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Hi all,
got the Flyer today, after some hours of playing around I'd like to share my thoughts with other users:
- solid thing, just opening the top to insert the cards was a bit tricky for me
- very fast, no problems with the HTC Sense interface, works perfectly fine. Still in applicaitions like Google Maps a bit slower than the Xoom I'm testing in parallel.
- I like the new e-Mail client and calendar application a lot.
- Being an intensive evernote user, I am happy that there is a good direct integration, also with the notes you can take with the pen. Well done!
- The speakers are great, one of the few things where I don't agree with the Engadget review which has been posted today. And: They are extremely loud, louder than any of the - many - devices I could test up to now, including iPad, iPad2, Galaxy Tab and Xoom.
- The screen is great and very bright, together with the loadspeakers a great experience in Youtube or watching one of the HQ movie trailers which came with the Flyer.
- Generally, I prefer the 7'' format over the 10'' of the Xoom and the iPad. I think it is the best tablet format for me. The weight lets you hold it for a very long time without getting tired, the Xoom (which I like a lot because of Honeycomb and the incredible speed) is too heavy for me.
- the typing experience is excellent, the Flyer has the right balance between being responsive, but not over-responsive. The Xoom seems to react to even the slightest touch, this was almost a bit too much for me in the beginning
- there is a significant frame around the screen, much larger than the Xoom has. This is sometimes a problem when using the Xoom because it is hard to hold without touching the screen (and eventually doing something unwanted), but the frame around the screen of the Flyer is really huge. This makes it easy to hold the device in several ways, though.
- The bag shipped with the device is a joke from my point of view, first of all it does not allow you to use the device when in the bag, second the pen is attached outside and somehow always disturbing; also I guess it will be lost soon. I will wait for something which holds the pen inside and can be opened to use the Flyer without taking it out.
- Mixed feelings about the pen: The setup in the bottom right corner is excellent and intuitive and the pen seems to react quite quickly, it is fun to use. But: The hardware is not my favorite at all. Especially the buttons on the pen are hard to reach and it is not easy to hold it naturally
- Some new functionality in the browser including small thumbnails of the open windows, well done. Also pinch out works. I like it, it seems to be very fast and the re-arrangement of the text when zooming seems to be excellent.
- Although I don't need a camera in a device like that and I really don't care, still to mention that the camera seems to be really terrible.
- Installed tons of apps, everything works great, no speed issues at all.
- HTC Sense in the tablet edition is great. Some new additions for books, notes,... first impression everything well done, HTC
My first summary after a couple of hours is very positive. Let's see how I think after a week or two. No comments at that point about battery life for sure, but the Engadget review (and the very first, non-reliable own impressions) give me a good feeling.
Questions anytime, for sure! And appologies for my German English
Got mine today too.
I am fairly impressed and looking forward to taking it out and about with me tomorrow. I am curious to see if I can get 2 days battery life out of it or not.
The screen is wonderful. No other word for it. I used to think Super AMOLED was the best, but this is the best screen I have seen on an Android device.
The browser is excellent. Fast, stable, easy to use.
I find the pen fairly good. Though I keep pressing the buttons when I dont mean to. I cant wait to use it in a meeting!
Using Kindle on the device seems to be a great experience. The inbuilt ebook reader is really nice, but I am a Kindle user.
The updated HTC mail app is lovely as is the weather and calendar. But the software is not particularly tablet friendly otherwise. I like Sense and am using friend stream for the first time on at HTC device (this is my 3rd) and it works well.
The form factor is excellent. Easy to hold in one hand. It is quite a bit heavier than a Kindle despite not being much larger, but I am sure I could hold it all day without too much trouble unlike a 10" 700g device like the ipad2.
It's not all great though. I have had a few crashes through the day and the performance is not always silky smooth. I find the volume buttons a bit rattly and whilst the speakers are good, they are really not that good. There is no search button which I definitely miss and it is a major fingerprint magnet.
Overall, I am really pleased with the device so far. Feel free to ask any questions.
Hi Onkel,
Can you say a bit more about how writing with the pen feels like? The reviews are all saying that it's not that great for regular note taking (as opposed to doodling/drawing), especially in comparison with wacom digitizers on windows tablets. I have a win tablet right now and this makes me a bit
hard to tell for me, as my personal tablet experiences come from an IBM Thinkpad a couple of years ago.
Generally, I guess the Flyer will be for short note taking rather than replacing a tablet Pc. There is no handwriting recognition for the Flyer yet, and even if it will be available later, I think the handwriting quality I produce on the device will not be good enough.
I think there are many scenarios where the pen is helpful though, I had a Pdf document to comment today and the Flyer was a dream to use. Other example, for our corporate website I do a lot of commenting on improvements and bugs, the screenshot & comment feature with the pen is simply wonderful...
thoughts on performance?
i know you both mentioned performance, one as being excellent and the other as being ok. After spending more time with the device do you have any more details on the performance? One mentioned google maps being slower than on the xoom, slow enough to be an issue?
I am a little worried about purchasing a device that is already outdated, especially when there are rumors of amazing releasing both dual core and quad core tablets before the end of the year, the scribe tech has be pretty excited about this tablet, but i think i'm reeling in my expectations after reading some reviews.
thanks!
kborer22 said:
i know you both mentioned performance, one as being excellent and the other as being ok. After spending more time with the device do you have any more details on the performance? One mentioned google maps being slower than on the xoom, slow enough to be an issue?
thanks!
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Click to collapse
That was me. If you start to go into 3D and then turn the map with the finger, I see a difference. No issue at all. As usual, once you have used a device like the Xoom, which is setting a new standard as I think, you get used to it.
This is a 1.5 ghz device and couple of months ago I thought 1 ghz is all I will ever need
I an very pleased with the performance up to now, and I started tons of apps yesterday and it works great. SlideIT keyboard, which I am using right now, is a great performance test and it works great also.
The bigger question for you will be whether the pen turns out to be a toy or an important tool. I am not sure yet...
kborer22 said:
i know you both mentioned performance, one as being excellent and the other as being ok. After spending more time with the device do you have any more details on the performance? One mentioned google maps being slower than on the xoom, slow enough to be an issue?
I am a little worried about purchasing a device that is already outdated, especially when there are rumors of amazing releasing both dual core and quad core tablets before the end of the year, the scribe tech has be pretty excited about this tablet, but i think i'm reeling in my expectations after reading some reviews.
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would describe the performance as similar overall to my Desire HD. It is all the speed you would need, but not the fastest thing out there. I have found it does bog down sometimes which a dual core might not, but nothing to cause me concern personally.
OnkelAlbert said:
hard to tell for me, as my personal tablet experiences come from an IBM Thinkpad a couple of years ago.
Generally, I guess the Flyer will be for short note taking rather than replacing a tablet Pc. There is no handwriting recognition for the Flyer yet, and even if it will be available later, I think the handwriting quality I produce on the device will not be good enough.
I think there are many scenarios where the pen is helpful though, I had a Pdf document to comment today and the Flyer was a dream to use. Other example, for our corporate website I do a lot of commenting on improvements and bugs, the screenshot & comment feature with the pen is simply wonderful...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I mainly want to use it as a substitute notebook for my college classes so how well it emulates pen and paper is something to think about.
Any impressions on the battery life? The reviews say you get a full day and more of standard use. Is the only batter hog video playback (the stated 4 hours of playback time)?
OnkelAlbert said:
I think there are many scenarios where the pen is helpful though, I had a Pdf document to comment today and the Flyer was a dream to use.
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Click to collapse
I'm also looking forward to usage of the pen and found your PDF comment interesting. Did you have to take a screenshot and work with that, or could you open the PDF in the book reader, which I know has added pen applications?
veethree said:
I'm also looking forward to usage of the pen and found your PDF comment interesting. Did you have to take a screenshot and work with that, or could you open the PDF in the book reader, which I know has added pen applications?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was a document which I recieved as an attachment. I opened it, wrote on it, press save, email. Simply great, no screenshot necessary...
Bigmuzzy said:
Thanks. I mainly want to use it as a substitute notebook for my college classes so how well it emulates pen and paper is something to think about.
Any impressions on the battery life? The reviews say you get a full day and more of standard use. Is the only batter hog video playback (the stated 4 hours of playback time)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
regarding battery life, I am on a conference all day and the Flyer was with me all day, pushing and answering emails, taking notes and doing Demos for my collegues...
after half day battery says 76%. So I guess running out of battery during the day seems impossible to me, as long as you don't spend most of the day with Angry Birds and movies
Did anyone manage to use the flyer in making gsm calls???!!!!!
Hi
Wants about video streaming to TV , does it have HDMI via USB cable or DLNA . HTC web site in official specs does not mention anything about it.
ahm1010 said:
Hi
Wants about video streaming to TV , does it have HDMI via USB cable or DLNA . HTC web site in official specs does not mention anything about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It definitely supports DLNA although I havent tried to get it working yet. I have heard there is meant to be HDMI out through the USB port and the fact the port is Ext-MicroUSB suggests as much, but I haven't seen the cable for sale anywhere.
The Jones said:
It definitely supports DLNA although I havent tried to get it working yet. I have heard there is meant to be HDMI out through the USB port and the fact the port is Ext-MicroUSB suggests as much, but I haven't seen the cable for sale anywhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've seen some EXT-microUSB tot hdmi cables somewhere... So yes, it'll be able to work trough usb port
OnkelAlbert said:
regarding battery life, I am on a conference all day and the Flyer was with me all day, pushing and answering emails, taking notes and doing Demos for my collegues...
after half day battery says 76%. So I guess running out of battery during the day seems impossible to me, as long as you don't spend most of the day with Angry Birds and movies
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is that I now use my Flyer too much! Love the note taking and ebook reading. The size is perfect. So the battery does last a day, but I always give a quick charge during the day just in case.
Hi. With regards to the Evernote integration on the Flyer, is it possible to maintain a copy of the created notes locally on the Flyer in addition to having them synced with Evernotes on the web ?
Having a local copy on the device will definitely speed up the retrieval of created notes and give you access to these notes when there is no internet access available.
A suggestion and a question.
The suggestion is for those who keep clicking the button inadvertently. There are pen/pencil grips you can buy that will cover the button so you have to press down firmly to activate it.
The question is whether there are any options to control pen vs. finger input. For example, on my tablet, I can set the N-Trig control to "auto." At this setting, the tablet will recognize finger input until I use the pen, at which point it will switch to pen-only input. When I want to use my finger again, I just tap twice on the screen with my finger. That way there's never any palm recognition issues.
sevoflurane said:
Did anyone manage to use the flyer in making gsm calls???!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As others have said elsewhere, NO you don't even have the dial button or app in the list of applications to make a gsm call.
Perhaps when the flyer is rooted we will have some devs working on that.
OnkelAlbert said:
Hi all,
got the Flyer today, after some hours of playing around I'd like to share my thoughts with other users:
- solid thing, just opening the top to insert the cards was a bit tricky for me
- very fast, no problems with the HTC Sense interface, works perfectly fine. Still in applicaitions like Google Maps a bit slower than the Xoom I'm testing in parallel.
- I like the new e-Mail client and calendar application a lot.
- Being an intensive evernote user, I am happy that there is a good direct integration, also with the notes you can take with the pen. Well done!
- The speakers are great, one of the few things where I don't agree with the Engadget review which has been posted today. And: They are extremely loud, louder than any of the - many - devices I could test up to now, including iPad, iPad2, Galaxy Tab and Xoom.
- The screen is great and very bright, together with the loadspeakers a great experience in Youtube or watching one of the HQ movie trailers which came with the Flyer.
- Generally, I prefer the 7'' format over the 10'' of the Xoom and the iPad. I think it is the best tablet format for me. The weight lets you hold it for a very long time without getting tired, the Xoom (which I like a lot because of Honeycomb and the incredible speed) is too heavy for me.
- the typing experience is excellent, the Flyer has the right balance between being responsive, but not over-responsive. The Xoom seems to react to even the slightest touch, this was almost a bit too much for me in the beginning
- there is a significant frame around the screen, much larger than the Xoom has. This is sometimes a problem when using the Xoom because it is hard to hold without touching the screen (and eventually doing something unwanted), but the frame around the screen of the Flyer is really huge. This makes it easy to hold the device in several ways, though.
- The bag shipped with the device is a joke from my point of view, first of all it does not allow you to use the device when in the bag, second the pen is attached outside and somehow always disturbing; also I guess it will be lost soon. I will wait for something which holds the pen inside and can be opened to use the Flyer without taking it out.
- Mixed feelings about the pen: The setup in the bottom right corner is excellent and intuitive and the pen seems to react quite quickly, it is fun to use. But: The hardware is not my favorite at all. Especially the buttons on the pen are hard to reach and it is not easy to hold it naturally
- Some new functionality in the browser including small thumbnails of the open windows, well done. Also pinch out works. I like it, it seems to be very fast and the re-arrangement of the text when zooming seems to be excellent.
- Although I don't need a camera in a device like that and I really don't care, still to mention that the camera seems to be really terrible.
- Installed tons of apps, everything works great, no speed issues at all.
- HTC Sense in the tablet edition is great. Some new additions for books, notes,... first impression everything well done, HTC
My first summary after a couple of hours is very positive. Let's see how I think after a week or two. No comments at that point about battery life for sure, but the Engadget review (and the very first, non-reliable own impressions) give me a good feeling.
Questions anytime, for sure! And appologies for my German English
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is the multitouch? How much points does it have? Could you test it for me? I want to buy one too.
Thanks Tbo-art
hi guys..
would like to know if anyone is using the EzPDF reader on the flyer..
wanna check whether the magazine pdf file will fill up the whole screen on the flyer in portrait mode.. and if the text are readable (without having to strain the eyes) without having to zoom in..
I am able the read magazine pdf files on my Asus transformer..
on the verge of letting it go as the Flyer is more portable..
I have it. I'm not sure if it makes the text more readable. Readability wise it's like the pdf reader that comes with the flyer.
does the pdf viewer on the flyer make the text readable?..
just do not wish to strain my eyes..
vengence_angels said:
does the pdf viewer on the flyer make the text readable?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean? The quality of the screen? The viewers possibilities self or what?
All other stuff depends on the pdt self (text, document sizes, marges, etc.)
Elim said:
What do you mean? The quality of the screen? The viewers possibilities self or what?
All other stuff depends on the pdt self (text, document sizes, marges, etc.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not quality of the screen but the text itself..
curious if the text is "big" enough to read comfortably when in full screen portrait mode..
do not wish to squint my eyes when i read the magazine in portrait mode..
Personally I prefer magazines on my iPad for the screen-size. I just downloaded a magazine onto my Flyr as a test. I used the default PDF app, with pen integration, and you can zoom in enough to read each column of text while in portrait mode. My magazine page had 4 columns per page probably a 10pt font.
I didn't check if the PDF viewer supports side by side (2 page) viewing and whether you could zoom in far enough to read text.
The Flyr seems fine for magazine viewing in portrait mode.
It appears that your question is a hardware question and not a software question.
The transformer has 67% greater resolution than the flyer. In other words, both full screen, it contains up to 67% more detail. Physically the screen is about twice as large.
Thus, a rough estimate is if you take the text size on the transformer and cut it in half (50% ~ 67% zoom level) do you think you can read comfortably? If not, probably not.
If none of this makes sense, the short answer is, no, it is not going to be as comfortable as the transformer. Your arm will be more comfortable though
nebaneba said:
It appears that your question is a hardware question and not a software question.
The transformer has 67% greater resolution than the flyer. In other words, both full screen, it contains up to 67% more detail. Physically the screen is about twice as large.
Thus, a rough estimate is if you take the text size on the transformer and cut it in half (50% ~ 67% zoom level) do you think you can read comfortably? If not, probably not.
If none of this makes sense, the short answer is, no, it is not going to be as comfortable as the transformer. Your arm will be more comfortable though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i agree with u..
this is more a hardware Qn..
my mistake..
i did what you mentioned actually..
i simulated the size of a 7" screen on my transformer using pinch to zoom..
cant read comfortably though.. haha..
however i have since sold my transformer and deciding between Flyer or Tab10.1..
transformer has a nice screen but the weight is killing me..
Flyer isn't exactly light either, but that's the tradeoff for a more durable aluminium case. My iPad isn't light either. But I definitely appreciate the durability of a metal case.
i use EzPDF, its not great on the eyes for reading text but you can zoom a little if need be. i would say with no doubt a bigger screen would be better
It was heart wrenching to sell my transformer as it is a very good honeycomb device but the creaking back and light bleeding was too much for me to take..
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk
Acers Iconia looks promising for a 10" Android Tablet. It's unfortunate of the price point of these devices... I guess we have Apple for setting the bar so high.
Hi,
I'm thinking to buy a new tablet pc for my school. I'll convert my books into pdf files and will continue lessons with tablet pc.
I need:
- Performance(performance means for me, what is smooth on home screen animations and switching between applications)
- Pen, which is has a thin pointer & body and useful for every app any second
- Screen size
And I searched the market for that options, result is : Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 or HTC Flyer.
Now, I need to know truths about HTC Flyer. Let me know them please..
Firstly when I was searching on the market, I tested the Flyer and saw the:
- Screen brightness is not well as SG 10.1
- Screen side plastics(especially left one) are has some empty space or you can create empty space with your hands
- I think performanceful smooth animations depends on operating system version. Honeycomb will not be like that
What about your lookouts? Battery time on usage and more important question: battery life? I mean is battery time is always same on same usage or its decreasing? Screen size is enough to school? Are you using it for school? How about microphone?
Thanks a lot for your answers.
Performance: Great performance, 1.5 GHz, smooth animations unless you install Honeycomb which is in beta and not a great idea to install.
Pen: The pen can only be used in the Notes app, all other drawing apps you must use the back of the pen.
Screen Size: 7 Inch is perfect, about the size of a pencil case or something.
Screen Brightness: The brightness is great, what are you talking about? Jack it up to max.
Screen Side Plastic: Post a picture, don't know what ur talking about.
Performance like i said before is great on the original rom that comes with it.
Battery: Phenomenal, 2 whole days with casual use (checking email, surfing web, watching 40 mins of a movie, playing games.
I love the Flyer.
I think 7" is perfect for me when it comes to reading PDFs or books on here. I'm not exactly sure what books you'll be using, but this is excellent for novels and the such.
Performance, for what you'll need to do, is optimal. In fact, this 1.5 ghz will outperform many of the dual cores out there, since dual core hasn't even matured in tablets yet.
As for the body, the back is made out of a single piece of aluminum and there are some plastic pieces where it need to be. I'm not sure what you're talking about with the side plastics. You will need to have some plastics on the sides of the screens so that you can hold it without your thumb blocking the screen. As for the Samsung, I believe the whole tablet is plastic.
Regarding brightness, again, you'll need to be a bit more specific here. The screen is plenty bright but what I have a problem is that the brightness doesn't really have a "lower" spectrum. For example, it will go from brightest, to very bright, and then off. It becomes too bright to use at night without any lights, but in the day, its phenomenal.
Battery is really good too. I just got mine yesterday ago so don't take my word on it.
Pen is a good tool, especially if you're hand writing, however it has very limited functionality.
Hi guys, screen filter can set to lower brightness.
Sent from my HTC Flyer using XDA App
ftorres said:
Hi guys, screen filter can set to lower brightness.
Sent from my HTC Flyer using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I use that at night when I'm reading.
There is no truths...both do the same damn thing. For me it was the build..quality..and feel.flyer kicks butt over it.
According to the AnandTech Review the Flyer's screen brightness is 389 Nits, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is 492. According to the review "You need closer to 600 nits to be usable outdoors in sunlight".
I looked at a $4,000 high end Ruggedized, Daylight Enabled 12" Tablet (with a transflective screen) a couple of weeks ago and my HTC EVO View's screen was easier to read outside. (Although I had to turn it so the sun was not shining on the screen.) It is also easier to see my View's screen outside than my HTC EVO 4G phone.
I also use it to read books at night. I downloaded an app to dim the screen, and at it's lowest setting it's still a little too bright for comfort with the room lights off.
ikingblack said:
Pen: The pen can only be used in the Notes app, all other drawing apps you must use the back of the pen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually the PDF reader uses the pen to annotate, but you can only annotate using plain lines. No fancy brushes.
kkinder said:
Actually the PDF reader uses the pen to annotate, but you can only annotate using plain lines. No fancy brushes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use the pen on PDF save and send (i.e. signing your name, I do it daily) - You can use to mark pictures and send, I do that 3-8 times week - You can take screen shots and mark them up too - AND of course you can use the pen in the notes app.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512
One of Samsung's main businesses is making displays. So its not surprising if the display is slightly more vivid or bright, although I haven't compared side-to-side, myself.
Samsung tabs are cheap plastic all around, and don't exude the sturdy, high build quality that the aluminum unibody on the Flyer or Jetstream do.
Like everyone else said PDFs can be used with the pen I do it for my job. Honeycomb is not a bright idea. But myself I take chances and installed and to me personally I don't find to many faults with it. Nothing I can honestly complain about nothings perfect. It not perfect but I love it. It's depending on your preferences I just play games type up stuff and write notes for work and let my daughter play games and watch netflix and periodically receive and make calls on it. And it works perfectly for that.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using XDA App
Transformer Prime Champagne Gold impressions
Well, as karma has it, I was able to get a 32GB Champagne Gold Transformer Prime, with the dock, last Friday and played with it over the weekend.
I was worried about many of the problems people were reporting and I was slightly afraid when starting up the device, I did not want to see bad light bleeds or dead pixels and so on. While the tablet itself ended up being perfect, I was still hit with a crippling bug of the keyboard dock not being able to be used for typing at all.
I found it almost ironic that I ended up with a serious flaw like that. I really thought that forums give a wrong impression about ASUS quality control, but reality is that it really is very, very bad. It is almost like gambling, chance that you'll get a functioning device without flaws that will annoy you from the very beginning, are very low.
I'll get the device replaced and essentially add to the pile of devices that are being returned to ASUS. But that aside, here are my impressions about the tablet, since I did use the tablet without the keyboard quite a bit.
Champagne Gold is absolutely beautiful in real life. It is a really attractive looking device, it's not as 'white' as Apple's aluminum devices are and is so much better for it with the slight golden gue making it look less clinical. Pictures don't do it justice, Champagne Gold Transformer Prime is the best looking tablet I've held in my hands.
The build is also very sturdy. I am glad I did not go for one of the plastic built tablets of yesteryear as I really love the feel of the tablet when I hold it. It is slightly heavier than I expected but only because I've never used tablets this extensively before.
Of course this design has its drawbacks, such as very weak GPS, but I tend to use my phone for GPS due to assisted GPS from cell towers, which is just much quicker. As for WiFi issues, I did not notice any, but I also did not run any speed tests. I mostly make the tablet use my phone as source of internet and it didn't have any problems doing so.
The first bootup ran Honeycomb and I immediately noticed that it simply did not run smoothly despite quad-core processing power driving it. But I liked the screen and after wiping the screen properly, touch responsiveness was good.
A mere 15 minutes later the device had updated itself to Android 4.0 and I had no stutter or lag issues anymore when moving around the menus or using the browser.
The screen is really beautiful and bright with good contrast. And the external sound is better than I expected. I watched the new 30 Rock episode with girlfriend on a couch and it was a nice experience, much better than trying to hold a laptop comfortably while watching a show. MX video player works very well on Prime, I watched Boardwalk Empire on my way back home on a train and it is a great device for extended viewing. It is amazing how much more natural it feels to watch series or movies on a tablet device like this as opposed to laptop.
Most apps seem to run quite well on Prime. But Android has its drawbacks on tablets, a lot of really great looking games do not have HD versions, making them look less attractive on the screen. Some of my favorites such as truly amazing World of Goo and Cut the Rope worked well on Prime, but their beautiful art was stretched to full screen, making the games look less magical than they felt when I was playing them on my Galaxy Nexus phone (which has a similar resolution to Prime, but far smaller screen).
I tried to use my tablet as a netbook, but without working keyboard I coould not really give it as much of a go as I hoped. But browsing around in the internet was fast and smooth and I really like Android for a tablet OS.
Battery lasted less than I hoped, but I cannot say it was bad since I did not charge it enough times for it to live up to its full potential. But I did not have to charge it while I was using, so it did not cause any battery stress.
I also liked that ASUS does not enforce its things on the user. Majority of pre-installed apps can be disabled and ASUS own enhancements are good for the device. They did not add anything that felt like bloatware.
As for the screen, yes it is certainly a fingerprint magnet. It does not bother me until I start watching a movie or whatnot. Makes me feel like I should clean it up because it simply is dirty (even when hands are less oily and have recently been washed).
Is this the best tablet I have ever used? Not really, iPad 2 is still a better media and content consumption device and I find Prime a much less comfortable to use when held in portrait mode as opposed to iPad 2 (but of course widescreen videos are much better on Prime as a result). But I can really see how the keyboard dock can enhance the Prime experience enough for me to never consider iPad 3, even if it comes out with HD screen and even better battery life.
I should also make additional note about the keyboard dock. I don't find the build of the keyboard dock to be as good as I hoped, it angles up really awkwardly on the Prime when screen is lifted, the back hinge is basically the thing it starts 'resting' on and differently from the rubber it rests on in front of the dock, the back rests on plastic knob-thingies, which have less grip. So on a less sturdy surface or when typing, the device is prone to move a lot more than you'd expect.
To sum things up, ASUS did a good job at everything except quality control and body design for GPS. If it had 3G, better WiFi and functioning GPS I would easily grade it the best tablet ever, but right now I don't see iPad 2 being actually dethroned before the end of this year where Google's rumoured tablet and possibly another Transformer can really kick things up a notch.
2012 is the year of 4G and HD screens on tablets, but I must say I did not really think Prime needs a HD screen. It is not because it would not look more beautiful - it would and I can easily see pixels when reading the web on Prime - but I just think that Android market won't catch up to HD apps before 2013. Today most apps look stretched and the apps that don't, do not seem to need HD anyway.
But yes, a wonderful device, just make sure to not throw away the box and other items so you can quickly refund, since chance has it that it might come with a hardware flaw or two.
Nice well written review.
Got it exchanged and keyboard works now! By the way, those wishing to buy it in Estonia, it seems to be sold downtown in both Euronics and Klick stores. Can't be bought online yet and seems to be only the champagne gold 32gb model.
Thx for the review man
On thing i want to add though: You have to compare the transformer prime to the ipad2 wifi only. If you want to compare it at all. And that device has no gps module at all, so a more or less working gps is still better than none at all.
But those comparisons are fundamentally flawed imho. I buy a device because of its features. iPad and TP offer very different things which results in the situation that there are fans of one device (because it has everything they wish for) and fans of the other one debating which one is better...
In the end there is only "whats better for you" and never "whats better for everyone". For me its clearly the Prime.
Dude i get carried away again. My Prime shall arrive! NOW!
I'm with you with the Champagne Gold color.
The photos online do not give justice to the Champagne Gold color as it is absolutely beautiful in real life.
The Gold hue does not overpower the Aluminum Color and has a rather subtle hint to it.
Excellent review. A good model for all to follow!
My "purplish" grey one is to arrive tomorrow....wish I could have ordered the champagne colour. I'll probably end up putting a skinomi skin on the back as I'm not really into the purple tones...plus, I heard the aluminum scratches easily.
i haven't read the full review... but you found a gold dock in stores? or online? where? i didn't even think it existed.
oasis9389 said:
i haven't read the full review... but you found a gold dock in stores? or online? where? i didn't even think it existed.
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+1. Where is this mythical gold dock? Surely not the one I've had on BB preorder since late November? lol <bangs head into wall>
I'm using a Champagne Prime mated with a Gray dock. I actually like the look better than a matched set. Something to think about if you can't find a Champagne dock...
wynand32 said:
I'm using a Champagne Prime mated with a Gray dock. I actually like the look better than a matched set. Something to think about if you can't find a Champagne dock...
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can you post some pics?
Just as an FYI, your prime screen is capable of 720p hd video playback, just not 1080p. still HD, just not the best HD. Great review though.
oasis9389 said:
i haven't read the full review... but you found a gold dock in stores? or online? where? i didn't even think it existed.
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ASUS is selling 32GB Champagne Gold TF201's in Estonia, it's the EU version (tablet and dock in one). And it is also localized, with local adapter and US keyboard that has russian letters in the corner (we also have a large number of russians living here).
irishtexmex said:
+1. Where is this mythical gold dock? Surely not the one I've had on BB preorder since late November? lol <bangs head into wall>
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It seems that ASUS did not just do a UK launch, it was an EU launch and a lot of tablets are being sold in various countries, often without advertisements. Here we have Champagne Gold one, sold 2-in-1, dock and tablet. I haven't seen Amethyst Grey being sold anywhere here (and we seem to have two chains selling TF201's without ads at the moment).
It just shows how little this tablet is really known outside these forums and tech world. People don't know about it. Stores don't even know that they have the hottest Android tablet on their shelves.
clouds5 said:
Thx for the review man
On thing i want to add though: You have to compare the transformer prime to the ipad2 wifi only. If you want to compare it at all. And that device has no gps module at all, so a more or less working gps is still better than none at all.
But those comparisons are fundamentally flawed imho. I buy a device because of its features. iPad and TP offer very different things which results in the situation that there are fans of one device (because it has everything they wish for) and fans of the other one debating which one is better...
In the end there is only "whats better for you" and never "whats better for everyone". For me its clearly the Prime.
Dude i get carried away again. My Prime shall arrive! NOW!
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Click to collapse
Well, true, but it is worth a comparison simply because you would not own a Prime and an iPad 2 together, they overlap in functionality. I will still recommend iPad 2 to anyone who is not a tech person as I believe that today it is a better device for content consumption and don't believe Android will catch up in app-market with HD apps and experience at least until 2013.
I am really neutral in that opinion here, I own an Android 4.0 phone and tablet now, I love Android. But today iPad 2 is a better tablet for an average person even if you don't consider GPS, WiFi quality or 3G existence important.
I would not buy Android for my grandparents, if I had to choose I would buy them iPad 2.
But anyways, I love it. Those of us who know tech and prefer Android, this is a brilliant device if your device does not have issues resulted from bad quality control.
Conduitz said:
Just as an FYI, your prime screen is capable of 720p hd video playback, just not 1080p. still HD, just not the best HD. Great review though.
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Thank you for the correction.
I am about to order one, so how is it compared to a laptop? i wanna sell my laptop and use Prime all the time insted, btw how did you use you phones internet? thats called tethering? or some bluetooth function ?
vitalero said:
I am about to order one, so how is it compared to a laptop? i wanna sell my laptop and use Prime all the time insted, btw how did you use you phones internet? thats called tethering? or some bluetooth function ?
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Think you might struggle to use this as a laptop replacement - depending on what you use your laptop for.
Yes, it's called tethering - setting your phone up as a wifi hotspot then connecting your tablet to it. No bluetooth needed. However, some Prime users report issues with this since the ICS update.
And more opinions!
I've had the chance to use the keyboard dock for a while, as well as test out a variety of apps. Some apps are much better in HD on a tablet, this surprised me quite a bit. For example IMDB app is really good on tablet and gMail (and really, all Google apps) is very high quality.
Apps run quickly and without problems. I also haven't noticed any problems with the tablet I got for exchange, no dead pixels. There's faint backlight bleed near one corner but I can not notice it while using a tablet unless brightness setting is too high and screen itself full of black colors.
As for the keyboard. I really love that it is Android focused keyboard. The keys make sense and are intuitive. It really is the first time I've felt comfortable with a keyboard that is similar to old school Windows keyboards, while never making me feel like it is one of those 'modified' PC keyboards. The top row buttons are all very useful, there are no bloated keys.
At first I wished there was 'recent apps' key, but there isn't. Alt+Tab does exist, but since there is no Alt key on the left hand side of the keyboard, you have to use two hands for it (I always Alt+Tab with left hand on my PC). So that's a bit annoying.
Keyboard itself is comfortable to write on if you've used smaller netbooks before. It takes a short time getting used to since at first you expect keys to be further apart, but adjustment does not take long. Feel of the keys is really good and they are well built, I like that spacebar, while long, goes down on both sides if you only press on one side. While it seems simple and does not look as expensive as Macbook Air keyboard, it feels really well built.
The dock also protects the tablet really well. The keys are not elevated on the dock, so they don't touch or get close to tablet screen and leave marks of any kind on the screen in the long run (this happened with my nice Compaq netbook 311C that had a beautiful LED screen that just looked worn thanks to keyboard after a while). Dock is also separated from the tablet with little rubber knobs
The touchpad is basically pointless, I am not sure why it is even needed, but I like that it is there in case I ever would need it. Using screen touch is simply faster, since apps are usually built keeping that in mind. Touchpad is just slower in comparison. I did however find it helpful when writing a lot of text and needing to correct something. It is also great that you can turn the touchpad off so it doesn't activate by accident while you are typing.
Certain apps are also less-keyboard friendly. While typing is supported all around, certain apps are less friendly when it comes to common usability features such as tab key changing selected input field (like going from username to password). You cannot really use the tablet without resorting to touching the screen every now and then, but I must admit that it is better than I originally expected. I actually like having the keyboard on, since on-screen keyboard is really something I don't like to resort to.
I did notice that capacitive pens are not very good on Transformer Prime screen. I have cleaned the screen very well, but capacitive pens are not sensed unless brushing them more noticably against the screen. The pen is a high quality one originally built for iPad 2 by Bamboo, worlds leading company when it comes to graphic tablets. I guess the non-air-pad type capacitive pens would work better though.
For some other things that are not as perfect as they could be, there is a very tiny amount of lag in the system at times when using the keyboard. It is certainly not as responsive as a keyboard should be if you, say, played competitive first person shooter games. But it doesn't really annoy and some apps are better than others at it. This will possibly improve even further with newer Android or firmware updates since it is not a hardware issue at all.
One thing I can tell you though is that TF201 makes quite an impression. I've shown it to two friends and the dock really makes the tablet. It takes away one of the most uncomfortable things about tablets - typing on that awkward screen - as well as offers natural protection without needing a case to protect the screen. Two of my friends who played with it were very impressed. If there's an Android device to wow people who only really know about iPad, it is not good to show the tablet without the dock - since it is just too similar - but the dock helps it really set it apart.
vitalero said:
I am about to order one, so how is it compared to a laptop? i wanna sell my laptop and use Prime all the time insted, btw how did you use you phones internet? thats called tethering? or some bluetooth function ?
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When using it as a replacement for a netbook, the device works really well. But one has to keep in mind that it is a content-consumption device. You can draw sketches here or write essays, but it is really something that you should consider as a replacement for netbook if you mostly watch movies or surf the internet on your netbook. You are still faster with a netbook if you need to do more intensive work.
But pay attention that I said 'netbook', not laptop. Laptop is still a better device, if you don't have a desktop PC, then I suggest keeping laptop around, since at times it is simply needed to 'create' more than consume. You cannot develop on Android, really edit videos or photoshop pictures or do extensive office work.
When it comes to sharing the internet then yes, I have an unlimited data plan on my phone so I can easily tether my 3G connection. It is not as fast as tablet itself having a 3G, but it is still quite good. I don't stream videos on my tablet usually or if I do, I have a better WiFi connection somewhere. For on-the-go use, it works really well.
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Some people also requested I post a picture of the dock that has Russian letters. It is a US dock, but if you select Russian as Android language, you can easily use the dock as well, since it shows where the letters are located. For Estonians (if any of you are out there), there is no Estonian layout supported sadly and from what I was told, there won't be one. Contents of the TF201 box however are Estonian, it has Estonian manual and everything.
Why was this thread moved to 'accessories'?
kristovaher said:
Some people also requested I post a picture of the dock that has Russian letters. It is a US dock, but if you select Russian as Android language, you can easily use the dock as well, since it shows where the letters are located. For Estonians (if any of you are out there), there is no Estonian layout supported sadly and from what I was told, there won't be one. Contents of the TF201 box however are Estonian, it has Estonian manual and everything.
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Thanks for this info. But I have a question, sorry my stupidity. What does "it shows where the letters are located" mean? There is no secondary letter set on a US keyboard dock (you said it is a US dock). And the only way in my opinion is - to have a Russian phonetic layout added to ASUS keyboard, so it will be possible to use US dock and type in Russian for those do not remember by heart location of Russian "QWERTY" layout ("ЙЦУКЕН"). I am looking desperately for this possibility - with Russian phonetic layout for ASUS keyboard life will be perfect . I can type Russian using on-screen keyboard but this is not nice when using dock. If you have any info about this - it will be very helpful.
Thanks
EugeneR said:
Thanks for this info. But I have a question, sorry my stupidity. What does "it shows where the letters are located" mean? There is no secondary letter set on a US keyboard dock (you said it is a US dock). And the only way in my opinion is - to have a Russian phonetic layout added to ASUS keyboard, so it will be possible to use US dock and type in Russian for those do not remember by heart location of Russian "QWERTY" layout ("ЙЦУКЕН"). I am looking desperately for this possibility - with Russian phonetic layout for ASUS keyboard life will be perfect . I can type Russian using on-screen keyboard but this is not nice when using dock. If you have any info about this - it will be very helpful.
Thanks
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In the keyboard dock picture he attached you can see the actual Russian phonetic layout on the buttons, so it's not exactly the US dock, but like a US dock with Russian phonetic layout added to the buttons.
Anyone have any opinions or experience on whether it's better to go with the TF201 or S2110 from Lenovo? I found the S2110 16GB w/ keyboard for $399 and it seemed too good to pass up. I'm worried though because I haven't seen any reviews and the most comparable device seems to be the TF201. How do you think the S2110 stacks up against it?
http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/tablet/ideapad/s2110/
Don't think the dock is included for that price... (Unless you're not referring to the lenovo site). But yeah, wondering the same thing... Looks pretty good and would love to give it a try but haven't found any reviews yet.
I would want the 3g one but it's not listed
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
I don't know if you are interested but you can get a TF300 with free keyboard from Sears for 359.00.
dagrim1 said:
Don't think the dock is included for that price... (Unless you're not referring to the lenovo site). But yeah, wondering the same thing... Looks pretty good and would love to give it a try but haven't found any reviews yet.
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I found a special deal on the S2110 for $399 including the keyboard dock so I went ahead and pulled the trigger on it. There are literally zero reviews of this thing so I'll post up a YouTube video once it arrives. I have a Nexus7 and a Samsung GS3 but honestly I feel here is too much overlap between the two. I'm hoping the S2110 will give me more of a computing experience similar to what the TF201 offers. Worst case scenario if I don't like the S2110 I'll sell it and pickup an Asus device.
racerex said:
I found a special deal on the S2110 for $399 including the keyboard dock so I went ahead and pulled the trigger on it. There are literally zero reviews of this thing so I'll post up a YouTube video once it arrives. I have a Nexus7 and a Samsung GS3 but honestly I feel here is too much overlap between the two. I'm hoping the S2110 will give me more of a computing experience similar to what the TF201 offers. Worst case scenario if I don't like the S2110 I'll sell it and pickup an Asus device.
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Cool, sweet deal... wonder how you'll like it
racerex said:
I found a special deal on the S2110 for $399 including the keyboard dock so I went ahead and pulled the trigger on it. There are literally zero reviews of this thing so I'll post up a YouTube video once it arrives. I have a Nexus7 and a Samsung GS3 but honestly I feel here is too much overlap between the two. I'm hoping the S2110 will give me more of a computing experience similar to what the TF201 offers. Worst case scenario if I don't like the S2110 I'll sell it and pickup an Asus device.
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I could never splash that much cash without reading umpteen reviews. I admire you.
GS_Dan said:
I could never splash that much cash without reading umpteen reviews. I admire you.
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Normally I wouldn't but given the great deal I got I can likely sell it for little to no loss.
Lenovo is a good brand, the only concern is that it's not sure the community devels will be very active, so you could be stuck with branded ROM and so on.
I was able to get my hands on this tablet for a week 2 weeks ago. Alas, I didn't get the keyboard dock with it. I did some quick benchmarks:
AnTuTu Benchmark - 6781
Quadrant - 4797
Vellamo - 2203
CF-Bench Over all Score - 9261
SunSpider - 1930.1 ms
Battery Test. I looped a 42 minute 720p MKV file with screen at 50% brightness and wifi always connected. Tablet last 9h 14m.
I have taken screen shots of all the tests. If we compare to the results table on this review, http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/28/nexus-7-review/ , the Lenovo lands in the middle of the ASUS Transformer Prime and the ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 in terms of benchmark results.I can say I quite like this tablet and it's responsiveness. It has a custom launcher, but I like it. Other than that, it looks like Ice Cream Sandwich is left alone. Speakers are fairly loud compared to previous tablets. Viewing angle on the screen is great. Oh and the screen itself is very nice! There is a little creakiness to the case- I would say it was similar to what I had in the Asus Transformer. I really dislike the power button- it is plastic-y and hard to push, but manageable.
I got a great deal at $374 INCLUDING keyboard dock, so I am fairly confident for the price it will be a great tablet. But my ordering experience from Lenovo has been an absolute nightmare.
I just took my TF700 back owing to bluetooth audio lag problems (which Asus says will be "improved" but not fixed in a future OTA) and I'm hoping the S2110 will be the answer to my keyboard + bluetooth audio prayers...
Just got my 2110
I just got my 2110 with the keyboard today. It wouldn't have been my first choice because of the lack of dev community, but I got it for free from my companies Lenovo rep.
So far it is extremely smooth and the keyboard is more useful than I thought it would be.
It is thin, light weight, and although it is mostly plastic it still feels well built.
The interface that Lenovo adds is minimal and kinda useless, but has some nice features. It changes the way widgets are added, the way wallpapers are changed, and it has some transition options for the home screen and app drawer. Other than that it is stock ICS.
I really do like this tablet, and as soon as the dev community picks up buying this would be a no-brainer in my opinion.
Dego41 said:
I just got my 2110 with the keyboard today. It wouldn't have been my first choice because of the lack of dev community, but I got it for free from my companies Lenovo rep.
So far it is extremely smooth and the keyboard is more useful than I thought it would be.
It is thin, light weight, and although it is mostly plastic it still feels well built.
The interface that Lenovo adds is minimal and kinda useless, but has some nice features. It changes the way widgets are added, the way wallpapers are changed, and it has some transition options for the home screen and app drawer. Other than that it is stock ICS.
I really do like this tablet, and as soon as the dev community picks up buying this would be a no-brainer in my opinion.
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About the keyboard dock, you could use conbination keys just like in windows such as : "alt+tab" to switch between in different running apps. "ctrl+alt+delete" to show all the running apps and even "ctrl+c""ctrl+v" to copy and paste texts