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Hi all,
I'm looking into tablets and for now it seems that Acer Iconia A500 is "the one". Owning a HTC Desire HD with it's beautiful 4.3" screen, I really don't see the point in buying 7" tablet, so I'm left with iPad (like I'll ever buy Apple's icr.p ), Motorola XOOM (a bit too expensive), Asus EEE Tab (which isn't released in Europe yet) and Acer A500. So what's your experience with it? I've seen a thread about screen quality (seems that the only drawback is the fingerprints, which could be cured with a good screen protector and it doesn't bother me that much anyway, because people are saying the same about the DHD and I have no problems with it), but what about the other aspects of the tablet? I've read that it can be rooted, but does it come with preinstalled market? Seems that there are many tablets that have their own versions of the market and this is something I deffinately don't want. Also what about the build quality. Alluminum body sounds nice and having a device with one, I'm definitely into that! How's the sound, are the ports and buttons easily accessable (mostly the headphones jack, the charging port and the volume buttons)? How's your overall experience with the tablet? From all I've read the only drawback is the lack of a GSM module, but while on the go, I can use my phone's wifi router, so that's not such a big deal. Thanks for all your input!
tkolev said:
1. does it come with preinstalled market?
2. Also what about the build quality.
3. How's the sound
4. are the ports and buttons easily accessable (mostly the headphones jack, the charging port and the volume buttons)?
5. How's your overall experience with the tablet?
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Click to collapse
1. Yep, all Honeycomb tablets come with the new Google Market.
2. In my opinion, it's pretty great. It has a very solid feel to it and the brushed aluminum makes it feel classy and won't get scrapes very easily. The seams are well done and I don't foresee any parts lifting or moving from where they should be, I also don't see how dust or dirt can get into or under the screen.
3. Excellent for a mobile device. In fact, I haven't heard a portable device save for some blackberries with such deep, thorough sound. They are better than standard with the equalizer off but with it enabled it sounds really nice. There's still very little bass, of course but it's still very full sound. I have a bluetooth speaker system and sometimes I don't bother using it because the a500 sounds so good.
4. Yes. The power button is on the left which means it's at the top in portrait mode, same for the headphone jack. I don't think there's any way to accidentally press it. It's also lit which can become useful with a future update. Right now it blinks every now and again, seemingly randomly.
The volume rocker and lock switch are on the top in landscape or right side in portrait mode. The volume rocker switches automatically when you change orientation if you haven't enabled the hardware lock - so initially in landscape mode, a right press is volume up and left is down but when it goes to portrait mode right (which is now at the bottom) becomes down and left (which is now at the top) becomes up which is a very nice touch I think. But I'm assuming all tablets do this so I'm not sure if I should bother to highlight it.
The charging port is on the right top, the micro usb and usb are side by side on the bottom right. I find their placement optimum because I don't get any cables tangled from being too close.
I don't like the flap that I have to flip to get to the microSD but it's understandable since beside it is where the GSM equipped Iconia Tabs have their sim card slot. In the end I think that's a good place for them. It's protected by the flap so no liquid can sneak in. The docker is of course on the bottom in the middle, the obvious place.
5. Let me put it this way. I wanted a Transformer. Now I don't, lol. I'm still interested in testing/feeling out the Transformer but the Iconia Tablet has won me over, pretty much 98% completely. Right now I'm anchored to simply the idea of the Transformer for ONE reason only, the dock. Each day Asus decides not to release it in the U.S and I read more and more user experiences of the dock causing it to lock up, reboot etc. is a day I care less about the dock and more about just enjoying the A500.
Hope this helps in some way. Sorry if I missed any questions.
All HC Tablets have preinstalled Market.
For your other Questions:
My A500:
Build Quality: Good
Sound: Is really good for a Tablet in my Opinion, I had the Ipad1 and 2 and Archos 7.. and the Sound from the Acer is definetly better (Dolby Mobil support)
Buttons are good in Position, but the Lock Rotation Button is a Pain for the Fingers...
One thing i have to concern right now... There seems more community around the transformer and already som roms! Acer seems to have a locked bootloader from what i read.. so maybe custom roms will last some while and maybe never with newer and self comiled kernels (like the motorola milestone)
Custom Roms is a important factor to me, the tab ist fast... but not always... the community is always faster (and often better) in "fixing" such things
Because i have one Build Failure (A little Hole in the LCD Glass) i will bring it back to the shop and im thinking of getting the transformer instead, just for the open bootloader (i don't need a full size usb every time)
Thanks for the replies, guys! Well, I can't care less for the dock of the transformer, since I'm used with the on-screen keyboard for my mobile devices and I have a laptop, which I use for work anyway, so the tablet will be mostly for browsing and media and that's good enough without a keyboard. Also, I heard that you can plug an USB keyboard and use it with the A500. Docking a mobile device makes little sense IMO. One of the main usage of the tablet will be in the car, because I have two kids and driving anywhere without some sort of entertainment for them is a nerve breaking experience. I'm thinking about replacing the "baby on board!" warning sign with "I have two whining kids in the car and I'm not afraid to die!"
The news about the bootloader isn't good . I care much more about custom kernels than custom ROMs mainly because of the overclocking, but then again I seriously doubt that in the coming year or two we'll need to overclock it, so it's not that big deal anyway. I've put a custom ROM on my DHD months after they were released (and I have the DHD since October), just to see what the fuss is all about. Coming from a WM device, I think the difference is not that great between custom and stock ROMs (at least not what it is with WM). I'm running a GB custom ROM now and still have to see what it has over the Froyo. I'm sure there is something, just can't figure out why Google hid it that good.
Well two days ago I finally got the A500. So far I'm loving it. They had both the Acer and Asus at the store and I'm sure the A500 is the better choice. To anyone wondering which one to choose, here is my experience. The first thing you'll notice is that the transformer's display looks a little bit better than the iconia's. Part of this is the auto brightness setting on the iconia being too power conservative. That's a good thing for your usage of the tablet, but not great for showing off. Still hats off to Acer for valuing user experience higher than sales experience. Compared to my Desire HD (both pumped up to max brightness) the screen is great. Brighter and the white is whiter (though with a little bluish tint). Anyway if it was just the screen, I would have gone for the transformer. But it's not. The next thing you'll notice is the weight. It's noticeably heavier, but it's because of the alluminum casing and that's worth the extra weight. As I said I own a DHD and to me the plastic feels... well cheap. Next comes the rotation lock. Very important with Android which restarts the current activity every time you rotate the device (and trust me you WILL accidentally rotate it). True - difficult to switch on and off but it also makes it difficult to switch it by accident. Volume button changes behaviour as you rotate the tab and once you get used to that, you'll come to like it. If you intend to use the tablet mainly as a netbook for heavy email writing, then the transformer will be better suited for you with it's battery packed keyboard (which costs extra), if you'll use it mainly for browsing, media, e-books, gaming - the a500 is the one for you. And finally the selling point of the A500 - you get full USB port without the extra cost (and bulk) of the docking station. This means keyboard, external drives, card readers, etc.
What I don't like with it is... well just a few minor things really. The icon for the headset being strange, also the occasional turning on of the screen is annoying, wifi signal is somehow weak but that's a part of life when having devices with alluminum back (the DHD has the same issues and I already had my home wifi APs repositioned when I got it) and the market being landscape only (probably honeycomb feature).
Overall being an HTC fan, I'm surprised that I like an Acer device that much. But considering the current HTC tablet (7", gingerbread and ridiculously high price) it all makes sense. Even without Sense ;-).
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
i did a little bit of my own research about Iconia and other tablets. I pretty much came down to 3: 1) iconia - excellent build quality for its price and a nice screen, 2) xoom - the best build quality, okay screen, 3) toshiba - unknown build quality but very thick, their very first tablet but the best IPS screen.
overall I am satisfied with Acer, it doesn't have as good build quality as iPad1, definitly better build quality than iPad2. i am a perfections thou. and the i am getting more and more used to the android operating system. what i like the most is that there is a lot of high quality apps that are for free. on iOS you have to pay 99c even for fart apps.
After keeping up with over 8000 posts of trying to get the Transformer, I gave in and spent the extra 50 for the Acer.
1) It was readily available at my local BB.
2) I didn't want to wait.
Im hoping before my 2 week return policy is up, transformers will start showing up and I can get one locally. If not, I have 14 days to decide if I keep the Acer or not.
Bottom line, Acer is nice. We also have an Ipad and NC in our household, and really, as a daily user, I don't see much difference between the Acer LCD and the IPS.
Internet loads faster than the Ipad. I havent tested everything but for what I use it for, its working fine.
My point: Try the Acer from your local BB. It may fit the need for the extra 50.
Or, cross our fingers and maybe Target will have a coupon code to get it sub 400 if and when it arrives May 15.
The acer doesn't look bad until you put side by side with the transformer.
Understandable!
Definitely be interested in hearing your impressions and what you like / don't like about it.
I love my Transformer, but there are a couple things that are pretty neat about the Acer, including haptic feedback and a USB port...
I personally only went with the Transformer because of the keyboard dock.
chay03 said:
We also have an Ipad and NC in our household, and really, as a daily user, I don't see much difference between the Acer LCD and the IPS.
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Click to collapse
Not sure how you can say that. I've owned an iPad, NC - had an Acer for about 3 days from BB, and my TF came in a few days ago - world's difference between the IPS and non-IPS screens.
I love the Transformer and would heavily recommend against Acer. In addition to the screen - it's too bulky (yes I know on paper it's 50g but I could really feel it), not a fan of the aluminium back, hardware buttons are hard to get to (the rotation lock button was impossible to operate on 1st try). The pluses are USB host and rear camera flash but I was ok giving those up simply for the screen.
(My 2 cents...)
I'm waiting for my B&H order to come in after May 31st. If Samsung announces that their 10.1 has something other than Tegra2 and that out of the box their Exynos or Orion SoC can play 720p high profile than I'll cancel my order and wait til June 8.
Let me help you out a little:
http://www.nowinstock.net/computers/tablets/asus/
touch screen grid
From what I've heard and pictures i've seen, the touch screen grid is VERY visible on the acer. This would drive me crazy.
Yes, the touch screen grid is visible but you really have to look for it.
Just enjoy the money spent and stop looking for something bad.
I can also agree with the other poster about the Ipad and Acer side by side. Of course you'll see a difference. Ex) G-tablet, very bad screen on its own, but side-by-side to anything else, of course it looks alot worse.
Me perosonally, I wanted it to be slightly thinner as far as holding it in portrait mode. I don't like the wider bezel transformer was taking up. Im using some version of a thumb keyboard that seems to work ok for me.
I haven't tested all the bells and whistles yet. I have downloaded a few apps and suprisingly, no force closes yet.
Now to the dock. Thats up to another 150, so you actually paying 550 transformer with dock before tax. From what i understand, my usb kb and mouse should work, free of charge. Or up to 50 something.
Extra battery life....ok. I can see if you travel alot, its understandable.
But I work 12 hours a day, work with kid's homework and make time for them, so I don't plan on using it hard like others.
Thats just how I see things, it works for me now, but if I do get a chance to play with a Transformer before my 14 days are up, I may switch. Who knows. But im not gonna hold my breath.
And sorry for not knowing how to use quotes...
I had the acer for a while, and yes it was nice. A little bulky (not sure the transformer is any different, I haven't received mine yet), the grid drove me nuts (I hardly ever saw it, but when I did it was really annoying and grabbed my attention).
The screen looked nice, but nothing like the ipad2 screen I saw. I'd still say it's worth the money if you don't care about the keyboard dock or if you need usb right on the tablet. My fiancee played with the acer while I had it, and now she bugs me every day about getting another one.
chay03 said:
Yes, the touch screen grid is visible but you really have to look for it.
Just enjoy the money spent and stop looking for something bad.
I can also agree with the other poster about the Ipad and Acer side by side. Of course you'll see a difference. Ex) G-tablet, very bad screen on its own, but side-by-side to anything else, of course it looks alot worse.
Me perosonally, I wanted it to be slightly thinner as far as holding it in portrait mode. I don't like the wider bezel transformer was taking up. Im using some version of a thumb keyboard that seems to work ok for me.
I haven't tested all the bells and whistles yet. I have downloaded a few apps and suprisingly, no force closes yet.
Now to the dock. Thats up to another 150, so you actually paying 550 transformer with dock before tax. From what i understand, my usb kb and mouse should work, free of charge. Or up to 50 something.
Extra battery life....ok. I can see if you travel alot, its understandable.
But I work 12 hours a day, work with kid's homework and make time for them, so I don't plan on using it hard like others.
Thats just how I see things, it works for me now, but if I do get a chance to play with a Transformer before my 14 days are up, I may switch. Who knows. But im not gonna hold my breath.
And sorry for not knowing how to use quotes...
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I can't enjoy spending more money on a lesser product, it's why I generally don't buy apple
seshmaru said:
I can't enjoy spending more money on a lesser product, it's why I generally don't buy apple
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my thoughts exactly.
toddmp said:
my thoughts exactly.
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seshmaru said:
I can't enjoy spending more money on a lesser product, it's why I generally don't buy apple
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Click to collapse
Seriously?
Because while I am loving Honeycomb, my iPad 2 is killing my Transformer in speed, available apps, stability, interface consistency, size, build quality, speaker quality, battery life, media player quality....
Of course, there is a reason I am trying out Honeycomb... I like new technology!
(And I'd really like a microsd slot, but Steve says no! )
bleclair said:
Seriously?
Because while I am loving Honeycomb, my iPad 2 is killing my Transformer in speed, available apps, stability, interface consistency, size, build quality, speaker quality, battery life, media player quality....
Of course, there is a reason I am trying out Honeycomb... I'd really like a microsd slot, but Steve says no!
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Click to collapse
I had an iPad I now gave to the misses, and it just felt like my 3GS on a bigger screen. Honeycomb feels like an actual tablet OS, even if it has it's flaws. Also the transformers sound is better, no use arguing with that since iPad only does mono sound. App availability is also not completely true, since I can't use iPhone apps properly on my iPad since it just blows em up making them generally look really bad or keeps em in a small box making them not attractive either. However Android apps generally scale to the tablet format well.
Speed can't really tell the difference, I have a custom ROM which might make a difference though. All other points are true though. But you don't buy a transformer at this point to get a finished product, you buy it on potential due to honeycomb needing to mature.
seshmaru said:
Honeycomb feels like an actual tablet OS
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Totally agree with that one! Being able to connect a hard drive, keyboard, usb stick, etc. That's awesome!
As for app availability I'm finding the actual Honeycomb/tablet apps in short supply while there are many, many tablet specific apps on the Apple App Store.
The speakers on the iPad maybe be mono, but it sounds better to me.
Anyway, don't get me wrong, I love both (well, I will love my Transformer again after a firmware update) but I just thought Apple didn't deserve such a hard knock.
You can hate their computers (I mean because of the price, locked in aspect and some people's dislike of OSX) but their tablets and phones are pretty nice.
bleclair said:
Totally agree with that one! Being able to connect a hard drive, keyboard, usb stick, etc. That's awesome!
As for app availability I'm finding the actual Honeycomb/tablet apps in short supply while there are many, many tablet specific apps on the Apple App Store.
The speakers on the iPad maybe be mono, but it sounds better to me.
Anyway, don't get me wrong, I love both (well, I will love my Transformer again after a firmware update) but I just thought Apple didn't deserve such a hard knock.
You can hate their computers (I mean because of the price, locked in aspect and some people's dislike of OSX) but their tablets and phones are pretty nice.
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I said apple in general, as I stated I owned an iPad and an iPhone 3GS, not everything they make is horribly overpriced, but in general they are.
and my point is that there are a ton of regular android apps that work really well on honeycomb, even though they don't get counted as "tablet apps".
I wasn't specifically knocking the iPad, just apple in general.
kudosmog said:
I had the acer for a while, and yes it was nice. A little bulky (not sure the transformer is any different, I haven't received mine yet), the grid drove me nuts (I hardly ever saw it, but when I did it was really annoying and grabbed my attention).
The screen looked nice, but nothing like the ipad2 screen I saw. I'd still say it's worth the money if you don't care about the keyboard dock or if you need usb right on the tablet. My fiancee played with the acer while I had it, and now she bugs me every day about getting another one.
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Click to collapse
I compared them side by side, weight was one of the major issue for me but that probably just me.
I noticed a lot of problematic threads, and just wanted to start a positive one. I just recently purchased a Metallic Grey 32gb Galaxy Tab and it's awesome. Also, I just purchased the Belkin Case.
If anyone has optimizations, preferred settings, etc... that they believe results in an improved user experience please post.
Me personally - I just installed the Launcher Pro Free versions and this thing is moving super fast now!
-Disabled Scrolling BG
-Disabled OpenGL on the browser
-Selected a Static Wallpaper (Not Live)
My co-worker had his iPad 2 for comparison. Although, the iPad did have a more 'responsive' interface, it had no personality. All you could do was select an icon and run apps. I really like the ability to make the Android OS look totally different from the next tablet. He bought the ipad2 for his daughter, which makes sense, but admitted that if he were to buy one for himself it would be a tab... side note: we are both software developers.
If you are please with your Tab 10.1 purchase, let us know!
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-You're-and-Your
Please read that.
matt310 said:
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-You're-and-Your
Please read that.
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Thank you, I needed the laugh.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using XDA Premium App
Happy here! Just waiting on custom ROMS
"it had no personality" lol.
i am happy with my 10.1....my wife uses ipad2 and honestly speaking... it will take one some time to get the hang of 10.1 due to its 'personality' after some time with ipad2.
the very first thing i was looking for when got 10.1... the counterpart of that physical home button on ipad2...
I carefully avoid using you your you'r...
home=little button that looks like a house on lower left...no matter how you hold it!
didn't vote. i do like it a lot and find it the best of the current hc tablets for my needs, but definitely not the "best thing ever" and nothing really to deal with except the limitations of tegra2.
so i'm satisfied.
Traded my iPad 2 for one and wouldn't look back. Awesome device.
Considering a return
Honeycomb simply isn't ready yet.. still lots of crashes and hang ups. The browser on the GT10.1 is essentially useless between the bookmark bugs and the constant crashing.
Unless samsung or someone can get it fixed within 8 days I'll be returning.
Some performance things:
ADW or Launcher Pro -- I prefer ADW, seems more optimized for tablet use. Runs great.
Set plugins on the browser to on-demand
Perfectly happy with it. Honeycomb is still buggy, but it's not a dealbreaker for me.
Best tablet ever
I havent had mine for long, but so far i am loving it!
Sent from my Galaxy Tab 10.1 using XDA Premium App
Great tablet but will need some more software optimization to catch up to the iPad (1 or 2).
Please don't quote me hardware configs, that's like saying the 415hp mustang is the same or better than the 400hp Aston Martin. I have used them side by side and frankly honeycomb looks better, but needs work quite a bit
I still picked the Tab over the iPad cos I need m. office to work on the tablet even if it is just to read documents, spreadsheets, pdfs etc etc
Voted "I'll deal with it". I purchased a 32GB metallic gray.
So far it's the best Android tablet I've had. But there is still room for improvement.
No micro SD, Honeycomb being slow, no Netflix, and a lot of incompatible apps, keep me from being able to vote "Best thing ever". It's unfortunate because most of the issues aren't the tablet's fault.
I'm hopefully Ice Cream Sandwich comes to this tablet as soon as possible. I don't think Google will ever get Honeycomb fixed.
Got my replacement tab tonight and its flawless...love it!
Apps have a long way to go but i dont care about the lack of sd or usb.
I just got mine and I'm getting used to it (comming from using a Xoom), I think there's still a lot of room for improvements in Honeycomb to make it a more pleasant experience...I'll be waiting for the custom roms/kernels as with the Xoom they made a real difference...lets wait for them to come...
The good browser options being hidden in debug.
Choppy ui/typing.
No official USB/HDMI yet
Tegra 2 total suckage in video playback and gpu power.
Market annoyances.
Outside of that I love it thus far. HC needs work and accessories need to be released.
I'd stab myself in the foot if I had to trade this for an ipad.
So I was just wondering what is the overall feeling about this tablet? I'm thinking about getting it and i was just wondering if everyone likes it or if its 50/50 or what?
I've owned the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Acer Iconia, Motorola Xoom, and the Transformer. I can say that the Transformer is the best tablet for the money on the market. It's not as sexy as the Galaxy, but it's more functional, far more flexible, and a hell of a lot cheaper.
Always hard to get objective views on a product specific forum.
I'm in a love/hate relationship with it at the moment. I love the form factor and the functionality. I hate the lack of tablet optimized apps/games and the awful build quality.
To me, it feels like a beta product. This isn't a bad thing per-se as I like to tinker.
I like mine a lot, and its definatley the best bang for your buck Honeycomb tablet out there right now. Although I do wish it had the form factor / looks of the Galaxy 10.1, the HDMI out and Micro SD card slot are oh so nice to have, especially for $100 less
The build quality and lightbleed issues are the only downsides to the tablet in my opinion. I got one with a few creaks in the back and some light bleed, but I just look past it. Its not enough for me to sell or go through ASUS to replace it. Still works great for me. Also, not all of the tablets have this, and Im hoping the newer builds have been fixed.
If your thinking about getting one, I would definatley consider it. Great tablet and a great price right now.
Other big plus is that Asus is really quick at getting the Honeycomb updates out. We've got Honeycomb 3.2 already which is great.
rilot said:
Always hard to get objective views on a product specific forum.
I'm in a love/hate relationship with it at the moment. I love the form factor and the functionality. I hate the lack of tablet optimized apps/games and the awful build quality.
To me, it feels like a beta product. This isn't a bad thing per-se as I like to tinker.
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Click to collapse
I definitely feel like im a beta tester, but I dont really consider it a bad thing. I enjoy using new equipment and working out kinks. Just wish i didnt have to pay so much for it . That being said, a lot of the kinks are worked out now from my experience.
Keyboard lag is gone. Havnt had a sleep of death since the first update. Everythings running a lot smoother with the last firmware update.
Its replaced my laptop in class more or less completely. I use evernote and ezpdf to take notes and its wonderful.
do you use any of the attachments?
I got a Transformer and didn't regret, that I bought it. I got it without dock, because I only wanted a nice tablet ... for everything else I have an i7 notebook with 6 GB RAM.
If I can recommend it? Maybe ... depends on what you want to do with it.
Regarding quality control ... it's the fortune of the early adopter nowadays to be a beta tester. Example: I also got me a Galaxy S2 and though I'm very happy with it, the S2 forum here at XDA is full of complaints about QC.
jnad32 said:
do you use any of the attachments?
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The keyboard is the big attachment and its really the selling point of the tablet. If you anticipate ever using it then the TF is the way to go, if you dont anticipate ever using it then you could be happy with the Samsung, albeit with no SD card and costing a lot more.
The TF has a great screen, its flexible and its cheap. Its not built as well as an ipad (or the other android tablets) but I havent had any functional issues with its built, its not like its breaking on me. Its just you can feel the difference in the "tightness" between the two.
Being said I ended up buying a second for the girlfriend, tired of her constantly using mine.
I got mine in the first batch to come out- from TD. I have had no real issues accept a tiny light bleed- build quality is great for mine. no creaking etc.
It has done everything i ask of it and thrown at it. I use mine for about 70% work related with notes at meeting, signatures on contracts, email, polaris app etc. Even skype calling..
Constantly listening to music watching movies etc. Never had any issues with Battery usage.
I think it has gotten better with each update. Yes little bugs here and there after an update ut usually fixed or have work around within 24 hours. That stuff doesnt bother me.
I never got the keyboard because i felt it was an option that i would never really use so i invested in a nice case- ( PDAIR ) I love the concept of the keyboard but just wasn;t going to use itand did no need the extra bulk.
For me never needed to root it yet (maybe down the road ) but for now it is great as stock.
Last thing i will say is there have been alot of new choices out since i have bought it... yes they might have had a thing or 2 that the TF did not have but i never have second guessed my choice.
Good luck.
Well you get 16hrs of battery life with the dock. No other tablet has this kind of a feature at this price point.
The screen quality and responsiveness is in the top quartile of tablets released so far.
I am pretty happy with my purchase. 10x better build quality than the Archos 101 I purchased earlier!
I absolutely love my TF, probably best 399$ I have ever spent on gadget, mine also comes with some light bleed, other than that, build quality is great. Have 2 Ipad2 in the house and they both have worst light bleed.
Would I suggest this tablet to a friend over other Android tablet? Yes, best tablet in the market IMO.
Over an Ipad2? Probably not unless someone familiar with Android and a geek just like me...
tonyz3 said:
I got mine in the first batch to come out- from TD. I have had no real issues accept a tiny light bleed- build quality is great for mine. no creaking etc.
It has done everything i ask of it and thrown at it. I use mine for about 70% work related with notes at meeting, signatures on contracts, email, polaris app etc. Even skype calling..
Constantly listening to music watching movies etc. Never had any issues with Battery usage.
I think it has gotten better with each update. Yes little bugs here and there after an update ut usually fixed or have work around within 24 hours. That stuff doesnt bother me.
I never got the keyboard because i felt it was an option that i would never really use so i invested in a nice case- ( PDAIR ) I love the concept of the keyboard but just wasn;t going to use itand did no need the extra bulk.
For me never needed to root it yet (maybe down the road ) but for now it is great as stock.
Last thing i will say is there have been alot of new choices out since i have bought it... yes they might have had a thing or 2 that the TF did not have but i never have second guessed my choice.
Good luck.
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So my question to you is my boss has an ipad that we use for our invoices and paper work to get people to sign off on pdf files and what not. Does android have an app that lets you do that? And overall how good is it for work?
I got my U.S. Transformer a few weeks ago, and I enjoy using it very much:
With my PC, most of the time is spent going on the Web, so on the Transformer I just set up bookmarks for my most frequently visited sites in both the stock browser and the Dolphin for Pad (downloaded from the Market) browser and that takes care of my usual browsing needs. Email is now handled through the stock Gmail app, so again most of that can be done on the Transformer side.
For music, I've started using Google Music to upload my stuff, so I can just stream down to my Transformer through WiFi. For videos, I had already encoded a lot of stuff to MP4 format using Handbrake to play on my phone. But with ES File Explorer installed on my Transformer, I can now keep those MP4 files on my networked server and then stream them to the stock video player. This all works great and takes up no local storage.
Games that I had on my smartphone are all installed onto the Transformer and work fine. I've also found that classic game console emulators work quite well on the Transformer.
If I'm desperate to watch Hulu or Netflix (without any hacked or rooted methods), the MyCloud > My Desktop > SplashTop method works acceptably well.
Painting with SketchBook Pro is quite fun with this fantastic paid app, and I'm looking into various do-it-yourself stylus methods to enhance the experience.
I haven't had the need yet to use Polaris Office yet, but after reading user reviews, it looks to be a very capable Office app when compared with other non-free competitors, and I actually appreciate Asus for giving this for us.
The build quality, in my opinion, is quite nice. I don't have any LCD light bleed issues. The LCD itself is great with fantastic viewing angles. The built-in speakers are surprisingly loud. The touch screen is very responsive. And the textured plastic back panel keeps the whole unit lighter and gives it a nice feel.
The only negatives I have are:
Camera - absolutely terrible, especially when using indoor lighting. But I already know that the video and photo taking experience on almost all tablets is not good anyway, so I never expected much. I almost never use the stock camera app. I have Vignette installed on my Transformer for the heck of it, but this rarely gets used either. I leave picture taking to my digital camera and my smartphone.
Browser - for some sites, I get slowdowns with both the stock browser and Dolphin for Pad. With Android 3.1, I experienced quite a bit of force closings with the stock browser. It's improved with 3.2, but it still happens. I find it hard to believe that Google makes such a good browser as Chrome but has such a mediocre one for Honeycomb.
Linux support - the only thing I ask for is the simplicity of plugging my Transformer into my Linux PC and have access to its SD and MicroSD cards. But I have to jump through the hoop of running a few lines in Terminal just to get those drives mounted and unmounted. It's a pain, and I wish it was as easy as the Windows experience.
Since using my Transformer more and more, my smartphone has pretty much been relegated back to being just a phone which is fine. This morning I began charging my Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 once it dropped to 1% battery power...and it had been running on that one full charge for 174-hours-33-minutes! I'll still use the phone for navigation and portable music after I get over the honeymoon period with the Transformer, but right now using my smart phone just isn't the same any more.
So since I've gotten the Transformer, I've made a conscious effort to reduce using my PC and my smartphone, and it's worked out great as a personal computing device. For a business environment, there might not be enough apps to support various needs just yet, but it'll get there, I'm sure. The Transformer is a very good bang-for-the-buck kind of device, and I have no regrets about having it.
Enjoy my tablet a great deal. I actually use it more than i thought i would. Im constantly looking for new apps that will make this into my swiss army knife.
I use splashtop a lot, and now added a Wake on Lan app which now has got me the bright idea to go out and purchase a home server...lol
build quality is definitely not the greatest. Personally, i dont think it compares to the newer tablets coming out. (build)
Dont own the keyboard. Im waiting for a good deal down the road when it drop to around $100. by then, i figure, ill give the TF to my wife (with a keyboard), and ill jump on to the newest tablet. (maybe TF2)
Im a first time android/tablet buyer and user, so i came with no expectations..
Ill know what to look for in my next purchase though.
(so, i guess im a beta tester)
jnad32 said:
So my question to you is my boss has an ipad that we use for our invoices and paper work to get people to sign off on pdf files and what not. Does android have an app that lets you do that? And overall how good is it for work?
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Click to collapse
There are applications that let you fill out and/or sign PDF files. Adobe also has an app that converts things to PDF. Ive used my TF to fill out forms and sign them multiple times.
jnad32 said:
So my question to you is my boss has an ipad that we use for our invoices and paper work to get people to sign off on pdf files and what not. Does android have an app that lets you do that? And overall how good is it for work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are alot of choices for this. I use Repligo PDF and love it.After i sign or client signs,on the TF I email it and looks just as clear as original.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.cerience.reader.app&feature=search_result
worth the $4.99 investment,
Love mine, I'm confident I made the right choice. £400 for a tablet-only device is not a wise spend. £400 for a tablet AND a netbook IS thou...
Aside from the keyboard drain (which is being fixed under RMA as we speak), I have no issues whatsoever with my device, and overjoyed with it.
jnad32 said:
So my question to you is my boss has an ipad that we use for our invoices and paper work to get people to sign off on pdf files and what not. Does android have an app that lets you do that? And overall how good is it for work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd be very surprised if there is any app that iPad can do, that Android can't, as because of Android's open and less restrictive nature, you won't find missing apps, because "Apple don't like it, or Apple can't make money from it, or it cuts into Apple's buisness".
My TF is all good I have no problems with my tablet, maybe one of the lucky ones or just the fact that those few who have bad units choose to come to forums like this to seek advice and let everyone know how bad their unit is. With the dock it is an amazing bit of kit, I have tried the xoom, Acer and the Gtab, and unless you want form over function the TF is the best of the current bunch. As all the present android tablets running honeycomb are running the same os and internal spec. My own preference would be ports and functionality, screen, speed of updates and build quality. For me the TF ticks all the boxes.
Xoom, highintial price, lack of support and working ports, poor screen
Gtab, lack of ports, slow updates from Samsung.
I like the design of the TF especially when combined with the dock, equal to any high end net book, Asus have done a great job with amazing fore sight, it is original only the Gtab is thinner and that is purely because it is an I pad clone.
I would think the units with defects are no different to apple I pad or even the Gtab on a percentage basis, plenty of apple units go back to their stores.
With regards to being beta testers, we are with regards android for tablets, like we were back in the 90,s with win 3.11. My recommendation to anyone wanting a android tablet with the best all-round functionality at the best price, get the TF.
Had my TF about two weeks now, and am yet to have any issues with it. I love peoples reactions when I undock the screen though, it's brilliant.
tl;dr Tell me anything you can about the Eee Pad Slider because I want one.
So I'm in the market for a new tablet and I am favoring the Slider over the TF101 and TF300 basically because I like the form factor. However, I have a couple of concerns, so hopefully a few Slider owners still browse the threads here.
For anyone who has the white color model, do you ever get discolorations anywhere on the Tablet? Looking on ebay, it seems like every other white Slider has yellow/brown marks from something... dirty hands, I don't know.
I've never had a Tegra based device so I really don't know what I'm getting into. For anyone who has compared a Tegra 2 and 3 device, is there really any noticeable difference? I don't plan to do much hardcore gaming, just mainly for browsing, light reading, and typing.
Do any Slider owners out there wish they would have gone with a different device, especially a different Eee Pad? If so, why?
I was really looking forward forward to Asus bringing out the MeMO 370T and I will probably refuse to buy a watered down Google Nexus Tablet, I'll still be too salty over it.
Feel free to express your thoughts or opinions here, I appreciate any response.
i was also considering the "slider" but the added option of being able to remove the bulk/weight of the keyboard made me purchase the TF101 still a great tablet for everthing you stated but as of now Tegras chipset is getting outdated and you can get a better tablet for a little more buck
elsewhere
Thanks for your input. If I were to be buy a Transformer, I would certainly have they keyboard dock attached at all times, so after considering that would be more money and heavier, that's kind of where I see the Slider having an advantage.
I suppose the big upside to having a Transformer would be the increased battery life with the dock, that's the only thing that I really would end up being jealous of.
Solar.Plexus said:
tl;dr Tell me anything you can about the Eee Pad Slider because I want one.
So I'm in the market for a new tablet and I am favoring the Slider over the TF101 and TF300 basically because I like the form factor. However, I have a couple of concerns, so hopefully a few Slider owners still browse the threads here.
For anyone who has the white color model, do you ever get discolorations anywhere on the Tablet? Looking on ebay, it seems like every other white Slider has yellow/brown marks from something... dirty hands, I don't know.
I've never had a Tegra based device so I really don't know what I'm getting into. For anyone who has compared a Tegra 2 and 3 device, is there really any noticeable difference? I don't plan to do much hardcore gaming, just mainly for browsing, light reading, and typing.
Do any Slider owners out there wish they would have gone with a different device, especially a different Eee Pad? If so, why?
I was really looking forward forward to Asus bringing out the MeMO 370T and I will probably refuse to buy a watered down Google Nexus Tablet, I'll still be too salty over it.
Feel free to express your thoughts or opinions here, I appreciate any response.
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Click to collapse
I didn't have a problem with the color, I have a white slider, and is... you know, white. I was using stock HC, and now, android revolution HD. The 3D graphics are way better than 2D graphics. I didn't noticed lag in any 3D games, but in launcher, browser and some 2D apps, I noticed some lag.
Another nice thing of slider is that I didn't had to buy a keyboard
stereoactivo said:
I didn't have a problem with the color, I have a white slider, and is... you know, white. I was using stock HC, and now, android revolution HD. The 3D graphics are way better than 2D graphics. I didn't noticed lag in any 3D games, but in launcher, browser and some 2D apps, I noticed some lag.
Another nice thing of slider is that I didn't had to buy a keyboard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried updating to ICS or flashing a custom ROM? From what I know, Android 3.x was really heavy on devices. I'm wondering if the lighter operating systems sped up performance at all. Or surely CM9. or AOKP would.
Also, has anyone gotten Ubuntu to run on the Slider? I know there was some Ubuntu development on the TF101 and I thought both devices were actually the same.
Ubuntu runs essentially the same way on the slider. Slightly buggier since the kernels don't line up neatly, but it works.
He's running ARHD now, which is stock based ICS
Thanks, Thing O Doom. You seem like a pretty knowledgable member, I'll keep that in mind.
Anyone running on Ubuntu that can attest to how it runs? I'll have to look into the Ubuntu installation. If I could dual boot from microSD or something, I'd go through the roof.
You can DB off of the Sd (See emmc install db thread) but it's abysmally slow unless you have a HS class10 card. Then it's wonderful, I just use internal though x)
It runs very smoothly considering the specs.
Too heavy and thick
For me it is too heavy and thick to be an ultra portable device. This really becomes a problem when playing games where you have tilt the screen like Rip tide. I can play only about 10-15 min, if I hold it up without supporting the tablet on my lap.
But, that is not how I typically use my slider. I put it on my lap or on my desk and play with it there. If the keyboard is slid out the screen is quite thin and easy to hold. The screen is not a perfect angle to use in bed while lying down, but too me its not a major issue.
The lack of a track pad with a keyboard takes some getting use to, but I like that about it. I'm happy with slider but I was knowing the limitations before I bought it.
Thing O Doom said:
You can DB off of the Sd (See emmc install db thread) but it's abysmally slow unless you have a HS class10 card. Then it's wonderful, I just use internal though x)
It runs very smoothly considering the specs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do have a Samsung Class 10 card, so I would probably give Ubuntu from SD a shot since I don't see any Android SD ROMS out there.
madangryscientis said:
For me it is too heavy and thick to be an ultra portable device. This really becomes a problem when playing games where you have tilt the screen like Rip tide. I can play only about 10-15 min, if I hold it up without supporting the tablet on my lap.
But, that is not how I typically use my slider. I put it on my lap or on my desk and play with it there. If the keyboard is slid out the screen is quite thin and easy to hold. The screen is not a perfect angle to use in bed while lying down, but too me its not a major issue.
The lack of a track pad with a keyboard takes some getting use to, but I like that about it. I'm happy with slider but I was knowing the limitations before I bought it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for this feedback. I do do quite a bit of ebook reading and browsing and lots of times, I prefer to read in portrait orientation. Can anyone comment on how it feels to hold the Slider in portrait and also for reading?
Another question:
Should I be trying to avoid certain serial numbers to make life easier for me to root/flash ROMS/dualboot?
It's my understanding that B70 and newer aren't able to use NVFlash on the Transformers due to them having the sbk2 bootloader. Does this same idea apply to the Slider?
EDIT: After some looking around a bit more, it looks like the B70+ Sliders are a no go. Shame...I just found a B90 Slider 16GB on eBay brand new open box for $400 shipping included. More than I wanted to spend but the plastic's even still on.