Topic 'Re: Tablet Reviews!' in forum 'Android' - dslreports.com

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 03:14:03 EDT

Hayward posted : Oh and one other thing besides the KB and battery also ads a true Host functional USB port and another (full size standard) SD slot.

So my 32 GB TF-201 is 94GB with the two SD slots 32GB populated plus the USB that can even be a multi TB HD drive.

So really the KB really makes the Transformer a very near real PC, not just a tablet.

Now after some experience I'll add some notes on 201 vs 101 and maybe current 300/700 as far as construction goes.

101 was a metal frame and plastic shell...201 one the opposite plastice frame and brush finished metal shell. Some complained that limited WiFi... but haven't found that to be the case.

The current T3 is vastly faster than the 101 T2... and much better at doing multi task/background DL's and still functional to do other processor intense things like playing HD recorded video at same time.

Only reason haven't gone the net step is 300/700 are still T3 and 300 is essentially just a renumbered 201 (but you get to 4.2 where 201 seems stuck at 4.1 and 101 at 4.0) and on a small 10" screen I see no real reason for the processor burdening 2x 1080p res data and higher batt load vs 720p, and the much higher cost with that the only real difference.

40" screen sure big dif between 720 and 1080, but a 10" not really.

You have eagle eye vision and that picky, want to spend the $$$ well OK... then go for the 700.

T4 comes around I will make the next step.

And that is my real bug with ASUS is the updating... with the upgrade to T3 on the 201... was a real reason to upgrade from the 101... but their seeming only one OS level upgrade per model... though no hardware reason not to is annoying.

Until a T4 comes around may just have to root to get around that silliness.

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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:07:35 EDT

Hayward posted : Reasonable points too.

But I got my 32 GB Transformer 201 Prime used in excellent condition (here) for $275 and found a Champaign edition of the Keyboard for $100 (guess those didn't sell as well) so the whole bundle for $375 and hey it unique two tone ;)

And I do use it heavily enough that tab alone might die... with keyboard never does plus never having to use the touch (whatever device awkward) keyboard and built in stand for watching video plus closed screen overall device protection.
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:22:00 EDT

PeteC2 posted :

said by Hayward:

And one thing you might over look on the Keyboard is it has an additional battery too doubling time.. so even doing heavy duty wifi streaming video all day will not die on you. Also great screen protection, plus stand for watching video or just web browsing, and not a lot of added weight or bulk.

Good points to be sure, but at $150, unless we really want/need a physical keyboard, that is still a bit much for added battery time, since run-time really is not a problem for my wife anyways. A stand can be had for considerably less.

I have no real beef with the Transformer keyboard, except that for anything that requires "real" input, her small notebook becomes a much better solution.

This is strictly my opinion mind you, but it gets easy to start spending more money on a tablet device than it is worth. You can not deck out a tablet well enough at almost any price to even come close to touching a notebook computer for more intensive productivity usage.

If one can only afford one computing device, and has a real need for ultra-portability, then I can see the point of a tablet with attached physical keyboard, otherwise we much prefer having both notebook and tablet as an ideal blend of devices.
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Deeds, not words

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 01:53:41 EDT

Hayward posted : Unless they have changed the Transformers have Always had Gorilla Glass.

And one thing you might over look on the Keyboard is it has an additional battery too doubling time.. so even doing heavy duty wifi streaming video all day will not die on you. Also great screen protection, plus stand for watching video or just web browsing, and not a lot of added weight or bulk.
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 12:59:47 EDT

PeteC2 posted : ASUS Transformer TF300T

Just got this for my wife last week (I have the Nexus 7).

Android ICS which immediately upgraded to Jellybean 4.1, 4.2 is supposed to come shortly.
CPU: Tegra 3
Screen: 10.1" IPS 1280x800
1GB DDR3 Ram, 32GB storage
Mini USB/HDMI/Bluetooth/GPS etc. good complement of connectors
Comes with a decent Office Suite, a couple of realloy minor customizations, but is primarily a straight Android device.

(did not opt for the docking keyboard...we need serious typing I have my notebook and Anne has an 11.6" small notebook)

Having a 7" tablet, which for my reading books and day to day travel is great, it is really nice to have he 10.1" of real estate when surfing, etc.

Screen resolution and brightness is very good (not stellar for outdoors however). WiFi connectivity is good, browsing on Chrome is smooth and quick.

Battery life is good, 8 hours or more on mixed use, re-charging time is very decent as well.

Overall, the construction is decent in its price range - no gorilla-glass, and the on-off and volume rockers are practically placed and feel solid.

Videos and games run quite smoothly, and the over-all feel of operating it is smooth and polished. Although the screen is not up to the very latest standards, videos and games pop, looking colorful and text is crisp and clear. Viewing angles on this screen are outstanding (no surprise for an IPS screen).

There are better tablets at higher prices, but for the $319 that I paid for the TF300T, we are very satisfied!
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Deeds, not words

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 16:29:20 EDT

GroovyPhoenx posted : Manufacturer:Acer
Model:A110
Screen Size:7"
Screen Type: TFT
Charging Connection: microUSB Wired Connections
Mini HDMI
microUSB
Headphone Connector 3.5mm
Bluetooth Version 3.0
Processor Speed 1.2 GHz
Processor Cores Quad Core
Processor NVIDIA Tegra 3
Sensors
Accelerometer
Digital Compass
GPS
Gyroscope
Internal Storage 7.8 GB
Removable Storage (maximum) 32 GB
Removable Memory microSDHC
RAM 1,024 GB
Camera: Front Facing 2 megapixels

Battery
Battery Capacity 3,420 mAh
Battery Technology Li Ion

Pros: Compact and easily portable, works well on good resolution and Has a spare 5th core to manage battery.

Cons: Screen is small but, clear I also dislike the glare in angles on the screen itself. Only one camera, I guess they need to save money somewhere!

Review: I'm happy with it, the A110 model cost 199$ and has the power to pack a punch, Running Jelly Bean the tablet while small is running quite solid. I've no complaints, we bought two a month ago, and as a first tablet experience I'm quite satisfied.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 18:22:27 EDT

miakica posted : Manufacturer:Archos
Model:G9
Model Number:80
Screen Size:8"
Screen Type:1024 x 768 MVA LCD
Processor(s):OMAP™ 4 smart multi-core ARM CORTEX A9 1.5GHz
RAM:1GB
ROM:Stock Archos A80H-V59T10
Storage:8GB Flash + 250GB Hard Drive
Android Version:4.0.3
Back Camera:N/A
Front Camera:720P
Carrier:N/A
Pros:ICS. Great, stutter free 1080p video playback. Built in Hard Drive(I replaced mine with a 240GB OCZ Vertex 3, and it just rocks). Built in GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth2.1, Kick Stand, about 7 hrs on battery, full USB port for add on USB devices
Cons:Too big to hold with one hand, can't charge trough mini USB port. You need to purchase a $10 plugin, or it won't play H.264 HD files
Review: I found this tablet to be great for long trips. 250GB will go a long way when filled up with movies, or TV series...Like I mentioned, I don't like that you can't charge it trough mini USB, so you have to have the charger with you at all times. All in all, for $250, I like it...

»www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdz4FumZ···e=relmfu

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 16:37:33 EDT

skeechan posted : Benchmarks for my TF700T

In performance mode (peaked at 1.7GHz)
Antutu: 13,632 (CPU/GPU=8375/1471)
Quadrant Pro: 4487

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sat, 08 Sep 2012 08:47:59 EDT

Hayward posted : No absolutely agree the physical keyboard is a BIG plus, but still don't see the need for mouse but for drawing reasons....

Just touching the box and then typing on the physical keyboard is fine and preferable faster and more accurate than virtual plus no screen space ... still 99% of the time and option availabe to disable it, see no reason for mouse pad vs just tapping the screen and typing.

Touching the screen and typing but for drawing reasons much faster and efficient than mousing around

Just maybe just too used to the mouse?... again BIG time frustrates me when I get home to laptop and CAN'T touch and MUST SCROLL vs swipe and tediously scroll/mouse around.

Also what so amazes people seeing me use docked Transformer.... what touchscreen laptop/net book is that???

Really befuddles the iPadders!!!

Say it has 80 GB just for the cost of 2 $20 cards vs again Crapple stuck with what you bought at $200 not $20 increments. Transformer Micro Sd in Tab another full size SD in dock... so 16GB Transformer easily 80 GB for $40 not $200+
Andsimply swapping cards infinite mem... not just what you bought and stuck with.... let alone Android a real mini computer and Apple device just what you can get from iTunes, and forget rooting around and transferring card to car... oh yeah Crapple not even an option, let ALONE DOWNLOADING ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T COME FROM iTunes. (unless you JAIL Break an apt term... vs Android ORGANIC Rooting... to just get more functionality not that you were denied all that much really.. often just more especialy on phones to dump the crap you don't want taking up space not really an issue on tablets... and why Andriod phones are much more Rooted than Tabs... not the space issues there are on phones)

Unplug from dock no its a Tablet, astounds them. Again baffles those thinking a laptop or net book.

Then that point in dock extra battery used first... why it ALWAYS SAYs 100% until tab batt actually starting to be used after 6-8 hours of heavy WiFi use or so. Docked always uses that batt first... tab batt meter only looks at that (tab) drain so will show 100% for the first 6-8 hours until dock batt exhausted and tab battery actually started on.
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sat, 08 Sep 2012 08:07:54 EDT

skeechan posted : Mousing by itself isn't what made it so much more useful to me, it is the combination of the mouse and keyboard. You could always use BT keyboards with these tablets but what make those keyboards more of a pain is that you still had to reach out and touch the screen to do things. Adding mousing allows my hands to stay on the keyboard, increasing my productivity and reducing fatigue.

With the mouse, my TF700T is replacing my MacBook Air for a lot of stuff. It's lighter, thinner with easily 3 or 4X the battery life. With 2 SD slots, I have 96GB of storage, nearly as much as the MBA.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sat, 08 Sep 2012 02:24:27 EDT

Hayward posted :

said by skeechan:

My dock rolled in yesterday and it is very cool. Adding full mousing to Android makes it a completely different and far more useful OS IMO. This is what the Chromebook should have been. Very cool.

Really??? I keep mouse pad turned off 99% of the time so I don't accidentally brush it.

How is mousing around faster or easierr than just directly touching?

In fact get frustrated when I get home to laptop and fruitless poke the screen.... oh yeah can't touch and swipe, have to tediously mouse and scroll around.

Yes for drawing/outlining type things you need a mouse but for little more.
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 08:14:43 EDT

skeechan posted : This TF700T is likely the same, I'm just used to the iPad and Xoom which are beefy. This doesn't feel any worse than I would expect from a very thin Eee PC netbook from Asus but would be nervous about slipping it into a backpack with heavy books.

My dock rolled in yesterday and it is very cool. Adding full mousing to Android makes it a completely different and far more useful OS IMO. This is what the Chromebook should have been. Very cool.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 02:13:33 EDT

Hayward posted : The original TF's were a metal frame, and some kind of fiber (not standard) plastic backs. Same for the original dock.
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 08:01:06 EDT

skeechan posted : The build quality of the TF is good but it is hard to get the rigidity of aluminum out of plastic, especially in such a thin form factor. So compared to other tabs, the TF would probably feel just fine, but compared to the aluminum iPad and hefty Xoom I also use, it feels delicate.

Motorola has been good as pushing releases and they already pushed 4.1.1 to the US Xooms a while back. My WiFi Xoom always seemed to be the first to get stuff. I'm running the au/KDDI version of 4.0.3 on the Xoom now because of the language support I needed but for North America they're running 4.1.1.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 01:08:39 EDT

Hayward posted :

said by skeechan:

Build quality of the TF700T is acceptable although to get this tablet paper thin and light, they use a plastic chassis which feels a bit fragile. In fact pressing only mildly hard on the Gorilla Glass 2 results in deflection of the IPS panel itself (and white spots). It isn't a tank to be tossed about like an iPad or Xoom. The benefit is that is feels very light in the hands, unlike the Xoom which with prolonged use will give you forearms the size of Popeye.

That is disappointing to hear. My original TF101 has always stuck me as quite solid, and has even been accidentally dropped a significant distance to a hard/concrete floor a couple of times with no real damage. A tad heavy with the Dock but tab alone not really.

Also disappointing they have dropped one of the USB ports from the newer docks.

As far as OS ICS really is the current, and the Transformers among first to have it. Very few devices yet have Jellybean OEM.

Many like Sammy Tabs still don't have ICS and are still Honeycomb in the US. Unless that has very recently changed.
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 18:18:16 EDT

skeechan posted : Manufacturer: ASUStek
Model: Transformer Infinity 32GB
Model Number: TF700T-B1-GR
Screen Size: 10.1" 1920x1080 native
Screen Type: IPS Gorilla Glass 2, capacitive multi-touch
Processor(s): Tegra 3 T33 Quad-core 1.6GHz (1.7GHz Turbo)
RAM: 1GB
ROM:IML74K.US OEM
Storage: 32GB onboard (opt mSDHC 32GB max)
Android Version: 4.0.3
Back Camera: 8MP
Front Camera: 2MP
Carrier: None (802.11b/g/n only)
Pros: Near Apple retina quality display with excellent brightness, screaming fast quad-core processor, native 1080P, great dock option, slick OEM widgets, very thin and light, excellent language support, good battery life, Super IPS+ offers 600nits brightness!
Cons:Horrible native video support, slow to get latest Android versions (still on ICS), "feels" fragile, limited 1080P software support from Google Play store, no 5GHz Wifi support
Review:

The Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700T is a top tier Android tablet sporting the latest Tegra 3 T33 quad core processor running at a very speedy 1.6GHz with multiple cores and can overclock to 1.7GHz if a single core is active. There is a power saving mode to underclock to 1GHz if you really need to squeeze life out of the battery. It also sports a true 1080P display that at just 10.1 inches has a pixel density rivaling the Apple Retina display in picture quality. Unless you look VERY closely it is difficult to discern individual pixels on the TF700T. Asus' Super IPS+ feature boosts LED backlight brightness to incredible levels (600nits), allowing viewing even outdoors, something not easy with a tablet.

The Tegra T33 also offers 12 core graphics running @ 520MHz so even with a true 1080P panel, graphics are glass smooth.

Build quality of the TF700T is acceptable although to get this tablet paper thin and light, they use a plastic chassis which feels a bit fragile. In fact pressing only mildly hard on the Gorilla Glass 2 results in deflection of the IPS panel itself (and white spots). It isn't a tank to be tossed about like an iPad or Xoom. The benefit is that is feels very light in the hands, unlike the Xoom which with prolonged use will give you forearms the size of Popeye's.

Unlike some of my other Android devices, the TF700T has excellent language and regional support including Japanese, much the benefit when letting the non-native speaking GF use it or when writing letters to friends abroad.

So far I have nothing critical to say about the device itself. It is well designed offering ports and docks in proper places to allow use while in its case. The only critical thing is related to Android. Natively Android has the horrible video support. It doesn't like a lot of my MKV container based videos and often chokes when trying to play videos even with 3rd party apps like Meridian. But when you encode a video specifically for the device it looks amazing. Google Play cloud stored music is flawless with the exception of not having ALAC support but that would only affect a tiny minority of users. The other non-device negative is there are very few apps that actually take advantage of the TF700T's amazing screen. Hopefully that will change with time.

At about $500 for the 32GB model it is a bit on the pricy side for a 10" Android tablet and prices go up if you opt for the 64GB model and/or the TF Prime style dock which adds additional battery and an excellent eee PC style chicklet keyboard. But if you are looking for a top shelf device with probably the best IPS panel available in an Android tablet along with an SD card slot (sorry Nexus 7, no SD slot and only 8-16GB is a deal killer) AND have money to burn you can't go wrong with the TF700T in my opinion.

The optional dock isn't just a keyboard. In addition to the netbook style keyboard it adds an additional (2nd) SDHC slot (full size SD), clamshell connection (so it makes the tablet like a netbook) AND it adds a full trackpad and cursor, giving you Android with a mouse for functionality somewhere in between a Chromebook and a Windows netbook. Very cool. The keyboard is actually docked, not bluetooth so typing speed or getting the thing connected isn't an issue at all.

If you aren't going to watch 1080P video, a cheaper option is the TF300 series with its 720P panel. Given there isn't much software utilizing 1080P, you can save the money. By the time 1080P is more common and apps start support it, which could be quite a while yet, faster tabs will be out and you can upgrade.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 12:04:12 EDT

skeechan posted : Manufacturer: Motorola Mobility
Model: Xoom Wi-Fi (AU/KDDI)
Model Number: MZ604
Screen Size: 10.1 1280 x 720 149ppi
Screen Type: TFT Capacitive - Gorilla Glass
Processor(s): 1GHz Dual-Core Tegra 2 250 T20
RAM: 1GB
ROM: 1.7.1-34_KDDI-6
Kernel: 2.6.39.4-00008-gca76b51
Storage: 32GB Onboard + Micro SDHC (32GB Max)
Android Version: 4.0.3
Back Camera: 5MP
Front Camera: 2MP
Carrier: WiFi Only
Pros: Well supported by Motorola, VERY durable, excellent build quality, runs cool, SD slot, clean Android (no GUI overlays), cheap, decent front and rear cams
Cons: US retail version ROM has horrible language support, odd charge port location, slow, screen is not fingerprint resistant, mediocre sound, ICS and Jellybean are unstable, mediocre battery life and screen image quality, no USB charging, bit heavy for its size
Review:

There are many things to like about the Xoom, current price, durability, build quality, and excellent OS support from Motorola. With a Xoom, you can be certain to be one of the first with any new "OEM supported/delivered" Android OS, at least in the US market. And with the Xoom there are no add-on overlays common to some handsets (eg Touchwiz). It's a very clean user experience.

The dual-core Tegra 2 running at 1GHz is plenty speedy for some games and usually a rocket for browsing, email and other productivity apps. The capacitive touch screen is also excellent with accurate typing and tapping.

BUT...there are lots of quirks about the Xoom that drive me nuts. While sporting amazing scratch resistant Gorilla Glass, it LOVES fingerprints and it not easy to keep clean. Even with a microfiber cloth you have to scrub and scrub like getting hardened wax off a black car that has sat 6 hours in the AZ sun.

The charge port location is such that you can't charge it with the official Motorola cover closed, or when using the cover as a stand. So for example you can't have it propped up playing Slingbox or Netflix while also charging it.

And the headphone jack is smack in the middle of the top when in landscape mode so your cord either has to be looped underneath or drapes right in front of the screen. What was MOT thinking?

Sound quality isn't as good but is irrelevant to headphone users. Having speakers in the side or somehow in the front bezel would have been much better than in the back where everyone but you can hear what you are watching or listening to, made worse when the cover is open (covering up the speakers). Again, what was MOT thinking?

Despite claims to the contrary, the dual-core Tegra 2 processor really struggles with HD video. 1080P support, is a total joke. I always have to rerip/convert to low bitrate 1080P or more often 720P. Even 720P is a nightmare, it struggles with all high profile MKV. It makes having the micro HDMI port a bit worthless IMO. More annoyingly it means I have to have 2 versions of videos...one horrid low rez copy for Xoom and the reference HQ 1080P for my HTPC or other media devices. For basic streaming video like Netflix, Youtube and Slingbox, it's okay with only occasional chop.

In some apps, the processor is actually slow enough that I can get well ahead of it typing and have to stop and wait for it to catch up. Again thanks to the accurate touch panel, when it does finally catch up, you find it didn't miss a keystroke. Animations within the GUI or 3rd party launchers are also noticeably choppy.

Battery life isn't very good either. I typically get about 5 hours from it which is sub-par compared to competitors.

A major problem I had is that while with Honeycomb the tab was bulletproof, with ICS (US or JPN) or Jellybean (US) it is a different story. FCing of apps is way too frequent, even with factory apps like OEM browser. It's just buggy, REALLY buggy. I'm hoping that as we get further into Android 4.x.x that these bugs will get fixed.

And that comes to the last quirk. It's minor to most everyone but a major one for me. The US retail Xoom has HORRID language support, English, French and Spanish only. Competing tablet products and actually most operating systems in general these days offer good language support (or at least input language support, eg int'l keyboards) across all regional releases but unfortunately not so with the Xoom (as well as my Sammy Galaxy S 5.0). Again it wouldn't be a concern to most people but for me I was caught off guard by this limitation. The solution was to unlock it and run the Japanese OEM ROM, which oddly, has excellent language support, about 2 dozen including US English. Go figure. One bummer is that the JPN ROM has no 5GHz WiFi support (while the US ROM does) but otherwise works fine for me.

Thankfully unlike some manufacturers, Motorola provides OEM tools for unlocking the device as well as posts all their regional OEM release ROMs and instructions regarding their installation. Again, great support from the folks at Motorola.

So with all these negs, why do I still like the Xoom? It's an indestructible tank. My Xoom when running Honeycomb was an infallible workhorse very well suited for productivity apps. For entertainment and games I would be looking at newer faster tablets like the smaller and faster Nexus 7 or other quad-core tabs from Asus or Acer. But if you are just looking to browse and such and need something that can take serious abuse, the recent street prices of used Xooms make them great buys.

You can think of the Xoom as a trusty IBM Thinkpad...not the fastest on the block, far from the lightest but like those old Thinkpads may be the tab that NEVER dies.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 02:47:03 EDT

Hayward posted :

said by Snakeoil:

There are a few differences. For example:
I didn't know that Chrome had a option of allowing to download mobile version of a site or a desktop version of a site.
I even read the nexus 7 book, and I don't recall it saying that about Chrome [about being able to view websites like a desktop or mobile.

Well this exsted long before the Google tenacaled Chrome on Android... but again Apple really doesn't.

Basically sites read your device ID passed by browser and formats for the device... on a phone mobile is pretty much necessary for readability with out a LOT of zooming and scrolling but not tablets, though still ID'd as a mobile devices.

Many video sites also disallow mobile device... that is the thing I find most annoying but again the aliasing browsers are there on Android.

And again this is not unique to Chrome... several other Android browsers (w/o the Google tentacles), alias the mobile ID as a PC. (like Maxthon... at least the Tablet version)
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 02:35:22 EDT

Hayward posted : One reason I am so fond of the ASUS Transformers, for not a lot more than the Sammy Tab's you have a REAL keyboard (or virtual you want to use it tab undocked) plus extra battery giving it with even heavy video and wifi use all day life, plus extra ports... full size SD, and two true host capable USB ports. (Infact use it to charge my battery failng iPod touch often if I use it heavily too) Tab itself also sports HDMI out and another micro SD slot.

So with two 32GB cards 16GB TF has 80GB storage. What big laptop drives were just a few years ago.
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:02:41 EDT

RayGeode posted : Manufacturer:SAMSUNG
Model:GALAXY
Model Number:10.1
Screen Size:10 inches?
Screen Type:touch
Processor(s):???
RAM:???
ROM:???
Storage:16GB
Android Version:ICS
Back Camera:YES
Front Camera:YES
Carrier:VERIZON
Cost:$529
Pros:Camera takes nice pictures and the front and back cameras are useful. Nice big screen with room for big fingers to type
Review: touch response was tricky even with the big size and it annoyed me for the price that i paid. There power connector placement in conjunction with the leather flip cover design annoyed me the most. I think the usability engineers dropped the ball here.

The leather flip cover should be designed to close while not in use, then open to be held like a book, then open and fold so that you can use it in landscape orientation set on a table like a laptop. What is preferred by most users? use it like a book? no. that requires holding in 1 hand while typing with the other. Open folded landscape and set on a table if you are going to use it more than a minute.

With the tablet open in that third position, the power connector is flat on the bottom causing a 90 degree bend in the power cable with the tablets full weight impinging on the bend. I could see premature cable failure within 6 mos. and a $39 price tag on the charger / cable. I returned the tab after 18 days and they accepted it even though the 14 day return policy. I was rather adamant that i did not like it. It took some convincing. But i may have driven the point home when the customer rep actually lifted the tab off the table so as not to stress the cable while testing it. :) I asked her why did you lift it? She said, oh, personal preference. :uhh: The other things like poor battery life, and long boot up time were annoying too but somewhat expected anyway. I was initially enamored of the fact that i could surf and skype via 4G but in reality, i would not use it that way all that often, I really like a keyboard and mouse so i like my netbook better now. I'm also keeping an eye on prices for solid state drive pc's just for the quickness of boot. I appreciate my NOOK more now after my experience with the Galaxy tab

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 06:50:31 EDT

Snakeoil posted : There are a few differences. For example:
I didn't know that Chrome had a option of allowing to download mobile version of a site or a desktop version of a site.
If I had, I wouldn't have had to search Google as to way flash/html6 wasn't working on my Nexus.
It's the same thing with the Ipad, there were things that needed to be learned as you used it. Same with using Linux.
Each OS/interface has it's own little quirks that you have to learn.
I even read the nexus 7 book, and I don't recall it saying that about Chrome [about being able to view websites like a desktop or mobile.
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Is a person a failure for doing nothing? Or is he a failure for trying, and not succeeding at what he is attempting to do? What did you fail at today?.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 02:42:51 EDT

Hayward posted :

said by Snakeoil:

Cons: Having to learn a new OS, and all the fun that comes with that.

You know I have always wondered about this often complaint, even Apple vs Win.

IT'S a frigging GUI... you tap an icon... how hard is that?

OK on PC' Apple has hard fast sick to on mouse button, Win has two and sometimes 3.

Other than that how are they so mind boggling different??

Same thing with IPuds vs Android... same dam thing just Android lets you do so much more... like a real computer... is that the mind boggling thing?
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 20:36:14 EDT

Snakeoil posted : Manufacturer: Apple
Model: I pad 1st gen
Screen Size: 10 inches
Storage: 32GB
Android Version: IOS something or other
Back Camera: NA
Front Camera: NA
Carrier: NA wifi only
Pros: It's an Apple product. I was given my Ipad as a Birthday gift. I was in the hospital for a long time [for one of my kids]. During that time, I had moved a desktop computer from home to the hospital room. With the Ipad, I was able to move my desktop back home and browse the web with ease.
Cons: It's an Apple Product.
Review: I like it. The looks, the feel, the function. I still use it to this day. Also the flap about no flash on the Ipad hasn't been a big deal.

Manufacturer: Asus
Model: Nexus 7
Screen Size: 7 inch
Processor(s): Nvida quad core
RAM: 1 GB
Storage: 16 GB
Android Version: Jellybean?
Front Camera: 1.2
Pros: It's smaller, lighter then my Ipad. To new to tell my thoughts/feelings on it. I do like the textured back.
Cons: Having to learn a new OS, and all the fun that comes with that.
Review: I like the voice search. It's kind of funny to see how it interprets what you are saying. I'm not sure if you can train it to recognize your voice or not. It's still only a couple of hours into it. I like the security feature that uses your face as a lock. I'm looking forward to exploring my Nexus 7 over the next week or so. Hopefully I can find a few of the apps that I have on the Ipad on Android. I saw one, I think I can synch that app between my ipad and Android, as it uses google cloud storage/documents. I'll have to experiment. I'm liking the Nexus 7. Also have found out that a couple of Apps I used on my Ipad work on it. The apps synch with the net, so the info I store from my Ipad or my Nexus is available to me on either the Ipad, Nexus, PC with windows, or PC with Linux.
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Is a person a failure for doing nothing? Or is he a failure for trying, and not succeeding at what he is attempting to do? What did you fail at today?.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 02:31:44 EDT

Hayward posted : Since its built for Google by ASUS the makers of the very durable and nice Transformers, none of that surprise me at all.

My aging eyes prefer a 10" though ;)

And since looking at the specs sorry to see they are so output limited vs the very robust Transformers... I am sure that is Google's doing not ASUS, keeping cost low while charging as much as possible.

Where as with the Transformers ASUS just wanted to get in the game fast(Against first APPLE and second Samsung...also now a Google partner) with the biggest BANG possible, and charging as little as possible.
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 17:49:38 EDT

Paul928 posted : I've been playing with a Nexus 7 16gb for a few days now. I nave a new iPad, and while I really like it a lot, there are things about Apple in general that just doesn't sit well with me..... The iPad is a little to heavy to hold and for an extended period of time, and I'm not to keen on not being able to do any customizing to their tablet....Anyway, back to the Nexus.

First thing I noticed when I unboxed the Nexus was the build quality....This thing is very well put together, and has a very solid feel to it. The tablet is very fast, and while I have an older Android phone ( Samsung Galaxy Fascinate running Gingerbread) I found Jellybean to be sort of similar, but much smoother and fluid as compared to Gingerbread, so my learning curve was really small.

The tablet runs games as well as a gaming console and graphics are amazing, not that I'm much of a gamer. Switching and loading apps is very fast.....this baby really hums along!

If there is ONE thing that I am not to happy with the Nexus 7,
is the volume on this tab. Using headphones is not a problem, as there is plenty of volume, but the speakers are very weak, and one of my biggest gripes about the IPad that I have is the volume on it as well. The iPad is actually a little louder, and I was sort of surprised at that......anyway, the Nexus 7 is absolutely the best 7 inch tablet out there.....It offers an amazing amount of power, for a minimal price!

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 03:31:59 EDT

Hayward posted : Are you really that blind? Many videos available even off line third party
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:50:54 EDT

capdjq posted : Good tablet. Only problem is, I have a Samsung Galaxy 10.1. So I have a problem getting used to smaller screen. Size matters.
:)

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 08:49:42 EDT

kleeman posted : Got one of these also. The main point is that the pricepoint for this is very good. For $200-$250 it is extremely good value. Get the 16GB version though since there is no SSD slot.
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Aesthetics should be an inspiration not a pair of handcuffs

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 16:17:02 EDT

tmaertin posted : Manufacturer:Asus/Google

Model:Nexus 7

Model Number:Nexus 7 1B012A

Screen Size:7” 1280x800 HD display (216 ppi)

Screen Type:Back-lit IPS display, Scratch-resistant Corning glass

Processor(s):Quad-core Tegra 3 processor

RAM:1GB

ROM:n/a

Storage:16GB

Android Version:4.1.1 (Jellybean)

Back Camera:none

Front Camera:1.2 MP

Carrier:n/a

Pros:
NFC for Payments, Android Beam, quad core processor with 12 core GPU, front camera, $25 Google Play and $10 Google Wallet Credits, flagship tablet for Google so it should receive updates quickly, already a good root option out there (Wugg's Nexus Root Toolkit), since I was rooted a lot of apps that are not Nexus 7 certified were easily transferred and installed from my Droid Razr Maxx

Cons: 7" screen (unlike my girlfriend says, size does matter here) seems a little small, display is only scratch resistant corning glass, no SD card slot, no 3G/4G option, only 1 GB RAM, a lot of apps are not compatible yet, limited accessories at time of review
Review: Apparently since it is out of stock, I was one of the lucky ones to preorder and receive my Nexus 7 16 GB. And at $199 8GB and $249 16 GB, its a great buy.

I used the NFC Google Wallet to pay at the grocery store, and literally had a crowd of people checking out my tablet and asking about it. I've watched movies (Netflix, Play and ones I copied locally) and played some graphically heavy games on it. The processor and GPU are flawless.

Since its vanilla android, no extra crapware comes on it either. The build is solid. Jellybean is fast, responsive and slick.

I knock a few things in the cons, but at $199/$249 I can't expect to have the entire cake and eat it too. At this price point, the specs are unbeatable. And if you use it to pay - expect a few gawkers!
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Hike up your skirt a little more, and show your world to me.

Nook Tablet

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:30:39 EDT

RayGeode posted : Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
Model: Tablet
Screen Size: looks like about 3 or 4 by 7 or 8
Screen Type: touch
Processor(s): ?
RAM: ?
ROM: ?
Storage: 8GB
Android Version: proprietary
Back Camera: no
Front Camera: no
Carrier: not
Pros: All of these are about the reader- easy to buy books, good battery life while reading, screen is easy to adjust, the dictionary lookup is surprisingly useful - direct connect into wikipedia if not internal dict. Music quality good thru headphones. Music plays during reading, or just asleep.
Cons: touch screen control is very bad on the web, and not just flash. DSLR forums too. Public books like Gutenberg are hard to navigate, Single external speaker for music very bad, music controls very bad. Just like controls for pictures, very frustrating, proprietary system is locked up, user unfriendly importing books from the public library. Customer service bad, In short, they like to keep you locked in to the B&N store. When i asked why i didn't get my 10% member discount when buying a book, they replied that they felt that E-Books are already so cheap, they don't need to.
Review: good to read B&N bought books, everything else is an adventure trying to get it right.
PS: i got the music player to respond correctly to skip a song finally.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:30:31 EDT

Phillip posted : Manufacturer: Lenovo
Model: A1
Model Number: 2228-2MU
Screen Size: 7.0"
Screen Type: LED WSVGA (1024x600) TFT color
Processor(s): TI OMAP3622
RAM: 512MB 200MHz LPDDR
ROM: A107W0_A234_001_015_2643_US
Storage: 16GB
Android Version: 2.3.4
Back Camera: 3.0MP
Front Camera: 0.3MP
Carrier: N/A (WIFI only)

Pros: Price (189$). One of the easiest to root. Micro SD slot. Full Android app market. It is not loaded with bloatware. The audio jack can drive a watt and has good sound output.

Cons: Single core CPU. Lenovo app market sucks. The single speaker is a bit weak.

Review: For a single core tablet, it has decent power and is able to play games, video/audio playback. It runs flash fine and loads web pages fine with out stuttering. The display is on par with the Kindle fire as well (Had a fend with one compare them.) The cameras are a bit out dated, but the back camera is fine for taking pictures or making movies. Fro the price, it is one of the better low end sleeper tablets.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 03:56:34 EDT

Hayward posted : Manufacturer: VitalASC
Model: ST0716
Screen Size: 16:9 7" 800x480
Screen Type: Capacitive multi touch
Processor(s): Cortex A8 @ 1.2GHZ Boosted up to 1.5G
RAM: 512MB DDR3, 30% faster and power saving than DDR2
ROM: Android 2.3 licensed with full Google access including Market
Storage: 8GB built in with up to 32 GB added
Android Version: 2.3 may soon be ICS 4.x (see review)
Back Camera:None
Front Camera: 2mp
Carrier: NA/ but capable of 3G USB dongles
Pros: for the price everything
Cons: Poor screen view angle, good for one not two, but then again in close quarters good looky lou security too
Review:

Is it a Galaxy or Transformer OF COURSE NOT but for $300+ less who would expect it to be???...

Picked up one of these as a pocketable knock about tablet (gets trashed or lost, no big loss).

However I was very very pleasantly surprised by its capabilities. It is licensed Android (despite the so cheap price most others aren't) so it has full Google access including the Market, maps, earth, etc.

It has a HDMI port so is connectable to HDTV, and a two way USB port so it can host drives, and even some 3G data dongles. (a mini to standard USB female adapter cable is included, as well as PC cable and earbuds)

The WiFi performs well and the the Tablet handles video, Flash and streaming nicely. Also renders PDF pretty quickly.

There is also a microSD slot for up to another 32 GB. The 16GB version actually just comes with an 8GB SD card.

Has no back camera but a decent front one with mic, so good for Skype, Shazam, Soundhound, etc

The only minus I chalk up is that the screen's viewing angle is limited, so hard for two people to look at. (but then again good privacy you are in the middle seat of a plane)

The battery is quite good, I did nothing but battery intensive video streaming for over 4 hours, and there was still 25% remaining when I plugged in the charger.
So I would guess close to 6 hours doing that, or 8 hours doing more normal stuff. And claimed only over 4... which when new is a vast understatement... gets older well maybe, new, no doubt of 4 no matter what you are doing.

While the screen is only 800x480 (as are most 16:9 7") It will display 720p very nicely. I haven't tried 1080p yet, but the HDMI output will pass the true res even if screen can't

And according to the VitalASC website, they are working on an ICS OS update for it, that is now in Beta with a demo on YouTube.

So really for what it s quite the bargain for $130

At least at for the moment @ »www.meritline.com/vitalasc-cente···332.aspx well under MSRP

I have played around with other cheapies, but this is the first to actually IMPRESS me.... again for just what it is not a $400 more Galaxy Tab or Transformer.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:56:16 EDT

rblizz posted : Manufacturer: HP
Model: TouchPad 32 Gb
Model Number: FB359UAR#ABA
Screen Size: 9.7"
Screen Type: LED Backlit Multitouch Display (capacitive) 1024x768
Processor(s): Dual-Core Snapdragon APQ 1.2GHz (actually 1.5Ghz) and Qualcomm Adreno Core graphics
RAM: 1Gb
ROM: Unknown
Storage: 32Gb
Android Version: 2.3.7 (CyangenMod 7.1)
Back Camera: None
Front Camera: 1.3MP
Carrier: None (WiFi connectivity)
Pros: Good quality tablet. Fast.
Cons: CyangenMod is "alpha" software and sometimes reboots (once or twice a week).
Review:
My wife wanted an HP TouchPad so we bought one on Woot (refurbished). Woot had issues with their supplier and couldn't find the tracking number on the Touchpad so, in two successive days, we received the original order and the replacement order. So my wife decided, for me, that I should go ahead and buy the 2nd TouchPad. I like webOS but, unfortunately, it has limited software choices, so I spend most of my time on the Android side. (My wife, on the other hand, is quite happy with webOS.) I spent about 2 hours studying how to install Android (the TouchPad dual-boots) and about four minutes actually installing it. I could have installed Android 4 on the TouchPad (CyangenMod 9), but decided it wasn't quite as "ready" as CyangenMod 7.1 (Android 2.3.x). Besides, I'm used to Android 2.x I have it on my cell phone (Motorola XPRT). That could change in the future, but there's not anything not working, except for the once or twice a week reboots. NetFlix works fine, the Dolphin browser works okay (I like it for the tabs), it works well for reading Google, Nook and Kindle books, listening to music and web browsing. I'm actually surprised at how much I use it, I never saw any real need for a tablet.

Should mention that these are still available (refurbished) at MacConnection.com. $219 for the 32Gb version. NewEgg also has them (16Gb and 32Gb) but they're more expensive. The 16Gb mdel costs $214, the 32Gb model costs $239.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 14:28:51 EDT

hhawkman posted : Manufacturer: Toshiba
Model: Thrive
Model Number: AT105/32Gb
Screen Size: 10.1"
Screen Type: Multi-Touch LED Backlit
Processor(s): Nvidia Tegra tm 2/Geforce (AR7)
RAM:
ROM:
Storage: 32 Gb
Android Version: 3.2.1 (HoneyComb)
Back Camera: 5 Mp
Front Camera: 2 Mp
Carrier: WiFi

Pros: Full SIze USB( to add flash drives or devices), Mini USB (to connect to from PC), Full Size HDMI (output), SD Memory Slot, Changable Battery, and BlueTooth

Cons: Horrible GPS, Must be hooked to network to work. Sound through built in speakers is tinny. OS Mfgr upgrade Dead-End

Review: This is my first Android anything. I still own a Flip-Phone. Getting up to speed with Apps, Etc, was a lot of fun. Updated Media Viewer, and File Manager to better than stock. Am able to stream Netflix, Hulu, and yourtube, no prob. I purchased External Keyboard and Headphones, both Bluetooth. I have rto use a stylus for some web browsing because I have fat fingers. :o
Also bought an OBD II auto adapter, and can use it to diagnose my car. Other than angry Birds, I haven't done much in games, except for some free Trivia, and have installed MAME which works great for arcade games, though an old version.
All In all I'm very happy with the device. The CONS listed above are an annoyance, and extremely limit the device functionality, but not total dealbreakers.

I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:12:24 EDT

Hayward posted :

said by djtim21:

Manufacturer: Asus
Model: eeE Pad (Transformer)
Model Number: TF101
Screen Size: 10.1"
Cons: Issues with ICS release related to applications not working correctly. Issues with applications restarting/rebooting/draining batteries due to ICS. Unable to move applications to SD card, so there is a limit to apps on this tablet.

I have found few problem with ICS... though do see occasional reboots, but only when it is sleeping not while operating.
They also just released a new update to deal with some of this.
That apps need to be updated is a common thing even with iPhones too for OS ugrades.... takes a little while though. Typically I have about 5 Apps a day since ICS to be updated.

I don't get your SD comment at all though. Maybe not built into ICS but plenty of apps that will move things to SD, but there really is no limit to app space on the Transformer but the 16GB (or possibly 32 depending on model). Currently I have nearly 3GB of apps on my 16GB. VS Android Gingerbread phone that has only a fixed app space of about 256MB no matter how big a SD card.

Also mine has a 32GB ext micro SD card and most big downloads get moved there immediately.

I too like the HDMI port, and use it now and then to send streamed Netflix and other sources to my DVD burner as well as TV.

And as with the dock the batteries last all day. In fact only after hours do I see the Tab say less than 100% as the dock battery is used first.

Which is nice because if you undock, you still likely have a full battery.

In fact lately I even use the USB ports to recharge my starting to fail iPod Touch battery, which it does pretty quickly and barely makes any noticeable difference in the Transformers time.
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Re: Tablet Reviews!

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:12:32 EDT

djtim21 posted : Manufacturer: Asus
Model: eeE Pad (Transformer)
Model Number: TF101
Screen Size: 10.1"
Screen Type: LED-backlit IPS LCD
Processor(s): NVIDIA Tegra 2 1.0GHz dual-core
RAM: 1GB
ROM: Stock Asus build IML74K.US_epad-9.2.1.17-20120312
Storage: 16GB on board, 16GB SD card
Android Version: 4.0.3 (ICS)
Back Camera: 5 MP
Front Camera: 1.2 MP
Carrier: N/A (WiFi only)

Pros: Screen resolution for video playback is good. Easy to configure. Light for travel, or add docking station for extended capabilities. SD storage easy to manage.

Cons: Issues with ICS release related to applications not working correctly. Issues with applications restarting/rebooting/draining batteries due to ICS. Unable to move applications to SD card, so there is a limit to apps on this tablet.

Review: This is a great tablet for traveling. I mainly purchased due to my increased traveling in the domestic US. I primarily use for entertainment (video, games, chat, books). I now use Chrome or Firefox for accessing corporate e-mail when I'm near a free WiFi access point. I purchased the HDMI cable, and 9 times out of 10, a hotel room I'm in has a TV capable of plugging my tablet in to watch movies or play music. Again the only downside that I feel right now is the development of or re-development of applications to work with ICS. I have many games that I play with my kids, and each one either kills the battery or eventually cause a reboot (FYI, confirmed it's the apps and not the ICS build). If your looking at purchasing a middle of the road tablet, this an excellent choice.
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"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” - Edmund Burke

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:20:12 EDT

Lone Wolf posted : Manufacturer: Samsung
Model: Galaxy Tablet
Model Number: GT-P1000 (Purchased as GT-P1000T from Australia)
Screen Size: 7"
Screen Type: Super TFT
Processor(s): Exynos 3110 Applications Processor, 1 GHz Cortex-A8(Hummingbird)
RAM: 512mb
ROM: P1000XXJPZ
Kernel 2.6.35.7 Overcome-v4.0.0 #40
Storage: 16GB device & 32GB SD card
Android Version: 2.3.6 (Gingerbread)
Back Camera: 3.2 MP
Front Camera: 1.3 MP
Carrier: Simple Mobile or ATT
Pros: One hand use, Easy to carry, fun to use, Easy to unlock and mod, Multitasks well, Lots and Lots of storage, Flash sites work great, Battery lasts all day, Has WiFi, 3G and Bluetooth, Makes for a great GPS for driving.
Cons: Expensive, No USB ports, Plastic Body, Charges slowly
Review: I got this as a Christmas present for myself in 2010 and have been enjoying it ever since. I added a Zagg skin for the screen and a rubberized body glove for protection. A year and a half later it still looks as new as the day I got it with no scratches or scuffs. I love the easy modding techniques and the number of ROMs and Kernels available. I thought I bricked it more than once but always found a fix on XDA forums.

Re: Tablet Reviews!

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:24:25 EDT

Archivis posted : Does the Kindle Fire qualify?

Tablet Reviews!

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:23:15 EDT

FastEddie posted :
It was suggested that a Android Tablet review would be a nice addition to the phone reviews. You can review either your current tablet (Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet too), or one you've had in the past. To make things really easy, here is a snippet you can copy and paste into your post to easily review

You can copy/paste the below code to help in your review.

Manufacturer: Model: Model Number: Screen Size: Screen Type: Processor(s): RAM: ROM:Storage: Android Version: Back Camera: Front Camera: Carrier: Pros: Cons: Review:

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