which tablet is the right choice for me? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I am in the market for an android tablet but seeing as times are hard I can only really stretch to one of the following two models...
Sumvision Cyclone Voyager 7"
B&N Nook HD
Please can someone list the pro's and con's for each device bearing in mind that I enjoy tinkering with custom ROMs and the such but ultimately would like to end up with a tablet that works well for general day to day browsing, YouTube and a little gaming.
Thanks in advance!
PS. If this is posted in the wrong location then I am very sorry, and hopefully one of the mods can move it for me!

Check out the specs on Hisense Sero 7. It compares well with the original Nexus7 and cost around $130 at Walmart.
Sent from my Infected Rezound using xda app-developers app

I suggest you to buy tablets with screen bigger then 8", I think 7" is to small, is more like a big phone not a tablet.
br,
theandroid1

I suggest you buy PIPO M8Pro.

I would like you to wait for few more months..........it is because, in a few months, the market will be flooded with highly powerful, low cost MediaTek Quad-Core MT8135 - specially designed for tablets. This is set to change the market. Even the upcoming kindle will use it.
Best buy = 7+ inch HD display, MT8135 Quad core processor, 2GB RAM @ around 120-150$ !
MediaTek, with its new MT8135, among the first SoC designers to have adopted the ground-breaking big.LITTLE processing technology which is designed to address the energy and thermal issues associated with multicore system-on-chip (SoC) solutions. ARM big.LITTLE technology enables the creation of dual-cluster SoCs, with one high-performance (big) cluster for processing intensive tasks and a highly energy-efficient (LITTLE) cluster for executing routine functions.
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thedroidone said:
I suggest you to buy tablets with screen bigger then 8", I think 7" is to small, is more like a big phone not a tablet.
br,
theandroid1
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but if screen size is bigger than 8", it is inconvenient to carry.

Related

Archos Gen9 for Summer/June?

actualite/28876-Tablette-Android.html
From bestofmicro (Can't post links as a new user)
Google Translation for the first (French) site:
A few weeks after the formalization of the iPad 2, Archos has reported on its fiscal 2010 and the prospects offered by the current year. If the French company back to green finance side, the year 2011 will undoubtedly hinge for the manufacturer of tablets. The Archos Generation 9 of tablets will be unveiled at next June, but some elements are already known.
They are no less than 6 new products touchscreen (5 "to 10") which added to the Archos line of tablet, a priori all Android. The manufacturer put a new structure combines thin plastic and lightweight metal. A new processor will also be a part: it is the ARM model A9 dual-core 1.6 GHz, billed as the most powerful to date, incorporated into a tablet.
Yes i heard it too!
that was clearly when i brought my A101 - everything is become to be old!
But i love my 101 and i'm dont gonna buy my an gen9 im waiting for 10/11.
Then hopefully some android devs can port the honeycomb version on gen9 to our gen8!
http://www.archos.com/corporate/investors/financial_doc/ARCHOS_2010_Results_en.pdf
Page 18, header reads, "4 key differentiators in Gen 9 tablets to be released in June 2011"
:O
it is real
i see this press presentation
and i wait more informations
Here is another article about these:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/20/sneak-peek-at-archos-gen-9-tablets-1-6-ghz-dual-core-a9-process/
I mean it looks cool, but I refuse to buy a new tablet every year. So I'll probably use my Gen8 101 until it dies and look for a new tablet whenever that happens. Right now it is just a consumption device anyway. Web surfing, e-mail, eBooks, etc...no need to get something new.
Exactly. Its not necessary to have these things constantly upgraded and driving up the price to own one. The point of a tablet was a smaller, cheaper, lighter alternative to a netbook for basic usage such as e-books, web surfing, email, etc.(Personal favorite use for my Archos A101T 16GB has been as a digital comic reader, thousands of my digital comics all in one place and the form factor is perfect scale for comics) as well as a decent portable media device. All the additions that they are making, are bells and whistles that won't dramatically improve my current experience.
For Gen 10 I bet they'll be using something like Tegra 3 with quad core configured Cortex A9, or maybe even A15 Eagle?
I think I'll pick one up in the summer as I currently don't have any devices. Biding my time :3
You lose your bet, man it'll be Rockchip, I'm sure.
Rockchip doesn't even have anything planned for ~2 years >_>
And at 1.6Ghz I think Archos is looking to use a modified OMAP 4440/4460, it looks like it's seemingly the closest
Gen9 better have at LEAST 1GB of RAM in order to stay competitive. There's no point having a fast processor if all you can do is run one app at a time...
Now that I sold my Gen8, I might consider one of these, but I think I learned a valuable lesson venturing into the tablet world. First, the tablet needs to be at least marginally future-proofed. In other words, come from a manufacturer with a good track record of updating the OS...OR....not use locked down proprietary crap so that devs like those on XDA can cook up newer ROMS. Second, it has to have the hardware to support not only the current generation of OS, but preferably what is anticipated for the next generation or two. So at least 1024mb of RAM, 32-64GB storage, dual-core processor with decent speed, etc.
So we will see how the Gen9's look when they really do come out.
The thing I like most about Archos is their media support though. They absolutely kill the competition on media support...which is pretty important when you look at this kind of device (at least for me).
I think it is more likely to have 2.3 that 3.0
If anyone's keen, I started a hardware modding thread for the Archos Gen9. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=15668374#post15668374

[Q] GT10.1 vs Toshiba Excite

Hi,
Just watched presentation of upcoming Toshiba Tab and Iahve to say I fell in love again (as with GT 10.1 which dissapointed me with itd SoC).
AT200 will be equipped with Ti OMAP4 4430 (1,2 Ghz) chip - the one with Netflix HD certificate. Has microSD slot, micro USB and HDMI. It is just 7,7 mm thick and very light.
What do you think....if you thinking of getting GT10.1 in few days would that make you wait?
And one more thing... Video transcoding - is it coming to an end???
I just bought my tab 4 days ago, don't want to even think about this tablet, I would've gotten it but too late now :/
Specs is one thing. What's important is real life performance and if there's any other possible flaw. Gtab actually looks not bad, but the software performance bogged it down. I'd by the time the Toshiba tablet is released, icecream sandwich may be released or close to be released. So unless the performance of the Toshiba tab is another class higher than grab, I see no point thinking too much about it.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Looks almost identical to the Gtab! same resolution display too.... Won't be long before Apple will be taking Toshiba to the courts over this!! (or maybe Samsung will!??)
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A
Serious_Beans said:
I just bought my tab 4 days ago, don't want to even think about this tablet, I would've gotten it but too late now :/
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I looked at the Engadget review and the tablet looked pretty slow to me, I might be wrong. I'm very happy with my P7510 running on a vanilla 3.1 Honeycomb (soon to run on PhantomHacker's 3.2 vanilla ROM) and I'm looking forward to see Ice Cream on it.
The thing is, we will never purchase a tablet if we wait for the next "big one" to come out. Technology changes so fast that is not worth to trouble yourself. Just enjoy the tablet and use it to death, I personally think that my Tab 10.1 is an excellent product.
Well, I am not waiting for the next big one but just for one that does not have Tegra2 inside, looks OK, has I/O's I want and 3G connectivity.
So, just to have something for now I bought iPad 1 3G few weeks ago. As it is very limited device I was waiting for it to get right price. $350 for new one on warranty is OK. Now I can wait till end of the year to get Excite or Holiday or TF2 or Xoom2.... Will see.
If you want to wait, an alternative would be the HP Touchpad for $99 (fire sale instead of $499). It runs on WebOS which is awesome and I'm pretty sure someone will make an Android ROM for it eventually. Don't expect a great quality build, though.
The Tosh looks very nice, another weapon in the Android armoury. I'm still very happy with my Samsung 16Gb Wifi.
yqed said:
If you want to wait, an alternative would be the HP Touchpad for $99 (fire sale instead of $499). It runs on WebOS which is awesome and I'm pretty sure someone will make an Android ROM for it eventually. Don't expect a great quality build, though.
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It would be all true if folks like me could actually get it.
IMHO if you want (especially 3G) tablet now, good one, for reasonable price, just to keep you going till the one you really want is out iPad1 seems like a great deal.
Does most of the stuff Tegra 2 tablets do, has 3G and new one can still be found pretty cheap (half of the zoom price for example). And form me video capabilities all almost the same.
There will be always something new and better than what's available currently in the market. By the time Toshiba excite gets released to the market, even more better tablet with awesome specs will be shown at a new tech show taking place anywhere on this planet Earth.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using xda premium
galtom said:
Hi,
Just watched presentation of upcoming Toshiba Tab and Iahve to say I fell in love again (as with GT 10.1 which dissapointed me with itd SoC).
AT200 will be equipped with Ti OMAP4 4430 (1,2 Ghz) chip - the one with Netflix HD certificate. Has microSD slot, micro USB and HDMI. It is just 7,7 mm thick and very light.
What do you think....if you thinking of getting GT10.1 in few days would that make you wait?
And one more thing... Video transcoding - is it coming to an end???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm feeling exactly the same as you. The size and weight of the GT 10.1 was perfect but the poor video decoding performance of the Tegra 2 and lack of MicroSD card slot was a real let down. The AT200 seems like it will be perfect for me (assuming the OMAP proc is a lot better for video decoding). I just hope it comes out real soon to the UK market. If they delay it too long then I may be put off with official specs of ICS tablets.
It is the same SOC as in new Archos G9 series (like them but they look "cheap") and they say it will "Play" anything and everything. ;-)
Dont even think about getting the tab 10.
The Ti OMAP4 4430 in the toshiba is far superior to Tegra 2.
Ti OMAP4 4430 has A9 cores with Neon processing. Tergra 2 does not have the Neon processing and will be much slower when running apps which use Neon code and alot of apps are starting to use it.
Ti OMAP4 4430 has DUAL channel memory controller. Tegra 2 only has a single channel. Since video memory is shared, dual channel will give double the memory bandwidth which is highly needed since video memory is shared from system memory.
Ti OMAP4 4430 has SUPERIOR video decoding hardware compared to tegra 2. You can finally play real HD 1080p video. Tegra 2 decoder is so slow it cant decode main and high HD profiles which is what everyone uses.
For the newcomers to this forum, don't put much stock in anything ^ this person says. He's a known troll who will say one thing in one thread and then turn around and say the exact opposite in another.
On topic, the Excite looks like a nice machine. Do we have a US release date for it yet?
ouch! Guessing no one has the actually specs on this tab yet, looks decent size wise.
mankoorb said:
ouch! Guessing no one has the actually specs on this tab yet, looks decent size wise.
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Full specs have been released.
Does it have an amazing screen like the Samsung SPLS? Screen quality along with weight is what made my decision. However im disappointed in the current state of honeycomb/tablet apps. I would expect apps like Google+ to have the hangout video support. Lack of skype video is also a huge downer. My older samsung galaxy 7 also had way better video playing support.
MMcCraryNJ said:
For the newcomers to this forum, don't put much stock in anything ^ this person says. He's a known troll who will say one thing in one thread and then turn around and say the exact opposite in another.
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This is a false statement. Never ever have I contradicted myself. Never.
MMcCraryNJ said:
On topic, the Excite looks like a nice machine. Do we have a US release date for it yet?
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No, but don't worry, I do not think Europe has one either .
And two facts:
1. OMAP is a definitely better SOC than Tegra 2 - no arguing here. The only thing at which Tegra 2 might be better (we will have to wait and see, but I doubt it myself) is energy management.
I am worried about battery life of a tablet with 1,2 - 1,5 Ghz clock.
2. It will be cheaper in US than in EU - fact.
Now, one more "issue" we might encounter by the time it is in the shops. What will be a better choice - tablet with Omap4 or Tegra3/Kal-El with 4 cores and new architecture? (unless nvidia made an intel trick or the one they do with graphic cards - Tegra 3 is two Tegra 2 cpu's on a single chip - this would suck I think)

[Q] Which is better Archos 80 XS or Archos 101 XS?

I will be moving to the new Archos line as soon as it is released so I need your guys help on which one to move to. The reason I ask is because I know that the 80 XS will have a rockchip processor while the 101XS will have a TI OMAP 4470. Which will be better in terms of development as well. I would really your opinions. Thanks
They both are very low end. Not very good for development considering not a lot of development for it. You should consider the nexus 7 or nexus 10 instead.
Sent from my HTC Sensation using xda app-developers app
Yea I know Nexus is better 100% of the time for development. No argument there. But I don't really like the fact that non of those had sd card slots. I really like Archos new design. Idk, I like having something different and Archos is just that. When I say development I mean that which will get more. I know that compared to other devices there is extremely little going on here. I guess it might all come down to which one Surdu supports lol. Anyone has any suggestions?
baari21 said:
Yea I know Nexus is better 100% of the time for development. No argument there. But I don't really like the fact that non of those had sd card slots. I really like Archos new design. Idk, I like having something different and Archos is just that. When I say development I mean that which will get more. I know that compared to other devices there is extremely little going on here. I guess it might all come down to which one Surdu supports lol. Anyone has any suggestions?
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I have the 80g9. The form factor is the same as the 8xs. I love the size of it. Typing on screen is easy and its just the right size for most every task. I find the larger tablets cumbersome to hold for longer periods.
I'm anxiously waiting for the 8xs here in n/a.
Sent from my ARCHOS 80G9 using xda app-developers app
Yea. The 80g9 was the perfect midpoint. I still want to know which would perform better though. TI OMAP4470 or rk3066
What are you doing with your tablet? From the videos I have seen, the new archos performs smooth and fast. The 8" I have not seen in action yet. But having my 80g9 for awhile now and running serdu's clean and fast rom, the only issue now is the amount of ram in my tablet. 512mb fills up quickly and a reboot is needed every so often to keep the tablet fast. You know when you have your ram filled as the tablet is slow to react.
A non issue with the tablets with 1 gb of ram.
Sent from my ARCHOS 80G9 using xda app-developers app
oh okay good. I also have 512mb Ram and it's killing me lol. My only other issue now is the keyboard size in the cover board. An 8 inch keyboard might be too small. Did you check that out by chance? Surdu's Clean and Fast is the best, It's what I'm running now.
baari21 said:
oh okay good. I also have 512mb Ram and it's killing me lol. My only other issue now is the keyboard size in the cover board. An 8 inch keyboard might be too small. Did you check that out by chance? Surdu's Clean and Fast is the best, It's what I'm running now.
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I have not seen either gen 10 device.
Sent from my SGH-I717D using xda app-developers app
It usually just comes down to what you are looking for. a bigger screen in the 101(10.1 inch) or more portability in the 80(8 inch) all preferences
jpacleb85 said:
It usually just comes down to what you are looking for. a bigger screen in the 101(10.1 inch) or more portability in the 80(8 inch) all preferences
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I consider both portable. I'm used to lugging around a 17" Acer notebook. I find the 8" form factor much nicer to use from an ergo standpoint. Easy to type in portrait and still a big enough screen to do other things.
Sent from my ARCHOS 80G9 using xda app-developers app
I bought the 80 g9 because of the form factor as well. I'm not too sure about the 8 inch this time around though. That is because of the bezel size, it is way too big.
For those of you who didn't see it yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hWuXa7BTIUM
What do you guys think?
baari21 said:
I bought the 80 g9 because of the form factor as well. I'm not too sure about the 8 inch this time around though. That is because of the bezel size, it is way too big.
For those of you who didn't see it yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hWuXa7BTIUM
What do you guys think?
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Its still small enough to reach the entire screen with your two thumbs. That's all that matters.
As you can see its more portable than the 10xs too
Sent from my ARCHOS 80G9 using xda app-developers app
Archos 80XS use Rockchip 3066 from China! => 101XS better ( use TI OMAP 4470 )
I don't see the difference if it originates from China. Other than cheaper production costs. Not sure if TI makes there chips from USA though. I just honestly don't see your point on how that makes the 101XS better because of that. If you care to explain how that would be great. Thanks for the response though, I appreciate it.
Stereotype
baari21 said:
I don't see the difference if it originates from China. Other than cheaper production costs. Not sure if TI makes there chips from USA though. I just honestly don't see your point on how that makes the 101XS better because of that. If you care to explain how that would be great. Thanks for the response though, I appreciate it.
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I suspect that he was referring to the fact that there is a stereotype (not entirely undeserved it must be said) that RockChip processors are of a lower quality and performace level than their TI, Qualcomm, etc. alternatives.
As of now there is less of a quality and performace gap (so far as I am aware) between RockChip CPUs and the CPUs of other manufacturers. I doubt very much if you would notice any performance issues if you went the 80xs over the 101xs, but (as you can tell if you've looked at the dev section for these devices) there is slightly more developer activity for the 101xs, so that may say something about the processor.
Could I enquire which of the two devices you chose in the end? (Assuming you chose either of them, of course.)

Looking increasingly likely that Google has given up on 10" tablets

As we know, Google has not released a new Nexus 10, well over a year after the original's release. The original's specs are still great, new tablets are not really surpassing it much if at all, so I don't think it's in dire need of an update, but it's still unusual to see that much time go by without an update for a product a company is still interested in.
Then in the code, we have two solid hints that Google no longer cares about the 10" form factor. The first obvious one is the Settings menu in KitKat, with two-pane UI removed. The second hint now comes with the official launch of the Google Now Launcher. We see that GNL only does 6 columns on Nexus 10, same as Nexus 7. Google could've easily bumped this to 8 like with the stock launcher, but didn't bother.
Then there are Nexus 8 rumors. To me 8" is still too small and is noticeably smaller than a 10" tablet. You need only look at the iPad Mini and full size iPad to validate this opinion. However, Google might use that device as further justification to not bother with a 10" device, since 8" is "close enough" and a single tablet could garner more sales.
This seems like a poor decision to me though. As I said, Apple thinks there is good reason to have both 8" and 10" devices in play, and the market agrees with them. 10" tablets are THE next "PC" for average users. They do most things people could want, on a comfortably sized screen, especially when paired with a keyboard. The fact that iPad Airs are flying off shelves and increasingly used in enterprise proves this. If we are really "post-PC" and the iPad's dominance is going unchecked, why would Google give up on this size/form factor? Why not continually update the N10 and pair it with awesome keyboards and office apps to make it a real powerhouse? Samsung gets it and is doing exactly this - it seems Google is happy to let them handle it, despite its huge importance. What if Samsung takes it in a different direction that Google is unhappy with? They've been known to do this before.
Do you agree with this, or do think Google is still committed to the full size market, but just taking their time with an update? Keep in mind the software hints we have seen that indicate they are giving up.
xdp said:
The original's specs are still great, new tablets are not really surpassing it much if at all, so I don't think it's in dire need of an update.
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The N10.1-14 and Tab|Pro 10.1 run circles around the N10 specs wise.
GPU
The Mali-T628 delivers high performance graphics, achieved by doubling the number of GPU cores, within each core and improving the compiler and pipeline efficiency. It delivers up to 10x the graphics performance of the Mali-400-MP GPU, as well as an increase in GPU Compute performance when compared with the Mali-T604 GPU.
The Mali-T604 GPU delivers up to 5x performance improvement over the Mali-400-MP graphics processor and is scalable up to four cores.
http://mobile.arm.com/products/multimedia/mali-graphics-hardware/mali-t628.php​
CPU
Exynos 5420 provides four A15 cores plus the ability to transition to four A7 cores under low/moderate load vs. two A15 cores on Exynos 5250. The former's using a 28nm HKMG die while the latters using the much older 32nm process which is far less energy and heat efficient.
You can look at benchmarks and see that the N10's CPU and GPU are "acceptable" but certainly not contemporary compared to newer Exynos/Mali and S-80X/Adreno SoC's.
Size
Battery Life
The Samsung tablets get better battery life using a smaller and lighter battery. Primarily because of the RGBW display and more energy efficient SoC(s). With the extra white pixel there are still 274 red, green, and blue sub-pixels per inch which wouldn't be indistinguishable compared to the 299 PPI on the N10. The iPad Air has 264 PPI for reference.
TW obviously negates some of the performance benefit because of all the resources it consumes but if you added the same amount of crap to the N10 it's performance would be significantly below the Samsung tablets. Same thing in reverse if you slapped CM or an AOKP ROM on the Samsung tablets. The Xperia Tablet Z 2 is using a S-801 SoC and comes with 3GB of RAM which will actually surpass the performance of the Samsung tablets and even further outperform the N10.
So the N10's had its day in the sun but needs either to be replaced to remain contemporary or marked down considerably in price based on its performance position in the market place.
That's totally true. And we aren't even talking about Snapdragon 800 beast in the market. I like it a lot but it has become quite obsolete (as usuall in Tech market). I think new media contents wont be able to be played fluidly.
The screen ppi is about the best on any tablet and it's running the latest version of Android and apps run without lag so really no need to upgrade.
BarryH_GEG said:
The N10.1-14 and Tab|Pro 10.1 run circles around the N10 specs wise.
GPU
The Mali-T628 delivers high performance graphics, achieved by doubling the number of GPU cores, within each core and improving the compiler and pipeline efficiency. It delivers up to 10x the graphics performance of the Mali-400-MP GPU, as well as an increase in GPU Compute performance when compared with the Mali-T604 GPU.
The Mali-T604 GPU delivers up to 5x performance improvement over the Mali-400-MP graphics processor and is scalable up to four cores.
http://mobile.arm.com/products/multimedia/mali-graphics-hardware/mali-t628.php​
CPU
Exynos 5420 provides four A15 cores plus the ability to transition to four A7 cores under low/moderate load vs. two A15 cores on Exynos 5250. The former's using a 28nm HKMG die while the latters using the much older 32nm process which is far less energy and heat efficient.
You can look at benchmarks and see that the N10's CPU and GPU are "acceptable" but certainly not contemporary compared to newer Exynos/Mali and S-80X/Adreno SoC's.
Size
Battery Life
The Samsung tablets get better battery life using a smaller and lighter battery. Primarily because of the RGBW display and more energy efficient SoC(s). With the extra white pixel there are still 274 red, green, and blue sub-pixels per inch which wouldn't be indistinguishable compared to the 299 PPI on the N10. The iPad Air has 264 PPI for reference.
TW obviously negates some of the performance benefit because of all the resources it consumes but if you added the same amount of crap to the N10 it's performance would be significantly below the Samsung tablets. Same thing in reverse if you slapped CM or an AOKP ROM on the Samsung tablets. The Xperia Tablet Z 2 is using a S-801 SoC and comes with 3GB of RAM which will actually surpass the performance of the Samsung tablets and even further outperform the N10.
So the N10's had its day in the sun but needs either to be replaced to remain contemporary or marked down considerably in price based on its performance position in the market place.
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Well its 16 months old now the N10 so what else do you expect. Still a good tablet in my book.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda app-developers app
Warren_Orange said:
Well its 16 months old now the N10 so what else do you expect. Still a good tablet in my book.
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I didn't say it wasn't a "good" tablet; especially for $250 for the 32GB version on eBay. But after 16 months the following statement isn't true. The most unique feature of the N10 was it being the only 2,560x1,600 Android tablet. The 10" Samsung tablets and Asus TF701 both have similar displays now in addition to improving upon every other h/w spec.
xdp said:
New tablets are not really surpassing it much if at all.
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I think they will put out another. They're development devices so as long as we have ultra high resolution 10+inch tablets there should be a 10 incher from google
Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk
Google provides updates to a device for 18 months, right? So what happens when the N10 hits 18 months, if they have no new N10 out by then?
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk
Darnell_Chat_TN said:
Google provides updates to a device for 18 months, right? So what happens when the N10 hits 18 months, if they have no new N10 out by then?
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10" Android tablets, especially high-end versions, have never sold well. At $400+ people (not necessarily XDA'rs) looking for larger format tablets buy iPads. People looking for cheap tablets buy Android (forked and official) which are typically $250 or below and 7-8". The Motorola Zoom was released three years ago in February, 2011. The fact we're still dealing with this speaks volumes about the attention developers pay to 10" tablets with their larger display area and landscape orientation.
Samsung and their zillion dollar marketing budget are making a huge push in the high-end larger format tablet space. And with balls of steel their pricing the 8.4 and 10.1 Pro/Note's at iPad prices and beyond. We'll see if that gets people interested in large Android tablets. If you look at the latest KitKat adoption rate it's below 2%. If you assume most Nexi that were able upgraded that means that of all the Android h/w out there less than 2% are Nexi. If you further assume the N4/5 and N7/N7-13 (both of which emphasize price as much as purity) are the lion's share that doesn't leave many other devices sold. Google may just be taking a pass on a new 10" tablet or letting Samsung prime the pump with their Pro/Note push before they jump back in. The world will survive without a new N10 since they didn't fall all over themselves to buy the first one.
Does not answer my question you've quoted. I'm asking about OTA updates for the current N10 if it hits 18 months and no new N10 is released. Sorry for not mentioning I'm asking regarding OTA updates.
Darnell_Chat_TN said:
Does not answer my question you've quoted. I'm asking about OTA updates for the current N10 if it hits 18 months and no new N10 is released. Sorry for not mentioning I'm asking regarding OTA updates.
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I dont think that's any sort of guarantee. Considering how they had to disable features in 4.4.2, I wonder if 4.5 will even make it onto the N10 officially.
BarryH_GEG said:
10" Android tablets, especially high-end versions, have never sold well. At $400+ people (not necessarily XDA'rs) looking for larger format tablets buy iPads. People looking for cheap tablets buy Android (forked and official) which are typically $250 or below and 7-8". The Motorola Zoom was released three years ago in February, 2011. The fact we're still dealing with this speaks volumes about the attention developers pay to 10" tablets with their larger display area and landscape orientation.
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Click to collapse
If anything that is MORE reason why Google should focus on this space. Just like they did with the Nexus 7 where they came out with a device that did the 7" form factor right, and it got attention. iPads are THE next "PC". In the future (even now) your average user will have a smartphone or maybe a tablet to use at home, and might not need a Windows/Mac PC at all. If Google doesn't get Android to a dominant position in this space like they've done with phones they will come to regret it. It ties into enterprise adoption, productivity (Google Docs and as an extension Chromebooks), you name it.
BarryH_GEG said:
The N10.1-14 and Tab|Pro 10.1 run circles around the N10 specs wise.
GPU
The Mali-T628 delivers high performance graphics, achieved by doubling the number of GPU cores, within each core and improving the compiler and pipeline efficiency. It delivers up to 10x the graphics performance of the Mali-400-MP GPU, as well as an increase in GPU Compute performance when compared with the Mali-T604 GPU.
The Mali-T604 GPU delivers up to 5x performance improvement over the Mali-400-MP graphics processor and is scalable up to four cores.
http://mobile.arm.com/products/multimedia/mali-graphics-hardware/mali-t628.php​
CPU
Exynos 5420 provides four A15 cores plus the ability to transition to four A7 cores under low/moderate load vs. two A15 cores on Exynos 5250. The former's using a 28nm HKMG die while the latters using the much older 32nm process which is far less energy and heat efficient.
You can look at benchmarks and see that the N10's CPU and GPU are "acceptable" but certainly not contemporary compared to newer Exynos/Mali and S-80X/Adreno SoC's.
Size
http://www.flickr.com/photos/b-a-h/11237275726/
Battery Life
The Samsung tablets get better battery life using a smaller and lighter battery. Primarily because of the RGBW display and more energy efficient SoC(s). With the extra white pixel there are still 274 red, green, and blue sub-pixels per inch which wouldn't be indistinguishable compared to the 299 PPI on the N10. The iPad Air has 264 PPI for reference.
TW obviously negates some of the performance benefit because of all the resources it consumes but if you added the same amount of crap to the N10 it's performance would be significantly below the Samsung tablets. Same thing in reverse if you slapped CM or an AOKP ROM on the Samsung tablets. The Xperia Tablet Z 2 is using a S-801 SoC and comes with 3GB of RAM which will actually surpass the performance of the Samsung tablets and even further outperform the N10.
So the N10's had its day in the sun but needs either to be replaced to remain contemporary or marked down considerably in price based on its performance position in the market place.
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None of this refutes my points regarding Google giving up on this space despite all the reasons they should actually increase their efforts in it. And despite the spec bumps you quoted, the N10 is still a super capable and modern tablet. It could stand to be a bit faster (or maybe Android/Chrome just better optimized for Exynos), and better in-use battery life is always welcome, but that's about it. Just sitting there my N10 will only lose 1-2% over the course of a whole day idle.
I could never get used to the ten inch Android form factor. Too awkward to hold IMO either landscape or portrait. And the dimensions at that size just look odd when viewing the screen for anything but videos. Bought a N10 and returned it days later. That said the Samsung Note 8 is ergonomically excellent and great for viewing in portrait mode. Just needs higher resolution and it would have it all. But I like mine all the same. Still I need a large format tablet which is why I own the iPad Air. Tremendously light and has an excellent screen. They chopped the bezel size which makes it feel small but they didn't shrink the screen. This really is a killer pad just from a hardware technical perspective. On the other hand, don't like the iOS but what can you do. Android really needs to change the ten inch form factor.
Sent by my Note 3 via Tapatalk.
xdp said:
As we know, Google has not released a new Nexus 10, well over a year after the original's release. The original's specs are still great, new tablets are not really surpassing it much if at all, so I don't think it's in dire need of an update, but it's still unusual to see that much time go by without an update for a product a company is still interested in.
Then in the code, we have two solid hints that Google no longer cares about the 10" form factor. The first obvious one is the Settings menu in KitKat, with two-pane UI removed. The second hint now comes with the official launch of the Google Now Launcher. We see that GNL only does 6 columns on Nexus 10, same as Nexus 7. Google could've easily bumped this to 8 like with the stock launcher, but didn't bother.
Then there are Nexus 8 rumors. To me 8" is still too small and is noticeably smaller than a 10" tablet. You need only look at the iPad Mini and full size iPad to validate this opinion. However, Google might use that device as further justification to not bother with a 10" device, since 8" is "close enough" and a single tablet could garner more sales.
This seems like a poor decision to me though. As I said, Apple thinks there is good reason to have both 8" and 10" devices in play, and the market agrees with them. 10" tablets are THE next "PC" for average users. They do most things people could want, on a comfortably sized screen, especially when paired with a keyboard. The fact that iPad Airs are flying off shelves and increasingly used in enterprise proves this. If we are really "post-PC" and the iPad's dominance is going unchecked, why would Google give up on this size/form factor? Why not continually update the N10 and pair it with awesome keyboards and office apps to make it a real powerhouse? Samsung gets it and is doing exactly this - it seems Google is happy to let them handle it, despite its huge importance. What if Samsung takes it in a different direction that Google is unhappy with? They've been known to do this before.
Do you agree with this, or do think Google is still committed to the full size market, but just taking their time with an update? Keep in mind the software hints we have seen that indicate they are giving up.
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I agree with you in that I highly doubt there will ever be a 2nd gen Nexus 10. This is actually what pushed me to finally order my new N10 last week. I've always wanted one, but couldn't justify paying $500 for a 32GB when it first came out. I had an HP TouchPad at the time running CM that was able to hold me over for a while. Then, after buying my N5, the speed (or lack thereof) of the TouchPad was really starting to make itself evident. I lucked out and scored a 32GB N7 (2013) from Staples for $170 back in January, and it's a great tablet, but I was really missing the 10" screen. So last week, when I saw a deal (shout out to Slickdeals!) for a brand new 32GB N10 for $300, I had to jump on it. Yeah, it's over a year old, and it doesn't have the fastest specs compared to today's standards, but I didn't buy it run benchmarks on it. I don't even really play intense games either. My main uses are web-browsing, productivity apps and media consumption (mainly Blu-ray MKVs). And, obviously, since it's a Nexus, I can tinker to my heart's content.
One can easily say the Note 10.1 (2014) and Tab Pro 10.1 have better specs, but they both come running TouchWiz (which is a HUGE negative for me). Plus, I doubt development for either of these will ever come close to what the N10 has. My disdain for TouchWiz makes this decision even easier when looking at the prices of these tablets. With the 32GB Note 10.1 (2014) going for $550, and the 16GB Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 (no 32GB option available) going for $450 (prices according to Amazon), I see a brand new 32GB N10 for $300 as nothing less than a no-brainer.
To wrap it up, even though Google may not be coming out with a new Nexus 10, I still feel comfortable buying one since the price is great, and I can see development continuing for this tablet for a good while. And worst-case scenario, if Google does come out with a new N10, I'll just sell my current one for an upgrade. If they don't, then I'll be glad I picked one up before it became unavailable.
schimm said:
I could never get used to the ten inch Android form factor. Too awkward to hold IMO either landscape or portrait. And the dimensions at that size just look odd when viewing the screen for anything but videos. Bought a N10 and returned it days later. That said the Samsung Note 8 is ergonomically excellent and great for viewing in portrait mode. Just needs higher resolution and it would have it all. But I like mine all the same. Still I need a large format tablet which is why I own the iPad Air. Tremendously light and has an excellent screen. They chopped the bezel size which makes it feel small but they didn't shrink the screen. This really is a killer pad just from a hardware technical perspective. On the other hand, don't like the iOS but what can you do. Android really needs to change the ten inch form factor.
Sent by my Note 3 via Tapatalk.
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Yep, iOS is a huge bore, but you're right that the iPad hardware can't be beat. I don't mind the Nexus 10 form factor, but I do think the 4:3 iPad is a little more manageable and Android should try out that aspect ratio, I don't know why they've always only done 16:9.
charesa39 said:
I agree with you in that I highly doubt there will ever be a 2nd gen Nexus 10. This is actually what pushed me to finally order my new N10 last week. I've always wanted one, but couldn't justify paying $500 for a 32GB when it first came out. I had an HP TouchPad at the time running CM that was able to hold me over for a while. Then, after buying my N5, the speed (or lack thereof) of the TouchPad was really starting to make itself evident. I lucked out and scored a 32GB N7 (2013) from Staples for $170 back in January, and it's a great tablet, but I was really missing the 10" screen. So last week, when I saw a deal (shout out to Slickdeals!) for a brand new 32GB N10 for $300, I had to jump on it. Yeah, it's over a year old, and it doesn't have the fastest specs compared to today's standards, but I didn't buy it run benchmarks on it. I don't even really play intense games either. My main uses are web-browsing, productivity apps and media consumption (mainly Blu-ray MKVs). And, obviously, since it's a Nexus, I can tinker to my heart's content.
One can easily say the Note 10.1 (2014) and Tab Pro 10.1 have better specs, but they both come running TouchWiz (which is a HUGE negative for me). Plus, I doubt development for either of these will ever come close to what the N10 has. My disdain for TouchWiz makes this decision even easier when looking at the prices of these tablets. With the 32GB Note 10.1 (2014) going for $550, and the 16GB Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 (no 32GB option available) going for $450 (prices according to Amazon), I see a brand new 32GB N10 for $300 as nothing less than a no-brainer.
To wrap it up, even though Google may not be coming out with a new Nexus 10, I still feel comfortable buying one since the price is great, and I can see development continuing for this tablet for a good while. And worst-case scenario, if Google does come out with a new N10, I'll just sell my current one for an upgrade. If they don't, then I'll be glad I picked one up before it became unavailable.
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Click to collapse
Agree with all your points, the N10's specs have aged pretty well especially considering the speed at which Android moves. I bought mine at launch and it runs KitKat swiftly enough. I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't get any updates post KitKat but I'll just throw CM on it then. I agree Samsung's software is still a turn-off, if it wasn't for that (and the prices) the new Samsung tablets would be more of a consideration.
Either way, though, Google does use Nexus to push their own experience (especially with the Nexus 5), and for this reason and considering the importance of the full-size tablet market, I don't see how they can logically abandon it.
Google is notorious for dropping hardware and software that don't meet expected numbers.
As for people talking about hardware updates needed and how other tablets have the latest and greatest.
None of it really matters. The general consumer isn't going to notice a increase in performance from a nexus 10 to a figurative nexus 10v2.
It literally does not matter. What matters is the software that runs the tablet and the display it comes on. The end user will be more likely to upgrade their tablet for the best software implementation and UI over tech specs they don't understand. Samsung has got this down with all their spiffy software. They still have the best hardware but none of it is really mentioned because the target audience doesn't care. The tech specs are reserved for the geeks and power users.
From my perspective no amount of hardware updates will justify upgrading from the nexus 10 as it has one of the best display resolutions and the hardware to run it flawlessly. What is a bump up in ghz going to achieve for what I use my tablet for? Or an updated gpu for games I don't play?
I suppose it matters what you use your tablet for but my guess is the majority of users use it for Web browsing and watching videos in HD which the n10 does spectacularly. I don't game on mine but when I do I have no issues with it. I also find that the more complex a game is on a tablet, the less enjoyable it is. Games like angry birds is fun as it's intuitive of tablets. Anything FPS related and such is a pain. I have my extremely expensive desktop for those kinds of games.
So in conclusion my best theory is that Google did not meet their quota for the nexus 10, there isn't a high enough demand unlike their phone products, and unless they can find an actual reason to update their device, I. E. New android software that requires a certain hardware upgrades to use, they're going to be content with a device that companies are still competing with over a year later. The very fact that the nexus 10 still reigns at the top with new tablets being put into the market should say a lot about the thought that went into the n10.
If someone can explain in depth what another similar 10" tablet can do better than the nexus 10 because of hardware superiority I will retract my statement.
The only thing I can think of that would justify a new n10 is if it had native 3d vision support since it's an entertainment device. That's the only thing this device can't do that I can think of at the moment.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda app-developers app
Ditto...
Proud owner of the Nexus10
You couldnt have explained That any better
Sent from my Nexus 10 using XDA Premium HD app
Darnell_Chat_TN said:
Does not answer my question you've quoted. I'm asking about OTA updates for the current N10 if it hits 18 months and no new N10 is released. Sorry for not mentioning I'm asking regarding OTA updates.
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Still running my N10 I got when they first came out. As far as OTA updates go it's anyboy's guess if/and/or when an update for KitKat will come for the device. KitKat runs great on this device, even in it's stock form. Throw a custom on it and it's even better. I have compared mine to a couple of friend's newer tabs running stock KitKat. Runs just as good if not better in some cases even with it's "OLD" specs.
Just my opinion and input.
I'm still using my n10. I would love to upgrade, but there just isn't anything that makes me want to spend the money. The samsung tabs are laggy. The Asus tabs are buggy. The apple tabs are... apple.

Is this a reasonable tablet?

8 inch screen
1gb ram
1024x768 resolution
1.5ghz dual core CPU
Thanks
Sent from my GT-S5570 using XDA Free mobile app
Just judging by those specs, it could be a decent tablet, but I very much doubt it. Any tablet that is 8 inches that is a nice tablet will probably have a higher resolution than that and would likely have more ram. If I had to make a guess, I would guess it is probably a cheap Chinese tablet that is either running a very old version of Android or some other OS completely and probably won't do much more than browse simple web pages or run simple apps. Unfortunately the market is full of these kinds of tablets now, which is okay if that is what you are looking for, as long as you can get them cheap and you realize what you are getting. I could be wrong though, it might be decent. There is no way to know without more information.
Its a Nextbook

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