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I am still on my 14 day return and have been thinking about this. Android biggest problem is something new is always right around the corner. I think a lot of you are here cause the Asus was unavailable and may still be waiting on that.
So are you keeping it.
Did it surprise you enough to stay with it.
Is the upcoming Samsung Galazy Tab 10.1 or the burning desire to have the Transformer gonna make you take it back.
Maybe the Toshiba Tab with it's built in USB might persuade you.
Sticking. Stuck.
I bought the Acer because the ASUS wasn't available, but I'm quite happy with it anyway. As you said, there's always something new around the corner, but what I've seen about the Toshiba models put them in the Xoom price range, and I haven't seen pricing on the Samsung 8.9 and 10.1 (new thin models, not the 10.1V original design.)
Honeycomb in general's still a very new system, and I expect by this time next year most of the things we're looking at as "missing" or "broken" will be available and/or fixed. Kinda the way I'm still using my (original generation) Droid phone, which, when overclocked and ROMd over to Gingerbread is just fine
Actually...
I figured that I'd get it to play with Honeycomb and wait for some of the vaporware tablets to emerge. I had bought a Xoom but it was a real POS - nothing worked including the falsely advertised charging dock, etc. So I returned it.
Now I'm absolutely keeping the Iconia - I have a rooted Nook Color - very nice but not in the same league as the Iconia.
Don't believe all the BS put out about how bad the screen is, or other stuff.
I rooted it (easiest root I have ever done) and everything works as advertiszed.
I still got until Monday wiki decide Saturday if I will return or not to get the transfoemer, tegra 3 tablets are also coming out in august
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
Got both the Asus and the iconia and will keep the iconia ..
The Asus just feels so cheaply made that no amount of screen quality can make up for it feeling like a cheap toy in my hands.
I can understand the whole IPS vs standard screen debate as i have owned many great screens over the years including IPS desktop screens and iPads etc etc .
They both have there pros and there cons but a good screen and good build quality are more important to me and the whole USB host thing built in without the need for a dock or separate accessory is just great.
Will never need a keyboard attached to it either and i think thats what really pushed me over the edge to keep the Acer.
Not slamming on the Asus btw because its decent in other areas but after getting 2 with some nasty light bleed on top of questionable build quality the Acer just took the crown for overall winner .
I am keeping mine. I actually had a Xoom first and took it back...thought it was too expensive for what it was. I actually really like the Acer better. I love the USB port, the micro card slot actually works ( didn't on xoom as of yet), It feels a lot lighter and I actually like the bezel being larger as it is easier to hold without hitting the screen. The viewing angle is good (not sure why bad comments on that). I like it a lot.
Keeping. Was waiting on the Asus, but i'm more than happy with the screen of the Acer, absolutely love the usb port, and since removing the phone apks, I have no complaints about battery life. I'm happy.
Right before I got the Acer I had purchased a used Galaxy Tab 7" thinking that would satisfy me.
Then I saw the Acer. Once I touched it I fell instantly in love and fought myself not to give into temptation everyday. Suddenly it hit me... I have a Bestbuy card and it means I can take 18 months to pay for it without a dime of interest.
1/2 hour later I had the Iconia in my sweaty hands.
Sure the wife *****ed but hey, it's only a new toy once.
For me it's a keeper. Like others have said, the USB port is a big factor and I see nothing wrong with the screen.
Keepin'. I am surprised how much I enjoy the Acer iconia Tab. The USB port makes all the difference. I think the build quality is very nice indeed and I really like the design. Root doesn't hurt either.
I was an early adopter of the Linux Eee Pcs and thought they were very solid little machines, but later models had some serious build quality issues. So the Eee Transformer quality/build problems I have read about do not surprise me one bit. . . .
Also have the Galaxy Tab 7" and a Nook Color. Not sure which one of those I'm sticking with though. I like them both but I leaning toward the Nook and selling the Galaxy Tab on Ebay.
Keeping for sure
I will be taking mine back, but only cause I will be waiting for Samsung galaxy tab 10.1. The weight of the Acer is an issue for me, but can understand why it is. Feels very sturdy. I absolutely love the USB port & sdcard working out of the box. So testing the Acer gave me a few things to think about far as what I want in a tablet. I know Galaxy tab 10.1 will not have USB port. Not sure how Toshiba's will feel.
I definitely recommend people to try the Acer
Also the corners of acer are kind of pointy if holding for awhile.
def keeping mine. I don't know why the Asus got so much media and Acer didnt
I'm still on the fence. I'm coming from daily use of a convertible Fujitsu with stylus and have wanted something this light for a while and miss not having a stylus for normal handwriting.
There are also some things I may not be able to live without which require Window$ but I'm going to give it another week and see if I can see a way to fit it into my normal working life.
If there weren't things that were broken out of the box (gps, compass) I'd probably be leaning more towards keeping at this point
Took a day or two to work out a couple of bugs, but now my A500 is rock solid, smoking fast, amazing battery life. I'm 100% satisfied. This should be fine for me until a Tegra 4 comes out in 2012...
The only thing I am waiting for is a new kernel so I can see what this baby will do when it is overclocked.
bhageman said:
Took a day or two to work out a couple of bugs, but now my A500 is rock solid, smoking fast, amazing battery life. I'm 100% satisfied. This should be fine for me until a Tegra 4 comes out in 2012...
The only thing I am waiting for is a new kernel so I can see what this baby will do when it is overclocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any tips tricks as to what you did to fix / customize?
nubbin77 said:
Any tips tricks as to what you did to fix / customize?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-Immediately did a factory reset. Eliminated problem with screen coming back on after screen time out and an odd problem I had with my screen timeout being stuck at 15 seconds.
-Rooted with GingerBreak (make sure you lock in portrait during process)
-WPA supplicant
-changed phone.apk and telephony___.apk to .bak to kill the phone processes. Mad a HUGE improvement in an already satisfactory battery life. WARNING: This will brick your phone if you do a factory reset without changing them back.
-Installed ADW for my home screen
-Installed SyncSMS to get SMS functionality
Apps that help:
-GingerBreak
-Root Explorer
-Terminal Emulator
-Uninstaller for Root
-Super Manager
-ES File
Apps I love:
-PlayOn: Streaming TV from my NAS drive
-SugarSync: All my work docs in the cloud
-WinAmp: Sync music with my desktop over wifi
-Feedly: Google RSS feed looks like a magazine
-Chrome to Phone
Still on the edge
I like the screen and feel of it, but with Honeycomb there aren't many apps out there that run on it (without FC all the time).
I'm trying to justify keeping it for work, but there's no Activesync (without rooting), Calendar is a joke and other than playing movies/games on it what do YOU use it for?
I can't see dumping my laptop anytime soon, so my question is what are you using it for? Serious question.
Thanks
S
I wanted the EEE TF as well but got the Iconia in the interim. I'm pleasantly surprised. I don't want the TF anymore. After playing with a friends, I'm not convinced it's worthwhile to exchange them. It has a gorgeous display and is a tad lighter but I'm afraid I've been jaded by the really bad things I've read about it and am convinced the first batch was very shoddy. Unfortunately, by the time it's released there will be competitors with possibly better options (toshiba, samsung, sony, htc, etc.)
My goal is to get something I'm 100% happy with. I'm 98% happy with the Iconia.
What's in that 2%? Limited video file and format playing ability and bugs due to Honeycomb right now.
Otherwise, hell yeah! I'd have liked an IPS screen. This AUO screen isn't bad at all but it's no IPS, right? Acer could have at least pegged Samsung for PLS.
It's also in wrestling with the idea of having the faith in Acer to believe they really will update and fix these things in the near future. These companies aren't known for keeping their products updated beyond a certain period. I can easily see their promised June update becoming Samsung-esque and not seen for months if ever.
That being said, I've entertained the idea of returning it and waiting to see what I can get in June. But tech is tricky and if you decide to wait, you can easily end up waiting forever for the next best thing as it's always around the corner. If the competitors are too expensive, it's not like the A500 won't be there for me to fall back on, it may even be cheaper! Of course, just like a cell phone - once you own one of these things you come to depend on it rather quickly if you're used to doing things a certain way.
I use it for everything now. My notebook sits in it's bag most of the time.
It's awesome for multimedia, period.
I use it in the kitchen and around the house to play music and videos if I don't feel like sitting in front of the TV.
I use it in the kitchen to look up new and different things to cook.
I use it as a visual remote for my PC (to control music or manipulate downloads). I use it in the couch to look up stuff I see on TV.
I bring it with me EVERYWHERE, yes...I now own a manbag.
I use it on the road when I'm out with the wife and she's in Macys/JCPenny/Kohls or any of those places I don't feel like venturing with her into for hours.
I use it when I'm at the cafe or out at dinner. I don't have it out all the time, but it's with me in case I want to use it and I must say, it's nicer than flipping out a netbook which I guess is ironic but I always thought that was so odd looking. You know, when people pop their netbooks out on a table in the middle of 4 people being social. For me it's a matter of looking up something quick and then popping it back in.
The list goes on and on.
It's basically replaced my android phone in its smart abilities while managing to be more comfortable in that the screen is bigger. It's replaced my notebook in it's lighter tasks like multimedia due to it being ultimately way, way more portable and touchscreen.
My dilemma is living without it for 2 months while I wait for something that I'm hoping will satisfy me 99 or 100%, should I decide to return it. I still have a few days to decide.
kalric said:
Calendar is a joke
S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried Jorte?
So, I currently have a Dell Streak 7. I'm considering moving my tablet business to Asus, because Dell does not seem to be doing anything good right about now. I just got hired at a new job, and hopefully by the end of the month, a Tranformer with a Keyboard will be within reach. I have a few questions.
Firstly, I know there is an Ubuntu build that can be flashed, but to dual-boot it with Android, you need an NVFlashable ROM. Is there an NVFlash of the original ROM, so I can run official Honeycomb and dual-boot with Ubuntu?
Secondly, how good is the build quality of the tablet and keyboard, and how well do they work together? Is the hardware up to spec with the software? If I am spending $600 to run Honeycomb and Ubuntu, I want to make sure that the hardware won't die on me.
Third, I am hoping the performance is good. Considering the keyboard and Ubuntu support, I am planning on using this not just as an Android tablet, but a Linux laptop. Is the performance while running Linux acceptable for daily use, and are there any bugs?
bluesy_92 said:
So, I currently have a Dell Streak 7. I'm considering moving my tablet business to Asus, because Dell does not seem to be doing anything good right about now. I just got hired at a new job, and hopefully by the end of the month, a Tranformer with a Keyboard will be within reach. I have a few questions.
Firstly, I know there is an Ubuntu build that can be flashed, but to dual-boot it with Android, you need an NVFlashable ROM. Is there an NVFlash of the original ROM, so I can run official Honeycomb and dual-boot with Ubuntu?
Secondly, how good is the build quality of the tablet and keyboard, and how well do they work together? Is the hardware up to spec with the software? If I am spending $600 to run Honeycomb and Ubuntu, I want to make sure that the hardware won't die on me.
Third, I am hoping the performance is good. Considering the keyboard and Ubuntu support, I am planning on using this not just as an Android tablet, but a Linux laptop. Is the performance while running Linux acceptable for daily use, and are there any bugs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm wondering this as well.
I was contemplating the same thing before I got mine 1.5 months ago. I planned on replacing my aging eeePC 1005HA with the TF101 + dock, but I currently don't have enough money to buy the dock.
I've used Linux for years and currently use it as my main OS on my desktop, so I love the fact that you can run Ubuntu on the TF (which I haven't tried yet). I was following the dev of it for a little while and unless they changed the process, having a flashable ROM doesn't matter as Ubuntu replaces the recovery partiton (which houses the stock recovery or Clockwork) and not the system partiton (which houses Android). From what I've seen Ubuntu isn't 100% working yet and isn't ready for everyday usage. Prime 1.4 (which is essentially a slightly tweaked honeycomb build) has a flashable blob file, they're currently up to Prime 1.7 although IDK if any blobs exist for it.
The build quality of the TF is generally good, but there are some problems. The bezel may be loose in certain areas (about a 1" section on my top left corner is squeaky), your unit may have minimal or massive lightbleed due to the way IPS screens are backlit (any device with an IPS screen has lightbleed, take a look at the iPad2) someone on here did a poll about lightbleed and 75% of users reported that they had some form of lightbleed, and some users have noticed dust trapped under their glass screen. After 5 weeks of usage I just had to RMA my TF because it didn't want to charge the battery anymore.
The hardware on the TF is great and when coupled with great software it works extremely well, the problem is that Honeycomb is still crappy in some areas. There aren't many apps that truly support tablets and some things just don't perform well (across all Honeycomb devices, not just the TF). The TF has typing lag when using both the virtual and physical keyboard, but that seems to be more of a HC problem. 3.2 fixed a lot of things but Honeycomb isn't perfect by far.
Don't let all of this deter you from getting one though, it's a great device. All of the software problems should be fixed in the coming months when Ice Cream Sandwich is released and hopefully newer batches of the TF will fix some of the quality problems. Even though I had to send it back to get it fixed when it was only 5 weeks old, I still love the damn thing and miss it already!
I love mine. I've had a couple of tablets before, and I think this is the best by far. I'm one of the lucky ones who has no lightbleed(none at all) and no squeaks in the case, but even if I wasn't that lucky, I'd still love it. It's the highest build quality of any of my tablets, and it's super stable(for me at least). The only time I ever have to reboot is to update the firmware, and it lasts in standby for an entire week, with the wifi on(not in power-saver) the entire time. Also, Honeycomb in general is verrrrry nice, compared to my froyo/gingerbread tablets, and I think Asus has made a very good build of it.
I plan to dual boot Ubuntu when they get the touchscreen figured out, but AFAIK, there is no CWM method when dual-booting yet, so NVflash is the way to go. The stock firmware is available in NVflash form, but I think dual-boot will still break the OTA updates.
Alright, now another question. How well does Ubuntu work with the hardware? Will the USB port on the keyboard and external memory on the tablet be recognized? Will the built-in cam be recognized by Ubuntu as a webcam, or made useless? Is there anything else I should know before buying?
bluesy_92 said:
Alright, now another question. How well does Ubuntu work with the hardware? Will the USB port on the keyboard and external memory on the tablet be recognized? Will the built-in cam be recognized by Ubuntu as a webcam, or made useless? Is there anything else I should know before buying?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope that your unit doesnt have locked bootloader (new key) and thus cant root or anything!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1198510
I've been seriously wondering if I should buy an Asus Transformer now that it has been out for a little while.
I don't know if I am too bothered with the 3G model that is to be released soon, as I do not mind just using my mobile phone as a wireless hotspot if I needed to use the internet and I would mainly be in places using this tablet where there is WiFi anyway.
We have a few sitting in the stock room at work and it's so incredibly tempting to get one as I've become smitten with all of the videos and the threads in this forum about it but I'm wondering if I should wait for something better that might come out.
It is a lovely little device though and I am sure I'd be happy to have one. I think I could compare my same situation to choosing my HTC Desire over a HTC Desire HD, although that came down to which telephone network I was using. Vodafone in Australia weren't doing so well (and still aren't as far as I know) and the Desire HD was exclusive to their network but I was convinced to go with the better telephone network and I love my HTC Desire even though it was around a year old after it came out.
Perhaps I just answered my own questions as to whether or not I should get an Asus EEEPad Transformer but I feel as if I need some more convincing from users here and not just Youtube reviews! It seems like a wonderful unit of technology, Bluesy and I am sure that you would be very happy with it. The devs here seem to be working very hard on creating a strong support in relations to customisation for this device so it will only get better. The Ubuntu support for it already astounds me! Haha.
lathanub, I was in the same situation last week, and pondered and wondered what to do. Finally at friday I ordered one myself! There just isnt any other device in same price range to compete with TF and it has all the latest technology in it.
TF 2 will be released Q1/2012 earliest imo, and so much can go wrong on it too with new chip inside. I see no use of 2 extra cores in near future for basic tablet usage, unless you wanna run the latest and greatest 3D games on it etc (I think tablets aint good for serious gaming, casual is ok for me)...
3G is probably coming in months time, but for me constant 3G connection just eats battery for nothing when using WIFI. And I own a MiFi device, that is so small to carry around, when Im not in area with WIFI. 3G is so much slower than any WIFI anyways, so I happily use it instead.
Ofc its finally about you, if you find the tablet useful now. For me, having handy device is priceless atm:
- read email
- twitter
- IM
- surf the net for some minor things
- watch youtube when bored
- watch movies/series when on the road (or waiting in airport like usually)
- read books
etc...
I dont think I need to boot my desktop at home anymore, unless I do serious work. Having ultra fast PC on 24/7 just for email/IM is bit too much....
Guys, do yourself a favor and look for the correct version of dock. B50 docks are horrible! The battery drain on them is at 5% an hour and it defeats the purpose of the dock totally.
Look for a B70 dock and for tablet, look for a no light bleed version but one that is not B70 if you want root - it is a BIG problem with these tablets right now. Rest all are great though. Ubuntu support is good as long as you don't put it on a MicroSD card.
Regarding the hardware issues - buy it at Staples or Best Buy if you are serious about using them for a while and exchange if you get bad batches. I bought online and RMA/Returns are greatly delayed and you have to pay shipping!
kkiran said:
Guys, do yourself a favor and look for the correct version of dock. B50 docks are horrible! The battery drain on them is at 5% an hour and it defeats the purpose of the dock totally.
Look for a B70 dock and for tablet, look for a no light bleed version but one that is not B70 if you want root - it is a BIG problem with these tablets right now. Rest all are great though. Ubuntu support is good as long as you don't put it on a MicroSD card.
Regarding the hardware issues - buy it at Staples or Best Buy if you are serious about using them for a while and exchange if you get bad batches. I bought online and RMA/Returns are greatly delayed and you have to pay shipping!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't call it a "big problem" with the B70s just yet. I have counted about 15 people on the forum and IRC that have successfully NVflashed a B70, and only one person who hasn't, and it hasn't been confirmed that it's due to a different SBK yet. It's something to be aware of, but there's alot of fear-mongering going on too.
My only advice is that, dont compare this to a laptop becuase it's just a *bit* below laptop level. It's great for what it does and not much else. If you're content with that, then you'll definitely love the Transformer.
I can't put the transformer down. Once I found Thumb Keyboard and SwiftKeyX for tablets, it is a dream. I'm out of town for 2 weeks for business and this thing is great. Emails, office doc's, Facebook, twitter, gTalk Video chat, games, Netflix, notes, etc.
My laptop is only on for wifi adhoc connection.
Asus Transformer 3.1 pwnd
www.MiiWiiChat.com
www.SnapSiteAdmins.com
I'm picking one up on Friday. Which store you guys recommend I purchase it from?
Vandam500 said:
I'm picking one up on Friday. Which store you guys recommend I purchase it from?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best Buy so you can take it back easily if you want.
I am interested to know how many of you have experienced faults I have read about while frequenting these forums.
The reason for me wondering this is because my Xperia PLAY is just out of warranty (2 years) and I'm considering buying a new handset while I can as it seems to be out of production, and before long all that will be available is used devices. The device didn't succeed much in terms of android updates and support from Sony (they had too much invested in the DOA PS Vita) but alas, no other device compares to it in terms of gaming with particular regard to emulator support. This is primarily a gaming-centric device (hdmi-out would have made it golden) and I honestly don't see its crown being taken any time soon. I think this is reason enough for me to hold onto one but unsure of if a new one in warranty is necessary, hence the poll.
Tlrtheory has made several posts regarding his thoughts on the xperia play. He had moved XP to an HTC One-x and to an iphone 5 only to come back to an XP. Sorry I contact link any comments as I am away from my laptop. Will post some later.
Sent from my R800at using xda premium
Its definitely a fun little device to have, but I can't use it as a daily driver.
The XP does one thing well, and only one. Portable gaming.
While its inconvenient to carry around a Dual shock 3 and a separate device, its a much more pleasurable experience than using my XP. Dem joysticks.
If you have the opportunity, use a newer device in conjunction with an XP.
My main problem with my XP is that it showed its age rather quickly, and even using stock gingerbread, it can barely perform the games it used to blaze through. I'm unsure whether its my processor, the SD Card, or the device is just plain old, but the XP does not live up to its former glory.
After about a year, no matter what I tried, I was unable to perform basic tasks without encountering extreme amounts of lag, while gaming was un-enjoyable. Mine is collecting dust, with an occasional power on and play when my tablet is out of juice.
Sent from my Nexus 7
My experience with PLAY has been fantastic. It plays almost all available emulators at full speed. My only gripe was the amount of support from Sony was lackluster to say the least. But as a basic Android phone, it works splendid.
I haven't experienced any problems that I've read yet, I've gotten my phone stolen half way through its contract so the one I have now is about a year and a half years old. But the main problem people seem to report would be the flex cable.
Power button sometimes gets stuck and my volume buttons and back cover are VERY squeaky.
Actually my Power Buttons fine, it's just that the varnish has gone so now theres a massive LED light now..
And I'm not sure if this is normal but my R Trigger feels looser than the L Trigger.
The paint on the 4 front buttons (back,search,home, and settings) started to chip off and another big problem that hasn't happened to me yet but lots of people complain about is the flex cable
Sent from my Xperia Play (r800x)
Yes also for me, the paint is starting to come off.
AzNTypeR said:
And I'm not sure if this is normal but my R Trigger feels looser than the L Trigger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, its very loose :/ L is fine though..
The only other problem i have is my back button being too squishy, theres no force needed to push it!
I have had no problems with the power button because I never use it :silly: I mapped search to be power instead as its easier to access and I never used search lol
Zilch for me.
...the only problem I really have is that the previous owner messed up the front camera when replacing the flex cable. My original Xperia Play (which is now in the hands of a long-time friend) has absolutely NO hardware issues at all.
The only real problems were that:
• Internal memory sucked (which we can easily remedy with Link2SD - I've done it and now I have 471 installs while having 283MB free)
• Stock launcher was weak (also an easy fix - I've found ssLauncher to be the smoothest, most aesthetically appealing option)
• Stock browser was laggy (get Opera, it's not only the best mobile browser, but it's completely smooth on Xperia Play)
• Didn't natively come with notifcation toggles (which can be fixed with notifications)
...but by far and large... the biggest complaint is just that it's not "officially" supporting ICS. I take a rather extreme stance of "are you guys on crack?!" when someone tries to point this out as a valid point. This is not a damn iPhone... meaning it doesn't work on the same restrictive principles as the iPhone. On iOS, there's no getting around the fact that you need a newer FW to get features. On Android, we aren't so much affected in the same manner. Yeah 4.2.2 brings lock screen widgets... but everything dating back to 2.1 has already had those features through external apps like widgetlocker. We can get data management without 4.x.x, and even have that holo theme take over our Xperia Play. So, for us... anything above 2.3.7 is more of a bragging right... and it's a bragging right that compromises the stability of our games and compromises how much of the RAM we have... that ain't very "baller" to me.
Somebody give this guy a medal, please? Makes me love my XPlay even more (even if "she's" very sickly).
My xPlay is more than year old, and so far she don't have any hardware issues. And even when i get newer phone, i plan to flash some gingerbread rom without phone capabilities and use it as psx/c64 platform untill she dies in my hands...
Sent from my R800i using xda app-developers app
My R800x is almost 2 years old, still have that despite moving to a R800at, which was in new condition. But both phones and my R800x are in great condition with no hardware issues whatsoever.
And despite playing with a GS3 for 2 weeks it was nice but didnt wave my flag, so I went, nah, and went back to my PLAY. No regrets when I moved from R800x to R800at, especially since i snagged a prototype AT&T model with no branding on it and it was already bootloader unlocked. Had to unlock the sim lock but that was no big deal. Is our phone dated hardware wise yes, but would I give it up for a GS4, nope. I know some people will think it odd and call me crazy but there is nothing like using this phone for some online MC3 or Lets Golf 2 or shadowgun or Bards Tale, or especially the Tiger Arcade CPS1/CPS2/NeoGeo emulators......
Best thing on the world for phone and gaming in my opinion. $ony needs to make another XP2, but doubtful since they want to try and resuscitate the Vita... anyways, no issues but per bliss.
ozzmanj1 said:
a prototype AT&T model with no branding on it and it was already bootloader unlocked. Had to unlock the sim lock but that was no big deal.
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does it have an hdmi out as the first demo units did or is it a later prototype without please?
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk
ps3taker said:
does it have an hdmi out as the first demo units did or is it a later prototype without please?
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No HDMI out, I had made a thread on it, see post 8 for images:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2088271
Noticed the ebay listing is gone, one of the photos showed the back with the battery out and it clearly states "Prototype not for sale", and on the bottom of the front keys there is a serialized number on it. Also the IMEI starts with 044 which I have read means its a proto model. If you'd like me to make a photo of the back let me know, of course I will blur out the last half of the IMEI #.
Edit - Added photos. See attached.
My contract ends next week and... I decided to stay with my XP. I know is little bit outdated and latest games not running smoothly but it's still fun.
Later someone mention that better is to connect to tv and use pad to play but try to do that waiting in queue or bus, during lunch time or waiting for your missus trying another dress...
If want to play good quality game I turn on my PC or Xbox.
Modified ROMs give us nearly all functions that new phones have. I not much gamer to have extra pocket device with me and smudging on screen to play is not fun either. I still have hope that Sony realize that chase after Apple, Samsung etc. Is not only copy other devices but to make some unique moves. Sometimes I thinks that get rid Ericsson was mistake, I used since 1018 long time ago.
Back to topic. I have my XP for 2 yeaes now, no major issues.
I have problem with touchpads, they not working always. I need to turn off phone, remove battery and they back. Tried different roms, kernel, back to stock and even send twice to Sony. I can live with that.
Heard that ribbon is problem. I have change that but it happen when fallen down to river with my XP inside pocket. When dried out phone back to life but later screen started flickering.
Sorry for boring post but I love my XP.
Sent from my R800i using xda app-developers app
ozzmanj1 said:
Tlrtheory has made several posts regarding his thoughts on the xperia play. He had moved XP to an HTC One-x and to an iphone 5 only to come back to an XP. Sorry I contact link any comments as I am away from my laptop. Will post some later.
Sent from my R800at using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I remember reading it and thinking I'd quite like a white XP too but all that is available for sale in the UK are used ones (don't buy used electronics) or grossly overpriced ones (£400+ for a 2011 handset? dafk!).
Replacing my XP with something different isn't really on my mind, but more just that of preserving a working one because it is still the damned best handheld you can get even if its capabilities as a phone are questionable. Its inevitable I will have to replace it eventually given that app developers won't support GB forever. When that day comes, Sony won't even be a brand I consider unless they get a grip on the future of PS Mobile and release an Xperia PLAY 2. It will be Nexus all the way for me with their great pricing and software support. But even then I will still want to hold onto my XP as a great gaming machine.
Its a great shame Sony doesn't realise the potential of a gaming/phone hybrid. The XP had a lacklustre launch with lacklustre specs with a lacklustre marketing campaign, and despite this it was still a great handset in many ways and earned itself itself a strong following. Sony (and pretty much any multinational company) only cares about the sales figures and not the big picture. Smartphones are and will continue to eat into dedicated gaming handhelds; PS Vita is the past and devices like the XP are what they need to move PS Mobile as a strategy going forwards.
Leraeniesh said:
Its definitely a fun little device to have, but I can't use it as a daily driver.
The XP does one thing well, and only one. Portable gaming.
While its inconvenient to carry around a Dual shock 3 and a separate device, its a much more pleasurable experience than using my XP. Dem joysticks.
If you have the opportunity, use a newer device in conjunction with an XP.
My main problem with my XP is that it showed its age rather quickly, and even using stock gingerbread, it can barely perform the games it used to blaze through. I'm unsure whether its my processor, the SD Card, or the device is just plain old, but the XP does not live up to its former glory.
After about a year, no matter what I tried, I was unable to perform basic tasks without encountering extreme amounts of lag, while gaming was un-enjoyable. Mine is collecting dust, with an occasional power on and play when my tablet is out of juice.
Sent from my Nexus 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds very much like a hardware problem with your device, either that or the SD card. Its definitely not something I have experienced. I decrapified my handset from useless apps from day one and experience little to no lag, ever. Nexus+XP might be something I consider going forwards but the XP is definitely irreplaceable in terms of gaming, which is a shame.
Mega5657 said:
My experience with PLAY has been fantastic. It plays almost all available emulators at full speed. My only gripe was the amount of support from Sony was lackluster to say the least. But as a basic Android phone, it works splendid.
I haven't experienced any problems that I've read yet, I've gotten my phone stolen half way through its contract so the one I have now is about a year and a half years old. But the main problem people seem to report would be the flex cable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I agree with you and everyone else in regards to the flex cable. It was clearly designed poorly to avoid ware.
I have a bad feeling that mine is slowly on its way too. It didn't used to make any noise when opening/closing the slider but it makes an unmistakably odd crackling noise now. This is the main reason I'm considering replacing it with a new handset while I can... not worth the heartache later
CyberScopes said:
Power button sometimes gets stuck and my volume buttons and back cover are VERY squeaky.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only had my power button get stuck the once and I rarely use the volume buttons tbh.
The back cover is definitely very squeaky. I'm probably in the minority here but I'm a big fan of plastic housing for phones because of its durability and shock resistance, but the XP's back cover was poorly designed and adds to the growing list of problems for us 1st worlders, lol.
AzNTypeR said:
Actually my Power Buttons fine, it's just that the varnish has gone so now theres a massive LED light now..
And I'm not sure if this is normal but my R Trigger feels looser than the L Trigger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here with the R trigger. Its lost its springiness. This I think has something to do with how we hold our devices when making a call, so it seems Apple users aren't alone in "holding it wrong" lol.
abdel12345 said:
The paint on the 4 front buttons (back,search,home, and settings) started to chip off and another big problem that hasn't happened to me yet but lots of people complain about is the flex cable
Sent from my Xperia Play (r800x)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This started to happen to my device very slightly but since getting the Trident case, no further ware on the buttons has occurred.
TLRtheory said:
Zilch for me.
...the only problem I really have is that the previous owner messed up the front camera when replacing the flex cable. My original Xperia Play (which is now in the hands of a long-time friend) has absolutely NO hardware issues at all.
The only real problems were that:
• Internal memory sucked (which we can easily remedy with Link2SD - I've done it and now I have 471 installs while having 283MB free)
• Stock launcher was weak (also an easy fix - I've found ssLauncher to be the smoothest, most aesthetically appealing option)
• Stock browser was laggy (get Opera, it's not only the best mobile browser, but it's completely smooth on Xperia Play)
• Didn't natively come with notifcation toggles (which can be fixed with notifications)
...but by far and large... the biggest complaint is just that it's not "officially" supporting ICS. I take a rather extreme stance of "are you guys on crack?!" when someone tries to point this out as a valid point. This is not a damn iPhone... meaning it doesn't work on the same restrictive principles as the iPhone. On iOS, there's no getting around the fact that you need a newer FW to get features. On Android, we aren't so much affected in the same manner. Yeah 4.2.2 brings lock screen widgets... but everything dating back to 2.1 has already had those features through external apps like widgetlocker. We can get data management without 4.x.x, and even have that holo theme take over our Xperia Play. So, for us... anything above 2.3.7 is more of a bragging right... and it's a bragging right that compromises the stability of our games and compromises how much of the RAM we have... that ain't very "baller" to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well pretty much the same. I have only had minor issues so far with mine, with the R1 button losing springiness, ware on the front buttons and the housing scratching the gamepad. My main concern is with the flex cable; it now sounds unhealthy when opening/closing the device, where it didn't before. Do you notice anything with yours?
I agree with you. Link2SD is a REQUIREMENT for XP users and I never worry about internal storage any more.
Meh. I have no problem with the stock launcher. Sure it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of say a Samsung device but what it lacks in features is makes up for in simplicity and stability.
The stock browser was worse than aweful; it was atrocious. After a few weeks of using it I replaced it. Opera is indeed the best browser available for android. I tried Firefox and others, which were largely very unstable and overall just rubbish for multiple different reasons.
I agree on the ICS issue. though I do think it was something that could have been avoided if it had been released with current specs on launch day. But alas, it didn't and there's no point crying about it now. The real shame is not that it didn't get ICS, its that the lacklustre launch specs and sales campaign that probably stopped it from getting the sales it deserved and resultantly killed off much chance we had of seeing a successor to it.
Bakisha said:
My xPlay is more than year old, and so far she don't have any hardware issues. And even when i get newer phone, i plan to flash some gingerbread rom without phone capabilities and use it as psx/c64 platform untill she dies in my hands...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope its good health continues for you. Its gaming capabilities are definitely not in doubt, even 2 years later :good:
ozzmanj1 said:
My R800x is almost 2 years old, still have that despite moving to a R800at, which was in new condition. But both phones and my R800x are in great condition with no hardware issues whatsoever.
And despite playing with a GS3 for 2 weeks it was nice but didnt wave my flag, so I went, nah, and went back to my PLAY. No regrets when I moved from R800x to R800at, especially since i snagged a prototype AT&T model with no branding on it and it was already bootloader unlocked. Had to unlock the sim lock but that was no big deal. Is our phone dated hardware wise yes, but would I give it up for a GS4, nope. I know some people will think it odd and call me crazy but there is nothing like using this phone for some online MC3 or Lets Golf 2 or shadowgun or Bards Tale, or especially the Tiger Arcade CPS1/CPS2/NeoGeo emulators......
Best thing on the world for phone and gaming in my opinion. $ony needs to make another XP2, but doubtful since they want to try and resuscitate the Vita... anyways, no issues but per bliss.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're not crazy, I use the XP for all my portable gaming needs. Its a real shame we won't ever likely see a successor or even a challenger to it. But at least if the majority of devices stay working without the aforementioned faults, what remains is a great and unbeaten gaming device.
ps3taker said:
does it have an hdmi out as the first demo units did or is it a later prototype without please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was on developer units. Dire shame this feature never made the cut.
bartmw said:
My contract ends next week and... I decided to stay with my XP. I know is little bit outdated and latest games not running smoothly but it's still fun.
Later someone mention that better is to connect to tv and use pad to play but try to do that waiting in queue or bus, during lunch time or waiting for your missus trying another dress...
If want to play good quality game I turn on my PC or Xbox.
Modified ROMs give us nearly all functions that new phones have. I not much gamer to have extra pocket device with me and smudging on screen to play is not fun either. I still have hope that Sony realize that chase after Apple, Samsung etc. Is not only copy other devices but to make some unique moves. Sometimes I thinks that get rid Ericsson was mistake, I used since 1018 long time ago.
Back to topic. I have my XP for 2 yeaes now, no major issues.
I have problem with touchpads, they not working always. I need to turn off phone, remove battery and they back. Tried different roms, kernel, back to stock and even send twice to Sony. I can live with that.
Heard that ribbon is problem. I have change that but it happen when fallen down to river with my XP inside pocket. When dried out phone back to life but later screen started flickering.
Sorry for boring post but I love my XP.
Sent from my R800i using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
You're right. Who the hell uses a dualshock controller or one of those ridiculously obese and unportable controller attachments? It looks and is retarded. People are mad if they think otherwise.
I also know someone who got their XP damp (dropped in puddle) and the ribbon went a few months later. Sounds like this is something to try and avoid.
Also, another problem is that the Front Camera's gone completely Green and Fuzzy. May be down to the amount of times that I've dropped it, before it wasn't that bad but now it simply refuses to work.
On my third Play, but not through anything breaking by itself. My first was stolen, my second didn't survive my dropping it in a sink full of water. Water = not good for sure, and I'm paranoid about the flex cable. Interestingly each that I had tried with let me overclock to 1.5GHz at stock voltage, but I use OC sparingly.
It's an absolute essential to get the Trident case IMO, it saved my last play from being dropped on concrete twice I'm sure and to protect the buttons. Honestly, if anyone is thinking about getting it and worrying about the price: please if you can at all afford it, just get it. It'll save you money on a broken phone some day.
And also honestly it's the only phone for me, even if imperfect. I can either choose between GB and some new 4.0+ only apps not being available (for me, BBC radio player), or ICS and some circle button and game incompatibilities (krisdee's Hybrid rom + LuPus ICS/GB 480p seems a viable combination for game performance and general stability at least though, which is great). Not tried JB. But either way, it's more game playing than I'd do on any device without buttons regardless of the specs. Even if it only played emulators, it would still be "cool" to me.
I agree Opera is the smoothest browser, I've always found that, particularly on GB. And yes the speakers are so very useful, I use it as a mini "radio" all the time.
I seriously don't know how you guys have problems.. i bought mine 2nd hand a year ago and only problem I've faced is the housing seems to fade/damage easily. going to replace it soon. otherwise no prob.
This might help people eyeing the Z4 Tablet, but are unsure of what positives and negatives there are. Of course, this is highly subjective, but this is my list. It's influenced by my personal competing choices which were the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 and the Google Pixel C. I'm happy I chose the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet.
Pros:
Fast SoC (Qualcomm Snapdragon 810)
This is Qualcomm's 2015 flagship SoC and from what I've experienced it's really fast. Android flies. It also runs 64-bit, which it should anyway, but for example Samsung's Tab S2 doesn't. I don't know about the graphical performance as I don't really play games.
'Compatible' SoC (Qualcomm Snapdragon 810)
This opens up the way for optimized-for-specific-SoC apps (like RSBrowser, which is Snapdragon-optimized and significantly faster than stock Chrome/Chromium) and CyanogenMod support, that need documentation/drivers. For example, Samsung's (faster) Exynos SoC's are a black box for developers, which makes things like this very hard and has the result of devs abandoning it.
Big internal storage (32GB)
32GB is plenty of storage for apps and a reasonable amount of media. But that can be stored on the microSD.
microSD capability (up to 128GB)
This is a major benefit for a media consumption device like this, which many devices don't have.
Good multitasking
I could have mentioned 3GB RAM, but that doesn't tell the whole story. Multitasking on the Z4 is pretty darn good. It swtiches quickly and is generally very snappy. My Samsung Galaxy S6 with 3GB RAM has pretty bad RAM management in comparison. I'm still trying to find a custom kernel for it that keeps the phone snappy after 2 days.
Huge screen solution, high ppi on a big screen
2560x1600, 299ppi. On a big 10.1 inch screen. This is wonderful.
16:10 aspect ratio screen
Which is good for widescreen content like movies and dSLR photo's. 16:10 also beats 16:9 for me because of the added screen height.
Screen has natural, accurate colors
Very subjective, but compared to several other screens I've found this one to be superior.
Front facing stereo speakers
A rare thing among Android devices. Good design choice.
Lightweight (~390gr), thin
It's pleasantly light to hold.
NFC, notification LED, GPS, vibration motor
These features are often overlooked, but are important to me. I use NFC for LastPass, the (multicolor!) LED with LightFlow to see what exactly is asking my attention when in standby, vibration to still be notified when I want the tablet to be silent and GPS for the occasional navigation need or social app check-in.
Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0
Another nice bonus, which isn't mentioned much. Quick Charge makes a major difference to charging speed. Needs a compatible charger though.
Big battery (6000mAh)
Can't yet say battery life is amazing, because I'm using it a lot and crank the screen brightness up quite high so don't know what to expect. Reviewers seem to agree it's great though.
Bootloader can be unlocked (so the road is open for rooting)
No waiting for an exploit if you're OK with going this route. Just follow Sony's instructions and you'll have root in no time.
Marshmallow announced
Should come January '16 I heard, but these things always get delayed :| At least it's coming.
AOSP commitment by Sony
Sony's Open Device Program is nice and all, but their sources are a bit troublesome and don't seem to produce functional ROMs. Still, Sony's stance on it might bode well for future things.
Water-/dustproof
I don't care much myself, but it's a nice bonus. At least it takes some worries away (dropping liquids on it, no fear for dust particles between the screen and the glass).
Keyboard dock option
Nice for when you want to use a physical keyboard that is fully compatible and is also attachable. I use a 3rd party BT keyboard, but I'm constantly fighting with fixing incompatible button mapping stuff.
Important root-specific things that work
These things are not guaranteed to work or be available on any rooted device, and are pretty major in adding possibilities, so I consider them pros to be working on the Z4T:
Xposed Framework
For most people anyway (Some are having issues). This is a thing to be happy about, because if it didn't, chances are it wouldn't be fixed anytime soon because of the small user/dev base. Xposed opens up many possibilities which really enhance a device. To me it's a selling point.
Native KCAL support
Another Qualcomm exclusive. I believe this is actually fully present on the stock ROM, but not fully controllable (limited to RGB in the Settings menu). KCAL support enables you to tweak various image parameters, like RGB, saturation and contrast with a tool like Color Control or Kernel Adiutor. It's pretty great and you don't see it often.
Cons:
SoC might overheat in extreme circumstances
Haven't had any problems myself, and I stress the tablet pretty hard, but I've read some reports about issues. At least of a guy bringing the tablet to the beach. It's mostly just people saying it's fine, even with heavy usage.
Speakers are lacking in bass
No surprise, but it's still a letdown.
Bad low-light camera performance, no flash
Picture quality in low light is disturbingly bad. Having no flash makes this unusable in those situations. Not a big deal for me personally, I don't take pics with a tablet.
Screen isn't that bright
Compared to several others, the screen isn't that bright and needs to be cranked up pretty much, even indoors. Outdoors, this is a problem. The big screen reflectiveness doesn't help either. Indoors it fine, it just that the needed high brightness level eats battery.
Screen lacks deep blacks
This is compared to (S)AMOLED, specifically. Those screen blacks are amazing and darker colors are also good for battery on those screens. IPS screens just don't have that. Using dark themes won't help battery life on the Z4T, it may even be worse with them.
Stock charger isn't Quick Charge 2.0
Come on, Sony.
No hardware navigation buttons
This is a real PITA for me because this requires Android's soft keys / navigation bar which take up valuable screen space. This is especially problematic in landscape mode on this 16:10 ratio in which you'll want every screen height you can get. Fortunately, this can be overcome by tools like GMD Full Screen Immersive Mode (with full screen keyboard typing restrictions so you'll have to switch back to type :S) combined with All in One Gestures, both of which don't reqquire root. Better yet is a build.prop edit that declares to Android the tablet has hardware buttons, removing the soft keys entirely, while keeping the ability to type anywhere. I navigate using All in One Gestures, because GMD GestureControl sometimes stops working. Which isn't very nice when you don't have navigation keys
No user-land root exploit (yet)
Because of this, you'll need to unlock the bootloader to gain root access. Which will destroy your TA partition, which will in turn remove Sony-proprietary functions. Which I personally don't use and don't see much use for anyway. Also, unlocked bootloader can't be undone without Sony noticing, so as a non-EU citizen you'll possibly have warranty issues.
Small user/dev community
Not many people own a Z4 Tablet (bad availability in the US and it's expensive) and because of this, there's next to no development for it. Luckily, we have @AndroPlus who's made a custom kernel and ported TWRP (which unfortunately has a bug that keeps us from restoring the system partition from a backup). @DHGE worked on root, which made it possible in the end I think. Still, custom ROMs would be nice. Also, if you run into device-specific problems, there's not many others that can help, because you're either the only one or one of very few who have that problem.
It's expensive
The price is very high and a bit hard to justify.
What I miss:
Wireless charging
This is sooo convenient. It also spares the precious MicroUSB port, which is used for charging, data-transfer, USB-OTG and adb/fastboot. If it breaks, you're done.
Removable battery
Batteries do not have eternal life, so eventually it will be completely dead. Which will render the tablet dead as well.
Any thoughts, questions, additions or critique is welcome.
jelbo said:
[*]Small user/dev community
Not many people own a Z4 Tablet (bad availability in the US and it's expensive) and because of this, there's next to no development for it. Luckily, we have @AndroPlus who's made a custom kernel and ported TWRP (which unfortunately had a bug that keeps us from restoring the system partition from a backup). @DHGE worked on root, which made it possible in the end I think. Still, custom ROMs would be nice. Also, if you run into device-specific problems, there's not many others that can help, because you're either the only one or one of very few that have that problem.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello jelbo. Let's discuss about it. First of all, our tablet is not alone with some sort of problem. z3+ and z5 devices are the same story. I don't really understand how can we have aosp sources but not to have its rom. So what the problem, some building problem, or is it true that aosp roms works without working sensors? People give different feedback. Did you try some aosp rom? I just want to cook aosp rom in ubuntu.
alex009988 said:
Hello jelbo. Let's discuss about it. First of all, our tablet is not alone with some sort of problem. z3+ and z5 devices are the same story.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, they're similar. Which actually makes me think about a positive point as development for those devices can also benefit Z4T owners. For example @[NUT]'s efforts may eventually reach us, or when an Xperia user-land exploit is found, it will likely be shared among different devices.
I don't really understand how can we have aosp sources but not to have its rom. So what the problem, some building problem, or is it true that aosp roms works without working sensors? People give different feedback. Did you try some aosp rom? I just want to cook aosp rom in ubuntu.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not too sure about the reasons, but what I've seen is that 1) the Sony sources are/have been a bit buggy/messy 2) not many people compile ROMs from it (I've only seen 2 XDA users and the FXP Team).
I haven't yet dared to flash any AOSP build because I've been too busy on getting stock rooted to my liking and troubleshooting my Xposed issues and I don't want to interrupt that. It seems to be quite easy to flash ROMs though, it's either a TWRP flashable .zip, Flashtool flashable .tft or fastboot flashable .bin files.
I'm also curious about the mixed reports about 'sensor stuff not working' and 'everything works fine' on Sony-sourced AOSP builds, but so far no-one has answered my or your questions about it. Seems we'll have too find out ourselves at some point Best leave that part of questions and discussion in their respective threads to keep things organized.
Nice summary, thanks for the effort; its clear and concise.
jelbo said:
it's either a TWRP flashable .zip,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think free xperia team jeer at us cause twrp has a serious bug and it can't flash any roms for the time being whereas we can see exactly .zips at their site.
Interesting, had they even tested themselves what they uploaded
jelbo said:
Yes, they're similar. Which actually makes me think about a positive point as development for those devices can also benefit Z4T owners. For example @[NUT]'s efforts may eventually reach us, or when an Xperia user-land exploit is found, it will likely be shared among different devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've put XZDualRecovery on 'feature freeze' for 2.8 well over a year ago, because it needs some work to keep it working on the ever changing Android eco-system. As a consequence, I also stopped adding devices to the supported devices list. For XZDR 2.9 things will change and I will start adding devices again, remember that I am just on my own, from time to time I have a helper but they generally drop out after a while and I'm on my own again after that... I have a busy real life and a very busy job, which consumes most of my energy, leaving only little amounts of it for use on the XZDR development unfortunately... and I have big plans with it which I'd rather deploy sooner then later.
As security features increase, so do the difficulties to keep XZDR working properly... For the Z3+/Z4/Z5/M4 Aqua it is dm-verity, which throws a tantrum once the system partition is modified, which in turn causes a reboot (and with that a bootloop). This behavior has hampered the Stock Based custom ROM development and made it generally impossible to root the device...
A backup-ta with a built-in root exploit (similar to the XZDR installer) to allow a backup of the TA partition would kick-start the development for these models. People don't mind unlocking their devices but do mind losing their warranty on a 500-700 euro device... so most of them wait for the possibility to backup their TA partition.
Oh, and to actually participate in this topic:
I have to say the Z4 tablet takes my fancy and tics just about all the boxes of things I like about tablets... I own a Xperia Tablet Z, well, the misses has it now and I can 'occasionally' touch it :silly: and I have been looking for a new tablet to actually use myself
I don't have the funds to purchase a TabZ4, but I would really like to have one with the keyboard dock
[NUT] said:
Oh, and to actually participate in this topic:
I have to say the Z4 tablet takes my fancy and tics just about all the boxes of things I like about tablets... I own a Xperia Tablet Z, well, the misses has it now and I can 'occasionally' touch it :silly: and I have been looking for a new tablet to actually use myself
I don't have the funds to purchase a TabZ4, but I would really like to have one with the keyboard dock
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello. Thanks for participating our thread. Tab Z4 is a great device with cool hardware, but it is less developed in comparison with Samsung to my regret. All we want for this moment are a fix of bug for twrp, problem with mounting the system, and some customs roms. And the very big dream is cyanogenmod of course
@jelbo, where in NL do you live? Did you root your TabZ4 yet?
---------- Post added at 02:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:26 PM ----------
alex009988 said:
Hello. Thanks for participating our thread. Tab Z4 is a great device with cool hardware, but it is less developed in comparison with Samsung to my regret. All we want for this moment are a fix of bug for twrp, problem with mounting the system, and some customs roms. And the very big dream is cyanogenmod of course
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I am assuming that custom ROM's will come as soon as there is a viable way to flash them
I wonder why @AndroPlus wasn't able to fix the TWRP mount issues yet...
alex009988 said:
Hello. Thanks for participating our thread. Tab Z4 is a great device with cool hardware, but it is less developed in comparison with Samsung to my regret. All we want for this moment are a fix of bug for twrp, problem with mounting the system, and some customs roms. And the very big dream is cyanogenmod of course
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty confident CM will support the 'karin' at some point. Many other Sony phones/tablets are officially supported.
[NUT] said:
@jelbo, where in NL do you live? Did you root your TabZ4 yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll tell you in a PM Yeah, I've unlocked my bootloader and rooted it. I couldn't restrain myself anymore It's so much better now. Just some littles gripes left that'll be fixed sooner or later.
Well, I am assuming that custom ROM's will come as soon as there is a viable way to flash them
I wonder why @AndroPlus wasn't able to fix the TWRP mount issues yet...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Time restraints, who knows? He did post a v11 version of the kernel some days ago though @dl12345 who greatly helped him getting TWRP to work, may be able to fix it, but he hasn't been around. You can follow some technical details about it in the AndroPlusKernel thread.
It's just /system/ that cannot be restored though. Which is bad, but you can get out of a bad situation pretty quickly with restoring /data/ and using Helium/Titanium Backup, I think. Unless you really fried the ROM and need your /system/ back, then you can only go the flashtool route now
jelbo said:
I'm pretty confident CM will support the 'karin' at some point. Many other Sony phones/tablets are officially supported.
I'll tell you in a PM Yeah, I've unlocked my bootloader and rooted it. I couldn't restrain myself anymore It's so much better now. Just some littles gripes left that'll be fixed sooner or later.
Time restraints, who knows? He did post a v11 version of the kernel some days ago though @dl12345 who greatly helped him getting TWRP to work, may be able to fix it, but he hasn't been around. You can follow some technical details about it in the AndroPlusKernel thread.
It's just /system/ that cannot be restored though. Which is bad, but you can get out of a bad situation pretty quickly with restoring /data/ and using Helium/Titanium Backup, I think. Unless you really fried the ROM and need your /system/ back, then you can only go the flashtool route now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
* [NUT] pokes @AndroPlus to join this conversation.
Due to lack of time on my side to read the entire topic, what exactly fails when restoring system?
@jelbo, do you have his kernel installed (a.k.a. have you unlocked your bootloader)?
[NUT] said:
* [NUT] pokes @AndroPlus to join this conversation.
Due to lack of time on my side to read the entire topic, what exactly fails when restoring system?
@jelbo, do you have his kernel installed (a.k.a. have you unlocked your bootloader)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and yes. Basically anyone here who's rooted their tablet is running AndoPlusKernel and have manually unlocked their bootloader.
jelbo said:
Yes and yes. Basically anyone here who's rooted their tablet is running AndoPlusKernel and have manually unlocked their bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see, that un-complicates testing a lot
Gotta say... amazing tablet all together and the first device that i havent seen the mighty snapdragon handwarmer throttle from heat in. I kept roasting it for about 3 hours with simpleplanes and PC minecraft (boardwalk app) and it didnt lose any performance just got a bit hot on the back middle. I find the battery life to be good enough for a day of being on and off watching youtube and occasional gaming but i do keep screen brightness on auto at all times and features such as BT NFC and GPS off. Also a app that i think the tablet should have from factory: OGYoutube, you can have floating resizeable youtube above other apps or play in background or with screen off and download in mp4 or mp3.
I'd picked up a Z4T about 4 months ago to replace two different devices, my aging and finally dead cell phone (I hung on to my old Samsung S3 for way too long), and my laptop, which is a still functional but extraordinarily heavy beast of a 17" macbook - about 6 years old on its own as well. What can I say, they were still working so why buy new?
I have to say I'm very glad I made the purchase. I picked up a SBH52 handset to make phone calls more convenient, and splurged on the sony docking kb for the added ruggedness of using it as a "case" - which it does like a champ. Calls are nice and clear, and I've had pretty much no troubles - aside from some occasional static when using the handset (which I owe to the handset itself being a bit flaky). Even with an unlocked BL, remote play on my PS4 still works, only the Bravia screen mirroring to my TV is kaput. It serves very well as a laptop for those like me that need something lightweight for overnight trips, let with a big enough screen to be able to remote desktop troubleshoot back to the main office.
Would this replace every computer I own? Obviously not. I still own a high end desktop for videos, games, and intense word processing (the sony kb is just a bit small if you were attempting to write a novel for example); and my PS4 for console games; but for light end use and for traveling, it's almost the perfect laptop replacement. And as a combo cellphone laptop? I couldn't ask for better. My overall data usage has also dropped, because I'm using far more wireless on this device (I want to make sure it's connected for the stability if nothing else), but I can always drop out to a cell connection if no wireless is available - or if I don't feel like paying the stupid prices at the hotel the convention is being held at.
Now for the Cons:
I've really only got two, one of which was mentioned here. The damn thing is not cheap. Since I live in the states, the LTE version is not available directly. You need to pick up an international version from amazon or another reputable source. Hence the reason I have a kb with extra non-english symbols on it. Not that I mind, but it confuses some people when they look at it. When I picked mine up, the tablet kb and handset ran about $900 US all together. so not something you want to accidentally brick, or drop, or leave behind in a restaurant....
The second one is convenience. Given that it is a tablet - and a fairly large one, most people aren't going to go the phone replacement route like I did. You can't exactly just slip it into your pants pocket. And since the handset is BT, you can't exactly leave the tablet in the car and just use the handset inside most restaurants either (unless you park really close to the building). I'll often leave mine at home if all I do is run to the store for a dozen eggs or something, just because it's easier not to pack it up. But then half an hour of being unconnected and out of touch doesn't bother me - it might bother some though.
So there you have it, a much less technical review, from yet another satisfied user.
begalund said:
I'd picked up a Z4T about 4 months ago to replace two different devices, my aging and finally dead cell phone (I hung on to my old Samsung S3 for way too long), and my laptop, which is a still functional but extraordinarily heavy beast of a 17" macbook - about 6 years old on its own as well. What can I say, they were still working so why buy new?
I have to say I'm very glad I made the purchase. I picked up a SBH52 handset to make phone calls more convenient, and splurged on the sony docking kb for the added ruggedness of using it as a "case" - which it does like a champ. Calls are nice and clear, and I've had pretty much no troubles - aside from some occasional static when using the handset (which I owe to the handset itself being a bit flaky). Even with an unlocked BL, remote play on my PS4 still works, only the Bravia screen mirroring to my TV is kaput. It serves very well as a laptop for those like me that need something lightweight for overnight trips, let with a big enough screen to be able to remote desktop troubleshoot back to the main office.
Would this replace every computer I own? Obviously not. I still own a high end desktop for videos, games, and intense word processing (the sony kb is just a bit small if you were attempting to write a novel for example); and my PS4 for console games; but for light end use and for traveling, it's almost the perfect laptop replacement. And as a combo cellphone laptop? I couldn't ask for better. My overall data usage has also dropped, because I'm using far more wireless on this device (I want to make sure it's connected for the stability if nothing else), but I can always drop out to a cell connection if no wireless is available - or if I don't feel like paying the stupid prices at the hotel the convention is being held at.
Now for the Cons:
I've really only got two, one of which was mentioned here. The damn thing is not cheap. Since I live in the states, the LTE version is not available directly. You need to pick up an international version from amazon or another reputable source. Hence the reason I have a kb with extra non-english symbols on it. Not that I mind, but it confuses some people when they look at it. When I picked mine up, the tablet kb and handset ran about $900 US all together. so not something you want to accidentally brick, or drop, or leave behind in a restaurant....
The second one is convenience. Given that it is a tablet - and a fairly large one, most people aren't going to go the phone replacement route like I did. You can't exactly just slip it into your pants pocket. And since the handset is BT, you can't exactly leave the tablet in the car and just use the handset inside most restaurants either (unless you park really close to the building). I'll often leave mine at home if all I do is run to the store for a dozen eggs or something, just because it's easier not to pack it up. But then half an hour of being unconnected and out of touch doesn't bother me - it might bother some though.
So there you have it, a much less technical review, from yet another satisfied user.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for sharing
So I am coming to this device from the Nvidia Shield Tablet and I love the device thus far for all of the positive reasons mentioned. Also with respect to screen brightness listed as a con my own experience is that it is much better than what I was coming from.
The battery life is truly great with this device and my needs are small when it comes to the development area. I simply need it to be rooted because I prefer to remove all of googles garbage that I don't use and rooting and bootloader unlock was very simple.
All in all I am really liking this device, had it about 10 days now. I have the LTE version but only because I may use it at some point.
Overall very pleased with the device so far.
ThePhoneGeek said:
So I am coming to this device from the Nvidia Shield Tablet and I love the device thus far for all of the positive reasons mentioned. Also with respect to screen brightness listed as a con my own experience is that it is much better than what I was coming from.
The battery life is truly great with this device and my needs are small when it comes to the development area. I simply need it to be rooted because I prefer to remove all of googles garbage that I don't use and rooting and bootloader unlock was very simple.
All in all I am really liking this device, had it about 10 days now. I have the LTE version but only because I may use it at some point.
Overall very pleased with the device so far.
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Click to collapse
I was seriously considering the Shield because of the dev scene and the price. What made you switch?
jelbo said:
I was seriously considering the Shield because of the dev scene and the price. What made you switch?
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Click to collapse
The device itself just isn't very efficient on battery and I needed something with a slightly larger screen. It does ok but it's really designed more as a gaming device IMO which wasn't what I needed. Also the specs are a bit outdated now.
I noticed in the op that he said being a non eu customer when unlocking bootloader they will notice. Im an eu user, does this mean that they wont notice if I try claim warranty after bootloader unlock? I havent unlocked yet but I was getting slow WiFi and disconnections. I really want root but im not sure about this WiFi issue I set the WiFi to turn off at sleep and it seems better also the issues are caused less im concerned what would you guys do? ive sent it off to Sony once already they said nothing was wrong with wifi. Can someone help me decide? Much appreciated, many thanks.
Looking for a Kodi box plus emulation
Can the box run Dreamcast/PS1/PSP /N64 games well?
Should I chose the new firebox or an Intel atom cherry trail small media center
All I can say to this is I absolutely love my MOJO and would not replace it. But (there's always a but!) it can be a tough console to love and requires a bit of effort to get what you want from it. That said I would not change it and have even considered buying another as a back up.
Ultimately it does depend on what you want from it.
For me it's a brilliant one-stop place for my movies and games. I use KODI but I don't stream with it (though I am led to believe the box does this well) but instead have my personal media on an external drive along with my retro games. I flashed the console with UJD's Cyanogenmod 12.1 and have tailored it further still with the Top TV Launcher from the Play store. There have been some minor bumps along the way but I have resolved everything that I had problems with.
I would recommend not paying too much for one now if it can be avoided. I paid £60 brand new for mine and that is about right considering the required effort needed to get it running sweetly. I certainly wouldn't pay over £100 that some are trying to charge on eBay for second hand units.
As for emulation it is imho the best box I have bought for it. Some of the emus need a bit of work but they won't suffer because of anything the MOJO does wrong. N64 runs extremely well on both Retroarch and Mupen FZ Edition. I also recently installed Drastic which is amazing too. Dreamcast emulation is very old but still runs OK via Reicast. PSX is spot on, though I haven't tried PSP. The only downside with emulation here is the D-pad on the CTRLR. It is very stiff. I've gotten used to it but occasionally on fighting games it drives me nuts!
Wow fantastic response they are going for £60 ATM
Roughly same as fire box TV ,
Also could add extra and get a Intel atom cherry trail for £80
Nvidia shield is the bee knees but is around 150 which I don't have.
I'd say no, support for it is pretty much dead and current custom roms are fairly buggy.
I've had no issues with CM 12.1 personally. It has been extremely stable and problem free for me. The only thing I've heard is Netflix doesn't work, but I don't need that myself. If you do use it, you may wish to consider something else. Similarly, I don't have a 4K set, just a fairly standard 1080p TV. I don't know how the MOJO works with 4K, and I suspect you'd need to look elsewhere for that.
I came to this box from the OUYA, the Raspberry Pi (3), and I also had a Minix Neo U1. They are all compromises one way or the other. Even the Nvidia Shield is in some ways. Stuff may work on one but not the other, options may be available on that box but not on the other box. The compromises with the MOJO worked out better for me than the compromises the other boxes offered.
I'm not trying to convince you to buy one. If you have the money I'd say get the Shield as people seem to love it, and the MOJO is not a Shield replacement. What it is to me is a great game console and media player that I have tailored to suit me over time, and at this point I would not swap it out for anything else.
Just got the mojo on ebay for 35 delivered
So looks like it should be coming Tuesday.
Cm12 best option
CM 12.1 I would say personally, but you might want to try them all and see which works best for you. You can't really brick the MOJO once the recovery is installed. The files you'll need are around the forums somewhere. You might like the stock OS, who knows?
£35 all in? That's absolutely excellent. Even if you don't like it, for that price you can sell it on again and not lose anything.
I personally followed this guide to install the OS. It says it's for Remix but it helps with all of them. If you have any trouble I'm sure a good search around here will set you on your path. Chances are someone else will have experienced the same problem and posted here.
Once it's installed, first thing I would do is install a shutdown button as otherwise you'll just be unplugging to switch it off. I hate that myself, it can't be any good for the system. I use Quick Reboot Pro, but I think there's a free version. Also as I mentioned before I would try Top TV Launcher too. Many people do not like the stock Android interface on their TV's. I don't either tbh but I could cope with it, but Top TV Launcher is much better and nicely customisable once you know how it works. If you do decide to use CM 12.1, root is in the developer options.
K-Project said:
CM 12.1 I would say personally, but you might want to try them all and see which works best for you. You can't really brick the MOJO once the recovery is installed. The files you'll need are around the forums somewhere. You might like the stock OS, who knows?
£35 all in? That's absolutely excellent. Even if you don't like it, for that price you can sell it on again and not lose anything.
I personally followed this guide to install the OS. It says it's for Remix but it helps with all of them. If you have any trouble I'm sure a good search around here will set you on your path. Chances are someone else will have experienced the same problem and posted here.
Once it's installed, first thing I would do is install a shutdown button as otherwise you'll just be unplugging to switch it off. I hate that myself, it can't be any good for the system. I use Quick Reboot Pro, but I think there's a free version. Also as I mentioned before I would try Top TV Launcher too. Many people do not like the stock Android interface on their TV's. I don't either tbh but I could cope with it, but Top TV Launcher is much better and nicely customisable once you know how it works. If you do decide to use CM 12.1, root is in the developer options.
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Yes £25 pound won the bid but a tenner postage and packaging.
Thank you for the tips
Is it easy enough to add extra controllers i.e Xbox pad (i have adapter) and Bluetooth pads
Looking forward to Mario kart and fzero
You can add other pads for two player but to be honest you'll be using the CTRLR as the main controller for the system. You'll likely be better off with Bluetooth pads for multi player gaming (though the only one of those I've tried is the retail CTRLR) as the stock pad included uses up one of the two USB ports provided. This can be a pain if you use the other USB for storage, so you'll have to use a Bluetooth pad as a second controller rather than a wired one. Also I would note that the SD card slot is only really useful for installing OS's. If you try to use it when your new OS is installed it will mess up your wifi (i.e - it won't work). Just reserve the SD card slot for installation purposes only and don't use it as storage. It's a shame but there it is. Unless you stick with the stock OS where I believe it works fine.
Thanks for the heads up so if i want to add external storage another usb way is the way forward.
Yes that would be my recommendation. On mine I have the stock CTRLR in one USB (the 3.0 one) and my external 2Tb hard drive in the other. I've recently started using my retail CTRLR and this does not require a dongle. It's freed up a USB port but I don't really have anything to plug into it anyway beyond a wired pad for two player games.
I hope you enjoy it tbh, but I know people have been this way before and really disliked it. A lot of this was to do with the stock Android OS on a big TV, which is why I recommended the TV launcher above. But also a lot of folks just didn't like having to deal with it in such a manual way. Like I say I paid £60 for mine so could afford to be philosophical about it, as can you I suppose at £30. I suppose those who paid £200 upwards won't be as forgiving, and I would not have been either all told.
Well maybe i have bought a dud my own fault for not reading listing ,
As it was sold as used and not for spares or repairs
Unable to copy and paste but basically the seller maybe from here as apprantly he's gone to flash android tv and basically the unit goes into some sort of boot loop , he mentions 4 coloured balls.
Can I recover this ?
sutty86 said:
Well maybe i have bought a dud my own fault for not reading listing ,
As it was sold as used and not for spares or repairs
Unable to copy and paste but basically the seller maybe from here as apprantly he's gone to flash android tv and basically the unit goes into some sort of boot loop , he mentions 4 coloured balls.
Can I recover this ?
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Click to collapse
You most likely can recover this, unless it's a hardware issue. Search through the forums, there is a key combo to get into the recovery menu from boot up... it's something like CTRL-ALT-PRNT SCREEN-I. Failing that there is also the USB AtoA cable which will put you into fastboot mode on bootup, from there you can flash it with whatever you like.
Personally i like the Remix OS image... very stable, everything works including Netflix... I use my MOJO as a Moonlight streaming device that i stream all my Steam games to my TV with, then play from the comfort of my couch :victory:
Enjoy!
sutty86 said:
Well maybe i have bought a dud my own fault for not reading listing ,
As it was sold as used and not for spares or repairs
Unable to copy and paste but basically the seller maybe from here as apprantly he's gone to flash android tv and basically the unit goes into some sort of boot loop , he mentions 4 coloured balls.
Can I recover this ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AH! This may be the same listing I was following for a short time. Yes the owner had tried to flash it himself but got stuck with it and didn't know what to do next. I was going to buy it as a backup (I've always got my eye out for a backup!).
It could be a hardware fault but personally I'll be amazed if you can't rescue it one way or the other. The MOJO is incredibly friendly to users and is (I'm told) difficult to actually brick. Unless it is a hardware issue, I don't think you'll have any bother installing TWRP recovery and then installing your chosen OS. There are more than enough quality guides on this site as long as you follow them closely.
I did try Remix myself and loved it. I would have stuck with it, but unfortunately it did not play nicely with my NTFS formatted 2Tb external drive. I had to install Paragon NTFS, but even then when playing back my media files using KODI the playback was a mess of jitter and stutter. No such issue with CM 12.1 - it recognises the drive no problem and playback is silky smooth. YMMV.