Database Users

Need some extra convincing

Hello everyone,
As a student in college, I've been increasingly looking for productivity tools for note taking, solving problems, and general studying. While nothing can quite beat a paper and a pencil in absorbing information, I've found it incredibly expensive (and time consuming) to print out pages and pages of assignments and readings. On top of that, pages I printed in the past would get lost and I would also never look back on any of my written notes because everything was so disorganized.
So, as you may see, I'm looking for a paperless and organized solution and I figured some form of digitized tech would do the job. With the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and its S Pen, I felt maybe this might be that tech for me. But even after reading through all the positive comments people have been posting about this tablet, I can't seem to be fully convinced to buy it.
To make this easier, I'm just going to number off some of my concerns and questions:
1. I'm afraid this might simply be a fad for such a great tech. I love tech and just judging from all the specs and reviews, it's an absolute powerhouse of a tablet which further benefits from its stylus, but is it really as useful as it seems or is this just something I'm going to use everyday for a week and forget about it?
2. Will this tablet be outdated and forgotten? Without a doubt, this is an obvious trend strongly prominent in tablets and smartphones. I accept the fact that whether I wait or not, this tablet is going to get outdated quickly in terms of raw specs, but there always seems to be that one device that continues to do well even around daunting competition. A good example in my opinion would be the Galaxy Nexus whose raw specs doesn't compare with the GS3 or any recent smartphones, but still has a very strong community support.
3. How do you utilize this tablet in your daily lives in terms of productivity? Any specific stories regarding note taking, studying, and problem solving? I know a good number of you use this for business meetings but I have yet to experience that kind of environment. I'm just a college student studying in a dorm or library.
4. How similar is the S Pen to a normal pencil or pen in terms of feel? I generally use either a normal wooden pencil, a heavy mechanical pencil, or one of those cheap stick pens. How does the S Pen feel compared to them?
5. It'd be greatly appreciated if there's anything else that would convince me to buy this tablet.
Anyway, I know this is a long post that could be answered by simply testing the tablet myself, but there are just some factors right now preventing me from actually going out to a local best buy to play with one.
A big thank you to those who answer! I just don't want to waste my money on stuff I end up not using!

This is a great bit of tech and will serve you well as a student taking notes. The pen writes very quickly with zero lag. There are numerous apps such as Lecture Notes to choose from.
As far being obsolete soon, well you can pretty much count on it. Yesterdays beast is today's slowpoke when.it comes to tech. That being said this is Samsungs flagship product. They are encouraging devs to create for the s pen. Even if something faster comes down the pike this will still work ands that's what counts.
Just buy it. You'll piss away $500 on beer this semester. Spend it on something useful instead.
Sent from my awesome Note 10.1

404 ERROR said:
1. I'm afraid this might simply be a fad for such a great tech. I love tech and just judging from all the specs and reviews, it's an absolute powerhouse of a tablet which further benefits from its stylus, but is it really as useful as it seems or is this just something I'm going to use everyday for a week and forget about it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exynos Quad/Mali make this the most powerful Android tablet on the market (for now). So even without using the pen it delivers better performance and usability then all the tablets that preceded it. If its a fad, what are they? Its Achilles Heal is that it doesn't offer a 1080P display. Tablets with S4 Pro are coming as is a Samsung 11.6" tablet with a Exynos 5250 chip and retina display (per the trial). If you need a tablet now your choices are quality and performance (Note) or a 1080P display (TF700). Either choice is just as likely to become obsolete.
2. Will this tablet be outdated and forgotten? Without a doubt, this is an obvious trend strongly prominent in tablets and smartphones. I accept the fact that whether I wait or not, this tablet is going to get outdated quickly in terms of raw specs, but there always seems to be that one device that continues to do well even around daunting competition. A good example in my opinion would be the Galaxy Nexus whose raw specs doesn't compare with the GS3 or any recent smartphones, but still has a very strong community support.
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See above.
3. How do you utilize this tablet in your daily lives in terms of productivity? Any specific stories regarding note taking, studying, and problem solving? I know a good number of you use this for business meetings but I have yet to experience that kind of environment. I'm just a college student studying in a dorm or library.
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The pen is amazing. But this isn't a tablet for those with ADD. The learning curve is steep and long. You'll get out of it what you put in to it and there's a lot to get out of it.
4. How similar is the S Pen to a normal pencil or pen in terms of feel? I generally use either a normal wooden pencil, a heavy mechanical pencil, or one of those cheap stick pens. How does the S Pen feel compared to them?
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It isnt natural if that's what you're asking. I can't imagine writing on a glass surface ever will be. But it's an acquired taste and behaves very consistently so you get the hang of it. Learning to trust palm rejection has been the most difficult for me.
5. It'd be greatly appreciated if there's anything else that would convince me to buy this tablet.
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You need to convince yourself.

mitchellvii said:
Just buy it. You'll piss away $500 on beer this semester. Spend it on something useful instead.
Sent from my awesome Note 10.1
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Went to Vegas for 21st.... this happened.. now have to wait till September 10th to buy it :/

Good info here, I had similar questions since I'm leaving looking to pick one up for school as well.
Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

As a student the biggest surprise for me when using this tablet is that the palm rejection actually works and is one of the biggest features of this tablet for me when using the s-pen.
Other things such as performance is great and wht i found very helpful is the extra ram which coming from the OG galaxy tab which has 1gb ram (which is by no means a little on a tablet) is very helpful.
Sure u will need to learn new things about the usage of this tablet to take advantage of its feature but the return should be worth it.
As with the tommorow's tech question, with all tech there will always be something bigger and better around the corner. If you keep looking foreward to see what is coming u wont have time to enjoy what is available now. My advice dont wait too long if ur going to buy thos tablet, get it while its new to not be tempted by the differences between it and what might come a few months from now.
Good luck
Sent from my GT-N8000 using xda app-developers app

I wonder what the next step could be and if further development could significantly increase usabilty and/or productivity.
Well: screen res could be increased but maybe for the sake of batt life ?
Batteries are the bottle neck and for this the SGN10.1 is more than brilliant (10 hrs. + )
For me the SGN10.1 can hardly be topped although I´m an early adopter and crazy for new tech.

mitchellvii said:
Just buy it. You'll piss away $500 on beer this semester. Spend it on something useful instead.
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I don't drink! But thanks for your advice
BarryH_GEG said:
You need to convince yourself.
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That's very true. ;D I think I might wait a bit longer though. I have a hunch something is in the horizon.
kuwari316 said:
As a student the biggest surprise for me when using this tablet is that the palm rejection actually works and is one of the biggest features of this tablet for me when using the s-pen.
Other things such as performance is great and wht i found very helpful is the extra ram which coming from the OG galaxy tab which has 1gb ram (which is by no means a little on a tablet) is very helpful.
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Click to collapse
Palm Rejection is indeed a very important aspect of the tablet. I feel as if this reviewers aren't pointing out the importance of this enough.
troed said:
I wonder what the next step could be and if further development could significantly increase usabilty and/or productivity.
Well: screen res could be increased but maybe for the sake of batt life ?
Batteries are the bottle neck and for this the SGN10.1 is more than brilliant (10 hrs. + )
For me the SGN10.1 can hardly be topped although I´m an early adopter and crazy for new tech.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Screen resolution is definitely going to increased to compete with the future iPad. The rumored Samsung 11.6 inch tablet is said to have a resolution very close to the iPad's.
They can also put an Super AMOLED screen on there once they can make it more cost efficient.
S Pen input will probably be further improved.
The rest is whatever new comes up. I think the Galaxy Note 10.1 has almost everything a Tablet can have as of now.
Anyway, thanks for all your input. Well, I made my decision actually to not buy it yet. I am going to wait for further announcements as I have a hunch that something might appear soon. Of course, if that thing doesn't come, I'll be hurting myself, but I'll take the chance. It worked well for me with the GNex.

I doubt an 11.6 inch pad with retina display will sell for $500. Also that thing will be MASSIVE. With a case it would be close to 12.5 inches across.
People are so spoiled by cheap tech now. Everyone forgets the fiirst most basic Razor phone was $500 on contract.
Sent from my awesome Note 10.1

mitchellvii said:
I doubt an 11.6 inch pad with retina display will sell for $500. Also that thing will be MASSIVE. With a case it would be close to 12.5 inches across.
People are so spoiled by cheap tech now. Everyone forgets the fiirst most basic Razor phone was $500 on contract.
Sent from my awesome Note 10.1
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I think you misunderstood my post. Those are just possible upgrades that can happen in the future. I'm not saying all those additions will be in the next iteration of the Note nor do I think such a massive price increase would appeal to the general consumer.
I am very aware of cost increases as a result of adding features. I am not refusing to buy this tablet due to its low resolution. In fact, I have never seen the new iPad in my life so I wouldn't know what a high PPI tablet would look like. Furthermore, I have always prioritized a quality screen over a quantity screen. I've done this with my iRiver Clix2 which had an AMOLED screen and my Cowon S9 which also had an AMOLED screen.
There isn't anything wrong with the Note as far as I can see. It's actually perfect for me, but I just like to wait a bit and see how things go. It doesn't hurt to wait, and even if I do wait too long, a new Note will come and I can be sure of it then.

Addendum:
I forgot:
The next step will be the "Google Glasses Project" after an introduction- and maturing-period of 1-2 years (or longer).
Once Google Glasses will be fitted with gesture-recognition and res 720p maybe You can write notes with Your finger in the air and record conversations/lectures in StT (Speech to Text).................. :highfive:
This will definitely come, the question only is: WHEN ?

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

I had been in the market for a tablet for a few weeks, having not owned one before, I felt it was time to take the plunge. The main purpose was for evening internet browsing, maybe accompanied by a pint of beer. I'd previously purchased a galaxy Note phone for this very purpose, but I found even that was too much of a compromise screen wise, 5" just wasn't doing it for me, I had to go large. And if I had a tablet I could downgrade to a smaller size phone in future.
After extensive research on the net I narrowed the choice down. A 7” tab would be too small a leap in screen real estate for my needs, so the Nexus was ruled out, which left the front runner been the Transformer TF300, I though a keyboard would be nice for my very basic needs of Word and Excel, and of course it had the Tegra 3, which I had convinced myself I needed. I was aware the 300 could have a few ‘issues’ after reading the xda forums.
I resisted the urge to purchase as the Berlin IFA was about to commence, and Samsung and others would be releasing their latest tech there. Along comes the Note 10.1. And with that comes more frantic Googling for the latest internet reviews ( I ain’t gonna let go of £400 without knowing exactly what I’m buying!).
After reading the review at Android Police the Note seemed a pile of crap. A turd in the bath. A stink in a cesspool. However, my research goes further than that and I started reading user reviews and of course the review from Lisa Gade on youtube. All these seemed to counter what android Police had stated. With my head spinning I had to put some rational thought to my purchasing decision, and my thoughts were…
Do I need a keyboard – would be nice, but given my very limited use of work related stuff, and a large onscreen keyboard on tablets anyway, it would be possible to manage without, I shouldn’t compromise other factors just to have a keyboard.
Front facing stereo speakers – basic design principles tell me this is the way it should be done.
S pen – never really used it on my phone, but I was intrigued by the ‘hover’ function when viewing the web.
Charging cord – Another bummer mentioned at Android Police, its only 3 feet long, no way I could use the Note when its charging. Solution, charge it overnight.
Build quality – now that review at AP had a lot to say about flexing, squeaking and poor fitting. I saw the videos on that site and I agree with what the reviewer was showing us there. But I can only conclude that the unit he had must have been either pre production or had been subjected to some fairly vigorous tear downs.
I have my Note here and I must say it has very high build quality, absolutely no squeaking, all panels are flush fitting, and the only flex is right in the middle of the back panel, which incidentally is where I never hold it anyway. Also I’ve never had an issue with lightweight back panels, right from my first Samsung Galaxy phone. The technology is there to make things like that these days, it just makes sense, lightweight and no signal interference.
Tegra 3 – The reason I was after a Tegra device was so that I could ‘enter the tegra gaming zone’. It seems a nice place. But then again I don’t spend much of my life playing games and I can easily get my fix from whats available on Google Play.
Now that I have a Note I’m very happy in the knowledge that I have an even better processor, preloaded with masses of codec support and developed hand in hand with the Note to give a great browsing performance.
Cameras – I have no need for cameras on a tablet, waste of time. Oh hang on though, what have Samsung got here, this thing watches my eyes and doesn’t dim the screen unless I fall asleep, clever b******s.
GPS – I’ll only want this if I use Google Sky maps, I usually know where I am if I’m in my own house.
But it’s good to know that Glonass is included on the Note, another thumbs up in the high quality components list.
Audio quality. - Note has a Wolfson DAC. Nothing more to add here.
A note about resolution. One tablet I considered was the transformer Tf700 for its high res screen. Much talked about and much coveted. I wouldn’t turn it down. But when people are buying a tablet they need to consider what device they will be replacing. For me it will be primarily replacing my laptop, which has a 17” screen with a resolution of 1600 x 900. So just by downgrading to a 10” size screen with 1280 x 800 I’m getting higher res anyway, and given that it’s a PLS screen its higher quality to boot. So I’ve already gone ‘high res’ just by getting the note.
I’ve only wrote this review because I’m so impressed with my Note. I hope many others buy it and it gets the success it deserves.

Nice review, enjoyed reading it and hopefully teaches people not to be in haste at knocking a device without seeing real world usage user reports.
I think you have made a good choice and am happy that you are enjoying your note as it is out of the box, hopefully with the Jelly Bean update around the corner it will get even better.
Also love Lisa's reviews because her reviews do not seem to be biased unlike a number of other 'professional' reviewers.

same things i considered and bought note on its day of launch in india..
btw u forgot multiscreens and an extensive battery life
Sent from my GT-N8000 using XDA Premium HD app

Here's my bottom line. If I could have bought a 10.1 inch tablet with a 1920 x 1200 screen and a wacom digitizer and pen along with a 1.4 ghz quad core CPU and zero lag for $500 instead of this I would have.
Doesn't exist.
So I bought this.
** The problem I have with reviewers who have slammed this tablet is that they are comparing it either to tablets that do far less or simply do not and cannot exist at this price point. The lowest price for a pen based Windows RT tablet from Samsung will start at $150 more. And that will have worse dpi than this.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2

mitchellvii said:
Here's my bottom line. If I could have bought a 10.1 inch tablet with a 1920 x 1200 screen and a wacom digitizer and pen along with a 1.4 ghz quad core CPU and zero lag for $500 instead of this I would have.
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Hehe, +1.
mitchellvii said:
Doesn't exist.
So I bought this.
** The problem I have with reviewers who have slammed this tablet is that they are comparing it either to tablets that do far less or simply do not and cannot exist at this price point. The lowest price for a pen based Windows RT tablet from Samsung will start at $150 more. And that will have worse dpi than this.
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I get a sense that what the OP and I need is more like Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 with GN 10.1 specs less s pen + better screen / premium quality. I don't really care that much for the s pen. I do need everything else you mentioned out of the tab though. So, I feel that some of the low points of this tab, screen resolution and lack of premium build feel, could've been mitigated had Samsung saved the money on S Pen and associated hardware and software expenses.

SM05 said:
Hehe, +1.
I get a sense that what the OP and I need is more like Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 with GN 10.1 specs less s pen + better screen / premium quality. I don't really care that much for the s pen. I do need everything else you mentioned out of the tab though. So, I feel that some of the low points of this tab, screen resolution and lack of premium build feel, could've been mitigated had Samsung saved the money on S Pen and associated hardware and software expenses.
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Lol, yeah that crazy Samsung with their crazy s-pen.
It's simple, if you don't need or use pen input, why the hell are you buying this tablet? Buy an iPad or an Infinity that are pure consumption devices. The SGN 10.1 is for people that want to do WORK with their tablet.

mitchellvii said:
It's simple, if you don't need or use pen input, why the hell are you buying this tablet? Buy an iPad or an Infinity that are pure consumption devices. The SGN 10.1 is for people that want to do WORK with their tablet.
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If it were that simple I wouldn't be replying on my GN 10.1. I posted this before but yeah, consumption device is what I mostly need. I don't plan on buying any Apple devices, don't wanna say ever but for a long time. That leaves android, which I prefer anyways (GS2 is my current phone). There aren't that many stable, fast and well built android tabs out there. Build quality + specs is why I went with GN. S pen is just an appendix as far ad I'm concerned. Lol
So, if you're listening Samsung, give us galaxy tab 10.1 with the same specs as GN, premium/better finish and improved screen dpi, if possible, and no s pen. All under 500 please. Lol

SM05 said:
If it were that simple I wouldn't be replying on my GN 10.1. I posted this before but yeah, consumption device is what I mostly need. I don't plan on buying any Apple devices, don't wanna say ever but for a long time. That leaves android, which I prefer anyways (GS2 is my current phone). There aren't that many stable, fast and well built android tabs out there. Build quality + specs is why I went with GN. S pen is just an appendix as far ad I'm concerned. Lol
So, if you're listening Samsung, give us galaxy tab 10.1 with the same specs as GN, premium/better finish and improved screen dpi, if possible, and no s pen. All under 500 please. Lol
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Yes, they need 2 models. Consumer - $400, without the pen. Creator / Producer - $500 includes pen . Display on both needs to be the same (highest resolution and quality they can manage without slowing the system down.)

mitchellvii said:
Lol, yeah that crazy Samsung with their crazy s-pen.
It's simple, if you don't need or use pen input, why the hell are you buying this tablet? Buy an iPad or an Infinity that are pure consumption devices. The SGN 10.1 is for people that want to do WORK with their tablet.
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I wouldn't say the infinity is a pure consumption device. I like my note a lot more then the prime I owned but with the keyboard dock it really does move it out of a pure consumption device.

nice review. exactly what i went thru lols

I mentioned it elsewhere, but the first review I read was from Lisa. Always unbias and as someone that knows about stylus's and wiacoms, she was very to the point about the device. Most if not all the others, reviewed the device as a competitor to the iPad, Transformer etc, when in reality those devices do not do what the Note does. After reading that stupid review from AndroidPolice, and I say stupid since no journalist/writer would make such a headline or put in stupid comments of the device giving them cancer, I went to the store to test it myself. It was nothing like what the reviews mentioned and right then and there I knew this was the tablet to get. A few days later I got it.
Haven't regretted it since.
is it the perfect device, No. nothing is, no matter what any one says, including Apple. Each and every device has its pro and cons, but this device runs circles around my previous Lenovo and overall, its one awesome device.
TS

As has been noted, I did not buy the Note for its pen, this was low on my list of needs as I had never found much use for it on my Galaxy Note phone (I found it just too cramped a space for my liking). I was instead drawn more by its quality and cutting edge components. However, given that the pen was there I’ve been giving it a go anyway, and I’ve found it a much better experience on this larger screen, infact I’m now beginning to use it all the time, it just seems easier and quicker for most things.
Websites are not designed to be prodded at with fingers, but to be used by a precise pointing device, so navigating using the pen feels quicker and more natural. When playing games (Air Attack HD) its easier to slide the pen around the screen and fingers are not blocking out the action.
Oh, I forgot about another reason that swayed me towards buying the Note, and that was to do my own little bit to support Samsung against the dark forces of crApple and its abuse of the (broken) patent system. Or as someone else on the net succinctly put it – the American patent system is a pile of ****, and Apple is sitting on top of that pile.
I’ve been listening to the sound quality of this thing, I’m going to put up a new post about it so its easier for people to find.

planning to buy one soon...some questions?

Hi all, I'm new to this forum
I'm a computer science student and I'm finally switching from old fashioned way of studying to tablets...many reasons for that, but most importantly because of the price of the textbooks compared to PDF and e-book. after many researches, I guess galaxy note 10 is my pick!
I'm mostly looking for a tablet that is good for reading(ESPECIALLY READING) and wouldn't hurt my eyes that much, or is light to hold in hand, can open +500 page PDFs and make notes on them easily...is GN 10.1 the answer?!
I really liked kindle paperwhite tablet(has great light), it looks really good for reading, but it does not have s-pen, and not probably good for note taking...also IPAD would be good since it has a better resolution which helps for reading, but again no stylus...but is GN 10 resolution/lighting really bad as some people mention?! do you suggest any tablet that is really good for the purpose of reading and making notes?!
Does anyone know if there will be a newer version of it coming anytime soon?! it's been a year now...I really need to buy one these days as the semester has already started, but if there be any official news about anytime soon, I'd rather wait for that...especially with all the complaints about the resolution, I guess that'd be the area they fix! do u think I should wait?
thanks guys

swamks said:
Hi all, I'm new to this forum
I'm a computer science student and I'm finally switching from old fashioned way of studying to tablets...many reasons for that, but most importantly because of the price of the textbooks compared to PDF and e-book. after many researches, I guess galaxy note 10 is my pick!
I'm mostly looking for a tablet that is good for reading(ESPECIALLY READING) and wouldn't hurt my eyes that much, or is light to hold in hand, can open +500 page PDFs and make notes on them easily...is GN 10.1 the answer?!
I really liked kindle paperwhite tablet(has great light), it looks really good for reading, but it does not have s-pen, and not probably good for note taking...also IPAD would be good since it has a better resolution which helps for reading, but again no stylus...but is GN 10 resolution/lighting really bad as some people mention?! do you suggest any tablet that is really good for the purpose of reading and making notes?!
Does anyone know if there will be a newer version of it coming anytime soon?! it's been a year now...I really need to buy one these days as the semester has already started, but if there be any official news about anytime soon, I'd rather wait for that...especially with all the complaints about the resolution, I guess that'd be the area they fix! do u think I should wait?
thanks guys
Click to expand...
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Berlin IFA 2013 Exhibition to Be Held on September 6, with Participation of New Products from Samsung so it maybe worth waiting a week or so to see what Samsung has been working on.
.

I agree that you should wait for IFA next week.
But anyway, Galaxy note 10.1 is great. I'm an orthopedic Surgeon, and I read a lot of books and references and articles. and I had chosen this tablet over the ipad for the Spen, and reading large books
After one year of using it, I'm not regretting a bit. I can open > 1GB pdfs quickly. Books over 3000 pages. Also making notes, underlines, highline, adding photos, illustrations, all is easy and enjoying to do. And more than this using application called ezPDF reader, you can save all your annotations and sync them with your smartphone. And voice versa.
About resolution, is totally comfortable for me at less 50%brightness.
I really highly recommend this, especially at its low price currently.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

thanks guys
well assuming at IFA Samsung reveals a new galaxy note, how long will it take to release the product?

btw, how much was it when it first released?

The 32gb WiFi (8013) was $550 and the 16gb was 500.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

I'm literally on the same exact boat. CS major, hate textbook prices, want something that I can ditch textbooks AND regular notebooks with.
Anyway, I'm waiting a little for the conference in September like people above me mentioned. If they announce something soon and it's similarly priced, then I'll get it. If not, then the price of the current generation will go down once the new one comes. Either way, it's a win-win. I agree that you should wait just few more weeks. Just use your laptop for the textbooks in the meanwhile.

All the talk so far for IFA has been the GN3 SMARTphone and no tablet talk at all. I would have picked up a GN8.0 but the Samsung is too stupid to offer a 32GB version so I refuse to get stuck with limited storage. I may take the plunge and get the GN10.1 but will likely hold off until IFA next week just in case they shock up with some big news. Somehow I doubt it.

There is rumor that there will be Samsung Galaxy Note 12.0 .... but 12 inches ?!?! it's really too big!! and 8 is too small for taking notes for me! if they could upgrade the 10 one with better resolution, I'll definitely go for it...I wish I could get something similar to Kindle Paperwhite screen...my friend has it and it's great for reading!!! but it's kinda too small plus it doesn't have stylus, and not good for note taking! these companies... they can easily make a product that have all the great qualities, but they don't, instead they make different products each with some special feature......keeping people hungry!
btw doesn't the 8 one come with SD card tho?

exactly the price of the books!!! I'm an international student and really the price is crazy for some books...Do they even consider who the buyer of their books are?! students...who are mostly not in a situation to pay 250 for a physics book! lol
There is rumor that there will be Samsung Galaxy Note 12.0 .... but 12 inches ?!?! it's really too big!! and 8 is too small for taking notes for me! if they could upgrade the 10 one with better resolution, I'll definitely go for it...I wish I could get something similar to Kindle Paperwhite screen...my friend has it and it's great for reading!!! but it's kinda too small plus it doesn't have stylus, and not good for note taking! these companies... they can easily make a product that have all the great qualities, but they don't, instead they make different products each with some special feature......keeping people hungry!
btw doesn't the 8 one come with SD card tho? I don't think I really need 32GB for my tablet!

swamks said:
8 one come with SD card tho?
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Click to collapse
Yes it does have micro SD slot
See the 1 minute mark http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hllY_mn31b4

swamks said:
There is rumor that there will be Samsung Galaxy Note 12.0 .... but 12 inches ?!?! it's really too big!! and 8 is too small for taking notes for me! if they could upgrade the 10 one with better resolution, I'll definitely go for it...I wish I could get something similar to Kindle Paperwhite screen...my friend has it and it's great for reading!!! but it's kinda too small plus it doesn't have stylus, and not good for note taking! these companies... they can easily make a product that have all the great qualities, but they don't, instead they make different products each with some special feature......keeping people hungry!
btw doesn't the 8 one come with SD card tho?
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Click to collapse
The rumor os the 12.1" tablet seems very solid, but at that size it's just unusable for tablet use for that I have a 17.3" notebook. If this is part of Sammy's IFA announcement then my support for the Dev community will go undeterred as I rely on the Devs to fix what the OEM's won't OS Updates.
---------- Post added at 09:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 PM ----------
kkretch said:
Yes it does have micro SD slot
See the 1 minute mark http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hllY_mn31b4
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While it does have microSD it has insufficient internal storage. 16GB is a JOKE, they should never have made it or released it. The 32GB is still MIA for US import and that was announced 4-5 months ago. I gave up waiting for Expansys-USA to get them.

The only reason why I have this tablet is because I got it for free. I would have never purchased it on my own, and here is why:
The price is astronomical for the quality and screen resolution.
S-Pen is really for the most part a gimmick, unless you use it for GIMP or something similar.
Samsung software (TouchWiz) is crap and just lags the tablet down.
Gonna give you the obvious here: get the new Nexus 7. You can substitute the S-Pen for a regular $1 stylus and have it work just as well for most purposes.

dwegiel said:
The only reason why I have this tablet is because I got it for free. I would have never purchased it on my own, and here is why:
The price is astronomical for the quality and screen resolution.
S-Pen is really for the most part a gimmick, unless you use it for GIMP or something similar.
Samsung software (TouchWiz) is crap and just lags the tablet down.
Gonna give you the obvious here: get the new Nexus 7. You can substitute the S-Pen for a regular $1 stylus and have it work just as well for most purposes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a Nexus 7 and returned it, it was just to small. When the keyboard is on the screens text window is just to small and the cheap rear firing speakers were also a real turnoff. I also own a Blackberry Playbook and it also has a 7 inch screen but the screen layout was so much better than the Nexus 7 and the forward speakers on the Playbook are the best in any tablet, including my Note 10.1. The feel in your hands of the Nexus was also very annoying to me, it just did not feel comfortable in my hands compared to my other 3 tablets that I own (playbook, kindle fire and Note 10.1).
Remember...... There is always something new coming out and I think people have a pretty good idea as to what they are going to buy before asking question here. A trip to a Best Buy or similar store would be a good idea to see what the devices look and feel like in your hands.

kkretch said:
I had a Nexus 7 and returned it, it was just to small. When the keyboard is on the screens text window is just to small and the cheap rear firing speakers were also a real turnoff. I also own a Blackberry Playbook and it also has a 7 inch screen but the screen layout was so much better than the Nexus 7 and the forward speakers on the Playbook are the best in any tablet, including my Note 10.1. The feel in your hands of the Nexus was also very annoying to me, it just did not feel comfortable in my hands compared to my other 3 tablets that I own (playbook, kindle fire and Note 10.1).
Remember...... There is always something new coming out and I think people have a pretty good idea as to what they are going to buy before asking question here. A trip to a Best Buy or similar store would be a good idea to see what the devices look and feel like in your hands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree the 7-8" tablets are simply too small for real keyboard use. I got an iPad mini LTE 64GB for free and its getting sold after a week. Free is great, but I will take the cash and invest it into a better Android tablet. I feel the GN10.1 is still worthy of purchase and device support ios still strong a year later. I don't plan on running TW anyways, custom ROM's all the way.

RaptorMD said:
I have to agree the 7-8" tablets are simply too small for real keyboard use. I got an iPad mini LTE 64GB for free and its getting sold after a week. Free is great, but I will take the cash and invest it into a better Android tablet. I feel the GN10.1 is still worthy of purchase and device support ios still strong a year later. I don't plan on running TW anyways, custom ROM's all the way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe check out their ATIV line of devices instead? I got the chance to use a Nexus 7 today and yeah, it is about an inch short of glory (not meant to be sexual...). It's oddly phablet-ish. Still, this 1280x768 isn't bad, it's just not great. Ultimately, it's all up to the user anyways. Go take a look in a store and see what fits you. Everyone's preference is different.

dwegiel said:
The only reason why I have this tablet is because I got it for free. I would have never purchased it on my own, and here is why:
The price is astronomical for the quality and screen resolution.
S-Pen is really for the most part a gimmick, unless you use it for GIMP or something similar.
Samsung software (TouchWiz) is crap and just lags the tablet down.
Gonna give you the obvious here: get the new Nexus 7. You can substitute the S-Pen for a regular $1 stylus and have it work just as well for most purposes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S-Pen is great for annotating and for taking notes in a class environment. S-Notes imho is the best software for notes which is not available for non touchwiz tablets. TouchWiz itself is pretty good. At least most bluetooth problems are resolved by Samsung before release unlike the nexus 7 2013 that has quirks in Bluetooth. A 7 inch tablet is not optimal in a class or note taking environment imho, the screen is much to small.
I feel like you couldn't be more wrong about everything. All that said i would advise the op to wait a week or so and see what comes. A new unit is inevitable. At that point they will unshelve the old units and the price will take a drop on eBay. Or buy the new model which should serve even better.

conan1600 said:
S-Pen is great for annotating and for taking notes in a class environment. S-Notes imho is the best software for notes which is not available for non touchwiz tablets. TouchWiz itself is pretty good. At least most bluetooth problems are resolved by Samsung before release unlike the nexus 7 2013 that has quirks in Bluetooth. A 7 inch tablet is not optimal in a class or note taking environment imho, the screen is much to small.
I feel like you couldn't be more wrong about everything. All that said i would advise the op to wait a week or so and see what comes. A new unit is inevitable. At that point they will unshelve the old units and the price will take a drop on eBay. Or buy the new model which should serve even better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S Suite just sucks. I can't import PDFs (S-Note will crash). To me, it is all just a gimmick. OneNote makes it slightly better (but only slightly).
The quirks of the nexus 7 are due to Android 4.3. Bluetooth was already borked in the 4.1.2 to 4.2 transition. Oh well.

conan1600 said:
S-Pen is great for annotating and for taking notes in a class environment. S-Notes imho is the best software for notes which is not available for non touchwiz tablets. TouchWiz itself is pretty good. At least most bluetooth problems are resolved by Samsung before release unlike the nexus 7 2013 that has quirks in Bluetooth. A 7 inch tablet is not optimal in a class or note taking environment imho, the screen is much to small.
I feel like you couldn't be more wrong about everything. All that said i would advise the op to wait a week or so and see what comes. A new unit is inevitable. At that point they will unshelve the old units and the price will take a drop on eBay. Or buy the new model which should serve even better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah the thing is I'm kinda in a hurry to get it sooner since I need it so bad for this semester!
do u have any idea how long will it take for the price to drop if something new didn't come out?! I'm not a constant follower of tech devices so I don't have enough info about when things get cheaper etc etc
I won't go for ebay to buy it! can't really trust it!lol...prefer best-buy...does anyone know if I buy it today and the price drops in a a few weeks, can I go back and get a refund of the difference?! I'm a foreign guy, lol...not familiar with the policies that much!
I heard cosco is selling it for 370 in LA!!!!!!!!!!! have to check that out!

I am a phd candidate molecular biology/virology/immunology.
I use my note 10.1 a ridiculous amount every day. Suggestions if you want to do it without pulling your hair out.
1. Get an aftermarket s-pen. This is not optional if you plan to write, highlight, etc a lot. The one it comes with is crap and sort of a gimmick as someone said. Having a real full size pen makes the s-pen functionality go from "so close" to "works how it should". I use the bamboo stylus feel carbon because I like a heavier feeling pen. There are many other alternatives that are great aftermarket pens too.
2. If you want to do reading and highlighting, use EZPDF reader which is on sale now for reading textbooks and highlighting. Sale is here. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=udk.android.reader&hl=en.
3. Use dropsync with your textbooks or something similar so your reading, highlighting, and notes/work on assignments are not only backed up in the worse case scenario but accessible from multiple devices like a pc at home or a phone on the go when you need to look at something quickly. Use multiple folders and keep things organized.
4. Get a small external keyboard if you have note heavy classes, writing with the pen just isn't fast enough to me, when I can type and have it perfectly legible. I use this one because I can switch to typing on tablet, phone, or home pc with one button http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...SIN=B0099SMFVQ&linkCode=as2&tag=digitren08-20
If you want a cheaper one, I used to have this one and had no issues. http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Keyb...833&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+keyboard+android
5. For note taking I use lecture notes. I keep the keyboard in my lap to type, the tablet on the desk/table to add illustrations and diagrams or insert an image from my textbook pdf (multitasking for the win). If you have to do math based things the formula recognition is nice but has a fairly unforgiving learning curve for more advanced math. If you can get it done, it's best to do the math in snote with the formula recognition and simply import the math into lecture notes for the pages you need it.
6. Use a custom rom, don't use stock touchwiz. It's garbage. I use android revolution, and designed my own layouts on top of it and my own icon set (this part is not necessary, only the rom is)
7. GMD spen control is great for quick shortcut gestures. This one is optional, but I set one for ezpdf, snote, lecture notes, graphing calculator, periodic table, open currently running apps, and a few other apps I use a lot. Makes stuff very fast. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gmd.spencontrol&hl=en
8. If you're going to be on campus a lot, consider a external battery charger. Let's me charge my tablet from 0-100% once as well as my phone from 0-100% in one charge, simultaneously if need be. When I know I'm going to be using it long term I just plug it in so it doesn't burn down. I use this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008YRG5JQ/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
9. Master multitasking on it. I usually have ezpdf reader open, lecture notes open, and snote open at a minimum at one time and switch back and forth between them by gestures. People watching must think i'm going ape**** on my tablet.
I use to have a giant gaming laptop, so I took my old case from that and bought some foam and cut it to fit the tablet, keyboard, and external battery. It was a really nice case so I felt it was wasted sitting there. Makes carrying my stuff around very easy and it's hilarious how the thing feels like a pound or two compared to 20 like my old laptop. Took all of 20-30 minutes to modify it.
Outside of school I use it to read comics and draw. I couldn't be happier with it. Like others have said, a true 1080p screen would be nice, but I've never had it hurt my eyes or anything. The new one if it is 12 inches is just too big :/
The tablet certainly isn't perfect. There's a lot of suggestions/ways to improve things that I would have for samsung mostly workflow and tweaks to functionality, but enough they would have some work to do. For a first try at trying to get into academia they did a decent job, but their second attempt whenever it is better have a lot of gripes fixed. It could be the number one contender in academia with some work, but I wouldn't trade it for a surface or anything similar that is out nowadays.
I typed this in a hurry, so sorry it's a disorganized mess.

Why is this tablet getting so much flak?

Apple today, as you may know by now, unveiled It's new tablet, the 'iPad Air'.
The price of it STARTS at $499 for the 16gb version while the Note 10.1 starts at $550 (or $499 if you buy from Amazon). However, the microSD slot makes up for it being able to insert additional memory if needed. With all this being said, I'm not a tablet-tech junkie but...doesn't the Note 10.1 have the superior hardware along with the stylus? I'm having trouble understanding some of the reviews because they dock points off the Note 10.1 due to the pricing while the iPad Air will receive accolades for it.
I don't own the Note 10.1 (yet) because I was waiting for the new iPad reveal (which was today) and also the upcoming Nexus 10 before I make a decision. What are your thoughts on this?

vinotauro said:
Apple today, as you may know by now, unveiled It's new tablet, the 'iPad Air'.
The price of it STARTS at $499 for the 16gb version while the Note 10.1 starts at $550 (or $499 if you buy from Amazon). However, the microSD slot makes up for it being able to insert additional memory if needed. With all this being said, I'm not a tablet-tech junkie but...doesn't the Note 10.1 have the superior hardware along with the stylus? I'm having trouble understanding some of the reviews because they dock points off the Note 10.1 due to the pricing while the iPad Air will receive accolades for it.
I don't own the Note 10.1 (yet) because I was waiting for the new iPad reveal (which was today) and also the upcoming Nexus 10 before I make a decision. What are your thoughts on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a long time iPhone and iPad user (before recently switching back to Android with the Note 3 and 2014 Note 10.1), I can honestly say that there are four reasons Apple is still the better talked-about of the two:
1. Apple uses better materials (aluminum, glass, etc.)
2. The marriage of its software and hardware is seamless (very little to no lag or crashes)
3. The polished, superior quality of its apps (compare GoodNotes with ezPDF and you’ll see what I mean)
4. “Apple” is a status symbol, a declaration of success.
I went ahead and bought the Note 10.1 as soon as it came out, and with my 45-day return policy at Best Buy, I decided to pay close attention to the releases from Apple and Google, as you are doing.
As I used my 10.1 more and more, though, I decided that I most likely wouldn’t be swayed. The thing that most convinced me was the S-Pen along with LectureNotes. I write notes during meetings A LOT, and I have never experienced a more accurate and fluid experience as I have with this tablet. I tried about 20 different styli and about 50 different apps on the iPad, and nothing comes close to the diminutive S-Pen. It’s fantastic.
So today my wife is thrilled with the announcement of the iPad Air, but I’m just “meh”. I suspect it will be the same with the Nexus 10. Neither of those have the S-Pen, plain and simple.
If the iPad and/or Nexus 10 came out with a digitizer or ability to use the S-Pen to its full potential, then I’d have to take a second look.

vinotauro said:
Apple today, as you may know by now, unveiled It's new tablet, the 'iPad Air'.
The price of it STARTS at $499 for the 16gb version while the Note 10.1 starts at $550 (or $499 if you buy from Amazon). However, the microSD slot makes up for it being able to insert additional memory if needed. With all this being said, I'm not a tablet-tech junkie but...doesn't the Note 10.1 have the superior hardware along with the stylus? I'm having trouble understanding some of the reviews because they dock points off the Note 10.1 due to the pricing while the iPad Air will receive accolades for it.
I don't own the Note 10.1 (yet) because I was waiting for the new iPad reveal (which was today) and also the upcoming Nexus 10 before I make a decision. What are your thoughts on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it depends on what you are using it for. The 2014 Note 10.1 is far superior for movie watching, drawing and note taking. The iPad (new or old) covers most everything else. Android gives you freedom as opposed to iOS higher quality (mostly) rigid solutions. If you have the money get one of each.
With the lower weight (and smaller size of the iPad mini 2) the remaining arguments to go for a Note are centered around the S-Pen, it's superior screen and (much more) freedom of (poorer) choice.

I note 10.1 has been the most productive tablet I've owned. And I've owned a ton. Even last year's model with its crappy screen resolution got more use than my nexus 10.
Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

Han Solo 1 said:
2. The marriage of its software and hardware is seamless (very little to no lag or crashes)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This point is apparently not so true anymore since theres many reports of ios7 not playing well with iPads

Beats it in size
10.1 to 9.7
Beats it in ram
3GB to 1GB or 2GB
Beats it in resolution and PPI
2560x1600:299PPI to 2048 x 1536:264PPI
Beats it in camera
8MP; 2MP Rear to 5MP; 1.2MP Rear
A7 specs are dodgy to get a hold of but I'm sure the processor beats it as well.
People are sheeple. If you are going to put up money, you may as well get something that will last you. Very rarely have I purchased something that feels damn near futuristic in nature, like I've made a leap into the near future to use it. This tablet gave me that feeling and continues to do so.

icebergisonfire said:
Beats it in size
10.1 to 9.7
Beats it in ram
3GB to 1GB or 2GB
Beats it in resolution and PPI
2560x1600:299PPI to 2048 x 1536:264PPI
Beats it in camera
8MP; 2MP Rear to 5MP; 1.2MP Rear
A7 specs are dodgy to get a hold of but I'm sure the processor beats it as well.
People are sheeple. If you are going to put up money, you may as well get something that will last you. Very rarely have I purchased something that feels damn near futuristic in nature, like I've made a leap into the near future to use it. This tablet gave me that feeling and continues to do so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A7 is dual core 1.3ghz, but its not all about the cores and ghz, they optimized it well.

The iOS app ecosystem is always considered by consumers and reviewers as part of the device. Mutually inclusive. This is the key reason for the perceptive advantage for the ipad.

ChrisNee1988 said:
A7 is dual core 1.3ghz, but its not all about the cores and ghz, they optimized it well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd be the first to agree as there is synergy there and the developers can code to the specs rather than the crapshoot of Android devices. However, everything I throw at this tablet, it handles like a champ.

The ipad mini with the high res display is going to be the premium tablet market share eater.
ios 7 works fine with the iPad, but needs all the bling turned off. Just like Android. I like the 2014, but still seems $50 too high for them.

rushless said:
The ipad mini with the high res display is going to be the premium tablet market share eater.
ios 7 works fine with the iPad, but needs all the bling turned off. Just like Android. I like the 2014, but still seems $50 too high for them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I don't understand though. Android is no longer subservient to iOS. At the very least, it's on equal footing. There is more ram in our tablet, a faster processor, a bigger screen, a better front and rear camera, not to mention the $25 on Google Play and the $50 on the Samsung Store and it's only $50 more. In comparison to what their competitors are doing, we got a great deal from Samsung.

icebergisonfire said:
That's what I don't understand though. Android is no longer subservient to iOS. At the very least, it's on equal footing. There is more ram in our tablet, a faster processor, a bigger screen, a better front and rear camera, not to mention the $25 on Google Play and the $50 on the Samsung Store and it's only $50 more. In comparison to what their competitors are doing, we got a great deal from Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I think the point is, we are not in the PC world. I think that specs are less and less important. That's why Apple doesn't even release most of their stats. Its all about optimization. I bought a 10.1 2014 from Best Buy to try out and so far my results have been both good and somewhat iffy. I have definitely seen some of the lag and stutter. I use my tablets for a lot of PDF reading and markup. This tablet doesn't seem to handle it very well. I think the issue is the super high resolution of the screen. I had the same problem with the Nexus 10 when I bought it earlier this year.
I love Android and I would never switch, but I do have to say that I get slightly jealous when I go to Best Buy and try out PDF handling on the iPad and it is butter smooth... Why can't we have that? I have used all sorts of programs to display PDF's on the various tablets I have had, ezPDF has been the best all around thus far but when zooming and turning pages it just starts to chug...
I plan to stick with the 2014 because it does so many other things really well. I just wish that Samsung and Google could get on a better road together where they optimize the crap out of Android to run better on hardware. I hate Touchwhiz with the rest of them, but if they did this there would be much less of an issue. Just a thought.

alias747 said:
I do have to say that I get slightly jealous when I go to Best Buy and try out PDF handling on the iPad and it is butter smooth... Why can't we have that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is really my only issue as well. I had high hopes for iAnnotate on Android, but it stinks.
ezPDF Pro is the best on Android (Mantano Premium gets good grades although I have yet to try it), but it's still not up to my standards.
The S-Pen, with LectureNotes, is hard to beat, though.

Han Solo 1 said:
This is really my only issue as well. I had high hopes for iAnnotate on Android, but it stinks.
ezPDF Pro is the best on Android (Mantano Premium gets good grades although I have yet to try it), but it's still not up to my standards.
The S-Pen, with LectureNotes, is hard to beat, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting, I haven't got around to trying Lecture Notes on the 2014, I tried it on my old 10.1 and it worked pretty good. I ended up really liking Papyus. However, that is another thing I am annoyed about on the 2014... Papyrus is UNUSABLE. There is so much lag when I write on the screen it is ridiculous. Not sure if Papyrus just needs to be updated to better work with the new hardware or what, but that was pretty disappointing.

Damnn iPad air is a very impressive (thin, light, aluminium) candy crush machine/PDF viewing LCD. =/ Wasnt a big fan of the older, heavy aluminium iPads but this one is so kewllllll... gimmi wacom digitizer and android on it pleaseee

nebsif said:
Damnn iPad air is a very impressive (thin, light, aluminium) candy crush machine/PDF viewing LCD. =/ Wasnt a big fan of the older, heavy aluminium iPads but this one is so kewllllll... gimmi wacom digitizer and android on it pleaseee
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's two tenths of a pound lighter than the 10.1 2014.....

I just want to know where you found it for 499 on amazon.....
Sent from my SM-P600 using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 11:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 PM ----------
moses2303 said:
I just want to know where you found it for 499 on amazon.....
Sent from my SM-P600 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I guess you're talking about the gift card promo, not quite the same, but close
Sent from my SM-P600 using xda app-developers app

Who cares what Apple says? I don't. I mean, they come up to the podium with a holier than thou attitude, and act like they are some kind of God and you need to obey their gospel or you are a lesser person, I really can't stand their arrogance. Now, does Apple make good stuff? For the most part, yeah. Is it any better than anything else out there? No.

You have to remember that tech journalists and bloggers need something to write about. They need to draw people to their site in order to get advertising revenue.
The smartphone and tablet world is less and less about a direct comparison of specifications between devices and more and more about gravitating towards your preferred ecosystem. That is a personal choice.
In the Midwest it is not unusual to find people sitting around in a coffee shop seriously debating between the merits of a ford versus chevy pickup truck. I say, who cares? Drive the one that you like.
The same can be said about electronics. If you don't feed the controversy machine then there isn't a controversy. Buy the device that you like and to those that criticize you for your choice tell them to go pound sand.

The iPad is a beautiful piece of tech, in particular the new one. But it's got the same shortcomings. Jailed ecosystem, no digitizer, and what really kills it, iTunes.
Once it's jailbroken, I MIGHT consider buying it, but that's only if my 10.1 starts crapping out like the Transformer Prime or something.

10.1.2014 versus Sony Xperia Tab Z

I've seen lots of discussion comparing with the various iPads, but not much discussion on the Sony Xperia. I was pretty much sold on the Note originally as I LOVE my S3 phone, but I must admit I do see the reason behind all the negative Samsung reactions in terms of bloatware. Man do they put a bunch of junk on there! Luckily I have my S3 rooted and have successfully turned off bunches of bloat, and the phone is now massively faster . . . . . even on the stock ROM.
The more I play with the Xperia and read the reviews, the more I like it. The biggest 2 drawbacks in comparison are (1) lower screen resolution and (2) no S-pen. Neither one of those are deal brakers for me, but they do factor into the overall decision.
So, I know I'll get lots of pro-Samsung comments given the forum I'm in, but I'd like some honest feedback. Has anyone had lots of time with both tabs that can give some user level insight as to which way they would recommend? I have no doubt both are quality devices. Just trying to make a smart spend with my hard earned $. :fingers-crossed:
Thanks in advance.
~Vol
P.S. The new Kindle HDX is sneaking into the discussion, too. It has a *whopper* of a set of specs at a great price point. Root and install a well-built custom ROM, and maybe it kills all of them??

Vol4Ever said:
I've seen lots of discussion comparing with the various iPads, but not much discussion on the Sony Xperia. I was pretty much sold on the Note originally as I LOVE my S3 phone, but I must admit I do see the reason behind all the negative Samsung reactions in terms of bloatware. Man do they put a bunch of junk on there! Luckily I have my S3 rooted and have successfully turned off bunches of bloat, and the phone is now massively faster . . . . . even on the stock ROM.
The more I play with the Xperia and read the reviews, the more I like it. The biggest 2 drawbacks in comparison are (1) lower screen resolution and (2) no S-pen. Neither one of those are deal brakers for me, but they do factor into the overall decision.
So, I know I'll get lots of pro-Samsung comments given the forum I'm in, but I'd like some honest feedback. Has anyone had lots of time with both tabs that can give some user level insight as to which way they would recommend? I have no doubt both are quality devices. Just trying to make a smart spend with my hard earned $. :fingers-crossed:
Thanks in advance.
~Vol
P.S. The new Kindle HDX is sneaking into the discussion, too. It has a *whopper* of a set of specs at a great price point. Root and install a well-built custom ROM, and maybe it kills all of them??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love the resolution and feel of the 10.1 2014 but hate lack of root (0x0) and the physical button. S-Pen is a must for me or I would probably just go with the upcoming Nexus 10 refresh.
I really just wanted to say.....GO VOLS

Are you saying root and custom Roms won't be possible on the 2014? THAT would be a deal breaker for sure! Haven't looked much at the N10, but I guess I should. When is refresh product due out?
And on the Big Orange, I firmly believe Butch is the man to get it done. Our true freshmen have shown some "sparks" here and there. Just don't have the exp or conditioning to bring it for 60 solid minutes. I remain big time optimistic we are finally headed back up. Goodness knows we mist definitely bottomed out over the last few seasons. Wow.

ckelly33 said:
I love the resolution and feel of the 10.1 2014 but hate lack of root (0x0) and the physical button. S-Pen is a must for me or I would probably just go with the upcoming Nexus 10 refresh.
I really just wanted to say.....GO VOLS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what refresh? as far as i know nothing has been announced and rumors say there wont be another 10 inch nexus this year

The Xperia Tab Z was my first choice was as I have an Xperia Z1 phone, however I ended up returning the XTZ after a couple of days and getting the new Note 10.1.
The biggest issue with the XTZ for me was the video playback quality. When viewing 1080p movies it seemed to be dropping frames, and as well Netflix and Youtube playback was no where close to my iPad. I didn't want a situation where I was only able to use the tablet for some things and then had to go back to using my iPad for watching movies or reading ebooks. There is also the issue of the Bravia engine on the XTZ which seemed to be putting too much contrast and sharpening into all of the videos and images. I can understand why they are using Bravia as it does give the illusion of a slightly higher resolution display, but it's no where near iPad quality.
The XTZ is a great tablet though, and if the Note 10.1 didn't exist it would be the Android king without a doubt.
The best thing for me about the Note 10.1 is that it is capable of doing everything with pretty much state of the art quality. I've had a few jaw dropping moments with it where the display truly give the illusion of looking through a window. It's fantastic for video playback.
It's been a long time coming to finally get an Android tablet that matches or exceeds the iPad and I'm so far pretty thrilled with my 10.1.

30Seconds said:
It's been a long time coming to finally get an Android tablet that matches or exceeds the iPad and I'm so far pretty thrilled with my 10.1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are your comments on the bloatware and all the built-in Samsung apps? Did you delete or disable a bunch of those? And I doubt I'll be doing much movie watching on the tab, but I do like to play some of the higher end games every now & then. Currently read a lot of e-books on a rooted Nook Tablet, but hoping the new device will ultimately replace that as well. And I agree that one of your obvious goals is one of mine. Use 1 tablet for pretty much everything outside of phone & texting with my S3.

I also remember now why I punted the Nexus . . . . . no SD card. That plus constantly changing connectors plus the "do it our way or not at all" mentaility is the main reason I moved away from Apple products. I used iPhones up through the 4 models, and then made the Android switch. Haven't looked back on that particular decision!

30Seconds said:
The best thing for me about the Note 10.1 is that it is capable of doing everything with pretty much state of the art quality. I've had a few jaw dropping moments with it where the display truly give the illusion of looking through a window. It's fantastic for video playback.
It's been a long time coming to finally get an Android tablet that matches or exceeds the iPad and I'm so far pretty thrilled with my 10.1.
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Truth. The display is the best I've ever seen on a tablet. At full brightness it's absolutely incredible. The functionality of the SPen was the main draw for me with this tablet though. If you're a student or work in a setting that demands a lot of note taking then this tablet is the way to go. If I didn't need these functions, I would have waited for the new Nexus 10, which I'm sure will be superb as well. The ability to use this tablet as a virtual notebook for all of my classes made this the right choice for me though, even though it was quite expensive.

I currently own both of these tablets Samsung better screen better speakers and its faster I would go with the Samsung myself but the Sony is a nice tablet I have it running pacman ROM and it is very smooth
I am going to China on the weekend and was actually thinking of returning my samsung taking the Sony with me and then trying to find the 10.1 LTE version in Hong Kong on my way home so on a side note does anyone know how much the LTE version will cost in Hong Kong and a good place to buy it thanks
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium HD app

I loved my Z while I had it. My only complaint was that bad boy was a fingerprint magnet. I haven't yet tried a Note 10.1 2014 because there is no development for it or the Note 3.

golfinggino said:
I currently own both of these tablets Samsung better screen better speakers and its faster I would go with the Samsung myself but the Sony is a nice tablet I have it running pacman ROM and it is very smooth
I am going to China on the weekend and was actually thinking of returning my samsung taking the Sony with me and then trying to find the 10.1 LTE version in Hong Kong on my way home so on a side note does anyone know how much the LTE version will cost in Hong Kong and a good place to buy it thanks
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium HD app
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As far as I know, 10.1 2014 is not yet available in Hong Kong.

Vol4Ever said:
What are your comments on the bloatware and all the built-in Samsung apps? Did you delete or disable a bunch of those? And I doubt I'll be doing much movie watching on the tab, but I do like to play some of the higher end games every now & then. Currently read a lot of e-books on a rooted Nook Tablet, but hoping the new device will ultimately replace that as well. And I agree that one of your obvious goals is one of mine. Use 1 tablet for pretty much everything outside of phone & texting with my S3.
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So far all I have done is install Nova Launcher and turn down the animations to 0.5 in the developer settings. This makes it more than fast enough for me and I am not going to root or flash until we get a look at more finalized OTA firmwares. I know there are a lot of early reviewers that say this tablet lags, but since the first OTA update it has been running as quickly as one would expect it to.
I'm completely thrilled with this tablet, I can finally get rid of my IPad.

I've had the chance to own both for a while and there's pros and cons to each. The xperia was light, quick enough, NFC, DLNA, etc. Screen was good for movie watching. Expandable memory. Water proof. And it seemed less bloated although it really does have a crap load of Sony stuff on there. On the flipside, as one user said, it was a finger print magnet. It also felt extra long in portrait mode. Luckily it's a light tablet so it's not super uncomfortable but it does create a weird experience in portrait. Also, being a snapdragon s4 chipset, it's significantly slower during intense operations or even if you put a live wallpaper like ditalix live wallpaper on it.
The note has all the specs necessary, minus NFC. S pen is great just like my note 3. Screen in gorgeous. Relatively light in the hands. But again, as another user mentioned, the physical button is quite annoying in portrait mode and for a tablet so expensive, there should be no stuttering. Rooting is a fix for that though.
Although, neither was meant for portrait use, Web browsing feels more natural in portrait mode, much like the ipad. I still own both tablet, along side the ipad air. Note 10.1 2014 is my productivity beast at work and I travel with it. The xperia is my wife's favorite because she can read in the pool with it without a care, and takes it to the beach. The ipad is my favorite at home. Perfect for browsing the Web, chromecasting content, watching videos in bed, reading magazines, etc. Although, the note can do those things perfectly fine, it just doesn't have the same feel as the ipad for me when I'm in lazy mode.
Basically, if you u spend a lot of time outside with the tablet, xperia. If you need productivity first, note. If you want an all around great experience without all the bells and whistles, ipad.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app

30Seconds said:
The Xperia Tab Z was my first choice was as I have an Xperia Z1 phone, however I ended up returning the XTZ after a couple of days and getting the new Note 10.1.
The biggest issue with the XTZ for me was the video playback quality. When viewing 1080p movies it seemed to be dropping frames, and as well Netflix and Youtube playback was no where close to my iPad. I didn't want a situation where I was only able to use the tablet for some things and then had to go back to using my iPad for watching movies or reading ebooks. There is also the issue of the Bravia engine on the XTZ which seemed to be putting too much contrast and sharpening into all of the videos and images. I can understand why they are using Bravia as it does give the illusion of a slightly higher resolution display, but it's no where near iPad quality.
The XTZ is a great tablet though, and if the Note 10.1 didn't exist it would be the Android king without a doubt.
The best thing for me about the Note 10.1 is that it is capable of doing everything with pretty much state of the art quality. I've had a few jaw dropping moments with it where the display truly give the illusion of looking through a window. It's fantastic for video playback.
It's been a long time coming to finally get an Android tablet that matches or exceeds the iPad and I'm so far pretty thrilled with my 10.1.
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To echo this, I would go into Best Buy to play with the tablets all the time, coming closer and closer to pulling the trigger to purchasing but stopping. When I read the specs of this tablet, I had to bite and I've been rewarded immensely for my purchase. I've had those jaw dropping moments as well. I ask it to do so much and it's almost like it's mocking me, tackling everything I throw at it with ease.

Between the Note and the Xperia, it all comes down to the screen. The Note wins, hands down.
I do like the whole waterproof thing, and it's a touch lighter than the Note. But the large bezels really make it feel clunky and less weildy in landscape mode. Samsung's decision to trim the bezels really pays off in usability. It feels closer to the iPad in portrait mode even though it's still the same 16:10 screen.
BTW, another area where the Note wins hands down is reading comic books. It's the closest thing to the printed page. I am awed by how great comic books look on the Note, even though the pages are less resolution than the screen itself.

I was looking at buying the xperia but decided to wait for this to come out. I tried both of them in a shop and the xperia was too bezzly for me and the screen of the Note was unreal. Anyways I just got my Note about an hour ago and the screen alone makes this awesome.

I have had a Xperia Tablet Z since it was released and its very nice. My wife loves it as well. The thing that is nice is that its extremely fast and has no lag. I am very impressed with the build quality, and battery life as well. I am not a fan of the case I have on it because it is a el cheapo leather case that is not that impressive. That doesn't detract from how happy I am with this tablet.
I am going to get a Note 10.1 2014 through work in the next week or so. When that comes in, I will give my wife the Xperia since she loves it. I think the Note 10.1 is going to be better for what I do than the Xperia. I am most worried about lag or response time with this device. I am going to use Nova launcher for sure, and root the device if possible.

One area where the Note beats the Xperia hands down is remote desktop. The MS app defaults to 1280 x 800 on the Note and is very fast. It defaults to 1980 x 1200 on the Xperia and chugs along with lots of tiling with tiny touch targets. The SPen allows you to hit touch targets too small for your finger and allows you to hover over links and menus. It's a fantastic rdp implementation on the Note but almost unusable on the Xperia.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2464769