American patent system is a pile of ****, and Apple is sitting on top of that pile.
I’ve been listening to the sound quality of this thing, I’m going to put up a new post about it so its easier for people to find.

Has the Note turned you into a Samsung fanboy?

I've had my Note a few months now and I still believe its the best tablet out there. The nexus 10 does have a higher resolution but the
Note screen is beautiful anyway, also I use the S pen for everything and it has an SD card, so that tips it for me.
I remember years ago when I was a lad buying hi-fi equipment or stuff like that, Samsung was always at the bottom of the pile, the Beko
of the hi-fi world, if you had Samsung, you just had crap. Sony and the others were the things to aspire to, and if you were really
lucky, Technics! So it really does amaze me how samsung have seemingly come from nowhere over the past few years and are in the
position they are in now.
I had the original Galaxy phone and I think that represented a milestone with its combination of Amoled screen and Android operating
system. The numbers it sold in clearly showed Samsung they had created a winner and that this was the direction to go in. Thankfully
they did. After that I had the original Note. The return of the stylus to the small screen devices was a masterstroke. I sold the Note a
few months ago as it was a bit big for me and I was missing the Sense user interface I had years ago on the HTC Blackstone. I'm now
using a One S.
I'd never be daft enough to be like one of those iSheep who cant think beyond what a marketing campaign tells them, or who has no
sense in value for money. But am I a Samsung Fanboy? Definitely.
P.S. Samsungs projected phone sales for 2013 are over half a billion units.
Samsung been producing top class electronics for years .
VCR TV DVD Hard |Drives SGS1 2 3 and Note 10.1 are just a few of my Samsung products .
Sony no longer cut the mustard in my view .
jje
I had the Original Samsung Galaxy Nexus and was only so-so on it. I quickly traded it for a Motorola Razr Maxx. But the S III looks like a great phone and most people that own it seem to really like it. The Note phones are just too big for my tastes. But it would be cool to have that form factor with a pen. I'm hearing rumors the S IV may have a pen with a smaller form factor than the Note. We'll see.
But I won't make the decision on my next phone, or any other product, just based on my love of the Note 10.1. But I will give them serious consideration, unlike Apple. I have no desire to go down that dark path.
Only for tables i love the built quality of htc phones i had hd2 for 3 years without a single scratch and i may consider htc butterfly as my next phone, but on tablets i have nerarly owned every samsung tablet out there and i will not buy any tablet rather than samsung again
Sent from my GT-N8000 using xda app-developers app
Fanboy? No...
In fact, I dislike Samsung because of some of their surreal business practices - like having reciprocal 'no sell' policy between Canada and the US that prevents me from buying Samsung products from stores like Amazon.com. Which would be ok - if Samsung Canada carried the same products as Samsung US, or at least allowed you to order them *through* Samsung Canada - but they don't. This makes their opening the first physical Samsung Store in Burnaby, BC, Canada rather surreal since the store carries a tiny fraction of what Samsung US sells.
The customer support is often wonky and frustrating (note, we North Americans are still waiting for *any* updates for the Note while it's already rolling out for the second time in Europe).
They try too hard to be Apple and get it wrong too often.
That being said, here's the reality - I have an Q1U-V tablet, a Series 7 Slate, a Galaxy Nexus and a Galaxy Note 10.1. I have two external DVD drives, both Samsung. About the only thing I don't own made by Samsung is a desktop computer or monitor. I've had to buy most of them by driving to the US and buying them over the counter and bringing them back to Canada.
Why?
Simple. While they don't get it perfectly right - they get far closer to what I want than anyone else does. In the end, really - I have no other options. And Samsung seems to be slowly fixing the things I find annoying - so I'm prepared to cut them a lot of slack.
So am I Samsung fan boy? No. But they are my main consumer electronics producer for now...
Nope. I tolerate them only because of the S-Pen. As soon as someone else comes out with one that runs Android I will jump ship immediately.
I don't really value the name of the company ..
Even apple , I believe it produces bad products when it comes to smartphones and tablets aka ipads .. but I dream of a mac laptop ..
I had a Samsung and I'm buying the next tablet from samsung again too ..
ONLY BECAUSE OF THE PEN AND THE SOFTWARE FEATURES ..
I have to admit It sucks when it comes to quality .. I never expected it would feel this bad ..
but It's still a Great device even with the bad feeling of the material of it :good:
I may have tendencies of fanboyism but tbh they do make quality products, it all started with my S3 then i bought an SSD and now the Note, all of which serve me well and work flawlessly.
I feel that the large departments for R&D which they possess play a large role in how good these devices are, e.g they have shrunk the die in many of their mobile chips in order to lower power consumption and heat production. Not many companies are capable of such things and this in my books is why samsung excels.
Nope
While I love my Note 10.1 and have had it since the first day it was released in the US it is far from the perfect tablet.
Proprietary charger.
Always a big negative in my book for any device. If you want to have more functionality than a standard usb form factor charger offers then include a second port for that functionality but leave the charging to a standard usb form factor plug.
Screen resolution.
While I have no real complaints about the screen I expect an apple style rollout this year of a new Note 10.1 with a higher resolution screen making all of us early adopters have to decide if the upgrade is worth it for something we all wanted and expected in the beginning.
Software Updates.
It is frustrating to watch multiple updates come out across the globe for items in the same family of devices without getting even a hint or update on the progress of updates for your region. I think Samsung could do a lot to quiet people's complaints on the update delays by communicating the progress and causes of delays to their users. Even without a definite release date just being able to see that it is in the pipeline would do a lot to satisfy me.
And one final minor issue for me.
Placement of the S-Pen in the body of the device.
The pen placement really confuses and frustrates me. It seems that the note is designed to be held in a landscape orientation, speaker placement, volume button directions, native app orientations, camera positions, accessory orientation, etc. That being the case why does the pen come out of the bottom of the device? If I am using a stand I have to lift up the tablet to get the pen out or put it back in place. When I hold the tablet in portrait orientation, which I do most of the time, because I am right handed I have to choose ease of access to the s-pen (camera to the left), or keeping the light sensors uncovered (camera to the right). I would guess the same from the reverse would be true for lefties. Upper left corner vertical in landscape, next to the power button, would have made much more sense as then the pen would be easily accessible from any position other than upside down while keeping the power and volume buttons accessible as well.
The note 10.1 is a great tablet. It is fantastic for taking notes and as a digital sketchbook but it isn't anything that would make me into a fanboy for Samsung.
I do love my note 10.1. The best tablet for me right now. Not the best at everything, but best overall. The nexus would have been my second choice.
Higher Res screen is no good for me as my eye sight is not as good as it used to be. So the nexus would not have been beneficial.
The nexus had no SD card slot, may as we have an ipad.
A big plus for me with the note is USB charge. I can go travelling and use the same extended battery for my phone and tablet.
My old tablet was an ald xoom. I sold it for 160 ukp and bought the note for 330 with 80 cashback, so it was a sub 100 ukp upgrade.
Yes it has. I have a Glaxy Player, GS3 and now a Note 10.1.
I think "fanboy," especially the way it's used on XDA, implies a kind of blindness favoring a specific manufacturer. I bought (coming from a i9100 SGS2) the Teg3 One X over the SGS3 when they came out because I liked the display, design, and Sense vs. TW.
Here's a quote from Samsung's CEO made in June:
"A particular focus must be given to serving new customer experience and value by strengthening soft capabilities in software, user experience, design, and solutions."
http://www.informationweek.com/mobi...ung-ceo-software-key-to-device-wars/240002193​
It's clearly being taken to heart. The welcome and unique capabilities of the Note series make other Android devices look barren. I liked the features (I'm a productivity user) of the Note 10.1 so much I got a N2. And it has even more features than the 10.1. I was playing with a friend’s N10 over the holidays and it looks like a barren wasteland feature-wise compared to the Note. Similarly, he was amazed at what the Note could do that his N10 couldn't.
Samsung's raised the bar for other manufacturers in features and usability. From the "Phone X" leaks at Motorola it seems they've gotten the message. The N4/Optimus G and One X+/DNA/Butterfly are simply re-hashes of existing direction with better h/w. To me, features are like crack; once you're hooked they're hard to give up. So I'm not married to Samsung and would consider other devices but not if it means I'm going backward.
In the high-end space I think manufacturers that just mildly evolve their devices are going to be screwed going forward. As it is, their a generation behind Samsung and if Samsung keeps moving the goal ahead their struggles will only continue. Motorola survives because of Verizon and HTC actually lost market share with the introduction of the One series. From a volume and market share perspective everyone other than Samsung’s in trouble. It'll be interesting to see what's announced at CES and MWC in the next couple of weeks.
TheWerewolf said:
Fanboy? No...
In fact, I dislike Samsung because of some of their surreal business practices - like having reciprocal 'no sell' policy between Canada and the US that prevents me from buying Samsung products from stores like Amazon.com. Which would be ok - if Samsung Canada carried the same products as Samsung US, or at least allowed you to order them *through* Samsung Canada - but they don't. This makes their opening the first physical Samsung Store in Burnaby, BC, Canada rather surreal since the store carries a tiny fraction of what Samsung US sells.
The customer support is often wonky and frustrating (note, we North Americans are still waiting for *any* updates for the Note while it's already rolling out for the second time in Europe).
They try too hard to be Apple and get it wrong too often....
That being said, here's the reality - I have an Q1U-V tablet, a Series 7 Slate, a Galaxy Nexus and a Galaxy Note 10.1. I have two external DVD drives, both Samsung. About the only thing I don't own made by Samsung is a desktop computer or monitor. I've had to buy most of them by driving to the US and buying them over the counter and bringing them back to Canada.
Why?
Simple. While they don't get it perfectly right - they get far closer to what I want than anyone else does. In the end, really - I have no other options. And Samsung seems to be slowly fixing the things I find annoying - so I'm prepared to cut them a lot of slack.
So am I Samsung fan boy? No. But they are my main consumer electronics producer for now...
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I laughed a little I'm not sure I quite agree with they "try to hard to be Apple and get it wrong too often." comment. What does that mean exactly?
Frankly Samsung has very clearly innovated, beyond and better than has Apple in many cases. I think one can only fault, if that's even a realistic term in this case, things like the heavy use of plastic vs metal/glass... but is that even really fair? Those same materials are what make the unit so "flexible" in many cases (replaceable battery, internal sd card, light weight, more resiliency when dropped).
I think if anyone is playing catch up now it's Apple. Samsung isn't building knock-offs, they are building better and in many ways different mouse traps. Even Samsung's software is well polished comparatively.
The only thing I dislike on the Note 10.1 is the lower res screen. But that's simply because I know there's better out there. However that doesn't mean it's low quality, quite the contrary it's an excellent screen.... I just wish it was as "excellent" as the one on my Note 2
It's not that I won't buy from other manufactures, Samsung has just made consistently the best products I have use recently. They have converted me from HTC for phones, and Nexus tablets. Now I own a galaxy s3, 8 Samsung pebble, a note 10.1, and a Samsung laptop. As long as they keep up the innovation and good customer service, I think I will stay with them for a long time. As much as everyone complains on these forums, I actually think their rollout schedule of updates is really good
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
I'm not a samsung fan boy and i will never be one. Will never spend a penny on samsung products again.
xuanphucn said:
I'm not a samsung fan boy and i will never be one. Will never spend a penny on samsung products again.
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Click to collapse
why?
HUYI said:
why?
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It would appear not to matter. Motorola and HTC both had new products in the period and still lost market share. LG maintains its percentage of market share primarily with low to mid-range devices. According to reports the N4's sold only 400K units so it's in high-demand from lack of supply.
I can say I.support Samsung now. This note 10.1 and SG3 are my first Samsung devices. They perform so well I left them stock. Not even rooting them. I underestimated them. They do produce some quality products.
I will say though I loved my previous Transformer Prime. Only reason I got refund on it(to buy note 10.1) was because I saw its forum and developement scene kin agoing downhill. It still was, IMO, a great experience. Its the price we pay to be on cutting edge technology at the time. I still have my Nexus7 to satisfy my Tegra3 /Asus needs though
I'd easily recommend either Samsung device I own to others. They work great out the box. Only thing I don't like is their updating software routines. but its cool with me since device works so well out the box.
Also I will likely be getting a Note 2 shortly. Then give my SG3 to my woman. I love that huge. 5.5in. SuperAmoled. Screen on it. It'll compliment my tablet well. Can you believe that that company Haewei is releasing a 6in+. Phone? Love it. Even the rumored SG4 will likely be at least 5ins. I love the phablet category!
demandarin said:
I can say I.support Samsung now.
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Whoever thought we'd see that day.
I'm having fun with my Note, it's a toy to me....Samsung has to do a lot more to lure me away from my HTC phones........

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