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Hey all, Just bought the g-tab as my first android device. I liked playing with the Xoom and iPads in the store, but wanted the same experience for cheap and knew that I would have to root this g-tab thing to unleash that awesome hardware value. So far I've easily put TNT Lite 4.2 and it really is much faster and more usable then the Tap N Crap that viewsonic shipped. Thanks a bunch devs for fixing what should have never been modded in such a crappy way.
My question is will there every be Android 3.0 available for the gtab? I just read an article about how google is trying to ensure oems don't mess up the UI like viewsonic did to protect their reputation. Since the gtab wasn't even an official android device, I'm wondering if Honeycomb will even be available to viewsonic or devs here to put on the gtab.
I totally agree with this article. Google shouldn't be as totalitarian as Apple, but this lack of quality control is making Android look bad in the public sphere (not to hackers of course) So did I just buy a dead end device?
As a new user - I still can't post links, so here's the pasted article from pc world:
Why Google's Tighter Control Over Android Is a Good Thing
Limiting availability of Android 3.0 code and apparent tightening of Android smartphone standards means that Google finally gets it about the platform.
By Galen Gruman, Infoworld Apr 6, 2011 11:30 am
Last week, Google said it would not release the source for its Android 3.0 "Honeycomb" tablet to developers and would limit the OS to select hardware makers, at least initially. Now there are rumors reported by Bloomberg Businessweek that Google is requiring Android device makers to get UI changes approved by Google .
As my colleague Savio Rodrigues has written, limiting the Honeycomb code is not going to hurt the Android market . I believe reining in the custom UIs imposed on Android is a good thing. Let's be honest: They exist only so companies like Motorola, HTC, and Samsung can pretend to have any technology involvement in the Android products they sell and claim they have some differentiating feature that should make customers want their model of an Android smartphone versus the umpteenth otherwise-identical Android smartphones out there.
[ Compare mobile devices using your own criteria with InfoWorld's smartphone calculator and tablet calculator. | Keep up on key mobile developments and insights via Twitter and with theMobile Edge blog and Mobilize newsletter. ]
The reality of Android is that it is the new Windows : an operating system used by multiple hardware vendors to create essentially identical products, save for the company name printed on it. That of course is what the device makers fear -- both those like Acer that already live in the race-to-the-bottom PC market and those like Motorola and HTC that don't want to.
But these cosmetic UI differences cause confusion among users, sending the message that Android is a collection of devices, not a platform like Apple's iOS. As Android's image becomes fragmented, so does the excitement that powers adoption. Anyone who's followed the cell phone industry has seen how that plays out: There are 1 billion Java-based cell phones out there, but no one knows it, and no one cares, as each works so differently that the Java underpinnings offer no value to anyone but Oracle, which licenses the technology.
Google initially seemed to want to play the same game as Oracle (and before it Sun), providing an under-the-hood platform for manufacturers to use as they saw fit. But a couple curious things happened:
Vendors such as Best Buy started selling the Android brand, to help create a sense of a unified alternative to BlackBerry and iOS, as well as to help prevent customers from feeling overwhelmed by all the "different" phones available. Too much choice confuses people, and salespeople know that.
Several mobile device makers shipped terrible tablets based on the Android 2.2 smartphone OS -- despite Google's warnings not to -- because they were impatient with Google's slow progress in releasing Honeycomb. These tablets, such as the Galaxy Tab , were terrible products and clear hack jobs that only demonstrated the iPad's superiority . I believe they also finally got the kids at Google to understand that most device makers have no respect for the Android OS and will create the same banal products for it as they do for Windows. The kids at Google have a mission, and enabling white-box smartphones isn't it.
I've argued before that Android's fragmentation, encouraged by its open source model, was a mistake . Google should drive the platform forward and ride herd on those who use it in their devices. If it wants to make the OS available free to stmulate adoption, fine. But don't let that approach devolve into the kind of crappy results that many device makers are so clueless (or eager -- take your pick) to deliver.
So far, Google's been lucky in that the fragmentation has been largely in cosmetic UI areas, which doesn't affect most Android apps and only annoys customers when they switch to a new device. The fragmentation of Android OS versions across devices is driving many Android developers away , as are fears over a fractured set of app stores. Along these lines, Google has to break the carriers' update monopoly, as Apple did, so all Android devices can be on the same OS page.
It is true that HTC's Eris brought some useful additions to the stock Android UI, serving as a model for future improvements. But the HTC example is the exception, and Google's apparent new policy would allow such enhancements if Google judges them to be so.
More to the point is what the tablet makers such as ViewSonic, Dell, and Samsung did with their first Android tablets. Their half-baked products showed how comfortable they are soiling the Android platform. For them, Android is just another OS to throw on hardware designed for something else in a cynical attempt to capture a market wave. The consistently low sales should provide a clue that users aren't buying the junk. But do they blame the hardware makers or Google? When so many Android devices are junk, it'll be Google whose reputation suffers.
Let's not forget Google's competition, and why Google can't patiently teach these companies about user experience: Apple, a company that knows how to nurture, defend, and evangelize a platform. Let's also not forget the fate of Microsoft and Nokia , who let their Windows Mobile and Symbian OSes fragment into oblivion. And let's remember that the one company that knows how the vanilla-PC game is played, Hewlett-Packard, has decided to move away from the plain-vanilla Windows OS and stake its future on its own platform, WebOS , for both PCs and mobile devices. In that world, a fragmented, confused, soiled Android platform would have no market at all.
If Google finally understands that Android is a platform to be nurtured and defended, it has a chance of remaining a strong presence in the mobile market for more than a few faddish years. If not, it's just throwing its baby into the woods, where it will find cruel exploitation, not nurturing or defense.
I didn't read your 1000 word post, but I read your topic. HC on GTAB has NOTHING to do with Google. It has everything to do with Nvidia abandoning GTAB.
The media has an idea in their head but they are shooting the messenger. Google has no choice when Nvidia stops producing source for the proprietary elements of the system.
Nvidia simply does not care about Harmony which is the hardware reference legacy devices are built on.
So this device is going to be left behind when it comes to the new android stuff?
It is interesting that you ask. With 318 posts here you have to have followed some of the threads discussing this before. At this point in time I don't think anyone knows. Lots of speculation, lots of pent up desire and the best Devs ever so I am sure there will be improvements, Will it ever make full HC who knows?? If you read your article carefully, even the stuff out there ( Zoom and Transformer) does not have complete Honeycomb.
I wonder what Honeycomb will bring to the picture that we don't have already. I have my gtablet rooted and running TnT 4.4 and it's sufficient for almost all my tablet needs. Yesterday I was reading Kindle books to the kids, streaming movies/music from my media center PC, watching youtube and browsing the net, all with nary a hiccup. I even got a cheapo keyboard leathercase to use for editing documents. If it's the UI, the current Launcher Pro Premium and GO Launcher EX are pretty nice alternatives.
I have played with the XOOM tablet at Best Buy and thought other than some pretty UI and a nicer screen, functionally I wasn't getting much for double the price.
samaruf said:
I wonder what Honeycomb will bring to the picture that we don't have already. I have my gtablet rooted and running TnT 4.4 and it's sufficient for almost all my tablet needs. Yesterday I was reading Kindle books to the kids, streaming movies/music from my media center PC, watching youtube and browsing the net, all with nary a hiccup. I even got a cheapo keyboard leathercase to use for editing documents. If it's the UI, the current Launcher Pro Premium and GO Launcher EX are pretty nice alternatives.
I have played with the XOOM tablet at Best Buy and thought other than some pretty UI and a nicer screen, functionally I wasn't getting much for double the price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats interesting. What ROM are you running? Most of my video is choppy, and I read in the dev forum this has to do with no video acceleration yet for the Gingerbread versions.
Good point - if it does what you want it to do then so what if it's not the newest... I'm a little embarrassed, but still rockin out to my first gen iPod nano a the gym
Guess I still wanted whatever tablet specific ui improvements that honeycomb was expected to bring.
nitefallz said:
Thats interesting. What ROM are you running? Most of my video is choppy, and I read in the dev forum this has to do with no video acceleration yet for the Gingerbread versions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I mentioned in my post, my ROM is TnT Lite 4.4 with Clemsyn's kernel (v9). I can stream 700 MB avi files with no stuttering or choppiness. I use GMote app on the tablet and the GMote server in the media PC. My video player is Rockplayer, which is free from the market.
I too was just at Best Buy bout a week ago and messed around with the Xoom for a little bit. Quickly I realized why its been a couple years since I've been to this store (prices?!?!), not to mention the help asking me if I had any questions and if I was looking to buy the Xoom (they left me alone after proclaiming I was completely satisfied with my gtab).
The only real difference I could notice (which in my eyes was a big one) was the interface. Its definitely more "flashy" in looks and prettier for eye-candy, but no real difference outside of that, actually seemed to lag a bit; almost comparable to the gtab out of box.
Me personally, I'm in no hurry to see any kind of honeycreams equivalent make its way to the gtab. I'm more anxious to see gojimi release their vegan ginger Beta more than anything right now. Been counting the days (sometimes hours) since reading their update about him coming back from vacation, lets do this!
Closing thread - see this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1026411
Hey all,
I've been looking around trying to decide what to get for on-the-go work since my last laptop died. I want something more portable (weighs less) than your normal laptop, and I really don't need the power. The Transformer Prime definitely has the power, but I'm not sure if it has the same or adequate functionality and so I'm thinking maybe I should get a netbook or ultrabook instead.
I'm a computer science major, and I also do web development and work on apps in my spare time. Here are the things I would be using the tab for:
-Textbook replacement: Biggest reason for going with the Transformer, I'm sick of paying for textbooks and since I can download them, I'm going to forego the $500 fee for my education.
-Coding: I'm currently studying C++, so I would need to be able to write and (possibly) compile relatively small programs (largest would probably be a few thousand lines.)
-Web Development: I write in html/css/php/js and I add more languages as I go. I generally don't need to do more than manipulate files, code in a basic text editor, and preview files in a browser (this is a big one, I need to be able to see what is going on when I display it.)
-Image Editing (optional): I have a desktop which I rely on for image processing and other intensive tasks, but sometimes being able to edit an image really quickly can be helpful. Not necessary, but would be a plus.
Other than those functions, I'm going to be using the device for media consumption a lot, browsing the net and such. So, what would you recommend? And are there any things that a comp-sci major such as myself may need to do on the go that I forgot? (Honestly, I may be missing something here, would like to hash this out as much as possible) An ultrabook seems like overkill, and a netbook would definitely fill my needs (+more ram is really nice) but the battery life and dual functionality of the Transformer Prime as a tablet could be very useful, I might end up using it more than I would a netbook, in which case I'd want it.
Also, I've heard you can boot ubuntu on the Prime. Would this be a better way to create my ideal programming/webdeveloping/textbook reading tablet/laptop?
The Prime will be able to do function #1 easily enough, but functions 2-4 will not happen, IMO. You need a laptop/ultrabook for those. The Prime does not have enough processing power or memory ... besides, your C compiler and image editors will not be available for the Prime. I did see a demo of Ubuntu running on the original Transformer ... it was really, really slow. I do not expect the Prime to be that much faster.
Many folks who expected the original Transformer to be a laptop replacement were sorely disappointed -- the same will be true for the Prime. These are still consumption devices, for the most part. I do expect the Prime will replace my laptop for many of my tasks, but for development, I have my high-powered (dual boot: Win/Ubuntu) laptop.
Yeah, I'm not expecting it to do all the same things as a netbook/laptop. Obviously its less powerful and functional (at least for development purposes) but the thing is I never used my laptop for more than text-editting and the OCCASIONAL image processing job (very rare, I prefer working at home on my desktop for that.)
If I get a Prime and end up using it more than I used my laptop, then I'd consider it worth it. If I can code on it (especially with preview, very important feature) then the rest should be ok. And being able to read textbooks e-reader style would be very nice.
Its not easy to weigh the pros and cons, thats why I'm posting here, trying to get different perspectives.
Some users have been able to make some serious adaptations and use the Transformer really well. It's just so limited, that I think you will be disappointed ... I think you are forgetting that you are a computer science major! Just teasing...
Besides all that ... this is NOT a cheap device by any means. For the money you would pay for the Prime you could get a pretty good laptop that will last you quite a few years. Then, you can buy a cheap consumption device that fulfills the needs of consumption rather well. Of course, I am one to talk ... I bought the Prime. I do, however, have a good laptop and desktop, so it is a little different.
Very true, I think I'll definitely feel the squeeze of inferior hardware if I do get it which is unfortunate =/
As for getting a laptop, I really am done with them. Weighs too much, hurts my back while running around, generally bulky and again, I don't use them all that much. I think the Transformer style laptop/tablet combo is the way to go in the future, so much more functionality for the same amount of hardware (As opposed to having two devices). I think when similar devices have >2GB ram and can run a more powerful platform like Windows 8/Linux, they will definitely be full fledged enough to compete with laptops.
Still, right now is right now... I guess it really depends on what I'll be using it for more than anything else. If my primary use is taking notes and reading textbooks, and coding is more on the side, then the Prime is probably the better choice. So the question is, is using the Prime as an e-reader for textbooks that much better than opening them up in a pdf and reading them on a netbook/laptop?
hmm, need to think about that...
if you have a desktop, you could jsut remote log-in to that via splashtop, teamviewer or logmein.
that's probably the best way to get access to the things you need for 2-4. Other things you could do well on your prime.
worst case, hold out for an ultrabook ie mac book air, or acer aspire s5?
I'd actually never heard of splashtop before, thank you for that info! This definitely changes things, since I rarely use photoshop/other features that a laptop would be able to have. If that's the case, I can just remote login when I need those functions and go with a basic text editor for on the go coding!
I'm definitely leaning toward the Prime now, I think it'll support what I need without sacrificing too much functionality.
Textbooks-As others have said, you can definitely use the prime for #1. If you would like to use it for the other tasks, here are a few helpful apps.
Web- Android web editor pro. What I use for web development, should do everything you are looking for.
C++- check out C4Droid. It is a C compiler for android, that supports C++ with root. Can't vouch for it though, I use mostly Java.
Image editing- adobe has launched a whole mobile design suite specifically for android tablets not to long ago, Photoshop touch being the main feature. I use it fairly often, it is quite good, not on par with regular Photoshop but a big step up from average image editors.
Hope you find something useful out of my ramblings.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Splashtop HD is really good. Probably the best. Another great thing is that The Prime comes with this built on so no need to buy the app.
If you have a desktop just sitting around while you are out, Splashtop is a great way to remote desktop in, particularly on wifi (as with the prime). Think of it almost like a thin client connecting to the mainframe servers... which is how I got my CompSci degree. You get all the power of your desktop with all the portability of your tablet.
Personally, I'm hoping to find a way to write android apps FROM an Android device... seems like a logical programming environment, considering all the libraries and such are already present. Who needs an emulator when you're holding the real thing.
webin said:
If you have a desktop just sitting around while you are out, Splashtop is a great way to remote desktop in, particularly on wifi (as with the prime). Think of it almost like a thin client connecting to the mainframe servers... which is how I got my CompSci degree. You get all the power of your desktop with all the portability of your tablet.
Personally, I'm hoping to find a way to write android apps FROM an Android device... seems like a logical programming environment, considering all the libraries and such are already present. Who needs an emulator when you're holding the real thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best thing would be some remote desktop software indeed.
I run Teamviewer on all my PCs/Laptops and there is a client for Android too. Works like a charm, even through internet connections.
I have C4Droid on my phone and ATP, and can say that it works wonderully. I'm a comp sci major too, just like OP. I code in c++, C4Droid is awesome. the only downside to it is the inability to do multi-file projects.
Sent from my DROID3 using XDA App
Hey Guys, just came across this article and thought it was a good read. Do you think Android will partner with Asus to make their own brand of tablets...will it be better for us as Android buyers in the future if Android had more control by being the hardware as well as software maker. or do you feel like this is turning them into Apple-lite
http://www.androidauthority.com/will-google-abandon-android-71483/
Seems like Android Authority is a bit desperate for clicks. That is all I got from it.
detta123 said:
Seems like Android Authority is a bit desperate for clicks. That is all I got from it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah basically..lol.
they taking the whole Asus Manufacturing Google Nexus tablet and spinning it into some crazy apocalyptic Android dying story. Android will be fine. Android growth has really actually just begun. we haven't seen nothing yet. Google needs a nexus tablet to instill confidence and optimism in Androids future. It can almost be guareenteed to attract more developers to android ecosystem. If android was dying, I'd seriously doubt they'd be making a tablet with Asus, restructured Google Play Store, and Making Google store purchases possible to be made online by anyone. All these recent moves Google has made is pointing to something big coming up.
Android for LIFE!
All of my current and future devices will continue to be android.
It is just way too much fun, IOS sucks.
If android goes away, I will go back to laptops.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
I dont even want to read that article Android brings profit and is a huge thing worldwide. Why would you abandon something like this? Of course its not Google's biggest income generator but it has so much potential and it serves as competition to Apple.
Google deciding to do some hardware manufacturing? I really like that. They probably learn from it and be able to improve the software/hardware.
There is one thing though they could do to android imho. I like some of the 3rd party GUI's that come with android devices. For example HTC Sense. They add alot of nice widgets and great looking uniform base apps.
BUT. At the price of getting important updates like ICS half a year later? No... No.
For me there are 2 ways those companies could handle the situation. Make custom UI's optional. Let people use vanilla Android if they want fast upgrades and let them switch to custom UI's once their done. Or just open all the bootloaders and release all kernel source and stuff to XDA so people can make their own roms and updates (which usually are better anyway...).
Apart from that Android is just totally great.
clouds5 said:
For me there are 2 ways those companies could handle the situation. Make custom UI's optional. Let people use vanilla Android if they want fast upgrades and let them switch to custom UI's once their done. Or just open all the bootloaders and release all kernel source and stuff to XDA so people can make their own roms and updates (which usually are better anyway...).
Apart from that Android is just totally great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually Google is already consdidering this. read several articles on it. it's a great idea bit one catch, Phone carriers would hate it. those companies add those GUI to devices to differentiate themselves from other similar devices. I'd rather have vanilla android experience and not have bloat ui on top of it. A GUI on top of vanilla android will never be faster out the box than a plain vanilla experience. one suggestion was to make the various companies GUI removable if the user chooses. they could use that companies GUI or go vanilla route or use one of the many launchers available on android. Usually a company GUI will be more integrated and stable than one from marketplace.
Yeah i've read about that too. i dont think custom UIs need to go away. Sometimes they're great. And with tegra3 phones coming out i guess the performance wont be such an issue anymore.
But i'd love to see some change in that situation. I think updates shouldnt be delayed more than 1 month. Not like half a year.
The article is the usual blog filler; title is admittedly clickbait. Then again, most news & blog sites have SEO'ed titles to varying degree. Yellow journalism used to be on the fringe. Now, it's the way to get clicks. That's the cost of "free" content.
Idle gossip aside, Google's strategy for tablet adoption has not worked. It will need to do something, and soon. We should know by Google I/O in June, if not earlier.
IMO, the rumors presently circulating--direct-sale of cheapo tablet & online store--aren't enough. The problems are more fundamental, and are myriad. To me, what's discouraging aren't the obstacles, but that I haven't seen any signal from Google leadership that they recognize the scope of the obstacles.
At any rate, Android won't suffer the fate of WebOS. It's entrenched on phones, and its open-source distribution will allow it to live on as a "hobbyist" OS, if nothing else.
Things move pretty fast in this mobile market, so we won't have long to wait, one way or the other.
Trolling done wrong.
A terrible excuse for either op-ed or journalism. sigh.
Seems this kid who wrote the article didn't get the point of android....
It amplifies all the Google services. It gives Google a extremely huge platform to present their products... it generates Google accounts which can be used for the almost infinite range of Google products. It helps to spread G+ and not to mention Google ad-words..
There is no essential need for a strong Google Phone brand... When you use it the normal way you pretty soon notice that Android is a Google product... you are asked to create a Google account, you have a ton of Google services pre-installed etc. .
Android could be a losing deal and it would still be worth the effort. Just because it spreads Google stuff. The power you have when 50% of the smart-phones world wide run with your is is enormous... Google does not have to worry too much about branding as long as the providers don't remove the Google-Products from it...
I see it like a commenter in the article, Google Tablet to fight the Kindle Fire... because it breaks the Google-branding... not so funny for Google...
>[Android] amplifies all the Google services. It gives Google a extremely huge platform to present their products...There is no essential need for a strong Google Phone brand...Android could be a losing deal and it would still be worth the effort.
These are all true. But IMO it misses the forest for the trees, the forest in this case being the next computing form factor, ie the tablet being a successor rather than adjunct of laptops. That should be the goal, not just an extension to sell more wares.
To be the next "computer," the OS has to do more, akin to the range of functions on desktop OS'es. Android, like iOS, lacks basic underpinnings--things like built-in networking, printing, support for peripheral devices, apps interoperability, etc etc.
The shortcoming doesn't affect Apple, because iOS has achieved critical mass on phones and tablets. Its success engenders 3rd-party support to address any deficit faced.
The other aspect not oft mentioned is that a bona fide OS needs support. One takeaway from a quick scan through these and other (official) Android forums is that OS support is grossly inadequate. As much complaints as there are in this forum, Asus is actually one of the better vendors for support. Users of Acer, Toshiba, and others, have given up on support. And these are enthusiasts. Think of how worse it would be for normal users.
The writing is on the wall: HW vendors don't have the expertise to support the OS. Google needs to do it. But with its current distribution philosophy, ie making AOSP code public and let HW vendors do what they will, Google can't do that. For it to support its OS, Google will need to follow the Microsoft path.
Getting its hands dirty with its own hardware may be a start, assuming Google better supports its product. But customer support has never been in Google's DNA, so I have my doubt that things would improve soon.
Google bought Motorolla, why would they need to partner with ASUS?
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk
>Google bought Motorolla, why would they need to partner with ASUS?
Because Asus can make cheap tablets, eg the rumored $199 tab, and Moto can't. Secondly, because Google still needs to maintain some degree of impartiality. With declining vendor support (on tablets), it can ill afford to piss off the few remaining.
e.mote said:
>Google bought Motorolla, why would they need to partner with ASUS?
Because Asus can make cheap tablets, eg the rumored $199 tab, and Moto can't. Secondly, because Google still needs to maintain some degree of impartiality. With declining vendor support (on tablets), it can ill afford to piss off the few remaining.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, the Motorola Xoom, great as it was(I owned one), was simply overpriced.
I do believe that in order to be widely accepted as being better than Apple, Google needs to seriously focus on getting better developer support. You can release the best tablet in the world, but if you do not have developer support, people will continue to flock to IOS. Lower the price of tablets while maintaining good quality standards, and gain developer support=win for Android
e.mote said:
>[Android] amplifies all the Google services. It gives Google a extremely huge platform to present their products...There is no essential need for a strong Google Phone brand...Android could be a losing deal and it would still be worth the effort.
These are all true. But IMO it misses the forest for the trees, the forest in this case being the next computing form factor, ie the tablet being a successor rather than adjunct of laptops. That should be the goal, not just an extension to sell more wares.
To be the next "computer," the OS has to do more, akin to the range of functions on desktop OS'es. Android, like iOS, lacks basic underpinnings--things like built-in networking, printing, support for peripheral devices, apps interoperability, etc etc.
The shortcoming doesn't affect Apple, because iOS has achieved critical mass on phones and tablets. Its success engenders 3rd-party support to address any deficit faced.
The other aspect not oft mentioned is that a bona fide OS needs support. One takeaway from a quick scan through these and other (official) Android forums is that OS support is grossly inadequate. As much complaints as there are in this forum, Asus is actually one of the better vendors for support. Users of Acer, Toshiba, and others, have given up on support. And these are enthusiasts. Think of how worse it would be for normal users.
The writing is on the wall: HW vendors don't have the expertise to support the OS. Google needs to do it. But with its current distribution philosophy, ie making AOSP code public and let HW vendors do what they will, Google can't do that. For it to support its OS, Google will need to follow the Microsoft path.
Getting its hands dirty with its own hardware may be a start, assuming Google better supports its product. But customer support has never been in Google's DNA, so I have my doubt that things would improve soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You make some interesting points, but I disagree that iOS is anywhere near being accepted as a PC replacement. In many important ways, Android is much farther along in this respect--access to the file system alone is one area. And, I think the idea that tablets will replace PCs is way overblown--having tried to use mine (even with the keyboard dock) as a replacement for my Windows notebook, I can testify that although some things are more convenient with tablets (like ebook reading, casual surfing, etc.), NOTHING is as efficient as with a "real" PC.
I could never do my job on any existing tablet, whether it's iOS or Android. I work with complex documents, use Photoshop for more than changing color tones, do some light video editing, etc. None of those are efficient (or even possible) on a tablet. Even the simple things like browsing, Twitter, etc., etc., are more efficient on a notebook or desktop. Again, a tablet is convenient--lightweight, long battery life, etc.--so it has its place alongside a real PC. But thinking it can replace a PC for most people is, I think, entirely unrealistic at this point.
Maybe that'll change in a few years, although I doubt even that. Seriously, who can imagine working EXCLUSIVELY on a 10" screen? And if a tablet becomes something that you plug into external monitors and keyboards and such, well then, ASUS is already mostly there with the Transformer series. And at that point what we'll have is just a more portable PC with external accessories. Once a tablet becomes complex enough in terms of network support, printing, peripheral devices like scanners, etc., then is it really a "tablet" any longer?
..........
demandarin said:
Actually Google is already consdidering this. read several articles on it. it's a great idea bit one catch, Phone carriers would hate it. those companies add those GUI to devices to differentiate themselves from other similar devices. I'd rather have vanilla android experience and not have bloat ui on top of it. A GUI on top of vanilla android will never be faster out the box than a plain vanilla experience. one suggestion was to make the various companies GUI removable if the user chooses. they could use that companies GUI or go vanilla route or use one of the many launchers available on android. Usually a company GUI will be more integrated and stable than one from marketplace.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was hearing at one point that Google was looking to simplify the custom GUI creation (just a custom GUI xml that the manufacturer can push that the vanilla OS will honor) so that even if there are large changes underneath by Google, there is no change needed by the manufacturer prior to release (assuming the manufacturer is only making GUI changes and not anything deeper).
sparkym3 said:
I was hearing at one point that Google was looking to simplify the custom GUI creation (just a custom GUI xml that the manufacturer can push that the vanilla OS will honor) so that even if there are large changes underneath by Google, there is no change needed by the manufacturer prior to release (assuming the manufacturer is only making GUI changes and not anything deeper).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that was what it was involving. thanks for pointing out those details.
Link doesn't work anymore!
I need a laptop to program on at school (Java this year, C++ next)
For a while I thought I HAD to get a laptop, and I was thinking a used Mac Book pro 13", around $900 or so.
I recently found AIDE (Android IDE) which allows for Java, C, C++ (and a few other languages I believe...) and also Eclipse project integration.
Does anyone use AIDE on an N10, or in general at all? Would this be a good or adequate move for me to make? Is AIDE able to compare with an IDE like Eclipse, or any others you can think of? (we use Eclipse in the class I'm taking now. Submissions are done on school Linux computers with Eclipse).
I would be buying a keyboard dock to use with the N10
Here's my current pro/con list
N10 Pros:
$400 cheaper at least
It's all I need in a computing device; internet, media, programming
Super portable
Android + Android Market
Matches my Nexus 4 :3
N10 Cons:
Um...perhaps might not be a pleasant programming experience? Whole point of this thread lol
_________
Laptop Pros:
Portable
Will do what I need it to, and more if something comes up in the future
I definitely know I can program on it, and is fully compatible with classes I take.
Apple product: it will work, and it will work nicely.
Laptop Cons:
More expensive than N10
Not quite as portable (larger than 10")
It would probably be an Apple product (cloud 'ecosystem' disjoint)
To be quite honest, money is the biggest factor here.
But on a final note, I'm mostly looking for personal experiences from you guys. What have you done with AIDE, what's your experience, what do you like/dislike.
I'll appreciate suggestions on what to buy, but it's almost meaningless without reasons to back it up.
I don't think a tablet can ever fully replace a laptop, especially for programming. Decent keyboard would be a major reason.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Yeah, you don't want to be programming on a tablet without a dedicated keyboard, those typos will be nasty. I doubt you could compile in a reasonable amount of time either.
Sent from my A100 using xda app-developers app
Ydoow said:
I need a laptop to program on at school (Java this year, C++ next)
For a while I thought I HAD to get a laptop, and I was thinking a used Mac Book pro 13", around $900 or so.
I recently found AIDE (Android IDE) which allows for Java, C, C++ (and a few other languages I believe...) and also Eclipse project integration.
Does anyone use AIDE on an N10, or in general at all? Would this be a good or adequate move for me to make? Is AIDE able to compare with an IDE like Eclipse, or any others you can think of? (we use Eclipse in the class I'm taking now. Submissions are done on school Linux computers with Eclipse).
I would be buying a keyboard dock to use with the N10
Here's my current pro/con list
N10 Pros:
$400 cheaper at least
It's all I need in a computing device; internet, media, programming
Super portable
Android + Android Market
Matches my Nexus 4 :3
N10 Cons:
Um...perhaps might not be a pleasant programming experience? Whole point of this thread lol
_________
Laptop Pros:
Portable
Will do what I need it to, and more if something comes up in the future
I definitely know I can program on it, and is fully compatible with classes I take.
Apple product: it will work, and it will work nicely.
Laptop Cons:
More expensive than N10
Not quite as portable (larger than 10")
It would probably be an Apple product (cloud 'ecosystem' disjoint)
To be quite honest, money is the biggest factor here.
But on a final note, I'm mostly looking for personal experiences from you guys. What have you done with AIDE, what's your experience, what do you like/dislike.
I'll appreciate suggestions on what to buy, but it's almost meaningless without reasons to back it up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I often program on my Nexus 10 but always over SSH with a hardware keyboard. Its something that's nice to have as an auxiliary device but if you don't have at least a decent desktop then buy a laptop first.
It also depends on what you want to program. If you want to make a Linux or Windows desktop application then the Nexus 10 won't be ideal. When I'm doing application programming I usually work on a desktop or laptop.
I use N10 to access remote dev machines and code (VS2010) from there using a bluetooth keyboard/mouse. These are all Windows machines. I would never run an IDE locally on the device itself, for one I code .NET mainly, and two, compiling would probably hella slow.
I would say it depends on what you are programming. These days, I primarily do Android development. So AIDE + the N10 was my main choice. I bought a Logitech keyboard at a low price, and my tablet has become very productive.
I have also been trying to learn other programming though. I put a lot of time into C++, which the N10 also fairly suits. I chrooted Ubuntu on my N10 and I use the terminal (not VNC) to write and compile C++ applications. It can get a bit tedious, but it works for basic, console based applications. Also for Perl, Ruby, Python and PHP, I use sl4a. I can write my programs in DroidEdit and it lets you compile with sl4a.
I bought the N10 as sort of a development machine. I know that more complex applications, like a Windows program, will not be entirely possibly. However, if I am working on a piece of my application (for example, maybe some database access or other kinds of general I/O), I can easily just copy that source code over to my N10 and test it with a test class, then integrate it into my main application when I have access to a desktop or Internet for a remote connection.
Absolutely not. You really don't want to be programming on something that small and relatively slow, especially for two years of school. Get a decent laptop with a 15"+ screen as you're gonna need all the screen real estate you can get. A MacBook Pro would be a waste of money for your purposes.
wireroid said:
Absolutely not. You really don't want to be programming on something that small and relatively slow, especially for two years of school. Get a decent laptop with a 15"+ screen as you're gonna need all the screen real estate you can get. A MacBook Pro would be a waste of money for your purposes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could not agree more. And what is his obsession with Apple laptops? They're overpriced for what they are nice though they might look. Why don't people realize that there are so many better alternatives out there where you can get such a cheap laptop for 500 dollars and you can just slap a Linux distro on it. Heck I bought my wife a Sony Ultrabook for 600 dollars 13 inch screen 4 gb ram hybrid ssd drive/hdd and it's more powerful than a MacBook Air. Oh and it can dual boot with Ubuntu.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
Hello. Inspired by some blog posts I decided I'm going to try work from an Android tablet and make the city my office. I'm a web developer, the code editing I can handle with terminal emulator and vim. The problem is with the developer tools - there are simply none on Chrome for Android. Yes, I know I could try something like Surface Pro, but for some reason an Android tablet seems more appealing to me, and it's cheaper.
I saw some cases where people got working a Linux distro running on top of Android with chroot, and the graphical interface was made possible with VNC connection. It appeared a little laggy, but the video was from 2012. I imagine one of the most beefed up Android tablets of today should handle it better.
So if I bought one and rooted it successfully, would I be able to run Linux on top of it? Anyone has done it on this tablet? I didn't find anything on the, probably because it's a new one.
P.s. sorry for the strange username, I created this account some long time ago apparently.
I imagine it might be possible, but I presume that remote desktop would be a better, easier solution.
Also, there are more browsers than Chrome available on the Android platform. Firefox is really resource intensive on Android, but it is impressively desktop-like in its capabilities. And it runs OK on my 8.4" M5 (though I use Dolphin Express as my primary browser).
You are a web developer and would even consider Surface Pro? Man, Microsoft decided to self implode some time ago.
thref23 said:
I imagine it might be possible, but I presume that remote desktop would be a better, easier solution.
Also, there are more browsers than Chrome available on the Android platform. Firefox is really resource intensive on Android, but it is impressively desktop-like in its capabilities. And it runs OK on my 8.4" M5 (though I use Dolphin Express as my primary browser).
You are a web developer and would even consider Surface Pro? Man, Microsoft decided to self implode some time ago.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean setting up Linux on a VPS? I think that a connection to a remote server miles away would result in a very bad performance, but I haven't really tried it, so it's just a guess.
As far as I know, Firefox for Android doesn't have dev tools either.
What's wrong with Surface Pro? I would seriously consider using it, but the price tag is really high compared to an Android device. The thing is also that Android tablet feels kinda more mobile, and I don't like Windows too much.
usernamenotavailabe said:
Do you mean setting up Linux on a VPS? I think that a connection to a remote server miles away would result in a very bad performance, but I haven't really tried it, so it's just a guess.
What's wrong with Surface Pro? I would seriously consider using it, but the price tag is really high compared to an Android device. The thing is also that Android tablet feels kinda more mobile, and I don't like Windows too much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basically, you would have a PC set up at home, and you would access your PC via a remote desktop app like Teamviewer or Splashtop. I presume you have a PC at home?
Honestly, I am not that knowledgeable regarding Surface Pro. I'm just reluctant to trust anything Microsoft nowadays, and I don't look forward to the day I have to upgrade from Windows 7 (although I'm sure I could configure Windows 10 like Windows 7). And the whole Surface concept is a little gimmicky, bluetooth keyboards, mice, and tablet stands can be purchased cheap and will probably give you a better laptop/PC like experience (with any tablet) than Surface Pro will. My gut is that you are better off going for an Android tablet, or if you need better specs, a Windows laptop.
thref23 said:
Basically, you would have a PC set up at home, and you would access your PC via a remote desktop app like Teamviewer or Splashtop. I presume you have a PC at home?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really one that could run 24h/7. But you know what, I will try to spin up a server on DigitalOcean server with a graphical interface and try to connect to it from my laptop, and then Android phone and I will see about the performance.
I have also found a detailed article on running Linux on Android: https://www.androidauthority.com/install-ubuntu-on-your-android-smartphone-765408/ so I might also give it a try if I get the tablet