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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?
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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?
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Click to collapse
Best Buy so you can take it back easily if you want.
I currently have a nook color and looking to get a larger tablet. I was first looking at the acer a500 but didn't like that wouldn't charge over usb (same with their a200 model, and the a200 loses hdmi I believe).
The Lenova thinkpad is currently selling for 349.99, (canadian prices) but acer just came out with their a510. The 510 has tegra 3 processor but otherwise the specs seem pretty similar and it's for 100 dollars more. And the Lenova has an ips display so I'm sure the screen is better.
A couple of things I want is charge over usb (even though it's slow, you're not completely stuck without an adapter) and I want usb hosting.
I saw one review on this and she mentioned that plugging in a harddrive didn't mount.
Can anyone expand on how good the usb host is? Drives/mice/keyboards? Mulitple devices via usb hub? I was even thinking on having it wired to my network (via usb over ethernet) and I saw a review that actually mentioned usb over ethernet driver is included with the a510.
From going over these forums I gather the Lenova honeycomb is a little buggy but plain stock ics is on the way in june. I didn't like reading a thread about fixing the power button, that definitely gives me pause.
I'd like to save where I can and I don't see a better tablet for 349 (remember in canada) offering what I want. So trying to decide if the extra 100 is worth it and just get the new (and already has ics) acer 510.
I really enjoy the Lenovo tablet however if flashing roms or doing a lot of customizing is your thing I would look at something different. I'm very happy with the hardware itself but dev support for this device is just not there. Now yes I know we have an ics port but its really the only rom avalible and there are quite a few bugs with GB stock rom. Lets just hope ics works better than GB does.
Sent from my ThinkPad Tablet using XDA
Maybe Not
From your use description, the ThinkPad Tablet may not be the best choice. The number one selling point for this tablet is the pen and active digitizer. I came here from an iPad2 because it could NOT support hand-written note-taking well enough for me to use in university classes. If acurate pen input is not high on your list then another tablet might be a better choice. Charging over USB may not work for you, my macBook Air running Linux has a software hack to provide extra current, the Thinkpad indicates that it is charging but I have not actually tested it for charge time or anything like that. The cheepo aftermarket charger I use for my Samsung Galaxy Note will NOT charge the ThinkPad.
The Accer is likely thinner and lighter which you could translate as more portable or less durable depending on your point of view.
-j
The Lenovo thinkpad tablet is mostly aimed at people who wants to "work" with their tablet. Being productive with note taking and so forth.
If you just looking for a tablet, get what ever you want. Could be the Lenovo thinkpad or that Tegra 3 tablet.
It's a great choice in many ways, unless you need GPS or a pen that works predictably. Good screen, decent battery life, good form factor, comfortable to hold.
Unfortunately for me, the pen and GPS are pretty much essential for utility. And they just don't work on this device.
I got the K1 in December because it was $250 for a 32gb tegra2 tablet with 10" 1200x800 screen. At this point, however, there's a multitude of tegra3 tablets being released so I'd either wait for those to drop in price or I'd pick up a current tegra2 if it's sub-$200. There was a dell streak 7" for $170 a few days ago. Granted that tablet has a low resolution screen and less than spectacular battery life but even high end tablets like the transformer and xoom have been in the $250 range recently.
If I needed pen input I'd only go for the thinkpad if it was significantly less than the Note. Samsung has hinted that their next Galaxy Tab may have pen input which may be worth waiting for.
Definitely Not!
SImply put I would not recommend Lenovo TPT at the moment. Feedback from the Lenovo developers conference and a recent WSJ article suggest that Lenovo will have a new "strategy"
which will produce a cheap android tablet and make their higher end offerings Win 8 tablets.
I am looking for my first tablet and was seriously considering a TPT but decided to wait for the TPT2 because of the problems plaguing the TPT. Now it looks like Lenovo will probably not produce a TPT2 so ot looks like I will wait for a Galaxy Note 10.1 ( I seriously want a pen ). Hopefully while I wait Lenovo's strategy will become clearer and hopefully it will include high end android tablets.
Not surprisingly considering how little attention Lenovo pays to resolving the TPT issues - little and none. :-/
The n-trig stylus is the biggest draw card, otherwise hard to recommend it.
Ditto. And once ICS ruins pressure sensitivity it's a no go.
Yes, Lenovos slow (and now poor quality) work on the ICS updates so far, their use of only patched updates, etc now make it impossible to recommmend it to either tech or non-tech users alike, where initially I was quite happy with it.
It's a new release for Lenovo, so their Android venture doesn't have all of the bugs worked out yet (including what the target market really wants, and all of that "fringy" stuff). I would say no, not now. I don't know what the competition offers, though, and I don't know what their bugs are.
Once everyone gets the ICS update, the camera focuses properly, the power button, usb port, and GPS hardware issues are resolved with newer releases of this tablet, then yes. The caveat is that you really need to know, then, when the tablet was manufactured to make sure you're not getting a flaky, early release that hasn't been fixed.
I'd definitely go for whatever Lenovo releases next.
That said, I can't imagine living without my stylus. I'll have to live without it, though, for what they said would be a week. I'm sending mine in for repair. They seem hellbent on keeping me happy.... We'll see.
Hm. Bleeding edge, I guess.
The short answer to your question is no. Search this forum for the immense dissatisfaction felt by users of this tab. When a company refuses to provide system images of their tablets needed because it would prevent them from selling custom Roms, that says it all about how selfish they are and that their priority is money not customer satisfaction. Read all about the gps issues, power button issues, broken USB ports, pen "wonk", botched updates, etc and the truth, (even to those singing lenovo's praises) is that being the first tablet of its type is no excuse because the tpt is filled with both hardware and software bugs. The galaxy note is the first phone of its kind with a pen yet its not like this bug-ridden POS. The tpt is a failure and if not for the pen that I manage to use when it works, I would have ditched the thing.
Its not even the negative actions of lenovo that bother me but the behavior behind it. For a so called business tablet, they provide zero support. Just imagine a tablet used for business being stuck in some bootloop and yet no custom image is provided for recovery unless you pay Lenovo $3000. Windows PCs come with recovery discs maybe Lenovo should learn from that. I WILL NOT be buying any Lenovo products because of these dodgy behaviors. And oh, I forgot to mention that they have a Backdoor into your tablet and they can patch whatever they want without your permission. They can probably steal your business info if they wanted.
When the Samsung tab with pen comes out, I will be moving swiftly as I have a long experience with Samsung devices such as my current gs2. They have never failed me.
Hey, but in the end, make your own choice. Just weighing in my 2cents.
TPT
No.. don't get one.... microUSB port for charging (which is painfully slow at the best of times) and ON/OFF switch fail... warranty support very variable. Lenovo forum on this topic is now about 20 pages long!! So.. no charging, not being able to switch on equals A LEMON!!
I was too interested in this tablet, but reading the previous comments I think I'd better wait, or ask for some more advice... also because I'm buying my first tablet and have no experience at all...
I just want an android tablet with its input stylus pen (and possibly a slot to keep the pen with the tablet).
I don't care much about its handwriting recognition software. I'm just interested in keeping ink "grahpics" notes (mainly math).
Display size should be around 10'' (say more than 9'')
Is there anything like that already available and/or advisable?
I saw reference to a "Samsung tab with pen" coming out... when will it be? What model?
Maybe I could also do with an ordinary tablet and with a separate (high quality) input pen?
Thanks for your help
toenail_flicker said:
Ditto. And once ICS ruins pressure sensitivity it's a no go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My n-trig on my TPT has been nothing short of amazing. It's the reason to get one of these. It's in the shop for repair (gps, power button, home key was giggly), so I haven't tried ICS on it yet, but pressure sensitivity is very much intact on my Galaxy Note on ICS.
I definitely prefer the n-trig over the s-pen (wacom), except for the clickiness.
As far as Lenovo goes, they seemed hellbent on making me happy when I called to send in the TPT, but I sent it in on the 1st, it's the 9th, and it's still sitting at the shop waiting for parts. It's listed as waiting for parts on both the 5th and the 7th, which means they didn't assess the thing upon arrival completely so they could order all the parts right way. That's just inept. It feels to me like dealing with a drinking alcoholic. If you get one, make it one that's proven working, and don't rely on support.
I have yet to plug anything in the TPT's usb port and not have it work. I might reccommend a GPS mouse....
The TPT is still the only game in town if you need a 10-inch tablet with an active pen (i.e., one that operates independently of one's own hand). I need a 10-inch tablet with an active pen, so I'd buy one again, today ... but probably not after the Galaxy 10 Note comes out (but right now that's vaporware).
Alright, here's the situation. I recently set up my own desktop for gaming and that takes care of all my other activities too. I have a laptop (13" MBP) that I am contemplating doing away with in favor of portability and quite frankly I don't need all that power as the desktop makes it redundant. This has me thinking about getting a tablet to replace the lappy. Ideally I want something in the 10" range, 7" being too small. I want my tablet to be able to connect pen drives, keyboards (in case I need to create a document or two).
Dont hate me for this, but I have narrowed my choice down to the N10, iPad 3rd Gen and the Surface RT. Now I have heard complaints about how the N10 is stutter'y'. And I am not sure how good an investment an RT tablet is going to be. I would have liked to get the Surface Pro, but I cannot justify that price.
I would really appreciate inputs for any user (especially those who have had or still have an ipad and the N10). Maenwhile, I am trying to go through all the threads and see if I can get some info.
TIA
- don t buy the RT - waste of time and money. ( limited in every way )
-nexus 10 its ok but if you can wait .... wait for something better with android ( the closest compare with a laptop - yet )
you can attach easy a mouse with just an otg cable ... or a bt keyboard ...
- ipad 3 its ok also but only if you can agree with IOS ... not good for a desktop replacement .
- you can still take consider a 8 inch tablet . it s not so small as you think . ( this is really portable )
see the compare topic in general nexus 10 forum - ask there better
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda app-developers app
anirudh412 said:
Alright, here's the situation. I recently set up my own desktop for gaming and that takes care of all my other activities too. I have a laptop (13" MBP) that I am contemplating doing away with in favor of portability and quite frankly I don't need all that power as the desktop makes it redundant. This has me thinking about getting a tablet to replace the lappy. Ideally I want something in the 10" range, 7" being too small. I want my tablet to be able to connect pen drives, keyboards (in case I need to create a document or two).
Dont hate me for this, but I have narrowed my choice down to the N10, iPad 3rd Gen and the Surface RT. Now I have heard complaints about how the N10 is stutter'y'. And I am not sure how good an investment an RT tablet is going to be. I would have liked to get the Surface Pro, but I cannot justify that price.
I would really appreciate inputs for any user (especially those who have had or still have an ipad and the N10). Maenwhile, I am trying to go through all the threads and see if I can get some info.
TIA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The n10 is a speed demon. It will be a while before apps are able to fully utilize the power that this SoC has. There really isn't any performance issues other than poorly optimized apps. If you do run into any problems as long as you are comfortable rooting and using custom ROM/Kernel combo then nothing is an issue.
Yeah, the RT seems to be a no go. Too bad, its a nice piece of kit (especially the touch cover).
From what I gather, the n10 seems to have its issues like choppiness and stutter because of
1. The insane number of pixels it needs to push and
2. Non optimized stock android
But yeah, an android tablet is my best bet for a laptop replacement.
For now, however, even though I am by no means averse to the entire idea of flashing roms (one reason why I never move away from android phones), i decided I needed something tried and tested. Got the 4th Gen iPad. I just hope google optimizes android on tablets, at least their own nexus line. It will also be fun to see what Apple does with their much anticipated iOS7.
Thanks for all your help guys :highfive:
Shame really because the Ipad won't connect to a BT mouse. Just a keyboard. The N10 isn't stuttery for what I am using it for - some apps may be, but there are always others.
Alan
Since I have a NX10 my laptop sits all the time alone in the corner. If needed, I just plug one receiver over OTG that is connect to mouse and keyboard plus a monitor over HDMI and voila, I dont need really a laptop anymore. Sitting all the day on the desktop at work makes using NX10 and home really relaxing...
My Nexus 10 doesn't have the choppiness or stuttering you keep referring to.
I'm on kaos rom with Franco kernel r10. Never had a better experience other than on KTmanta kernel.
If you know how to utilize an android tablet to its fullest you'll find that it replaces laptops better than ios or windows.
I have not used my laptop since the release of this tablet.
Any thread complaining about choppiness is more than likely due to using apps that aren't optimized for the Nexus 10. I tend to ignore threads that generalize the device since it ends up being user error due to them changing something or trying something new, etc.
Nexus 10 is still new and I'm sure there will be plenty of great improvements over the year.
Sent from my Nexus 10
hello all,
my university gives a 400 pounds credit to buy from studentstore.uk i was planning to get a windows 8 tab but they dont stock sony,asus or dell products .i was planning to get a baytrail tablet like dell venue pro 11.with a maximum budget of 600 pounds(400+200).
so my only option is to get an acer w700 with i3,4gb ram 64 gb memory available for 570 pounds.or wait till samsung,lenovo and acer brings in 10-11 inch baytrail tablet.
so do you think its a good idea to get w700 or just wait till others comes with baytrail tablets(any idea when on earth they will launch it ).?
At this late date, what you see (in the MS store) are what'll be available for this Q4.
My suggestion is to ignore the one-device-fits-all PR hype and get two devices: a 12"-13" laptop for productivity, and a separate tablet for portable use. The meat-and-potato work box comes first, obviously. For my college days, I used a 12" IBM Thinkpad X series, which I lugged everywhere. It wasn't light, but it was built like a tank. The bottom line for me wasn't about best speed or battery life, but good old reliability.
rkoforever90 said:
hello all,
my university gives a 400 pounds credit to buy from studentstore.uk i was planning to get a windows 8 tab but they dont stock sony,asus or dell products .i was planning to get a baytrail tablet like dell venue pro 11.with a maximum budget of 600 pounds(400+200).
so my only option is to get an acer w700 with i3,4gb ram 64 gb memory available for 570 pounds.or wait till samsung,lenovo and acer brings in 10-11 inch baytrail tablet.
so do you think its a good idea to get w700 or just wait till others comes with baytrail tablets(any idea when on earth they will launch it ).?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your choice definitely depends on what you plan to do with it. Do you want something that will serve as a PC as well as a tablet, or just a portable typing device, or just for entertainment? I've also heard that those who do computer science/programming degrees, you'll want something a lot more powerful. However, for humanities subjects, i'm sure an i3 will be just fine.
If you ask me, you should never get anything Acer made.
SammiSaysHello said:
Your choice definitely depends on what you plan to do with it. Do you want something that will serve as a PC as well as a tablet, or just a portable typing device, or just for entertainment? I've also heard that those who do computer science/programming degrees, you'll want something a lot more powerful. However, for humanities subjects, i'm sure an i3 will be just fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i dont want an ultra book or laptop since i already have a laptop.i want a windows 8 tablet which is thin light and with good battery backup.
Deusdies said:
If you ask me, you should never get anything Acer made.
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Click to collapse
i had acer desktop (in 2005) then an acer laptop (bought in 2009) and then another one in 2011(which iam still using) my brother has an acer s3 ultrabook.
i never had any problem with acer till now, also one of my relative works at acer service centre.
rkoforever90 said:
i had acer desktop (in 2005) then an acer laptop (bought in 2009) and then another one in 2011(which iam still using) my brother has an acer s3 ultrabook.
i never had any problem with acer till now, also one of my relative works at acer service centre.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My experience with the acer repair service isn't great, just got my w700 back and it has gained a load of scratches (came back quite dirty as well) and the rubber section on the back which they clearly removed to open it up hasn't been stuck down properly and now comes away from the case.
Also OP you should be aware that Acer support in general is awful, they delete posts on the forums they don't like (mainly people complaining about the terrible support) and there is a throttling issue with the i5 version which they refuse to fix, you should check out the 52 page thread on their forums which has been going on for over a year.
twisted89 said:
My experience with the acer repair service isn't great, just got my w700 back and it has gained a load of scratches (came back quite dirty as well) and the rubber section on the back which they clearly removed to open it up hasn't been stuck down properly and now comes away from the case.
Also OP you should be aware that Acer support in general is awful, they delete posts on the forums they don't like (mainly people complaining about the terrible support) and there is a throttling issue with the i5 version which they refuse to fix, you should check out the 52 page thread on their forums which has been going on for over a year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the problem is i dont have an option to purchase other than student store u.k and they dont have much options either.
you can have a look and suggest if anything better is there for the price.
http://www.studentstore.co.uk/getech/all-manufacturers/Tablets/for-students.aspx
What subject are you studying at university/what is the tablet required for?
SixSixSevenSeven said:
What subject are you studying at university/what is the tablet required for?
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Click to collapse
iam doing mechanical engineering.mostly i need it for entertainment purpose, taking notes , power point presentations etc. but i have a laptop also .
rkoforever90 said:
iam doing mechanical engineering.mostly i need it for entertainment purpose, taking notes , power point presentations etc. but i have a laptop also .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That should be fine. You don't need something very powerful for that. Actually, I only had an Android tablet (Xperia Tablet S) to do that and it handled those kind of tasks fine for me.
PowerPoint you can install on the device anyway so your fine on that front (uni may offer it for free too). Entertainment is up to you. Note taking should be fine, depends on if you are OK with touch keyboards/small keyboards or not, or using a touchscreen to write with (to my knowledge there is no wacom or synaptics stylus, only the bog standard touch screen).
SixSixSevenSeven said:
PowerPoint you can install on the device anyway so your fine on that front (uni may offer it for free too). Entertainment is up to you. Note taking should be fine, depends on if you are OK with touch keyboards/small keyboards or not, or using a touchscreen to write with (to my knowledge there is no wacom or synaptics stylus, only the bog standard touch screen).
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Click to collapse
so which model of acer w700 you own?.how is the overall experience and battery backup?
rkoforever90 said:
so which model of acer w700 you own?.how is the overall experience and battery backup?
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Click to collapse
I dont
Since I have an Acer W700 tablet, I would let you know something about the W700. I will compare it mostly with the Surface Pro because its a gold standard for Intel Core tablets
First thing first, W700 lacks the active digitizer. Don't expect writing and drawing to feel like the Surface Pro or Galaxy Note. Its far from it. I use Adonit Jot stylus, it helps a lot compared to other styli or finger input, but still nowhere as good as the Surface Pro.
Second, the battery last like Haswell tablets. This tablet is insane in term of battery life. I mostly get 6-7 hours for my usage. I use this tablets mostly for browsing, downloading, playing casual games, taking notes (OneNote FTW!), watching videos/movies and listening to music. If you look for an Ivy Bridge tablet that last like Haswell tablets, this is the only one.
Third, since I mentioned videos, movies, and music, I would say this tablet has great screen and speaker. The speaker is great for a tablet. If you enable the Dolby enhancement, the speaker will get louder (with some distortion), on par with cheaper multimedia laptops. Definitely better than the Surface Pro. The screen is also better than any tablet screen Ive ever used.
Fourth, it has no great keyboard solution. Unlike the Surface Pro which has options like the Type and Touch cover, the W700 relies on a Bluetooth keyboard or a case with integrated Bluetooth keyboard. Consult the seller first on which version you get. I would recommend the former since the latter is not comfortable (very, very thin), it is nice though. If you are a bit unlucky like me, youll get neither of them. I got a Perixx 804 Bluetooth keyboard for €25, and it works reliably over Bluetooth. This keyboard feels like a keyboard from Acer V5 or most Sony VAIOs (a bit harder than MacBooks)
Fifth, it has WiFi issue. This issue plagues mostly early generation of this tablet, but you might get this as well. On my W700, I have no problem with the disconnection. However, the signal is not as good as other devices. Usually, when the other devices still get 1 bar of signal, the W700 has lost connection.
Sixth, its graphic performance is not as great as how a HD4000 should be. The GPU suffers from bad throttling, making the performance only comparable to HD3000 GPU on most laptops (I tried with i5-2410M)
Overall, this tablet is geared towards entertainment (great screen and speaker) than business/work (no active digitizer and no keyboard solution). This device is great if you want to use one device rather than two (tablet+laptop), but don't expect too much. Since Haswell tablets are just behind the corner, I would suggest you to wait for some affordable Haswell tablets. However, if you cant wait, I would recommend this device over any Atom tablets unless you need an active digitizer.
My W700 is the i5-3317U model with 64 GB of storage. I wish I had the 128 GB model.
patrick_spd4u said:
My W700 is the i5-3317U model with 64 GB of storage. I wish I had the 128 GB model.
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Click to collapse
Thermal throttling on the i5 model seems very common, yet rare on the i3 model
patrick_spd4u said:
Since I have an Acer W700 tablet, I would let you know something about the W700. I will compare it mostly with the Surface Pro because its a gold standard for Intel Core tablets
First thing first, W700 lacks the active digitizer. Don't expect writing and drawing to feel like the Surface Pro or Galaxy Note. Its far from it. I use Adonit Jot stylus, it helps a lot compared to other styli or finger input, but still nowhere as good as the Surface Pro.
Second, the battery last like Haswell tablets. This tablet is insane in term of battery life. I mostly get 6-7 hours for my usage. I use this tablets mostly for browsing, downloading, playing casual games, taking notes (OneNote FTW!), watching videos/movies and listening to music. If you look for an Ivy Bridge tablet that last like Haswell tablets, this is the only one.
Third, since I mentioned videos, movies, and music, I would say this tablet has great screen and speaker. The speaker is great for a tablet. If you enable the Dolby enhancement, the speaker will get louder (with some distortion), on par with cheaper multimedia laptops. Definitely better than the Surface Pro. The screen is also better than any tablet screen Ive ever used.
Fourth, it has no great keyboard solution. Unlike the Surface Pro which has options like the Type and Touch cover, the W700 relies on a Bluetooth keyboard or a case with integrated Bluetooth keyboard. Consult the seller first on which version you get. I would recommend the former since the latter is not comfortable (very, very thin), it is nice though. If you are a bit unlucky like me, youll get neither of them. I got a Perixx 804 Bluetooth keyboard for €25, and it works reliably over Bluetooth. This keyboard feels like a keyboard from Acer V5 or most Sony VAIOs (a bit harder than MacBooks)
Fifth, it has WiFi issue. This issue plagues mostly early generation of this tablet, but you might get this as well. On my W700, I have no problem with the disconnection. However, the signal is not as good as other devices. Usually, when the other devices still get 1 bar of signal, the W700 has lost connection.
Sixth, its graphic performance is not as great as how a HD4000 should be. The GPU suffers from bad throttling, making the performance only comparable to HD3000 GPU on most laptops (I tried with i5-2410M)
Overall, this tablet is geared towards entertainment (great screen and speaker) than business/work (no active digitizer and no keyboard solution). This device is great if you want to use one device rather than two (tablet+laptop), but don't expect too much. Since Haswell tablets are just behind the corner, I would suggest you to wait for some affordable Haswell tablets. However, if you cant wait, I would recommend this device over any Atom tablets unless you need an active digitizer.
My W700 is the i5-3317U model with 64 GB of storage. I wish I had the 128 GB model.
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Thanks a lot , and sorry for the late reply. iam getting a 450 pounds voucher of student store u.k from my uni and i asked them about the keyboard they told that it comes with the dock & keyboard + the case cover with keyboard out of box so i dont need to buy it seperately . also student store u.k dont have much options to choose from so either i need to wait till lenovo and acer comes out with baytrail or haswell 10+ inch tablets as the studentstore dont stock Asus, HP or Dell .
Also another thing i need to know is that whether the weight and thickness of w700 is an issue to use it as a tablet .
I'd wait to purchase a dell. Acer was terrible when I had it. Dell seems more reliable.
I have the i5 version that came with the dock and the keyboard case. Despite being labelled as having an i5-3317 processor on the box, mine says it has a i5-3337 inside. A patch has fixed the throttling issue for me. The tablet is relatively heavy, it gets uncomfortable to hold and use rather quickly. The thickness isn't a problem; it's actually pretty thin. It's fine to use with the keyboard case on the lap though.
I don't mind the keyboard case. It has full width keys, seems sturdy and keeps the whole setup light. The keys don't press down far due to the thinness of it though. I have to say I like keyboard docks more after using the Asus Transformer TF101, but that would mean adding weight to balance the tablet.
Changing the SSD inside is a bit challenging, but it's possible. It uses a standard mSATA interface according to those who've replaced it. The omission of a SD/microSD slot is a bit strange, but I'd say it has enough storage for most people.
I haven't had any issues with the Wi-Fi, although it seems many others are having trouble with it.
The recovery is on a couple of DVDs. If anything goes awry, you may need to get an external DVD drive. Windows 8 does have the refresh option, which makes things easier if Windows is the problem.
The cameras on the device work alright. Pictures taken look rather poor quality, but I find these things tend to be that way. I really don't know why they put a back facing camera on this thing; I think people using their iPads to take pictures is bad enough. I haven't used it for video chatting yet. Some have reported that the microphone isn't great. The mic is on the bottom edge, which might have something to do with it, but I haven't used it yet.
I enjoy having this tablet. It's as powerful as a laptop and it's fast.
I'm looking for a new tablet and the yoga book still looks like a good unit.
I can't see any sign of a new version coming out (new colours have been announced but same internals).
My question is - is this still a worthy piece of kit in September 2017 ? Ideally I was looking at the windows unit but the "screen off notetaking" in the android version looks useful and I'm android/Google in most other aspects of my life.
I won't be a heavy user - mostly web browsing etc. Certainly no PC gaming expectations.
Opinions appreciated
wilbur-force said:
I'm looking for a new tablet and the yoga book still looks like a good unit.
I can't see any sign of a new version coming out (new colours have been announced but same internals).
My question is - is this still a worthy piece of kit in September 2017 ? Ideally I was looking at the windows unit but the "screen off notetaking" in the android version looks useful and I'm android/Google in most other aspects of my life.
I won't be a heavy user - mostly web browsing etc. Certainly no PC gaming expectations.
Opinions appreciated
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Click to collapse
In your use-case, it seems like it will still be a great device, depending on the price.
I'm still using mine as an office device for some light tasks like Word and Powerpoint presentations (I'm using an Android version, by the way ), emails and spreadsheet reports in a pinch. I work out in the field, and I have come to rely on it a bit more than my laptop as it's easier to carry around and the battery lasts longer..
boofman said:
In your use-case, it seems like it will still be a great device, depending on the price.
I'm still using mine as an office device for some light tasks like Word and Powerpoint presentations (I'm using an Android version, by the way ), emails and spreadsheet reports in a pinch. I work out in the field, and I have come to rely on it a bit more than my laptop as it's easier to carry around and the battery lasts longer..
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Click to collapse
Thanks,
The windows version can be found for £450, the Android version for £350
I was really looking for a windows unit but the price makes the android version look very appealing......
wilbur-force said:
Thanks,
The windows version can be found for £450, the Android version for £350
I was really looking for a windows unit but the price makes the android version look very appealing......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most of the time, if it's productivity you're after, Windows wins. In this case, however, the Android version seems like a better choice as it has a lot more App support for native touchscreen functionality, and the environment, as it is still a tablet IMO, an Android version is a lot better than a Windows one.
Add to that the price point, and you've got a winner!
Be aware, though, that there isn't much of an Android development path coming from the community. Also, Lenovo seems to have neglected the development of this device internally, so it seems we won't get updates anymore. If those things are going to factors, then stay away from this device. lol
boofman said:
Also, Lenovo seems to have neglected the development of this device internally, so it seems we won't get updates anymore.
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Click to collapse
Where does this info come from? Are they not on track for the October release on Nougat as listed in the upgrade matrix?
Lenovo Upgrade Matrix
Mechey said:
Where does this info come from? Are they not on track for the October release on Nougat as listed in the upgrade matrix?
Lenovo Upgrade Matrix
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Click to collapse
I could be wrong, but..
I haven't got OTA updates even for security, but it could be just an isolated case.
But in the case of the OP, since he's just getting his tablet, the support he'll be getting will not be as long as the support we've had who bought earlier than him.
boofman said:
I haven't got OTA updates even for security
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Click to collapse
I am hopeful that they haven't been bothering to release security updates because they have been hard at work on Nougat! Who knows...
@wilbur-force , I would recommend waiting a month and seeing if the Nougat update comes out.
Even without the update, I think this is a pretty great tablet if you plan on using the note taking capabilities. I use mine every day for note taking in lectures and working on assignments while on campus. It is a feather compared to my laptop and I find that I can leave my laptop at home 90% of the time. However, it could definitely benefit from some of the enhancements of Nougat; namely better split screen capabilities.
If you mostly just plan on surfing the web (ie, extensive keyboard use and minimal stylus use) I would recommend getting something with an actual keyboard. While the Halo keyboard is certainly better than an on screen keyboard, it is an order of magnitude less effective than a physical keyboard. I actually purchased a small bluetooth keyboard, both so that I wouldn't have to use the Halo, but also so that I can seamlessly go from taking notes with the stylus (great for equations and figures) to typing.
When paired with a bluetooth keyboard, this tablet is a perfect for anyone who plans to get a lot of use out of a stylus. However, I wouldn't want to compose more than a few short sentences with the Halo keyboard.
wilbur-force said:
Thanks,
The windows version can be found for £450, the Android version for £350
I was really looking for a windows unit but the price makes the android version look very appealing......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just returned my Windows version as a fully patched Win 10 with the latest Lenovo supplied drivers breaks keyboard functionality as well as sleep when you close the lid. Horrid...I may get the Android version though if I can root/jailbreak it.
DigiAngel69 said:
I just returned my Windows version as a fully patched Win 10 with the latest Lenovo supplied drivers breaks keyboard functionality as well as sleep when you close the lid. Horrid...I may get the Android version though if I can root/jailbreak it.
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Click to collapse
All of my devices are rooted or jailbroken..except for my YB Android, as it works perfectly fine without it.
DigiAngel69 said:
I just returned my Windows version as a fully patched Win 10 with the latest Lenovo supplied drivers breaks keyboard functionality as well as sleep when you close the lid. Horrid...I may get the Android version though if I can root/jailbreak it.
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Click to collapse
Well you apparently made something wrong as mine works more than perfectly...
I would never buy an Android Tablet in this price range as it is more than common through all Manufacturers they stop developing/support after a while... The Yoga Book has a too specific Hardware to expect any Custom Roms... Windows wins here clearly through permanent updates...
And the possibilities on Windows are simply endless ampler... You can even use BlueStacks with decent speed to use that very specific Android App...
jamespmi said:
Well you apparently made something wrong as mine works more than perfectly...
I would never buy an Android Tablet in this price range as it is more than common through all Manufacturers they stop developing/support after a while... The Yoga Book has a too specific Hardware to expect any Custom Roms... Windows wins here clearly through permanent updates...
And the possibilities on Windows are simply endless ampler... You can even use BlueStacks with decent speed to use that very specific Android App...
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Click to collapse
It depends on the use case. I still consider it a tablet more than anything, and an Android tablet is better than a Windows one in terms of tab-specific apps (functionality, ease of use / ux and the graphics are scaled correctly)
I bought and Android yogabook 6 weeks ago and am very happy with it. I have just installed the OTA Nougat update. I had issues that required me to reformat my SD card otherwise it got stuck in a boot loop, but all is OK now
I just bought the Android version on sale a week ago. I must say that I'm very impressed because of it's versatility and portability. I think the must have apps for this tablet are from myscript. They are the myscript stylus input method and the myscript nebo preview (which must be sideloaded via an apk).
What makes myscript stylus better than, say, google handwriting input is that Stylus allows you to use the digitizer. With google's version, you can only use the screen and the digitizer does not respond to input. What's the benefit of this app? Well, if you are in pen mode in the Artrage app doing a drawing, and you switch to any other app which requires the keyboard, you don't have to put the pen down and start typing. It will stay in pen mode and instead of the popup keyboard, it will popup a text line for you to write in. It will recognize handwriting, printing, and gestures. So basically, if you're comfortable with writing on a pen more than typing on the keyboard, or you don't want to switch modes when you switch apps, then this app is a must. I usually have the yogabook in 30/70 splitscreen laptop mode. One side a messaging app, the other side a notetaking app. I can switch between the two and do all my inputs with the pen on the exact same surface (the digitizer).
Myscript nebo is a great notetaking app simply because it allows you to convert your handwriting into text as if you typed it using a keyboard. It also converts your hand drawn flowcharts into Visio like flowcharts with connectors that stick. Hand drawn math equations also get converted and calculated (depending on complexity).
These two apps alone make the yogabook much more useful for me since I like using the pen vs the keyboard.
Just got the yoga book yesterday, mainly because it's just pretty unique and the 'writing notes on the keyboard' thing just pulled on me. Had tablets in the past, and now also a hp x360 (so with touchscreen) but writing on the display always had it's quirks. This solution by yoga just works pretty great, loving it so far.
It's also still very sleek and has a nice design, so no regrets so far. But I think that if you want 'just a tablet' or somethin with a keyboard, you might want to look further as this is really pointed towards the note taking and writing imo.
Hi all, I am also considering getting a Yoga Book even though we are in 2018 already. Lenovo doesn't appear to be coming out with a follow-up device, and I can see some pretty interesting prices for it.
I have a question about the stylus use though, and I have not seen or tried an actual device yet, so I will ask here. I assume you can takes notes with the stylus either on the "slab" where the keyboard is, but also directly on the screen, as in a notepad, if you swivel the slab to make it a true tablet mode. Is that correct?
To take notes with the stylus I would assume that it feels more natural to write directly on the screen and see the "ink" drawn directly where the stylus is.
I currently use a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition). It's 4 years old but I still absolutely love it, and I use it extensively to take notes, and it has replaced my paper notebook completely. It is however showing signs of age and the screen is starting to have defective spots where the stylus doesn't work. So, I need to replace it, and the Yoga Book looks like an interesting step up, even considering its age. Would it be a god choice?
I think the My Galaxy Note still has a better screen and split windows support than the Yoga Book, but at the prices I have seen the Yoga Book, it might be a good deal. I am not overly concerned about Android level upgrades, as my Galaxy Note is still at Android 5.1.1 and it works great.
Thanks!
Electrocutus said:
Hi all, I am also considering getting a Yoga Book even though we are in 2018 already. Lenovo doesn't appear to be coming out with a follow-up device, and I can see some pretty interesting prices for it.
I have a question about the stylus use though, and I have not seen or tried an actual device yet, so I will ask here. I assume you can takes notes with the stylus either on the "slab" where the keyboard is, but also directly on the screen, as in a notepad, if you swivel the slab to make it a true tablet mode. Is that correct?
To take notes with the stylus I would assume that it feels more natural to write directly on the screen and see the "ink" drawn directly where the stylus is.
I currently use a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition). It's 4 years old but I still absolutely love it, and I use it extensively to take notes, and it has replaced my paper notebook completely. It is however showing signs of age and the screen is starting to have defective spots where the stylus doesn't work. So, I need to replace it, and the Yoga Book looks like an interesting step up, even considering its age. Would it be a god choice?
I think the My Galaxy Note still has a better screen and split windows support than the Yoga Book, but at the prices I have seen the Yoga Book, it might be a good deal. I am not overly concerned about Android level upgrades, as my Galaxy Note is still at Android 5.1.1 and it works great.
Thanks!
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Click to collapse
You can technically write on the screen but the tracking and lag are awful. I'd only use the pen on the screen for underlining and even then you would probably still be better off using the wacom pad
I've just got one myself and I think it's great tool for students, highly portable, easy to take notes on.
I'm not sure whenever it's worth the risk of updating to nougat, but even on Android 6 I like it's functionality.
There is some delicate lag with pen when using in OneNote though.
Electrocutus said:
Hi all, I am also considering getting a Yoga Book even though we are in 2018 already. Lenovo doesn't appear to be coming out with a follow-up device, and I can see some pretty interesting prices for it.
I have a question about the stylus use though, and I have not seen or tried an actual device yet, so I will ask here. I assume you can takes notes with the stylus either on the "slab" where the keyboard is, but also directly on the screen, as in a notepad, if you swivel the slab to make it a true tablet mode. Is that correct?
To take notes with the stylus I would assume that it feels more natural to write directly on the screen and see the "ink" drawn directly where the stylus is.
I currently use a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition). It's 4 years old but I still absolutely love it, and I use it extensively to take notes, and it has replaced my paper notebook completely. It is however showing signs of age and the screen is starting to have defective spots where the stylus doesn't work. So, I need to replace it, and the Yoga Book looks like an interesting step up, even considering its age. Would it be a god choice?
I think the My Galaxy Note still has a better screen and split windows support than the Yoga Book, but at the prices I have seen the Yoga Book, it might be a good deal. I am not overly concerned about Android level upgrades, as my Galaxy Note is still at Android 5.1.1 and it works great.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My note had some internal malfunction, like force-closing apps and i was unable to fix it. I got the YB last week and it kinda feels like the SMP-601 was a more powerful tablet, the art rage app seems a bit laggy compared with the drawing app in the note 2014, i may be wrong and require more testing also the pen that comes with it is not what i would call suitable for the screen as the note 2014 was(that pen was awesome) and on top of that you do not have a native app to take notes in content that is on the screen, like when you are reading a text and wanna save a little paragraph for latter like the air commander app. The battery life seems worse too, the note 2014 could be left alone in a table for about a week and still have some juice left on the battery. There's a new Samsung tab S3 seems a worthy replacement (Even with Samsung awful software updates), but it is jesus christ expensive and thus it kinda can't compete with YB price range and cost benefit.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I kind of get the same feeling and I'm not sure the Yoga Book is a suitable replacement. Even though my Note 2014 is 4 years old, it is still my workhorse.
I like the Tab S3 but I am upset that they didn't keep the S pen small and in a slot in the unit, just so they could make it thinner.
I have to be able to use it as a true notebook replacement and take notes on screen. I use OneNote extensively because I can also sync and work with them on my desktop later.
Electrocutus said:
Thanks for sharing your experience. I kind of get the same feeling and I'm not sure the Yoga Book is a suitable replacement. Even though my Note 2014 is 4 years old, it is still my workhorse.
I like the Tab S3 but I am upset that they didn't keep the S pen small and in a slot in the unit, just so they could make it thinner.
I have to be able to use it as a true notebook replacement and take notes on screen. I use OneNote extensively because I can also sync and work with them on my desktop later.
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Click to collapse
You can kinda use it like a Hybrid Between Tablet and a Netbook. I'm having my first experience using it in classes this week and it kinda works well. I rooted and removed all bloat, by doing that you can get an very lightweight 7.1 android experience which comes with an Microsoft office suite apps including the OneNote app. Typing in the halokeyboard is not bad as some people say it is. I think battery life might be manageable if you can put some GovTuner or something in it. Installing windows 10 is also an option. But if you have the money i would take a look on some reviews on the S3 or even an Ipad Pro. As the android tablet market shares apps with the smartphone market we are on a state that we are kinda lacking optimizations for tablets, i mean it makes the android tablets look exactly like a smartphone with a bigger screen, while on the IOS side we have apps that are really suited for tablet use.:fingers-crossed: