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Hello all,
I am looking to buy My streak next month and I would like some personal impressions (pro's and con's) from actual users.
I have read the wiki and the FAQ's (great stuff)
I am currently using the Xperia x1 and I love it but its time to upgrade. (im also selling one as I have 2). I live in NYC and of course I have ATT.
I am all but sold, but some personal experience from the highly respected XDA community would be nice.
thank you.
I have a real love hate relationship with mine. I've had it since June, but will be selling it soon to get the upcoming HTC Deisre HD.
PRO
Super screen, quite repsonsive, really bright. HD youtube looks fantastic on it. Really snappy to use. Internet is a joy to use.
\
the CON is as a phone it sucks. It's just too big. It took a while to make up my mind, but if you use your phone to make calls a lot, it may be a little big. I've even dropped it a couple of times due to it's large size. Support seems weak as well.
I got it a couple weeks ago and love. In my opinion its the best android device for At&t so far. The aria is a mid-lower end and the captivate feels cheap so i settled for the streak
When you first get it you will be amazed at how big it is but after using it for a couple weeks it feels normal and other devices (evo and iphone) feel SO small in your hand. One handed use sometimes is a bit hard when on the home screen but theres ways to go around that.
Browsing is awesome, haven't had to many issues due to the lack flash. Games are amazing on the 5" screen, haven't done too much movie watching but do watch the occasional youtube video.
Don't have anything bad to say about it other than its aspect ratio is set to "long" (think widescreen tv) while most android devices out there are "not long" (regular 4:3) so some apps won't look right but i have been seeing updates in the market for added streak support.
One downside though would be the connector/charger which is a PDMI connection. The cable that comes with the device is a tad too short and a spare cable from dell is $19.99!
Overall i'm happy with it and would recommend it if its your cup of tea. Also its a really big attention grabber. You don't understand how many times girls have came up to me and asked what it was and how i just pulled it out of my pocket. Then there is those that hate that say its too big as they play with their little iPhag phone..
I also came from an x1 and streak has been great for me, I can only think of glowing comments.
The obvious question is the size, but really its not that noticeable over any other phone (actually I would argue its less noticeable than the x1). If you want an approximation of the size, put a casio calculator in your pocket, keeping in mind that the streak is significantly thinner than it.
Plus as fone_fantastic mentioned its a real head turner, and seriously not as ridiculous to use as a phone as it seems, its a great device, highly recommended.
Wow, thanx for the responses, keep em coming, I'm a pretty big guy 6'1 210, I dont think I would mind the size and that is what actually interests me most.
I'm happy to see some of you love it. unbelievably its not being demoed in any of my nearby att stores, so I havent had any hands on time with it. another draw to it is that I havent seen a single person with one (just like my X1), and I'm a waiter, I see tons of people and tons of phones...but no Streak's I like having the stand out device. just a bit worried about dell's first attempt at a phone
like I said keep em coming please.
strboy said:
Wow, thanx for the responses, keep em coming, I'm a pretty big guy 6'1 210, I dont think I would mind the size and that is what actually interests me most.
I'm happy to see some of you love it. unbelievably its not being demoed in any of my nearby att stores, so I havent had any hands on time with it. another draw to it is that I havent seen a single person with one (just like my X1), and I'm a waiter, I see tons of people and tons of phones...but no Streak's I like having the stand out device. just a bit worried about dell's first attempt at a phone
like I said keep em coming please.
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Click to collapse
Lol I'm a waiter too, its just as sea of blackberries and iphones. Wish I could just pull out the Streak and show off
Ha! we arent supposed to either, but I will sneak it in and show guests sometimes, (my x1 that is)...I don't get the wow factor I used to but....Streaks a coming.
and Yeah i see tons of Iphones all my co workers have Iphone 4's and BB torch's, I cant wait till I get my streak.
The Streak does everything I could wish and more, if there's one bad thing it's that it is a bit fragile. If you decide to get one make sure you also get a decent protective case.
I don't use mine as a phone (data only contract), but as a MID I think it is great.
The screen size (and quality) is perfect for browsing while remaining truly portable. It is my first Android device and thanks to that is endlessly customisable and has got me tinkering 'under the hood again' which is something I hadn't realised I'd missed.
Build quality wise it isn't bullet proof but given that you take care of it you shouldn't have any problems.
I have a love hate relationship with mine to. I love it totally:
Web browsing: what other smartphone can you visit and read a website with not having to zoom in a scroll left and right to read text on any site?
Ease of use: it's a Android!
Reliability: the HTC HD2 is at this time the closest competition IMO, used to have one but it was so unreliable with it's wifi i soon started to hate the sight of it!
Size: fits in any pocket i have, including trousers.
Don't watch TV, but wait until you veiw youtube on it or start view photo's you'll never wnat a small screen again.
What i hate about it is when others who complain about the size! they new the size before they bought it right, so they obviously worry far to much about what others think of them! that's not the streaks fault it's theirs. If i'm standing at some busy junction and i answer a call, if others start looking then i think they just want one to and they're eyeing it up to see what it is
The galaxy tab will be released next month, but portable it's not! look at the size of the bezel around the screen! that would look strange, holding a netbook up to your ear
I know it's a bit off topic but the Samsung Tab won't be getting voice on the US side.
now back on track
I love the streak, best parts are as said before, screen size, browsing experience (I use dolphin HD, skyfire and regular browser) each one i like for different things, I do browsing mostly on it.
cons. my streak won't charge but it's ok ( I paid half price), besides that, is that it doesn't have froyo which I don't mind at all, the other thing is that there are not many devs for this phone/tablet yet, but nothing to worry. Also the down side is the "PDMI" port, there aren't any third party chargers, cables, docks but I hope they'll come down eventually.
I'm skinny 5'10 and the streak doesn't feel all that big when against my head, no one even notice when I'm on the BIG phone talking to someone, I don't get any weird looks, but when I lay that "flipflop" on the table everyone looks at it and wants to have a go.
I've used the X1 and had several HTC's as you can see on my sig, one thing tho is that you might miss the physical keyboard, but you'll get around it, the screen is so big that the on-screen keyboard are not bad at all, I personally use "multi-touch keyboard" and that does the trick for me.
hope that helps.
Yeah, I think that this device is one of the best things I have ever bought.
the only down side will be in two years time.
Once my contract is up, I don't think I'll be able to go to anything smaller! 5" is the exact maximum size for it to be held comfortably (I definitely wouldn't get a Galaxy tab to use as a phone). But I cannot face going back to a smaller sized screen it ouwld feel like a step back.
And I'm wondering will there be a Streak II ? Or any other phone like it in 2 years time.
I can just envision my self wandering around with a forlorn look on my face muttering "I want 5 inches, I want 5 inches" (and probably get arrested when i walk past a school)
I'm in love with this phone device. The screen is awesome. Very responsive and big enough for me to type fairly accuratly on.
Talking on the phone feels normal. I didn't expect it to, but I've had only minor issues with calling. I have found myself sometimes hunting for the speaker but find that I can hear fine if I just hold the Streak a hair away from head. Basically my fat head was muffling the sound if I had the phone resting against it without having the speaker right over my ear.
I do wish that Dell would answer someone's post about the screen failures. I suspect there was a build quality issue with at least the early Streaks.
I also wish someone would get 2.2 working on a Streak so I can do remote desktop and have full exchange support, oh and Flash.
To add 1 more con, there is no VPN support if you use windows vpn LP2T, but hopefully it'll get sorted on 2.2.
I was starting to panick somewhat after I ordered the Streak & agreed to sell my current HD2 to a friend soon as it arrives, and then came across some negative reviews and discovered many people were having problems on this forum with the firmware issues related to upgrade to Android 2.1 & the limitations of stock Android 1.6. (which version are u positive guys using?).
Now having read this thread, you guys have got me optimistic & excited again!
Can't wait for it arrive next week. Hopefully I will once again feel "...this is the best phone I have ever owned", just like I did when I got my HD2, and the HTC HD before that. I don't think I could bear the disappointment of feeling I have taken a step back in the eternal quest for the ultimate personal communication device which I embarked on about 15 years ago with the Nokia 2110, followed by a variety of iPaq (HTC-made) PDA's, Ipaq phones & various HTC-branded devices.
Thanks guys for sharing your impressions.
THJahar said:
Yeah, I think that this device is one of the best things I have ever bought.
the only down side will be in two years time.
Once my contract is up, I don't think I'll be able to go to anything smaller! 5" is the exact maximum size for it to be held comfortably (I definitely wouldn't get a Galaxy tab to use as a phone). But I cannot face going back to a smaller sized screen it ouwld feel like a step back.
And I'm wondering will there be a Streak II ? Or any other phone like it in 2 years time.
I can just envision my self wandering around with a forlorn look on my face muttering "I want 5 inches, I want 5 inches" (and probably get arrested when i walk past a school)
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Click to collapse
LMao...I'll look for you in the papers two years from now
SAman1 said:
I was starting to panick somewhat after I ordered the Streak & agreed to sell my current HD2 to a friend soon as it arrives, and then came across some negative reviews and discovered many people were having problems on this forum with the firmware issues related to upgrade to Android 2.1 & the limitations of stock Android 1.6. (which version are u positive guys using?).
Now having read this thread, you guys have got me optimistic & excited again!
Can't wait for it arrive next week. Hopefully I will once again feel "...this is the best phone I have ever owned", just like I did when I got my HD2, and the HTC HD before that. I don't think I could bear the disappointment of feeling I have taken a step back in the eternal quest for the ultimate personal communication device which I embarked on about 15 years ago with the Nokia 2110, followed by a variety of iPaq (HTC-made) PDA's, Ipaq phones & various HTC-branded devices.
Thanks guys for sharing your impressions.
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My sentiments exactly,
Question regarding the size, with my X1 I rarely ever hold it to my face I always use the Stereo headset that came with it, does the streak have on also (bundled) is it any good?
another ex-X1 user here. Love the streak and can't think of another device I could replace it with currently. In fact it's hard to leave it alone and the battery gets quite a hammering
Yes you get a stereo headset with the streak and it's not bad at all really. I don't use it myself (got some Ultimate Ears 'phones which sound incredible and I only use handsfree over BT in the car) but it should be fine...
I've kept the X1 for when i'm doing "rough stuff", like photographing 4x4 events - can just shove it in a pocket out of the way whereas the Streak would probably get damaged. For everything else though (especially in the car for satnav, music etc) it's one hell of a good device.
I really hope 2.2 makes it over cos that last little piece of the jigsaw - embedded flash in the browser - will make it a stunner. Keep an eye on the thread about USB hosting as well. If that can be actioned there are a lot of possibilities there too. For example I want to be able to download the occasional shot from my camera to check on the Streak's fairly well calibrated screen. I can also resize and send if necessary and POSSIBLY even back up the camera's memory card! (IF it works of course!!)
Everything works better than it did on the X1. BT streaming, web browsing, emulation (PSX for example), graphics, user interface (and i was using a custom WAD desktop on my X1), call quality, you name it
Up until I got the Streak I thought the X1 was the best phone I'd had but this is a whole other level!!
triondave said:
I really hope 2.2 makes it over cos that last little piece of the jigsaw - embedded flash in the browser - will make it a stunner. Keep an eye on the thread about USB hosting as well. If that can be actioned there are a lot of possibilities there too.
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I've been following that thread, with the hope that one could maybe use the USB port with a serial port adaptor to connect to Cisco routers and maybe run an Android equivalent to Windows Hyperterminal app to configure Cisco routers? I guess that's a bit far-fetched since no Android drivers would be available ...but as you mentioned, there are many other possibilities to this USB Host functionality which are likely to work.
Which version of Android are you currently running tho? Is it stock or modified?
Can you get a full 12hrs availability from the battery daily with say, 2 hrs voicecalls, & 2 hrs HSDPA internet plus a few sms's?
Also wondering if you know what the USB connector on the Streak is called? Can't see myself unplugging the cable back & forth between my bedroom, the car & the office every day. Should be easy to make up the USB host cable as well as a few spare charging cables while I'm at it if I can source the connector somewhere.
Hi - running stock O2 2.1 build 8105
I generally have to charge by about 3pm after starting at 7am BUT the screen is pretty much constantly on during that time and as far as I can see from my use the screen hammers the battery more than anything else (it's surprisingly good on wifi at home if the screen gets turned off regularly). At home it'll go all day with occasional use and usually MSN Talk running in the background.
Not entirely sure what you mean by what the USB connector is called. Do you mean the PDMI one that attaches to the phone? Well, I say PDMI but it's not 100% proved yet is it, as far as I can see from what I've read. It does seem almost certain that it is though. If you find a source let us all know!!
triondave said:
Hi - running stock O2 2.1 build 8105
I generally have to charge by about 3pm after starting at 7am BUT the screen is pretty much constantly on during that time and as far as I can see from my use the screen hammers the battery more than anything else (it's surprisingly good on wifi at home if the screen gets turned off regularly). At home it'll go all day with occasional use and usually MSN Talk running in the background.
Not entirely sure what you mean by what the USB connector is called. Do you mean the PDMI one that attaches to the phone? Well, I say PDMI but it's not 100% proved yet is it, as far as I can see from what I've read. It does seem almost certain that it is though. If you find a source let us all know!!
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Click to collapse
So you use the Streak like a PC - screen on & in use almost continuously? Based on that it would probably be safe to say it would last me all day with less than 4 hrs screen on time (screen is mostly off during phonecalls I guess due to proximity sensor) & fairly typical/light mobilephone use. That's great to know, thanks.
Indeed, perhaps the name PDMI will help me find it somewhere in Asia, but probably best to have a closeup picture of it. As long as someone makes a connector that fits the slot and we can find out Dell's pinouts, should be ok. When my unit arrives next week I'll at least have the USB cable to check the connector for myself .
Anyways, my apologies to the OP for having gone a bit off topic there.
I'm convinced now I'll be happy with the Streak, despite some minor challenges no doubt. Besides, if it turned out to be perfect, how would we find a worthy upgrade in another year from now....
(This will be long and winded, and I apologize in advance for it)
So, I'm super duper interested in getting the Streak, but I'm trying to be cautious, because I've been burned in the past of buying something to fast without considering future release of products and the product itself. So I've got a few questions.
What I like
First, I will state the features that attract me most. The screen size seems almost perfect. I've been also considering 7 inch slates, but I keep coming back to the streak for 2 reasons. 7 inches isn't pocketable, and so far none of the 7 inchers have phone capabilities, meaning I would have two devices I would have to carry. The pocketability actually is the more attractive to me, as I would want to carry this thing everywhere with me (work, parties, travel).
I know Archos is coming out with a 5 inch slate, but they don't have the market available, though I also realize that more than likely you can get it added with a simple .pkg or .apk or whatever they are called. But then the 2 vs 1 device argument comes into play there.
Worries
1. My concerns I guess are, has anyone heard any news of any 5 inch size phones coming out in the near future (within the next 6 months)?
2. if I root and put Froyo on my Streak, I think I can go back to stock and add the official releases when they come out, correct? I'm not sure how complete the 2.2 release is, does everything now work? Camera, GPS, wifi. What about using the O2 2.1 release?
3. The main thing I will be using my device for will be movies/comics/general media consumption. I've heard of Rockplayer, it seems to do all major video formats from I can tell, but does it play well with the Dell Streak? What would be encoding limits?
Sorry if many of these questions have been asked and answered, I've become a bit confused moving around all over the forum.
xilpaxim said:
(This will be long and winded, and I apologize in advance for it)
So, I'm super duper interested in getting the Streak, but I'm trying to be cautious, because I've been burned in the past of buying something to fast without considering future release of products and the product itself. So I've got a few questions.
What I like
First, I will state the features that attract me most. The screen size seems almost perfect. I've been also considering 7 inch slates, but I keep coming back to the streak for 2 reasons. 7 inches isn't pocketable, and so far none of the 7 inchers have phone capabilities, meaning I would have two devices I would have to carry. The pocketability actually is the more attractive to me, as I would want to carry this thing everywhere with me (work, parties, travel).
I know Archos is coming out with a 5 inch slate, but they don't have the market available, though I also realize that more than likely you can get it added with a simple .pkg or .apk or whatever they are called. But then the 2 vs 1 device argument comes into play there.
Worries
1. My concerns I guess are, has anyone heard any news of any 5 inch size phones coming out in the near future (within the next 6 months)?
2. if I root and put Froyo on my Streak, I think I can go back to stock and add the official releases when they come out, correct? I'm not sure how complete the 2.2 release is, does everything now work? Camera, GPS, wifi. What about using the O2 2.1 release?
3. The main thing I will be using my device for will be movies/comics/general media consumption. I've heard of Rockplayer, it seems to do all major video formats from I can tell, but does it play well with the Dell Streak? What would be encoding limits?
Sorry if many of these questions have been asked and answered, I've become a bit confused moving around all over the forum.
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Click to collapse
I think your worries can be put to rest.
1) I'm not aware of any phones in the 5" game coming, but no doubt there will be. Its probably a ways out though.
2) If you are saavy enough you should have little problem tweaking your Streak. I think most people find 1.6 good for your media consumption, save for flash.
3) The Streak is awesome for media consumption... I think you are exactly right in your assessment of the 5" vs 7"...
Do it!
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
1. I've not heard of ANY 5" phones coming out at all. 4.3" is about as close as most phones get to the Streak.
2. I'm running 2.2 on my Streak at the moment and 99% of things are ok. The only little bugs I've found are WiFi can be a little temperamental when turning it on and off, the camera sometimes crashes and screenshots through DroCap come out red.
3. I can't really comment on RockPlayer as I've barely used it myself, sorry!
I love my Streak and I don't think you'll regret it if it's 5" you've set your heart on.
Hi,
The streak is a great phone.
Answers.....
1. Ask most streakers and they won't go back to small screen
2. Yes you can. Just done it myself. Everything works apart from camera. Everything is better apart from battery.
3. Media is what it does best...well sorta. Screen size is made for it. Used to use rockplayer but I then moved to arc media player. Not perfect but plays most formats from flv to avi
If you want a great phone with large screen the streak is the only one that pushes the limits
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
You all are starting to put a tingle in my wallet.
Sounds like the camera in 2.2 is a random works or doesn't work? Eh, I could probably do with 2.1 until then, I use my camera fairly often right now.
xilpaxim said:
Sounds like the camera in 2.2 is a random works or doesn't work?
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Click to collapse
It didn't work for me on 2.2 until I did the (very easy) build.prop mod from the Streak Froyo thread.
I'm in the same boat as the OP. Currently ditched my FUZE for the iPhone 3GS and while the 3GS is, to me, much better than the FUZE... I'm bored of Apple. I'm looking for an Android device and I've narrowed it down to the Streak and the Desire.
My reasons for worrying in regards to the Streak are with device lifespan/OS updates. Sure, it comes with 1.6 now and Dell has pormised 2.1 before the end of the year, but what after that? Will the Streak see 3.0 or will Dell switch their focus to the Thunder (or whatever else is coming down the pipeline)?
MokujinX5 said:
My reasons for worrying in regards to the Streak are with device lifespan/OS updates.
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Click to collapse
If you're down for hacking new ROMs on there...well...there are still people perfectly happy with their G1
wezknowles said:
If you're down for hacking new ROMs on there...well...there are still people perfectly happy with their G1
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Click to collapse
I did enjoy flashing my FUZE so I may be ok with the Streak then...
One thing I think I should point out though, the Streak isn't as pocketable or handheld as a 4.3 inch device. Sure the thing fits in your pocket, but there are numerous reports of the lcd screen cracking underneath the glass as a result from pant stress. I personally use an external holster which works fine, but it isn't exactly pocketable by that metric.
Second, you have to handle the phone more carefully because of its extra bulk. You can't exactly handle it one-handed and maintain a sure grip on it. This creates a bit of jostle anxiety; I tend to cradle it wit both my hands defensively or refrain from using it altogeter if I am not sitting down in a stable environment.
Mostly I am highly paranoid of dropping it, because with Dell not offering repairs for the Streak, that would be 600 dollars out the window.
But aside from that, I couldn't be happier with this phone.
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
hmmm that is slightly worrisome Gilrad. My first PDA (a Handspring IIIe or something like that) had that fate happen to it in my pocket. Maybe I should contact my insurance carrier to find out about this.
[edit] found this
http://www.worthavegroup.com/
has anyone used this insurance?
As long as you get a decent holster I don't think there should be any problems, I certainly haven't had any with my easecase. I mostly wanted to point out that 5.5 inches crosses that boundary where you can treat it like a normal cellphone.
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
I find it ok size wise.
It lives in my back pocket and has been dropped a few times and its still fine. I think its about a rugged as a 5" screen could be unless its cased.
I'm running the 2.2 build 1 (or 0.2) and the battery life is looking good so far - especially with juice defender - even on the first 2.2 build with light use and juice defender installed I ran for 23 hours with 37% still left.
I think the new build should improve its battery performance with heavy use.
The only bugs so far that I have experienced is the camcorder not recording in 720p and the inbuilt wireless tether doesn't work - but there is one that does. Also some things don't appear in the market as it thinks its a nexus.
I would recommend trying the 2.2 build instead of the stock 1.6 - its like a different phone - much faster and smoother and flash support really makes it great for watching stuff on the web.
It took me a few days to get used to its size, now I wouldn't go any smaller as the screen is brilliant for watching films and playing games and surfing.
I wouldn't go any larger either as it wouldn't fit in my pocket.
After reading everyones responses and also finding that insurance plan, which after a coupon code I found (tenoff) a 2 year plan is about $112, I am completely ready to make the plunge! I'm really excited today!!!!
Dropped my streak earlier today. What can I tell? still works good and fat even with all cracked screen but oh my I wish I didn't drop it
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
I am still on my 14 day return and have been thinking about this. Android biggest problem is something new is always right around the corner. I think a lot of you are here cause the Asus was unavailable and may still be waiting on that.
So are you keeping it.
Did it surprise you enough to stay with it.
Is the upcoming Samsung Galazy Tab 10.1 or the burning desire to have the Transformer gonna make you take it back.
Maybe the Toshiba Tab with it's built in USB might persuade you.
Sticking. Stuck.
I bought the Acer because the ASUS wasn't available, but I'm quite happy with it anyway. As you said, there's always something new around the corner, but what I've seen about the Toshiba models put them in the Xoom price range, and I haven't seen pricing on the Samsung 8.9 and 10.1 (new thin models, not the 10.1V original design.)
Honeycomb in general's still a very new system, and I expect by this time next year most of the things we're looking at as "missing" or "broken" will be available and/or fixed. Kinda the way I'm still using my (original generation) Droid phone, which, when overclocked and ROMd over to Gingerbread is just fine
Actually...
I figured that I'd get it to play with Honeycomb and wait for some of the vaporware tablets to emerge. I had bought a Xoom but it was a real POS - nothing worked including the falsely advertised charging dock, etc. So I returned it.
Now I'm absolutely keeping the Iconia - I have a rooted Nook Color - very nice but not in the same league as the Iconia.
Don't believe all the BS put out about how bad the screen is, or other stuff.
I rooted it (easiest root I have ever done) and everything works as advertiszed.
I still got until Monday wiki decide Saturday if I will return or not to get the transfoemer, tegra 3 tablets are also coming out in august
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
Got both the Asus and the iconia and will keep the iconia ..
The Asus just feels so cheaply made that no amount of screen quality can make up for it feeling like a cheap toy in my hands.
I can understand the whole IPS vs standard screen debate as i have owned many great screens over the years including IPS desktop screens and iPads etc etc .
They both have there pros and there cons but a good screen and good build quality are more important to me and the whole USB host thing built in without the need for a dock or separate accessory is just great.
Will never need a keyboard attached to it either and i think thats what really pushed me over the edge to keep the Acer.
Not slamming on the Asus btw because its decent in other areas but after getting 2 with some nasty light bleed on top of questionable build quality the Acer just took the crown for overall winner .
I am keeping mine. I actually had a Xoom first and took it back...thought it was too expensive for what it was. I actually really like the Acer better. I love the USB port, the micro card slot actually works ( didn't on xoom as of yet), It feels a lot lighter and I actually like the bezel being larger as it is easier to hold without hitting the screen. The viewing angle is good (not sure why bad comments on that). I like it a lot.
Keeping. Was waiting on the Asus, but i'm more than happy with the screen of the Acer, absolutely love the usb port, and since removing the phone apks, I have no complaints about battery life. I'm happy.
Right before I got the Acer I had purchased a used Galaxy Tab 7" thinking that would satisfy me.
Then I saw the Acer. Once I touched it I fell instantly in love and fought myself not to give into temptation everyday. Suddenly it hit me... I have a Bestbuy card and it means I can take 18 months to pay for it without a dime of interest.
1/2 hour later I had the Iconia in my sweaty hands.
Sure the wife *****ed but hey, it's only a new toy once.
For me it's a keeper. Like others have said, the USB port is a big factor and I see nothing wrong with the screen.
Keepin'. I am surprised how much I enjoy the Acer iconia Tab. The USB port makes all the difference. I think the build quality is very nice indeed and I really like the design. Root doesn't hurt either.
I was an early adopter of the Linux Eee Pcs and thought they were very solid little machines, but later models had some serious build quality issues. So the Eee Transformer quality/build problems I have read about do not surprise me one bit. . . .
Also have the Galaxy Tab 7" and a Nook Color. Not sure which one of those I'm sticking with though. I like them both but I leaning toward the Nook and selling the Galaxy Tab on Ebay.
Keeping for sure
I will be taking mine back, but only cause I will be waiting for Samsung galaxy tab 10.1. The weight of the Acer is an issue for me, but can understand why it is. Feels very sturdy. I absolutely love the USB port & sdcard working out of the box. So testing the Acer gave me a few things to think about far as what I want in a tablet. I know Galaxy tab 10.1 will not have USB port. Not sure how Toshiba's will feel.
I definitely recommend people to try the Acer
Also the corners of acer are kind of pointy if holding for awhile.
def keeping mine. I don't know why the Asus got so much media and Acer didnt
I'm still on the fence. I'm coming from daily use of a convertible Fujitsu with stylus and have wanted something this light for a while and miss not having a stylus for normal handwriting.
There are also some things I may not be able to live without which require Window$ but I'm going to give it another week and see if I can see a way to fit it into my normal working life.
If there weren't things that were broken out of the box (gps, compass) I'd probably be leaning more towards keeping at this point
Took a day or two to work out a couple of bugs, but now my A500 is rock solid, smoking fast, amazing battery life. I'm 100% satisfied. This should be fine for me until a Tegra 4 comes out in 2012...
The only thing I am waiting for is a new kernel so I can see what this baby will do when it is overclocked.
bhageman said:
Took a day or two to work out a couple of bugs, but now my A500 is rock solid, smoking fast, amazing battery life. I'm 100% satisfied. This should be fine for me until a Tegra 4 comes out in 2012...
The only thing I am waiting for is a new kernel so I can see what this baby will do when it is overclocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any tips tricks as to what you did to fix / customize?
nubbin77 said:
Any tips tricks as to what you did to fix / customize?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-Immediately did a factory reset. Eliminated problem with screen coming back on after screen time out and an odd problem I had with my screen timeout being stuck at 15 seconds.
-Rooted with GingerBreak (make sure you lock in portrait during process)
-WPA supplicant
-changed phone.apk and telephony___.apk to .bak to kill the phone processes. Mad a HUGE improvement in an already satisfactory battery life. WARNING: This will brick your phone if you do a factory reset without changing them back.
-Installed ADW for my home screen
-Installed SyncSMS to get SMS functionality
Apps that help:
-GingerBreak
-Root Explorer
-Terminal Emulator
-Uninstaller for Root
-Super Manager
-ES File
Apps I love:
-PlayOn: Streaming TV from my NAS drive
-SugarSync: All my work docs in the cloud
-WinAmp: Sync music with my desktop over wifi
-Feedly: Google RSS feed looks like a magazine
-Chrome to Phone
Still on the edge
I like the screen and feel of it, but with Honeycomb there aren't many apps out there that run on it (without FC all the time).
I'm trying to justify keeping it for work, but there's no Activesync (without rooting), Calendar is a joke and other than playing movies/games on it what do YOU use it for?
I can't see dumping my laptop anytime soon, so my question is what are you using it for? Serious question.
Thanks
S
I wanted the EEE TF as well but got the Iconia in the interim. I'm pleasantly surprised. I don't want the TF anymore. After playing with a friends, I'm not convinced it's worthwhile to exchange them. It has a gorgeous display and is a tad lighter but I'm afraid I've been jaded by the really bad things I've read about it and am convinced the first batch was very shoddy. Unfortunately, by the time it's released there will be competitors with possibly better options (toshiba, samsung, sony, htc, etc.)
My goal is to get something I'm 100% happy with. I'm 98% happy with the Iconia.
What's in that 2%? Limited video file and format playing ability and bugs due to Honeycomb right now.
Otherwise, hell yeah! I'd have liked an IPS screen. This AUO screen isn't bad at all but it's no IPS, right? Acer could have at least pegged Samsung for PLS.
It's also in wrestling with the idea of having the faith in Acer to believe they really will update and fix these things in the near future. These companies aren't known for keeping their products updated beyond a certain period. I can easily see their promised June update becoming Samsung-esque and not seen for months if ever.
That being said, I've entertained the idea of returning it and waiting to see what I can get in June. But tech is tricky and if you decide to wait, you can easily end up waiting forever for the next best thing as it's always around the corner. If the competitors are too expensive, it's not like the A500 won't be there for me to fall back on, it may even be cheaper! Of course, just like a cell phone - once you own one of these things you come to depend on it rather quickly if you're used to doing things a certain way.
I use it for everything now. My notebook sits in it's bag most of the time.
It's awesome for multimedia, period.
I use it in the kitchen and around the house to play music and videos if I don't feel like sitting in front of the TV.
I use it in the kitchen to look up new and different things to cook.
I use it as a visual remote for my PC (to control music or manipulate downloads). I use it in the couch to look up stuff I see on TV.
I bring it with me EVERYWHERE, yes...I now own a manbag.
I use it on the road when I'm out with the wife and she's in Macys/JCPenny/Kohls or any of those places I don't feel like venturing with her into for hours.
I use it when I'm at the cafe or out at dinner. I don't have it out all the time, but it's with me in case I want to use it and I must say, it's nicer than flipping out a netbook which I guess is ironic but I always thought that was so odd looking. You know, when people pop their netbooks out on a table in the middle of 4 people being social. For me it's a matter of looking up something quick and then popping it back in.
The list goes on and on.
It's basically replaced my android phone in its smart abilities while managing to be more comfortable in that the screen is bigger. It's replaced my notebook in it's lighter tasks like multimedia due to it being ultimately way, way more portable and touchscreen.
My dilemma is living without it for 2 months while I wait for something that I'm hoping will satisfy me 99 or 100%, should I decide to return it. I still have a few days to decide.
kalric said:
Calendar is a joke
S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried Jorte?
Hi folks over A500 forum, i'm thinking to get myself an A500, but i afraid that i'll regret buying this tablet, because i've read some quite hmmm.... negative feedback about it.
some says that the charger wouldnt charge [i can assume that he has a faulty unit], poor mic, gps, unresponsive keyboard, weak wifi. So can anyone of you kindly enough to tell me what can i expect this tablet will be weak at?
I can tolerate at the poor camera quality though.
Please tell me, thanks!~
I have not found any issues at all with my tab. It is not an A500 but may as well be. (Gateway A60 running A500 roms). I use it at work and at home.
This tablet is pretty much perfect. The camera quality is fine as far as I am concerned (Front and rear), it is easily rootable, even if you install the OTA updates and the price point is where it needs to be.
The only thing that I have been on the lookout for is ICS but so far I am OK with HC. Way better than the Froto on my gtablet.
smishra said:
I have not found any issues at all with my tab. It is not an A500 but may as well be. (Gateway A60 running A500 roms). I use it at work and at home.
This tablet is pretty much perfect. The camera quality is fine as far as I am concerned (Front and rear), it is easily rootable, even if you install the OTA updates and the price point is where it needs to be.
The only thing that I have been on the lookout for is ICS but so far I am OK with HC. Way better than the Froto on my gtablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! Perfect info. Any more? =D
Go to the store and play with the Tablets... the gps is a issue.. mic is a issue (only with video chat)
you need to root to fix the gps issues the patch is in the dev section also to tether again patch here in the forum.
keyboard that is stuck sucks badly... install THUMBS KEYBOARD
SUMMERY REQUIRED TO MAKE MY ICONIA PERFECT FOR ME..
BUY AND PUT A SCREEN PROTECTOR ON IT. (Even Gorilla glass can Scratch)
ROOT. install acer recovery install .. flash recovery ... Im now using the RA Recovery
install Root Explorer file manager (there is a free verson on makert.but support the dev BUY IT)
Install Titanium Backup (again Buy it DEV is awesome on this program)but to many updates pushed to often
Install the ad-hoc fix.
install Thumbs Keyboard
Install the gps fix
Install splashtop HD.. (to access my home computer)
Install IPRINT APP for my Brother Printer.
Install Office Program.. (i have two some do certin things better then other . find the one thats right for you)
Install CO-PILOT (THIS ACTUALLY BELONGS BELOW THE GPS PATCH)
Install sync sms .(to forword text msg to and from my tablet from my phone)required drop box account
Install DROP BOX
Flash my UI FOLDERS. to change the colors of the ui to A BURGUNDY Pinkish Color.. (I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS .ADVANCED USER EXPERIENCE REQUIRED)AND DEV TOOLS Needed on your Computer and I USE ADOBE CS5..
Setup my email accounts sometime in the above events
Backup my tab with T B
BACKUP MY TAB AGAIN IN RECOVERY..
After all of the above.. my tablet fits my life Perfectly..
As already said by others, weak GPS, keyboard kinda sucks, glossy screen that really shows finger prints, etc. What I haven't seen mentioned, is the inability to properly play HD mkv's, most ppl will say you don't need high quality on tablet, and they are right, but, what if you want to hook your tab to a hotel TV to watch HD, etc. There also seems to be a lot of stuff in the market that is not compatible with this tab (specifically for me, mybuick and onstar)
That being said, having a usable USB port is pretty handy, the micro SD,(missing on the Zoom) micro HDMI are all nice to have. Microphone works well for apps like Skype as long as you use headphones.
You should be using headphones for video conversations anyway, otherwise the mic picks up the sounds coming from the speaker and then you have yourself a poorstorm of feedback.
I have never had any sort of keyboard issue with my tab. This is actually the first I heard of any sort of keyboard issue.
The rear camera is 5 megapixels, so expect 5 megapixel quality. Except for the newest Tegra3 tabs, this is the best camera you can get on a tablet.
You have to expect that this tablet comes from the first generation of real Android tablets that hi the market. As a result, you have to expect that there will be some issues with it. The good thing is that devs has created fixes for common problems (like GPS, wifi etc) so if you are someone who is in to rooting, this is a great tablet.
hardslog said:
You should be using headphones for video conversations anyway, otherwise the mic picks up the sounds coming from the speaker and then you have yourself a poorstorm of feedback.
I have never had any sort of keyboard issue with my tab. This is actually the first I heard of any sort of keyboard issue.
The rear camera is 5 megapixels, so expect 5 megapixel quality. Except for the newest Tegra3 tabs, this is the best camera you can get on a tablet.
You have to expect that this tablet comes from the first generation of real Android tablets that hi the market. As a result, you have to expect that there will be some issues with it. The good thing is that devs has created fixes for common problems (like GPS, wifi etc) so if you are someone who is in to rooting, this is a great tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So true.. MY TAB WORKS Well as stated above.. But it does not come without some work... i have read forums of other tablets. we have less trouble then average..
Oh ok, thx for those feedbacks! BTW, have any of you suffer from keyboard delay? I played Transformer, G Tab10.1, and A500 at the store before, and fall in love with the port and weight of this tablet. But the thing that frustrated me is the keyboard delay it has[btw, i dont really know what happened on that tablet though]
And how was the wifi strength? I heard reports say that it drops quickly?
I love my a500 and should you learn to root and flash you'll uncover the real power and potential in the device. that being said it should be mentioned the a500 is old tech that is going to be replaced by newer more powerful models this year. as these models come out the cutting edge developers will migrate and Dec on the a500 will slow down somewhat. this does not mean the a500 isn't a good purchase option. its great hardware that with the right software is just amazing. but it is on the backside of its lifespan and that carries some downfalls that should be mentioned.
A501, same as A500 except with 3g...
I've never had wifi dropouts, either at home or at work.
The public wifi at work is pretty bad but I have never had a problem logging on and its never dropped out.
Keyboard, again no issue here...
Haven't really played with GPS properly but do use co-pilot. I do find we seem to have pretty bad satellite reception here in OZ but when I have played around it seems pretty reliable, but again only done short trips...
Love the USB, this is why I bought the Acer A501 in the 1st place, no other tab had one. Expandable memory also a BIG plus...
I like the fact I can attach a 1Tb HDD and use this on my tab too...
No real problems, aside from the locked bootloaders Acer insists on sticking on its tabs, most things are fairly good.
I love my A500, but after taking it to meetings and with me pretty much all the time, I find it a bit heavy. I use it almost exclusively professionally and end up using dropbox more than USB drives. I would probably go with a GT10.1 because of the weight and thickness.
Thanks guy! but i bought the G Tab 10.1 instead of A500, because it is really a lot lighter than A500, and my dad prefers it more ;D
Thanks anyway!
Picked up my A500 from The Source on a boxing day special price. It was a bit of an impulse, but also a bit of tech jealousy as my cousin had bought one the week before so he could learn to program apps for it and I got to play with it a bit on New Years. ANYWAYS. I loved it right away, and the prospect of rooting it was pretty awesome.
I have zero faults with this machine. It looks great, works great, was easily unlocked/rooted, and there is a ton of support on this forum. I just keep trying out new roms (4 diff. builds so far) and new kernels (on my 3rd one of those), and I'm having a lot of fun with it.
Only drawback is that I didn't buy one sooner.
picking one up today... 32GB for $220 I think its a fair deal...main reason i would even consider it is becuase its ICS upgradable
I also have a HP Touchpad with CM9 ICS... thats a great piece of equipment if your into modding as well!
mind telling where you got 32gb one for that price?? Im looking to get one myself by budgets tight so any savings is appreciated.
BTW one question about the tablet itself can someone give me an idea about the average battery life, Yes i know battery life is very subjective but i need some kind of referance as i read a review by engadget and it basically said the iconia had the worst battery life of all of the major 10 inch tablets.
220$ for a 32gb?! Who did you steal this from?? haha
I got mine from acer's official ebay store, 330$ (shipping+tax included), refurb 32gb. Works fine.
docnas said:
mind telling where you got 32gb one for that price?? Im looking to get one myself by budgets tight so any savings is appreciated.
BTW one question about the tablet itself can someone give me an idea about the average battery life, Yes i know battery life is very subjective but i need some kind of referance as i read a review by engadget and it basically said the iconia had the worst battery life of all of the major 10 inch tablets.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've gotten 5 days on standby with battery drain to 42% (busy week, it just sat on the bedside table for that time no usage). I figure it could have gotten to 10 days.
When I was using it as an e-reader running the Kindle app almost exclusively I was getting on average 3 days of use between charges, reading for about 3-4 hours a day (Game of Thrones books are LONG and addictive).
Right now I've been playing games on it and I can easily go a whole day (overclocked at 1504mhz) before having to charge it.
Standby had wifi turned on, but off when the screen was off. Reading I always had it in airplane mode, and playing games can be a mix between airplane and wifi. Actually it hasn't seemed to make a huge difference that I can see.
I've been wondering.
Who's still using this Tablet?
The N8000 Samsung Galaxy Note 10" has been released in August 2012, this is 4 Years ago.
Most smartphones have a lifespan of 2 years. There are a lot of people who buy a new one every year. Yet there are some others who keep their phone for 3-4 years or even Longer.
So how about this Tablet?
Do you still use it like on the first day you bought it?
Does it fulfill a different usage now?
Or did you give it away to someone else?
For me I've bought this Tablet when I started studying because I thought the Pen input would be pretty cool.
I've used it for about 3-4 months and then Switched to a Windows 2:1 convertible. After that I've mainly used it at home for media consumption.
Right now I use it with lirokas Marshmallow Build and mostly stream Videos. I still get 6-8h batterylife out of it, and while I fully agree that the processor is getting really slow I don't see no reason at all to upgrade to a new tablet.
So what's your story?
Haldi4803 said:
I've been wondering.
Who's still using this Tablet?
Yes thank you .
Do you still use it like on the first day you bought it?
Yes .
Not used as a phone and only ever bought for mapping and media / tv player .
No notice of cpu slow and until it stops working its a keeper .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gave mine to my laddie when I bought my Note Pro 12 ; he uses it daily (Temasek's cm13). It's still as brilliant as the day I got it.
Hi,
I bought this tablet in November 2013 and I used it daily during about one year, mainly for a video, games and web usage, until I was fed up with the lack of support from Samsung that made this tablet completely outdated.
I completely rediscovered it in last January, when I decided to put it out of the drawer where it stood in order to try to root it and to flash Lirokoa's ROM that I had heard of on this great forum. Since then I use it again daily both at home and for work with a bluetooth keyboard, this awsome ROM just gave this tablet a second life
Sent from my GT-N8013 using XDA-Developers mobile app
My girlfriend has/had one that she used daily. For quite some time. I personally felt it was rediculously unresponsive and slow..but this made some sense given she has the thing JAMMED FULL of free app games and wallpaper apps. Early in its life. I attempted to get her to let me root it to make it run good..no go. Last week however her most.favorite game, Sims FreePlay. Wouldnt load..crashed 90% of the time before you could play it.
So she handed it to me to see if I could fix the issue. I want able to make it happen. In the process if attempting. I Deleted a bunch of undeniably trashable apps l, app data, and/or cache. Both the system and user areas were Extremely full.
After doing that l it was yet oddly slugish..yet faster than when she handed it to me. I gave it back to her..in working condition. and she messages me at work the next day Asking me WTF DID YOU DO TO MY TABLET. It was suck boot loop at samsung logo. (Keep in mind this tab is %100 stock) Recovery wont load, Download mode works but flashing anything and/or everything simply either completes sucessfully per odin..yet doesnt help. or fails(formatting pit stuff).
After spending a whole week scavanging the internet. I determined the emmc is borked. Probably similar to the S3 SDS problem. Tried absolutely everything suggested and still wound up in the "didnt work for me" catagory. I tentetively have determined I basically have a hard bricked tab that probably even Jtag wouldnt fix..aside PERHAPS..from re/-flashing the emmc firmware with a jtag...that I don't own.lol.
replacment motherboards still run over $100, which isnt viable imo because I can buy a fuly funtional used tab for alunder $150..and a few bucks more..could potentially get a tab 10.1 2014 if Iil I was patient.
I feel bad. she believes me NOW for the most part that it didnt directly die due to what I did to it. More it died WHILE i was wokring on it due to a bugged or defective internal Memory chip.
I'm probably going to buy her a replacment tab..because she misses it. Maybe steal the motherboard from the replacment and put it in "hers" l. Then when I feel froggy try to replace the emmc and use the tab for my own purposes.
If you do a lot photo editing,adjusting, alterting. PS Touch with and S-pen @10.1" is fantasticly the best photo editing setup I've ever used...thats my proposed best Use for it
I bought mine a year ago, as a replacement for my ASUS tablet. I used it mostly for gaming and video streaming, which has better performance than at least my previous tablet. Months later I found out how to flash TWRP into it and flash a CyanogenMod ROM into it, which inspired me to learn more about modding android devices.
But that was before I accidentally dropped it on a carpet floor and gave it an LCD color issue and a distortion problem.
So I had to buy another one, which was the 2014 model. Not as proud as I was with my old one though.
I still use it, but I have to use a separate program to remotely see what the heck I am looking at without straining my eyes. The only thing I use it for now is modding and ROM building, which I am learning about.
It was an amazing experience with this one.
I bought it when it came out.
Daily use as a TV viewer propped up on a bookstand in the kitchen and for casting music to the hifi. It's still well overspecced on the hardware front for humble uses like this.
The screen is not as good as a newer Tabs (I have a Tab S2 myself) but for highly compressed 'TV over wifi', and considering I'm watching from quite a few feet away, it makes little difference.
I hardly ever used the stylus bit of it, unlike my Note 4 which still has very frequent stylus use for making jottings at work when walking around a job with a customer. I use MS OneNote for this purpose. Never got on with S-Note.
I've had mine for about 4 years. Recently rediscovered to watch some Netflix.
Now I am trying to figure out how to get it to 4.4 at least. (For PlayStation Vue)
I have a Verizon version stuck at 4.1.2
Seems like I've hit a brick wall in trying to load recovery and then Cyanogenmod.
Got root with KingRoot and that's all I can figure out so far.
I still use mine, bought it Oct 2012! Been on many travels with me and only recently started having problems with the WiFi.
Bought mine off eBay. Rooted and installed gnabo rom , works a treat for everything I need it for; surfing, email, games, video, documents. Hell I can even read my old Spider-Man comics on it. Upgrading to the new models is great if you can afford it or "need" to, but this old tablet does everything I need and barring accidents I can't see the value in upgrading it. I personally don't need the newest things. This tablet, with a little knowhow is upgradeable anyway with ROMs up to marshmallow available on this very site.
i still use this,,,4-core cpu is still powerfull for watching movies and using netflix....
Still using mine. Been operating slow though. Any updated Roms for us to use?
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk
Yeah, i still use(d) it, i just finished studying. I got it 3.5 years ago and used it several hours daily. With LectureNotes, i wrote 1500+ pages. I rooted it after one month of usage, i just couldn't stand the Samsung overlay.
Today my girlfriend told me, she wants to have a tablet when she goes to school again - immediately told her, she'll get mine. Now i either install an old ROM i had great experiences with or a new one and hope for the best... I tried to use it for media, but i'm just not the guy for it. I prefer just to use my smartphone instead of grabbing a tablet first. However, in about a month i'll get another tablet (Samsung Galaxy Tab E), as you almost get it for free if you buy an S7, which is what i will do.
It still remains the only android device i NEVER had any problems with, apart from a bit of dust under the screen.
I'm still happy with mine although am dealing with a rapidly draining battery now and am looking for a recommendation for a vendor. Currently dealing with one that has send a second battery and it has issues... am not in the mood to swap it out again.
Yes, I do
I´m also using it every day since beginning.
Having Gnabo latest version running.
No big issues so far.
Battery runs good, depending on usage but sometimes 2 days
Yup, bought mine used, liked it so much, I bought another one for my wife refurbished!
Used to use it exclusively for taking notes in class, but since I've been out of school, it's our kitchen table TV (cut the cord, we do YouTube & SlingTV).
The other one is usually in storage, finds use when we go on trips, we both have tablets for movies, shows, etc.
liroka's CM13 builds are rock solid & he still updates builds! Makes this old sucker lightning fast. I don't foresee buying a new tablet, partially because I don't really have an extensive use for one, but mainly because this one works great!
Yes, I still use it... just updated to cm13
I might have updated to another tablet before now, but it's a great model and does 95% of what I need, so very hard to justify paying another £400+ for something else.
I bought one of these when my Acer Iconia A500 suddenly died one day. I bought mine new in Dec 2013 and use it for whatever I need to do (browsing, email, shopping, reading news, etc.) when I want a larger screen than my smartphone. I rooted it in January 2014 using a thread on Android Forums, and it is still currently in that state, also using TWRP 2.6.3.0. Although it works fine, I happened across your thread because I came here wondering what ROMs might have been made for this tablet, just to try something different for a change. I see mention of "liroka's CM13" in previous posts. If I wanted to try that, could I just install that ROM using the stock firmware and from the stock rooted state it is in now, or would I need to update something first?
Update the TWRP with the one provided in the CM13 Thread.
Yes, I still use it everyday for browsing, reading and mostly music related tools like MobileSheetsPro and iRealPro.
A couple of years ago I removed the Samsung bloat and installed Omni (KitKat 4.4.4). I'm still happy with it, it does everything I want/need, has a good battery life, etc.
One of these days I'm going to give it to my wife, who is disabled and has an iPad. Due to some of her disabilities she cannot work with iPad.
So actually this very moment I'm looking for a good replacement. I like the size and the pen -- suggestions anyone?