I have a 32 gig iPad 1 and am looking to trade it for an Android tablet. Someone just offered up their GTablet. It looks great hardware wise but the screen worries me. Without the ability to inspect the unit yet I wanted to go right to the source.
What do you guys really think about the screen and viewing angle on the GTab?
tnt533 said:
I have a 32 gig iPad 1 and am looking to trade it for an Android tablet. Someone just offered up their GTablet. It looks great hardware wise but the screen worries me. Without the ability to inspect the unit yet I wanted to go right to the source.
What do you guys really think about the screen and viewing angle on the GTab?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, The GTab has the worst viewing angle of all tablets. It is horrible compared to my Xoom and worse compared to my TF. The GTab screen works OK, you just have to be in front of it.
JoTeC said:
Honestly, The GTab has the worst viewing angle of all tablets. It is horrible compared to my Xoom and worse compared to my TF. The GTab screen works OK, you just have to be in front of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What angle in degrees does it start to fall off?
You can see it fall away at 10 degrees both vertically and horizontally. And good luck viewing it outside... LOL
It is what it is, a great device to hack on and play with. This was my first Android device and I learned about an OS that I previously had no clue about. That's probably why I still have it.
Guess that pretty much makes my mind up. I'll hold out for something better.
Thanks for the input.
There are definitely better devices out there if you want something that works right out of the box, and there are quite a few devices coming out soon with pricing comparable to the gTablet. The gTablet viewing angle isn't the best, especially since the screen was made for netbooks. That being said, it works fine for me. I knew the shortcomings before getting it, and was expecting worse. It won't be up to par with an iPad at all.
Where the gTablet excels is the ability to tweak it. From the many different ROMs out there (FroYo, Gingerbread, and Honeycomb versions), plus a very active development community working on bringing ICS to the gTablet, it can be a tinkerer's delight.
Sent from my gTablet using Tapatalk.
I can't even seem to give my gtablet away! I mean jesus christ, I had that on sale for a while... little bites here and there, but no one ends up buying it.. I ended up giving it to my 4 year old daughter to learn stuff... since then, it has been sitting on the nightstand... I mean seriously, I cant give this thing away!!!
I own a gtab. There is no comparison between an ipad (assuming gen 1 because 2 makes no sense) and a gtablet. Ipad is simply a more refined higher quality product with better integrated software esp if you own any other mac products. Still don't think the msrp on an ipad (either gen is worth it for what any tablet offers). The screen issue goes beyond the viewing angle. The screen is sharper on the ipad for reading - especially magazines.
What gtab does very well is have a huge user development base that is on the verge of unleashing ICS for us to play with. After that everything begins and ends with the difference in screen quality and apps.
That said I enjoy my gtab and am in no hurry to upgrade (unless I found someone who wanted to trade an ipad for it) as I can deal with it's limitations vs. the cost I paid to get something with these hardware specs.
ssmr2t: curious what you tried to sell your gtab for. I would think somewhere between 125.00 and 150.00 and it would be gone in a heartbeat unless it's all beat up. But I don't think it's worth more than 150.00 nowadays by any stretch.
tnt533 said:
I have a 32 gig iPad 1 and am looking to trade it for an Android tablet. Someone just offered up their GTablet. It looks great hardware wise but the screen worries me. Without the ability to inspect the unit yet I wanted to go right to the source.
What do you guys really think about the screen and viewing angle on the GTab?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't turned on my gtab in about three months. Yeah. They suck pretty hard. It has one good viewing angle - dead on, slightly tilted, as if it were attached as a screen for a cheap netbook, which is exactly what it is - the screen from a cheap netbook.
If you want to trade for mine, let me know
ssmr2t said:
I can't even seem to give my gtablet away! I mean jesus christ, I had that on sale for a while... little bites here and there, but no one ends up buying it.. I ended up giving it to my 4 year old daughter to learn stuff... since then, it has been sitting on the nightstand... I mean seriously, I cant give this thing away!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll take it if you want to pay for shipping
srsly though, the viewing angles of the screen suck. if you aren't looking at it at the exact perfect angle part of the screen is just dark. though whatevs, it works for me.
As for an exchange I'd hold off for something better. might be able to get a Xoom.
People on here are crazy to think a first-gen ipad is better than the Gtab. Complain about the screen all you want, iOS is ****e.
I will also pay shipping for that Gtab you can't seem to 'give away'.
tenet420 said:
People on here are crazy to think a first-gen ipad is better than the Gtab. Complain about the screen all you want, iOS is ****e.
I will also pay shipping for that Gtab you can't seem to 'give away'.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So there you have it, the gtab is worth about $10 - the cost to ship it somewhere
Seriously, it's a fine hacking android tegra2 device with no vendor support and flagging xda support. Oh, and that first gen iPad? yeah, it's running iOS5. From Apple. Without any hacking needed at all. And THAT is better than a tablet that was disowned by the reseller (viwesonic) and the ODM (forgot what the Chinese company's name was - malta? whatever) the day it shipped.
schettj said:
So there you have it, the gtab is worth about $10 - the cost to ship it somewhere
Seriously, it's a fine hacking android tegra2 device with no vendor support and flagging xda support. Oh, and that first gen iPad? yeah, it's running iOS5. From Apple. Without any hacking needed at all. And THAT is better than a tablet that was disowned by the reseller (viwesonic) and the ODM (forgot what the Chinese company's name was - malta? whatever) the day it shipped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iOS5 doesn't make it better.
You'd have to pay me to allow itrash in my house.
So there you have it, the ipad1 is worth -$10
Seriously though, I have 7 and 9 years old boys and they ALWAYS choose their Gtabs over grandma and grandpa's ipads, thank goodness!
tenet420 said:
iOS5 doesn't make it better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, just supported. Which is worth whatever you deem it to be.
For what it's worth some of us actually like the Gtab...
I use it for work and it's great. It's just as fast as any other tablet I've used. I hold it or have it on my desk, I haven't a clue about whether it works from an angle or not and I really don't know why anyone would care. I guess from this forum some people prefer to look at it that way.
I have Honeycomb on it, VTL launcher, Dropbox and a million programs which if they are any good do what I want. A screen protector which keeps the fingerprints way down and a nice case.
The only issue I have is the weight, too heavy to use as a Kindle.
If it breaks I'll get something different, maybe an Ipad, maybe not.
I threw V6 supercharger on my tab running FB 10.3 and it's made a big difference. Yeah the screen sucks, but it doesn't matter to my 2yo, who is the main user.
Sent from my ADR6300 using xda premium
It is almost criminal to say a first gen ipad is even close to being as ****ty as a gtablet.
I own a gtablet and it really is only useful as a play around with android device.
The iPad one is still the second best tablet on the market.
And this is coming from a person who owns a gtablet, droid incredible, and a galaxy nexus.
Put aside your fanboyism before you convince someone to jump into a terrible trade.
drizzt5 said:
It is almost criminal to say a first gen ipad is even close to being as ****ty as a gtablet.
I own a gtablet and it really is only useful as a play around with android device.
The iPad one is still the second best tablet on the market.
And this is coming from a person who owns a gtablet, droid incredible, and a galaxy nexus.
Put aside your fanboyism before you convince someone to jump into a terrible trade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Calling fanboyism on others while stating 2 sentences prior, "The iPad one is still the second best tablet on the market."
Priceless.
There's probably a dozen Android tablets out there that are better than the iPad v1, especially when you consider in price. There are many tablets better than the iPad 1 in specs, price and OS. All they lack is a half masticated fruit logo.
This thread is now way off topic and therefore redundant, consider it closed
Related
I don't currently own a G Tablet. I'm in the market for a tablet though. Would you guys buy this device again?? How is development community? I was thinking about buying a Barnes and Noble nook, but for 50 dollars more you can get this device with much better hardware. What do you guys think as owners of this device?
Tynen said:
I don't currently own a G Tablet. I'm in the market for a tablet though. Would you guys buy this device again?? How is development community? I was thinking about buying a Barnes and Noble nook, but for 50 dollars more you can get this device with much better hardware. What do you guys think as owners of this device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Using search, I found the exact same topic I replied to the last time.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1068794
Oddly enough, the title was "would you buy again/still"
Tynen said:
Would you guys buy this device again??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For sub $300 BNIB and sub $250 (used with accessories) hell yes
And BTW I do have a nook color as well as a gtab.
Just check all the threads here about the honey comb port, over clocking kernels, custom ROMs, ..
In a skinny minute.
No. The screen is just abysmal. I knew going in the poor viewing angles and reflectivity. But I cannot stress enough how poor on both counts. The screen is so poor that color shifts occur at the edges when viewing straight on. The angles so poor that rotations, very normal and expected with a pad, are visually tedious on the yes. Each orientation offers its own set of problems.
I love the hardware. I love the tweakability. I'm a hardcore Android phone user of almost two years now. I am committed to Android over iOS. But I just cannot tolerate the screen.
In a heartbeat! I have a number of Android devices and the Grab is my favorite! I bought for the price and stayed because I love it.
gwalborn
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0b5.1.1 using Tapatalk
Yes, and I actually did buy again (2nd one, for my son).
Mine is still stock, and I use it daily, for web and news. My son has CM7 on his.
Jim
Yup. Love it.
Well it's been a week with the one I bought for my kid....
And I am trying to talk myself off the ledge of buying 1-2 more, it is that good...
I never booted the stock rom, went right to Vegantab7, smooth as silk....XDA should be PAID BIG TIME by viewsonic...Really viewsonic might consider letting XDA run their tablet division, and they would SMOKE all competition.
I am a hardcore laptop user, but this thing really could replace quite a lot, except for windows specific apps...
Plus I can tether wirelessly through my rooted OG droid, really elegant all around..
Money WELL spent.
Good luck.
Scott
Without a doubt! Running Honeycomb thanks to the development community!
I wouldn't pay the original $399 but for under $300 its the best bang for the buck. I'm hoping to get a second one soon. I like the nook but the 7 inch screen is just too small. I really don't get all the complaints about the screen.
I have two G-Tablets. After purchasing the first one, I really thought the whole screen issue was overblown, so when I saw an ad for a used tab with a case and micro sd for $200, I jumped on it. As it turns out, the viewing angels are noticeably worse. I have to believe there are quality control issues from the Chinese manufacturer, and explains the amount of people who complain of this. The original one did not have a great screen, but it was acceptable. The latter, however, is worse yet. My opinion only.
My biggest complain against purchasing again would have been the lack of vendor support. However this has been resolved based on the support of the developers here and elsewhere. I would not however, pay more than $250 for the device, as it is clearly reaching its end of hardware life; although the developers are extending its software life.
The device is also a good gateway into the world of android and should help people decide what type of device to purchase in the future. One with 'proven' vendor support vs one that is more risky. Which in reality translates into more expensive verus less.
I also think the only way to explain the wide range in screen experiences, has to be build based. I don't have problem with the screen; to me it looks and behaves as a typical netbook screen would.
So my answer would be, I would buy again if I could find one around $250 and could be assured of the screen quality.
Nope, I returned mine after 7 days. The screen is truly awful (or was on mine) and while the developer support is great and certainly makes the device worlds better than it is stock, my opinion is that it's still too flawed. I kept running into things that simply wouldn't work (multiple apps and widgets) and these issues were causing me to fuss with more than just use the device. But what it did show me was that I think I would enjoy regularly using a tablet so for now I'll wait for Asus to ramp up production of the Transformer and for $100 more than G-Tab I'll have something with a native OS that runs and a screen that is likely to be 10x better. Or for less $ I may pick up a Nook color and mess around with that.
That's my 2c anyway.
Absolutely. I don't know where else you'll match the value (price/performance combo).
The screen could bother some...depends on your expectations. For me, it's a non issue. The audio issue (occasional steady buzz that takes a reboot to fix) is worse for me.
If you expect a $600+ device, this isn't it. But it's close, and can be had for less than half that.
I did buy mine. I agree that it's an amazing tablet and the community is awesome! But the screen is horrendous.
Now that I've got Netflix installed, I am very happy. In the process, I've come to the conclusion that the CM7 nightlies are the way to go if only for the increased battery life. Also, TNT and Vegan both had the deep sleep problems that I have yet to encounter with CM7
So, yes. It took a while, but I've finally gotten this to run the way I want it to. I'd certainly buy again at the WOOT! pricepoint.
Probably not. Its a great tablet for the price, but the vendor support just isn't there. The best support/info is from this site.
Just too many bugs with it.
But I must admit that I mostly use it for surfing the net while I am at work, and that does it just fine.
Absolutely!
I made an educated decision to buy it in the first place. I came here and other forums to research and understood that I was getting a tablet that had a lackluster screen, really good internals, and a crappy default OS. However I also knew that the quality of the ROMs and community support here on XDA and was comfortable with that. I did not walk into this blind and I think that makes my answer easier.
The screen is not as bad as I thought it would be. So that has not been an issue for me. I do think it is inconsistent or some people are making it sound worse than it is. Maybe a personal issue or preference.
However for less than $300 I have a device and with Vegan Ginger on it, I have had both IPAD and Xoom users be shocked how good it is for half the price.
My intention was also to purchase one of these for a lower price and wait for this rush of new tablets to come out. You generally see much better products after the initial rush. This way in a year I will hand this to my kids and get a high end tablet that will most likely blow anything that is out there now, out of the water.
Hi all,
I know the G tab has been out since late last year...
And I know that after I root and rom it, this thing will be amazing.
But am I too late for the party? Is it worth it to buy one now? Or should I just wait at this point to see if something better is coming out... I have not been researching tablets as much as phones lately.
oresteez said:
Hi all,
I know the G tab has been out since late last year...
And I know that after I root and rom it, this thing will be amazing.
But am I too late for the party? Is it worth it to buy one now? Or should I just wait at this point to see if something better is coming out... I have not been researching tablets as much as phones lately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a good question. The G-Tab is a sweet tablet for the price point, it will get its best shot at Honeycomb next week, when Notion Ink drops a first party release of Honeycomb for the Adam (which shares a lot of similar elements to our tablet).
That being said, everyone who currently owns a tablet (except for the Transformer and the NEW Galaxy Tab 10.1) is paying the early adopter price. Android isn't 100% there yet, but if you own an Android phone you know this. For me, I absolutely love Gingerbread (2.3.3) on my Droid X, and I loved 2.3.4 on my Droid 1; it's a complete enough OS for me now. Honeycomb 3.1 feels much better than 3.0 as well.
Tegra 3 (Kal-El) is right around the corner, and will probably come in at a $400.00 price point. Qualcomm is shooting for 4-core tablet processors by the end of the year (Q4). Also, we're expecting to see Ice Cream / Ice Cream Sandwich (next Android version, for both tablet and phone) in late Q3.
If you can wait, wait. if not, get a G-Tab. Something like a Xoom is not worth the premium over the G-Tab, even for a nicer screen.
It is an excellent question, but you really have to understand your own tech preferences to know for sure.
The GTAB's main cons right now are the screen angles (most likely unfixable) and the stock software. For the latter, there are many mods you can use, but if you are looking for a HC port it's not quite there yet - we're hoping that will change soon.
Its pros are price. For $125 less than a Transformer, you can get a device that's comparable in speed and might be comparable in software, in the near future. But you are in the hands of the modding community since the vendor seems to have abandoned the device.
There will always be the next best thing, around the corner. So it's a really a question of price and whether or not the device serves your purposes at that price.
I'm confident that this device is more than capable of doing what I want to do.
Mostly web browsing.
Some games.
Perhaps Facebook games.
youtube, flash, netflix if possible.
I'm not going to use it for work, and start editting documents, etc.
I'm going to check out one at Sears possibly today and see if the viewing angles are an issue.
I think the main reason I'm worried about something new coming out, is because of the chance the modding community might move on to the next device. haha
Also a valid point to consider. I can't speak for everyone here, but for myself I plan to pull back after this month. Not so much because the GTAB isn't a good device to mod anymore, but for personal reasons (taking a break from modding tablets, in general - will still have my GTAB but will be less focused on it, that's all).
There was a bit of a lull last month, but there's still activity right now in development as new devs have popped up as some of the older devs/modders have moved on it seems. So, it's hard to say what will happen in a few months, but right now there's still some activity. I think that will continue until the Notion Ink HC port shows up and it's ported over to the GTAB (we hope).
Great info in these posts as i'm in the same situation as the original poster. Currently an ipad user but would like to try an android tablet on the "cheap". Unfortunately, there isn't any retailer nearby carrying the tablet so i cant see how bad the viewing angles are first hand. Is the screen good straight on?
Elroyy said:
Great info in these posts as i'm in the same situation as the original poster. Currently an ipad user but would like to try an android tablet on the "cheap". Unfortunately, there isn't any retailer nearby carrying the tablet so i cant see how bad the viewing angles are first hand. Is the screen good straight on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you ever used a netbook before? The screen is a typical netbook screen. Straight on and 45 degrees each way looks fine. From up above viewing angle will go to almost 90 degrees without the loss of quality. From below anything beyond 45 degrees and you will lose the colors.
There are also some nice youtube video comparisons between the G-Tablet and iPad. One in particular shows the differences in the viewing angles. You'll know which one I'm talking about becuase the creator uses his daughter's iPad, with her "Hello Kitty" wallpaper on it...
(in my opinion though, how can you see the superiority of a screen that has Hello Kitty on it, lol)
The viewing angles are bad, but, I VERY rarely need to share the screen or find myself in a position where the screen is hard to see. sure, other devices have screens with better angles, but how often do you browse the web or watch a movie at an 80 degree angle from a personal device?
I love this tablet. I bought a leather case from electronic crap dot com and its like carrying around a journal. Easy to carry, I play games on it and I log into my computer at work from it all the time.
I agree, there always something better around the corner, but this tab has a great price point and there are lots of stable and highly usable roms.
Bottom line is you don't get this tablet because its the latest and greatest. You gt it because its way cheaper than other tabs with the same power.
Thanks everyone. I do have a netbook, never really had issues with the screen. I also saw that video with the hello kitty screen saver. Straight on, i'm guessing the screen is pretty decent.
You will be happier spending a bit more on the crop of Honeycomb tablets released this year. The first time you flip your gTab around to show someone something on the screen, only to see that person moving his or her head around with a look of stern concentration on their face, desperately trying to find the right angle to see what the hell you're trying to show them, you'll wish you had forked over their extra $100 or so for a better screen. You may think, "Oh I'll never do that, I'll always just be looking at it straight on with no deviation!" but you'll find out soon enough that's not the case.
That's just one example. There are other solitary situations where the screen won't be at the sweet-spot angle -- for example, my Transformer is sitting on my desk here at work, propped up in its case, but it's behind me and to the right, and still looks great. I often reach back and press the power switch to get a quick look at my email or whatnot. The gTab would require me to move directly in front of it to get a good view.
gTab was a good starter tablet when the only other option was a $700 Xoom. With the cheaper tablets being released, its value has decreased greatly. But if you only have $275 or whatever to spend, and can't afford $125 more, then I guess it's your best option for a 10.1" Android tablet.
Hi my 2 cents...
Having used the G-tab for about 4+ months; my recommendation is to wait (if you can). My biggest gripe is the screen (both resolution and viewing angles).
I use it primarily as a media consumption device...watching videos, games, browsing and reading books (in that order)
videos - if I have an option (pc or tv near by) i chose them as the resolution on G-tab is not good. HD videos are choppy (I have tried a few mods but all more or less same)
Games - this is good no complaints
Browsing - this does not have 3g so without wifi its useless. I tether using my iphone, which is cumbersome but works
Reading books - good; but the screen is useless outside (unless its night or cloudy)
This is a great device to buy cheap and beat the crap out of it...(software wise). I also owned an ipad and adam and they also have their own problems.
My first Android tablet is Gtab because it is cheaper and has good performance compared to other 10" tablet in the market. For 10" size tablet, if you have up to $300 budget, Gtab was a good starter tablet (with Xda support). If you have up to $400 to spend, ASUS transformer is not bad. If you have more than $500, of course, you will have more choices. So it depend on your budget.
Thanks everyone for your replies. I think this would be a good, cheap way to get into Android tablets. I would still have my ipad as a backup.
asdf73 said:
videos - if I have an option (pc or tv near by) i chose them as the resolution on G-tab is not good. HD videos are choppy (I have tried a few mods but all more or less same)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm willing to bet you only tried the ginger based ones. Those don't have hw acceleration, so HD vids are choppy. The froyo ones, especially the ones based off of TnT, are pretty smooth.
My recommendation to the OP is if you're going to get the gtab please please please go to my website and read it. And if you're going to compare it to the ipad, please stick with froyo. It is not the latest and greatest, but it certainly is stable and fast.
I was thinking about TF or GT10.1 but non of HC based tablets supports Netflix as for the moment... Well, paying $125 or more in case of GT10.1 for not been able to watch Netflix in my opinion is just wrong.
No doubt, IPS or better screen is a must for photo-frames.
All in all there are no perfect tablet as of now but hopefully we will get there...
I went to Office Depot today to see the screen.
I didn't think it was as bad as what everyone is saying.
Sure, its not as nice as an iPad screen...but its potentially almost half the price...
I don't mind that tradeoff... I'm looking at buying it used anyway. I figured that's the best way to break into the tablet realm and not have any regret about not waiting..
oresteez said:
I went to Office Depot today to see the screen.
I didn't think it was as bad as what everyone is saying.
Sure, its not as nice as an iPad screen...but its potentially almost half the price...
I don't mind that tradeoff... I'm looking at buying it used anyway. I figured that's the best way to break into the tablet realm and not have any regret about not waiting..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, I sent you a private message. PEACE!!
I highly NOT recommend buying the G Tablet. It has nothing to do with the viewing angles.
The reasons why I would tell people to stay away from the tablet are the following:
1) Viewsonic released the damn thing and then basicaly orphaned it immediately. The result is a lack of software libraries needed for development, and the implications are inferior mods with more limited capabilities. As far as I'm aware, there are no Gingerbread roms that truly support HD or fully support graphics hardware acceleration. And getting Honeycomb on the damn thing has been a Promethian effort. All Honeycomb mods are in alpha, and there's hardly any guarantee that any will ever be fully functioning.
2) The bulky design is far from a joy to hold in your hands. It makes it unpleasant to use the touchscreen while holding it, making both gameplay and activities like typing more difficult.
3) Others may disagree with me, but software on the tablet has always acted jerky and has always been slow. It completely lacks the smoothness of other devices, and sometimes it's hard to believe that you're actually using a comparartively (for price vs. power) powerful piece of hardware with dual core processor and not something that feels like it barely has the computational power to run your web browser or word processor (however, it does handle graphics rendering as well as it should).
Maybe I'm overly pessimistic, but I cannot imagine an application for which the G Tablet could be at all recommended. I would highly advise looking elsewhere for an entry level Android device, or wait for the new batch of Honeycomb tablets which will roll into stores very soon.
well, my order of 4 from cpw came today, and I was going to get rid of spares and keep one if I thought they were no good (compared to all the tablets I have (Ipads,galaxy tabs, transformer, wierd brands etc) for dev purposes btw). But, omg, webOs so far is quite nice, the device aint too bad either. So going to give 3 to friends and family and keep 1 to play with. Downloading SDK as I type and had a quick read.
So, after not minding the hardware at all, and thinking that as a 1st pass young tablet webos is probably better than androids attempt, add to the fact that the SDK from reading (not use) looks to be even better than android......
Some1 remind me again, why did this thing fail? Just price? if thats the case, £299 would have made this and ensuing development a killer? Or am I missing some big point here?
Cheers
Cost, immature software, lack of features, small developer ecosphere, late to market, tons of competition...
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
phobos512 said:
Cost, immature software, lack of features, small developer ecosphere, late to market, tons of competition...
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
baring the last two, that true of any os that has just come to market
Shame me thinks
It fails because it is one of the most expensive, heaviest, thickest, and has the least features (no back camera, not way to connect USB/SD memory card...) and least tablet apps. Coming late in the game HP should have done a better job...no excuse. HP designed the tablet poorly...consumers are not stupid like them...very disappointed in in HP. Whoever design/engineer/market the Touchpad should be fired....such a waste of resources. Guess it's worth $99, at least they priced it correctly now.
phobos512 said:
Cost, immature software, lack of features, small developer ecosphere, late to market, tons of competition...
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It the nail right on the head, but I think it's mainly because of the price. Apple has some one figured out a way of brain washing people to buy everything they put out at any price. Other companies haven't figured it out so until they do they need to figure out how to get the cost down on tablets. Could imagine the frenzy over the Galaxy 10.1 if it would have been priced 199 or 299?
The HP tab fire sale proves there is a market for the Tab but just not at the price they are bouncing around.
deanwray said:
baring the last two, that true of any os that has just come to market
Shame me thinks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Granted, but webOS didn't come to market with the Touchpad - it's been out for several years. It was a very buggy platform from all the reading I've done, and there was still a fair number of issues even after the last patch was released (just go look at PreCentral).
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
wondercoolguy said:
It the nail right on the head, but I think it's mainly because of the price. Apple has some one figured out a way of brain washing people to buy everything they put out at any price. Other companies haven't figured it out so until they do they need to figure out how to get the cost down on tablets. Could imagine the frenzy over the Galaxy 10.1 if it would have been priced 199 or 299?
The HP tab fire sale proves there is a market for the Tab but just not at the price they are bouncing around.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Price was probably the biggest factor. It was more expensive than most any other tablet for less capability and less compatibility. For example, licking it down to print only to HP printers or tether to HP/Palm phones? Ridiculous.
It's sort of amazing the position Apple is in now given how bad off they were in the late 80s and 90s. Really sucked being a Mac user back then (haven't been a Mac user since then though).
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
phobos512 said:
Price was probably the biggest factor. It was more expensive than most any other tablet for less capability and less compatibility. For example, licking it down to print only to HP printers or tether to HP/Palm phones? Ridiculous.
It's sort of amazing the position Apple is in now given how bad off they were in the late 80s and 90s. Really sucked being a Mac user back then (haven't been a Mac user since then though).
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
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well, I agree (Being a 3D artist myself) that the design is a little off, but I do like the form factor of these (and obviously my iPad) and that factor suits my development plans for tablets more than my transformer or indeed any of my 10inch tablets.
I would be in heaven even with the weight and cribb design if this was an android unit with the same UI features etc at a £250 price point.
I personally think this device and OS had great potential for a tablet, but like you say, if the palm devices showed lots of buggs, maybe hp could have never sorted it with the team they had. Still say shame though
Pretty much failed because the general populations definition of a tablet is the iPad. Like others said, price and too many competitors. After a couple of days with my Touchpad, and some tweaking, I like it. I am impressed with webOS.
But I feel bad for the poor souls who bought this thing from the get-go for 500 bucks because performance wise it has it's hiccups for no reason. Notice some lag sometimes for no reason and delays when trying to do simple things. I feel like the auto rotate is too sensitive as well.
dtblair24 said:
Pretty much failed because the general populations definition of a tablet is the iPad. Like others said, price and too many competitors. After a couple of days with my Touchpad, and some tweaking, I like it. I am impressed with webOS.
But I feel bad for the poor souls who bought this thing from the get-go for 500 bucks because performance wise it has it's hiccups for no reason. Notice some lag sometimes for no reason and delays when trying to do simple things. I feel like the auto rotate is too sensitive as well.
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Have you installed preware and in turn the log diable stuff, speed stuff and the OMG it's now way too loud sound mod!
what.....I'm deff!
deanwray said:
well, my order of 4 from cpw came today, and I was going to get rid of spares and keep one if I thought they were no good (compared to all the tablets I have (Ipads,galaxy tabs, transformer, wierd brands etc) for dev purposes btw). But, omg, webOs so far is quite nice, the device aint too bad either. So going to give 3 to friends and family and keep 1 to play with. Downloading SDK as I type and had a quick read.
So, after not minding the hardware at all, and thinking that as a 1st pass young tablet webos is probably better than androids attempt, add to the fact that the SDK from reading (not use) looks to be even better than android......
Some1 remind me again, why did this thing fail? Just price? if thats the case, £299 would have made this and ensuing development a killer? Or am I missing some big point here?
Cheers
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so to say it just sucks is not what the op is looking for.
The unit itself is amazing. I have been a die hard android fan with my hd2 but the ui of this tablet is extremely functional. Having multiple frames for apps makes this an amazing item for me. The keyboard is very easy to use and the quality of the item is A+. Like many others I would like the android market but webOS. Two big things for me is the memory expansion and no hdmi out but I will live. If I were to release this product I would say 299 and 399 would be fair.
I think the price is the only reason it failed. From using the xoom and iPad I find this, minus the features listed above, to be the better unit. $99 is an amazing deal for this great piece of machinary.
Here's one reason:
"Rubinstein wasn't exactly thrilled about the timing of the TouchPad's release, saying CEO Leo Apotheker had failed to make good on a public promise to ship the tablet only when it was "perfect."
Source
I think a bigger issue deals with consumer education about a new OS. The transition from an android phone to an android tablet or an iphone to an iPad is seamless WebOS phones had a miniscule market share. WebOS came to market late in the game. It took an incredible price on the TP to get consumers to take the leap to a new platform. Now that they are here they may like what they see.
It failed for one simple reason. The OS and apps weren't ready and weren't polished. I think the hardware is amazing, save for the volume rocker and the super thin "home" button and maybe the screen which apparently generates its own fingerprints and smudges out of thin air. The OS on the other hand has so much potential but they completely screwed it. If I had purchased this at anything over 150, which is what I paid for the 32gb, I would return it or sell it.
Take this one example. The browser doesn't load pages in the background. If you load a new card like you would a tab and return to the original browser card, the new one just sits there and does . . . nothing. Doesn't load or render the webpage. It just sits there like a bookmark to the site you wanted to load. I mean seriously? This is like iPad1 crap, which was solved in like a couple weeks with third party browsers. With 4 times the ram, for some reason WebOS doesn't find it necessary even without a single other app loaded on a fresh boot to actually load the card in the background. The way I browse the web is to load a trillion tabs and then go through them and read. That would be absolutely excruciating on the Touchpad.
muyoso said:
It failed for one simple reason. The OS and apps weren't ready and weren't polished.
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About the same as the 1st Galaxy Tab P1000 android version
The OS on the other hand has so much potential but they completely screwed it. If I had purchased this at anything over 150, which is what I paid for the 32gb, I would return it or sell it.
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over 150 ? Bit harsh I think. From a development perspective, software is never finished, you just get to a point where you either HAVE to release or it's ACCEPTABLE to release.
Take this one example. The browser doesn't load pages in the background. If you load a new card like you would a tab and return to the original browser card, the new one just sits there and does . . . nothing. Doesn't load or render the webpage. It just sits there like a bookmark to the site you wanted to load. I mean seriously? This is like iPad1 crap, which was solved in like a couple weeks with third party browsers. With 4 times the ram, for some reason WebOS doesn't find it necessary even without a single other app loaded on a fresh boot to actually load the card in the background.
The way I browse the web is to load a trillion tabs and then go through them and read. That would be absolutely excruciating on the Touchpad.
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I dont actually think thats a representation of the average user. I maybe open 7 tabs on a pc, I sure they would have put in background loading eventually.
dtblair24 said:
Pretty much failed because the general populations definition of a tablet is the iPad. Like others said, price and too many competitors. After a couple of days with my Touchpad, and some tweaking, I like it. I am impressed with webOS.
But I feel bad for the poor souls who bought this thing from the get-go for 500 bucks because performance wise it has it's hiccups for no reason. Notice some lag sometimes for no reason and delays when trying to do simple things. I feel like the auto rotate is too sensitive as well.
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Click to collapse
this is exactly why it failed. Why do you have to tweak it for it to work smoothly. It should be like that out the box
imsuperjp said:
this is exactly why it failed. Why do you have to tweak it for it to work smoothly. It should be like that out the box
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name a tablet product other than ipad (ios) that at release was like what you wanted, smooth out of the box, cause I cant think of one?
Honestly I don't think it failed because of the OS the majority of people out there are absolutely clueless as to what the difference android/ios and web OS brings when I recommend android phones to people nearly all of them haven't got a clue what I'm on about there more interested in if it can download apps. I personally think its more to do with marketing and more important price(why pay 399 for a unknown hp tablet when you can pay 399 for a apple ipad) people have to understand that the majority of consumers are near clueless about tech,ive gad so many people pick up android tabs asking if this is the ipad lol
I think you have to go way back to the palm pre for the answer. Great OS. Not a bad spec phone for the time. But Sprint was the exclusive carrier and didn't do jack to promote it. So everyone was seeing iPhone this and Droid that. No one was hearing about webOS until it was in the news that they were broke and hp was buying them. That's my opinion anyway. I have a palm pre(in a desk) have an evo (daily driver) and I hands down would take webOS on the evo hardware any day.
Everyone thinks this tablet has failed, if that's the case then why did a million people buy it? I know it's cheap compared to the iPad but with over a millions users this tablet should take off and be a big competitor with Apple. Maybe that was the intention all along, think how much HP saved on marketing, plus all the revenue they could get from some many users.
Give it a few months, Webos will be rocking the tablet world!
Now that CM7 is available for Touchpad (or regardless), how much WOULD you have paid for your Touchpad knowing now what it is like with and/or without Android/WebOS?
Basically, what do you think it is worth?
djbenny1 said:
Now that CM7 is available for Touchpad (or regardless), how much WOULD you have paid for your Touchpad knowing now what it is like with and/or without Android/WebOS?
Basically, what do you think it is worth?
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Click to collapse
The hardware is worth a lot. It's very good hardware (CPU, memory, storage etc) but, hardware is only as good as the software on said hardware.
With just webOS, I never would have even looked at the TP, probably wouldn't really have known it even existed.
Android is another story though, it opened up a whole world of possibility.
What I tell people is, you can't find a better tablet in the sub-$300 range right now. With that said, I got mine sealed in the box on CL for $225. Most 32gigs go for around $250-$270....although a bit high, I still think it's worth it.
Granted, that only goes for people like us (flashaholics, people not afraid to flash their devices). If it were someone, say, your mom or grandma or someone who has no knowledge of any of that, I'd say go elsewhere...Kindle Fire or something similar.
I'd say $199 for the 16GB & $249 for the 32GB
The SOC is decent but the build quality is crap, my home button feels like its stuck halfway in the screen, the plastic around the speakers is cracking, and the screen is no longer flush with the case. The build quality is a joke and so is the half-baked WebOS.
I would only have ever paid fire sale prices for this.
I never wanted to spend any money on tablet PC, becoz I have a smart phone and laptop..But always wanted to experience android tablet...So I grabbed one in fire sale...if the price wasnt that low, i would have never waste my money on something which would just lie around in my house..
thanks to CM7 and Leo that I use it some times now...so without Android...100, with Android may be 200....
has anyone else had any quality issues like joe?
i'd probably have paid $300-350 for it if it had ICS on it already (considering i paid $200 for my 32gb now).
my home button feels a little flimsy but i hardly ever use it (because we have soft buttons) and i have noticed cracks around the speakers and stuff but my TP is in a case, so A) i don't care and B) if it was a line of tablets that hadn't been cancelled, i'd just get a warranty repair (i know i could now for the cracks but i just cba to do it).
there's just no way that hp would've made money selling it for that much, even with ICS.
djbenny1 said:
has anyone else had any quality issues like joe?
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I've had mine for about 3 months now and it is in perfect shape. I bought it and immediately put it in a case. No problems from my end.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
joenathane said:
The SOC is decent but the build quality is crap, my home button feels like its stuck halfway in the screen, the plastic around the speakers is cracking, and the screen is no longer flush with the case. The build quality is a joke and so is the half-baked WebOS.
I would only have ever paid fire sale prices for this.
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Why the hate for webOS?
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Krunk_Kracker said:
Why the hate for webOS?
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Palm rushed WebOS and made very bad decisions in the process, HP bought them and only half tried to make something out of WebOS and the result was this lame duck - slow & bug ridden mess...
But I think this article can say it better than I http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/business/232301170
Palm was able to create the entire operating system--from concept to debut--in about nine months (by way of comparison, the ideas surrounding iOS first struck former Apple CEO Steve Jobs some 10 years ago). Palm was only able to do that, however, by taking some shortcuts that later bit the company in the behind.
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Krunk_Kracker said:
Why the hate for webOS?
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
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sounds like he had very valid complaints...
The $150 I paid for my 32gb is all I would have paid for it. webos lacks quite a bit and android not quite right YET so with that its not really and truly fully functional. Like others have said the build quality is pretty bad. The home button on mine feels like its going to fall right off in the near future.
Transformer prime is out with much better cpu,gps,formfactor+ics soon for 500$, so I think something like 250$/16gb + 300$/32gb.
I'd be wary of paying more than the fire sale prices, maybe $200/$250 or $250/$300 for the 16gb/32gb versions. Granted I still have just WebOS on mine, but I'm still not sure tablets are useful enough to cost as much as most of them do. I don't think I would've bothered during the firesale if they were over $200.
With. Xron loaded my touchpad performs better than xoom, ipad2, prime. if it came this way out the box and marketed right i would say worth $400-$500
Sent from my GT-i9100 using xda premium
Bought my 32gb from BB the first week of the firesale for $149 and that's honestly what I thought it was worth in its current state. Actually, I wouldn't have purchased either the 16 or 32gb for more than their original firesale prices.
Now, with its dual-booting capability, I would value the 16gb at $199 and the 32gb for $229. Seems like all the tablet mfgrs. place a premium upgrade price of $50-100 going from 16 to 32gb, I feel a $30 difference is sufficient.
Mike T
SpikeyPsyche said:
I'd say $199 for the 16GB & $249 for the 32GB
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I'm gonna have to agree on this pricing. Running xronified 2.9.1 and it is almost as functional as my nexus s phone and gets better every week. Way to go Team Xron!
djbenny1 said:
has anyone else had any quality issues like joe?
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Click to collapse
Unfortunately, yes. While the specs are top notch for the price and as such I dont regret my purchase, if i paid any more than $200 for this (new) I would have been furious. Home button feels cheap, makes me scared to use it. The speakers are constantly distorting in both webOS and Android, with the only solution being to reboot. Hairline cracks by the speakers and USB port that HP wont fix without me giving them my credit card info despite being a free repair (and subsequently I've chosen to live with since so far its just cosmetic).Volume rocker is loose, to the point that shaking the tablet makes a clear rattling sound.
HP obviously cut corners on their build quality here, and were out of their mind to charge iPad pricing for them out of the gate. For $100 though, it was still a steal due to how well Android runs on it.
As for webOS, it was flawed out of the gate. As of 3.0.4, its usable. Not as good as Android, but usable.
well i was able to get my 16GB last night for £150 including the case, not sure if it was free during firesale?
had a good look and couldnt see any cracks or buttons falling off, marks of any kind or distortion of screen in corner. home feels good too!
anyway im happy with the price, theres no way i have 500 to splash on a transformer prime - and for 150 i can forgive the tp for its shortcomings (gps would have been nice though!)
currently on xron with all the relevant apps off my phone put onto it aswell, very happy!
given that tablets are generally quite a bit more expensive over here; i would have to say that with android, 16gb is easily worth £200 to me, with the 32GB at probably 250.
I'm in the market for a $200 Tablet. I can find many Flyers for sale for about $200. There all 16G, and come with the Pen. So I was woundering. Are you Users happy with this device? Or would you rather have another cheap tablet like the Fire or Nook.
Thank You
PS. How's N64oid handle on this Tablet?
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk
AgentCherryColla said:
I'm in the market for a $200 Tablet. I can find many Flyers for sale for about $200. There all 16G, and come with the Pen. So I was woundering. Are you Users happy with this device? Or would you rather have another cheap tablet like the Fire or Nook.
Thank You
PS. How's N64oid handle on this Tablet?
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk
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I have a Flyer, which I bought (as many people did) around Christmas-time for $200. I use it quite often, to read pdfs, play games, bring with me to use wireless (I don't have a phone). I like it for what it is.
However, that said, I would not recommend dropping $200 for one right now. Maybe if you can grab one for $150 (there was mention of a deal like that in the general forum). Development by HTC on the Flyer has pretty much stopped, with no plans to go forward. There is some nice development going on by XDA members (like Lee's LeeDroid), but beyond that, not much more.
In my opinion, the biggest sign of the problem is with the well-known GPS problem on Honeycomb, which does not allow the device to maintain a lock. HTC is aware of the problem, but there is no fix (nevermind a statement that a fix is in progress). That's a statement of the official development going on. Other problems for me is the hurried HTC Scribe pen integration; some XDA members have created better programs (Quill and Papyrus, for instance), but again, the lack of care by HTC is apparent. The pen feature was rushed, and it shows. XDA members and development are keeping this device afloat, but that's the only reason.
It's a competitive market right now in the tablet market, and unless you have a real winner, then products will be quickly phased in and out. The HTC, as much as I hate to admit it, because as I said, I do make use of mine quite a bit...has been on its way out ever since December 2011 when the prices got slashed.
This is a hard choice for me. I like being able to hack up things, and test out roms. I was told to get this, but I will be getting a new Job soon. Paying much better, and that ASUS Prime is calling me. I just want a tablet for now, and the Kindle Fire seems the best choice. I can complile ICS, and use a 3.0 Linux kernel. :T Why's it so hard to do this. Being a ROM junkie sucks.
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk
the fire is a piece of junk in comparison. If all you want is a compilled ics then ok, but every aspect of the flyer is superior to the fire and nook
mcord11758 said:
the fire is a piece of junk in comparison. If all you want is a compilled ics then ok, but every aspect of the flyer is superior to the fire and nook
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Click to collapse
+1 to that. I bought the Flyer a few weeks after its release for $599 and don't regret a single penny spent. In the Flyer, you are paying $200 for a $599 high quality tablet. That's a bargain, no matter how you look at it. Buying a Fire, you are just getting a crappy cheapo $200 tablet for $200. The Fire has so many features missing, its not even funny (cameras, SD slot, GPS, microphone, Bluetooth, compass, gyro).
I'm trying to sell mine via Swappa for $230.
PM me if you're interested.
16 GB Wifi only
HTC Stylus
Otterbox case
Screen protector since day one
16 GB microSD card
Original box/USB Cable/AC adapter
/shameless plug
I just bought one and love it. I love the scribe integration
(though dont drop 50-80 on the HTC pen, Get the fujitsu pen $20-30 and does the same thing.)
I will end up putting the photoshop touch app on it, not the free express one.
the 7 in form factor is perfect for me. I had a xoom and liked it for a while but it gets really heavy and hard to hold in one hand.
so the flyer feels much better in one hand, assuming you dont have toddler hands.
the CPU is adequate for anything i could throw at it, and can OC as well.
gpu is pretty good so games wont be a problem. as for n64oid, It would all depend on the game that youre emulating. most devices can handle mario64 and zelda and mariocart. hit or miss really. but its been a while since ive used n64oid (since i picked up a used n64 from my local game store
camera is mediocre. My SGS2 has a better one so i wont use it to take pics or videos but will use the front one for video chat.
im not concerned about GPS issues either, my phone does it.
all in all, I want something that i can use easily when my phones dying and needs to charge, or dont feel like looking at my phones small screen anymore for long web browsing sessions and the 7in form factor and the scribe is def a deal breaker.