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Hello All,
Not sure if this is the correct spot for this post, if it isn't I apologize.
I been debating if I should purchase this tablet (viewsonic g tab).
The primary reason for the purchase is so I'll have the ability to read and easily navigate pdf's on the go. The pdf's can be heavy in graphics at times and go up to 75MB in size (they are parts/technical manuals in 8.5x11" format).
For that application I thought this might be the best fit.
I'm wondering if it might be a bit of overkill though. I do need a 10" screen. The other features might be excessive and I may be better off settling on cheaper alternative.
Any feedback is appreciated.
Thanks.
Safest bet is to buy an ipad 2. I highly recommend against the gtab for any purpose at all. Just buy an ipad 2 and there is no possibility for disappointment.
jbaur13 said:
I'm wondering if it might be a bit of overkill though. I do need a 10" screen. The other features might be excessive and I may be better off settling on cheaper alternative.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The GTablet is not ideal for "unwrap it and use it" use. For that, any of the new $400ish Honeycomb tablets with better screens, or indeed the much more expensive iPad2 would be perfect.
The gtab is like a '67 chevy you buy to restore You'll know a lot about customizing android, flashing roms, rooting, and possibly even using the android SDK after you're done getting it to a state that you can buy off the shelf for a few more $. And of course, you can't ever fix the screen.
If you had said you intended to surf the web from your couch and you wanted to spend the minimum amount of money, and you were kinda interested in tinkering with low level stuff or at least had read some threads over and thought you could do it, then yeah... go gtab!
jbaur13 said:
The primary reason for the purchase is so I'll have the ability to read and easily navigate pdf's on the go. The pdf's can be heavy in graphics at times and go up to 75MB in size (they are parts/technical manuals in 8.5x11" format).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While the new HC tabs are selling for $400 ish, slightly used gtabs is being sold for $200 shipped (some even come with accessories at this price).
If you can deal with the viewing angles of a TN screen (take a mainstream laptop/netbook and move around it and see how the color shift) or if you would use the tablet straight on most of the time then at $200 I can't help but recommend it, its a different story though if you are paying $300 + shipping + taxes (current retail)
Again pdf isn't an issue out of the box (esp. with the availability of gmarket and amazon market on it out of the box), and getting any hacked rom on it is a 10~20 minutes painless process (esp if you aren't into salvaging whatever settings/application that was already loaded on it).
Best of luck,
I feel comfortable with the hacking that must be done to the tab. I'm a service tech by trade... the instructions on this site are more thorough than the service manuals I work with everyday. I also have the forums to fall back on for support.
I'm not finding a whole lot of 10" tabs out there that are cheaper and have near the features of this one.
An Ipad is way more than I'd be willing to spend... besides that it'd probably make my boss jealous and I'd never get another raise.
Thanks for the responses... Anyone selling a g pad?
jbaur13 said:
Anyone selling a g pad?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1056866
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1055201
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1050026
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1051097
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1054599
Best of luck,
First: For reading PDFS this thing will be fine, the screen isn't the best (viewing angles) but it's cheap and bigger than most.
A lot of people asked me why I didn't buy an I-pad
Here's a few reasons
I dislike syncing files through I-Tunes. Drag and drop is the present I live in.
I like being able to save files from the web to my devices internal memory. Downloading a song, an emailed document or an apk for future use or even just creating a library of useful files on the go is something I can't live without.
Expandable, swappable memory.
Configurable, swappable boots.
Android community devs are doing awesome things!
USB input devices, keyboards and mice.
Flash. Seriously what was apple thinking?
Playing non itunes friendly media files.
The screen is terrible though. But on the other hand I do not want to throw a 600$ IPS screen around like I handle this tablet.
I personally wait until some of the honeycomb tabs come out. There are a lot about to come out. My biggest disappointment with the gtablet is the viewing angles (a 'bit' better with a fingerprint hiding screen protector) and the non-lit buttons (hard to use in darkness)... I would stick with android if your a hacker in general... and ipad2 if not. Netflix and huluplus make the ipad a better tablet for couch use. The apps are better there, as long as they fit in Steve's idea of the perfect app.
I decided to go ahead with the purchase, thanks for all the feedback.
jbaur13 said:
I decided to go ahead with the purchase, thanks for all the feedback.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just do us a favor and don't come back a couple weeks from now crying bloody murder about how aweful the screen is. Told you to get an ipad.
Hi,
just got SGT 3G 10.1 to write a review. Since my everyday device is iPad (1) and a while back I have decided I will wait Tegra 2 devices out I got few simple questions I need help with (because of the different system):
- how do I put Netflix app on this thing?
- how do I hack Hulu (I do not have Hulu Plus)?
- I got Dice player (trial) and it works nicely with my NAS storage but it is a trial :-( I do not want to spend cash on software since I do not have any Android device currently - so.. is there any decent free alternative to Dice Player (btw: Mobo is having problems with playback)
- is there any nice (free) RSS reader (like Mobile RSS for iPad)
- any other way to watch NBC or ABC (there are apps for iPad) than through browser?
- do you guys use stock browser or is there any better free alternative (heard rumours that proper Chrome is coming - lucky you!!)
Do your SGT's get warm at the back (area below on/off switch)?
Thanks for help, in advance!
Are you planning to review the SGT 10.1 also .....?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Also?
No, just.
But I am interested in those things for myself as well. A while back I decided to go with iPad 1 instead of SGT. Now, since I got it for a longer period of time I also want to know if I made a right choice.
galtom said:
Hi,
just got SGT 3G 10.1 to write a review. Since my everyday device is iPad (1) and a while back I have decided I will wait Tegra 2 devices out I got few simple questions I need help with (because of the different system):
- how do I put Netflix app on this thing?
- how do I hack Hulu (I do not have Hulu Plus)?
- I got Dice player (trial) and it works nicely with my NAS storage but it is a trial :-( I do not want to spend cash on software since I do not have any Android device currently - so.. is there any decent free alternative to Dice Player (btw: Mobo is having problems with playback)
- is there any nice (free) RSS reader (like Mobile RSS for iPad)
- any other way to watch NBC or ABC (there are apps for iPad) than through browser?
- do you guys use stock browser or is there any better free alternative (heard rumours that proper Chrome is coming - lucky you!!)
Do your SGT's get warm at the back (area below on/off switch)?
Thanks for help, in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every single question you asked above literally has had it own thread started. You don't even have to use the search function, just scroll down a few posts. You'll find every answer to each of you questions and beable to join in on the discussions there. No real need to start a new post just join in on those posts, it'll make it alot easier for you to find the info your looking for.
galtom said:
Also?
No, just.
But I am interested in those things for myself as well. A while back I decided to go with iPad 1 instead of SGT. Now, since I got it for a longer period of time I also want to know if I made a right choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So what your saying is that your not really planning on doing a review on the Tab 10.1??? The title of your post confuses me a bit then.
And since you have both the iPad and a Tab wouldn't it be easy to see if you made the right choice for yourself. You have both devices right in front of you to compare. "The right choice" is really dependant on how you plan to use and what your looking for from your device. Everyone expects and demands a little something different from the devices they choose. Case in point, my wife wanted a tablet that she could play games on, check her email and shop online with. I wanted a tablet that I could tweek to were I could use it for not only personal things like media, browsing and gaming but also easily setup to use for work as well. She opted for the iPad 2 for its ease of setup and use, I opted for the Tab 10.1 for its ability to customize it to my exact needs.
The right choice is for you and only you to make in the end... Your the one who has to use it everyday.
Sent from my Galaxy10.1 TouchWiz/ADWex equipped Starship.
No, no. Sorry for misunderstanding. I am definitely doing SGT 10.1 review.
galtom said:
is there any decent free alternative to Dice Player (btw: Mobo is having problems with playback)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try MX Palyer.
What software version does your tab have? I ask because older versions are really laggy. Install KI1 and you will get a really smooth device, you can find it in development forum.
RSS reader, try Pulse.
I'm using the stock browser. Make sure you enable plug ins in settings, otherwise flash won't work.
You can find the Netflix apk in apps forum.
I found a link to Netflix app on transformer forum. Downloaded, installed - does not work :-(.
After logging in I got error message about stream (will let you know the no later on as I do not have the device with me).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/search.php?searchid=93644018 - this is all I found about hulu - not much (I entered Hulu Hack).
BTW: how to get apps that have regional restricition, with iTunes it is easy, one just needs to setup new account. Same with Android Market?
Software on this tab shows HC 3.1 and it is laggy as hell. When going out from settings to home screen it takes a bit to draw all the widgets and first few swipes between desktops are far from smooth
Al the time I find its screen a bit less responsive than at iPad - has any one else similar feeling/response?
And let me ask again - back of the device I got gets quite warm, enough to get sweaty fingers which makes holding the device not very pleasant.
I think manufacturers should make teir tablets as light as possible but a bit thicker (not like Xoom or Thrive) but a bit chunkier than iPad2 or SGT 10.1.
But my overall experience so far is good - funny thing about screens. As there is difference between iPad and SGT in resolution (and fonts and screen size) I find it easier to surf the net with ipad (I use iPad 99% of the time in horizontal position with "Home" button on the side), like everything on the screen a wee bit bigger and easier to read. On the other hand when it comes to pictures and movies SGT looks better.
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A
Sorry my bad.
Umm Netflix is on the market. Most of these questions are android related and not specific to the tab. I encourage you to try out apps and read the forums like the rest of us if you want a true review. The beauty of android is its ability to be customized. Take some time to make the device truly yours then review it.
I appreciate your comment, that is exactly what I am trying to do. Unfortunately I can not find the information I am looking for. I have tried "search" and entered there both "key words" Netflix and Hulu - so far no luck.
If Netflix app is in the market it is ot available to me as I'm am not in the USA. I have to admit that it is much easier with iOS. Especially for someone fresh.
I have had both and got rid of the ipad2. My main reason, though, was I needed openvpn and couldn't wait for a jailbreak for the ipad2 to come out since mine was new enough to already have 4.2.5 on it, no SHSH blobs.
That said I ditched my iPhone for a captivate, so I should have known already
I've been lucky enough to snag a Viewpad 10e from Argos in the UK... Struggling to find any forums specifically for this pad though.
In a nutshell, its a great piece of hardware for £200 slightly let down by stuttery software. Very iPad like but with Android gingerbread.
Anyone else out there have any experience with this tab yet? Anyone know of any plans for it to get it's own forum/development community?
Cheers.
steviesteve78 said:
I've been lucky enough to snag a Viewpad 10e from Argos in the UK... Struggling to find any forums specifically for this pad though.
In a nutshell, its a great piece of hardware for £200 slightly let down by stuttery software. Very iPad like but with Android gingerbread.
Anyone else out there have any experience with this tab yet? Anyone know of any plans for it to get it's own forum/development community?
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it a tegra 2 device? If so we all here would at least love a full working gingerbread rom.
No - sorry - its Cortex A8
Processor 1Ghz Cortex A8 Processor
OS Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
LCD Monitor 9.7” IPS LCD 1024 x 768 ; XGA
Brightness 400 cd/m2 Brightness
Memory DDR3 512 MB
Internal Memory 4GB
Band Wifi only
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth BlueTooth 3.0 and 2.1 + EDR compatibility
External Memory Micro SD card slot
I/O Interface Micro USB/ Mini-HDMI/ 3.5mm headset audio jack
Audio Stereo speakers/ microphone
Sensors G-sensor
Cameras Front: CMOS 1.3MP
Battery Li-Polymer 5400mAh
Charger 12V/ 2Amp
USB Micro USB
Dimensions 241.6 x 188.6 x 9.1 mm
Weight 620 grams
Accessories Power adaptor (with plugs), Quick Start Guide, 1Mobile Market QSG, Compliance information, Micro USB cable
Dude, return the tablet right now. Boycott viewsonic!
Its been over 24hrs with new toy now. Will be posting a review soon. I honestly like the look and feel so much that I'm selling my Galaxy Tab 10. I'll have some money left over as well cause the Viewpad is so cheaply priced. All that extra processor power is not needed for me, I basically use the tab for web browsing, a few notes, check the weather and the kids play angry birds! This pad is definitely suited to the job.
goodintentions said:
Dude, return the tablet right now. Boycott viewsonic!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ditto. For that price, you are better to go with a much wider support device like the Kindle Fire or Nook Color. Don't expect your new toy to get any substantial update to improve it beyond what it is now. The gTablet community has already been bitten by Viewsonic false promises. Your device will most likely had the same fate.
PS: a no name brand tablet from China can do all you want at an even lower price. Did you choose Viewsonic for the peace of mind of a name brand? Viewsonic don't make their own tablet. They outsource the manufacturing, the software and the support. All they really interest in is take your money.
Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
Honestly, I was really impressed by the response I had recently from their support dept. I really like the device and I have been through a few to say the least. Seems like it could be quite hackable and I may just use it to learn some new programming skills myself! (If I can drum up some support). In my experience, every forum/thread has loads of people frustrated by lack of support from the manufacturers/resllers but for me, the point of these forums is finding help... Ill keep my fingers crossed that the OEM is discovered soon and after that finding some hacks should get easier.
Third warning about Viewsonic, their products suffer longevity shortfalls. I am now the 3rd person telling you they have the consumer integrity of a wombat. Don't hold your breath waiting for anyone to pick it up and think it will be differently. So many people got burned via the g tablet and it's abhorrent lack of updates from the manufacturer (which when it comes to things like drivers etc for future OS upgrades becomes a critical part of the equation) not many people who have been around the android block are going to make another purchase from Viewsonic so you could very well be alone for the foreseeable future in this purchase. I don't even like having a Viewsonic monitor on my desk at work anymore. Again, take what you are hearing at face value, Viewsonic + android = meh. I enjoyed my g tablet when i purchased it and it does almost all that I need but I hoped for more and have gotten less. Keep it if you like, but 6 months from now when you are looking at another tablet you are going to be hard pressed to find anyone to buy your Viewsonic. The poor reputation flags are there already.
Keep in mind, Viewsonic is the same company that came to XDA saying they wanted feedback and input from this community about the g tablet. That was spring of this year and not a single thing has changed. They did that one firmware update in April and since then it has been nothing but pushed changes that then get pulled back.
Keep it if you are happy with it, I just wouldn't expect anything in terms of a large community ever coming of one of their devices.
It's been almost a year since they promised they'd release an update. Every time I've asked them about update, the only reply I've gotten is "we're working on it." I dare you to find any report of a different response than that.
Viewsonic needs to go back to producing nothing but display monitors and projectors. This company is not ready yet to play with the big boys in the computing market.
US vs UK - not exactly the same...
The G-Tablet was a US only product?!
The Viewpad 10e is only in the UK so far..... 9.7" IPS panel for £199, 9mm thick looks good value to me if your needs are not too demanding
Cant get my 10e to play videos from iplayer, any idea as to why not?
I decided to try one...
Works on live streaming for me from the app but not the others, think it could be to do with the Flash player version, read recently about other tablet users having issues with bandwidth / setting local storage to 0...
Which app did you use, couldn't find one in the 1mobile app store that came on the device
rustyfishhook said:
Which app did you use, couldn't find one in the 1mobile app store that came on the device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BBC iPlayer 1.04 apk from the web. It still is only working for me with live TV, Flash version 10.3, Flash 11.0 wasn't working...
Will play around with the different versions in the office today
Ok so I now have the Viewpad 10e working with BBC iPlayer.
I used BBC iPlayer 1.0.4 & Flash 10.3.185.25
I put these into a zip file on 4shared, not sure if I am allowed to share the link or not..
Hello
I'm very keen on the Viewpad 10e myself. Has anyone tried out the multimedia side of it? it would be great t be able to play 1080p movies, etc. By the sounds of the 3D stuff that comes with it, it should be a decent GPU in it, would be nice to know how it does.
Custom ROM
Does anyone know how to install a custom ROM on the device?
Hi all
I'm thinking of getting one of these too. But I'm a bit concerened about the 'dated' SC A8 CPU and the dated OS?
Some of the things I will want to do on this is video calling using Skype (yes, I know there are other alternatives, but it has to be Skype) and playing DivX/Xvid movies and some .MKV movies. Could anyone tell me if it will be good enough? I am quite impressed by the dimensions and the screen, but if the specs can't keep up then I'm thinking of a cheap and chunky Tegra 2 tablet like the POV which is actually £10 cheaper and I'll put a custom ViewComb 3.2 ROM on it...
Any suggestions/opinions?
Does anyone know how to root the device?
Just got one for my daughter.
First impressions : well-made bit of kit with a great IPS screen. worth it for the hardware, I would say.
Moon reader pro is great on it, as is perfect viewer for comics and pdf's.
Can't get the video calling working for some reason. Anyone had any joy with this ?
Have tried Tango and Fring. In both cases, the FFC doesn't seem to switch on. You can see the the other person on it, but they can't see you.
Also, with Tango, the mic is switched off, and can't be switched back on.
Some sort of firmware shenanigans going on here. Had a quick chat with Viewsonic customer support just now, who will email me back.
Bit concerned by the negative comments on this thread !
Wanted the archos 101 as HMV were doing it for £129 , but just missed the boat, and then this came to my attention in Argos. Hope I haven't landed a dud !
Well, so far, have managed to get all her bits on it. Their version of market is a bit limited, but there is enough to get you started. Go launcher was a must, after having it on my Galaxy S2 phone, and it seems to cope ok. Formatted some of her films as mp4's and the shipped 'vortex player' handles them well.
Video calling would have been icing on the cake really.
Oh yeah, and whatsapp functionality, but there are ways around that I am looking into now.
Overall so far - promising.
Root and custom rom's would really maximise this thing's potential.
Oh yeah, and won't talk to my macbook pro over bluetooth- first device ever to do that.
This is going to be my first tablet and I was wanting to hear from the tablet vets what are the best, must have apps and what are the best practices for ownership?
Do you recommend some brand of shields for the screen?
Best cases for the transformer?
Apps that you install before anything else?
What services did you tie in and are their any tricks to using the? For example I use to use dropbox to sync many system pref between the systems by making symbolic links to the Dropbox dir. (yes, that is a very old and not usually needed trick but you get the idea.)
Are their any cases that allow the tablet to dock w/o removing the tablet from the case.
What do you think of the asus drive privacy terms? I will not use amazons cloud drive w/o encrypting the entire contents due to their privacy clause.
Splash top works well on my wife's iPad was planning to use that, then heard of asus's implementation of splash top or is there better for android? Did some searching on it and found asus is using splash top too, is there any reason to buy splashtop hd? Didn't see any solid answer on that with google.
I think that is enough of my ideas just interested in hearing what everyone has found in their own experences.
I did some searching and all I have found is threads about best app and such looking for alittle more that fotm apps. Though I think my search foo is weak, if this has been posted sorry and would appreciate a link pointing me to the right place.
Ah one more from me any brands of shdc cards I need to avoid?
I ordered a skinomi clear skin /screen protector! This will allow It to dock! I would have gotten carbon but the speaker cutout will look weird! Remember that with any case their will be a square cutout for the speaker!
I'm in the same boat as you this will be be my first tablet!
I think you should have made a separate post for the must have tablet apps!
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
I think that if I ask about best apps you would need what type of app you are looking at like
What is the best keyboard app?
What is the best rdp app?
Looking for something alittle more general than that. Like:
I need a battery monitor app/widget, I personally use battery monitor widget the pro version is nices as it allows battery tracking.
Best apps change as they new ones come out or old ones get updates, but the role they fill always needs filling.
Thanks for recommendation on the cover! Googling it now.
Also posters if you see someone recommending and app/case and you know of a flaw or problem with said item please tell us your experience and how you have worked around or solved said problems.
Selutha said:
This is going to be my first tablet and I was wanting to hear from the tablet vets what are the best, must have apps and what are the best practices for ownership?
Do you recommend some brand of shields for the screen?
Best cases for the transformer?
Apps that you install before anything else?
What services did you tie in and are their any tricks to using the? For example I use to use dropbox to sync many system pref between the systems by making symbolic links to the Dropbox dir. (yes, that is a very old and not usually needed trick but you get the idea.)
Are their any cases that allow the tablet to dock w/o removing the tablet from the case.
What do you think of the asus drive privacy terms? I will not use amazons cloud drive w/o encrypting the entire contents due to their privacy clause.
Splash top works well on my wife's iPad was planning to use that, then heard of asus's implementation of splash top or is there better for android? Did some searching on it and found asus is using splash top too, is there any reason to buy splashtop hd? Didn't see any solid answer on that with google.
I think that is enough of my ideas just interested in hearing what everyone has found in their own experences.
I did some searching and all I have found is threads about best app and such looking for alittle more that fotm apps. Though I think my search foo is weak, if this has been posted sorry and would appreciate a link pointing me to the right place.
Ah one more from me any brands of shdc cards I need to avoid?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Less than a handful can actually comment on experience with this tablet as it's not officially out yet. Less than 5 here have it in possession already. There are reads in prime section of forum that basically covers all your sections. You will want spalshtop HD as it works great with Android tablets. As far as accessories and cases goes, check out the thread called Ultimate transformer Prime accessories thread. Also look into accessories sub forum here. There's a lot of people commenting on various cases that would be good for this device. For apps, that depends on what you looking for. Productivity, entertainment, games, research, etc.. Be more specific. Now with memory cards, there's a few threads here in general section that will answer your questions on that.
I know there is a lot of b.s. Preorder threads to sift thru here in general section. But all the answers you looking for are here. They may be a page or two back in this section. I would post links but there are so many. Good luck on your search
I will start flipping back in the pages to see what I can find. Thanks for the search pointers!
Though I do know only a few here have the device but, I was thinking that for most this would not be their first device and I was not looking for experience with "asus transformer prime" but more general knowledge with a leaning on the prime. I though that most here would be more knowledge able about the spec that the asus prime would have and most tablets have hc on them.
Though you make good points and I thank you for your advice. Going into the sub forums, damn there are a lot of pre order threads almost wish there was a temp sub forum called preorder.
I can't see if find if the asus splash top is splash top had or not anyone know?
This list should keep you busy for a while.
Best Free Android Apps 2011
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-android-apps.htm
Top 160 best Android apps 2011
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone...-phones/top-160-best-android-apps-2011-693696
The Best Free Android Apps of 2011 (So Far)
http://www.pcworld.com/article/229323/the_best_free_android_apps_of_2011_so_far.html
The 10 best free android apps of 2011
http://galaxys2apps.net/newsandmagazines/the-10-best-free-android-apps-of-2011/
The 40 Best Free Android Apps for 2011
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2366244,00.asp
Results for "best android apps"
http://www.cnet.com/1770-5_1-0.html?query=best+android+apps&searchtype=videos
Ultimate Transformer PRIME TF201 Accessory Guide
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1377669
Thank you for the links and yes it will keep me busy for some time.
Sorry for my weak search foo
Tablets are pretty fun to use. However, it is rather difficult to bring out a tablet in public as they are quite cumbersome and you look like a pompous asshole with it; trust me. However, the transformer series has the keyboard dock, making you look like a more practical human being.
I used my TF101 in some college classes for note taking. I used Evernote. Worked beautifully. However, I want some faster speed lol.
Selutha said:
I will start flipping back in the pages to see what I can find. Thanks for the search pointers!
Though I do know only a few here have the device but, I was thinking that for most this would not be their first device and I was not looking for experience with "asus transformer prime" but more general knowledge with a leaning on the prime. I though that most here would be more knowledge able about the spec that the asus prime would have and most tablets have hc on them.
Though you make good points and I thank you for your advice. Going into the sub forums, damn there are a lot of pre order threads almost wish there was a temp sub forum called preorder.
I can't see if find if the asus splash top is splash top had or not anyone know?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There was a thread talking about that splash top. I don't think the one included is the HD one. I think it's the regular one. Splash HD is the one you really want though as it has all features unlocked and better for tablets. All I've heard is great things about it though. I have it on my iPad and Atix4g.
---------- Post added at 01:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:58 PM ----------
xTRICKYxx said:
Tablets are pretty fun to use. However, it is rather difficult to bring out a tablet in public as they are quite cumbersome and you look like a pompous asshole with it; trust me. However, the transformer series has the keyboard dock, making you look like a more practical human being.
I used my TF101 in some college classes for note taking. I used Evernote. Worked beautifully. However, I want some faster speed lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean by cumbersome? Lmao as my iPad is light and very easy to carry around. Now for the pompous comment, I guess some could see it like that. I always get looks n comments like oh look, he has one of those iPad/tablet things. Lol. Like people who have/carry tablets are better than everyone...
Just saw the stylus jot pro it looks like pure sex in the ultimate as stories thread I am ordering one of those.
Thanks for the info on splash top I was hoping that I could use the asus provided on but hd looks good compared to splashtop
demandarin said:
Less than a handful can actually comment on experience with this tablet as it's not officially out yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
90% of what he asked was generic and the Prime's going to run the exact same applications every other HC tablet does exactly the same way (albeit faster). There might be some Teg3 optimized games but, other than that, it's just another tablet from a utilization perspective.
Here's some apps I can't live without:
Plex and Playon for video streaming
With Plex, you can store all your audio and video content on your home PC, NAS, or WHS and play it on your tablet, even over a 3G connection. It does an impressive job of organizing, labeling, and presenting your content and the tablet interface is pretty slick. I have 2TB of video that I stream to my tablet. It does a fantastic job of transcoding so the video quality's great even over sketchy connections.
PlayOn provides access to Hulu, Amazon VOD, and Netflix. It too is excellent at transcoding and actually does a better job in terms of video quality and buffering than the native apps. It's the best way to access Hulu content.
Pulse and News360 for news
Both have great tablet interfaces, sync with their desktop companions to bookmark or save stories, and can be highly personalized.
Zinio, PressReader, and Next Issue for magazines and newspapers
All have great content available and are designed for tablet screens. Next Issue content is free if you already have print subscriptions.
Read it Later for offline web surfing
Great app for finding web stuff to download to your tablet either as you see it or from your desktop PC to read later.
Swiftkey Tablet X & Swype keyboards
Swiftkey is a fantastic keyboard with excellent predicitive word logic and layout. It also has a thumb keyboard setting which is great when you aren't using a physical keyboard.
Swype has a mini-mode which takes up about 1/8 of the screen and is really fast when you're writing longer e-mails or docs.
CoPilot for navigation
Google map caching is hit or miss when you need to deviate and don't have a wireless signal. CoPilot stores all data locally and doesn't require any wireless signal to be fully functional.
TouchDown for e-mail
It's the best e-mail app for contact management and tasks. You almost have to have it if you connect to Exchange. It's got the best widgets of any e-mail program out there.
Worldmate travel companion
If you travel a lot Worldmate stores the details of your future trips on your tablet. As you're traveling it provides alerts for gates and times and any delays or changes to your itinerary. You can check flight status for any airline in real time and look up alternates if you're screwed.
Widgets
There's tons of screen space to fill on a tablet and these are some of the widgets I think are cool looking, useful, or both.
- Google Market
- AP Mobile
- CNBC
- CNN
- Pulse (multiples)
- Touchdown e-mail, calendar, and tasks
- Worldmate (live flight alerts on your home screen)
- Social Hub
- Gallery
- Kobo
- Amazon MP3
Task killers, batter managers, and the like
Tablets are different than phones and they're used differently. Android as an OS manages resources incredibly effectively. While it's a personal choice, adding things that use resources to save resources seems counter intuitive to me and I don't use them.
Half the fun of an Android tablet (vs. iOS) is the ability to make it your own. Enjoy.
Asus already included a big portion of the apps you might need for basic usage.
But here s some apps I use pretty much every day with my transformer, they re almost all optimized for tablet (android 3.0 framework)
Wizz Widget (for social feed)
tTorrent (for downloading)
subloader (for automatic subtitle downloading)
mobo player / bs player (for watching any kind of video)
File manager HD (a file explorer, better than Asus's one)
Newsr (a google reader better than google reader)
Catch note (to take and read note in the cloud, protect by password and synchronised on every device)
Google Current (offline reading of RSS feed with a very nice looking layout)
Beyondpod HD (best podcast apps)
And Adobe Photoshop Touch, Adobe Idea, Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, Picsay Pro, cause I'm a computer graphist.
Those are the apps I use the most, along which there is some usefull apps like skype, messenger, dropbox, splashtop HD, Facebook and pretty much every google Apps. (chrome to phone, translate, maps, etc etc)
Unless you're a super reckless user, a screen protector isn't going to be necessary (and is sometimes ugly/degrades screen quality). It's really hard to scratch this screen, and other ones like it.
kokusho said:
File manager HD (a file explorer, better than Asus's one)
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I second that.
Newsr (a google reader better than google reader)
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I would reconsider. Newsr is really buggy and slow, crashes a lot and behaves very strange when you start it before WiFi is connected. I didn't find anything better though.
For me most important are also:
- ezPDF - I don't know any better app for PDFs on any system or device (great for taking notes on books or writing answers in exercise books for school).
- Writepad Stylus - for writing (not perfect, but the best I found, if you are buying Adonit Jot, you will find it useful),
The rest for me is mostly games. Cut the Rope is the "must play". Dizzy is the "greatest but probably only appreciated by fans of the original".
hauj0bb said:
Unless you're a super reckless user, a screen protector isn't going to be necessary (and is sometimes ugly/degrades screen quality). It's really hard to scratch this screen, and other ones like it.
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I agree. I've had my Galaxy S (Gorilla Glass screen, like the Prime) in my pocket "unprotected" for about 18 months now, and although I was anxious at first, I haven't noticed any scratching of the screen. Screen protectors might have been recommended for resistive touchscreens, but I don't think they're necessary with capacitive touchscreens, because the glass is tough enough already.
Magnesus said:
I would reconsider. Newsr is really buggy and slow, crashes a lot and behaves very strange when you start it before WiFi is connected. I didn't find anything better though.
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Weird, I don't have any problem at all with newsr. Butter smooth, fast feed load, super stable, not a single crash. Sure if you re offline it doesn't login but that's expected from a RSS reader and nothing strange happen, just a message saying that you need an internet connexion.
I wonder why you seem to have problem with it.
Hey guys
I've been looking a LOT around amazon and such for a tablet under $100. Why under $100? I need it to be under that price because there's a very high "luxury" tax applied in my country to products over $100, and it's an extra money I would rather not give to the govt because it's plain ridiculous already. Also, I'm planning on getting two of them, and I can't afford more than $150-200 on them. Why? this stupid country only gives you a "coupon" of $400 to spend online -YEARLY-, and I don't want to use it all on just two tablets, or be left with less than $200-250 to spend on other stuff I also need.
Monetary reasons explained and set aside, I'm getting the tablet for my mom, who only needs to browse the web, get on facebook, get & reply to emails, maybe some chatting and whatnot. She doesn't need much and I'm sure a simple Zeepad or something similar would do, but I'm a power user who mods almost every device that comes across his hands, so I'm using this chance to get a tablet too -if- I like the one I'm buying to my mom.
My mom's needs are... well, the basics. Maybe playing a video or two and nothing else. Me, on the other hand, want to upgrade it to the highest android version available for it (whether it be GB or ICS, or even Froyo since some come with Eclair (Eww)) and give it lots of possible uses. These include using it as a VNC viewer, remote keyboard/mouse, some development (if I get a keyboard+case for it), some gaming (ok, maybe not THD or anything but if it runs Angry Birds I'm happy XD) etcetera.
So, to resume, I'm looking for something including these specs, if possible:
3G (optional but it would be a big plus)
WiFi (must, or if not, then 3G)
600-800Mhz CPU (ARM? Adreno? Cortex? wtf?!)
A decent GPU (PowerVR? (like my Defy)?, what's a good GPU in android devices anyways?)
No stylus-exclusive (avoid if possible)
No resistive screen (I've heard they suck, and I don't want to push a screen like if it were a button (Blackberry Storm anyone? Eww xD) and be forced to use a stylus. If I can use my fingers on a resistive screen and it feels like a capacitive one, then that's okay with me )
USB host (to be able to plug in USB drives, keyboards, mices, etc)
Ethernet port optional but cool if it has one.
Tethering ability (though I think this is more OS-dependant than anything else)
Full Android Market (stupid chinese tablets)
SD card reader
Medium-small size. My whole Nook Simple Touch has the right size for the screen size I'd like (I think that's 7-9 inches?), I don't want to carry a tablet of the size of a notebook. Something that can fit a big pocket in a jacket or a pant would be cool, like the NST . This is optional but not required.
Battery life to stand a lot. Hey, my phone lasts only a day even without WiFi turned on which sucks. I've heard their batteries are like 6 or more hours, which seems okay... I'm not really sure what is "good" in this aspect.
Camera would be cool.
Phone (or at least SMS) functions would be cool, too.
And last but not least, able to be upgraded, or at least with a good hacker community stabilished. I want to be able to upgrade the tablet to other android versions (I don't mind if they're experimental) or at least compile a version for it. With this, I'm saying I don't want to be using google translate to find info on how to install another ROM in my tablet because everything comes from chinese forums and the tablet uses a random, non-standard OMFG-9372 processor nobody knows -anything- about and have to use dodgy apps or hacks to modify it, mmkay? okay.
Now, I've done my homework and these are the items I've came up with, however I'm still looking for more devices:
EEpad MID: http://www.amazon.com/Android-Table...C2/ref=sr_1_99?ie=UTF8&qid=1334592070&sr=8-99
Elsse: http://www.amazon.com/Elsse-Interne.../ref=sr_1_125?ie=UTF8&qid=1334592099&sr=8-125
Pandigital: http://www.amazon.com/Pandigital-An...H0/ref=sr_1_60?ie=UTF8&qid=1334591812&sr=8-60
Zeepad: http://www.amazon.com/Zeepad-Tablet...7Q/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1334591744&sr=8-25
Skytex: http://www.amazon.com/Skytex-Primer...E0/ref=sr_1_50?ie=UTF8&qid=1334591812&sr=8-50
Zeepad (2): http://www.amazon.com/Zeepad-Androi...1_fkmr1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334592627&sr=8-3-fkmr1
Coby Kyros: http://www.amazon.com/Coby-MID7015-.../ref=sr_1_121?ie=UTF8&qid=1334593041&sr=8-121
"Random" brands:
http://www.amazon.com/Boxchip-Corte...0K/ref=sr_1_82?ie=UTF8&qid=1334592041&sr=8-82
http://www.amazon.com/Tablet-Intern...5Q/ref=sr_1_91?ie=UTF8&qid=1334592986&sr=8-91
Now, my thoughts:
EEpad MID: Looks good, but it has no reviews, so that detracts me from buying it. I can't find much info on the web on modifying it though.
Elsse: Seems like an asian tablet with no official Android Market, but eh, what do you guys say?
Pandigital: Looks like it sucks .
Zeepad: There isn't much info about it
Skytex: Looks cheap-o and low-quality :/
Zeepad (2): Seems to have good features and such.
Coby Kyros: Now, this, coming from Coby it makes me think of a cheap device like the MP3 players they make, but surprisingly, it has more reviews than the rest of the tablets and it's under $100. Also, it seems to be more powerful than the rest of the ones I've looked at (in the links here), and the reviews seem to be good. It makes me think if it's possible to upgrade it to 2.2 or 2.3, it would be really cool if it would.
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Sorry for the long read!... in case you want a resume, I'm just looking for two tablets: A simple one for my mom to browse the web, emails, play some games, chat and etc, and another one (or the same one if possible) for a power-user who would modify/upgrade it and use it as an IT work tool (VNC viewer, dev. tool, document editing, pdf reading, flash, some gaming, etc).
Any thoughts you guys have in relation to an android tablet to get? what's something "good" and something "bad"? I'd like to see opinions, reviews or suggestions on other tablets to look for or what other keywords should I look for in Amazon?
Thanks in advance!
- DARKGuy
Bump?
Coby Kyros is listed as "resistive" on Amazon, i'm not sure you've noticed that. I think you should check the Ainol (or any allwinner based device). They have somewhat limited community and support but it should be good for performance and gaming. Or bump the price range to 150 and look at Cortex A9 devices with reputable brands..
I agree with NightWatch71 about the tablet but not the price. I found it at around $75 in some places, but that was a long time ago so I forgot. Try looking around on Google Shopping.
Prices on Amazon change so often it's almost impossible to keep up and new manufacturers are releasing tablets a dime a dozen
This list is kept up to date tabletninja.com/finding-the-best-tablets-under-100/
A lot of the same options listed with a few new options from some newbies