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
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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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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.
Related
This has been discussed in other threads, but hopefully this will be a more rational discussion. Please, no fanboys or trolls. It seems to be an obvious comparison right now: Samsung Note 10.1 vs. The Asus Transformer Infinity.
I'm getting a new tablet soon, and was hoping for some helpful information. Along the way it'll be great if this thread helps others with their decision. I had a Samsung 8.9 LTE and loved it, but it was stolen. Just a bit slow though. If either the Note or the Infinity came in a 8.9" form factor I'd buy it immediately. My wife has an Ipad 3. Sorry, but I don't like it. Too much of a PITA to deal with. (Did I mention that I DETEST Itunes?) Great for her though. I will be using the tablet as a portable media center (movies, music and ebooks; I spend a great deal of time on the road.), web browsing, and using it profesionally to look at large, image heavy, PDF documents. Rendering speed and search speed of those documents is very important.
I have not seen a note 10.1 yet... I've read everything I could find on both though. I have played with the infinity and the Tab 2 10.1 at Best Buy. My impressions so far:
Build quality: It's a wash for me. I've seen a number of complaints about the Asus. However, the demo model at Best Buy seemed just fine. I guess I'm not too worried about it; if there's any problems with the Asus I could return it to Best Buy. And I would without hesitation. Same with the Samsung, but every Samsung product I've had has been fine. (With the exception of some BT problems on 2 early Skyrockets.)
Display: Another wash for me. OK, OK, the Infinity is full HD. That said, the display on the Tab 2 was just fine. I could see no pixelation. To be honest, the extra bright mode on the Asus impressed me more than the resolution. Also, I need to view large PDF images, and speed of render is very important. Though I didn't get a chance to view any large images on the Asus, I'm going to guess that it will render somewhat slower due to the resolution. And yes, an extra second matters in this case. maybe I'm wrong about the render time? The render time is the primary reason I want the Note over the Tab 2.
Performance: Advantage Note. See render time above under display.
The Stylus. Not sure about this one. I do need to take notes and draw occasionally. I'm wondering if after six months the pen would become something I couldn't live without? I wonder if there will be CAD programs come along that will take advantage of the stylus? It would be great if I could do 2D CAD work on the tablet and do the 3D stuff later at home...
Docking Keyboard: Advantage Asus. Seems very, very nice. Especially with the extra battery life. How well do BT keyboards work with the Samsung I wonder? On the other hand, I'm a slow typist. I could see myself becoming addicted to the stylus... Or, I might never use it. Only one way to find out I guess.
Speakers: Advantage Samsung. I listened to both. No contest here, the Sammy blows the Asus away. This also makes the Sammy the winner in movie watching for me.
Web Browsing: I'm not sure.
I would appreciate any insight or opinions anyone has to offer.
Thanks!!!
I think Acer also has FHD tab (iconia 700 or something). I guess that also deserves to fight here as it seems to be same-spec'd as Asus Infinity.
If the full hd does not TRUELY matter, I would say the note fits you better. Your need for a tablet seems more fitted towards entertainment, so keep in mind fhd is better for movies and reading. I've read a few issues on the infinity having issues or slow rendering with big PDFs (I forget which one and it could be fix by now). Again so if you can't really tell the difference between the two resolution, get the note. For entertainment, the note will give you stereo speakers (two speakers pointed towards you), Bluetooth with aptx codec (if the quality of streaming audio matters). The infinity has been out for awhile now so most, if not all its flaws are known and most of those flaws are not deal breakers. The note hasnt been mass release yet so it's still not a fair fight between the two. Wait til the note is officially release and see if there's any flaws in the tablet.
If the spen is really what you need then the note is for you. But with me fhd and the spen are equally weighted. it will really depends on how many flaws each tablet has that will lean me towards the other.
( even though the a700 is fhd at the same price the infinity is better all around)
I returned my Transformer Infinity and somehow ended up here looking for a new tablet. (Related thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1830473) Simply put, I'm never buying another Asus product again.
I'm really leaning towards buying a Galaxy Note as soon as possible. Unless I find some other tablets that look better or find some flaws on Galaxy Note, I will probably buy it. Looks like "Meet the new way" thing is going to happen soon in New York, and hopefully I will be able to buy them within a few days if not hours.
I own the TF700. I am actually considering the Note. Here is what I have been considering...
My TF700 is super fast after the last update. I have zero issues.
I have not had a chance to test out any blue tooth stuff yet, since I dont have any blue tooth headphones. Never owned any, and I really dont know if I will.
I am a HUUUUGE music guy. All my music is in Google's cloud using Google Play. This is why I chose Android over Apple, strictly cause of the way I can store music, along with how the interface looks. Music is my number 1, period.
with that said, i dont listen to music or any audio for that matter using the external speaker. No need for it. I know the note has those stereo speakers, but I dont know if I would ever use them. My stuff sounds great right now through cans, so I am not sure if I am going to hear a difference with the Note.
Display - HD vs whatever the display of the note is. Now, I dont THINK I would have an issue with going from HD to the display of the Note. If the Note display can look as good or better than my wife's Ipad2 that would be awesome.
Quality Control - I have light bleed at the bottom of my tab. this is a VERY common problem. I sent the first one back which had it, and now my second has it. Other than that, the tablet is perfect, really. I only see it during boot up. I thought who cares cause the thing is so fast, but I know it is there, so I am sure the Note will have more of a quality build.
Benchmarks - I dont know about this. From the videos posted here, the Note is getting the best benchmark, beating the TF700. But I personally feel that user experience is what should drive this. That said.....I still have in the back of my mind that the Note will be faster in stock, and be even faster with DEV roms But am I going to see it? But I still want it
Support - This is number 2 to my music. Asus puts out firmware like my wife buys shoes. We are also getting Jelly Bean very soon (confirmed, but no date). I have read that Samsung stinks at pushing firmware? can anyone comment on that? Also, has there been any word on when JB will be hitting the Note? With the Note having an issue with exfat on the SD cards, when will a fix be pushed? Those lack of updates scare me with Samsung.
Spen - I dont care. I guess I could use it for taking notes at work, but I was considering the transformer keyboard (maybe) for mine. Not a huge deal at all for me.
Dual screen thing - very cool, but the Overskreen app does that as well, so I dont really care for this feature either.
So my thinking is, I am actually very happy with my tablet, but I am one of those who dwell on the fact that I could return it (in my 30 day window with BB) and grab the note and could have that little bit more of performance, more quality control...but it is possible I could lose the firmware/jelly bean pushes (can someone speak to that?) and lose the HD.
I am still considering the Note. Hell, I might even keep my TF700 until the 30 day mark, and return it all together until I can see some real life stats of the Note. If I dont think it will suit my needs, I go back and get the Asus. Sounds dumb, but for 500 bucks, I am looking for perfection.
My usage is Music by far #1, Browsing #2, and maybe some games. That is what I am using it for at the moment. It is a luxury item for me right now.
If I find that real life stats on the Note just SMOKE the Asus, I may be getting it.
I know for sure I will get it if they push updates and it gets jelly bean soon, soon as in this year, not next.
I hope that makes sense, and I was trying to be objective and not be a fanboy
I am really considering the Note, but I need some real life stats before I make the change.
Good idea for a thread, because there ARE people out there like me, who are considering one or the other, or already own one and are thinking about switching.
Connectivity
hot_spare said:
I think Acer also has FHD tab (iconia 700 or something). I guess that also deserves to fight here as it seems to be same-spec'd as Asus Infinity.
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Click to collapse
The biggest asset for me is connectivity; i.e. full size USB, memory cards, HDMI, etc. This is where Samsung have not progressed and ACER and ASUS (with the dock) have. How much more would it cost the manufacturers to have an option to add more RAM?
Having said all that, the Note 10.1 is impressive and the unlocked tab costs SAR2,600 here in Saudi Arabia from various leading shops. ($1=SAR3.75)
was watching the live stream and the guy said jb will be out for the note by this year
Another big Plus is the usage as telephone in the 3G Version.
Since I have a dual card, its nice answering phone calls, while watching a movie.
This isn't meant as a put-down on Asus; they deliver great value. But that value comes at a price. Since the OG Transformer they've had design, QC, and performance issues. The latter due to using second-tier suppliers to keep costs down. Here are some examples.
HannStar Displays - All Asus tablet forums have threads on backlight bleeding, bad pixels, and other types of display defects that affect a larger than typical number of devices. There's also haptic feedback issues which could be the panel, digitizer, or both.
AzureWave Wi-Fi Radios - Premium manufacturers use Broadcom. AzureWave is why Asus doesn't support 5GHz Wi-Fi and most likely the source of BT interference that bogs down streaming when BT is connected.
Cheap NAND - All of Asus’ tablets suffer from IO issues.
Assembly Issues - Creaking, displays becoming separated, frames bending around the dock connector, and other issues that point to weak assembly tolerances, poor design, or some combination of both. This thread in the TF700 forum describes (by owners) some of the issues. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1815968. In addition, a tear-down of the Prime reinforces issues in the assembly process. http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/cr...ardown-solid-tablet-but-not-without-flaws/399
Service and Repair – Their outsourced repair facility in Texas is atrocious. All of the Asus forums are riddled with stories of devices damaged while being repaired, accusations of customer induced damage to avoid warranty costs, long turnaround times, and ineffective communication for status.
Warranty Void for Unlocking the Bootloader – And they don’t provide NVFlash support for people to be able to recover on their own.
Samsung outsells Asus (N7 excepted) three-to-one in tablets and we all know they are the dominant player in non-Apple smartphones. They also manufacture a great deal of their own components. Because of this their cost-of-goods is untouchable by other manufacturers. So for Asus to deliver more than Samsung when their component costs are higher means there had to be cuts made somewhere. What I listed above are just some of those cuts. If folks are happy with their Asus products and aren’t personally experiencing or concerned about the issues that riddle their forums that’s totally cool. Like I said, Asus tablets are a great value. And things like ports aren't a functional differentiator, all can be replicated via add-ons for the Note. It's a matter of adding the additional cost to the total price you're willing to pay. But different strokes for different folks.
Here are some things that, at least for me, made me buy the Note. Even without a 1080P display.
Performance - It feels in use exactly what the benchmarks portray.
Rock Solid Wireless – The Note has BT 4.0 and aptX. If none of you have listened to lossless audio over BT it’s incredible. I have it on my One X and it sounds better with high-end headphones than a physical connection. The Note also has a/b/g/n Wi-Fi support with channel bonding and Samsung’s always supported 5GHz. GPS also supports Glonass.
Durability – I’ve had a Samsung phone and two Samsung tablets (three counting the Note). From experience and watching activity on their forums there are fewer issues with build quality and longevity with Samsung products than any other. They may be “plasticky” but they stand up to tough treatment very well.
Specific Note Features – I won’t elaborate because they’re already being talked about.
- S-Pen
- Multi-view
- Overall performance
- Browser experience
- Wireless performance
- True stereo output with forward facing speakers
- Build quality and support
- TW mini-apps, Awake Stay, Pop up play, AllShare Cast, Buddy Photo
All of this is a big YMMV because everyone has different sensitivities and uses their devices differently. So agreement on which is better, the Note or TF700, will never happen. And for the love of God, those of you that are diehard Asus fans don't go on a tear about the commentary I've provided. Whether it's happening to you or not all of it is substantiated on the TF101, TF201, TF300, TF700, and N7 forums with threads over 10 pages long discussing each item I've outlined.
I need to see one and test one in real life before the 3rd to make my decision.
I am hoping BB gets them in stock.
---------- Post added at 01:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:09 PM ----------
Barry...I am still waiting for those videos
All the full reviews are starting to be released now that the announcement’s been made. They were already written but embargoed. Since we've been talking about the display and agree how important it is, here's a comment from PCWorld. I've noticed the same thing because when I put my P7500 next to the Note, in spite of them both having the same resolution, the display on the Note is clearly superior.
"However, Samsung has clearly done something with this tablet to boost its display performance. The sharpness and color of images is dramatically better than the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, and my high-resolution images in the Google Gallery had sharpness and detail that came close to what you'd find on the high-pixel density displays. (Another observation: Android tablets typically struggle with skin tones, but the Note 10.1 produced some of the most realistic skin tones I've seen.) Text clarity was better than than on the abysmal Galaxy Tab 2, but it couldn't hold a candle to what you'd get on any of the high-pixel density displays."
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2609...w_the_pen_sets_this_android_tablet_apart.html
P.S. – In the article they talk about an attachment issue with Gmail. If anyone has an issue with it the solution is to set Gmail up using push via ActiveSync in the stock e-mail client. I do that anyway because it’s better integrated with other stock apps and my other e-mail accounts.
qnfauf said:
I returned my Transformer Infinity and somehow ended up here looking for a new tablet. (Related thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1830473) Simply put, I'm never buying another Asus product again.
I'm really leaning towards buying a Galaxy Note as soon as possible. Unless I find some other tablets that look better or find some flaws on Galaxy Note, I will probably buy it. Looks like "Meet the new way" thing is going to happen soon in New York, and hopefully I will be able to buy them within a few days if not hours.
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Click to collapse
I just noticed up my infinity to take it back tomorrow. By far the worst tablet experience I've ever had. Screen flicker, screen bleed, and the brightness even with auto brightness of constantly fluctuates. And the Asus seems very sluggish to me also. I've got a nexus 7 that runs as smooth as can be, but my int. htc one x with tegra 3 is very lagy also. Makes me wonder just how great tegra 3 chips really aren't?
I do love the keyboard dock though, would be nice if Samsung came out with something like it.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium
The Huawei FHD may be worth considering also, it had great specs and a similar dock to the asus, I'm looking at these 3 tablets but I'm going to wait until the Huawei gets reviewed before I decide which one to buy
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
jimbob456 said:
The Huawei FHD may be worth considering also, it had great specs and a similar dock to the asus, I'm looking at these 3 tablets but I'm going to wait until the Huawei gets reviewed before I decide which one to buy
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
When is the huawei mediapad coming out? And that thing only has a 6600mAh battery, with the high resolution screen, it won't be enough.
I am hoping best buy has them in Stock soon. I am taking this up there and comparing it have never used touch wiz.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using xda app-developers app
lardo5150 said:
I am hoping best buy has them in Stock soon. I am taking this up there and comparing it have never used touch wiz.
Click to expand...
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You probably won't be a fan. I'm not particularly. It does provide some decent additional features, integration, and short cuts but it's both bland and cartoonish at the same time. Bland in the way the different menus and editorial are presented and cartoonish based on the widgets and icons. I have a One X and HTC does a fantastic job with Sense. Both in the way it's presented and by giving it a more polished and contemporary feel. The widgets on the Note blow. For example the calendar widget is 4x6 and can't be resized. Same thing with the other S-Planner widgets which are 4x4 so you can't stack them vertically. I'm still pissed they left out Social Hub. It's not the world's greatest social solution but at least I got all my notifications in one place instead of having multiple odd looking widgets with each individual app cluttering the notification bar when something new comes in. The pop-up mini-apps have been around since the OG G-Tab but with the power of the Note they are actually usable now. You do get 50GB of Dropbox for two-years and it’s well-integrated with all the other apps and a lot of third party apps. That beats the 6GB from Asus with their proprietary cloud. If you end up getting a Note it won’t be because of TW.
Can you not install third party widgets like hd widgets,?
I will be looking at how chrome performs how smooth things open and close and how Google music works with touch wiz.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using xda app-developers app
I'm also considering the note 10.1 and returning my infinity, too many issues, returned my prime for the infinity, much better than the prime, but doesn't feel right, good luck
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
I guess I'm not the only one struggling with this same decision. I almost bought a TF700t around a week ago until I started reading about all of the IO issues with the transformer line. The keyboard dock ability for the ASUS is something I would like to have but Samsung does have an official keyboard dock for the note that will be available also so it at least gives me an option for that. It may not have an extended battery and the extra full size ports but I think I can live with that.
Overall I am really seriously leaning towards the Note 10.1 for the following reasons.
1) Stock Performance - if its this good out of the box, Custom Roms will really fly.
2) 2GB Ram = future longevity & multitasking
3) Odin = easy to mod, fairly hard to brick. Asus could have this too with NVFlash but it sounds like they have done some work to make sure users cant use it.
4) Stereo front facing speakers - Yes headphones are better but it would be nice to have real speakers on the device. Having speakers facing away from the user is junk.
I still own a Galaxy S (Epic 4G) for my daily driver. I removed touchwiz from it long ago in favor of Cyanogenmod and haven't looked back. And while Samsung has been pretty bad on their software updates in the past, I do feel like they have been getting better with the newer devices, plus there's always the dev community to the rescue. Their hardware on the other hand, I have always thought was some of the best on the market.
lardo5150 said:
Can you not install third party widgets like hd widgets,?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, third party apps and widgets perform the way they always do.
I will be looking at how chrome performs how smooth things open and close and how Google music works with touch wiz.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you use Chrome you'll lose multi-view. Only certain stock apps work in multi-view. The stock browser's incredibly fast and Samsung's always done an excellent job with h/w browser acceleration. Between stock and Chrome I'd bet stock is faster.
iamchocho said:
Stock Performance - if its this good out of the box, Custom Roms will really fly...
...I removed touchwiz from it long ago in favor of Cyanogenmod and haven't looked back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The difference is all the Note's proprietary apps. Just like today, if you replace Sense or TW with a third party launcher none of HTC or Samsung's widgets work outside the overlay. If the devs tweak the stock ROM making sure to preserve all the stuff like the functionality of the S-Pen, multi-view, and the other imbedded stuff everyone should be fine. Putting an AOSP ROM on the Note will obliterate all the features you're buying it for. Unless you're really buying it just for the h/w platform. The Note is further away from stock Android than any other device on the market because of all the non-standard stuff Samsung's baked in.
To the owners, Is Note 10.1 worth buying?
Coming from SONY TABLET S !!!
Really didnt enjoyed good android experience on any of the tablets, do would u rate Note 10.1?
Why m hesitant is:
1. Nexus 7 price point
2. Love for Sony, Xperia Tablet coming
3. M'soft Surface, if priced well hell yeahh...
sent from seXperia S
xperiax10.awesome said:
To the owners, Is Note 10.1 worth buying?
Coming from SONY TABLET S !!!
Really didnt enjoyed good android experience on any of the tablets, do would u rate Note 10.1?
sent from seXperia S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since we bought it I would say we thought it was worth buying. I think the real question is do you think it is worth buying? That depends on what you plan to use it for.
Hell yes its worth buying to me. I would rate it a solid 8.75-9.0
I'm on a flight from Portland to Dallas writing this. I have the Note in portrait mode in multview connected to GoGo Wi-Fi. In the lower panel I have XDA open in a browser window and am watching a movie in the upper panel. No lag, no hiccups, pretty amazing.Try doing that on any other tablet. The guy sitting next to me (who's an ass) has an iPad and I can see him looking out of the corner of his eye in amazement. The more I use the Note the more impressed I am.
I am coming from TFP and it worth every penny.
Sony to Samsung
I was in the exact same boat as the OP. I had (still have) the Sony tablet and upgraded to the Samsung. Final verdict - Mixed bag.
The samsung is immediately and obviously faster than the Sony. The screen is of course slightly larger as is the tablet in general. The one thing you will be blown away by coming from the sony is the audio on the Note. The speakers are loud and placed directly on the front of the unit. I don't know if you are one of the people effected by the low audio problems with the Sony, but if you were you will be smiling from ear to ear.
As for all other aspects, the wifi signal strength is much improved, but the screen will be a mixed bag as well. While it is brighter, it will at first appear less crisp since it is essentially the same resolution of the Sony, but the Sony had those pixels squeezed into a smaller screen, so they were higher density. Does this cause any problems? Not in the least. The screen is still bright, crisp and easily viewed from a wide angle. I have read that Samsung "tweaked" the screen somehow so that it was not the same as every other screen out there in this resolution, and if so...it shows. Text is not as sharp as on the higher definition screens or the iPad, but it is sharper than it was on the Sony.
Web browsing is LEAGUES better than it was on the sony, and the apps that support the sPen are generally pretty decent. If you are using this for a multimedia device or games...look no further. The benchmarks for this tablet in those area are awesome. If you are a graphics artist or dabble in those things, the included photoshop is good, and I imagine will only get better with the first Samsung and Adobe updates.
Now the downsides...first, for the price, the screen really should have been better...but as I said, it's nowhere near being bad. The back of the unit is shiny plastic, so it's a fingerprint magnet...but it's upside is that since it's plastic, it has stronger wifi reception and gps. The pen that is included does NOT have the eraser you may have seen in some videos, but it does tuck away into the unit nicely and comes with several spare tips and a few varieties of them.
The biggest downside...and honestly for me it's 50/50. I started using my sony as a universal remote for every device in my home. The Samsung has such a remote, and in theory it should be FAR FAR better than the one on the sony....BUT...it only worked for the fist 30 minutes I set it up and never again. I searched online and only read more horror stories about that software (not the hardware...the note itself has no issues with its IR transmitter...only the included program). I updated the software and tried a thousand ways to fix this...but no joy. The built in software is supposed to not only control devices, but provide a visual guide of all the shows on TV, information about them, and learn your preferences much like a TIVO, but once it starts developing issues, they never seem to go away. But as with everything, YMMV, so take that with a grain of salt. I use ATT Uverse as my provider, so it may just be issues with them (although that would not seem to be the case online).
To sum it all up, I am happy with the purchase. At the moment, Amazon has a deal going on the 32GB version that is only $528 I believe, as opposed to the $549. The company providing it charges no taxes and only $8 shipping, so that's a HUGE savings. Would I purchase the unit again? Without hesitation. I picked mine up on the first day it was available, and only the 16gb version was available. I am planning on returning the 16gb and picking up the 32gb. So not only would I buy it again, but...I really am buying it again! LOL.
Hope that helped a little. If you have any questions, fire away
Totally
I had the tf300 and its not even close. The s pen is so useful and the software is much better than my last one. Highly recommended. I have not tried the tf700, but if outed like the tf300 this is the tab to beat.
As you already have a Sony tablet, I wouldn't buy the Note right now. Sony has their second attempt, Xperia Tablet, expected next month.
Wait and see how that plays out.
Hmmm, even the reviews are not very impressive considering the price tag..
sent from seXperia S
*Omnipresent* said:
Hell yes its worth buying to me. I would rate it a solid 8.75-9.0
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Click to collapse
I really like my Note. IMO, If you're buying it for some reason other than the active digitzer + stylus combo, you've probably bought it for the wrong reason. If you buy this tablet, you're buying it for productivity.
I took mine with me to class today, was able to write some very solid looking notes quickly and easily, while simultaneously recording audio. It has a few cons, like the cameras occasionally being terrible, and the back being made of what feels like a cheap plastic, but as far as I'm concerned the pros (digitizer + stylus, side-by-side app viewing, quad-core Exynos beast + 2GB RAM for multitasking) outweigh the cons by far.
Hell, the only reason I ever bought either the iPad or iPad2 was that I had this hope that I could somehow find a good, accurate stylus that would let me take notes in class and ditch my paper-and-pen notebook. With the Note 10.1, I've found that tablet. I already love it more than I ever loved my iPad(s).
Did I mention it's great for note taking?! :silly:
Many of us bought this for the pen. In this aspect it's peerless. Combined with this, it's also very good in most other ways.
People are complaining that it should have a higher resolution screen, I disagree. Reason: My eyesight isn't all that great, and to me the difference is minimal, and I would rather have the quad horsepower dedicated to the pen, and other functions rather than screen real estate.
In a year or so, the higher resolution tablets will be standard, but until then i'd rather have it this way.
Whatever. :laugh: The point is: this tablet is fairly perfect for what I wanted: A pen interface, in the iPad/Galaxy format.
xperiax10.awesome said:
Hmmm, even the reviews are not very impressive considering the price tag..
sent from seXperia S
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Click to collapse
I think it's really interesting how the "professional" reviews don't match up at all with the real world hands-on experiences of the people on the forums. The way I see it, I don't even bother with reading reviews anymore when you can get much more thorough and unbiased reviews from the good folks here on XDA.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
NessLookAlike said:
I really like my Note. IMO, If you're buying it for some reason other than the active digitzer + stylus combo, you've probably bought it for the wrong reason. If you buy this tablet, you're buying it for productivity.
I took mine with me to class today, was able to write some very solid looking notes quickly and easily, while simultaneously recording audio. It has a few cons, like the cameras occasionally being terrible, and the back being made of what feels like a cheap plastic, but as far as I'm concerned the pros (digitizer + stylus, side-by-side app viewing, quad-core Exynos beast + 2GB RAM for multitasking) outweigh the cons by far.
Hell, the only reason I ever bought either the iPad or iPad2 was that I had this hope that I could somehow find a good, accurate stylus that would let me take notes in class and ditch my paper-and-pen notebook. With the Note 10.1, I've found that tablet. I already love it more than I ever loved my iPad(s).
Did I mention it's great for note taking?! :silly:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm considering the upgrade of my tab10.1 to the note to use it taking notes in my classes as well. How the palm rejection works when you touch the screen with the hand who is writing? And, maybe it is the response at the first question as well, can i disable all the touch input excepting the active digitalizer of the s-pen? It would be perfect to me in that case :cyclops:
aNard said:
I'm considering the upgrade of my tab10.1 to the note to use it taking notes in my classes as well. How the palm rejection works when you touch the screen with the hand who is writing? And, maybe it is the response at the first question as well, can i disable all the touch input excepting the active digitalizer of the s-pen? It would be perfect to me in that case :cyclops:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Palm rejection is perfect, at least in the S Memo app that comes stock with the Note. Until other market apps are updated to support the Note, S Memi will probably be the one or two apps you'll want to use to take notes.. but it really is perfect. The app itself has a few quirks, but I'm sure they'll be ironed out over time. This morning when I was taking notes, it felt weird to leave my hand resting on the screen, and I was concerned my palm would get lots of grease on the screen -- but nope, everything was fine! It takes maybe 5 minutes to get used to. And yes, you can disable all touch input except the digitizer. There's a button for it in the note-taking app.
It really is that good for taking notes.
Thank you, I think you've settled the final word over my tablet upgrade with that post and your reassurances
Inviato dal mio Galaxy Nexus con Tapatalk 2
I didn't buy this for the pen.. I bought it cause it has the most powerful processor you can get in a tablet.
And that should last me quite awhile.
What is striking me as wierd is the mixture of reviews for the Note 10.1.
Gizmodo absolutely ripped into it and recommended against purchasing it while others seem to love it.
i the verge and gizmodo married they would make a new website called
ibiased.com
period.
It really comes down to what you want it for. I feel pretty sure they went with a less dense screen to improve speed, especially with the pen.
Browsing on this is as fast as with my laptop on Ethernet.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2
habs101 said:
i the verge and gizmodo married they would make a new website called
ibiased.com
period.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, cant they put their apple fanboy status aside.
Walt Mossberg I felt gave the note a very fair review. Given that he is an apple fanboy my opinion of him is even greater because the review was very objective.
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't drink! But thanks for your advice
BarryH_GEG said:
You need to convince yourself.
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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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 ?
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)
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
Folks if you are thinking of upgrading to the Tab S3: do not do it, it has a massive power drain bug that is likely a hardware issue at this point:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-tab-s3/how-to/wifi-power-drain-bug-please-report-to-t3624872
I miss my good old S2.
Wouldn't touch it - don't like the available sizes. Happy with my 8" Tab S2.
...........
I wasn't interested in it either. The breakable glass back totally turned me off, as well as the unimpressive processor. I don't think Samsung put the proper effort into it, except for designing the price tag, and my two Tab S2's are going good, and if the screen didn't break my older Google Nexus 7 would be too. What I have been ogling is the new Ipad Pro 12 or 10, tho I never owned an Apple product before.
penguinjoe said:
Wouldn't touch it - don't like the available sizes. Happy with my 8" Tab S2.
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Totally agree penguin. Battery isn't great, but ergonomically, the 8" is the best tablet you can get. You can hold this for ages and your wrist doesn't get tired.
Masteryates said:
Totally agree penguin. Battery isn't great, but ergonomically, the 8" is the best tablet you can get. You can hold this for ages and your wrist doesn't get tired.
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I have two Tab S2's, the 8 and the 9.7. For my purposes I now prefer the 9.7. The easiest to hold tho was my old Google Nexus 7, even though it was heavier it was narrower and my hand could grip it.
Bullwinkle J. Moose said:
I have two Tab S2's, the 8 and the 9.7. For my purposes I now prefer the 9.7. The easiest to hold tho was my old Google Nexus 7, even though it was heavier it was narrower and my hand could grip it.
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I agree that you could get your hand around a Nexus 7 but that was at the expense of screen. On websites, this was a pain. That's why I think the Tab S2 8" is the best of both worlds.
Masteryates said:
I agree that you could get your hand around a Nexus 7 but that was at the expense of screen. On websites, this was a pain. That's why I think the Tab S2 8" is the best of both worlds.
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Click to collapse
I have both the gen 1 and gen 2 Nexus 7's and agree that while the size was nice for gripping, I much prefer the additional real estate and general quality of the 8" S2 display. I use a Moko case that has a handle to facilitate holding the S2 - I don't have big hands and I also kept hitting the screen with my fingers and palm when holding with one hand.
sparksd said:
I have both the gen 1 and gen 2 Nexus 7's and agree that while the size was nice for gripping, I much prefer the additional real estate and general quality of the 8" S2 display. I use a Moko case that has a handle to facilitate holding the S2 - I don't have big hands and I also kept hitting the screen with my fingers and palm when holding with one hand.
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Click to collapse
Yes sparks. I find that because the S2 is so light, I don't need to hold as much of it to feel secure in my hand. I'd say I've medium sized hands. I think the 9.7" version would be a different proposition all together.
...............
sparksd said:
I have both the gen 1 and gen 2 Nexus 7's and agree that while the size was nice for gripping, I much prefer the additional real estate and general quality of the 8" S2 display. I use a Moko case that has a handle to facilitate holding the S2 - I don't have big hands and I also kept hitting the screen with my fingers and palm when holding with one hand.
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Click to collapse
I agree, and I like the real estate on the 9.7 even more. I've even been ogling the new 12" Ipad, but like I said I don't even know how to work them. I'll have to look into the Moko case. What I do now is use no case at all except for transport, but a glass shield to protect the screen. Seems to me that the added weight of a case defeats the purpose of these ultralight devices, but a case with a convenient gripping handle might be good...
PS It's a hassle posting on here: "the string you entered for image verification doesn't match"......huh? what string? It just says check box if you're not a robot and I did (and so would a clever robot!)
Bullwinkle J. Moose said:
I agree, and I like the real estate on the 9.7 even more. I've even been ogling the new 12" Ipad, but like I said I don't even know how to work them. I'll have to look into the Moko case. What I do now is use no case at all except for transport, but a glass shield to protect the screen. Seems to me that the added weight of a case defeats the purpose of these ultralight devices, but a case with a convenient gripping handle might be good...
PS It's a hassle posting on here: "the string you entered for image verification doesn't match"......huh? what string? It just says check box if you're not a robot and I did (and so would a clever robot!)
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Click to collapse
Two years ago I bought an iPad Air 2 even though I've never been a fan of Apple products - I've had a lot of Android devices and my home PCs/laptops are Windows. But I must admit I am very impressed with the iPad- very polished and very stable. The iOS ecosystem has a lot I don't like - the sandbox approach to file management for one - but a lot of the apps available are extremely well done and sophisticated. Look at "Complete Anatomy" for one - I tried it out of curiosity and didn't buy the full edition but it is absolutely amazing. My doctor saw it and said he wished he had it in med school. My last large Android tablet - an Asus TF700T - was a PoS that I only used for screwing around with custom ROMs; it was pretty but it's performance was terrible. My brother has the 12" iPad and it is very nice and could make a good work machine. But I'm a retired S/W Systems Engineer (started in '71!) so work is foreign to me ...
Sparksd - Was it hard to learn to work the Ipad coming over from Windows and Android? I'm lazy and don't want to put a lot of effort into learning a whole new system...besides I' m already all tuckered out just from reading that 4-letter word you so rudely wrote...eek!...work! I don't see anyone else putting together such a nice tablet as Apple, though.
Bullwinkle J. Moose said:
Sparksd - Was it hard to learn to work the Ipad coming over from Windows and Android? I'm lazy and don't want to put a lot of effort into learning a whole new system...besides I' m already all tuckered out just from reading that 4-letter word you so rudely wrote...eek!...work! I don't see anyone else putting together such a nice tablet as Apple, though.
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Click to collapse
It was quite easy. In fact, what originally got me interested was when my 94 year-old Mom was given an older iPad by my nephew and she was able to use it on her own. I don't think I would have left her with an Android device or PC. The most difficult aspect to get used to and understand was the iOS file management philosophy but once I read up on it and got a couple of file management apps (FileBrowser, GoodReader, and Documents) I could deal with it.
And apologies for using the word for That Which Should Not be Spoken Of. Retirement is great!
I may give it a try, Spark. If I do I'll buy it at Costco. I'll have 90 days to decide if I want to keep it then. Plus Costco extends the warranty by a year.
To be honest, unless you have an existing investment in Android or Android apps, or have a specific need that Apple doesn't support, the iPads are better tablets. They are built better, work smoother, and have much better battery life over all. I am the lone hold out in my family with a Nexus 7 and a Galaxy Tab S2 (because the N7 is starting to get creaky)
The only issues I get from my family, who are uniformly Apple users, are that printing directly from apps doesn't work right (generally solveable by using the Brother print app), occasionally the bluetooth will glitch and cause the music player to start automatically, and Safari will crash under moderate load. Dolphin generally solves that latter issue, though I'm not sure how. Oh, and there are no obvious ways to block ads outside of the web browser. That's it - really. Otherwise, they love the things. We have upgraded through the iPad 2 to the iPad Air and now my wife is on an iPad Air 2.
Given Google's lack of interest in tablets and tablet software, the only thing keeping me on Android tablets is the fact that I own a lot of Android apps and games for them, and several reasonable firewall and privacy apps are available for it. Obviously, as an XDA member, I tend to prefer a higher level of control and modification of my devices, but if I were suggesting something for a non-technical user, I would point them at the new iPad 5. (unless they want to do art or technical work, then an iPad Pro 9.7")
jshamlet said:
To be honest, unless you have an existing investment in Android or Android apps, or have a specific need that Apple doesn't support, the iPads are better tablets. They are built better, work smoother, and have much better battery life over all. I am the lone hold out in my family with a Nexus 7 and a Galaxy Tab S2 (because the N7 is starting to get creaky)
The only issues I get from my family, who are uniformly Apple users, are that printing directly from apps doesn't work right (generally solveable by using the Brother print app), occasionally the bluetooth will glitch and cause the music player to start automatically, and Safari will crash under moderate load. Dolphin generally solves that latter issue, though I'm not sure how. Oh, and there are no obvious ways to block ads outside of the web browser. That's it - really. Otherwise, they love the things. We have upgraded through the iPad 2 to the iPad Air and now my wife is on an iPad Air 2.
Given Google's lack of interest in tablets and tablet software, the only thing keeping me on Android tablets is the fact that I own a lot of Android apps and games for them, and several reasonable firewall and privacy apps are available for it. Obviously, as an XDA member, I tend to prefer a higher level of control and modification of my devices, but if I were suggesting something for a non-technical user, I would point them at the new iPad 5. (unless they want to do art or technical work, then an iPad Pro 9.7")
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I completely agree with your assessment. I do like the level of control and modification that Android gives but that's the engineer in me who likes to really play around with the settings, ROMs, etc. As a "tablet user" though, give me my Air 2. It just plain works well and as I mentioned earlier, the level of polish and sophistication in a lot of available apps is outstanding. I'll always have Android devices but my next tablet upgrade would be another iPad. The S2 is a big upgrade from my Nexus 7 (and it blows my Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700T away) and is fun to use but my Air 2 is a better tablet. And this is from a guy who never thought he would buy an Apple device.
Yeah, I've been deeply disappointed by Google's lack of interest in tablets. I was hoping that after all the effort that went into Honeycomb they might actually reach parity with iOS, but nope. It is all still phone centric.
What is more baffling is that Samsung hasn't picked up the slack either, and despite being "Galaxy" devices, the Galaxy Tabs aren't really being treated that way. I still like my Tab S2, and it is at least as good as my wife's iPad Air 2 in terms of performance, but it isn't anywhere near it in terms of battery life. That last one is frustrating because it's a tablet. Make the thing a millimeter thicker and put a real battery in it. Our old iPad 2, despite being practically geriatric at this point, outlasts my Tab S2! (I keep it around as a Facetime client)
Same with my phone - I could tolerate an extra few millimeters if it meant the battery lasted longer. I really hope this thin fetish ends at some point...
jshamlet said:
Yeah, I've been deeply disappointed by Google's lack of interest in tablets. I was hoping that after all the effort that went into Honeycomb they might actually reach parity with iOS, but nope. It is all still phone centric.
What is more baffling is that Samsung hasn't picked up the slack either, and despite being "Galaxy" devices, the Galaxy Tabs aren't really being treated that way. I still like my Tab S2, and it is at least as good as my wife's iPad Air 2 in terms of performance, but it isn't anywhere near it in terms of battery life. That last one is frustrating because it's a tablet. Make the thing a millimeter thicker and put a real battery in it. Our old iPad 2, despite being practically geriatric at this point, outlasts my Tab S2! (I keep it around as a Facetime client)
Same with my phone - I could tolerate an extra few millimeters if it meant the battery lasted longer. I really hope this thin fetish ends at some point...
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Click to collapse
It doesn't look good these days for the overall tablet-only market, with a greater emphasis on hybrid and detachable devices - look at the Surface and where Apple is going with their Pro line. I think Google sees their niche in Chromebooks, which leaves Samsung as the big Android player. And if I'm an app developer, I'd be focused on either targeting phones (Android or Apple) or Apple tablets, not Android tablets, making Android tablets even less desirable as an end-user device. (Regarding battery - charged my Air 2 last night and this morning it was still at 100% with Bluetooth, WiFi, and location all enabled. Usage drain is also better than any other device I've owned.)
jshamlet said:
Yeah, I've been deeply disappointed by Google's lack of interest in tablets. I was hoping that after all the effort that went into Honeycomb they might actually reach parity with iOS, but nope. It is all still phone centric.
What is more baffling is that Samsung hasn't picked up the slack either, and despite being "Galaxy" devices, the Galaxy Tabs aren't really being treated that way. I still like my Tab S2, and it is at least as good as my wife's iPad Air 2 in terms of performance, but it isn't anywhere near it in terms of battery life. That last one is frustrating because it's a tablet. Make the thing a millimeter thicker and put a real battery in it. Our old iPad 2, despite being practically geriatric at this point, outlasts my Tab S2! (I keep it around as a Facetime client)
Same with my phone - I could tolerate an extra few millimeters if it meant the battery lasted longer. I really hope this thin fetish ends at some point...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to disagree Jshamlet. The thing that made me buy this tablet was the weight, and I notice how heavy any other tablet is when I holding. Maybe Samsung could attempt something like last years Motorola phones where there is a back plate which includes a battery, giving the best of both worlds?
---------- Post added at 11:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 AM ----------
jshamlet said:
Yeah, I've been deeply disappointed by Google's lack of interest in tablets. I was hoping that after all the effort that went into Honeycomb they might actually reach parity with iOS, but nope. It is all still phone centric.
What is more baffling is that Samsung hasn't picked up the slack either, and despite being "Galaxy" devices, the Galaxy Tabs aren't really being treated that way. I still like my Tab S2, and it is at least as good as my wife's iPad Air 2 in terms of performance, but it isn't anywhere near it in terms of battery life. That last one is frustrating because it's a tablet. Make the thing a millimeter thicker and put a real battery in it. Our old iPad 2, despite being practically geriatric at this point, outlasts my Tab S2! (I keep it around as a Facetime client)
Same with my phone - I could tolerate an extra few millimeters if it meant the battery lasted longer. I really hope this thin fetish ends at some point...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to disagree Jshamlet. The thing that made me buy this tablet was the weight, and I notice how heavy any other tablet is when I holding. Maybe Samsung could attempt something like last years Motorola phones where there is a back plate which includes a battery, giving the best of both worlds?
Talking of picking up the slack, I'd love One Plus to put there foot in the door. Samsung have had there chance......
Hi folks.
I was close to buy an iPad air 2 also, but:
- no GPS
- expensive
were the two reasons that I preferred the tab s2 instead. Also, I found it for a very good price.
I agree that for general usage the iPads are better tablets, I would never buy my mother an android, but for an engineer like me, with low budget, this was a better choice.
The alternative for me was to an even cheaper tablet, like Amazon fire, but the quality is even lower.
And I think the screen of the Tab S2 is amazing.
mauricempc74 said:
Hi folks.
I was close to buy an iPad air 2 also, but:
- no GPS
- expensive
were the two reasons that I preferred the tab s2 instead. Also, I found it for a very good price.
I agree that for general usage the iPads are better tablets, I would never buy my mother an android, but for an engineer like me, with low budget, this was a better choice.
The alternative for me was to an even cheaper tablet, like Amazon fire, but the quality is even lower.
And I think the screen of the Tab S2 is amazing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its funny that I bought my 65 year old mother a Nexus 4 back in 2012, thinking it would be too complex. She loved that phone and took an even bigger risk by replacing it with a Huawei P9 Lite. She's now an Android FanGranny and snaps at my sister whenever she suggests getting her an iOS device.