Related
I don't have mine yet but I love the fact that it fits in my pocket and not my iPad.
I agree. Ability to have 2 free hands is a god send.
Movies look awesome man. I've been playing games as well and I love it. On the cons side, I don't like that the browser takes you to the mobile version of the websites.
There is so much to like. Everything feels a lot more natural. Typing, browsing navigation. Yum
Sent from my SGH-T849 using XDA App
I would have to say portability is the best quality. The biggest con for me is I can do everything on my EVO that the Tab can do. Im going to fully use my 29days to figure out if I want it or not.
7" is a great form factor for a tablet (sorry Steve). Soon there will be more competition in this field, but the build quality, large battery and full-featureness of the Samsung Galaxy Tab will be hard to match. I can see a few ways to improve the Tab: display with better viewing angles, refersh rate and lower power consumption, dual core Tegra 2 processor (although the software would need to take advantage of it), better camera, built-in software (driver and app) for FM radio chipset, worldwide integrated DMB TV tuner (currently only in some parts of the world), HDMI stand included with tablet (currently an expensive accessory), standard mini USB plug, . . . But otherwise the Tab is a pretty great device as it is now
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App
The phone
Everything really. It really is 'one device does all'
When I'm on support duty, I need to lug around a netboot 'just in case' as well as my phone of course. Now can do it all from one device.
7" IS perfect. For me. (LCD Density app on the market helps get that little extra wiggle room, well recommended).
GF has an iPad that she enjoys, but she's getting frustrated by it's lack of flash more and more. Whilst she just uses it for email/browsing Perez whilst watching telly, it's been great. When she needs to do a bit of research, it's limitations are becoming clear. I've not had that issue. I've been able todo everything I need from it. (vnc'ing back to my linux box to handle work stuff, I have no problems with).
Also been able to setup my Everquest account to be able to be logged in and checked. Using vnc->Flash. It's slow, but it works. When I've tried todo that on the iPad, I've run into that whole 'no, you're not allowed todo that'. With the Tab (well, Android in general really), it's kinda the Unix philosophy, lots of little tools/apps that you can string together to let you work the way YOU want to.
Cons
hmm... Still annoyed that voice isn't as standard on the US models. That's just... well, stupid. Having to flash the euro rom works around it, but it's annoying to lose 3G for that. Unless it gets resolved properly soon (stock rom, and some app/mobile.bin that lets me use the mostly standard rom and get 3G AND get updates easily), I might look into the Skype/Google Voice solution that others have mentioned.
Wouldn't mind an earpiece so those rare moments I don't have the bluetooth headset, I can hold it up, and not mind looking silly. Maybe. Not sure. I'd like to have at least had the option.
The thing I really I love about my Tab is that it has turned my HTC Desire into just a phone, and my PC into something I just use during the day for work.
The Tab is now my primary method for internet and multimedia consumption when I'm not at my desk working.
Regards,
Dave
I am going to like my Tab better than the iPad I own.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
The fact that it's small and I can stop downloading apps on my g1 that dosen't do well with many apps lol. Also I like that its not extremely light and dosen't feel too fragile.
rotohammer said:
The phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sonofabitch!
TurckBoatTruck said:
You sonofabitch!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, and things I like about it...
What isn't to like? (Obviously trying to ignore US carriers' decisions to remove voice calling capability -- as that is a monster FAIL.)
This is one sweet piece of hardware. Actually, strike that. That doesn't do it justice.
This is... ahem... the coolest piece of gadgetry I have ever owned to-date. (Again, obviously trying to ignore the no-voice-calling horse**** -- and no, I can't leave that caveat off.)
Some of my friends working at the Apple Store are dissing the Tab as a failure...
Sent from my Droid using XDA App
qipengart said:
Some of my friends working at the Apple Store are dissing the Tab as a failure...
Sent from my Droid using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And that's surprising why?
Croak said:
And that's surprising why?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Heh agreed
Apple appeals to less intelligent people that thinks its fashion.
Imo the 10" tabs like ipad are to big and heavy to function well in the hands. It tire out my hands and you have to hold it in one hand to reach everything on the screen.
Its to big to have it with you all time and dont fit in the pocket. I can just take with me the laptop instead in the nice little bag.
I have the tab with me all the time. I dont have a phone with me anymore. It has perfect size and isnt to heavy. The screen resulotion does surfing better then on a phone and the 7" makes it easyer to see whats on it.
The sgt works well for chatting, atleast i can type fast as hell on it now. Almost the same as a regular keyboard.
Pretty entertaining games. Getting a little sick of Angry Birds now but there lots of fun game with pretty sweet 3D graphics.
Surfing works good altho the browser that came with the tab is a little stuttery. I use Opera most of the time now wich is super smooth for me and when i need flash to work or something isnt working correct in Opera i use Dolphin HD.
The screen is pretty good and watchin movies, reading books and magazines works great.
It feels realy good and sturdy even with the plastic back.
The battery seems to have no problem keeping up a whole day. I have bluetooth on the whole time, msn up and chatting alot, playing and surfing alot. Sitting next to my machine on my work and passing time with my little cute tab. And mine is going to get better because its still new. On my phone the battery time got a whole lot better after a while.
Hmm... what more, what more... Its just a sweet and imo perfect device.
The best is the screen of course. I love, love the big screen. At my office there are some hardcore iPad lovers and some Galaxy fans. And I have the biggest Galaxy screen!
I really like the brightness of the colors as well, everything looks so fresh and new. I get a lot of compliments from people around me, everybody wants to hold it. For me the 7inch was the deciding factor, 10inch is way too big for me, with my woman hands (at 1.60 m I don't have large hands). Working with the keyboard at landscape I can type really fast with just two fingers.
Considering I used to own WM devices before, I have to say I really, really like the Android platform. So I am not sure, that is the main reason but everything works really fast and downloads are easy.
I keep telling everybody that the Tab is a woman device, I can hold it in one hand, wonderful.
I think I haven't been this excited about a device for a long, long time.
It's 7" and fits right in one hand, the screen looks great, 2 cameras, I can type pretty fast with 2 fingers now, or swype. I do a lot of my writing on it while watching movie. And I can use it as a phone if I so desire.
Plus it's the best tablet that I can stick into my pocket and be on the go. Now I got to figure out whether I go for the T-Mobile or Verizon version first.
@dukins
Same here, I don't have the Tab, & just sold my Evo, but it's like...... 7" isn't that much for something that is just a bigger Evo LOL, would really prefer 10"
But since I'm going to WP7, I may get one eventually, if not an Archos & flash it to get the official market. Who knows, maybe I'll end up with an iPad, I really don't know. 7" just doesn't do it for me since every smartphone with a touch screen I've owned has been 3.7" to 4.3"
& it's like, now they are already talking about their new Galaxy Tab. I think I'll wait for the thinner, faster version then.
Camera zoom would be nice too. I mean I can live without 720p recording.. I guess that's what smartphones are for instead of smarttabs?
I was beginning to get the Transformer itch earlier this week. I kept thinking about how tired I am of reading my news sites (slashdot) on an iTouch and my ever building animosity towards Apple doesn’t help either. Then I started to consider how the dock could really make this thing exactly what I need for at the motocross track. I’ll be able to log and calculate all sorts of information on my bike’s performance like I would on a netbook and also when I am kicking back in the pits I can watch movies or do various other things. Sixteen hours of battery sweetness pretty much sealed the deal. Yesterday I overnighted the Transformer and now I have about 3 hours on the thing. Since I have no tablet, android, or any smartphone experience: here are my unbiased and uneducated thoughts.
I guess it’d be best to go over the common defects that are everywhere. There is a small amount of light bleed on the bottom of the screen. It is not significant, but it is noticeable on dark screens if you look for it. The speaker imbalance is not present on this tablet. No charging issues to note, yet. Bezel width is very comfortable. It isn't small by many standards but its perfect for my grip, non interrupting of viewable screen space. I have zero issue with the plastic body. It isn't aluminum, granted, but the quality feels plenty sturdy and it bothers me none.
Keeping in mind I only have 3 hours on the Transformer so far, here are some things I really like about the Transformer. The screen image is very crisp. The IPS panel does not disappoint. The Android interface is very sleek, and very smooth, I like it a lot. The built-in GPS and ever advancing Google Maps combo is great and I know it’s going to be extremely useful for me this summer. The background shift while you scroll different screens is pretty slick, I thought. The live backgrounds are cool, I checked out a few galaxy imitating live wallpapers off the market. Touch screen responsiveness is fantastic. Web pages are rendered very crisply and are easy on the eyes even during extended paragraph read-through’s.
And for some things I’m not quite digging: Speaker quality is a definite low. In low lighting the camera pictures are not very good, and the color reproduction is a bit low-end (haven’t tried in good lighting yet). No Netflix client. Application processes seem to build up with no obvious way to end them. All the talk about trojans hitting the Android Market has me fairly reluctant on freely trying apps and games. There is plenty of room for improvement in Polaris Office and I strongly hope that comes.
With everything said so far, it is truly exceeding my expectations. It’s a breeze to work with and I believe it’s going to be fantastic for what I need it for and more. I’m absolutely sure I’m going to start using it for work as well.
I hope this quick new comer’s write up is useful to other’s that are eyeing this gem, just as I was a few days ago. I plan to get my mandatory 10 xda posts in over the next week or so, then you’ll mostly see me in the developer’s section as I begin my own rooted work. See you on the other side
Brandon
brandon... said:
I was beginning to get the Transformer itch earlier this week. I kept thinking about how tired I am of reading my news sites (slashdot) on an iTouch and my ever building animosity towards Apple doesn’t help either. Then I started to consider how the dock could really make this thing exactly what I need for at the motocross track. I’ll be able to log and calculate all sorts of information on my bike’s performance like I would on a netbook and also when I am kicking back in the pits I can watch movies or do various other things. Sixteen hours of battery sweetness pretty much sealed the deal. Yesterday I overnighted the Transformer and now I have about 3 hours on the thing. Since I have no tablet, android, or any smartphone experience: here are my unbiased and uneducated thoughts.
I guess it’d be best to go over the common defects that are everywhere. There is a small amount of light bleed on the bottom of the screen. It is not significant, but it is noticeable on dark screens if you look for it. The speaker imbalance is not present on this tablet. No charging issues to note, yet.
Keeping in mind I only have 3 hours on the Transformer so far, here are some things I really like about the Transformer. The screen image is very crisp. The IPS panel does not disappoint. The Android interface is very sleek, and very smooth, I like it a lot. The built-in GPS and ever advancing Google Maps combo is great and I know it’s going to be extremely useful for me this summer. The background shift while you scroll different screens is pretty slick, I thought. The live backgrounds are cool, I checked out a few galaxy imitating live wallpapers off the market. Touch screen responsiveness is fantastic. Web pages are rendered very crisply and are easy on the eyes even during extended paragraph read-through’s.
And for some things I’m not quite digging: Speaker quality is a definite low. In low lighting the camera pictures are not very good, and the color reproduction is a bit low-end (haven’t tried in good lighting yet). No Netflix client. Application processes seem to build up with no obvious way to end them. All the talk about trojans hitting the Android Market has me fairly reluctant on freely trying apps and games. There is plenty of room for improvement in Polaris Office and I strongly hope that comes.
With everything said so far, it is truly exceeding my expectations. It’s a breeze to work with and I believe it’s going to be fantastic for what I need it for and more. I’m absolutely sure I’m going to start using it for work as well.
I hope this quick new comer’s write up is useful to other’s that are eyeing this gem, just as I was a few days ago. I plan to get my mandatory 10 xda posts in over the next week or so, then you’ll mostly see me in the developer’s section as I begin my own rooted work. See you on the other side
Brandon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
About your issues with the processes, get a task killer for it as there isn't an in built task manager into HC
Look at the reviews or get an antivirus for free apps if you're scared
(I use lookout mobile as it has an inbuilt scanner and locator if you loose the tab)
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
brandon... said:
I was beginning to get the Transformer itch earlier this week. I kept thinking about how tired I am of reading my news sites (slashdot) on an iTouch and my ever building animosity towards Apple doesn’t help either. Then I started to consider how the dock could really make this thing exactly what I need for at the motocross track. I’ll be able to log and calculate all sorts of information on my bike’s performance like I would on a netbook and also when I am kicking back in the pits I can watch movies or do various other things. Sixteen hours of battery sweetness pretty much sealed the deal. Yesterday I overnighted the Transformer and now I have about 3 hours on the thing. Since I have no tablet, android, or any smartphone experience: here are my unbiased and uneducated thoughts.
I guess it’d be best to go over the common defects that are everywhere. There is a small amount of light bleed on the bottom of the screen. It is not significant, but it is noticeable on dark screens if you look for it. The speaker imbalance is not present on this tablet. No charging issues to note, yet.
Keeping in mind I only have 3 hours on the Transformer so far, here are some things I really like about the Transformer. The screen image is very crisp. The IPS panel does not disappoint. The Android interface is very sleek, and very smooth, I like it a lot. The built-in GPS and ever advancing Google Maps combo is great and I know it’s going to be extremely useful for me this summer. The background shift while you scroll different screens is pretty slick, I thought. The live backgrounds are cool, I checked out a few galaxy imitating live wallpapers off the market. Touch screen responsiveness is fantastic. Web pages are rendered very crisply and are easy on the eyes even during extended paragraph read-through’s.
And for some things I’m not quite digging: Speaker quality is a definite low. In low lighting the camera pictures are not very good, and the color reproduction is a bit low-end (haven’t tried in good lighting yet). No Netflix client. Application processes seem to build up with no obvious way to end them. All the talk about trojans hitting the Android Market has me fairly reluctant on freely trying apps and games. There is plenty of room for improvement in Polaris Office and I strongly hope that comes.
With everything said so far, it is truly exceeding my expectations. It’s a breeze to work with and I believe it’s going to be fantastic for what I need it for and more. I’m absolutely sure I’m going to start using it for work as well.
I hope this quick new comer’s write up is useful to other’s that are eyeing this gem, just as I was a few days ago. I plan to get my mandatory 10 xda posts in over the next week or so, then you’ll mostly see me in the developer’s section as I begin my own rooted work. See you on the other side
Brandon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's definitely a sweet device. My Nook Color is in it's box awaiting it's new owner
Check out splashtop..awesome. I also like the DLNA feature. I can sit outside and connect to my Seagate network drive and watch a movie(s) I've ripped over the past year. After a long day at work, I like to wind down with some Fruit Ninja baby!
MurfsHTC said:
It's definitely a sweet device. My Nook Color is in it's box awaiting it's new owner
Check out splashtop..awesome. I also like the DLNA feature. I can sit outside and connect to my Seagate network drive and watch a movie(s) I've ripped over the past year. After a long day at work, I like to wind down with some Fruit Ninja baby!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Splashtop is sweet, thanks for the recommendation! I am interested in streaming blurays from my home server to the tablet probably downscaling a bit, there any popular methods of doing this yet? Maybe play on has something,I'll look into that
MurfsHTC said:
I can sit outside and connect to my Seagate network drive and watch a movie(s) I've ripped over the past year. After a long day at work, I like to wind down with some Fruit Ninja baby!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
So, are you playing the network drive movies via a desktop, and using the remote desktop to see the video? Or are you streaming the video files directly to your tablet? Are the video files pre-processed for a scaled down resolution?
I'm wondering because the stock video app and one I downloaded (mobo) doesn't seem to support streaming. I have ES Navigator to navigate to a windows SMB share. I can view files on the windows share, but when I try to open a video file, the tablet saids it can't stream - must download the entire file before it'll play.
Sorry to hijack the thread - but MurfsHTC commented on exactly what I wanted to be able to do.
Thanks.
coachclass said:
Hi,
So, are you playing the network drive movies via a desktop, and using the remote desktop to see the video? Or are you streaming the video files directly to your tablet? Are the video files pre-processed for a scaled down resolution?
I'm wondering because the stock video app and one I downloaded (mobo) doesn't seem to support streaming. I have ES Navigator to navigate to a windows SMB share. I can view files on the windows share, but when I try to open a video file, the tablet saids it can't stream - must download the entire file before it'll play.
Sorry to hijack the thread - but MurfsHTC commented on exactly what I wanted to be able to do.
nks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
basically I rip my dvds using ripit4me, dvd shrink & dvd decrypter. From there i combine the .vob files into one .vob and then convert them. Initially, I was using Divx and streaming thru the xbox 360. I also experimented with Sothink Converter and Handbrake. Sothink has many conversion options but I prefer handbrake. For some reason the Transformer will not load a .divx , .mp4 Itunes movie(.m4v) or .wmv file thru MyNet. it'll do .mp4 (via Handbrake). In a nutshell, I open MyNet, click on the seagate folder and it streams right to the Transformer. I did try mobo and haven't had much luck either. I use the Seagate GoFlex Net 1TB. Plug into your router, load the software and setup your user account. you can also access the drive thru a web browser. Google Chrome doesn't seem to work. Hope I didn't confuse or rattle on.
Well progress is being made on VLC for Android. That will certainly help.
droid_does said:
About your issues with the processes, get a task killer for it as there isn't an in built task manager into HC
Look at the reviews or get an antivirus for free apps if you're scared
(I use lookout mobile as it has an inbuilt scanner and locator if you loose the tab)
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is absolutely no need to get a task killer app. Let the OS manage that for you. You could even be slowing down your TF by closing apps. There are posts here (In the ultimate TF guide stickied) that detail why.
One of the best uses so far has been a rather reasonable music playback device, if you have quality headphones for it.
Enjoy the the TF Android adventure, it only gets better. Mine is three weeks old, and I have already taken the plunge and rooted, custom Rom, and overclocked mine.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Garf123 said:
There is absolutely no need to get a task killer app. Let the OS manage that for you. You could even be slowing down your TF by closing apps. There are posts here (In the ultimate TF guide stickied) that detail why.
One of the best uses so far has been a rather reasonable music playback device, if you have quality headphones for it.
Enjoy the the TF Android adventure, it only gets better. Mine is three weeks old, and I have already taken the plunge and rooted, custom Rom, and overclocked mine.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
only for the transformer I've heard
I dont' use task killers at all, but for HC I've read that you could.....just putting it out there
Brandon,
Glad to hear you're enjoying your Transformer. I know I am.
On the volume issue, there's an app: volume+ $1.44 at Amazon that made all the difference in the world after I did the 3.1 update, when it became lower.
About a week or so ago there was a thread on it, if you want to search for volume+. Seems a lot of people were pleased with it. I know I was, now I can't turn my volume all the way up.
Have fun!
sunsetbay said:
Brandon,
Glad to hear you're enjoying your Transformer. I know I am.
On the volume issue, there's an app: volume+ $1.44 at Amazon that made all the difference in the world after I did the 3.1 update, when it became lower.
About a week or so ago there was a thread on it, if you want to search for volume+. Seems a lot of people were pleased with it. I know I was, now I can't turn my volume all the way up.
Have fun!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the looking out but I am in fact having no volume issues
Also i edited the op with two more items I wanted to cover but forgot at the time: bezel width and plastic body. Word to big bird
MurfsHTC said:
It's definitely a sweet device. My Nook Color is in it's box awaiting it's new owner
Check out splashtop..awesome. I also like the DLNA feature. I can sit outside and connect to my Seagate network drive and watch a movie(s) I've ripped over the past year. After a long day at work, I like to wind down with some Fruit Ninja baby!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was going to sell my Nook Color but decided to keep it as I enjoy watching Netflix on it, there's no working Netflix app yet for the TF.
Well a few too many beers tonight at baseball practice, came home and neglected a few steps during my first venture into rooting, ha! Didn't take but 10 mins to fix, but I am now rooted and on the prime rom. Will be checking it out for the next few hours
@Geekbabe: I think I read PlayOn supports Netflix to Android now. Granted you need to run the PlayOn server on a PC on your network, but it's something.
EDIT: Now running Prime on top of the netformer kernel. So fun.
Odd title eh'?
So here is the boat I am swimming in. I jumped on the Xoom bandwagon when it was released. I immediately was fascinated with the tablet experience and enjoyed it. The Xoom certainly had its issues but was a very neat device. When I got word that the TF was coming out I jumped ship and bought a TF. Used it for a week and also liked it for the most part. However I was finding that productivity really lacked on all tablets on screen keyboard. Then I got my hands on a dock and the experience changed. Using the keyboard was infinately more productive and I found that from the day I first docked it I have yet to undock it (around a couple months now).
My problem is I basically just spent a ton of money on a netbook that isnt exactly a speed demon. Web browsing is often slow, updates have caused many issues, etc etc... The device still works but it feels like im playing with a toy instead of actually using the device as a tool. I enjoy Android but think it is very early in the game and it leaves allot to be desired. As I said at first i loved both devices but once the newness wears off you basically have a dumbed down netbook (in my opinion of course).
So now Im thinking about selling the TF as well and picking up one of the new Sandy Bridge Alienware M11x's. To be able to have an i7 processor, damn good video card, and best of all use all my programs in windows sounds like a breath of fresh air at this point.
I know tablets are meant to be stand alone but I never found a use for it for work purposes and the few times I did it was quite the let down. Again, dont read my words wrong. I like the device I just dont think it is good at being anything much more then a toy at this point.
After more thought the only real downside I see in switching is losing the touch screen. It is super nice to be able to just tap where you want to go but often on smaller links it would just pick the wrong one anyways.
So here I sit trying to figure if I should make the switch or not. I know im not comparing apples to apples hardware wise, but I am comparing portable device usefulness. Just curious if anyone has the same feelings or any further input before I make my decision.
Godspeed...
03stage2 said:
Odd title eh'?
So here is the boat I am swimming in. I jumped on the Xoom bandwagon when it was released. I immediately was fascinated with the tablet experience and enjoyed it. The Xoom certainly had its issues but was a very neat device. When I got word that the TF was coming out I jumped ship and bought a TF. Used it for a week and also liked it for the most part. However I was finding that productivity really lacked on all tablets on screen keyboard. Then I got my hands on a dock and the experience changed. Using the keyboard was infinately more productive and I found that from the day I first docked it I have yet to undock it (around a couple months now).
My problem is I basically just spent a ton of money on a netbook that isnt exactly a speed demon. Web browsing is often slow, updates have caused many issues, etc etc... The device still works but it feels like im playing with a toy instead of actually using the device as a tool. I enjoy Android but think it is very early in the game and it leaves allot to be desired. As I said at first i loved both devices but once the newness wears off you basically have a dumbed down netbook (in my opinion of course).
So now Im thinking about selling the TF as well and picking up one of the new Sandy Bridge Alienware M11x's. To be able to have an i7 processor, damn good video card, and best of all use all my programs in windows sounds like a breath of fresh air at this point.
I know tablets are meant to be stand alone but I never found a use for it for work purposes and the few times I did it was quite the let down. Again, dont read my words wrong. I like the device I just dont think it is good at being anything much more then a toy at this point.
After more thought the only real downside I see in switching is losing the touch screen. It is super nice to be able to just tap where you want to go but often on smaller links it would just pick the wrong one anyways.
So here I sit trying to figure if I should make the switch or not. I know im not comparing apples to apples hardware wise, but I am comparing portable device usefulness. Just curious if anyone has the same feelings or any further input before I make my decision.
Godspeed...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. I think people will be switching, and you should too.
The dock is addictive for productivity. Unless I tried it I would have not realized how much better is the experience. Yet, when reading a book I prefer only the tablet. This combination is awesome on the Transformer.
Bob Smith42 said:
Yep. I think people will be switching, and you should too.
The dock is addictive for productivity. Unless I tried it I would have not realized how much better is the experience. Yet, when reading a book I prefer only the tablet. This combination is awesome on the Transformer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1, and if anyone is that worried about selecting the wrong link by accident they can always use the mouse pointer via the trackpad. I've had no problem doing it this way and it's a big plus for the TF.
Sounds to me like you have no business owning a tablet and windows fits your needs. I'm glad you got that figured out.
GeLopez said:
Sounds to me like you have no business owning a tablet and windows fits your needs. I'm glad you got that figured out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the TF is perfect for his needs. The problem is, that this tablet HAS SO MANY PROBLEMS. This tablet is much slower than any tegra 2 tablet as there is no hardware acceleration! And the fact that there is light bleed, dock issues, battery issues, charging issues, sound issues, etc. Asus really screwed up..
Lets put things into perspective here...
The tablet is not a laptop, it can perform many functions of a laptop, but it is truly not one.
It does have a place in the field. I have found that for business, being able to show information instantly to partners without having to 'boot up' or 'plug in' is essential when I want to get a point across.
It is great for email, messaging, movies, light surfing, reading, and even playing some good casual games on.
The dock makes it appear to be more like a laptop, but again.. go back to my 2nd sentence, and do not put it in a category it does not belong in.
If I need to develop, I use my Alienware mx17-r2, if I need to demo products I have my Inspiron. If I need to take notes, read a quick email, show a slide deck / video, or just look something up real quick, I have my TF101.
So this is more about how you set your expectations above what a product is intended to do, and now have buyer's remorse because of it.
Sounds like you put expectations on the device geared towards what it is not. Go get a netbook or start hackin up the ROM and tailor it to your needs.
Instant On
16 hours of battery life.
Love it.
True though...I barely ever undock it now ahahahah...so we've kind of went full circle...
It's nice to know that I can undock it though.
Even as a netbook it is sleek...IPS screen...touchscreen. The interface is just nice for what it's meant to be...a light portable machine.
I can listen to music/pandora...type up some docs...play some games...browse some web...watch some movies....read some magazines...
Edit: oh yeah...I can mount it in my car and use it as a GPS....use yelp to find nearby food places then map a route to it...(yes this can be done on phone too)...but it's kind of cool.
It's kind of nice.
xTRICKYxx said:
I think the TF is perfect for his needs. The problem is, that this tablet HAS SO MANY PROBLEMS. This tablet is much slower than any tegra 2 tablet as there is no hardware acceleration! And the fact that there is light bleed, dock issues, battery issues, charging issues, sound issues, etc. Asus really screwed up..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont know of any problems you speak of ,mine is perfect
GeLopez said:
I dont know of any problems you speak of ,mine is perfect
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have those problems either, but thousands do.
xTRICKYxx said:
I don't have those problems either, but thousands do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my issues havent been hardwre related, just update related. That being said I dont blame Asus for my particular concerns. Im still a TF fan but just think to achieve a broader gambut of ability at the same basic price point is the wise move. Obviously this is mainly due to me personally always using the dock.
Ironically on a side note I bought one of the first asus netbooks years ago and hated it after a month. Now Im finding myself wanting to use the TF daily, go figure....
And lastly I dont think I would have even looked at m11x if the performance on this thing was simply up to par...
xTRICKYxx said:
This tablet is much slower than any tegra 2 tablet as there is no hardware acceleration!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, the TF benchmarks very competitively against other Tegra 2 tablets. The only area where it's not (allegedly) hardware accelerated is in playing Flash videos in the browser.
xTRICKYxx said:
I don't have those problems either, but thousands do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where do you get the idea that it is "thousands"?
Regards,
Dave
foxmeister said:
Where do you get the idea that it is "thousands"?
Regards,
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That wouldn't be surprising. Even 5k would be less than 1% out there by now. I mean heck, last month alone they shipped out 400k didn't they?
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.
Click to expand...
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So my question to you is my boss has an ipad that we use for our invoices and paper work to get people to sign off on pdf files and what not. Does android have an app that lets you do that? And overall how good is it for work?
I got my U.S. Transformer a few weeks ago, and I enjoy using it very much:
With my PC, most of the time is spent going on the Web, so on the Transformer I just set up bookmarks for my most frequently visited sites in both the stock browser and the Dolphin for Pad (downloaded from the Market) browser and that takes care of my usual browsing needs. Email is now handled through the stock Gmail app, so again most of that can be done on the Transformer side.
For music, I've started using Google Music to upload my stuff, so I can just stream down to my Transformer through WiFi. For videos, I had already encoded a lot of stuff to MP4 format using Handbrake to play on my phone. But with ES File Explorer installed on my Transformer, I can now keep those MP4 files on my networked server and then stream them to the stock video player. This all works great and takes up no local storage.
Games that I had on my smartphone are all installed onto the Transformer and work fine. I've also found that classic game console emulators work quite well on the Transformer.
If I'm desperate to watch Hulu or Netflix (without any hacked or rooted methods), the MyCloud > My Desktop > SplashTop method works acceptably well.
Painting with SketchBook Pro is quite fun with this fantastic paid app, and I'm looking into various do-it-yourself stylus methods to enhance the experience.
I haven't had the need yet to use Polaris Office yet, but after reading user reviews, it looks to be a very capable Office app when compared with other non-free competitors, and I actually appreciate Asus for giving this for us.
The build quality, in my opinion, is quite nice. I don't have any LCD light bleed issues. The LCD itself is great with fantastic viewing angles. The built-in speakers are surprisingly loud. The touch screen is very responsive. And the textured plastic back panel keeps the whole unit lighter and gives it a nice feel.
The only negatives I have are:
Camera - absolutely terrible, especially when using indoor lighting. But I already know that the video and photo taking experience on almost all tablets is not good anyway, so I never expected much. I almost never use the stock camera app. I have Vignette installed on my Transformer for the heck of it, but this rarely gets used either. I leave picture taking to my digital camera and my smartphone.
Browser - for some sites, I get slowdowns with both the stock browser and Dolphin for Pad. With Android 3.1, I experienced quite a bit of force closings with the stock browser. It's improved with 3.2, but it still happens. I find it hard to believe that Google makes such a good browser as Chrome but has such a mediocre one for Honeycomb.
Linux support - the only thing I ask for is the simplicity of plugging my Transformer into my Linux PC and have access to its SD and MicroSD cards. But I have to jump through the hoop of running a few lines in Terminal just to get those drives mounted and unmounted. It's a pain, and I wish it was as easy as the Windows experience.
Since using my Transformer more and more, my smartphone has pretty much been relegated back to being just a phone which is fine. This morning I began charging my Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 once it dropped to 1% battery power...and it had been running on that one full charge for 174-hours-33-minutes! I'll still use the phone for navigation and portable music after I get over the honeymoon period with the Transformer, but right now using my smart phone just isn't the same any more.
So since I've gotten the Transformer, I've made a conscious effort to reduce using my PC and my smartphone, and it's worked out great as a personal computing device. For a business environment, there might not be enough apps to support various needs just yet, but it'll get there, I'm sure. The Transformer is a very good bang-for-the-buck kind of device, and I have no regrets about having it.
Enjoy my tablet a great deal. I actually use it more than i thought i would. Im constantly looking for new apps that will make this into my swiss army knife.
I use splashtop a lot, and now added a Wake on Lan app which now has got me the bright idea to go out and purchase a home server...lol
build quality is definitely not the greatest. Personally, i dont think it compares to the newer tablets coming out. (build)
Dont own the keyboard. Im waiting for a good deal down the road when it drop to around $100. by then, i figure, ill give the TF to my wife (with a keyboard), and ill jump on to the newest tablet. (maybe TF2)
Im a first time android/tablet buyer and user, so i came with no expectations..
Ill know what to look for in my next purchase though.
(so, i guess im a beta tester)
jnad32 said:
So my question to you is my boss has an ipad that we use for our invoices and paper work to get people to sign off on pdf files and what not. Does android have an app that lets you do that? And overall how good is it for work?
Click to expand...
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.
I have a Xoom WiFi only. What an amazing peice of kit. But it's crippled by the fact that Motorola or Google or whoever can't actually use the devices they make. I'm almost ready to throw mine in the bin it's so unusable.
- I had hoped I could use my Xoom on site rather than run round with my laptop, except I can't get files onto and off it easily. SyncToy won't play ball. I don't want to have to manually drag and drop each file in turn. Waste of time.
- Bluetooth and WiFi file transfer is just a missed opportunity
- SD card doesn't work
- Can't print reliably
- Simple features that are present on my HTC Desire are missing, like scheduling peak times for email polling so the wife doesn't get woken up at three in the morning if I forget to turn it off.
- Stupid stupid stupid stupid charger. No USB charging, which is supposed to be the universal standard. The charger is huge and the connector is so thin it'll break the first time someone trips over the cable.
- The Motorola Folio case is uggggggggly. Have these people not seen the Smart Cover for the iPad?
- I can stand the Xoom up in the folio case, but I can't charge it, because the charger connector is on the bottom. A poor attempt to get me to fork out more money for the charging dock I assume.
- Word, Excel etc, sort of work, but if you have headers and footers or anything like an automated spreadsheet, it ain't gonna work properly on Docs to Go or anything else for that matter. Good God, do these people not use the World's most dominant software?
It's great for games, and stuff though, but you CANNOT use it as a business tool; you'll spend all the time you were hoping to save in wrestling with the bloody thing.
The moral? Don't be an early(ish) adopter - I thought 6 months would be enough for Motorola to have this sorted.
TL;DR?
Rant over.
Sdcard is readable in 3.2 or u can simply root to make it fully usable
Usb charging is slow. The charger makes us can let our xoom fully charged super quiclly
The case for many ppl is nice
My bro bought it for business n he is quite happy with it
Have a lager and calm down, friend. I feel your pain.
However, you can save yourself a lot of grief by understanding that no matter what the marketing people say, a tablet is not a full laptop replacement yet, not even the iPad. You need to make some compromises if you intend to make full use of your Xoom while on the job.
First of all, lets discuss the charger. Moto opted not to allow the device to trickle charge simple because it would take far to long to fill the battery via a standard USB cable. Therefore they went for the dedicated charger which was a good choice under the circumstances. I agree I have worries to about the very thin connector, but they were working hard not to make the device too thick. THus far I have not brought the charger to the office because I have not had to charge the Xoom except for overnight. The battery can make it through a day pretty easily, so feel free to leave the charger behind and see how you do.
Next, Office apps. I agree, they are limited and are the same on pretty much every non-laptop you will try to work on. Key features are missing, other features work strangely...it gets ugly out there. Therefore, I try to restrict my Office app work on the Xoom to reading and making notes. I wouldn't try to actually create a document on the Xoom at this point, unless it was very short and/or I would be able to edit on my laptop later. I use the Polaris app that was provided with the Asus Transformer, which you should be able to find in the Xoom Apps forum here, and it actually does pretty well.
I have had good luck with Bluetooth transferring files, but it can take a while. You should try using the OTG connector in conjunction with a flash drive for larger files. It adds a step in the transfer but it works perfectly for me.
The folio case? I agree, ugly as sin. Therefore I go without a case during use since I really like the looks of the Xoom anyway. I put it into an iPad Exo Sleevecase from Waterfield (great company, great case) before putting it in my gear bag and it does just fine.
The Xoom is a fine business tool in my opinion, it just has its limitations. All tablets currently available are still at the stage where you are best off thinking of them as an extension of your laptop or desktop computer, not the whole shebang. Use it for the tasks it is suited for, and be creative with how you apply it to those tasks which are a bit beyond a tablet's skillset at the moment.
Remember, we went through a decade of clunky, useless TabletPCs before we suddenly had a burst of innovation (thanks Apple) to get to this point in mobile computing. We are still at the early stages...just think where we will be in a couple years. THAT is when tablets will really shine, and at the moment you are ahead of the curve, devising business use cases for tablets out of sheer necessity. That is not a bad place to be.
rschenck said:
Have a lager and calm down, friend. I feel your pain.
However, you can save yourself a lot of grief by understanding that no matter what the marketing people say, a tablet is not a full laptop replacement yet, not even the iPad. You need to make some compromises if you intend to make full use of your Xoom while on the job.
First of all, lets discuss the charger. Moto opted not to allow the device to trickle charge simple because it would take far to long to fill the battery via a standard USB cable. Therefore they went for the dedicated charger which was a good choice under the circumstances. I agree I have worries to about the very thin connector, but they were working hard not to make the device too thick. THus far I have not brought the charger to the office because I have not had to charge the Xoom except for overnight. The battery can make it through a day pretty easily, so feel free to leave the charger behind and see how you do.
Next, Office apps. I agree, they are limited and are the same on pretty much every non-laptop you will try to work on. Key features are missing, other features work strangely...it gets ugly out there. Therefore, I try to restrict my Office app work on the Xoom to reading and making notes. I wouldn't try to actually create a document on the Xoom at this point, unless it was very short and/or I would be able to edit on my laptop later. I use the Polaris app that was provided with the Asus Transformer, which you should be able to find in the Xoom Apps forum here, and it actually does pretty well.
I have had good luck with Bluetooth transferring files, but it can take a while. You should try using the OTG connector in conjunction with a flash drive for larger files. It adds a step in the transfer but it works perfectly for me.
The folio case? I agree, ugly as sin. Therefore I go without a case during use since I really like the looks of the Xoom anyway. I put it into an iPad Exo Sleevecase from Waterfield (great company, great case) before putting it in my gear bag and it does just fine.
The Xoom is a fine business tool in my opinion, it just has its limitations. All tablets currently available are still at the stage where you are best off thinking of them as an extension of your laptop or desktop computer, not the whole shebang. Use it for the tasks it is suited for, and be creative with how you apply it to those tasks which are a bit beyond a tablet's skillset at the moment.
Remember, we went through a decade of clunky, useless TabletPCs before we suddenly had a burst of innovation (thanks Apple) to get to this point in mobile computing. We are still at the early stages...just think where we will be in a couple years. THAT is when tablets will really shine, and at the moment you are ahead of the curve, devising business use cases for tablets out of sheer necessity. That is not a bad place to be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have found the Xoom to be a great substitute for a laptop out in the field. I just email the files to my work pc, or use my Passport HDD or thumb drive to save...I use dropbox for some non-secure files. Cloud print works fine if you run Chrome on your pc. My work network is locked down tight but I use Splashtop HD to sync with and remotely access my home pc, so I can use full MS Word, Excel, PP etc. I use my Moto BT keyboard and an MS BT mouse if I need do do intensive writing/editing, otherwise Tablet Keyboard Pro or FlexT9 work great. I have the WiFi only Xoom but use my Clear 4G mifi hotspot for connectivity most places I need to be.
This can work. Rooting helps--gives you a few more tools. The battery life is great, especially if you set your screen to minimum necessary brightness and set a battery-saving screen-off profile in SetCPU.
Ok, I will admit that Xoom(as with many android devices) has some bugs to work out, but Android 3.2 has done a lot of fixes that you are talking about....And as for stuff like file managers it matters what one u use.
Some good responses here, I have been on a couple of business trips and left the laptop at home, taking just the Xoom. Sync with and use of Exchange email is brilliant (as it should be). What I had hoped to be able to do is modify spreadsheets while walking round sites, I have some great Excel sheets with drop downs and the like but that is not going to be happening any time soon.
I have found Memento, a great database app that will be my work around for this, but I shouldn't be working around...
I included the iPad in the "tablet computing is sucky" title.
My issue with Bluetooth, a technology that has been with us for years, is that it insists on asking me to OK every file - if I take 100 photos on a site survey, I want them to come over to my laptop with one approval, not 100. It can take a hour, that's fine, just stop asking me if it's OK...This has been a problem for as long as I have been using a smartphone (except my Nokia N73, that had great Bluetooth.)
My frustration remains that I have been able to see the potential of mobile computing and now we have powerful enough devices to deliver it, but the software just isn't there - as usual its the back room hobbyists providing the real world solutions, the paid for software falls very short of the mark.
You talk of 3.2, I have a work device so rooting is not possible and Motorola don't seem in any rush to update me. Any ideas?
66mustang said:
Some good responses here, I have been on a couple of business trips and left the laptop at home, taking just the Xoom. Sync with and use of Exchange email is brilliant (as it should be). What I had hoped to be able to do is modify spreadsheets while walking round sites, I have some great Excel sheets with drop downs and the like but that is not going to be happening any time soon.
I have found Memento, a great database app that will be my work around for this, but I shouldn't be working around...
I included the iPad in the "tablet computing is sucky" title.
My issue with Bluetooth, a technology that has been with us for years, is that it insists on asking me to OK every file - if I take 100 photos on a site survey, I want them to come over to my laptop with one approval, not 100. It can take a hour, that's fine, just stop asking me if it's OK...This has been a problem for as long as I have been using a smartphone (except my Nokia N73, that had great Bluetooth.)
My frustration remains that I have been able to see the potential of mobile computing and now we have powerful enough devices to deliver it, but the software just isn't there - as usual its the back room hobbyists providing the real world solutions, the paid for software falls very short of the mark.
You talk of 3.2, I have a work device so rooting is not possible and Motorola don't seem in any rush to update me. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're taking pictures with your xoom, have it connected to a network (via a wifi network or phone tethering) you can use the auto upload feature that google+ has. That way you can access those pictures on your laptop as well by going to your google+ account.
I love my Xoom, even if my love for Motorola is waning, but I do have to agree to a point.
When I bought the thing, I had dreams of an all-in-one device... something that I could use as a laptop replacement but that I could also use to make phone calls.
Well, I can make phone calls using GrooveIP, but I would be lying if I said I was satisfied with this solution. GrooveIP works fine but generally kicks me out of Google Talk, which is pretty annoying given that I communicate more through chat than phone calls, so keeping it resident makes chat iffy. And speaking of GrooveIP, what's going on with the official Google Voice app for Honeycomb? I never imagined it would take Google so long to get it released.
The result? I finally decided to give up the dream and buy a new phone.
In a lot of ways, the Xoom has replaced my laptop for web surfing, but it doesn't make for a great word processor. I've purchased a few of the word processing apps available for Android, and they really aren't that great and lack key features such as auto-save. I still think that Google's official Google Docs app is the best of all available word processor apps, but even it is really mediocre on the Xoom. I think I gave it three stars in the market, and that might be one star too generous. I dislike Apple greatly, but iWork on the iPad is superior to anything available for Honeycomb. A native Google Docs Honeycomb app that doesn't rely on WebKit would be absolutely killer.
I still use my Xoom for most of my word processing, but it is a less than perfect solution. I love the size, and the tablet+bluetooth keyboard are still much more lightweight than my laptop, which makes them a more ideal travel companion. In fact, these days, the Xoom has replaced my laptop for about 85% of all my tasks, but it's still not a true laptop replacement.
I think it was unrealistic of me to expect my Xoom to be anything other than a tablet.
The first mistake was expecting it to replace your laptop + be productive as a business tool from the day you purchased it. Some things you mentioned the iPad 2 can't even do so it is what it is man.....
BUT if you use your xoom for play and your laptop for work then you won't have to worry about being stuck on your laptop charger all day long.
66mustang said:
- I can stand the Xoom up in the folio case, but I can't charge it, because the charger connector is on the bottom. A poor attempt to get me to fork out more money for the charging dock I assume.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easy solution: turn the Xoom upside down. There is no dedicated button, dedicated top or bottom for most applications. In that case power connection is in the top, easy to charge, easy to work on the tablel. Xoom works well for me as a laptop replacement.
I won't get into a long explanation as to why uninformed people should not be posting such a thread. Here is what I will say:
True... tablets cannot fully replace a laptop or PC just yet in terms of raw power, RAM, graphics, gaming, or features. Windows has been an OS for computers for a loooong time now. Honeycomb for tablets has not been around for that long. There is a HUGE difference between a tablet, and a desktop/laptop. I'll make this very clear for you so that it's easy to understand:
[Words of wisdom]
A desktop is a powerful computer that is meant to stay in one place at all times, a laptop is less powerful desktop computer that is portable, meanwhile a tablet is essentially an even more portable laptop with less power. It's not supposed to fully replace a computer in the first place, but rather work right along side it instead. Thus, one should not say tablet computing is "sucky". Apples and bananas as they say... cannot be compared. Don't even attempt to do such a thing.
[/End Words of wisdom]
Tablets are catching up fast in terms of overall specs to match computers, it's very impressive. They are currently working on beast quad core tablets. That's a lot of power for a small lightweight device.
Re: Charging - The Xoom uses a 7.4V/24.1Whr battery, so can't use USB charging which is only 5V. The iPad2 has a 3.8V/25Whr battery, so it can. (All current HC tabs AFAIK use 7.4V batt.)
The iPad2's USB wall-wart is 5V/2A, and users report it takes 3-4 hrs for a full charge. Based on this, charging from a PC's 5V/0.5A USB port would take a long time (charge time isn't linear to current level, but we're simplifying). So practically, you'd still have to lug along an AC charger for the iPad, although PC charging exists as an emergency measure.
Re: Charge adapter - Moto Mobo is a phone vendor. The Xoom is its first tablet, and it's likely that some components were common-sourced from existing phone parts. The smallish charge adapter plug is likely one. Ergonomic issues should be ironed out for the Xoom2, which undoubtedly will be thinner and lighter.
Re: Tablet as productivity device - It'd be interesting to see how much app support ICS gets, as HC didn't get much love from devs, or consumers for that matter. The major thrusts for ICS are phone+tablet convergence and cloud computing, at least as inferred from Google I/O '11. Productivity wasn't mentioned. It'd be a step up for Gbread phones, but I don't see a big improvement for current HC users.
On the flip side, if ICS is indeed incremental, then it should be here relatively soon after 3.2. My SWAG says Oct, which would be enough time for holiday shopping. If true, vendors would likely hold their 2nd-gen tablet offerings until that time. Else, we'll see the second wave starting in Sept. Moto's Xoom2 will serve as a bellwether.
Speaking of the Xoom2, my money is on it having the TI OMAP 4460, with the 7" probably using the 4430. Both are a big step up from the Tegra 2 wrt multimedia support, and the 4460's 1.5GHz speed will make for easy marketing pitch ("it's 50% faster!"). Pricing will likely be the same as current, ie USD$500 for 32GB wifi base model, and probably $400 for the 7".
I bought a really expensive power drill but it's terrible at hammering nails and useless for painting my walls.
I'm mad and posting about it.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
hi_its_ryan said:
I bought a really expensive power drill but it's terrible at hammering nails and useless for painting my walls.
I'm mad and posting about it.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol, did u try applying the paint to the drill before using it on ur wall
hi_its_ryan said:
I bought a really expensive power drill but it's terrible at hammering nails and useless for painting my walls.
I'm mad and posting about it.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 +1 +1 +1 +1
I think a tablet pc would be great OP?
my fav part of the gripe is about not using the worlds most dominant microsoft software... Of course they are not going to use it... Microsoft competes with android... Its the same as crying that your iphone cant run flash or windows programs...
I know it sucks but a tab is not a direct replacement for a laptop just yet... Theres a lot of ways to get around some of your gripes.. Like dropbox app for posting and syncing all your files to all your devices.. Docs to go.. It aint perfect but it helps... Etc...
My only gripe where I agree with the OP is the charger and not being able to charge when in the folio case...but when you consider that the battery lasts at least 24 hours with normal usage it's really not s big deal. I can get a good 5 work days when I use it to stream Pandora or Slacker over WiFi without needing to recharge.
Remote control your PC from your tablet. Then you have the best of both worlds.
brandogg said:
My only gripe where I agree with the OP is the charger and not being able to charge when in the folio case...but when you consider that the battery lasts at least 24 hours with normal usage it's really not s big deal. I can get a good 5 work days when I use it to stream Pandora or Slacker over WiFi without needing to recharge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Umm... someone already mentioned it, but... there is NOT a "correct" way to hold the Xoom, or any Honeycomb tablet for that matter. The soft keys are located on the screen itself, and will follow the screen when rotated, meaning you can hold it any way you want. Just unlock the screen rotation option, and then rotate the Xoom to position the charging port to the way that fits your needs. That is what sets Honeycomb apart from the rest. If the OP has this "complaint" he should think again before opening his mouth. It's called rotation... it's a feature. The Honeycomb developers want you to hold and position your tablet however you wish, not force you to hold it one way. Look it up, or better yet... use it.
its interesting to see the posts we have here...
personally i think a tablet is pretty close to becoming a laptop replacement... for some...
now... my laptop at the moment will probably crush many many desktops out there by a long shot (i definitely moved from desktops 5 years ago) but in saying that my battery life is HORRIBLE... i cant even go through 1 class and my charger is the size of a house brick lol but personally i love how i could whizz through a thousand, tabs, programs, music whatever with not one instance of lag and it dual boots like a boss and the 18 inch screen is amazing..
my xoom i bought it to hopefully be able to replace the aspect of taking my laptop to uni as we have alot of classes with just a powerpoint and we can type our own stuff from there (i just received my hk cheapo folio keyboard case today; as i dont see paying $50+ for one with a wire i would have preferred a bluetooth with trackpad or something) and i think im going to try and leave my laptop at home next time.. i agree the word compatible apps are sometimes uses, i cant find one where i can edit the notes section of a powerpoint but what i would really love is too have 2 programs open side by side on the one screen as this would be even easier to multitask but i will be finished uni before these will be met and then simply put my needs now/future are minimal in the 'business' area.. but this will NEVER replace a laptop for me im on it everyday for 6+ hours easy and the necessity for ease of access, large screen, etc for me negate the tablet switch for sometime if at all
for those who require specified proprietary programs your needs may never be met and if so they may only be met in the apple arena for sometime to come.. apple is the in thing at the moment and for the average joe as we all know cant understand alot of techno-babble (this may be a good argument for proprietary stuff to come out on the more tech android, but in business there are alot of people with their head in the sand)..
as for the OP i say this...
1. really consider rooting/flashing a custom rom you can always revert back to stock for warranty (i purchased mine overseas so i have NO warranty, im a poor uni student and saved for mine and honestly it was cheaper than my phone but yeh)
2. get an OTG cable (i got mine for $3 from hk) and use your flash drive for everything you want from the tablet/computer transfers (get a 32gb if you really need a large one).. that will remove alot of file transfer issues with bluetooth, etc and if you need to have constant backups then copy the file to the sdcard of the xoom to be super safe
3. have a better look in the area of printing.. i can wirelessly print from my android devices and they come out great (not good for photos) but documents come out pretty clear
4. burn the folio case, dance around it and move on try something else (if so inclined lol)...
5. the battery life is awesome.. absolutely awesome... i can go 2 full days without charge and using it all day on the train, music, wifi, internet.. bla bla
sorry for being long