Alternate to HDX? Or is this best evar? - Kindle Fire HDX 7" & 8.9" General

I am starting to believe that this was the best tablet of its size and relative price range ever made. Is there a better tablet out there? It looks like the most recent Microsoft Surface, Google Slate, and some iPads (never!) have it beat but they also cost over $1k.
Can you recommend a tablet that is comparable or better that is easier to customize? (root, unlock, and flash with ROMs/community to support it)?
Seems like this is the tablet to have but it's so darn finicky and the USB port is prone to failure (PC won't recognize/interface) rendering even ADB methods unavailable.
Any thoughts? I sold my Nexus 7 in a weak moment and I'm kicking myself.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

rabaker07 said:
I am starting to believe that this was the best tablet of its size and relative price range ever made. Is there a better tablet out there? It looks like the most recent Microsoft Surface, Google Slate, and some iPads (never!) have it beat but they also cost over $1k.
Can you recommend a tablet that is comparable or better that is easier to customize? (root, unlock, and flash with ROMs/community to support it)?
Seems like this is the tablet to have but it's so darn finicky and the USB port is prone to failure (PC won't recognize/interface) rendering even ADB methods unavailable.
Any thoughts? I sold my Nexus 7 in a weak moment and I'm kicking myself.
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Click to collapse
Onn 8" from Walmart. Make no mistake it is no HDX but makes up for deficits with a clean Android 9.x build that's highly usable right out of the box; no root needed. Far superior to Amazon's current offerings with possible exception to HD 8 and 10, both of which are harder to customize vs HDX and have limited custom ROM support. $64 US.

I really do feel this way ever since picking up my 8.9 4 years ago. I use it almost exclusively for reading ebooks and manga and the screen continues to impress, sporting incredibly high DPI while being comfortable to hold, and excellent battery life even today, taking me through several days' worth of reading at 4 hours a day without issue. Even the 2019 iPad Air is only 265ppi (gsmarena) while the HDX 8.9 is standing at 339ppi. For text, there's no difference, but for manga, the greater capacity for detail is very welcome. The wide bezels on the HDX, and the lighter weight, as well as the 16:10 screen ratio all put the HDX far ahead of competition for reading, which is what Amazon wanted people to do with the Kindle line anyways.
Been looking for an upgrade, also primarily for reading, but pretty much everything on the market right now have worse screens (to be honest, it's hard to beat 2560x1600 resolution on a tablet and I'm convinced the HDX 8.9 was far ahead of its time), or are geared towards other multimedia like videos and mobile gaming, which I have no use for. Anyone feel like they're stuck in the same boat? I would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations.
Thanks OP for making this thread. I totally agree with you here.
Seems that the Onn 8" has a 1280x800 resolution screen. After being spoiled by the 8.9's gorgeous screen, it would be too much of a downgrade. I want to find a tablet for reading for my lil sis as she's starting middle school soon, and it's a real dilemma right now. Been eyeing this one dude's ebay listing for a 32GB 8.9" for $82 that already has all the legwork done with LineageOS installed, but I have concerns about buying such an old tablet, although I'm still using mine daily without issue.

LunarisDream said:
I really do feel this way ever since picking up my 8.9 4 years ago. I use it almost exclusively for reading ebooks and manga and the screen continues to impress, sporting incredibly high DPI while being comfortable to hold, and excellent battery life even today, taking me through several days' worth of reading at 4 hours a day without issue. Even the 2019 iPad Air is only 265ppi (gsmarena) while the HDX 8.9 is standing at 339ppi. For text, there's no difference, but for manga, the greater capacity for detail is very welcome. The wide bezels on the HDX, and the lighter weight, as well as the 16:10 screen ratio all put the HDX far ahead of competition for reading, which is what Amazon wanted people to do with the Kindle line anyways.
Been looking for an upgrade, also primarily for reading, but pretty much everything on the market right now have worse screens (to be honest, it's hard to beat 2560x1600 resolution on a tablet and I'm convinced the HDX 8.9 was far ahead of its time), or are geared towards other multimedia like videos and mobile gaming, which I have no use for. Anyone feel like they're stuck in the same boat? I would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations.
Thanks OP for making this thread. I totally agree with you here.
Seems that the Onn 8" has a 1280x800 resolution screen. After being spoiled by the 8.9's gorgeous screen, it would be too much of a downgrade. I want to find a tablet for reading for my lil sis as she's starting middle school soon, and it's a real dilemma right now. Been eyeing this one dude's ebay listing for a 32GB 8.9" for $82 that already has all the legwork done with LineageOS installed, but I have concerns about buying such an old tablet, although I'm still using mine daily without issue.
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dont buy it, much 2 expensive... i even got 2 hdx7 ers and got an issue with usb connectivity ...i ve 2 switch recovery mode 2 transfer files by usb

kinupsi said:
dont buy it, much 2 expensive... i even got 2 hdx7 ers and got an issue with usb connectivity ...i ve 2 switch recovery mode 2 transfer files by usb
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This is not a generic device defect. I have owned close to a dozen gen 3 HDX examples over the past 7 years (given away most to family/friends). I have yet to experience s hardware issue that wasn't related to mishandling or simply age. Almost all usb connectivity issues are relates to host drivers, sketchy usb ports or crappy cables.

Huawei Mediapad 7.0 T2 Lite its the only decent alternative with the same screen size
Saddly ,(at least for me) its too expensive (150 dollars on Aliexpress+30 dollars shipping)
I tried to switch to a Ipad Mini 4 ,isnt the same, i cant handle ipad with one hand like the kindle, and some apps isnt ported to the screen ratio.
Probably next year the 7" phones will be the standart size, and we can get decent specs .

Yousucks2 said:
Probably next year the 7" phones will be the standart size, and we can get decent specs .
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Click to collapse
Funny you say that, I was looking at the new Pixel 4s and was actually considering the smaller one because they're both so big! In the next few years our phones will be the size of tablets...!
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

xiaomi plant 4

DB126 said:
This is not a generic device defect. I have owned close to a dozen gen 3 HDX examples over the past 7 years (given away most to family/friends). I have yet to experience s hardware issue that wasn't related to mishandling or simply age. Almost all usb connectivity issues are relates to host drivers, sketchy usb ports or crappy cables.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i never said its an generic problem on that device.
and i believe u, but i tried that hdx7 on other computers and cables: everytime i ve 2 switch in recovery mode 2 transfer files, so the problem is not the host, like i said ( i am not a person whos says something without trying EVERY option...)
dont misunderstood: i luv my 3 hdx (16gb, 32gb, 64gb) but they r not perfect BUT 82£ is ridiculously expensive! should nt be more than 50 Euro/ 45£ (come on, they r now at least 6 years old)

kinupsi said:
i never said its an generic problem on that device.
and i believe u, but i tried that hdx7 on other computers and cables: everytime i ve 2 switch in recovery mode 2 transfer files, so the problem is not the host, like i said ( i am not a person whos says something without trying EVERY option...)
dont misunderstood: i luv my 3 hdx (16gb, 32gb, 64gb) but they r not perfect BUT 82£ is ridiculously expensive! should nt be more than 50 Euro/ 45£ (come on, they r now at least 6 years old)
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D'oh boy ...

DB126 said:
D'oh boy ...
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This is not polite, u know that? could u please tell the world and me, why u r impolitely rolled your eyes? (english is not my native tounge btw so be kind and explain easy as possible)

kinupsi said:
This is not polite, u know that? could u please tell the world and me, why u r impolitely rolled your eyes? (english is not my native tounge btw so be kind and explain easy as possible)
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The USB connectivity issues you experienced do not mirror the positive experience of many others who acquired the proper drivers and followed suggested trouble shooting procedures. That along with the "don't buy it" sentiment, instance that you have tried "EVERY" conceivable option and surprising response to a nearly 2 year old post scored the eye role.

DB126 said:
The USB connectivity issues you experienced do not mirror the positive experience of many others who acquired the proper drivers and followed suggested trouble shooting procedures. That along with the "don't buy it" sentiment, instance that you have tried "EVERY" conceivable option and surprising response to a nearly 2 year old post scored the eye role.
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1
(cant read a apologize from u, maybe u dont realize, that eyerolling is childish and impolite..if u got some mental disorder like asperger and dont know how "normal" people talk ...sry...and i mean it (nor sarcasm here))....anyway, if not, then its time 2 learn manners:
1. thx, but no thx because u might think of yourself as the "i know it all, so i troll" cause u put "every" in quotation marks, like we r going 2 be literally and not objectively, like smart a**es do. as we know everyone,... 2. who do u think u r, that u may talk 4 everybody? When i say i got the told issue, than it is so, and yes i tried !EVERY! possible step even more than u would imagine and instead to get along with my facts u prefer to exacerbate the issue and suggest i lie, or i didnt troubleshoot enough...wow... 3. u even put words in my mouth i never told, like that every device got that problem (until now, i dont understand, why u did that, but maybe my prolouge was right here) 4. u did not help at all, i think imho that u need that: just blabla without sense and need... just because u think of yourself as important as u think of yourself...poor boy, if i am right... times will be better, even 4 u, dear.. (yes, this was a bit sarcasm) 5. u know what? i often read in boards the words "use the search function" and blabla...so i suddenly stumbled in this post and wrote helpfully stats ..maybe 4 someone else as the topic creator...and even if the post is 10 years old, there is no need 2 be rude, my "i know it all"
instead of "explaining" your eyerolling and taking it literally, i wanted an "apologize your unnecessary and offensive behaviour" but even this u couldnt "read between" the lines... maybe again my prologue is right, than everything is alright, poor boy and else: learn manners before u talk 2 adults, kid... i am 2 old 4 this ****

kinupsi said:
1
(cant read a apologize from u, maybe u dont realize, that eyerolling is childish and impolite..if u got some mental disorder like asperger and dont know how "normal" people talk ...sry...and i mean it (nor sarcasm here))....anyway, if not, then its time 2 learn manners:
1. thx, but no thx because u might think of yourself as the "i know it all, so i troll" cause u put "every" in quotation marks, like we r going 2 be literally and not objectively, like smart a**es do. as we know everyone,... 2. who do u think u r, that u may talk 4 everybody? When i say i got the told issue, than it is so, and yes i tried !EVERY! possible step even more than u would imagine and instead to get along with my facts u prefer to exacerbate the issue and suggest i lie, or i didnt troubleshoot enough...wow... 3. u even put words in my mouth i never told, like that every device got that problem (until now, i dont understand, why u did that, but maybe my prolouge was right here) 4. u did not help at all, i think imho that u need that: just blabla without sense and need... just because u think of yourself as important as u think of yourself...poor boy, if i am right... times will be better, even 4 u, dear.. (yes, this was a bit sarcasm) 5. u know what? i often read in boards the words "use the search function" and blabla...so i suddenly stumbled in this post and wrote helpfully stats ..maybe 4 someone else as the topic creator...and even if the post is 10 years old, there is no need 2 be rude, my "i know it all"
instead of "explaining" your eyerolling and taking it literally, i wanted an "apologize your unnecessary and offensive behaviour" but even this u couldnt "read between" the lines... maybe again my prologue is right, than everything is alright, poor boy and else: learn manners before u talk 2 adults, kid... i am 2 old 4 this ****
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Wall of text speaks for itself; moving on. Good luck with life, pal.

the only tablet that come to my mind is ,
xiaomi pad 4.
8 inch 1920x 1200 resolution
stereo speaker.
4gb ram with 32gb rom plus sd card expansion,
custom rom up to android 10 now.

LunarisDream said:
I really do feel this way ever since picking up my 8.9 4 years ago. I use it almost exclusively for reading ebooks and manga and the screen continues to impress, sporting incredibly high DPI while being comfortable to hold, and excellent battery life even today, taking me through several days' worth of reading at 4 hours a day without issue. Even the 2019 iPad Air is only 265ppi (gsmarena) while the HDX 8.9 is standing at 339ppi. For text, there's no difference, but for manga, the greater capacity for detail is very welcome. The wide bezels on the HDX, and the lighter weight, as well as the 16:10 screen ratio all put the HDX far ahead of competition for reading, which is what Amazon wanted people to do with the Kindle line anyways.
Been looking for an upgrade, also primarily for reading, but pretty much everything on the market right now have worse screens (to be honest, it's hard to beat 2560x1600 resolution on a tablet and I'm convinced the HDX 8.9 was far ahead of its time), or are geared towards other multimedia like videos and mobile gaming, which I have no use for. Anyone feel like they're stuck in the same boat? I would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In 2021 the 8.9 HDX is still my favorite form factor for the reasons you mention- easy to hold with one hand due to thicker bezel, light weight, and the grippy coating on the back. I also mainly use for reading and watching video, the hi-res 8.9 display is great for that.
These are much cheaper today on EBay, etc. and they run reasonably well with custom ROM. I only wish it had 3GB RAM for smoother performance with GApps, but this is a 2013 tablet. I think the biggest detriment now is that they all have old batteries with varying degrees of degradation.
If you don't care about holding one-handed, the 2021 HD 10 is only somewhat more when they are on sale and I think the most practical choice. The 3GB RAM really helps it run smoothly with Google Play and the Amazon stuff all running side-by-side.

Related

streak pro's and con's

hi,
I've recently been looking into buying a new android device....its primarily going to be used a secondary device (my blackberry is my primary device, although i have owned a G1 and htc hero previously, so not new to android)
So basically, i want something that can be used as a tablet mainly (added phone functionality is just a bonus)...and i was considering the dell streak, the new archos 7 or 10 inch, or the galaxy tab. So i was hoping some of you dell streak owners could point out some pro's and con's of your devices so that it can help me out in making a decision
thanks!
raheelc said:
hi,
I've recently been looking into buying a new android device....its primarily going to be used a secondary device (my blackberry is my primary device, although i have owned a G1 and htc hero previously, so not new to android)
So basically, i want something that can be used as a tablet mainly (added phone functionality is just a bonus)...and i was considering the dell streak, the new archos 7 or 10 inch, or the galaxy tab. So i was hoping some of you dell streak owners could point out some pro's and con's of your devices so that it can help me out in making a decision
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
please use the search function bro, theres many threads detailing the info you seek.
well i tried that initially, and I havent really found a whole lot of useful information (maybe im just a noob when it comes to searching on forums)....if you could post some links to other threads i'd appreciate it (if thats not too much trouble)
The galaxy tab might look serious, the streaks portabililty makes it a winner, the tab's got a 7' screen but then you have that HUGE bezel around the screen, it's hardly pocket size.
2.2 vs 2.1 = Stickler
And i wish they would make thier mind up about the price, one minute it's 75% of an over glorified book reader (ipad), the next it's 25% more expensive!
Just look up some reviews online, Engadget and techradar did some nice reviews on it, and it gives you a good indication of how good, or bad, it is, except for the outdated software (which is all that they had to complain about).
Personally it has changed how I operate, I go on the laptop or computer much more rarely now, and its pretty nice, but really its like any other phone or tablet. Its hard to go wrong in the market right now
checkbox111 said:
The galaxy tab might look serious, the streaks portabililty makes it a winner, the tab's got a 7' screen but then you have that HUGE bezel around the screen, it's hardly pocket size.
2.2 vs 2.1 = Stickler
And i wish they would make thier mind up about the price, one minute it's 75% of an over glorified book reader (ipad), the next it's 25% more expensive!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah i just took another look at the galaxy tab and realized what u mean about the huge bezel, i never really noticed it before, lol...and i hope they announce the price soon too!
flamingsamurai said:
Just look up some reviews online, Engadget and techradar did some nice reviews on it, and it gives you a good indication of how good, or bad, it is, except for the outdated software (which is all that they had to complain about).
Personally it has changed how I operate, I go on the laptop or computer much more rarely now, and its pretty nice, but really its like any other phone or tablet. Its hard to go wrong in the market right now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, thanks i've already read those reviews, but i just wanted to hear some personal opinions on the device...thanks for ur opinion!
oh, and just another question, has anyone had any experience with Archos? i've heard some negative things about their devices so dont want to end up buying one if its going to be a POS...
I had a Blackberry Bold as a main device and a companion tablet (Viliv X70) It sucks to carry 2 devices I can tell you that, unless you use a Man-Bag or something similar, I've been looking for a big screen and portability for a while and been stuck on Viliv brand but their products don't totaly convince me and carrying 2 devices is something I don't like. I have no complains on the Streak, comparing to a full windows tablet, the streak beats it because it does what I want, browsing, check e-mails, you tube, instant messaging, mp3 player, streaming, (only thing i hate about android it is the VPN L2PT flavor it just don't like it).
Dell Streak is the perfect device for being mobile, you will find yourself not using the BB and the computer much
BrokenPixel said:
I had a Blackberry Bold as a main device and a companion tablet (Viliv X70) It sucks to carry 2 devices I can tell you that, unless you use a Man-Bag or something similar, I've been looking for a big screen and portability for a while and been stuck on Viliv brand but their products don't totaly convince me and carrying 2 devices is something I don't like. I have no complains on the Streak, comparing to a full windows tablet, the streak beats it because it does what I want, browsing, check e-mails, you tube, instant messaging, mp3 player, streaming, (only thing i hate about android it is the VPN L2PT flavor it just don't like it).
Dell Streak is the perfect device for being mobile, you will find yourself not using the BB and the computer much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice...The reason im looking for a secondary device is because i travel quite a bit, so carrying two devices isnt that much of an issue since i can put it in my backpack along with my DSLR....so for me its more of an issue of which device (archos 70, archos 101, galaxy tab, dell streak) will suit my needs more (basically the same things that you've mentioned above along with some gaming)
I've moved to the Streak from a 7" Apad (a cheap Chinese knock off) and I'm not sorry I did. I'm not interested in making phone calls with it so it's on a data only contract, thus far it has performed really well. The update to 2.1 has brought many advantages and a few niggles though nothing that I haven't been able to work around.
I think the Streak is about as big as you can go and still be properly 'portable' while the 5" screen is easy to read and sensitive to touch.
My only advice would be to get a good case for it, Streaks are more fragile than mobile phones.
Troute said:
I've moved to the Streak from a 7" Apad (a cheap Chinese knock off) and I'm not sorry I did. I'm not interested in making phone calls with it so it's on a data only contract, thus far it has performed really well. The update to 2.1 has brought many advantages and a few niggles though nothing that I haven't been able to work around.
I think the Streak is about as big as you can go and still be properly 'portable' while the 5" screen is easy to read and sensitive to touch.
My only advice would be to get a good case for it, Streaks are more fragile than mobile phones.
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Click to collapse
thanks for the advice! Do you think you could elaborate on the streak being more fragile? I thought since it uses Gorilla glass that it might be able to stand up to a bit of abuse....
From what you can read here and elsewhere the screen is not proofed against knocks on its edge, it might be very strong when hit on its flat surface but the opposite seems true along the sides/corners. I reckon part of the problem is that the screen comes right to the edge of the device and has no buffer to protect it from sudden shocks. Also because the device is so much bigger than a mobile phone it's more prone to damage from bending stress in a trouser pocket.
It's expensive so it makes sense to protect it I say.
thats true...and i do plan on buying a case, no matter what device i decide on buying.
I think the Streak is awesome, a huge leap forward from my last phone. Ive always wanted something that could replace my laptop for basic tasks, gaming and multimedia and still make calls and be pocketable and this phone does exactly that. Software is a little unfinished at the moment but that's something very quickly resolved, I keep telling myself Dell pushed out a lame 2.1 update as they're already super busy finishing off the froyo update....
For you though, I might recommend a bigger tablet. If its a secondary device not really used for calls and sitting in a backpack then the more screen estate the better I say.
I love my phone, but personally, in your situation, I would get a bigger tablet since you don't need to make phone calls with it and you will be carrying it around in a backpack all the time, then def a bigger tablet.
Also, if the gorilla glass doesn't break on a fall, chances are that the screen underneath will....
thanks for the advice, i was also thinking the same thing, that since its going to be a secondary device (which i wont be making calls with) then it would make sense to get a bigger screen....now the question is whether to go with the archos or samsung....that largely depends on the price of the samsung (without a contract)....anyone have opinions on how good Archos devices are? i've never owned one, plus ive heard mixed reviews on their quality...

Battery & Display suck; why the love?

Hi guys. I just bought the Acer Iconia and wanted to give a few of my initial thoughts.
First thing I noticed after performing all the updates was the lag. After exiting applications, it takes a little while for the icons to re-appear on the homescreen. I haven't added any besides the default. Also, when scrolling with the browser, it tends to render in square blocks.
Battery life..I've read reviews that it goes up to 8 hours while others say it lasts between 4-5 hours, and others say 6 hours. I understand that what we do varies, and the battery needs to be calibrated. After having it on for 3 hours and playing FieldRunners for 45 min (the rest of the time it was idle with all wireless connections off), I'm at 75% remaining. That's pretty crummy. Not even a calibration will improve it THAT much.
Also, when viewing a white background, you can see every "box" or pixel. Goodness, that's pretty frickin' bad. I'm not expecting any ridiculous "retina display" here but this is just a cheap panel.
I went into Staples to compare it to the Galaxy Tab and Xoom, and I see why Iconia is priced $100 less.
So, serious question. Why all the love for this thing?
Thanks!
Obvious troll is obvious
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
With 14 posts, maybe you shouldn't comment. And I can't imagine a troll would actually take the time to write up a full post. What a waste of time that'd be.
I genuinely want to know. Perhaps there's something I'm missing. I want to love it because for $299 (after the Staples $100 off tablets coupon) it might not be a bad deal even with my complaints. But for those who actually spent the full $400, what do you actually like about it?
If you wanna go to staples n pay $300 (not $100!) For extra bulk and a non functioning micro SD, or for a device that doesnt even have a micro sd, USB, or HDMI, go for it. If you feel like a thin piece of plastic is a better investment than stainless steel, that's your money. But don't polute our forums with a "grass is greener" thread. You dont like the Iconia cuz it has the same battery as every other device (the only difference is some companies lie more in their specs- I've tested them all, they are all about the same) or cuz you can see pixels on a white screen, go somewhere else.
It's $100 OFF, making it $299 as I posted above. Read the post and learn to write full words in english. Good lord, tough to get a real answer out of babies.
Don't be too hurt if people knock the device. I'm allowed to call it like I see it, and the reason I posted is so someone can point out the actual good parts of the device (besides USB port).
Does anyone else see the issues I was referring to in my original post?
allen099 said:
It's $100 OFF, making it $299 as I posted above. Read the post and learn to write full words in english. Good lord, tough to get a real answer out of babies.
Don't be too hurt people knock the device. I'm allowed to call it like I see it, and the reason I posted is so someone can point out the actual good parts of the device (besides USB port).
Does anyone else see the issues I was referring to in my original post?
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I cant find your first post. You posted 224 messages. I klap my hands.
Don't diss the Odom, you can't make any friends that way.
For me it was the ports it offered. If the galaxy offered a micro SD I probabally would have bought it. The Acer on the other hand offers a lot of ports, which I found very fun. On the Xoom issue the Acer actually out performs it on display as thy have the same one but Acer codes it better. That has been proven in tests.
To break it down it was the price and the ports. The graphics are fine, watched The Green Hornet on this last night and I was satisfied with the performance. But to tell the truth I'm not a graphics whore.
I looked and played with all of these devices and I stick with my decision to buy the Acer.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
I obviously misinterpreted a conversation stater by the looks of it!
I beg pardon and stand aside.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
Torisen said:
Don't diss the Odom, you can't make any friends that way.
For me it was the ports it offered. If the galaxy offered a micro SD I probabally would have bought it. The Acer on the other hand offers a lot of ports, which I found very fun. On the Xoom issue the Acer actually out performs it on display as thy have the same one but Acer codes it better. That has been proven in tests.
To break it down it was the price and the ports. The graphics are fine, watched The Green Hornet on this last night and I was satisfied with the performance. But to tell the truth I'm not a graphics whore.
I looked and played with all of these devices and I stick with my decision to buy the Acer.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
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Click to collapse
My slight trolling aside, I agree with Torisen. The screen is better than most devices, albeit topped by the Galaxy. I find the extra ports and functionality a major deal breaker for me, as well as the price difference vs what you get with the galaxy (to me the xoom was never even a question, there is a reason google views it as a flop.) Also, I'm personally a fan of.the stainless chassis, both in appearance and functionality. As for the lag, a real world test of the galaxy provided similar results due to the bloated Samsung ui. Another key advantage is the near stock system, free of bloatware. After weighing all of my options, I am very happy with my iconia true, their whole update process was screwy, but they seemed to have cleared it up a little (for instance at least most everyone got the 4.010.13 update at the same time!) In yhe end, if youre not happy with it, it is a ffree market, get a different one.
strider_mt2k said:
Obvious troll is obvious
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Sorry, but I tend to agree at least a little with Strider_mt2k because I don't understand posts like this. If I did not like a $300 device that I purchased, I wouldn't criticized it on the dedicated forum for that device, and then expect strangers to convince me to keep it.
My "love" for this tablet is definitely not going to do anything towards negating your disdain for it. Technology life is too short to keep a device that so obviously disappoints you. Return it and get a tablet that you want.
internetpilot said:
Sorry, but I tend to agree at least a little with Strider_mt2k because I don't understand posts like this. If I did not like a $300 device that I purchased, I wouldn't criticized it on the dedicated forum for that device, and then expect strangers to convince me to keep it.
My "love" for this tablet is definitely not going to do anything towards negating your disdain for it. Technology life is too short to keep a device that so obviously disappoints you. Return it and get a tablet that you want.
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Click to collapse
Yeah I agree. It did come across as an insult to the device, not any form of question. Don't like it? Complain to staples or wherever you bought it and get a different device
The battery stand 8 hours if
- you do not use 3D Games constantly
- Brigthness arround 50%
I use about 12 hours straight my tablet, wifi constantly open, reading ebook, playing games (a little), going internet....
but I charge my tablet every 1.5 day or 2 days sometimes... no I do not use my tablet every 2 minutes
so far with GPS, full brightness, Sygic navigator... about 5hrs++ wich is nice... since I do not drive that long, and I don't need the navigator 5 hours in a row.
playing games 3D . 6hrs ++
playing normal games (angry bird) 8hrs...
Charge the tablet until 100% do not overnight, let the battery drain until 5% oftenly. that's how I use my tablet.
I do not use OVERCLOCK or else. when I make those feedback
Go get an iPad 2 then and stop whining. Oh wait... the display still sucks on an iPad. At least you get a great range of connectivity with the Iconia.
i work at staples, i have had the time to play with all the tablets, i personally recommend the Acer over all of them, even to my customers
the 100 dollar coupons kill our stores sale figures, but i used one and bought the Acer.
i do not regret it one bit, i love my acer. you shouldnt have your face that close to the screen to see the pixels, if you do need to, you need to get glasses
allen099 said:
First thing I noticed after performing all the updates was the lag. After exiting applications, it takes a little while for the icons to re-appear on the homescreen. I haven't added any besides the default. Also, when scrolling with the browser, it tends to render in square blocks.
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I don't have such issues, maybe you've got a defect one?
Battery life..I've read reviews that it goes up to 8 hours while others say it lasts between 4-5 hours, and others say 6 hours. I understand that what we do varies, and the battery needs to be calibrated. After having it on for 3 hours and playing FieldRunners for 45 min (the rest of the time it was idle with all wireless connections off), I'm at 75% remaining. That's pretty crummy. Not even a calibration will improve it THAT much.
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Well, how much do you really expect it to last when playing games? If you're claiming it's "crummy" then obviously you think some other tablet does a lot better, but.. well, so far I ain't seeing one. They all last more-or-less the same.
Besides... I don't play games on my tablet, but it's on for 3rd day in the row at the moment. I have WIFI on 24/7, I do some web browsing, reading comics etc. and it still has over 50% battery left. That ain't something I personally would call "crummy."
Also, when viewing a white background, you can see every "box" or pixel. Goodness, that's pretty frickin' bad. I'm not expecting any ridiculous "retina display" here but this is just a cheap panel.
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Those aren't pixels! You're seeing the grid used for touch-input. You're mixing the two concepts!
As for the grid: yes, it is sometimes visible. I personally don't get bothered by it since it isn't as clearly visible as you make it out to be. But I can understand if some others are bothered by it. It is even mentioned in all the better reviews that the grid can be seen easier than on other tablets. If the grid bothers you that much then go and get another tablet. But bear in mind that even iPads have the grid and atleast I can see it on those, too.
So, serious question. Why all the love for this thing?
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Because it is great hardware for a great price.
I've had mine for 48 hours, and I have to say I'm loving it. I did take into consideration the $100 off, and getting this device for $299. You can argue positives and negatives on devices of equal price, but for $299, the A500 is a bargain.
The two issues mentioned- display: yes, the transformer's display is brighter. BUT...I've read many, many posts over at the ASUS threads about light bleading. Further, about how the Transformer can "bend" a little due to plastic construction, and this in turn causes further problems. Still, I liked the TF...I was torn over between the two, so don't think I'm hating on ASUS here. But the display is about a 7.5-8/10 for me compared to the BEST displays I've seen. But its a 10/10 for $299.
Battery: I have only good things to say about battery life so far on mine. No, I don't play 3D games constantly, but compared to the many android phones I have had, I realize I'm not always thinking about having this plugged in just in case I'll need the battery power later.
The other points that were in the A500's favor were the aluminum as stated, full USB port (not a feature you should discount), mini usb port, etc. I can't imagine ONLY being able to transfer files via miniSD. That would be a pain.
Most of the other gripes I have are about Honeycomb...it's not up to competing directly yet with iPad, just a few bugs that keep it from going head to head right now. But that has nothing to do with the unit.
I got two A500's now by the way, and both seem to be working as advertised, they were better than I expected when I made the decision to buy them.
+ 1 for all the love here for our devices on such a hateful thread
The Odom Project said:
+ 1 for all the love here for our devices on such a hateful thread
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I love your haircut
Is that enough love? ^^
WereCatf said:
I love your haircut
Is that enough love? ^^
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Hehe yeah lol.now I just need to re pierce my lips lol. . . Damn here we go again with the OT lol
I love this baby... and I'm not new to my portable devices... with auto brightness and auto use i get all day battery... and that includes using it's USB port to charge my Moto Atrix when it needs it! I must admit tho mine was a bit laggy with te stock kernel, but that was an easy fix!

Why I bought and returned 8 tablets to finally end up with the Note 10.1

Hi everyone, I've had a problem over the last year or two, habitually testing out tablets and returning them. My wife has gotten concerned that my tablet buying would beome obsessive, but I really was just looking for the right tool for me. I have finally chosen the Note 10.1 as my preferred choice thought some forum posters might want to hear my thoughts on a variety of tablets and why I chose the Note.
My use case - I'm sort of a techie, I go to a lot of meetings, I have a wicked awesome x100e thinkpad netbook that I absolutely love and that I use for casual and work, and I have a media center computer at home for watching xvids on my TV. But I've wanted a tablet for meetings and other times when pulling a laptop out would not be acceptable. I also really wanted a wacom pen for electronic notes, I seem to believe that might help keep me more organized. One last thing I wouldn't mind from a tablet is learning games to play with my daughter.
I used to have a thinkpad windows xp convertible, which was nice, but heavy and the battery died. So last year when the thinkpad android tablet came out, I jumped on it. But it didn't live up to the hype, too big, too slow, android wasnt really ready and frankly the ntrig pen on it was horrible, the battery on the pen died twice in the month I had it. Returned.
I bought a blackberry playbook, was sleek, ahead of the times, fast. But too small, not enough apps, and no wacom pen. Returned.
I bought a ipad 2, was pretty impressed with it actually. Really great selection of apps, jailbroke it and was quite excited about it, but it really wasn't suitable for notes no matter what I tried. Why doesn't this thing have a microsd port? And the Apple ecosystem is hugely frustrating. And as a techie, I can't really walk around holding an iPad, just way to emberassing I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror. In the end this was a great purchase as a learning tool for my daughter with lots of learning games we play with at night, but it wasn't really suitable for what I needed.
I was really eager when the note 10.1 came out, preordered it and got it in september. Fast, perfect size, speakers are awesome, and the microsd port was really appreciated! But it didn't have USB, android can be pretty quirky and Windows 8 was coming out. I had some problems with polaris office and thought to myself I have to give windows 8 a try before I commit.
So I bought the Microsoft Surface RT. This was an impulse buy, mostly cause I couldnt see it in the store and I had to know what it was like. Frankly its awesome, sleek, quick, the keyboard is amazing. But... not a lot of apps, no wacom pen, pretty much its a netbook with office, and I already have a wicked lenovo netbook, so it went back because what I really wanted was the Samsung Ativ Smart PC!
The samsung Ativ Smart Pc with windows 8 was pretty impressive. This atom cpu flies, I mean flies for office use. It was quicker at reading pdfs then any other tablet I tried including the Note 10.1. It had a wacom pen that worked well. It had a USB port and a mini-hdmi! It has windows 8, which is by far the best windows I tried. Things are so much simpler, sleeker and logical in it. The OS is a joy to use, and the best part it runs ALL of my intel x86 programs so I can load it up with virtually anything. But its still windows, so be prepared for Norton, daily updates and the usual Windows annoyances that I have come to love, this wasn't really a negative for me, but I could see how it would be for my wife. The main problems with this tablet:
1. It couldn't connect to my work wifi. Some windows 8 bug that aggravated me, I'm sure they'll fix it... eventually.
2. Its 11.6 inches, its huge and more to the point it's widescreen. The widescreen aspect ratio is too wide, hard to read a pdf, its a joke to hold this thing in portrait mode.
The Ativ Smart PC is an awesome low power windows ultrabook/tablet, but not a good tablet for occasional use when a netbook won't suffice, too big, too wide. (PS I live in canada, and in canada the ATIV Smart PC does not come with a smart pen, so I returned it, bought the american version....... and returned that).
So I rebought the Note 10.1 on a cyber sale for 449, saved myself 50 bucks from my original purchase and you know what, I'm loving it. I think Windows 8 has a bright future, but not right now. And android is getting better every day
The only cons to the Note I know of for me are:
I am missing audio recording while writing notes, snote and lecture notes can do this but they won't play and fast forward the notes like OneNote or Livescribe do, oh well.
I'd also give props to the niche area apps available on the ipad that has tons of learning games for my daughter that no other platform can rival.
Sucks that it takes so long for samsung to update, Android is finally going to have multiuser ability, and I doubt the Note 10.1 will ever see it. Oh well, wasn't really all that necessary anyways.
The note can do virtually everything I need it to do. Since I last used the Note I have come to see Polaris office is actually pretty good, and I am impressed with Astro file managers improvements. I love how dropbox works with my note, and I have a microsd 32gb card ready to hold all my work files from dropbox on it. I love being able to pull up a doc during a meeting and append, highlight and make notes, thanks polaris office for that. Right now I'm connected to an adobe connect meeting for my work through my tablet, and I'm loving it, switch windows to skype my wife on my tablet, and I marvel at how powerful this small tool is. I just bought a case for the note, I'm keeping it this time, I better or my wife is going to kill me lol.
Edit - Oh yeah, I just have to add this cause other review sites mention it. The whole "thing feels like cheap plasitc" is a bunch of bs in my view. The note is slim, light, and awesome. The screen is also bright and crystal clear.
It's hard to ignore all the hype and praise the other tablets are receiving, huh.
I mainly use my Note for drawing and having an Intuos at home, I already know Wacom is the bee's knees. But I came pretty close to buying an iPad w/ an Adonit Jot anyway just b/c everyone kept telling me and I kept reading the iPad's the greatest. But after trying the Note w/ Wacom and the palm rejection... there was no way I could pick anything else
" And as techie, I can't really walk around holdin an iPad, just way to emberassing I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror."
Thank you. The the two don't equate. :laugh:
Also made the same mistake with the TPT, but didn't bother with other tabs until the GNote was released. After the horror show that was the ThinkPad, and the poor reviews on the Note, I was afraid of it. Glad I got over it. It's been perfect since day one.
My wife has a IPAD and she wants my Note 10. No way, Jose I said. You can do so much more on the Note 10 than a IPAD. IPAD is great for reading, better than the Note 10 but that's it, Note 10 exceeds everywhere else.
toenail_flicker said:
" And as techie, I can't really walk around holdin an iPad, just way to emberassing I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror."
Thank you. The the two don't equate. :laugh:
Also made the same mistake with the TPT, but didn't bother with other tabs until the GNote was released. After the horror show that was the ThinkPad, and the poor reviews on the Note, I was afraid of it. Glad I got over it. It's been perfect since day one.
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As someone that certainly prefers the Note 10.1 over the ipad, i still really dont understand this statement. Some of the "techinest" people i know use ipads and its their preferred tablet of choice. Im guessing the usual will get thrown out the lack of flexibility and closed ecosystem, but ive seen some very impressive things performed on an ipad, especially when jailbroken.
I have them all and thought the Note would be impossible to beat but the Ativ may beat them all. If you are looking for note taking you can't beat OneNote and an spen
Sent from my GT-N8013 using XDA Premium HD app
GaresTaylan said:
As someone that certainly prefers the Note 10.1 over the ipad, i still really dont understand this statement. Some of the "techinest" people i know use ipads and its their preferred tablet of choice. Im guessing the usual will get thrown out the lack of flexibility and closed ecosystem, but ive seen some very impressive things performed on an ipad, especially when jailbroken.
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Click to collapse
Like what
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GaresTaylan said:
As someone that certainly prefers the Note 10.1 over the ipad, i still really dont understand this statement. Some of the "techinest" people i know use ipads and its their preferred tablet of choice. Im guessing the usual will get thrown out the lack of flexibility and closed ecosystem, but ive seen some very impressive things performed on an ipad, especially when jailbroken.
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Click to collapse
Agreed, if you could customize the ipad a bit it would be unbeatable. But no wacom pen, no microsdcard (which is embarrassing really), and just the hunk-a-junk file system and primitive ways of putting files on the thing annoy me to no end. Even jailbroken, I put a couple seasons of big bang theory on there, had to get vlc player from cydia (not in the app store). And had to install them through vlc so they weren't accessible to other programs. Little things just frustrate me about the device, and I dont get that in note 10.1. The multi window thing is pretty cool too. Not to mention philosophically I believe in Gnu/Open source, and while google isn't a saint there, they are much better then apple. I love my sleek lil note
Edit - one thing that annoys me in general about android is the file system as well. Why am I putting everything in /mnt/sdcard? And I know of no way to organize this thing. I tried making /mnt/sdcard/home and have all my personal files/directories in there, but some programs wont configure where they save so you inevitably had to go into that mess of /mnt/sdcard. Not to mention you can't keep that directory clean cause every app wants to put a directory there. I guess I just have to use the "favorites" tool in astro and just mark directories I like as favorites.
As for techies and ipads.... maybe its an age thing? Im 35 maybe that is a factor? I'm not really sure... but to give you some background I have a masters in comp sci, I work with tech, I know a lot of techies and not one has an ipad they would publicly admit too. Only people I know who have ipads are people who never really had computers or didnt know they could do cool stuff like "teleconference" or "photoshop" or "take pictures and share them" or "edit videos in premiere" or "play online games" and now that apple made this stuff popular with products like "facetime" and the "instagram app" and "draw something" they are obsessed with running around telling people like me (who don't find it all that impressive) and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I just had a conversation with someone today about how cool her iphone was cause it could send voice messages with the app called voxie! I found it hilarious that she was unable to easily send sms voice messages on her phone and needed an app for it to make it useable. Oh well, I just think their way of popularizing and "owning/stealing" things "techies" like me have been doing for a long time leaves a bad taste in some of our mouths. Might be different with different groups tho.
Don't get me wrong, they occasionally make great products, the Ipod was a work of art, and compared to the other mp3 players I had at the time it was light years ahead. The first ipod belongs in a museum, and my creative jukebox deserves to be run over by my car, if I can find it lol. It's just I don't really respect the brand, it makes me think "locked down", "over priced" and "less functional" so I will avoid it if possible
inmnbob said:
I have them all and thought the Note would be impossible to beat but the Ativ may beat them all. If you are looking for note taking you can't beat OneNote and an spen
Sent from my GT-N8013 using XDA Premium HD app
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I spent two weeks with a canadian ativ, and another two weeks with an american ativ. I can say that lil atom is much faster then you might think. And the OS is a dream on tablets once you get used to it. Still... its a new-ish OS, and its got kinks. In a year or two, I think windows 8 tablets will be awesome, right now Android has so much available and working out of the box. Not to mention size wise the ativ is more of a computer, forget bringing it to bed or bringing it to meetings while holding a coffee. Its just too big. I like reading pdfs in portrait, so I can see a whole page, the widescreen ativ is unusable in portrait.... unless all my pdfs go widescreen in the near future, that aspect ratio is done. Incidentally if you use apps like bing/news, the tiling layout is awesome cause it's formatted for that screen. Unfortunately my dungeon magazine is in portrait and its much more readable on the note 10.1
GaresTaylan said:
As someone that certainly prefers the Note 10.1 over the ipad, i still really dont understand this statement. Some of the "techinest" people i know use ipads and its their preferred tablet of choice. Im guessing the usual will get thrown out the lack of flexibility and closed ecosystem, but ive seen some very impressive things performed on an ipad, especially when jailbroken.
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Sorry, but as a long-time techie, before there were laptops and pads, my statement and sentiment about the OP's post stands. As to the techies you know- there's no accounting for some people's taste. JMO
Don't trust the people who tell you that an adonit jot pro with a capacitive screen is anywhere near the wacom stylus on this.. I used the jot pro (meh, waste of money because of the issues regarding the conductivity between the ball and the plate) with the asus transformer. Even at its best, it cannot be compared to the Note.
I agree with you absolutely. Coming from a Galaxy Tab 7.7 with a Jot Pro was an exercise of frustration. The Jot was over rated. For true note taking experience on tablet form factor, nothing beats the S-Pen.
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I have always owned an ipad since the first generation. They are excellent devices and I consider myself a "techie". I am never ashamed of carrying it or my Note 10.1 because my self-esteem has this weird quirk where I just dont give damn what other people think of me because I own it. I certainly wouldn't judge someone because they owned an apple product. The whole premise is ridiculous and immature.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Kopi-O said:
I agree with you absolutely. Coming from a Galaxy Tab 7.7 with a Jot Pro was an exercise of frustration. The Jot was over rated. For true note taking experience on tablet form factor, nothing beats the S-Pen.
Sent from my GT-N8000 using XDA Premium HD app
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I tried about every stylus available with my TF101 in just about every app available. Ended up using LiveScribe instead. Happy stopped using both when I got my Note 10.1, the S-Pen and lecture notes. It simply cannot be beat and after years of trying to be paperless for meetings I have finally done it with the Note. Oh, and I love using my AllShare cast dongle with presentations. I can look at my notes, display full presentation and do markups with my S-Pen. Pretty slick. I'm sure you can do that with iPad somehow but I wouldn't consider another tablet without a wacom.
Wow, I didn't think there was anyone as "crazy" as me lol. I actually do have OCD and it takes me forever to make a decision. I've also tried and returned many phones and tablets. More so for phones. I'm never satisfied with the one I have. I just got the Note 10.1 today tho and I'm loving it! Just put on JB.
I agree with the second poster also. It is hard to ignore the hype and praise for these different tablets. You never truly know which one is going to be the best until you've tried them out. It was between the Note 10.1 or the iPad 4. I've had iPads before but for some reason I thought this one would be different. I decided on the Note 10.1 and the whole time I was waiting for it to arrive I kept thinking that maybe I should have taken the iPad but now that I have the Note I have to say I'm glad I stuck with my decision.
I'm still on part where I try the ativ before getting the 10.1, but I'm currently abroad until after christmas, so I can't try/buy yet since I haven't seen an ativ smart pc here. I've tried the note 10.1 and it feels a bit strange to me. The stylus and the screen don't have that feeling that I can draw on it like on my tablet pc. So I'll found out after christmas. I'm at a stage in my life where I don't know if I am going to replace my tablet pc with an ativ smart pc or replace my xperia play with a 3g 10.1. I may end up getting both though.

Farewell Note Pro 12.2

After soul searching for a few weeks I decided to sell my 12.2. I really wanted a one device replacement for my tablets and laptop. As much as I tried, this just did not fit the bill. I was also surprised at the lack of any development on this tablet.
It is a solid device but needs a dock in my opinion and can't quite service all my needs in one device.
Bye bye 12.2. It was fun for a while.
Yeah I don't know if you're like me but as much as I wish for it there will never be a true "laptop replacement" other than a laptop itself lol. I always cringe a little when new users come to the note pro forums here or on Android Central and ask if these devices would serve them well as a laptop replacement. Truth is they do for some use cases but not all.
Sorry things didn't work out for you. It's too bad about lack of development too. Taking matters into ones own hands by using things like xposed gives some relief but it's not the same as true custom roms.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
So, what you end up getting?
Moderate Replacment ?
Mike02z said:
After soul searching for a few weeks I decided to sell my 12.2. I really wanted a one device replacement for my tablets and laptop. As much as I tried, this just did not fit the bill. I was also surprised at the lack of any development on this tablet.
It is a solid device but needs a dock in my opinion and can't quite service all my needs in one device.
Bye bye 12.2. It was fun for a while.
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muzzy996 said:
Yeah I don't know if you're like me but as much as I wish for it there will never be a true "laptop replacement" other than a laptop itself lol. I always cringe a little when new users come to the note pro forums here or on Android Central and ask if these devices would serve them well as a laptop replacement. Truth is they do for some use cases but not all.
Sorry things didn't work out for you. It's too bad about lack of development too. Taking matters into ones own hands by using things like xposed gives some relief but it's not the same as true custom roms.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
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petercohen said:
So, what you end up getting?
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Im looking to use this as a light laptop replacement for school. I have a large 17.3 inch laptop that I lug around and i commute so its starting to be a pain. I want to use this for notes, writing in class , going over power points and light work. I will leave the serious stuff for my laptop at home. I will probably buy a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Do you think the device can cover these areas well ?
I went with a big i7 Surface 3. I had a lot of Amazon gift cards. With the dock, I'm thinking it *may* be my one device solution. Time will tell....
naruto.ninjakid said:
Im looking to use this as a light laptop replacement for school. I have a large 17.3 inch laptop that I lug around and i commute so its starting to be a pain. I want to use this for notes, writing in class , going over power points and light work. I will leave the serious stuff for my laptop at home. I will probably buy a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Do you think the device can cover these areas well ?
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"Well" is subjective, particularly when it comes to generalized requirements. Take an existing powerpoint done on a computer that has complicated transitions and embedded objects and all bets are off as to whether or not the tablet will handle it "well" if at all.
I'm an engineer so I always err on the side of conservatism so I can't go on record telling you it will fit your needs perfectly. That said I think in general yeah you should be okay provided your specific requirements with regards to office file compatibility are not too high.
naruto.ninjakid said:
Im looking to use this as a light laptop replacement for school. I have a large 17.3 inch laptop that I lug around and i commute so its starting to be a pain. I want to use this for notes, writing in class , going over power points and light work. I will leave the serious stuff for my laptop at home. I will probably buy a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Do you think the device can cover these areas well ?
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It varies from person to person. I've used it for that in my last year and it served it's purpose well. (With a Logitech K810). As for if it will work for you, I can not say.
Mike02z said:
I went with a big i7 Surface 3. I had a lot of Amazon gift cards. With the dock, I'm thinking it *may* be my one device solution. Time will tell....
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Click to collapse
I really like the idea of the Surface. It's just such a shame they had to use a 1990's level GPU. You get an i7, 16GB RAM.... and an Intel HD 4000. If there was ever the definition of a bottleneck, it's an Intel HD. That piece of junk is not worth 2000 quid. Not worth 800, either. 150, maybe.
I require a dedicated GPU for my day to day usage of a laptop (Design/Gaming).
If the Surface 4 gets an Nvidia, now that will be worth considering.
I do no gaming and no graphic design work so it seems to be just want I needed. So far, so good.
I don't think the Surface 3 Pro is advertised anywhere as a gamer machine.
Mike02z said:
I do no gaming and no graphic design work so it seems to be just want I needed. So far, so good.
I don't think the Surface 3 Pro is advertised anywhere as a gamer machine.
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I know. And if you're happy with it, don't let me stop you. (no really, I mean it. This is just my opinion, you don't need my opinion to enjoy your device )
I just don't think it's worth the price it sells for. Not in terms of hardware.
My laptop has an IntelHD 4000 and an Nvidia 740M. (That requires some managing as a gamer.) Inside is the same range of an i7 and 16GB RAM. When I select the IntelHD as the device to play a 2k film, it freezes every few minutes, botches up the render of several shot switches and if it's 4K, simply doesn't even get past the very first frame. The sound plays, but the video simply can't be rendered.
That's how weak an Intel HD is. Now tell me, is that worth 800 quid? Let alone 2000?
I like the idea, I really, really do. And if they add an Nvidia, I will absolutely buy the top-tier one.
But I can't understand why people would pay so much for such outdated and lousy tech.(But then, I feel the same about Apple users.) Or why companies are so utterly stupid in adding them. It's bloody difficult to even find a decent laptop below 8000 quid that doesn't have one of those useless Intel HD's. Intel HD should've been banned from the market year ago since the Family 4.
I recently had the Surface Pro 3 and it really was a solid device. I actually returned my Wi-Fi GNP12.2 to get it. But for what it cost, I really expected more. That device needs broadwell. Thermal issues and such really prevent you from taking advantage of it's higher potential performance capability. It ended up being a basic media and light productivity device, for which I found the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 to be fully capable of doing, for considerably less money.
I decided to go back to the GNP12.2, except this time I went with the SM-P907A as my "small notebook replacement" device. Add in the solid Samsung keyboard case, S Mouse, and I'm ready to roll. The Snapdragon still does it's thing better than the Exynos, I've got LTE everywhere (love that feature), and with the right apps, it really has been able to do everything I need out a portable computing device. I mean, it's light, excellent battery life, crisp screen... the list goes on.
Keeping in mind, I do have a more powerful 15" Ultrabook and high-end fixed workstation for more demanding tasks. But for the day-to-day mobile stuff, it's been working great for me. Well, at least until something more interesting comes along. With that said, I do agree it's not for everybody. Nothing ever is. But probably at least worth giving a shot for many. Either way, good luck! :good:
Mike02z said:
I went with a big i7 Surface 3. I had a lot of Amazon gift cards. With the dock, I'm thinking it *may* be my one device solution. Time will tell....
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Click to collapse
Hey man I am in the same boat. I just went through Dell Venue 8 pro-->11 pro--> Note 10.1 2014--> note pro 12.2. All in the matter of like a month.....
I have this to say about them all.
Dell venue series I bought out of a desire to try and stay cheap but still have an active digitizer. I am trying to digitize all of my notes for my masters program so that when I write my thesis it will all be accessible in one place. Venue 8 was too small, 10 was underpowered and the active digitizer on both was crap, I mean really bad. The note 10.1 was great but I wanted some more real estate so I went with the 12.2 for a week or so. Since it is the thread I am writing in I will make a few observations
1. Great tab overall, well powered but overwhelmed by Samsung TW UI, easy to take care of with root/greenify and what not.
2. For importing the pdfs and ppts from lecture it just took forever, I played with some different note taking apps and I always ended up with the S-pen app which is awesome, but it would not handle my 1000+ page books at all. I don't know how long I waited for snote to import it and then it crashed. What a shame because it was a champ otherwise.
3. One thing both the notes had for me was the multiwindow function, watch a lecture and take notes at the same time, but I noticed when I was streaming lectures that were in HD I would get some lags from the Snore and Spen. Again shame because I know the tab has the power to run it but I am guessing that its the TW issues again.
4. Why I ended up going elsewhere.(surface 3 i3)
- I want to get rid of carrying around my old 09 MBP and become a little more streamlined. I am relinquishing my MBP to be a home desktop/server since I dropped an extra 4gigs of ram and a 1TB HD in it through the years. This tab just didn't do it for me. It was soooooooo soooooo close but it just didn't quite get there from a productivity standpoint FOR ME.
5. I am a flashaholic with my phone sooooooo having something to run Odin/LGflashtool on when I am on the go would be nice so that I don't have to worry about ending up in bootloops and not have a phone the rest of the day.
Note to Samsung if you are reading this.
First, bravo on a great tab, seriously it is an awesome machine but
Second, get out of the way of the android experience a little(read a lot) more and let the hardware shine. I would love to see the android L update on this tab with a minimized TW UI so that you can really see the beast that is in the tablet.
I have gone from cheap to some of the best hybrid tablets you can go and I have this to say. The Note pro may be for you because its awesome but know what you need and what you don't. If you are trying to replace a laptop then the Note pro may not be for you unless you are talking about partial replacement to just carry around during the day and then use the big laptop back home, it may work then. BUT, if you want a true laptop replacement, like leave your old one to collect dust it may not be right for you.
Just trying to prevent so many open box items at my local best buy........
-Ice3186
I too use this tablet for school and for the price ($416 on ebay) it's a miracle device. I tried the surface pro 3 and the handwriting was not as good which was a deal breaker for at its price ($999 for the i5). I chose to just acept that ill have to carry around my toshiba a little while longer. snote is a underpowered app with frustrating lag when navigating through different ui but still the best there is. As a side note, I'm not sure why to would want to import pdfs into it when you can multi window them in a reader.
Tsk_Tsk_Tsk said:
I too use this tablet for school and for the price ($416 on ebay) it's a miracle device. I tried the surface pro 3 and the handwriting was not as good which was a deal breaker for at its price ($999 for the i5). I chose to just acept that ill have to carry around my toshiba a little while longer. snote is a underpowered app with frustrating lag when navigating through different ui but still the best there is. As a side note, I'm not sure why to would want to import pdfs into it when you can multi window them in a reader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GOOGLE LECTURE NOTES it's what snote should be
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Even as a power user, I have had no problem using the NP12.2 as a primary enterprise device. I travel a lot for business, do presentations and lecturing and so forth. My demands are quite high and I have loved the 12.2. On the occasion that I have needed something more powerful, the use of one of the remote apps (I like PhoneMyPC and have used it for years) works just fine as long as I keep my laptop at home, powered on, and connected to the internet. Then, when I need a file or something from the PC, well... that is what Dropbox is for. Couple the NP12.2 with a bluetooth keyboard case (and mouse if you need it) and it has been the best tablet that I have ever used, and I owned the first 10.1 android tablet two days after it came out.

Will you be upgrading to the new Note Tablet (Chromebook)?

Hello Note Pro users! Around February 13th, Samsung will launch a new Chromebook that appears to be the successor to our now THREE YEAR OLD TABLET!.
Some of the noteable specs that I found worthwhile.
Amoled qHD Display 3:2 Ratio
2 Type C ports.
ARM OP1 Processor,
360 degree foldlable hinge.
AFAIK, One of the first few chromebooks to allegedly support the google play store!
And of course, the MOST important thing : An s pen.
These specs are hard to find in any laptop under 500$, none of which come with a stylus with palm rejection throughout the entire OS.
You can find more information here
Personally, while the battery life on my note pro 12.2 is the best across any device I have ever used (13 hours of SOT/3 Days without charge), performance has become horrible. I can't have more than 3 apps open simultaneously, opening each of those apps takes ages compared to my OnePlus3, and the screen flickers while the cpu is under high load.
I pre-ordered my chromebook through best buy, 488$ out the door, will you be purchasing the new version? Or will you be sticking with the note pro?
Looks OK. The internal memory is listed at 32GB while my Note Pro 12.2 tablet has 64GB. I still want a tablet that looks like this cromebook and costs like this one but does MS stuff without a hiccup. I have so many work related things that only work on a PC and not doable on this tablet. Maybe someday?
treetopsranch said:
Looks OK. The internal memory is listed at 32GB while my Note Pro 12.2 tablet has 64GB. I still want a tablet that looks like this cromebook and costs like this one but does MS stuff without a hiccup. I have so many work related things that only work on a PC and not doable on this tablet. Maybe someday?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the thing that upset me as well..
32GB internal, probably only 23 will be made available to end user.
Not sure about the 3:2 ratio, I like 16:9 especially for taking notes and watching media..
I think this chromebook might perform pretty well with MS/Google apps. I haven't seen a fast chromebook yet, but I hope 2017 will change that.
when I get mine I'll definitely add some comments here.
It looks nice. I've never tried a Chromebook before. It would be better if it had 64gb or more and it came in black.
I had an Acer Chromebook with the Google Play store. No touchscreen but I got it to see how using Android apps would be. It was ok. Maybe it was my specific iteration (I was using the Beta channel) but it seemed like the Android apps were sandboxed. This meant I couldn't use something like, say, Fake GPS to mock location so that I can play Pokemon Go.
If you are thinking of getting the new Samsung Chromebooks, just know that the Android experience isn't as integrated as you'd think.
No, I am not going to make this change. I have a small 4 year old laptop with an SSD that works just fine when I need a full keyboard device, and for day to day work I just use my 12 inch IPAD pro... I use my Android 12.2 now for the cases where I need to use an android application that needs to use a MicroUSB port... such as my thermal scanner or my SDRs... I had the a note 7, which I miss dearly, and the USB C interface was just not compliant with the hardware devices I mentioned before...
MrWilsonxD said:
3:2 Ratio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely bloody not.
Three reasons:
1) I use this thing for films and series 99% of the time. (I'm not bringing a 40" flatscreen on a train.) Have you tried a 16:9(default size) or 21:9(cinema release) film in a 3:2 window? Go on, try it. Let me know how much you like the big black bars on the top and bottom of your screen.
2) 80% of the world uses the A paper sizes. Not the square B sizes. A-paper is an almost exact match to 16:9. In 3:2 you have to scroll half the page.
3) All websites are designed in 16:9. NOT in 3:2. Half the website will be clipped off.
If I want something that only displays half my screen, I'll could just paste ductape onto my NotePro. Same result, hell of a lot cheaper.
Samsung is trying to be Apple again. Tsk, they still haven't learned.
ShadowLea said:
Absolutely bloody not.
Three reasons:
1) I use this thing for films and series 99% of the time. (I'm not bringing a 40" flatscreen on a train.) Have you tried a 16:9(default size) or 21:9(cinema release) film in a 3:2 window? Go on, try it. Let me know how much you like the big black bars on the top and bottom of your screen.
2) 80% of the world uses the A paper sizes. Not the square B sizes. A-paper is an almost exact match to 16:9. In 3:2 you have to scroll half the page.
3) All websites are designed in 16:9. NOT in 3:2. Half the website will be clipped off.
If I want something that only displays half my screen, I'll could just paste ductape onto my NotePro. Same result, hell of a lot cheaper.
Samsung is trying to be Apple again. Tsk, they still haven't learned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see! You bring up some good points! I have, I had a Samsung 9.7 with the 4 3 ratio, and I loved the in hand feel of it. especially when I was taking notes in class. Squid has infinity zoom, so the aspect ratios for note taking don't bother me. ? (I returned the tablet because I think it had 720P resolution, that screen was awful!! I could see pixelation in pen strokes in s note!)
Movies, I'll have to get back to you on that one! I'm looking forward to seeing things on a larger oled display! I LOVE the size of our screen, but I'm not fond of the ips in this screen.
I thought most websites would simply reflow? They do this with most mobile browsers don't they?
Thanks for your response, it brought good points to light. ☺
No thanks. Look goods, but not worth the money. I think I'll stick with my Note Pro 12.2. Plus, if you try to get MS Office on that, chances are, it'll ask you for a email that has a Office365 subscriptions for it in order to use it.
Due to Samsung's abandonment of the still very capable Note 12.2 tablet they can go screw themselves, so no, I will not be buying the chrome book.
I'll take a look at it when it comes out. Right now I'm very satisfied with my Note Pro running Nougat. That operating system has improved the performance 2 fold. I do like new and shiny things, but this one will have to stand up to my Note Pro.
Chrome is one of those "Hmm... interesting.... but why?" things. Still... Hmm... Interesting.
Here's why I probably won't switch.
First, I *really* like the Note Pro 12.2. I bought mine for under 300 bucks used, and it has served me on a nearly daily basis as email reader / web reader / ebook reader (1000s of title on a handy 128g ext microsd card). Beautiful resolution. Touch screen. And Android.... which despite a few drawbacks, is also endlessly intriguing (yes I rooted my Note 12.2 and run Nougat currently). Did I mention how much I like being able to back the entire thing up in just a few minutes to my ext micro using TWRP? And battery life... even after all this time using it... is great!
Second, I'd have to find a reason to switch. And as one other commenter noted, Samsung's total abandonment of this tablet doesn't lead me to quickly invest in another tablet they make.... because won't they abandon the new one, too, if they don't like sales? If Samsung pledged to update their devices for a longer period of time, it would be more likely I'd (eventually) make the move. Instead, I'd be most likely to save up and buy a Pixel.
Third.... oh, I guess I mentioned that I really *really* like my Note Pro 12.2....
Are you kidding me? A chrome book? To replace the note pro 12.2? Are you kidding me? Did the world suddenly go insane? Did Samsung lose its mind after the last tablet that went with windows 10? And from that debacle, ...they went to chrome? I guess the cleaning dude is running that department now.
Jesus Samsung, you have truly lost your way.
NO:
I want a true tablet!
If i need that form-factor with touch and keyboard, I get a 13 inch Dell XPS ultrabook (i currently own the 15 inch XPS)
I either want a true mobile OS like Android, OR a desktop OS like windows/osx/*nix
I hate ChromeOS. and other power user hate it too, especially the modding scene
Android Apps integration is sandboxed, so forget using for example a Mock-Location android app for the whole device
4:3, are we going back in time? This is primarily a work and note-taking app: I want A4 styled sheets, and I will read Books and PDFs in A4 / A5 / A6 style to annotate them with the S-Pen, this is bull**** on 4:3 and only makes sense on 16:9 or more
The stylus doesn't come with the button on the side. Many functions lost!
Split-Screen (youtube teaching video + note taking app) is bull**** on 4:3
I received my chromebook plus Tuesday, and my goodness, it is fantastic! I like it more than the note pro in every aspect except battery life.
So here's why.
Pros:
The Display and the build quality are excellent! I really disliked watching videos on my note pro because the blacks were so washed out, while the CBP does not have as good a screen as an amoled panel on a phone, it's still much better than the note pro.
This feels like a truly premium device. The hinges are extremely sturdy, and are not easily moved by accident. The screen has a great range, bright enough that I can see it under direct sunlight and dim enough so I can read my notes from class at night without burning out my eyeballs.
Android apps are integrated very well! You can even install apks onto the chromebook Out of all the apps I use, Mobizen screen recorder was the only one that does not work. But given that the whole chromebooks having android apps is a new concept, I'm not surprised by this, I expect it will be compatible sometime in the near future. Meanwhile, I use another screen recording app.
The speakers are actually better than the note pro, which shocked me. The CBP speakers are rear facing, but still, they sound better.
The 4:3 factor? I like it, there is more room on the screen without increasing the size of the device by a large margin. The difference in the total size is hardly noticeable, but the amount of that screen that is dedicated to display is awesome. As far as signing documents are concerned, the width of documents fit the screen regardless if I am using my note pro 12.2 or CBP, but with both devices I have to scroll down to get the entirety of the document on the screen. (Assuming you are on portrait. I almost always use my tablets in landscape.)
The speed of it leaves my Note Pro in the dust. Even when my note pro is overclocked. But not only is it faster, but the CBP is also smoother and far more responsive.
I definitely consider myself a power user when it comes to phones and tablets, up until meeting the latest version of chrome os. I became a power user because I was constantly using devices that I needed or wanted to: remove bloat that carriers/manufacturers installed against my permission, squeeze out more battery life (Via xposed, root, kernels, roms etc,) and to increase system stability. But with the cbp, it's just so simple. I just don't feel the need to do any of the power use activities on it. There's no bloat that you can't uninstall [AFAIK] and performance is fantastic. It's kind of refreshing to take something out the box, use it for a few days, and be satisfied in feeling "I don't need to put cyanogenmod on this device." or "OMG. I NEEDS XPOSED RIGHT NOW!!!" Now, those feelings are dedicated to my phones. Unlike all my Samsung/ZTE/UMI/OnePlus/Nexus devices that I have owned.
The 360 degree gives you way more options of using your device than any of the cases I have tried for the note pro 12.2. It's really nice when tutoring others.
Scrolling is soooper smooth, smooth as my oneplus 3. Smoother than my i7 low end gaming laptop! >__<
Battery life is confusing. With my note pro, I would get HUGE gains when I kept my device off wi-fi all the time, only using it for tutoring others at work in math and taking notes in my math classes. The CBP almost seems invariant in battery life if I am wi-fi or off it the majority of the day. Might be because it's brand new + different operating system, only time will tell, but I'm content to get a full day of use out of a device like this before a recharge. (Especially since I can charge my phone and tablet/laptop hybrid offspring with the same charger again. )
Cons: I'm scared to death to break/drop this thing xD I believe it would survive a fall better than my note pro would, but something about the CBP just makes me afraid to drop it. I've dropped my note pro once in the year and a half of owning it, so knock on wood.
I'm worried about scuffs to the bottom of device (the keyboard) because the keyboard is essentially a stand when it's flipped into quasi-tablet mode, I think over time I might pick up a few scrapes on it. It's lipped so the keys never touch the surface you've set it on, but like I said earlier, only time will tell. (Not particularly hopeful on that)
Button doesn't work. I'm using my full size s pen with eraser (from like 2012) and I can click this thing all I want but nothing happens. Luckily, squid lets you use your finger as a tool also, so I didn't lose much functionality as far as taking notes.
Overall thoughts: For the price and experience, I would definitely suggest giving this thing a look. Our tablet cost almost twice as much at release, was a version behind in android at that, and stopped receiving updates, what, a year later? I've read chromebooks have huge support windows, five years Not even nexus devices get supported that long. Given it's a different operating system, a direct comparison cannot be made, but it's still definitely something worth taking note. The fact that I can be writing notes in math in tablet mode, flip it to type an essay, and set it upside down to watch netflix movies is fantastic.
Any other thoughts I have I will add over time, but a lot of note pro owners have upgraded to this device and have posted some rave reviews on amazon, best buy, and in the chromebook forums. I would definitely giving this device a shot!
globalsearch said:
Are you kidding me? A chrome book? To replace the note pro 12.2? Are you kidding me? Did the world suddenly go insane? Did Samsung lose its mind after the last tablet that went with windows 10? And from that debacle, ...they went to chrome? I guess the cleaning dude is running that department now.
Jesus Samsung, you have truly lost your way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you should look at some of the reviews of it! A lot of people like it. And google handles the updates from what I understand, I would love more devices with samsung hardware and google software. An s7 edge or note 7 with stock android on it [and oneplus dash charge]? Take my money!!!!
I read they are also coming out with an s3 with an s pen in a 9.7screen, that's likely going to cost north of 800 dollars. If you like touchwiz and have the money to spend on a device I would recommend taking a look at that!
Can you use s-note on the CBP? I have a lot of work notes and I have found I only really enjoy using s-note because of the templates and convert to text function. I don't really like keep at all.
I picked up my Note PRO on release day and I've loved it dearly. It's starting to show its age, now, and I'm looking for an upgrade. The problem is...There hasn't been anything release in the past three years that is BETTER! This chromebook intrigues me, but I agree with other commenters that I just want a tablet.
Probably not unless my phone breaks.
Things I hate:
1. The resolution is worse
2. The aspect ratio is bad for media
3. Doesn't have built-in LTE/GPS
globalsearch said:
Are you kidding me? A chrome book? To replace the note pro 12.2? Are you kidding me? Did the world suddenly go insane? Did Samsung lose its mind after the last tablet that went with windows 10? And from that debacle, ...they went to chrome? I guess the cleaning dude is running that department now.
Jesus Samsung, you have truly lost your way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You do know that this Chromebook runs Android apps, right? Whatever the Note Pro does, this one can as well. So it's not a crazy comparison at all and it's understandable if some people consider it a successor of the Note Pro.
(I'm not saying that it is a great device, btw. And my answer to the question is: no. I'm sticking with my trusty Note Pro)

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