Related
Recently I was waiting til the new Samsung Galaxy tab was officially announced to see if it would come with sd card and/or usb....which it didnt so now i dont know what i want...I dont want to acer iconia because it just looks ugly...and same thing for the transformer...they both just look like ugly devices to me..so my only other pick is the Moto Xoom which i actually like the way it looks. But is the Xoom worth the purchase...i hear its a lil slow and jerky...has the 3.1 update fixed that issue?? and does the sd card slot work now??
I own a XOOM and my brother has a Transformer. While I agree them Xoom looks better and is more sturdy, I'd much rather the transformer. The included keyboard is a big plus, as well as the built in usb otg connection.
Edit - forgot to mention how very unimpressed everyone outside of the US is with Moto and its approach to updating the Xoom. Also, not a squawk about why its taking so long.
I think you should just go with what you like. The xoom has a keyboard case now. And as for Moto, updates will come when they come. Most people have rooted and updated anyway. There is plenty of support on XDA for whatever you get. You could always wait and see what comes out in the next few months. Newer processors, different screens, and even support from software companies. Remember you dont have to rush, take your time and make decisions you will be happy with.
But is the XOOM still laggy?? and for rooted users are there good roms out that take full advantage of the processors?
Well, thanks to brd, I've got my xoom overclocked and running stable at 1.7 and I have to say with the 3.1 upgrade, even at stock speeds the xoom is smoooooth as silk. I had the iconia and promptly returned it as the bootloader is locked, and the still have released no source code. Full custom roms won't come till I cream sandwich with any android tablet, as Google won't release the honeycomb source code. But owning a xoom, I am pretty sure it will be one of the first to get the upgrade, just as it was the first with 3.1
jase33 said:
I think you should just go with what you like. The xoom has a keyboard case now. And as for Moto, updates will come when they come. Most people have rooted and updated anyway. There is plenty of support on XDA for whatever you get. You could always wait and see what comes out in the next few months. Newer processors, different screens, and even support from software companies. Remember you dont have to rush, take your time and make decisions you will be happy with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said, I completely agree. The Xoom is the best tablet for "me" and I've owned a few.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App
I've had mine for two weeks, I absolutely love it. I have no idea why people are so down on it! I had the acer iconia for a week beforehand, the body was pulling apart, the screen was awful and the shape was just... odd. I trust motorola to make quality products, not just software, that was a huge plus for me. As for the USB and SD card, with google music out now, are you really going to put 32+ gigs worth of info on your tablet?
I use mine for college text books, email, surfing, file transfer, etc and have yet to be even close to disappointed. I don't have any experience with the transformer, but given my experience with a less than quality build of the acer, I would be worried about the quality of the asus as well, just my two cents.
freddyfromutah said:
I've had mine for two weeks, I absolutely love it. I have no idea why people are so down on it! I had the acer iconia for a week beforehand, the body was pulling apart, the screen was awful and the shape was just... odd. I trust motorola to make quality products, not just software, that was a huge plus for me. As for the USB and SD card, with google music out now, are you really going to put 32+ gigs worth of info on your tablet?
I use mine for college text books, email, surfing, file transfer, etc and have yet to be even close to disappointed. I don't have any experience with the transformer, but given my experience with a less than quality build of the acer, I would be worried about the quality of the asus as well, just my two cents.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, actually the 32 gig expansion would be awesome. I don't want to be forced into paying for Google music just to have a good list of music access able. Then on top of that pay verizon for the data transfer to listen to my own music. I know I can root for it, but initially I wasn't going to root till after the 4g upgrade. I'm rather disappointed, maybe I confused myself expecting to have the SD work soon, and having 4g before any other tablet, but I'm pretty sure I was just mislead.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App
The great thing about the Xoom is the AOSP experience. It's unfettered Android. All the other devices have each respective company's own flavor of Android which is something I, and many others hate. As with other devices that are AOSP, it will probably get all the updates much sooner than other devices.
When the Xoom came out I was determined to get it, because I'm a tech-whore and needed to have a device with Honeycomb. When I finally got around to purchasing the Wifi version upon it's release, I found myself wondering what exactly I was going to do with this thing...I couldn't figure it out. Now I use it all the time. I don't regret spending the $600 one bit.
had the Xoom for 5 days now, was a little aprehensive with what I'd read about the screen and lag but I'm so glad I took the plunge. I'm running 3.1 stock on an untouched Xoom, I have no issues with lag and everything is super smooth. I wanted it for surfing, games, comics and video and it is fantastic at these. I'd been using my wife's Ipad for a while and the Xoom just knocks the spots of it in all areas.
The slow and jerky performance is still here, but that appears to extend to ALL honeycomb tablets. Also, this only happens in portrait and upside down orientations. Absolutely no choppiness in my experience with a static background in regular landscape.
Try it for yourself... 0 deg is completely smooth. 180, 90, -90 are all choppy. Do yourself a favor and only use I in native orientation, heh.
Aside from that minor niggle, honeycomb, and the xoom as a whole, are absolute dreams. Coming from a particular competing product, as well as two hacked Android tablets, I can say that the xoom is the first time I've been satisfied with the tablet concept.
Buy one; you won't regret it. After all, you can always return it if you're not crazy about it.
PS. With bigrushdog's kernel, you can use SD.
Absolutely avoid the Xoom. Unless you enjoy paying too much, no updates at all, lack of support, non-functional hardware, etc.
It's incredibly heavy and bulky. The touch screen is not too responsive, and theres significant motion blur, notably on red.
It's also very slow. For my money you'd be better off waiting for quad core tablets. These phone processors simply can't cut it on a larger screen.
Not to mention the Xoom 2 leak.
Sent from my SGH-I897
I say... avoid everything with android 3.0 and beware of 3.1 tablets. why? because there are only about 40 apps that are optimized for honeycomb...optimized not full supported. Its strange for me that big companies arent excited about supporting tablet format (maybe the fact that we are only %0.3 of the users). Also the games that are suppossed optimized for tegra 2 are old apps from the ipad with a little light effects or glom ,etc. but the gameplay still laggy as in the ipad.
Also i like to say that the 3.1 update is a kick in the balls for users and devs. I purchased every game that it has come out from gameloft and they stop wrking after the update, only asphalt 6 after a patch gameloft send me. >Then they send me a link that they werent responsible for faulty updates...and they are right. I downloaded xmen arcade and it happens the same. try reset, hardreset and everything and nothing, support told me to wait for them to fix it or wait for google to fix it...its just the update that messed with games and apps.
My advice if you still going to buy....buy the transformer, they give you more for the money and your not missing anything the xoom have.
If your trying to get into the android tablets, then I would say the Xoom is very nice or the transformer has a attachment to a key bored, How I went on of buying one was I was comparing it to the iPad 2 and I'm a sucker when it comes to lil features like the camera Is way better on the Xoom (Front and Back) The stereo speaker is also a major plus, I like how to plug it to my TV all I needed was a 8$ Mini hdmi wire, Pretty sleek body, the 32gigs of space is plenty I can't seem to even fill 5Gigs of space, Idk why people are crying for the SD slot so much, Just root it and install the kernal, No hacking is required for the Xoom just get what you want and be done. My own thing I don't like about android in general, is their apps. but its w/e
also on the new 3.1, there is next to no lag or you can hack it and make it speedier its all up to you.
Thanks I think i'm going to pick up the Xoom soon! Man Samsung ALMSOT had me sold....they always seem to **** SOMETHING up...its like they can't have their cookie and eat it too, something always have to give....**** they better start eating them cookies lol.. Oh well XOOM it is..
Oh yes, definitely!
Had mine for almost 3 weeks and for me, this is the best $600 investment I've done. Touch screen response is excellent, I have yet to experience any lags and it feels (in regards to quality and workmanship) every bit as I expected it to be. In some aspects, it has even surpassed my expectations in performance and battery life! Not regretting in any sense the money spent and all the accessories I got for it (leather portfolio case, car charger, mini HDMI cable).
At work, I had the opportunity to play with iPads, iPads 2, Playbooks and I do not regret my decision to go with the Xoom. Everything I need to do I can do with it, that was one of the considerations I made while "checking out" all the alternatives out there and I'm really happy with the end result. Using it daily for EVERYTHING, it complements my HTC G2 phone perfectly and can't hardly put it down.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
The xoom is a great device but I don't like that there are two types of screens, neither of which are as good as the in-plane switching TFT design or the PLS in the new samsungs. Vertical viewing angles on the xoom are subpar, especially for the price point, in my opinion.
The light leakage issues on all these tablets is also a concern of mine and seems to be directly related to QC issues with the panel manufacturers.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App
Im on week 3. This Xoom wifi is my first tablet but I played with them all and liked the xoom better. I love it. I think the market will come with time. Devs are starting to get into honeycomb. There are a few software quirks with exchange 2003 and FB,for instance, for me, but I have no lag at all and I love this machine.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
This $500 Xoom sales is still ticking..
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250829943160
If you are in the US, then maybe.
Otherwise avoid Xoom at all cost.
Also if you don't mind paying overpriced device with non functioning hardware and promised hardware upgrade which is not happened after couple of months.
timo2387 said:
Recently I was waiting til the new Samsung Galaxy tab was officially announced to see if it would come with sd card and/or usb....which it didnt so now i dont know what i want...I dont want to acer iconia because it just looks ugly...and same thing for the transformer...they both just look like ugly devices to me..so my only other pick is the Moto Xoom which i actually like the way it looks. But is the Xoom worth the purchase...i hear its a lil slow and jerky...has the 3.1 update fixed that issue?? and does the sd card slot work now??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
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.
So, I'm an android fan and have been thinking about selling my iPad 1 and taking the cash and picking up the Fire. I've played with my co-workers and realize they are supposed to be compared. Was just wondering what you guys think?
You will probably be able to sell your ipad1 for at least 300 dollars. I guess it really depends what you want to do with the tablet. There are Android tablets out there with better specs than the Fire that you could get for 300 dollars, maybe cheaper with holiday sales. However, if you are mainly interested in surfing the web and consuming Amazon content, the Fire is the way to go. It probably meets my needs/wants about 80% of the time.
The main issues I have are that browser is not faster than my other tabs, not much storage space for offline content, and keypresses don't always respond.
Edited to add: lack of bluetooth is also a bummer.
brocja01 said:
So, I'm an android fan and have been thinking about selling my iPad 1 and taking the cash and picking up the Fire. I've played with my co-workers and realize they are supposed to be compared. Was just wondering what you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are plenty of tabs out there that will service you better than the KF. If you get $300 for your iPad1 seriously think about looking around at other options. After using an iPad I truly doubt, in the long run, the KF will satisfy you. More memory, more options, a much better chance at HC or ICS (very much doubt the KF will get either) and overall better android experience. Comparing the iPad (any version) to the KF is not really valid no matter who says so IMO. The only things they really share, IMO, is that they are both serviced by closed gardens.
That said, welcome back from the "Dark Side".
What I wish I could do is have both. But the wife says only one tablet. Just kind of ready something for something new. The majority of what I do is Netflix, Hulu, and web browsing. I'm thinking the fire will do all those things well and hoping the developer community gets behind this and we get some fun roms.
brocja01 said:
What I wish I could do is have both. But the wife says only one tablet. Just kind of ready something for something new. The majority of what I do is Netflix, Hulu, and web browsing. I'm thinking the fire will do all those things well and hoping the developer community gets behind this and we get some fun roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can respect that. But don't buy something mainly because it's "new" and "flashy" or "because everyone is getting it". Get something that is scalable, stands good chance of upgrading and will provide you with a learning milieu that truncated e-readers likely will not.
Just food for thought.
Check out the HTC flyer at Best Buy for $299 and look at forums here. It has much better specs and will run netflix and hulu plus.
Edited to add link: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-ga...ablet-dont-forget-the-powerful-htc-flyer/5271
I really like the 7 inch size. The iPad can be too big sometimes.
It all depends on your needs. I for one love my fire. But you have to keep in mind it does have its limitations, aka memory. It has "only" 6.5 Gb of useable storage, personally I feel that is plenty of storage for my needs. I mean I've downloaded a ton of apps and have barely made a dent, but, if you plan on loading up the kindle fire with a ton of music and movies, you may want to think twice, me personallly ill just stream everything. I might load some music on it for a trip, but beyond that I don't see the point. Enough with my storage rant though. I'm really enjoying the kindle fire, I actually have grown to love Amazons custom skin it just makes sense to me, even though at times it can be a little frustrating because of some.minor lag, which I'm sure can be fixed with a software update. But, one thing I enjoy about the interface, is depending on what section you are in, aka books, apps, you can quickly access the store for that content, very User friendly, but if you don't like it then side load go launcher ex and you got an experiance like other android counterparts. And another feature I feel is well done is the search with a quick click of a.button you can choose to search device or web, fantastic. Plus watching Hulu plus on the fire is great, the $199 price tag is really a steal in my opinion.
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium
I sold my ipad 1 around 2 weeks ago to make a switch to the kindle fire and loving it. The whole experience is much smoother, no more checkboards when I scroll down webpages and having multiple tabs open didnt make the tablet unusable. Though I do kinda miss the app store and itune university. I use my tablet mainly for browsing and reading so the smaller form factor is perfect. Before the kindle fire I thought about switching to the galaxy tab 8.9 its significantly easier to handle than the ipad weight just under a lb. I really liked it but for less than half the cost and comparable specs I took the kindle fire over it
brocja01 said:
I really like the 7 inch size. The iPad can be too big sometimes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The flyer is 7 inches. I don't have any big problems with Fire, you just might want to check all your 7 inch options before you decide. Of course with the Fire, you can't beat the price.
I sold my 16GB iPad 1 (WiFi) for ~$225 and got a Fire, I couldn't be happier.
I use an ipad2 as a college book and internet lol... if you can justify using it and getting a better experience go for it. I have an android phone so that would be too much android in my life. I'm sticking with the ipad and android together. Makes the one offset the other when one becomes lacking.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
I sold my ipad earlier this year and picked up a nook. I just couldn't stand iOS. Sold the nook and now i have a Fire. I like it a lot, and i'm really tempted to keep it. I have to say I am disappointed with the lack of storage. As far as i am concerned that is the only major drawback, albeit a large one for me as I can at times be without internet for several months at a time. This is primarily when I want a tablet for movies and reading.
As far as its intended function, as an e-reader, it performs quite well. With wi-fi turned off and the brightness at about 80%, i'm seeing an hour for every ten percent down to 15% before I plug it in.
I think it is a great size. For the most part it is quite portable. Its got some heft to it, but it feels right and solid. I'm sure you have read plenty of reviews by now, so no point in me going on about it.
I say bite the bullet and pick one up as it is quite cheap. If u don't like it sell it, i'm sure these things will be sold out for an amount of time some where, at that point you definitely shouldn't have a problem getting your money back. Heck, pick one up locally, most places now have an extended return policy because of the holidays. I've already bought two as gifts for my family when I go to visit them.
killerbicycle said:
I sold my ipad earlier this year and picked up a nook. I just couldn't stand iOS. Sold the nook and now i have a Fire. I like it a lot, and i'm really tempted to keep it. I have to say I am disappointed with the lack of storage. As far as i am concerned that is the only major drawback, albeit a large one for me as I can at times be without internet for several months at a time. This is primarily when I want a tablet for movies and reading.
As far as its intended function, as an e-reader, it performs quite well. With wi-fi turned off and the brightness at about 80%, i'm seeing an hour for every ten percent down to 15% before I plug it in.
I think it is a great size. For the most part it is quite portable. Its got some heft to it, but it feels right and solid. I'm sure you have read plenty of reviews by now, so no point in me going on about it.
I say bite the bullet and pick one up as it is quite cheap. If u don't like it sell it, i'm sure these things will be sold out for an amount of time some where, at that point you definitely shouldn't have a problem getting your money back. Heck, pick one up locally, most places now have an extended return policy because of the holidays. I've already bought two as gifts for my family when I go to visit them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have access to usb power source when you are away from internet, you might check out the seagate go flex satellite( 500gb hdd with built in wifi). You can sideload the app and stream media from the drive to your device. The app isn't terrific, but it does work on the fire. The hdd acts as a router and creates a network between it and your device.
Well, my problem has been fixed. I'm keeping the iPad, so the kids and wife can use it and I'll be buying a Fire right around Xmas. Talked the wife into letting me buy one after saving up some money. Thanks all for the recommendations.
Hi,
I am new to the world of tablet & I am going to buy my first tablet & got stuck with two choices - xoom & sony tablet S (ruled out tab 10.1 due to lack of expandable storage option). can you guys please suggest on this? (p.s. - android OS is not new to me)
Also, I would be grateful if you guys can inform me about the 3G frequency band being used in xoom. Also, please let me know what type of SIM being used in 3g xoom for ex - normal SIM card or U-SIM.
p.s. - didn't found any thread for this comparison
Both tablets aren't really very smooth.
Of the two, its hard to choose. The sony tablet looks very nice.
As the owner of the xooms, the display is dull and poorly calibrated, unbearably ugly heavy and fat. Shadowgun isn't completely smooth. Playable, but not smooth.
Live wallpapers does not work, UI still lag. Sony tablet also didn't get such rave reviews
You sure you need so much space? Please consider the samsung 10.1, due to the ****ty screen of the xoom I didn't even bother putting videos on the tablet.
32GB sounds enough I seldom use my sd card too.
Mine has a good screen, the weight is fine, live wallpapers work fine and ICS is on par with iOS.
The Xoom's panel is really bad.
I wouldn't think like that if I also didn't own a Galaxy S2. Comparing the 2 panels is like comparing a V12 Ferrari to a V8 Mustang on a racetrack. Obviously the Mustang is pretty and powerful, but once you have them side by side competing against each other, you come to think that the once mighty Mustang might be just a cheap POS when compared to the almighty Ferrari V12.
The other downside of the Xoom is the lack of 1080p output on the micro-HDMI port. I can connect if to my big LED TV, but all I get is 720p.
It has many obvious advantages over the Galaxy Tab 10.1, but if image output (either on its display or on TV) is important to you and a deciding factor, rule the Xoom out.
ccaian1 said:
Both tablets aren't really very smooth.
Of the two, its hard to choose. The sony tablet looks very nice.
As the owner of the xooms, the display is dull and poorly calibrated, unbearably ugly heavy and fat. Shadowgun isn't completely smooth. Playable, but not smooth.
Live wallpapers does not work, UI still lag. Sony tablet also didn't get such rave reviews
You sure you need so much space? Please consider the samsung 10.1, due to the ****ty screen of the xoom I didn't even bother putting videos on the tablet.
32GB sounds enough I seldom use my sd card too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would return the Xoom if you are not happy with it. I love my Xoom and wasnt expecting the best of the best when I purchased it. The build quality of the Xoom is far superior over any other Android Tablet out there right now. Maybe the screen isnt the best or some other asepects but that doesnt bother my. It does what I want it to do. Enjoy. Thanks
hotdude2411 said:
Hi,
I am new to the world of tablet & I am going to buy my first tablet & got stuck with two choices - xoom & sony tablet S (ruled out tab 10.1 due to lack of expandable storage option). can you guys please suggest on this? (p.s. - android OS is not new to me)
Also, I would be grateful if you guys can inform me about the 3G frequency band being used in xoom. Also, please let me know what type of SIM being used in 3g xoom for ex - normal SIM card or U-SIM.
p.s. - didn't found any thread for this comparison
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For us to better help you, I would suggest listing things that are important to you.
Then instead of people complaining about things only they care about, you can actually get some usable opinions.
Also,the Xoom uses a standard SIM. Not sure about the bands it uses.
ccaian1 said:
Both tablets aren't really very smooth.
Of the two, its hard to choose. The sony tablet looks very nice.
As the owner of the xooms, the display is dull and poorly calibrated, unbearably ugly heavy and fat. Shadowgun isn't completely smooth. Playable, but not smooth.
Live wallpapers does not work, UI still lag. Sony tablet also didn't get such rave reviews
You sure you need so much space? Please consider the samsung 10.1, due to the ****ty screen of the xoom I didn't even bother putting videos on the tablet.
32GB sounds enough I seldom use my sd card too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely disagree with you, regarding the performance of the Xoom.
My experience is the opposite. On EOS ICS, especially, my Xoom is super smooth, fast and responsive. I have a good screen. I can do everything I want with my Xoom. I don't have all the troubles reported by owners of other tablets, including the Transformer Prime. I don't know the Sony tab but, the Xoom is a terrific device...even better than when it was first released, because of the software development.
Also have to disagree with ccain1,
the xoom is a nice product, performance wise even on stock ICS the performance is great, no lag, very smooth. apps are snappy.
as for the screen, majority say its dull, but thats because its not as contrasty as the samoleds that people regard as the holy grail of screens, the screen does the job, looks fine with movies, youtube and games. its just a heavy duty LCD screen.
they arent many niggling issues that other tabs suffer from that many complain about. (transformers dock/battery issues, 10.1s screen "oil mark" defects/all other tabs lack of updates)
Plus the Xoom, is considered a nexus device, which is why its the only tab released last year that officially running ICS. and likely will continues to receive updates.
You also gotta realize that is this complaint/fix heavy forum. Most things you read hear unfortunately will be negative, people don't come to brag about how things are great too much, only to complain and look for fixes.
bundled with a 32gb mSD you max out at like ~60GB of usable space.
easy to unlock/root
it is kinda heavy tho buts a 1st Generation tab, @ 1.7lbs, same weight as the first gen ipad
Only have the wifi version of the Xoom so can't tell you anything about its 3g. Have never tried the Sony model so can't give you an opinion on it. However, what I can tell you is that the Xoom has taken me completely by surprise. I was lucky enough to pick up a cheap xoom at the airport and within one day I had rooted it and put a custom rom on it. It was really easy even for a non-techie like me. And when the ICS custom roms started appearing it was not a problem putting that on it. It's a whole new experience from Honeycomb.
All in all I can only recommend the Xoom. Unless you can get the Sony model a whole lot cheaper I can't see the reason for you not getting a Xoom
Don't get the Sony. Made of plastic, even the screen is plastic, not Gorilla Glass like the Xoom. There's no development on the Sony and is not very popular. ICS on the Xoom is very very good.
I was also considering between these two and I finally chose xoom. It is cheaper and the screen is gorilla glass.
I don't what you are looking for in the Xoom so like others I will give you my opinion based on my needs. I am middle aged business man not interested in rooting and playing games on the Xoom. I use it for travel and work when I don't need my laptop. I have the 4G version so still on Honeycomb. All the griping about lag, delays and fingerprints is just that gripes. If someone thinks a tablet should be the end all to all of the computer needs well they are not very realistic. Got a problem with fingerprints then get a screen protector or a stylus pen. Need to access your laptop from afar, download an app and there you go. Wanna watch a movie on the plane no problem works great. Do you want to read in bed it works great. Good battery life and one last thing I would rather have a little bit heavier device that is built better then save a few grams for a plastic device.
KGOKnicks said:
I don't what you are looking for in the Xoom so like others I will give you my opinion based on my needs. I am middle aged business man not interested in rooting and playing games on the Xoom. I use it for travel and work when I don't need my laptop. I have the 4G version so still on Honeycomb. All the griping about lag, delays and fingerprints is just that gripes. If someone thinks a tablet should be the end all to all of the computer needs well they are not very realistic. Got a problem with fingerprints then get a screen protector or a stylus pen. Need to access your laptop from afar, download an app and there you go. Wanna watch a movie on the plane no problem works great. Do you want to read in bed it works great. Good battery life and one last thing I would rather have a little bit heavier device that is built better then save a few grams for a plastic device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed!!
Minus that im a younger geeky dude that like to expirement with rooting and getting my hands dirty unlocking the true potential out of our devices, The only thing I hate about the Xoom is motorolas lack of not being able to give there customers the support we deserve and for releasing other newer products before perfecting the ones that have been released!!!
KGOKnicks said:
I don't what you are looking for in the Xoom so like others I will give you my opinion based on my needs. I am middle aged business man not interested in rooting and playing games on the Xoom. I use it for travel and work when I don't need my laptop. I have the 4G version so still on Honeycomb. All the griping about lag, delays and fingerprints is just that gripes. If someone thinks a tablet should be the end all to all of the computer needs well they are not very realistic. Got a problem with fingerprints then get a screen protector or a stylus pen. Need to access your laptop from afar, download an app and there you go. Wanna watch a movie on the plane no problem works great. Do you want to read in bed it works great. Good battery life and one last thing I would rather have a little bit heavier device that is built better then save a few grams for a plastic device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree.... I purchased my Xoom on day one and haven't looked back. With the HC upgrades and now ICS it's like I have a brand new top of the line device.
Even with all the new tablets being released I have yet to see one that is as well made as the Xoom.
Im really in to moddibg and flashing roms onto my inspire 4G and am close to finally getting around to getting an Android tab. After reading countless reviews for $200 it seems the Kindle Fire is by far superior to other competitors around the $200 or less range. I have played with one several times and I'm just not too sure that I like how it moves around between the apps and books and things, I don't plan on reading very much, just an occasional java development book or two because I am just starting, but I prefer the hard copies. So, I like how tabs that aren't as good such as the coby kryos functions, more what I think to be "actual android" like you would find on a android phone or the all-mighty Samsung galaxy tab. I'm thinking about just getting the fire and flashing some custom roms, but are there and solid ones floating around on xda that offer more of an android experience with the fire? And is the fire even really the best choice for around $200? Please reply with your opinions!
Sent from my HTC Inspire 4G using XDA
If all you want is a better interface than what the stock experience offers and helps switch between apps, you could just install a different launcher and obtain the same results you would have with a custom ROM. However, if you want to have total control over the overall experience using the tablet, rooting and installing a custom ROM is the way to go.
I've had my Fire for about a month or so, I do like it but miss the screen estate found on larger tablets. I am trying to sell or trade mine in for something else and eventually buy an Asus Transformer or something comparable.
i've been looking at these low cost tablets.. they look pretty amazing for the price:
google ainovo and check them out (can't post links yet)
look in Dev section.
I think its great
--sent from my glacier.
Personally for a sub 200 (USD) tablet I think it's amazing. I was rather cautious buying mine because I had heard some harsh reviews and heard that Fire 2 was right around the corner. So I waited until someone I knew physically had one so I could "test drive" it so to speak. I was really amazed that a lot of the initial bad reviews were solved with the latest software updates. So I bit the bullet and went and got one of my own. Probably the best 200(USD) I have spent of 2012.
For me personally the Pros far outweigh the cons of the system.
Pros:
Lightweight, portable, elegant
Hundreds of hours of reading material
Tinkering gadget (Ability to run CM7 and CM9 for full blown tablet access)
Instant access to internet/news without the need to get out the laptop (2007 style desktop replacement can you say HEAVY)
Built in comic book reader with 1000's of free name brand comics (Ironman, Avengers, Marvel, Vampire Hunter D, Dr. Who)
All within a frame that is about as heavy (if not lighter actually) as a hardback novel.
Cons:
No bluetooth. (Personally I haven't used bluetooth since 2006'ish).
No "external" storage i.e. Sd card reader. (Again personally this is not a problem because between Dropbox, Skydrive, Amazon Cloud, and Google Music I have well over 50 gigs available "on demand" in the cloud. 5 gigs is more than enough for a plane, train, bus commute.)
7 inch screen. (Some people complain and say it's not big enough, but I find the iPad to be too unwieldy and cumbersome for what is basically a glorified e-reader.)
So there you go. Personally like I said I don't think you are going to get much better for under 200(USD). Dual Core, 512mb of ram, 5 gigs of internal storage, 3 gigs for OS and App installs.
Hope this helps
Just got kine this past weekend and put cm7 on it and have it set up to use for work while i am on the road by teathering it to my phone and i love ot it has good power for a cheap tabley and makes my life so much easier while on the road
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium
aaa
The only thing is that the KF does not have an sdcard slot
Yeahh Buddy!! Kindle Fire all the way!!
powerpoint45 said:
The only thing is that the KF does not have an sdcard slot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully we will be able to use a USB flash drive soon...
Hmm I have definitely been tempted to get a kindle fire. What's the battery life like on CM9?
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA
brooksyx said:
Hmm I have definitely been tempted to get a kindle fire. What's the battery life like on CM9?
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using cm7 for stability and battery life is pleasingly good. Blows my phone away by far.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
For the price point, I don't know that you can really beat this tablet.
Bought mine because I wanted an E-reader for my graduate studies and have been itching to get my hands on an Android Tablet. Development is steady and there are certainly plenty of ROMs to choose from.
My only complaint, like others, is the lack of an SD Card slot. 8gb can go by very quickly but I'll make it work. I think the size is a personal preference. For my tastes, its perfect.
The price is why I bought it. Its awesome is why I keep it.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
After I got my Fire, I actually gave my iPad my niece because I love the 7 inch size (it fits into my larger pockets even) and it is lighter which makes reading in bed easier (read: I've dropped my iPad on my face to often while dozing off).
The price was a big factor at the time, but now that I have it I think it is worth at least $100 more. Amazon has all the content (books, music and movies) of the Apple and Google markets and often will automatically drop prices to match those stores.
One of the biggest pluses is the fact that the dev subforum and this Fire forum in general is one of the most useful and kind in all of XDA (and that's becoming more rare these days). And because the Fire was such a great seller there a lot of active development and cool things to try out.
My only concern at this point is the rumors of a Fire 2 coming sooner than later (and the price should remain the same...if they raise out at all they would kill the success of this original Fire) and the possibility of a Nexus tablet from Google that would be priced similarly (if not cheaper...rumors put it at $150-250). If those rumors are true, it would likely have superior specs and ICS out of the gate. However, it's hard to tell if those rumors are accurate and what the time frame is.
All in all, I love my Fire and have bought two others as gifts and out has been my favorite tablet yet. You probably won't regret the purchase if you take the jump.
Please excuse typos as I'm typing this on my phone
Honestly can't go wrong for the price. If you live with not having the storage space and, can root and install a different rom. Great buy for $200. Craigslist have ones for cheaper.
amrn4s said:
Honestly can't go wrong for the price. If you live with not having the storage space and, can root and install a different rom. Great buy for $200. Craigslist have ones for cheaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once haschode has HWA working properly in ICS for the KFs you definitely cannot beat them for the price.
It feels as zippy as the galaxy tabs I have played with. I am currently running AOKP and it is like a new tablet.
Like many others though the main downfall is the 8gb storage limit.
However, books do not take up that much room, I stream my music from Google Music, and I stream most video. I have watched a movie on there, but I knew I was gonna need one to watch for a couple of hours so I preloaded it and then deleted it after viewing so it was not a big deal.
its a great purchase especially with the wonderful community here.
Great tablet. no issue. with $199, all the short coming can be worked around and lived with it.
if you don't like the way it looks and wants to have total control, just flash it with custom rom and that works great. I have mine running with Energy's rom.
Battery life is great after the custom rom. 7" is great. I stored music on the cloud. For video, just download what is needed and delete afterward.
If anyone is so concerns on Fire2 coming out soon, just get an used one.
Can't beat the price. Hardware keeps up with more expensive tablets and you can accessorize .___. If that's your kind of thing.
I really like mine, and I was adamant about never having a tablet because of lack of a real function (my wife bought this one for me).
I don't mind the lack of space. I don't do movies ever and my music stays on my phone (which has a much nicer DAC).