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After reluctantly succumbing to the temptation of the iPhone I bought one and used it for 1 week before reverting to my Diamond!
Conclusions - the iPhone is a good communications device. The Diamond is a good communication device AND a mobile Personal Computer. It is so much more versatile, flexible and you can be more productive without relying on your desktop/laptop PC.
The iPhone interface is lovely, fast, robust-feeling and crisp and clear. It has been designed to be like that. HTC have put touch functionality on top of WinMo which was not designed for it so it has a few drawbacks.
I shall no doubt upgrade to the Touch HD as I now accept the HTC failings because the platform is so much better than iPhone.
My question is...how is the HTC Touch HD going to address these?
Any thoughts, considered opinions, or leaked info welcome!!
cheers all
cojones said:
After reluctantly succumbing to the temptation of the iPhone I bought one and used it for 1 week before reverting to my Diamond!
Conclusions - the iPhone is a good communications device. The Diamond is a good communication device AND a mobile Personal Computer. It is so much more versatile, flexible and you can be more productive without relying on your desktop/laptop PC.
The iPhone interface is lovely, fast, robust-feeling and crisp and clear. It has been designed to be like that. HTC have put touch functionality on top of WinMo which was not designed for it so it has a few drawbacks.
I shall no doubt upgrade to the Touch HD as I now accept the HTC failings because the platform is so much better than iPhone.
My question is...how is the HTC Touch HD going to address these?
Any thoughts, considered opinions, or leaked info welcome!!
cheers all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so what kind of drawbacks are you talking about?
cause basicallly, the touch hd has got the same interface and OS as the Diamond. Only the screen in bigger. So you will see more at the same time (more appointments on the home screen for example)
Raziel1 said:
so what kind of drawbacks are you talking about?
cause basicly, the touch hd has got the same interface and os as the Diamon. only the screen ins bigger so you will see more at the same time (more appointments on the home screen for example)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree.. Its a Diamond with a larger screen and 5MP camera. Hopefully it doesn't inherit any of the same GPS lag problems as its kin.
Hi, yes i'm aware it is just Diamond but bigger, i'm wondering if HTC has updated the usability aspects of the hardware, like the screen and the interfaces like the keyboard?
A constant problem for me with the Diamond is the hit-and-miss accuracy of the direction pad. Sometimes pressing right gets actioned as backspace and closes things down. It is also fiddly to position to cursor exactly between required letters in text boxes.
I'm wondering, especially as there is no directional pad on the HD, what measures HTC has implemented to enable this precise kind of interaction.
Just install something like Winterface and the interface will be so much like an iPhone it won't be funny.
The biggest difference that you will find after coming from using an iPhone is the screen. The reason the iPhone screen is so good to use is it is a capacitive screen which means it does not require any pressure to select icons etc. It senses changes in electrical properties brought on by touching it with bare skin. The screen in Windows Mobile devices is resistive which requires pressure by touch or a stylus for accuracy.
Having said that the sensitivity of the screens can be changed and from what I have seen from various hands on videos of the Touch HD the screen looks very sensitive to touch so I am hoping this will very usable.
chrissyboy6969 said:
The biggest difference that you will find after coming from using an iPhone is the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I am a WinMo person through and through, for about 5 years now, I only had an iPhone for 1 week! I understand the differences with screen technology, do you think HTC will have improved the sensitivity by default?
One of the best features in HD is the new screen.It doesnt use the same technology as Iphone but is very similar in sensitivity,although Iphone screen is still the best in touch screens(flash memory and touch screen are the only things better then latest WM devices...in my opinion of course).
cojones said:
The iPhone interface is lovely, fast, ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is just a general comment stemmed from yours, not directed at you:
iphone is fast because it doesn't multitask, other than the core apps that came with iphone. apps are "paused" and states are saved when you go into a different application, nothing can run in the background.
microsoft needs to fire their entire marketing team for not attacking this weakness of the iphone and trumpet this as a pro for Windows Mobile. Actually come to think about it, their marketing team should be fired for unable to come up with advertisements that stick in viewers minds (comparing to apple's ads)
the gps is onchip on the qualcomm so apart from antenna
and software they would all performe pretty much the same
buggybug0 said:
This is just a general comment stemmed from yours, not directed at you:
iphone is fast because it doesn't multitask, other than the core apps that came with iphone. apps are "paused" and states are saved when you go into a different application, nothing can run in the background.
microsoft needs to fire their entire marketing team for not attacking this weakness of the iphone and trumpet this as a pro for Windows Mobile. Actually come to think about it, their marketing team should be fired for unable to come up with advertisements that stick in viewers minds (comparing to apple's ads)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree!
Yes, that was a frustrating thing with the iPhone for the little time i used it, when tracking my cycle rides it needed to be on (screen off) with the app in the foreground. No chance of continuing to track when a phone call comes in or you need to check something else, e.g google maps, internet, etc.
Other iPhone frustrations, no copy & paste, no windows explorer type app, no document editors, no turn by turn gps (yet).
Hoping i can get rid of the iPhone sharpish to help me banish the horrible memories ;-)
I am an iPhone 3G user now, before that I have always used Windows Mobile, the iPhone makes everything that it can do easy to do. Problem is what it can do compared to Windows Mobile is limited. I miss so many things that I used to have, tethering, copy paste to name just two but most importantly the iPhone is becoming too mainstream for me, I like to be different, I like to have a phone that others don't have and show them things they can't do, I guess that is just the geek in me. For that reason I am buying a Touch HD as soon as it comes out, with a little work I can get it to perform just how I want it too.
Rudegar said:
the gps is onchip on the qualcomm so apart from antenna
and software they would all performe pretty much the same
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With Quallcom there is generally one problem...
Their speed is to low... And then people blame in on Win Mobile
chrissyboy6969 said:
with a little work I can get it to perform just how I want it too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly! You've hit the nail on the head, that is the huge advantage WinMo has over iPhone, you can make it just what you want it. iPhone - you get it...and that's it (except for the wallpaper on the unlock screen ;-)
The only issue with WinMo is it's stone age interface designed for stylus. All shells like Manila and SPB are nice but after a couple of taps you reach the good old WinMo GUI and you have to pull the stylus and bring the magnifying glass.
I want a 6.1 device where WinMo is just a platform, and the GUI is entirely replaced with a touch friendly shell.
But the Touch HD will not do that. It will have the same Frankenstein GUI as all recent WinMo devices, so I will keep my Kaiser until WM7 comes along. (or until android supports desktop sync and turn-by-turn)
Same goes here
chrissyboy6969 said:
I am an iPhone 3G user now, before that I have always used Windows Mobile, the iPhone makes everything that it can do easy to do. Problem is what it can do compared to Windows Mobile is limited. I miss so many things that I used to have, tethering, copy paste to name just two but most importantly the iPhone is becoming too mainstream for me, I like to be different, I like to have a phone that others don't have and show them things they can't do, I guess that is just the geek in me. For that reason I am buying a Touch HD as soon as it comes out, with a little work I can get it to perform just how I want it too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was a previous Window mobile user too, but switch to iPhone, but for only less than two weeks or so I sold my iphone, iPhone are luck of so many things compare to Window Mobile features. The iPhone is not so bad. but I rather stick with WMobile, which is easy and simple to use..
(or until android supports desktop sync and turn-by-turn)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't think that'll be very long to wait at all, given the open-source nature of the software
I've used iPhone but have settled for the HD. I like the screen of the iPhone although I prefer the screen on the HD.
HTC Touch HD gives me the real feel of pressing a button where in the iPhone you just touch it and you get instant reaction which sometimes isn't what you want.
When I type, I like to keep my fingers on the screen while thinking of the next line (what ever) and when I am ready I can continue to press as normal to type which is superb!
I've used iPhone but have settled for the HD. I like the screen of the iPhone although I prefer the screen on the HD.
HTC Touch HD gives me the real feel of pressing a button where in the iPhone you just touch it and you get instant reaction which sometimes isn't what you want.
When I type, I like to keep my fingers on the screen while thinking of the next line (what ever) and when I am ready I can continue to press as normal to type which is superb!
Holy double posting thread necromancing batman!
You do realize that no one posted in this thread for... 3 months?
Ok, so the Transformer has firmly ensconced itself in my "Digital Lifestyle" (tm).. why am I posting this? Because with all the pieces starting to fall into place, this device is really still sitting there as the new hotness..
Those pieces are.. (ok, they probably won't mean much to your average joe consumer, but given the often bumpy ride we've taken to get here, means a lot to me..)
Timely updates from Asus (yeah, Honeycomb 3.1 delivered on time as promised put a big smile on many faces)
The Dock (and its subsequent fixes)
Increasing number of apps
Slowly increasing selection of accessories (yeah, I like my FolioGuard)
I'll admit to being a happy consumer of Apple's IPad First Gen.. I know its not for everyone, but for me and the missus, having a tablet to just pick up and use for web surfing, email, showing pictures, watching episodes of Fringe in a hotel room on a rained out holiday etc., the ease of use of a tablet class device both at home and when travelling for "media consumption" was something that fit right into our household needs...
..Unfortunately, with the iPad there was always something "missing".. The Wife wondered whether she'd be able to take it away to work conferences as a replacement for her netbook - giving her superior battery life, a better screen and just better "comfort" ergonomics.. The answer was no dice.. Given that as part of her work she had a need to handle decrypting and encrypting emails (amongst other things that necessitated her carrying at least a netbook class device and the overal 'flexibility' of a full fleged OS) the iOS solutions that existed were just for want of a better word.. messy..
..Then Google teased us all with glimpses of Honeycomb and Asus teased us further with the Transformer and what just might be possible..
Fast forward a little while and one quick install of K9 with APG later.. job done..
She's off to another conference in Paris tomorrow, wants to take my beloved TF with her.. to see if she really can replace her netbook and extra batteries, with it and the dock.. see how she gets on with the better screen and superior battery life... see how she copes with doing the things she'd normally feel confident doing with a PC O/S... so far, all her key bases have been covered courtesy of the Android Market and a little learning curve.. but time will tell..
I do know that she also wanted to copy some episodes of Grey's Anatomy she'd recorded and put on her USB stick, to the tablet's SD card for watching on the flight if she didn't have the dock handy.. She took my TF to work today, to see how she got on with it, without me hovering like an anxious parent.. I got an instant message a short while later saying the files had been copied via to dock and she'd tested them in Moboplayer just fine..
..In an iOS world.. forget it.. (ok, not without a trip home to dock the ipad to the mothership, fire up iTunes.. copy/sync the .avi files to CineXPlayer and hope its compatible.. hardly the end of the world but, let's be honest.. its a faff fo' sho')
The thing is.. I was left with the 'old' iPad today, for my casual surfing/the usual XDA lurking etc... and as great as that device still is.. it felt... primative.. behind the times.. I've seen the future of iOS as have a great many of you.. and it feels.. well.. lets just say its going to be a long week without my transformer (minor light bleed and the occasional force close - how I shall miss thee)
Quick question (for any owners really). With the dock, do you still get the touch screen? A lot of reviews don't really mention that, they either mention how much the do or do not like the touch pad, but don't bring up if they can still use the touch screen in conjunction. Not a HUGE deal per say, but I am curious.
The touchscreen is still fully usable when docked!
Transformer rocks!
degeneration said:
Quick question (for any owners really). With the dock, do you still get the touch screen? A lot of reviews don't really mention that, they either mention how much the do or do not like the touch pad, but don't bring up if they can still use the touch screen in conjunction. Not a HUGE deal per say, but I am curious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes the touchscreen is still fully operational. The touchpad is nice, but still too sensitive, needs to be updated to not be so touchy, so a lot of times I disable it and just touch the screen. Works great.
It sure is cool having a netbook formfactor type device with a fully functioning multi-touch screen.. you'll feel weird going back to a 'normal' laptop/netbook after using it
I find it interesting how I adapted some sort half-screen, half-keyboard interaction with the transformer. I always thought when I got it that I would do one or the other while using it - now it is like use keyboard, keyboard short-cut here, tap screen, tap screen, keyboard short-cut, tap, keyboard etc. etc.
bithir said:
I find it interesting how I adapted some sort half-screen, half-keyboard interaction with the transformer. I always thought when I got it that I would do one or the other while using it - now it is like use keyboard, keyboard short-cut here, tap screen, tap screen, keyboard short-cut, tap, keyboard etc. etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, same here. I was using my laptop the other day and i started touching the screen before i realized that it didnt have a touch screen .
jms_uk said:
It sure is cool having a netbook formfactor type device with a fully functioning multi-touch screen.. you'll feel weird going back to a 'normal' laptop/netbook after using it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like when you pick up someone's old dumb phone and try to open something up by touching it, then tapping it, then pounding it, then remembering a time before touch screens?
bithir said:
I find it interesting how I adapted some sort half-screen, half-keyboard interaction with the transformer. I always thought when I got it that I would do one or the other while using it - now it is like use keyboard, keyboard short-cut here, tap screen, tap screen, keyboard short-cut, tap, keyboard etc. etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same with me. I kept trying to touch my dads laptop screen to click icons. Really is a super nice experience with the option for both input methods
Sent from my X10i using XDA Premium App
degeneration said:
Like when you pick up someone's old dumb phone and try to open something up by touching it, then tapping it, then pounding it, then remembering a time before touch screens?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Soooooooo true
I'm finding the more I use it, the more new things I can do with it and poor PC must think its days are numbered,the dock just makes it, and while having to tweak certain things to your liking to me that's what makes mine feel unique
ASUS TRANSFORMER PRIMED
combat goofwing said:
I'm finding the more I use it, the more new things I can do with it and poor PC must think its days are numbered,the dock just makes it, and while having to tweak certain things to your liking to me that's what makes mine feel unique
ASUS TRANSFORMER PRIMED
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since my G1 I have realized half the fun of android is the tweaking. However everyone keeps bringing up the dock. My plan is to just get the tablet for now, and once my school money starts rolling in again i will pick up the dock. Will I be less than satisfied until then?
I hate admitting it but I am guessing a majority of it's use during the summer with be dungeon defenders and http://www.gamesforcats.com/... DON'T JUDGE ME!
Still no update for me.
I do not plan on rooting it or force the update though.
haha i agree with all of this my TF with dock is the best.. never use my laptop much anymore.. especially due to the keyboard. And just like a few of you when i did use my laptop i touched the screen once forgetting it wasnt touch screen.. b/c on my TF i definitely use both touch and keyboard in conjunction with each other to surf around.
TF and Honeycomb is a match made in heaven!
Has anyone tried to use the Note to replace a phone, tablet and laptop? If so how successful was it and was there anything you could not do such as printing?
It can't replace a laptop but it can do quite a bit including printing.
I'd be able to do many things with the Note if I had to if my laptop broke. But for everyday use - no way. Playing games, reading stuff, browsing, media etc. - yes. Writing an official letter several pages long comfortably- no.
Basically, no it can't replace a laptop but it'll replace a phone and tablet quite easily (in fact, tablets will seem excessively bulky after you get used to the Note). Perhaps in a few months/years when developers actually make good software for Android that rivals that of Apple's App Store, it could replace a laptop, but until then it won't.
It's quite capable hardware-wise of replacing all three but its missing the software component of it - the software available on the Market and preinstalled just isn't taking full advantage of the phone's capabilities. It's sad, really. Hopefully this will change with ICS and the release of the Pen SDK.
Depends on what you use your laptop for. If its just browsing the web and some multimedia stuff then maybe. If its things like word processing then probably no.
Gaugerer said:
Has anyone tried to use the Note to replace a phone, tablet and laptop? If so how successful was it and was there anything you could not do such as printing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gaugerer said:
Has anyone tried to use the Note to replace a phone, tablet and laptop? If so how successful was it and was there anything you could not do such as printing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will never replace a Laptop/Notebook. At least NOT in the next 5-10 years to say a minimum. Before everyone starts shooting at me... Why? I will try to explain my opinion in a simple manner:
A Desktop/Tower PC: You have a keyboard and a screen but its not portable.
Laptop/Notebook(13"-18.4"): You have a screen and a keyboard and it's portable.
Netbooks(10"-13"): You again got have a screen and a keyboard and it's portable but the small screen is not very comfortable to use. Subjective so NO bushing please. For me it's not, but I agree those tiny things are very portable.
Tablet(7"-10.1"): Good performance, NO hardware keyboard on most, virtual typing on flat surface or even in a angle NOT very comfortable for long typings and (usually)half the screen is GONE also and it's NOT even near to a Laptop/Notebook/Netbook's usage comfortability.
For everyone else that does not require often writing or specific tasks, it's near perfect.
Tablet(7"-10.1") with keyboard dock: Android might be good, but is NOWHERE near or close to Windows or OCX or Linux as every day usage for almost everything.
And also to be honest here. A Tablet with a keyboard dock? Then the main difference with the Netbooks, is the Operating system. Think about it.
And last but NOT least, Phoneblets: Same performance as Tablets, PERFECT MIX to a phone and a tablet, it CAN indeed replace them, but it will NOT directly replace the Tablets(might replace it for some that are satisfied with 5.3", like me) or neither any above categories for the above aforementioned reasons.
The main reason is the smaller screen. A 7-10.1" might not be very pocketable, but it's much more easy to work on those screen sizes.
Everything exists in it's own category. Before you ask why, because other people need/want what we DO NOT need or want. E.g: I don't need Tablets, I own a Notebook/Laptop which is a 18.4".
Why that screen size? Because I need/want a 17-18" Laptop/Notebook. Like people need/want a Tablet or a Netbook or a Phoneblet or a economic car, while others don't care and get a 5.0L V8 instead of a 2-3L Hybrid.
In the end? They will give us/make what the Market Demands. That's all there is to it. Market demand and profit. Where's a Market to get into, there's profit. If not, they move on.
P.S: While I love my GNote and I never owned personally a Tablet (had a GTab for 2 weeks), if I had own one, it would have replaced it. Hell, I barely use my Laptop now(fiance does tho ) and mostly I'm on my Desktop and my GNote.
And productivity is going very well also. GNote for social "work" and some quick emails(also some games, funny apps, killing time, oh and calling) and if I need something more "advance" or specific, I just use my PC.
But when I visit friends, I usually take the Laptop/Notebook with me. Even if I love my GNote it cannot replace it as of now. But the future is looking very promising tbh.
Gaugerer said:
Has anyone tried to use the Note to replace a phone, tablet and laptop? If so how successful was it and was there anything you could not do such as printing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The obvious answer is, of course, what do you do?
The biggest difference between a laptop and a smartphone is the operating system. Only being able to have one app open at once is a dealbreaker as far as productivity goes. And that's just one difference.
People bring up mouse/keyboard but you can use a bluetooth keyboard/mouse with the Note. So that's irrelevant.
Highly dense text/apps would be much easier on the eyes with a tablet. I've already hit a few games that had just unbearably small text. The new amazon store has quite small text, but still readable.
As a phone - no question it works, unless you tend to use pockets that would be too small to hold the note. ( The note is far more pocketable than people think though ).
- Frank
I have found very little use for my laptop since I bought the Note.
My main machine is a desktop with 2x 24" monitors, so that's where my design work happens. Anything else is a satellite to my desktop, and the Note replaces both my old Android (Desire HD/Ace) and my laptop for pretty much everything, with the added advantage of having stylus input. Being able to write to USB stick over OTG cable is a big win too.
I used to have a tablet, but a 7" device isn't pocketable so I left it at home all the time. The Note is small enough to pocket but big enough to show clients images, layouts, videos, Flash, and to annotate effectively, especially with the laptop-level resolution.
I haven't received my Note yet. I get it next Wednesday.
But as a Dell Streak, HP TouchPad, and Macbook Pro owner my usage ranking is; Macbook Pro, Dell Streak, then TouchPad.
I like the larger tablet with some activities, but as an all around tablet I take the smaller 5" Streak every time. The Note will do everything my Streak does but better.
Soon, I'll just be a Macbook Pro and Note owner. I think that's my ideal form factors... and there is a specific void they both fill well.
Gaugerer said:
Has anyone tried to use the Note to replace a phone, tablet and laptop?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
replacing laptop? what have you been smoking son?
There are many "levels" of laptops. From netbooks to workstations. You have to be more specific. I mean do you think the Gnote can replace my W520 that I use to run adobe software while driving three external monitors?
investmenttechnology said:
replacing laptop? what have you been smoking son?
There are many "levels" of laptops. From netbooks to workstations. You have to be more specific. I mean do you think the Gnote can replace my W520 that I use to run adobe software while driving three external monitors?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For those that use the Laptops just for surfing the net, occasional e-mailing, some text writing and in general very, very basic stuff, then yes, it possible to replace them.
But then again laptops for the mentioned usage(performance wise) are much cheaper than the Note.
for me it easily replace phone (htc hd2 runnig android) and tablet (galaxy tab 7" still prefer tab over note over ebook while i have both under my hand) but laptop i dont think so as koniakki said if you only surf, email, office it may replace laptop for you at some situations but generally it cant replace laptop.
let's have some more inputs on this from note/note 2 users.....
can it really replace a laptop...?
for someone who is mostly uses the laptop for surfing the web, listening to music, watching videos reading ebooks/pdf and travels often carrying the laptop around, Can the note/note 2 be considered a laptop replacement device....?!?
No it can't replace laptop completely. I use btooth keyboard and mouse and it almost replaces laptop until when I need to do serious photo editing or work on a complex excel sheet or compile few c# codes. These exceptions are once in a blue moon stuff and hence I wouldn't feel comfortable to give up laptop for Note or Android tablets. Windows 8 tablet may finally replace laptop.
Sent from GNote.
willstay said:
No it can't replace laptop completely. I use btooth keyboard and mouse and it almost replaces laptop until when I need to do serious photo editing or work on a complex excel sheet or compile few c# codes. These exceptions are once in a blue moon stuff and hence I wouldn't feel comfortable to give up laptop for Note or Android tablets. Windows 8 tablet may finally replace laptop.
Sent from GNote.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Although the Note is an epic device, and can do almost anything, For situations like that ^^ it cannot replace a laptop / pc
I use mine for everything, I do all my emailing / surfing / movie /music watching + streaming on the Note ( Mainly because im too lazy to move to the other side of the room to access the PC lol)
I would imaging for your average user then yes, It can / could replace a laptop, But at some point there will be a moment where you think 'Damn it ! wouldn't this just be easier on my computer?'
I must also add, Im super lazy, I have remote desktop app on my Note so I can access my computer and print files without leaving the sofa, I also have the Viera connect app so I can control my TV when I cannot be bothered to reach over for the remote control lol..... All I need now is for someone to pump my chest every few seconds so I dont have to waste energy breathing :laugh:
I adore my Note. Still it will never replace my PC/laptop. The specific reason for me is productivity. Productivity means MS Office, Digital Audio Workstations, large screen, large and higher precision input devices (mouse, normal size keyboard). Although I have been able to tackle some productivity tasks using the Note - "send me a PDF of the paper document you filed at the registry office", "take a look at this excel and tell me when it can be ready" etc.
Hm, now that I think of it - I often read XDA on the Note but have written only 1 post from the Note - I'd really rather do it using a normal keyboard.
well before my htc desire broke down i was planing to buy tablet... and when it broke down i had no choice but to use my money to buy new phone... i had to chose between sony xperia s (i think, cant be sure now) and note... i chose note cos i hoped that it will satisfy my need for tablet...
it didnt.
i end up buying tablet few months later
so NO! it cant replace not even tablet, and definitely not pc/laptop
tatkovladko said:
I adore my Note. Still it will never replace my PC/laptop. The specific reason for me is productivity. Productivity means MS Office, Digital Audio Workstations, large screen, large and higher precision input devices (mouse, normal size keyboard). Although I have been able to tackle some productivity tasks using the Note - "send me a PDF of the paper document you filed at the registry office", "take a look at this excel and tell me when it can be ready" etc.
Hm, now that I think of it - I often read XDA on the Note but have written only 1 post from the Note - I'd really rather do it using a normal keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. Note hardly replaces my notebook for the productivity. However, it can be used as a substitute while you travel light. Reading and sending emails, paying bills, communicating, reading news and books, watching movies, listening music, playng games all are possible. Great gadget for me. The best.
Sent from my GT-N7000
I stopped bothering switching on my laptop long before i got the GNote.
No.
I'm in the market for a tablet (or possibly a Chromebook). I'm an editor of a website and need to be able to use it to work on my Wordpress site effectively so strong browser support and keyboard input is crucial.
I like the idea of an Android tablet as I own a Galaxy S4 and have a large collection of Android apps already. Thus, it would also start out with a nice collection of apps.
I'm a bit unclear as to the differences between the Tab Pro 12.2 and the Note Pro 12.2. They seem very alike except for the stylus. Clearly I'm missing something as that's not much to account for the price difference.
I have an iPad 2 and it's nice but I can't really work on it at all. It's too small to enjoy movies on and, sorry, it's Apple so it's too limited.
I'm also wondering about keyboards. If I got this way, should I get the Samsung keyboard, Logitech keyboard or some other keyboard? I'd like to find a very responsive keyboard. It would be an additional boon if it were also pretty quiet. My GF gets disturbed by late night typing on my desktop gaming keyboard.
I'm older so larger is better for my eyes. I'm at a point where I often pretty much need reading glasses for my S4 now.
For ages I was thinking I wanted a Transformer of some design but Asus seems to have fallen behind. Samsung seems to give me lots of potential breathing room.
Any input greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I'm pretty sure the Note Pro and Tab Pro are identical except for the S-Pen and wacom digitizer that powers it. Absolutely if you don't need pen input for notes or drawing then get the Tab.
You can use just about any Bluetooth keyboard with the Pro 12.2. I've had no trouble with several Logitech and Microsoft BT keyboards. I haven't used any of the made-for Note 12.2 keyboards.
My personal fave keyboard is the Logitech K810. It feels excellent for typing, has backlit keys and can instantly switch between 3 different devices.Its very quiet too- keys feel really nice.
Honestly though, if you really want the best laptop style experience, personally I'd opt for a decent lightweight x86 laptop vs a tablet. I'm not crazy about chromebooks though. I'd personally take the Note 12.2 over a chromebook any day, but that's just me.
Thanks. I keep thinking about a laptop but wonder about battery life, weight and the lack of instant-on, etc. I have my desktop always on so x86 isn't a problem. I saw the Tab Pro 12.2 at Best Buy today (they didn't have the Note Pro 12.2) and the size was fine.
However, on your keyboard issue. My concern is that I would like it to be connected so that it can act as a solid laptop replacement. It sounds like you use yours, say, around the house? Not sure how comfortable I'd be transporting two devices like that.
Years ago I'd loathe the thought of converting to Mac but I gotta tell ya, the retina macbook pros are pretty sweet in regards to battery life and instant on . . .
Agree with Zaptoons. Mobile platforms are always a compromise. I have to wonder if you'll be able to do the Wordpress work on Android, though I do see that there are apps for it.
muzzy996 said:
Years ago I'd loathe the thought of converting to Mac but I gotta tell ya, the retina macbook pros are pretty sweet in regards to battery life and instant on . . .
Agree with Zaptoons. Mobile platforms are always a compromise. I have to wonder if you'll be able to do the Wordpress work on Android, though I do see that there are apps for it.
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On the Mac, that might be a bit out of the price range for this purchase. I also really despise Apple on too many fronts. I recommend them highly and readily -- just not for me so far, but I will continue to refresh the thinking.
On Wordpress work, it really comes down to the capability of the browser. As long as it supports a solid browser experience, I should be okay. I hit Best Buy today to see if the 12.2 would be "too big" and it wasn't. I loaded the browser and it seemed to be solid. I just wasn't comfortable logging into Wordpress though. No idea about stored accounts, etc.
I hear you on the mac.
Definition of solid performance is subjective, you realize that right?
Let's put it this way; unless there's a tablet specific application to do what you need to on wordpress then nothing other than screen size is going to differ between the Note Pro and your s4. The browsers are going to be about the same.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
Leading up to the launch of the Note Pro 12.2 I was eager to get one. Then I stopped by Best Buy and, on a whim, picked up the Acer C720P Chromebook. For a third the cost it doesn't have as big, high resolution or bright of a screen as the Note Pro but it has served me well for everything I need in a mobile device. I even stopped using my Note 10.1 OG. Notice I said mobile device. The Acer has typically given me a solid 7 hours of batter life which is amazing.
Having said that...if you are worried about needing reading glasses and want more screen real estate, the Note Pro might be your path. Though, with a higher resolution type is smaller at normal zoom. You can simply zoom in for bigger text.
If WordPress is your thing, the Chromebook will handle that with no issues. It is a browser afterall.
I'm still contemplating the Note Pro but it is not at the top of my wish list since I purchased the Chromebook. At first it was weird to get used to but it is second nature now and the added offline support for most of the Google apps has sealed the deal for me.
Just my two cents.
Again, great info from all. My thoughts:
1. I haven't had good luck with Android Wordpress apps. To me, they're all a kludge. However, that doesn't mean you can't be productive with Wordpress on Android. The limitation on my S4 is real estate. The browser seems to work fine but I can't be effective with the size of the screen or the keyboard. I suspect a larger screen would work. In part I was hoping I'd get lucky and find another Wordpress user who happened to have luck (or no luck) on this device or a similar one.
2. I have a bit of a klunky Chromebook. A while back I installed Chrome on a eePC -- an entry level Asus T100 or something like that. It's a horrible piece of HARDWARE. I have zero issues with the OS itself and it feels very natural to me. However, I have this haunting feeling that Chrome itself is becoming a dinosaur. As Android continues to prosper, it's dwarfing Chrome to such a point that, I suspect, Android will evolve into being an OS we can use on any device. Maybe I'm missing something entirely about its potential, but that's my thinking. There isn't much going on in the development world for it compared to Android where there's exponentially more options.
Right now, having seen it, I'm concerned about ease of keyboard use (physical). Given the top-heavy design of the tablet having most of the weight, using it on my lap looks pretty impossible. The right keyboard seems an issue too. Samsung's has those raised edges that, I suspect my wrists will want to sit on (ouch). Logitech's keyboard sounds great except for the fact that most of the reviews of it contain horror stories of the Note Pro falling out of its clasps. The other options are all poorly reviewed.
Asus has the combo Android/Windows device but its not all that impressive. Heck, I'd rather it was an Android/Chrome device. hehe
It also appears as if the hybrid options from Asus are cancelled due to pressure from both Google and Microsoft. hehe Neither their Duet or Trio looked all that impressive (lousy battery life, Android 4.2, low resolution, average screens).
Update please
Agrajag27 said:
I'm in the market for a tablet (or possibly a Chromebook). I'm an editor of a website and need to be able to use it to work on my Wordpress site effectively so strong browser support and keyboard input is crucial.
I like the idea of an Android tablet as I own a Galaxy S4 and have a large collection of Android apps already. Thus, it would also start out with a nice collection of apps.
I'm a bit unclear as to the differences between the Tab Pro 12.2 and the Note Pro 12.2. They seem very alike except for the stylus. Clearly I'm missing something as that's not much to account for the price difference.
I have an iPad 2 and it's nice but I can't really work on it at all. It's too small to enjoy movies on and, sorry, it's Apple so it's too limited.
I'm also wondering about keyboards. If I got this way, should I get the Samsung keyboard, Logitech keyboard or some other keyboard? I'd like to find a very responsive keyboard. It would be an additional boon if it were also pretty quiet. My GF gets disturbed by late night typing on my desktop gaming keyboard.
I'm older so larger is better for my eyes. I'm at a point where I often pretty much need reading glasses for my S4 now.
For ages I was thinking I wanted a Transformer of some design but Asus seems to have fallen behind. Samsung seems to give me lots of potential breathing room.
Any input greatly appreciated.
Which way did u decide to go? I'd love to know your thoughts!
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The only difference is the stylus really. If you plan to be taking this to meetings or digitize any part of your handwriting, then the NOTE pro is the device to get, as the TAB pro has no stylus and thus does not specialize itself in taking handwritten notes. I got the wifi version, im satisfied, although probably the LTE snapdragon version may be slightly snappier. If samsung decides to offer some decent customer support in terms of software then overall this will be a good buy. Other than thati find battery life great. I havent used keyboards yet, however if you plan to be using this at a desk u will find the extra screen size v v useful vs the 10 inches. If u plan to be holding it in bed a lot, it could get some time to get used to,but i did. Multi window is v useful in making the experience more windows like and enhances productivity. Browser support is good but not quite the pc levels yet.
You could not investigate surface pro 3 vs this one.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
nesx87 said:
The only difference is the stylus really. If you plan to be taking this to meetings or digitize any part of your handwriting, then the pro is the device to get.
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They both are called Pro. You meant to say Note Pro if using S pen for note taking. I think there is also difference in RAM, Note Pro has 3Gb, Tab Pro has 2.
ddavtian said:
They both are called Pro. You meant to say Note Pro if using S pen for note taking. I think there is also difference in RAM, Note Pro has 3Gb, Tab Pro has 2.
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Edited and clarified. Thanks
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Girl527 said:
I'm also wondering about keyboards. If I got this way, should I get the Samsung keyboard, Logitech keyboard or some other keyboard? I'd like to find a very responsive keyboard. It would be an additional boon if it were also pretty quiet. My GF gets disturbed by late night typing on my desktop gaming keyboard.
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Click to collapse
I went with the Note Pro 12.2. I'm very glad I did. Here are same random observations:
1. It's not quite as "polished" as an iPad but it is more flexible in use. I'll take that any day.
2. The size is excellent. Very good for watching a film at the airport, etc.
3. Google seems to be the worst thing about the device. Limitations I find all lead to them at the end. For example, Chrome (the browser) is a cheap imitation of its cousins on PC and Chromebooks. It doesn't do spell checking well, it has odd bugs like opening tabs by using the keyboard. Hit CTRL-T and you'll have to sometimes do it twice to get a new tab and then you get two. Google also doesn't give devs a way to re-assign mouse buttons should you use a bluetooth mouse for a bit of laptop-replacement work. That gets a bit strange as the right mouse button doesn't bring up options (like you get when you hold a screen link or item on the touchscreen) but instead acts like the back button on the device. Doh.
4. The keyboards are all a mixed bag. The Zagg is okay but has annoying raised corners than your hands sit on when typing and its also a bit cheap feeling and not very responsive. The Samsung keyboard isn't really a case. It's more like a snap-on cover that's entirely unconnected when used as a keyboard It just lets the tablet sit at an angle in it which makes it tough to use in bed, for example. It also has the same terrible raised corners. The Logitech is the best of the lot. Quiet, well laid-out and robust. However, it too has its own had-banging issues. You can't reassign its macro keys so if you use a different mail app, tough. Hitting the Mail button will bring up Gmail. The Browser button has an annoying bug that forces you to ALWAYS select which browser you'd like to use no matter how many times you "set the default browser". It also lacks the keyboard app Logitech provides for ALL their other similar keyboards including one made for the Tab 10.1. Go figure. Their own support reps don't even understand this.
Regardless, I'm an old quality assurance professional so I can be very opinionated and a perfectionist so this is a very short list of gripes from me. I still wouldn't own anything else given what I've tried and seen. Very happy customer so far. Having access to all my Android apps is great. I just wish Google would look at Android as a complete OS and stop limiting it to just a hand-held-type OS. Give it a FULL version of Chrome. In fact, just dump the fairly useless Chromium OS and put your efforts into this.
Great info!
Agrajag27 said:
I went with the Note Pro 12.2. I'm very glad I did. Here are same random observations:
1. It's not quite as "polished" as an iPad but it is more flexible in use. I'll take that any day.
2. The size is excellent. Very good for watching a film at the airport, etc.
3. Google seems to be the worst thing about the device. Limitation I find all find them at the end. For example, Chrome (the browser) is a cheap imitation of its cousins on nearly the PC and Chrome books. It doesn't do spell checking well, it has odd bugs like opening tabs by using the keyboard. Hit CTRL-T and you'll have to sometimes do it twice to get a new tab and then you get two. Google also doesn't give devs a way to re-assign mouse buttons should you use a bluetooth mouse for a bit of laptop-replacement work. That gets a bit strange as the right mouse button doesn't bring up options (like you get when you hold a screen link or item on the touchscreen) but instead acts like the back button on the device. Doh.
4. The keyboards are all a mixed bag. The Zagg is okay but has annoying raised corners than your hands sit on when typing and its also a bit cheap feeling and not very responsive. The Samsung keyboard isn't really a case. It's more like a snap-on cover that's entirely unconnected when used as a keyboard It just lets the tablet sit at an angle in it which makes it tough to use in bed, for example. It also has the same terrible raised corners. The Logitech is the best of the lot. Quiet, well laid-out and robust. However, it too has its own had-banging issues. You can't reassign its macro keys so if you use a different mail app, tough. Hitting the Mail button will bring up Gmail. The Browser button has an annoying bug that forces you to ALWAYS select which browser you'd like to use no matter how many times you "set the default browser". It also lacks the keyboard app Logitech provides for ALL their other similar keyboards including one made for the Tab 10.1. Go figure. Their own support reps don't even understand this.
Regardless, I'm an old quality assurance professional so I can be very opinionated and a perfectionist so this is a very short list of gripes from me. I still wouldn't own anything else given what I've tried and see. Very happy customer so far. Having access to all my Android apps is great. I just wish Google would look at Android as a complete OS and stop limiting it to just a hand-held-type OS. Give it a FULL version of Chrome. In fact, just dump the fairly useless Chromium OS and put your efforts into this.
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Awesome information! Thanks for taking the time to share your impressions. I'm having a difficult time pulling the trigger on this purchase (why??) and your opinion helps a bunch! Thanks again!
Hi
Did anyone have a chance to compare these models in person? I am mostly concerned about drawing with it and drawing apps. Naturally the win version will have more natural media app options. I am more concerned about the feel of it, things like brush lag and the parallax stuff between the models are important to me. I already have Samsung Note so I am used to drawing on screen but also I am a Wacom user and I am much interested in a mobile drawing pad option if you will.
thanks
hajkan said:
Hi
Did anyone have a chance to compare these models in person? I am mostly concerned about drawing with it and drawing apps. Naturally the win version will have more natural media app options. I am more concerned about the feel of it, things like brush lag and the parallax stuff between the models are important to me. I already have Samsung Note so I am used to drawing on screen but also I am a Wacom user and I am much interested in a mobile drawing pad option if you will.
thanks
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Hey,
Thou I do not have direct comparison of Android and Windows 10 version of this device, I do have both Samsung Galagy Note 10 (2014) and Windows version of Yoga Book.
I do realize that this is not what you ask but, according to you post, we are in similar situation (I am also using Wacom tablet in the office) and as you wrote: “mobile drawing pad option” is the exact reason I bought this device. So I could make a comparison of these 2 devices if it helps. Let me know.
Talsi said:
Hey,
Thou I do not have direct comparison of Android and Windows 10 version of this device, I do have both Samsung Galagy Note 10 (2014) and Windows version of Yoga Book.
I do realize that this is not what you ask but, according to you post, we are in similar situation (I am also using Wacom tablet in the office) and as you wrote: “mobile drawing pad option” is the exact reason I bought this device. So I could make a comparison of these 2 devices if it helps. Let me know.
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Click to collapse
Hey I am definetely interested in that comparison because I have a Samsung 10 2014 as well (which I like).
The Samsung Note is fine in generaly for drawing and painting but it is nothing like comparison to the actual Wacom experience on the desktop.
Also can you tell me if you can plug your wacom tablet to it? Maybe it does not make sense but it can be nice to work with a larger tablet here and there.
Hey,
so here are my thoughts. I had my Galaxy Note 10 (2014) [note from now on] for about 2 years. I tried various painting apps but for the most time I have used InfinitePainter – its very similar to Autodesk Sketch Book which I am now using on my Yoga Book [yoga from now on].
On the Yoga you basically have 2 drawing surfaces: screen and pad.
The Anypen technology is screen part of the tablet allows you to draw on screen event with basic pencil, which is cool but it does not have pressure sensitivity – its reasonably accurate thou – and it has scratch resistant glass. On note the glass screen had (for me) noticeable stylus drag but when drawing with stylus on yoga, included stylus/pencil feels like it glides and does not give you barely any resistance - my hand often “slips†ïŠ. It not very suitable for shading/coloring but if you pick small brush with low opacity you can very easily do quick sketches or trace image. The screen however does not have palm rejection so when drawing you need to hold your hand above screen – which gets tiresome after a while - or you have to have glove. Also, note used to get quite warm/hot during extended use, sometimes even to the point of discomfort. This is also case in yoga, but it is not as bad as in note.*
As for the “padâ€, the feeling is very, very similar to my Wacom tablet (I have Intuos Pen&Touch). Yoga’s pad feels a tincy bit smoother, but it might be just me. Since actual hardware seems to be in screen part of yoga, the pad is always nice and cool.* Included stylus is very basic. The tip is basically ink tube (without ink of course) with plastic tip. It jumps a bit (inside and out) line note’s stylus but it’s accurate and when used on pad section it has pressure sensitivity – it has no button and there are no extra tips in the package. You do have 3 ink “cartridges†for writing on paper (included with yoga) but that is basically ball point pen. On the bright side, on pad section you can also use note’s stylus – works fine, event button! If you are serious about drawing you might want to get original Wacom bamboo stylus – might be better but its hard to say, I am beginner in drawing/patting (in my work I use Inkscape (vector) and Gimp (photo editing) thou, but for that I use mainly mouse) so quality is just fine for me. Also, you can not use other side of stylus as an eraser.
Now the cool part of yoga is that you can have it completely flat on the desk (180°). I found that the most comfortable is to have yoga in “portrait†mode – drawing pad on the right and screen on the left. I can work with my right hand and use interface and move/scale/rotate canvas with my left hand – this is important because you must keep in mind that when you are using drawing pad, you cannot use keyboard. You can quite quickly and easily switch between drawing pad and keyboard via dedicated key, but honestly I did not have any need for it – but just to be sure I also have Bluetooth keyboard (bought it some time ago for my note). Sketch Book is therefore quite good software here because it has nice and large interface. I am using older version 6 Pro, but the newest one for windows 10 (directly in windows store) have nice touch interface – basically identical to Infinite Painter.
I do not have Photoshop but I have Krita and GIMP installed on yoga. Both programs runs fine but it takes some time to load and gets a bit slow when working with larger images or if I have few more programs running in background. Since the screen is fullhd 10inch, the interface is quite small, and therefore harder to use with fingers – does not work well in portrait mode either. Also, for pressure sensitivity to work in these programs, you need to install special driver package directly from Wacom.
Yoga’s build is quite sturdy. Hinges holds position, any position, very well but when used as laptop, touching screen causes little swaying. Surface of the body is nice, smooth and matte but fingerprint are quite visible. Because of very smooth body, tablet tends to move around – especially at 180° during drawing. I solved this with simple anti-slip mat from local hardware store. VS note, the yoga is bit heavier and slips easier – note had leather back which was nice to grab on, in yoga you have to more careful.
As for OS selection. I am quite happy with Windows 10. It is definitely not 100% touch friendly and probably a bit slowed than android (thou everything runs reasonably well) but I still like it and since you have small touchpad as well, it is just fine (got myself bluetooth mouse thou). On my note, I had to deal with root, bloatware, warranty and general android issues like SD card write issue, external display properties and system updates in general. Here with windows everything works as well as on my desktop PC and nothing from above mentioned worries me anymore. Thou, If you go for Win10 version, you might want to buy SD card as well, because windows is large OS and you have only 30-32GB of free space on internal storage.
If you are considering this device, I have to point out that there are some issues with it. Screen edge colour deformation – see here – and keyboard issue – see here.
For your question, I have tried to plug my Intuos tablet in and system recognised the device without issue. It did not work and I did not install the drivers - I am worried that it might mess with build in pad (had to do factory reset once already and I do not wish to repeat it) – but light indicators were on (and reacting to stylus/touch/button press) so in theory it should work without issues, its regular Windows 10 laptop after all.
That all I can think of right now, but if you have specific questions let me know and sorry for typos.
* - Edit: I seems I was wrong. The hardware (or at least something that gets warm/hot) is in the "pad" section of tablet. I haven't noticed because I did not used yoga for more than 30-45 minutes at time before. But yesterday, I went to a fried to play Armello and after 2 hours the pad (top center area) got quite hot. But keep in mind that this was after heavy use for prolonged time period. I never noticed any elevated temperature during regular use/sketching.
Hey thanks man, that is some awesome review.
Could you eloborate on the differences between the Note and the Yoga one as far as performance, drawing performance, stylus feel/lag etc? I know they are different platforms but from usability point of view we can bring some important points.
I am mainly interested in the brush/stylus performance. I am an artist/sketcher and I do alot of 3d sculpting on Win and Linux.
I ordered the android version because the win version takes a while to get. So I will have a chance to compare the Android version with my Note 2014 10.1. However I probably might end up exhanging with the Win version. Lets see how that goes. I might end up going for the Win version mainly because of Krita and Zbrush but like I said I want to give the Android version a try which is a bit cheaper also.
Hi, anyone Knows if is possible to haver te both system at the same time?
hajkan said:
Hey thanks man, that is some awesome review.
Could you eloborate on the differences between the Note and the Yoga one as far as performance, drawing performance, stylus feel/lag etc? I know they are different platforms but from usability point of view we can bring some important points.
I am mainly interested in the brush/stylus performance. I am an artist/sketcher and I do alot of 3d sculpting on Win and Linux.
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Click to collapse
The performance-wise and drawing specific, yoga is definitely slower but again it might be because of Windows. In note I never noticed any stylus lag and drawing was very smooth even in larger images. Here is a filler image (hand photo trace + quick shading) I made on note for one project. Made it in Infinite Painter, original is 2560x1600 image composed from 6 layers. Took me about an hour and I never noticed any performance issue. Unfortunately, so far I have only done few meaningless sketches on yoga so I do not have similar experience, but when I get some free time I plan to test it fully – possibly over Christmas vacation.
On yoga the best (fastest) software I have tried is definitely Sketch Book – except for 2 brushes (PaintBrush1 and PaintBrush2 – strangely thou PaintBrush [without number] works like a charm) everything is smooth and fast even on 1920x1200 large canvas. Krita is working fine when working on 1920x1200 canvas but the performance decreases on larger canvases and when using bigger size of brush – hardware stylus responsiveness is fine but sometimes brush lags behind or it takes few miliseconds for Krita to redraw your stroke afterwards. Most of the tools works fine, but there are some brushes that definitely lags. So again, on larger canvases/some brushes Krita has some issues, I would definitely not recommend high-res custom brushes but I would rate general performance as good/satisfactory.
Sadly, I am not at all good at 3D stuff – I tried using Blender few years back, but it seems that 3rd dimension is something my brain just can not grasp. I am therefore no good assessing this stuff
hajkan said:
I ordered the android version because the win version takes a while to get. So I will have a chance to compare the Android version with my Note 2014 10.1. However I probably might end up exhanging with the Win version. Lets see how that goes. I might end up going for the Win version mainly because of Krita and Zbrush but like I said I want to give the Android version a try which is a bit cheaper also.
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Grats. If I may have one small request. When your yoga arrives could you please test the keyboard issue I described here? I was hoping to get feedback on it, as I believe that it might be just a driver issue.
---------- Post added at 10:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:28 AM ----------
CardosoPedro said:
Hi, anyone Knows if is possible to haver te both system at the same time?
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In Windows version you have option to boot from USB and I read somewhere that someone successfully booted (not in working state thou) linux from USB stick. However, the main issue here is custom lenovo driver from halo keyboard. Until someone makes official android distribution rom dump or extract drivers I highly doubt that fully functional dual boot is possible.
But I am not an android developer so who knows.