[UPDATE 08.06.12] Got a news:
There is a webstore listed the price as $29 of genuine leather case&bluetooth keyboard for Gtablet.But not includ shipping.any ideas?
Sorry.. Forgot the link.
Seems still on sale at electroniccrap.com but price difference.
More than 1 year of Gtablet available. Do you still keep it in your hand or instead of with other tablet pc?
Long live with me
Inside the hardware motherboard,
and outside touch screen, volume button, power button, charger connector
And a lot more
nope
but it is collecting dust nicely
I am actually just own the gtablet, after playing it for a few days, I kind of like it and think I will keep it for at least a year or two since there's already Ice Cream Sandwich available for the gtablet.
qjnl said:
I am actually just own the gtablet, after playing it for a few days, I kind of like it and think I will keep it for at least a year or two since there's already Ice Cream Sandwich available for the gtablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amazing! actually,Gtablet is a nice advice if you dont mind of the size and weight.
Had mine for almost a year now and I actually don't use my laptop for anything except the occasional NVflash for the tablet when I change from bootloader to bootloader, thats when I am bored with the ROM that I am using. My poor baby has been through he'll and back and it has the hole on the back to prove it, but she still lives and runs like new.
Stays in garage as dedicated Pandora player. Occasional internet browsing.
I still use mine every day. I have to admit that it is getting harder since the newer roms don't support the usb and camera. I use mine with the keyboard to make it easier to type. I also read e-books on just about every night.
owner since April 2011
on Calkulin + Clemsyn Combo Overclock at 1.5 ghz V8
Yuppp
I still use mine but for fun. My kids use it for gaming and some educational games/videos. my wife uses it for Angry Birds lol. I installed the ICS by tjohnson and I found new love for this puppy all over again
I still use mine daily.
Same as some of the others -- I have re-soldered the Power connector (twice). It look pretty bad - a chunk missing from near the search button, and the back is very rough looking.
I almost bought a Toshiba Thrive the other day (Better screen - full set of full size connectors). It was reduced at BestBuy.
I think my G-Tablet is good enough for the immediate future, but at some point, I will find a deal similar to (better than) the deal on the Thrive, and I will go for it.
I use mine for business everyday for almost two years now. I have a 7" that I use in my car and for reading and quick email check... it boots much quicker and downloads mail much faster than HC 3.2 (2.3). I love it and don't need anything else right now for my daily business use. I rarely use my laptop anymore.
dragonflame2045 said:
I still use mine every day. I have to admit that it is getting harder since the newer roms don't support the usb and camera. I use mine with the keyboard to make it easier to type. I also read e-books on just about every night.
owner since April 2011
on Calkulin + Clemsyn Combo Overclock at 1.5 ghz V8
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Click to collapse
I don't know what USB problems you have ran in to, but all the latest ROMS support the USB keyboard. At lease all the one I have trued which is just about all the 1.2 based ROMS. Currently running ROMS listed in my signature have been working great for my GTab when it is in its case with built in USB keyboard. Now the camera however has issues with those ICE ROMS, but that's what my phone is for.
I still use mine almost everyday. It's an excellent travel mate. I had trouble with it a month ago with a rom I had placed on it. It kept freezing and rebooting. I also notice that the jack for the charger is getting loose. I just put ICS on it and I'm happy with it. It's like a new tablet. However, its time is limited. Like someone else mentioned in a previous post I am keeping my eye open for a good deal on a newer tablet. I want something thinner with a better screen. I may just spring for a Transformer Prime in a few months.
My G-Tab has been forgotten somewhere in the house for about a year now. After constantly trying with different ROM's I decided to stop wasting time. Every ROM has something I need that doesn't work. I use it to watch movies and I would have to convert my movies at low profile in order to view it. The viewing angle on the G-Tab is also very limited and I would have to tilt it at a weird angle to see it at best. I'll not buy anything from ViewSonic again. This company doesn't provide any software upgrade to their products.
I do appreciate all the people working on ROM for this device. However, even with your talent and dedication, it's still not perfect due to limited resource you have.
My stepson has G-harmony gingerbread on his, he uses it for gaming and web surfing. I just installed G-harmony ICS on mine and i use it for lots of stuff, email, web browsing, games, I read a lot of ebooks and I watch the occasional movie on it.
I agree with the comment about the horrible way Viewsonic has supported the gtablet but the dev community has done a great job in the company's place. I have been through most of Roebeet's Roms and I am now using TeamDRH's ICS. Work is being done on the drivers for the camera and mike so there is more life for this tablet. I'm not ready to retire mine and use it daily for web browsing, reading and a few other apps. I have the dock which is handy and also use a bluetooth keyboard with it when doing a lot of typing.
toiday said:
Every ROM has something I need that doesn't work.
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Click to collapse
Same here. I'm still waiting for a ICS ROM with HDMI. Recently purchased a no-name 7-inch ICS tablet with HDMI running the Allwinner A10 processor. Very impressive video performance for a tablet less than $100. Still I'd like to use the G-Tablet in its dock with my wireless KB/touchpad to watch live streaming sports on TV. But without HDMI for the G-Tablet the whole setup just sits in an AV cabinet, waiting.
waxtadpole said:
Same here. I'm still waiting for a ICS ROM with HDMI. Recently purchased a no-name 7-inch ICS tablet with HDMI running the Allwinner A10 processor. Very impressive video performance for a tablet less than $100. Still I'd like to use the G-Tablet in its dock with my wireless KB/touchpad to watch live streaming sports on TV. But without HDMI for the G-Tablet the whole setup just sits in an AV cabinet, waiting.
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your no-name 7" table is the NOVO7 Aurora ?
I'm a college student always on the go so my gtab is pretty much my laptop and my life lol. I have a nice screen protector and a stylish uscratchble surface on the back of my tablet. I am hoping my tablet will survive years to come because I don't have money for a new one..=/...But I would trade my tablet and the $60 hdmi stand any day for a nexus 7.. regardess of the extra like $25 I spent on the front and back cover.
My Gtab has been steady and working great for over a year. I dumped the tnt that it came with and used HC 3.03, works great. The only thing that I wish was that the Ram was upgradable. I will be trying ICS as soon as its a more stable/less buggy version comes out.
Related
I can't decide which device.... I like Archos(have a few of their products now) but the G Tab seems more capable of running newer versions of Android. Do you all see the G Tablet becoming the tablet to beat when updated with an official release? I like all the mod/hacking I have seen on the forum, I just think I may be better suited for a device with better "official' support from the manufacturer. Talk me out of Archos... I WANT to love the G tablet...
WAD.
If you're already on this forum, i suggest you get the g tablet. Since when does support from manufacturers did any good?
Archos is notorious for getting product to market quick and dumping support for product real quick
/end decision
I can only go on my own subjective opinion. Back in October, I was on the Archos 101 pre-order list - feels like it was a year ago, now. I only tried the GTab because I was sick of the 101's delays.
But now, if I was given the choice between the two, I would choose the GTab without hesitation. It has a chipset which is vastly superior, an open firmware and a great community. The Archos does have some pluses, or course - better HDMI port and an excellent media player come to mind. But the hardware it's on is already out-of-date. Even the Galaxy Tab 2 is going to have a Tegra 2 in it.
Read up on forum.archosfans.com, too -- a lot of grumbling on the Froyo update. and you can't even back out.
Alpha06 said:
Archos is notorious for getting product to market quick and dumping support for product real quick
/end decision
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heh, i was notified this morn that the archos 70 is back in stock and had it in my cart before i remembered how archos has issed me off before.
plus, the gtab has better hardware for a bit more money. i'm getting another gtab after the holidays, when the staples/sears stuff is figured out. hopefully get a good deal.
WantADroid said:
I can't decide which device.... I like Archos(have a few of their products now) but the G Tab seems more capable of running newer versions of Android. Do you all see the G Tablet becoming the tablet to beat when updated with an official release? I like all the mod/hacking I have seen on the forum, I just think I may be better suited for a device with better "official' support from the manufacturer. Talk me out of Archos... I WANT to love the G tablet...
WAD.
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Click to collapse
From what I gather based on posts by other people who have owned both, the Archos is MUCH better at media playback, while it's 256MB leads to problems... oh, and the Archos has a bit better screen, although I've not been bothered by the viewing angle except when specifically checking it as when in use I'm always looking directly at the gTab... gTab also has better overall performance. Archos is lighter than gTab.
My own personal drawback is the 10" size and weight... so I'm mulling a Nook Color ATM or maybe elocity a7 or wait and see what the next few months bring in the way of 7" tablets. NC seems best immediate option as B&N will probably support it for a year or so I'd imagine...
With the new Gtablet update, even non-modded, the Gtablet seems a better buy now (if you side-load Flash, of course).
1. Archos 101 = capped at 800mhz (that is crazy- not even smaller form factor phones do this). Out of box and after update, the 101 can not even bust 1,000 with Quadrant and rooting to remove the cpu cap result in 1,200.
2. Despite fanboy spin, the 256mb ram is a problem for Flash and general operation with 2.2. Not so bad with 2.1, but app managment is more dynamic with 2.2 and more apps tend to float in memory, rather than sit in a wait-state using a register stack.
3. The wifi signal is weaker on the 101
4. No adhoc connections and wifi tether other than hotspots does not work
5. Only 300mb of app space (over six times less than the G)
6. Sound quality of the 3630 is weak due to low volume and even worse, poor gain management (Archos adheres to the Euro sound cap law). Still, the speaker output is louder than the Gtablet- ironic.
7. If you like games like the Quake series, PSX or other more demanding apps, the 101 is a lot slower and not smooth like the Gtablet.
8. Larger CBR and PDF files that play super smooth and lag free on the G, either do not work or are laggy messes on the 101.
9. As mentioned above, Flash is problematic on the 101, due to the 256mb ram. Try more demanding sites like Dailymotion and the higher res Flash content. Smooth on the G and not on the 101.
10. To get decenty performance, you need to root the device and mod. Why even bother with the 101 then? Europe has the Advent Vega, Asia has the zPad and NA has the Gtablet. ALL better options, IMO and now the Elocity 7 is out and kicks the snot out of the Archos 70.
Seems the 101 was outdated upon release and to add salt to the wound, they capped the cpu that was already designed to be dynamic and clock to usage- wild.
BTW, I do not agree that video is MUCH better, but is better, none the less. The 101 handles higher def video better, due to more mature support for the 3630, but 1080p does not work well on the 3630 either. Hidef seems pointless anyway on a portable device, due to space and battery drain. Not to mention the display is not 1080p. I think people latching on to the video mantra of the 101 are putting far too much stock in the actual difference it makes.
All of my vids play fine on the Gtablet, but I do not care for 1080p and 720p MP4 tends to be space and battery drainers too. Still wish those would work on the Gtablet.
I own neither right now but am sort of in the same boat as the poster.
Here's what sort of changed my mind...
I purchased and received my Archos 101 and it was dead on arrival brand new from Amazon. I know crap happens but it really got to me since I'd felt like a kid on Christmas day when it came. Imagine getting something you're EAGER for an anticipating and then not having it work? We can't really blame Archos for this entirely though since it happens with every product.
Anyway, what actually got to me was calling Archos....the CS guy wasn't much help and tried to convince me to send it in for repair vs. Amazon return. But who wants to send in their brand new device with the possibility of getting back someone else's used device? Right? He couldn't guarantee that I'd get back my brand new and repaired unit plus I had to pay shipping. In essence, my price for the 101 would have been almost 370 in the end, so I just told him no thanks and sent it back to Amazon.
I ordered the Archos in the first place because while I can see myself rooting and modding, to me it's an unnecessary hassle vs. just getting something that's supposed to work. In other words, I had your outlook. Excited about the modding potential, but better suited to official support, so really I just prefer getting the updates in OTAs than rooting and modding.
The Archos 101/70 seem to 'just work'. And I'd been planning on slapping the official/unofficial? Google Market on there for good measure so I was prepared to get my hands dirty somehow anyway as I wasn't sure if this meant I needed to root or not. Archos has also, recently seemed to show that they're at least trying to get updates out the door while Viewsonic's site didn't at the time have any updates posted for the G tablet and it seemed like it was just some hardware put out and then forgotten.
However, when I was 'forced' to check out the G tablet more thoroughly it would seem it's not 1/2 as bad as I'd seen or read about (youtube, blogs, etc.) where users called TnT horrible and writers referred to it as garbage and unusable etc. I say 'forced' because I couldn't RMA the 101 for exchange as Amazon was out of stock, I had to RMA for refund. Then on impulse, I decided to get the G Tablet...because I'm plain through with waiting.
I'd known it had more raw power than the 101 but upon further reading here on xda and watching newer youtube videos it seems TnT isn't that bad if you factory reset first and start 'fresh'. Not to mention the fact that the mod community has embraced the G tablet as something 'good'. Viewsonic is also pretty 'vocal' for the most part on Twitter, and that has to count for something in terms of getting our voices heard by the company. Archos is there too but their posts are mostly about where to buy the tablet or that they're available at so and so.
My point being, I don't think it would hurt to at least try the G Tab first. Had I known then what I know now (and I should have, as I am somewhat of a tech head) I would have just gone with the G Tab and in some ways, I'm happy the 101 came DoA or maybe I'd have happily settled for a single core, 720p playing Android tablet vs. something with more power and thus potential...a dual core with 1080p playing capability and the ability to do everything faster.
Also, modding isn't horrible. It's a scary thing to think you have to do something that may brick your device to get it to an even workable state...but this isn't the case.
Even if you've never done it before once you're thorough and read/understand/execute in detail, you'll never brick. Most experienced modders can root and slap a new ROM on their devices in 20m or less (depending on the ROM size, etc) but don't watch that....if it takes you even an hour, as long as you do it right the first time (in terms of getting a recovery mod in there), you're going to be fine from then on. You'll have the added bonus of messing around with a variation of ROMs and may realize something's there that you like even more than the stock. You also have the backing of XDA devs which is a great, great thing.
My 2c.
I currently own both the GTab (running TnTLite 2.3) and an Archos 101 (finally) with the latest firmware update. Both have their good and bad sides and if you've been hanging around here, you should have a pretty good idea of what those are.
The GTab:
Pros: Fast processor, easy to hack, not easy to brick, good XDA support
Cons: Not great viewing angle, questionable (stock) UI, questionable support (from ViewSonic)
The Archos 101:
Pros: Better viewing angle, decent support (from my experience, so far,) very good multimedia support and streaming, much lighter than the GTab, built-in kickstand, HDMI out
Cons: Very locked down (but can still sideload,) slower CPU (even at 1Gz,) HDMI not reliable (at least for me)
I like them both, for different uses. I like to hack around and get to know the OS and the GTab (and my DROID) are great for that. For daily use, I use the 101 since it is lighter to carry around and has the built-in kickstand.
my $.02
I have to agree with most. I also had interest in the archos but was part of the waiting game and the misleading info from the company itself.
My draw to the archos was it being a lightweight device. HDMI ready to use and the media player that seems to be the attractive feature in comparison.
But I must say being part of this site gave me insight and "again" bumped into the gtab. At first glance the device SW is horrid to say the least. Why would they butcher it, is beyond my reasoning (perhaps a sweet deal played out w/tapntap) and the #1 problem for users trying it out of box as is. They should seriously post in the box or pamphlet to register at xda. lol.
Once you fiddle with the device(using a custom build like TnTlite/VEGAn you wont regard making your decison. Archos is limited as meantion herein and your halt for the possiblities that lay ahead.
So Yes you can say the archos is lighter, has the hdmi port... a kickstand.
I agree the Gtab is heavier in comparison, and for some the viewing angles are bad, but in the end, The Gtab is here now with an awesome HW and will be here tomorrow.
Thanks!!
Wow, thanks to all who have responded.... I am leaning heavily towards the G Tab, sounds like it would be a fun device to mod. I want a good media player in my device, that is the biggest reason I am considering Archos. I own an old 504 80gb and I have used it almost everyday. I want to take the next step up to touch screen and Android, but I want the device to have some what of a future. Seems to me Archos puts devices out that are already one generation old when they hit the market. Must be their business model to buy new every 1-2 years. I would like to have my device for minimum of 2-3 years before I upgrade.
Thanks
My brief thoughts on the matter, as posted on Archos fans forum.
"I have a GTab as well as a 101. And there is NO comparison: My GTab blows the 101 away on speed, responsiveness, and smoothness. Its just uglier & heavier! Lol! My 11 year old daughter has lay claim on my GTab. She's lucky I love her (and am afraid of my wife)! Lol! . . . Admittedly, a lot of tweaks have gone into the device as it clearly was bad straight out of the box. All I know is with a custom ROM, mine flies."
http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=43968
Just got a G-tab from local Sears last night.
Took me couple of hours to get it going with the latest TNT Lite and market fix. (still new to all of this.)
First I wanted to get 101, but it was sold out everywhere.
G-Tab was horrible with stock UI. After loading TNT, it is much better, but it has ways to go. I like the responsiveness. Still have to get used to the interface. And run some video tests. (I would like to use it in the car as an entertainment system for my kids.) HDMI via dock may be a deal killer to me.
I don't like the screen and ergonomics of the device. I will probably play around with a device, for a couple of weeks and then return it to Sears. Still want to see what will happen at CES. Perhaps Adam, will fit me better.
I first buy the archos 101 for my birthday on november and its not so good. Example no custom roms, speed capped at 800mhz, one of the speakers stop working ,its feel very plastic cheap! I just returned to amazon and get the g-tablet its a diferent kind of animal! Tegra 2, 512mb ram, lots of custom roms.
Its your choice! But im super happy with g-tablet never looked back since i buyit!
Neoprimal;99 [QUOTE said:
Also, modding isn't horrible. It's a scary thing to think you have to do something that may brick your device to get it to an even workable state...but this isn't the case.
Even if you've never done it before once you're thorough and read/understand/execute in detail, you'll never brick. Most experienced modders can root and slap a new ROM on their devices in 20m or less (depending on the ROM size, etc) but don't watch that....if it takes you even an hour, as long as you do it right the first time (in terms of getting a recovery mod in there), you're going to be fine from then on. You'll have the added bonus of messing around with a variation of ROMs and may realize something's there that you like even more than the stock. You also have the backing of XDA devs which is a great, great thing.
My 2c.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I THINK its even more brick proof than people realize. I took mine from an infinite boot loop state with a partitioned (completely deleted) sd card and no back ups all the way back to stock in about five minutes (clockworkmod was the ONLY thing working) after spending about 25 minutes reading about NVFLASH and finding the correct usb to gtab driver for my pc operating system (mine was winxp pro but there was support for vista, win 7 64 and linux).
Thanks again Roebeet for pointing me in the right direction.
Pretty muck "brick proof-tacular" if you are willing to ask for help/read through threads/research.
I am fortunate enough to have both devices and did a comprehensive review with video for anyone who is still interested: http://www.blendblog.net/Default.aspx?tabid=36&EntryID=64.
They both have strengths and weaknesses as I point out in my review.
Sean
Allenfx said:
I THINK its even more brick proof than people realize. I took mine from an infinite boot loop state with a partitioned (completely deleted) sd card and no back ups all the way back to stock in about five minutes (clockworkmod was the ONLY thing working) after spending about 25 minutes reading about NVFLASH and finding the correct usb to gtab driver for my pc operating system (mine was winxp pro but there was support for vista, win 7 64 and linux).
Thanks again Roebeet for pointing me in the right direction.
Pretty muck "brick proof-tacular" if you are willing to ask for help/read through threads/research.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This has been my experience too... bought my G-Tab (after spending hours pouring over reviews etc.) fiddled around with ROM's, managed to get it stuck in an infinite boot loop (Clockwork does NOT like NVflash!) Took about a hour reading up on NVFlash (THANKS Roebeet!!!) and got it back running again. Then did it again several more times, just to be sure. So that's cool and all..
One problem tho'... the screen.
I've seen lot's of talk about how great/awful the viewing angles are for the G-Tab. With mine, when looked at perpendicular/directly on, it looks great! But tilt is just a bit away from you (as if to place it on a table) and it gets immediately blurry and weird-looking colors (like a cheap LCD laptop screen)
HOWEVER, turn it over (so's the dock port is on the top) and do the same tilt and it looks normal (a bit washed out, but normal color and no LCD blur) all the way flat on the table... IS THE SCREEN INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN??? Could this be why some people have such opposite experiences? I looked on YouTube at some viewing angle reviews and their G-Tabs looked like mine does when it's upside-down!? I took it back to Sears and got another one, took it home and same thing! So I took it back, too and got money back and am now trying to figure out weather or not to try the Archos... still hooked on the G-Tab though, it was so nice, except for having to keep it pointed exactly at 90-degree viewing angle. Any thoughts? And another big Thanks to Roebeet, just loved TNTlite!
mattrahman said:
This has been my experience too... bought my G-Tab (after spending hours pouring over reviews etc.) fiddled around with ROM's, managed to get it stuck in an infinite boot loop (Clockwork does NOT like NVflash!) Took about a hour reading up on NVFlash (THANKS Roebeet!!!) and got it back running again. Then did it again several more times, just to be sure. So that's cool and all..
One problem tho'... the screen.
I've seen lot's of talk about how great/awful the viewing angles are for the G-Tab. With mine, when looked at perpendicular/directly on, it looks great! But tilt is just a bit away from you (as if to place it on a table) and it gets immediately blurry and weird-looking colors (like a cheap LCD laptop screen)
HOWEVER, turn it over (so's the dock port is on the top) and do the same tilt and it looks normal (a bit washed out, but normal color and no LCD blur) all the way flat on the table... IS THE SCREEN INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN??? Could this be why some people have such opposite experiences? I looked on YouTube at some viewing angle reviews and their G-Tabs looked like mine does when it's upside-down!? I took it back to Sears and got another one, took it home and same thing! So I took it back, too and got money back and am now trying to figure out weather or not to try the Archos... still hooked on the G-Tab though, it was so nice, except for having to keep it pointed exactly at 90-degree viewing angle. Any thoughts? And another big Thanks to Roebeet, just loved TNTlite!
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Click to collapse
Ummmm.... this is not meant to be rude at all but I have to speak my mind.
For 300 bucks you need to get over it and enjoy the awesomeness you get out of ten inches that I paid to get 4 inches from my GSM (fml)
The Screen is a 300$ screen... be happy you got one before it sold out.
Not rude at all... in fact I had the same thought process... HOWEVER it was $400 ($369 listed on line, but $399 in the store, $440 with taxes [they said I'd have to return the one I bought in the store, order another online and pick it up at the merch. pick-up to get the online price] ) so it was a bit more than $300.If it were, I'd be much more inclined to just suck it up and enjoy the zippy-fast and get a stand that would hold it at the right angle... I'm looking at a "lightly used" one online that comes with a stand and chip for under $400 that I may get. I've even considered a ~$200 Chinese knock-off with a resistive screen, but I think I'd hate it, no Multi-Touch, slow response, etc. I guess it's just a balance of how much $$ with what features.
Originally, I ordered a Xoom from Verizon, but $800 plus $20/month seemed too too much! So I cancelled the order - for $35 "restocking fee" ugh, I hate phone companies - I still want a Xoom tho'.
I'm just wondering if anybody else has notice the "upside-down screen" thing, or am I nuts?
Update: Just found G-Tab for $299 on eBay/Tigerdirect with free shipping, 10 left...
gtab viewing angles
Yeah, On gtab noticed the screen has better viewing angles from top and left side than bottom and right. I dont know if that means they are building it installed upside down but they should move the factory to the southern hemisphere if they are ;-) or something.
Lousy viewing in the sun, regardless of angle.
Also wish the return key wasn't so badly placed, hold it in the right hand only and bound to hit the return key...
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.
Just ordered one although i was a bit hesitant after reading a lot of negative feedback on them. After further investigation it seemed as though most of the complaints were related to the factory software ?? ive done a bunch of reading and plan on modding it from day one. From what ive gathered you first load clockworkmod, then do a backup, then load your rom and lastly root if necessary (if the rom isnt already) only thing i havnt decided on is which rom. I see there are quite a few available here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=874258 but honestly i wouldnt mind some up to date opinions on which is working best.
And as the title asks, Do You Like Your Gtablet ??
Make sure you know what bootloader is on your G Tablet BEFORE you start flashing a new ROM! In the reading I have done to date, there are two different bootloader versions out there; 1.1 and 1.2. I thought I was good to go and started to install ClockWorkMod and Cyanogenmod 7 shortly after unboxing. Big mistake. It took a long, long time and tons of research before I was finally able to get it back to a working state.
The links below are a great place to start reading. The 4th link is a guide detailing the steps I went through to restore the G Tablet.
Viewsonic GTablet For Dummies
A New User's Guide to modding your GTablet device
[FAQ] Viewsonic G-Tablet ROMs Frequently Asked Questions (READ THIS FIRST)
Viewsonic G-Tablet 1.1 ROM Development
Viewsonic G-Tablet 1.2 ROM Development
Guide - Restore G Tablet after a Failed Recovery Mode "update.zip"
Personally I like the G Tablet. Sure, it might not have the polish of some of the "high end" tablets, but for the price I think it is a good deal. Of course the stock ROM leaves much to be desired.
Shortly after getting the G Tablet restored, I have been running roebeet's Brilliant Corners ROM with VTL.launcher. I like both alot.
Hope this helps. Have fun!
djab67
(if this helps, please consider clicking the "Thanks" button)
Well thats good to know about the bootloader, i hadnt noticed anything on that. Sounds like you just saved me a major headache.
I'll read all the links supplied, thanks for that. i dont mind doing my homework i just got to a point before there where i felt like i was going around and round in circles lol
I bought one of the flytouch 3's first and was kinda disappointed, it had decent functionality with the tim5a rom but the resistive screens are junk. The gtablet is the cheapest capacative touch 10" tablet i could find and paired with the tegra 2 gpu, 512mb ram and 16gb internal, not even mentioning the other options, it seemed like a steal at $269 with free shipping from tigerdirect.
Ill look into the roebeet's Brilliant Corners ROM with VTL.launcher and give that one a try, is that one of the most recently developed roms for this tab ?
Thanks again...
I agree, it is a good deal for the features included. I really don't have any medium or major complaints with a custom ROM installed. There are some minor things I would like to see improved, but those probably would have pushed the price up.
Brilliant Corners is fairly recent, the last build was on 5/20. It is froyo based, so it isn't the latest and greatest out there, but I find it highly useable and stable. There are newer honeycomb based ROMs available here on xda and at the links I sent in the last post. I tried a couple honeycomb versions, but at the time they didn't seem stable enough (the G Tablet was a birthday gift for my wife, so I could not afford periodic crashing/reboots).
To clarify; Brilliant Corners does not come with the VTL.launcher. I downloaded VTL.launcher here on xda (link below).
I would guess that your G Tablet will come with bootloader 1.2, but if it does come with 1.1 the list below has a link to another guide on upgrading from 1.1 to 1.2.
[APP][LAUNCHER] VTL.Launcher 1.6.5 (Tablet Oriented Launcher) [updated 05.19.11]
[GUIDE] Fool proof install for stock 4349 (1.1 to 1.2 upgrade path)
djab67
I love it. I've gone around to different stores to tryout several of the popular new tablets. I wasn't impressed by any of them. My modded gtab seemed faster than most of them, and I only paid $259.
Sent from my GtabComb using XDA Premium App
I have had my gtab for a few months and I enjoy it. have fun and try the different ROM's just be sure to learn how to use NVflash it will be your freind. and there are many helpful people here with alot of knowlage always do a search in the forum many questions have an answer already
I like mine, but dislike the display intensely.
It it what it is, a now somewhat dated (yes, 9 months is forever in the tech world) first generation tegra-2 android tablet with NO manufacturer support.
For $200 or so, it's a not a bad way to PLAY with android tablets, and if you like hacking/modding its a good platform for that.
If you could get a well-supported Honeycomb-based tablet with similar specs and a real display, for $100 more, you'd be nuts not to do so.
I'm running gtabcomb (Honeycomb) on mine. And I really do like it, and use it daily. I guess I didn't really expect to use it as much as I am, because if I did, I would have paid the extra $100 or so and gotten something with a better display.
I like mine as well. I'm running Flashback at the moment. I had gotten mine used off from eBay with Bottle of Smoke on it. I flashed it back to stock and immediately found out why everyone complained about it.
I've tried the ASOP gHarmony GB and really like that one as well, though I've been unable to get the latest loaded.
For me the tablet is great because I like to tinker with it. Last weekend I told my wife, "I'm going to load a new ROM onto my tablet." She asked, "Why?" I didn't have a good answer for her as it seemed seemed self-explanatory.
If someone doesn't want to fiddle with the thing I wouldn't recommend it (thought it is years ahead of the ZT-180 that I had before this! )
ByteWrencher
I am currently in love with GtabComb.
I have used several ROMs since over the past 6 months. To me GtabComb feels like a much smoother experience, more responsive to touch scrolling on the home screen and within apps. Really, now that I have my hands on Honeycomb, I just can't go back to Froyo-based ROMs.
While it currently lacks hardware acceleration, which some say would provide better video playback (and gaming, not important to me), I have found the video on GtabComb more than acceptable.
I have only had a few problems with apps loading or installing, but no showstoppers. I don't even remember which apps were issues.
The camera does not work, but since Skype video is not available for any ROM, and other other video chatting solutions do not provide a usable experience for me, this is also not a showstopper.
Have fun!
I like mine.
Mine is great!
Played with a display model at office depot and immediately ordered one (store was out of stock). Been happy with it ever since. The stock software is really bad. I tried out several ROMS and eventually settled with gtabcomb3.2. Once you try Honeycomb, it's hard to go back. My 2cents worth.
schettj said:
I like mine, but dislike the display intensely.
It it what it is, a now somewhat dated (yes, 9 months is forever in the tech world) first generation tegra-2 android tablet with NO manufacturer support.
For $200 or so, it's a not a bad way to PLAY with android tablets, and if you like hacking/modding its a good platform for that.
If you could get a well-supported Honeycomb-based tablet with similar specs and a real display, for $100 more, you'd be nuts not to do so.
I'm running gtabcomb (Honeycomb) on mine. And I really do like it, and use it daily. I guess I didn't really expect to use it as much as I am, because if I did, I would have paid the extra $100 or so and gotten something with a better display.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What options are available for $100 more that are better hardware wise ? I looked around quite a bit and saw nothing in the $350 area that rivaled the gtab ? thx
digitalcoup said:
I am currently in love with GtabComb.
I have used several ROMs since over the past 6 months. To me GtabComb feels like a much smoother experience, more responsive to touch scrolling on the home screen and within apps. Really, now that I have my hands on Honeycomb, I just can't go back to Froyo-based ROMs.
While it currently lacks hardware acceleration, which some say would provide better video playback (and gaming, not important to me), I have found the video on GtabComb more than acceptable.
I have only had a few problems with apps loading or installing, but no showstoppers. I don't even remember which apps were issues.
The camera does not work, but since Skype video is not available for any ROM, and other other video chatting solutions do not provide a usable experience for me, this is also not a showstopper.
Have fun!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The latest version of skype ran perfectly on my froyo flytouch tab. To bad to hear the camera doesnt work with gtacomb.
yamahadude9 said:
What options are available for $100 more that are better hardware wise ? I looked around quite a bit and saw nothing in the $350 area that rivaled the gtab ? thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i said IF... staples recently had a $100 off any tablet deal that put several of the mid-$400 tablets right in that pricepoint.
Edit: for example, http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/0...440-with-free-shipping-from-ebay-daily-deals/
Current deal on a new 32GB wifi xoom: $440. Shipped Free. That's within spitting distance of $100 more than the $280 I spent on my gtab. $160 more, might still be worth it. Likely most of these "late first gen/early 2nd gen" tablets with full Honeycomb support will be heading to the $300-$400 pricepoint in the next few months.
schettj said:
i said IF... staples recently had a $100 off any tablet deal that put several of the mid-$400 tablets right in that pricepoint.
Edit: for example, http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/0...440-with-free-shipping-from-ebay-daily-deals/
Current deal on a new 32GB wifi xoom: $440. Shipped Free. That's within spitting distance of $100 more than the $280 I spent on my gtab. $160 more, might still be worth it. Likely most of these "late first gen/early 2nd gen" tablets with full Honeycomb support will be heading to the $300-$400 pricepoint in the next few months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got ya, i would love to see the xoom's and galaxy tabs come down below $400 but i dont see that happening right off. Not with the cell phone companies using them as leverage to get you to sign a two year contract.
Besides by the time the price comes down there will be something better available again, its a vicious cycle !
Gtab is suppose to be here today, cant wait to try it out !
I like my gtab so far but i have only had it a few days. I have tried several roms so far and i am currently running bottle of smoke and i have to say i like the HC experience better than froyo. Camera wasnt a big deal for me, I got flash and Netflix working so I'm a happy camper.
I have had mine a few days too now and i must say im pretty impressed. The screen sensitivity is great and multitouch works excellent. The image quality is great and ive experienced no lag from the dual core gpu.
Im running brilliant corners (froyo) and its very,very stable, not a single force close on any program. Everything works perfectly, netflix and the market worked right out of the box with bc. I had some issues with games initially, like asphalt hd but thats a vendor problem not the rom or gtab.
I do love my 2 gtabs! 1 is in VEGAn, 1 in GtabComb beta 3.3.
Got them from tigerdirect.com, for $269 a piece. What a steal, and just perfect for my kids! Then bought the Fuse cases, from electroniccrap.com, for $30 a piece. They fit nicely!
I like mine. Running gtabcomb 3.3. I think I still prefer the Asus transformer and probably should have shelled out the extra $100. It is nice having a USB port for flash drives though.
Sent from my GtabComb using Tapatalk
yeah my gtab surpasses most tablets out now and it was around half of the price! but I would rather have the moto xoom but i am happy with my gtab
I've had my gtab for a little over a month and I'm pretty happy with it. I think like most others on this site that I appreciate the fact that you can play with it and try other ROMs and just tinker with it. It's not a Cadillac gets me where I want to go. Only complaint is in the video playing. Hopefully can get that resolved. I'm thinking of buying another one for my wife.
I've been running my Nook Color with CM7.1 for a couple of months and really like it. My neighbor has recently bought a TouchPad and I spent a few hours yesterday helping him install Alpha 2.1 and all the important apps. It's quite a beautiful machine but for all the world it looks and acts just like a bigger Nook. What am I missing? I realize the bigger size is nice for movies and photos but does it really do anything that the Nook doesn't? I'll admit that I would like to have one but right now I can't rationalize spending the money if it doesn't bring anything more than what I have right now. Any opinions?
FishDoc
the touchpad is 2x the machine the nook is.
just wait until android is fully on this bad boy.
Nobody is forcing you to spend any money. lol
the Touchpad is just more future-proof as far as android is concerned.
maybe with ICS you will notice a difference.
FishDoc said:
I've been running my Nook Color with CM7.1 for a couple of months and really like it. My neighbor has recently bought a TouchPad and I spent a few hours yesterday helping him install Alpha 2.1 and all the important apps. It's quite a beautiful machine but for all the world it looks and acts just like a bigger Nook. What am I missing? I realize the bigger size is nice for movies and photos but does it really do anything that the Nook doesn't? I'll admit that I would like to have one but right now I can't rationalize spending the money if it doesn't bring anything more than what I have right now. Any opinions?
FishDoc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a NC and bought a TP the day the firesale was announced (crazy day). I picked another one up for my wife the next morning at office depot (last one). I got it because of its future proofing ability. It has twice the RAM, 1.2 Ghz dual core, far more space (32 v 8 GB), full range Bluetooth, better NIC card. ETC. Plus, having the TP gives me the added bonus of being able to use the NC as a straight up ereader.
I had an NC with CM7 and now a TP for 1 week.
Like any notebook or computer I have ever upgraded to it is the same experience usually but larger faster smoother when using TP with CM7 - I have yet to have it freeze up on me the NC did all the time. That said the NC has a sharper screen, but the TP bigger screen makes up for it.
But the difference i didn't count on was that icould still have webOS on it and for 90% of everything i do i keep going to webOS which is not what I expected.
The stock email app in webOS is great (better imho than iPad and the only thing i missed, which i had before NC).
Zinio in webOS is way better than the version usable in CM7.
Video and streaming is smooth as butter under webOS (with the Kalemsoft App) because it has advantage of using drivers for the GPU.
I am not a gamer, so I guess there is way more options in CM7 - but you can dual boot.
The built in skype in webOS is so much better than skype was on any of my previous machines (iPad gTab, NC, even my windows 7 notebook) and the video works.
The only thing I have found lacking is the browser, which is usable and renders pages nicely but i much prefer Opera mobile in CM7 which looks fantastic on the TP and has all the features.
I always had trouble with VPN on NC (and on my Nexus One and Galaxy S). On webOS it just works - I can now watch hulu on the thing (I am outside the USA).
The thing is that CM7 boots up and down extremely quickly on TP compared to nook, so i find rebooting form webOS to CM7 is not so bad and have been using it about 80% of the time in webOS. (I had some experience with webOS since i had a palm pre. - it is still the only phone my wife has been happy with).
I think at this stage with the promise of ICS, even if someone offered me a dedicated ICS - tab for the same price i would stick with the TP. Only WM8 has me curious for the future.
Thanks for the info
That will help me explain to my partner why I intend to spend $225 on a new toy.
LOL, well I was slick... My wife's laptop was physically dying (pretty good for a 2 year old laptop that had an entire oversized cup of coffee poured on it when it was 2 weeks old). I saw the notice about the firesale on slickdeals the day it came out and kinda dismissed it for an hour or so. Then I couldn't resist, I looked at my wife and said "well, since you are not in school anymore, this will do everything that you generally do on your laptop even if android is never ported over to it and it's only $99!" She responded with "yeah, I guess you are right. ok, I will take one of those." I bought that one (got the 32 GB one) through the HP website. Then about an hour later I told her "well they are so inexpensive, I should get one too. It will last longer than my NC (hardware wise) and my laptop is SO HEAVY (17 inch ASUS from 2.5 years ago) so I could take it to school with the BT keyboard and take notes on it", She said "OK" and had that smile like she knew she was being played.
I ended up getting a new laptop a few weeks after that because the fan on mine got kinda wonky and it would just shut off randomly. Actually between the beginning of June and the middle of october I made out pretty well. I got an Evo3d, a 32GB TP, a new asus 15 laptop, and a new (to me) car. But I do deal shopping so all of this cost me a total of $1300. LOL
However, I don't get to buy anything for probably a year now, but that is fine, I am sated (except for a new printer, but I am just going to wait until she demands that because ours has turned from a multi to a monofunction printer - it had a good 5 year run).
I have both a Nook Color and an HP Touchpad. While running CM7 they both behave similarly, although the Nook Color running CM7.1 is more stable and performs better in terms of video content and streaming (only because the CM7 for the TP is still in alpha and the GPU code is not optimized). TP has a front facing camera and a microphone so it can be used to Skype without having to mess with an external USB or BlueTooth camera/microphone.
I will be gifting my Nook Color to my son primarily because of the bigger screen (I am getting older and my eye sight is not what it used to be) and the fact that I like WebOS for certain activities. The great thing about the Nook is the form factor, but I am getting used to carrying around the Touchpad.
Drachen808 said:
...
I ended up getting a new laptop a few weeks after that because the fan on mine got kinda wonky and it would just shut off randomly. Actually between the beginning of June and the middle of october I made out pretty well. I got an Evo3d, a 32GB TP, a new asus 15 laptop, and a new (to me) car. But I do deal shopping so all of this cost me a total of $1300. LOL
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hhhmm all that for 13 C notes, eh ...
i won't ask what car you got !
new 32 gb TP arrived today. wanted to actually try webos!
the asus TF with dock is great, and really like the NC too.
along with the og evo and the evo 3d, laptop and 4 work/personal computers,
keeping everything updated takes some time!
I don't own a hp touchpad or have ever used one, what are your experiences in using one?
I'm thinking of buying a second hand one for use as a 720p video player (downscaling videos) and occasional web surfing on CM9 or CM10 (depending on what works better).
Is there anything I should know before buying one? What are the cons of this compared to other tablets?
Thanks!
Unless you particularly want one, or its ridiculously cheap I wouldn't bother.
The WebOS OS is alright but it is now largely unsupported and you aren't likely to get new apps other than via Preware and the community.
Android CM9 on the device is stable but I haven't managed to get a stable enough CM10 build working reliably to keep our long term.
Getting replacement batteries is becoming harder and they are likely to fail any time now! In fact that's the position I'm in now and as I'm outside the US, it's either throw the TP away or take a chance on a non-official battery from China! (eBay is the only place I've found then even then and returns are at customer shopping cost so I'm hesitant.)
There are loads of Android tablets out there that are likely to be better supported in terms of spares and repair and you are likely to get a similar spec one just as cheap. In fact there are some reasonable ones for around $100/€100 if you know what to buy.
To be honest the only thing I miss now I'm using my Galaxy Tab 2 (my 7" travel device) more regularly is the wireless charging dock, which I loved.
You doesn't get a pad at that price with similar power nowadays.
Only HDMI out is missing. For me.
I have two touchpads and I'm quite happy with them. I use them with cm10 and they are working perfectly for me. My main apps are "mobilesheet" (perfect for musicians as replacement for score files), facebook, internet, email, podcasts, music and videos on local and internet. Maybe in the future as a remote control for our Yamaha 01v mixing console.
I agree with above poster. I paid 165 for my tablet and I can say it was best $165 ever paid. I user my touchpad for everything from Netflix, surfing, other video watching app and games. No issues what so ever. You can't get same powerfull device for such low price. I tried to find a similar tablet for around 200 but couldn't get anything. So you have to pay over 300 for 10 inch device that too a old one. All new 10 inch ones are around 400.
Sent from my Touchpad
HP Touchpad multibooting with CM9 should be fairly usable even now.
Please keep in mind that there are no official CM10 builds yet (and for a long time now...)
When KitKat comes out, I doubt CM11 will come out soon either for it.
I am still on CM9 and is able to keep up with most apps.
Also there are some common faults with Touchpad, I have them too.
Volume Up/Down buttons are flaky. Sometimes need hard presses or dont register properly.
Plastic fascia cracking, near the stereo speakers. This can grow slowly unless fixed (by you, HP/Palm would not care)
It was a good deal to buy during the firesale, but on today's date, I think I would personally go for a Nexus 7
Mainly for the high spec hardware & not wait for some OEM/Dev to release the latest google updates.
I bought an Asus transformer prime (TF200) which has a detachable keyboard which includes an additional battery USB and SD slot had some WiFi problems but I fixed that and gave mine to mum having already given one to my daughter.
Last month when she was down from university she kept "borrowing it" so I asked if she wanted to swap. I now have a TP back running jcsullins experimental with working Bluetooth and couldn't be happier as I get to have fun again trying out different ROMs and muck about with a fast easily rooted unlocked device with the added advantage of Webos which is still good in its own right.
If you do get it make sure to also purchase the Touchstone charger which is brilliant.
All the best with your decision.
TouchPad was a powerful device, when first came out. Hardware still supports newest apps and Android versions with nearly 0 problem. Also it's a quality device. If you find a cheap one (like the fire sale days), you can buy it with no doubt. I bought it nearly 2 years before and still using it; Android Jelly Bean :good:
Go for it!
I have 3 of these for over two years now and all are still in use! My personal daily driver, the kids and a hack/mod.
Its a great tablet, you wont be disappointed...of course you will need Android installed as WebOs, well isnt bad, but really isnt goo either.
good luck
Pros
Large Screen
Good sound quality
Excellent development
Cons
CPU is starting to show it's age
The image quality of the screen is relatively poor compared to other tablets (it's not bad)
It's really heavy
In the end I would consider something like a used 2012 Nexus 7 instead but if you love the Touchpad's form factor I would say go for it.
I'm going to have to agree with some of the previous posts in looking for a Nexus 7 instead unless you really need or want a 10 inch tablet. You wont find hardware in that size even remotely close to the TouchPad. Right now I'm still running CM 9(Ill admit not the latest build still) however its starting to get on my nerves a bit, it seems to get bogged down pretty easily. I guess it all comes down to your own preferences and if you can get one that its pretty good shape.
The wireless charger is a must for this. You can use easily as digital picture frame and just pick up off charger to check email, etc. Plus can be picked up for very little money. Buy both together under $150 but wireless charger can be had for $26 shipped on amazon if you get one without.
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I'm thinking of buying a second hand one for use as a 720p video player (downscaling videos) and occasional web surfing on CM9 or CM10 (depending on what works better).
The Tochpad can handle that easily.
Loved my hp....couple years ago. My opinion, if you want a larger screen and a nice one at that, 32 gig plus microsd, look at the nook hd +
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FunkiBluDawg said:
HP Touchpad multibooting with CM9 should be fairly usable even now.
Please keep in mind that there are no official CM10 builds yet (and for a long time now...)
When KitKat comes out, I doubt CM11 will come out soon either for it.
I am still on CM9 and is able to keep up with most apps.
Also there are some common faults with Touchpad, I have them too.
Volume Up/Down buttons are flaky. Sometimes need hard presses or dont register properly.
Plastic fascia cracking, near the stereo speakers. This can grow slowly unless fixed (by you, HP/Palm would not care)
It was a good deal to buy during the firesale, but on today's date, I think I would personally go for a Nexus 7
Mainly for the high spec hardware & not wait for some OEM/Dev to release the latest google updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With extremely light usage for a year, often not used at all, I observed a crack form on the back side next to one of the speakers as others have experienced. I like my TouchPad but if I were shopping for a new device, I would consider different manufacturers and spend more time searching for reviews. I would also recommend a Google Nexus tablet.
Love my Touchpad, incredible for $100. Still decent for the price of course. Who knows, I may not upgrade for a couple of years more!
Nevertheless, if I was shopping now I would consider some of the other devices. There are faster and better support devices out there. If you can live with a smaller size, then you'll score a great deal. If you want something bigger (like the TP), it's probably going to cost a little bit more. If you want something bigger with awesome resolution, like the Nexus 10...then it'll cost even more still.
Good luck!