Related
Hello! I have gone through all the reviews and what made me look in to this device is its cost and the loaded features. However before going in for it, I wanted to get inputs from the users about a couple of things.
First, How is the battery performance? Here is my normal usage pattern, about half an hour of 2G calls. Music for about an hour. Camera usage for about 5 mins. GPRS browsing for about 1-2 hours.
Second, How easy is it to type using the on screen QUERTY keypad?
Third, How is the browsing experience? I know that it supports full flash and it will load pages quite well. But what I am asking is how readable is the screen size and rendering. Since I travel everyday I will read engadget, techcrunch and so on while travelling.
Android Updates. It sure has a 1Ghz processor with 512 Mb RAM. Does this mean we will get regular updates from Sony Ericsson. I am actually fan of pure google experience. I wanted to buy the Nexus S, but since I saw this phone for a cheap cost i have given it a thought.
The Nexus S is available in India for about $400(Super LCD version, not the AMOLED version. EVerything else is the same). The Xperia Mini is about $250. Now the question is, paying another $150 would get me a pure google phone with larger screen and better browsing experience. Can somebody help me out here? I am in a fix here.
Hey, I've got a Mini Pro but i can help you with most of your questions.
I'd say my usage is similar to yours with the exception of using wifi instead of gprs/3g for the most part and I only had to charge my phone before the end of the day in the first few days of owning it because I was playing with it so much. These days, I use up around 60% battery during one day. This is with Data being always on, and no battery management apps. I don't mind the once per day charging.
I've tried on-screen landscape keyboard and it's perfectly fine, comparable to every other touch screen device. Portrait mode however, I use only for less than 3-4 word input since it's kinda cramped (and hardware keyboard is a great experience).
It's only while browsing that screen size might be an issue. Browsing experience overall is quite good as the phone is very powerful for that resolution. I do however sometimes feel 'claustrophobic' and wish for a bigger screen while browsing. But, It's not a big issue, at least for me, although you should try it out in the store by loading up some of your favorite sites.
As for updates, Sony has officially stated that all Xperia phones from 2011 will get Ice Cream Sandwich, with some delay as with every manufacturer. But an even better news, at least for me, is the official support of CM which is coming soon. I'd put CM on any phone I might own.
But in either case you'll be having a fresh android OS, and if you decide to go for official ROM you can install Launcher Pro or ADW and get an experience indistinguishable from a vanilla android. Some of the Sony's apps (camera, messaging and music player...) are actually better than vanilla ones, in my opinion. But I assume you will be able to install those in CM with little effort.
I was in a similar position, "is the extra money worth the bigger screen?". And for me it wasn't, but that's mostly because that extra money was the kind of money I just couldnt afford at that time. I was torn between Mini Pro and Neo, which is actually very similar to Nexus S but cheaper so check it out if it's available to you. Money won out in my case or else I would have gotten Neo. If you can afford it, go for Neo or Nexus!
Cheers
As the title simply asks, what are your plans for your HAM2?
I've created this thread 1) out of curiosity and 2) to show Huawei (if they ever see this) what a mistake they're making.
If you're sticking with your Mate2, vote for that! If you're going to sell it, vote for that and please tell us what your selling price is/may be, and what phone you're buying next. And if you're unsure, there's an option for that.
Hopefully this'll help other people make their next phone decision or get Huawei's act together for the US, who knows?
As for me: I'd like to sell it; possibly looking into a used Note 3.
UPDATE - 11/21/14
ANDROID LOLLIPOP WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE ASCEND MATE2
Huawei Device is pleased to announce that Android Lollipop will be available for the Ascend Mate2 in the first half of next year. In light of your feedback, we have reassessed our upgrade strategy. We take our customers’ feedback seriously and want to ensure they have the best experience possible with the Mate2. The Mate2 upgrade will go from the current JellyBean directly to Lollipop. Huawei Device is committed to providing the U.S. market with the best products, services and features, and we stand behind the Mate2 and the value it offers. At its launch, the Ascend Mate2 offered a powerful, unlocked experience, with a 4G LTE ready, 6.1-inch smartphone featuring the most powerful battery in its class and panoramic camera. Today, the Mate2 continues to be an exceptional device for under $300.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Source
ScoobSTi said:
As the title simply asks, what are your plans for your HAM2?
I've created this thread 1) out of curiosity and 2) to show Huawei (if they ever see this) what a mistake they're making.
If you're sticking with your Mate2, vote for that! If you're going to sell it, vote for that and please tell us what your selling price is/may be, and what phone you're buying next. And if you're unsure, there's an option for that.
Hopefully this'll help other people make their next phone decision or get Huawei's act together for the US, who knows?
As for me: I'd like to sell it; possibly looking into a used Note 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buying the Nexus 6 when it becomes available, and after some of the reviews.
Will probably sell this or give it to someone in the family.
Sent from my MT2L03
Im going to keep it, its a really good phone, and there is no other phone with this battery!
Selling my HAM2, will wait a few weeks and decide between the Nexus 6 and Note 4
I'm also planning on selling my HAM2. I'm interested in the Nexus 6 but want to read RL user reviews. I also would like to see if there are any Google Play editions going to be announced soon that have decent screen size and big battery. Like most new Google phones, I suspect the supply chain for the Nexus 6 is going to take a few months to get enough phones out. Maybe Moto will be a nice surprise and get enough stock out early. I guess Huawei decided the North American market isn't worth the effort. Too bad. I suspect they've quit reading North American web pages after the reaction to their announcement about not updating to KK. (I really can't believe their callous responses to posts on their FB page. "Life goes on." Given that attitude, I suspect they're miserable at responding to warranty issues.)
I've only had my phone sim in it a few times, usually it's wifi only or sharing my tablet sim with my LTE N7 and unlocked AT&T Note 8. I have too many devices and need to move them. I want to go either with my Note 2 and 8, Note 2 and this with the tablet sim, or sell everything and go with an international Note 8 with the phone sim and a cheap T-Mobile branded phone for a backup with wifi calling.
"Wait and see" is what makes sense to me. The phone still has the attributes I bought it for. I'm disappointed that the phone is being neglected, but not sure I would have wanted the KitKat update if it had come. I had enough problems with various 4.4.x versions on the Nexus 4 that I would not have been an early adopter on the HAM2. I'm not exactly a fan of Huawei after the company's failure to adequately support their product, but I still remember that they freely provided the bootloader unlock code., something not many phone manufacturers do. So I think there are a few trade-offs involved.
Keepin It
I'm keepin it because I can't find any other phone as of today that is worth selling this for to get a replacement. Maybe in 8 months something better will come a long but then again maybe in 2 months or something we will have CM. The only phablet I can see worth money is the Sony Xperia Z Ultra but I think this phone is more rounded overall. I was ok with JB last week before the announcement and I'm ok with it this week just sad. This is a $300 budged phablet I bought not no $700 phone I found out was not being supported anymore. For the $300 I paid for this the battery and phone is great. A 5.5 inch screen is not a phablet to me. 6 inches and up I need and if someone can find me a worthy contender I would gladly upgrade because i'm so mad at Huawei. But as it stands its actually in a class of its own.
@ScoobSTi I've read enough of your post to know your also going to ride this wave with me. Its almost cheaper to buy a phone from someone who is mad and give it to a developer.. hahahah JK..or am I.. hmmmm
superbass311 said:
I'm keepin it because I can't find any other phone as of today that is worth selling this for to get a replacement. Maybe in 8 months something better will come a long but then again maybe in 2 months or something we will have CM. The only phablet I can see worth money is the Sony Xperia Z Ultra but I think this phone is more rounded overall. I was ok with JB last week before the announcement and I'm ok with it this week just sad. This is a $300 budged phablet I bought not no $700 phone I found out was not being supported anymore. For the $300 I paid for this the battery and phone is great. A 5.5 inch screen is not a phablet to me. 6 inches and up I need and if someone can find me a worthy contender I would gladly upgrade because i'm so mad at Huawei. But as it stands its actually in a class of its own.
@ScoobSTi I've read enough of your post to know your also going to ride this wave with me. Its almost cheaper to buy a phone from someone who is mad and give it to a developer.. hahahah JK..or am I.. hmmmm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thought about it more myself and it's still an awesome device and I think you would still get another year out of it. I may not get the latest android wear updates after April but Pebble said they are going to support 4.3+ with the next updates and I actually prefer my Pebble steel so I'm OK with that. Android wear has really been getting better lately and I'm excited to see what lollipop brings "Torn between two lovers, feeling like a fool" you know how the song goes.
Sent from my MT2L03
I guess I'm an odd duck. I'm KEEPING my Ham2.
The update means nothing to me. I had a 2+ year old Note1 still on 4.1.2 when I picked up the Ham2 in July, so updating isn't a priority.
I just want a device that works, is stable and has a great battery life. Ham2 fits that to a T.
I don't need bells and whistles, I don't play games. I use this as a tool for work. All my service calls are handled through a web portal,
I do a ton of email, text, scanning bar codes, few dozen photos of broken equipment etc. The OS on the device means nothing, as long as it is STABLE.I don't have time for FC's, reboots, lock ups, dropped signals etc.
Stable, battery life, good camera, clear screen, THAT is job #1 for a device.
As long as my Ham2 works, I'll keep it. Even if they did release an OS update, I'd hold off for at least a month, to make sure it was
rock solid stable before I were to install it.
p51d007 said:
I guess I'm an odd duck. I'm KEEPING my Ham2.
The update means nothing to me. I had a 2+ year old Note1 still on 4.1.2 when I picked up the Ham2 in July, so updating isn't a priority.
I just want a device that works, is stable and has a great battery life. Ham2 fits that to a T.
I don't need bells and whistles, I don't play games. I use this as a tool for work. All my service calls are handled through a web portal,
I do a ton of email, text, scanning bar codes, few dozen photos of broken equipment etc. The OS on the device means nothing, as long as it is STABLE.I don't have time for FC's, reboots, lock ups, dropped signals etc.
Stable, battery life, good camera, clear screen, THAT is job #1 for a device.
As long as my Ham2 works, I'll keep it. Even if they did release an OS update, I'd hold off for at least a month, to make sure it was
rock solid stable before I were to install it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well said.
I will say, it will be hard to replicate the Mate 2 battery life on any other phone for a couple of years, I'd presume. While you can certainly get a better screen and a faster phone, there's nothing on the market that even comes close battery-wise. I can get 72 hours uptime with 9 hours on screen routinely on the Mate 2. The people who have good life with the Note are getting ~20 hours uptime with 6 hours on screen.
I seem to have been getting decreased battery life, even with constant app killing, scanning, etc. so if I do switch I don't think it'll make too much of a difference.
Plus, if I do go for a Note 3, it has wireless charging... and a removable battery...
ScoobSTi said:
I seem to have been getting decreased battery life, even with constant app killing, scanning, etc. so if I do switch I don't think it'll make too much of a difference.
Plus, if I do go for a Note 3, it has wireless charging... and a removable battery...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my battery has been perfect still. I get 2 days out of it on normal profile. and I had wireless charging on my G pro and it sucks trust me. it's not there yet
I'm going to hound Huawei until they replace this with a Mate 7
Ordered one this week let's see how it is or will return to newegg. Will be costing me less than $200 after I get rid of newegg and net10 gift cards.
beastonprowl said:
Ordered one this week let's see how it is or will return to newegg. Will be costing me less than $200 after I get rid of newegg and net10 gift cards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your going to fall in love with the phone just like all the rest of us. just hate the name on top
Waiting....For Now
Have decided to go back to my S3 as my daily driver. While I love the size and battery life there are just a few too many quirks that aggravate me, and one item that will be a show stopper in the near future.
1. 3rd party camera apps aren't working for me....the flash timing doesn't sync up with the shutter so you end up with dark pictures even though the phone does the double flash to focus and reduce red eye.
2. Lockscreen...ugh. Stock is nasty and the way the kernel works, replacements (I've tried a dozen plus) have delays that flash the homescreen before kicking in.
3. Screen resolution...yes, it's 720p but Huawei somehow twerked the configuration to where it's not properly recognized by many apps, especially Themer/MyColorScreen won't recognize.
4. Notifications...even with apps identified as "protected", i.e. they're not supposed to be killed when the screen goes off, seem to get cached/suspended and notifications stop.
5. Speaker...for media it does OK but as a speaker phone? Can't hear people on the other end even in a quiet room with nothing but ambient noise (yes, I'm deaf as all get out but the S3 speaker is so much better).
6. SD Card...has the damn restrictions associated with 4.3, apps like Zooper widget etc. that can back-up settings are only able to store to internal memory, not external SD. *This is from my experience so there may be something I'm missing to fix this.
7. Back-up...the stock back-up seems to work ok and a lot has been fixed with TWRP...BUT there seems to be too many issues and with nandroid/titanium not working from what I've read I have decided rooting and modding with exposed/busybox hacks is too risky for now.
8. The show stopper...My company is going to enforce encryption on BYODs soon to access email, etc. Ran encryption on the phone, looked successful, but when went to validate it failed then when I restarted the phone it went back to being unencrypted. I know 4.3 can be a bit tricky with encryption but my device is now marked as "unsupported" by my IT and will not be able to access environments.
Keeping.
Still love the screen and the battery life.
If the Mate 7 comes available next year for the U.S. market for under $500 that'll be my next phone.
Sent from my MT2L03 using XDA Free mobile app
Keeping . It's the best device I've had , especially considering the price/performance ratio. I knew going into this purchase that the kit kat promise wasn't credible. If you want updates spend $600+ . This device fits the bill for a lot of consumers as is . Including myself . I have devices on kit kat and the experience on the HAM2 isn't hindered at all by the 4.3 OS . At least not for me , this thing is rock solid with outrageous battery life . What's the point of having bleeding edge specs with the newest OS if it doesn't even last a regular day ?? Always looking for a charge is so annoying . With this thing i don't even have a battery indicator percentage turned on , because no matter what i can't use up all the juice in one day even if i tried . I get at least 10 hours of on screen time per charge. Who knows, maybe Huawei is gonna fire back with a positive reply after their horrendous announcement . They've been very quiet on their social platforms , maybe they're trying to work something out with the big boys over in China . Just some thoughts .
Hi!
I have currently nexus 7 (2012) tablet and I've been thinking of updating it with 10" tablet. One of the greatest tablets on paper is xperia z2 tablet but there are couple things that make me think about some other device (nexus 9 or some samsung tablets). That is custom software support.. I've been using cm for a long time on my devices and luckly z2 has official cm12 support. My concern is however how stable is the device tree of z2 and recovery support seems to be everything else but good. No TWRP, not even unofficial as far as I can see. Otherwise sony's tablet seems to be hardwarewise device and that's why I'm seriusly thinking of buying one. If someone could recommend/not recommend this tablet to me or give me any other information about the device I'd appreciate it a lot!
Regards,
rockknee
I have both Nexus 7's a Nexus 9 and a tablet Z2.
Paid about the same for N9 and tab Z2, about $400 new.
N9 is heavy and thick compared to Z2 tab, but may have more CPU power. I don't use them much except for app testing and light reading.
I much prefer the Z2 tab to the N9 due to lighter, thinner and FM radio.
Tab Z2 (and Sony in general) development is low.
But N9 is a relatively unpopular Nexus too...
As long as you're aware you're getting last generation cpu/graphics (which BTW snapdragon 801 is still plenty fast), its still a great tablet.
- Thin and light
- Great build
- Snappy
- Relatively clean / close-to-stock software build, the tweaks actually add value/functionality and improve on stock (quick settings toggles, stamina mode, mount windows shares etc.)
- SD card
- No complaints on the screen whatsoever. Sure its 'only' 1080p but I can't see the pixels so I don't care
- Software buttons means its actually usable when rotated in whatever orientation you use. I know some samsung owners who really regret their purchases because they like to use their tablets one way, and samsung has hard buttons the other way
As long as the price reflects the fact it came out a year ago, its still a good choice.
Yeah dev is dead but
- there's nothing wrong with stock at all. I've been flashing since Nexus One and I've had zero inclination to custom this.
- we're definitely getting official lollipop shortly
- BL unlock is officially available if you want CWM/TWRP anyway. (look harder in the dev forums... defo CWM/TWRP available)
so nothing to see here IMO
mikereidis said:
I have both Nexus 7's a Nexus 9 and a tablet Z2.
Paid about the same for N9 and tab Z2, about $400 new.
N9 is heavy and thick compared to Z2 tab, but may have more CPU power. I don't use them much except for app testing and light reading.
I much prefer the Z2 tab to the N9 due to lighter, thinner and FM radio.
Tab Z2 (and Sony in general) development is low.
But N9 is a relatively unpopular Nexus too...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wintermute000 said:
As long as you're aware you're getting last generation cpu/graphics (which BTW snapdragon 801 is still plenty fast), its still a great tablet.
- Thin and light
- Great build
- Snappy
- Relatively clean / close-to-stock software build, the tweaks actually add value/functionality and improve on stock (quick settings toggles, stamina mode, mount windows shares etc.)
- SD card
- No complaints on the screen whatsoever. Sure its 'only' 1080p but I can't see the pixels so I don't care
- Software buttons means its actually usable when rotated in whatever orientation you use. I know some samsung owners who really regret their purchases because they like to use their tablets one way, and samsung has hard buttons the other way
As long as the price reflects the fact it came out a year ago, its still a good choice.
Yeah dev is dead but
- there's nothing wrong with stock at all. I've been flashing since Nexus One and I've had zero inclination to custom this.
- we're definitely getting official lollipop shortly
- BL unlock is officially available if you want CWM/TWRP anyway. (look harder in the dev forums... defo CWM/TWRP available)
so nothing to see here IMO
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for these opinions and experiences guys! I really feel like xperia z2 might be better device for me due to it's larger screen compared to nexus 9 and the ratio is also much better for watching movies and so on. Now that I've been testing the device on couple stores I've noticed that the screen responsiveness is far from best. Could be also just problem on some z2 tablets and caused by people "giving hard time" for these test models at the stores.. Have you noticed touchscreen problems? I mean one device was absolutely ****ed up on one of the stores I visited, even scrolling thru homescreens was very painful and didn't leave very good impression at all.
Regards,
rockknee
none on mine, doesn't miss a beat.
There were people here talking re: bad touchscreen when it was first released, but I believe it got ironed out with later firmware / later batches
Running it with CM12 and i love my Z2 Castor Windy.
Z2 is now on the way! I found nice sale from one Finnish store, approximately 394$ price and 32gb model. I think it was a great deal, can't wait to get my hands on it! Thanks guys!
Guys,
I sent the Pixel C back. It died in 2 days. I was looking at the Sony Z4 tab along with the google one. Now I am looking back at it. Is that Sony Z4 tablet still a fantastic tablet? Issues? Just looking for overall comments before I look to find one to buy..I dont see them for sale much right now so I find it might be hard to get one anyway. But thought I would ask before I started looking..
Well I was in the same boat as you. I recently purchased the Nexus 9 lte tablet but wasn't happy with it due to the poor construction and some light bleed issues in the screen so I decided to look for this Z4 in Amazon and got it for $589.00 Free shipping and no Tax. Man best choice I've ever made! Really well build table, super thin, great speakers and water proof. Doesn't have many development support or Roms support but you can root it, install Xposed, debloat it and live with it.....oh and great battery life. Compatible with T-mobile and At&t LTE even it says 4G.
Yes is still a great option almost a year after of his released.
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
My topic My Z4 Tablet Pros and Cons gives some of my and other's thoughts that are still relevant for the most part.
Also, the tablet flies on Marshmallow. I'm still super happy with my choice.
Does anyone think they might come out with a replacement for it anytime soon?
jongcruz said:
Well I was in the same boat as you. I recently purchased the Nexus 9 lte tablet but wasn't happy with it due to the poor construction and some light bleed issues in the screen so I decided to look for this Z4 in Amazon and got it for $589.00 Free shipping and no Tax. Man best choice I've ever made! Really well build table, super thin, great speakers and water proof. Doesn't have many development support or Roms support but you can root it, install Xposed, debloat it and live with it.....oh and great battery life. Compatible with T-mobile and At&t LTE even it says 4G.
Yes is still a great option almost a year after of his released.
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem with android tablets is that they do not sell well. That causes OEMs to only release mid to low end tablets perpetuating the situation. It's a sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead of making their tablets better so that they can sell better, they make them worse so they sell even worse than before.
That lets (as a result) old tablets to still be excellent. For example my Note Tablet is the best pen-based tablet to this day (maybe ipad pro 9.7 will change that), portable, unlike the 12inch behemoths and awesome functionality coming out of the pen.
Similarly Xperia Z4 remains even after a year of its release one of the best if not *the* best tablet, period. It's the lightest 10 incher ever created by far, making it the only choice for heavy readers. After MarshMallow some of the best battery lives in the industry, excellent screen and the lack of Roms can be fixed by xposed (which pretty much has *all* the features of custom roms).
Still whilst my wife has one, I won't buy one for myself because I don't want to support Sony's ridiculous DRM-Warranty policy. If that doesn't bother you, I don't think you can go wrong with this tablet, I'm hard pressed to find anything better (maybe ipad pro if you don't mind jailbreaking).
Stevethegreat said:
[...] the lack of Roms can be fixed by xposed (which pretty much has *all* the features of custom roms).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excellent point.
Hello all,
I have a Fire HD 8 that is just too slow for my needs. I am looking at 8 and 10 inch variants and I keep coming back to the M5 family of devices. First off am I am making a quality decision in looking at the M5? Is the M5 8 radically different from the M5 10.8? I see the M5 just got upgraded to Android Pie but will we see Android Q for this?
Thanks,
Steve
Hi Steve, I had a Galaxy Tab S3 that got stolen along with my luggage so I bough what was avaliable and it was the M5 Pro. Very happy with it, even the screen the LCD screen is very good (so used to amoled by now, has been years since I had an LCD).
I mainly use it for for PDF textbook reading (big screen is a plus), streaming movies (very nice screen, exclent sspeakers, very good WiFi reception) and light office work - gmail, Word, etc (optional keyboard folio makes it a lot easier).
I would wait to see what the M6 looks like but very happy with the M5, would buy it again (soon to be updated to Android 9. 1)
I have it for two weeks now and it's a great tablet.
Fast, screen is beautiful and is well built.
I was going for a Xiaomi at first. But as I am going to use a lot for Netflix L1 widevine was a must.
Not many tablets has it.... I hate Samsung products so the choice was little.
I bought it for my daughter.
She is three years old now
I think the mobile phone screen is too small for children
I already used it for a few months
I am very satisfied with its performance
yes. it is good value. the newer Samsung s6 is much better, but at least twice expensive. the bad thing about every huawei tablet is lack of software support after 1st year. so you can expect a few more security updates in the next year and thats all.
It's a good tablet overall, however I would prefer the Samsung S5e wifi if no pen is required for four reasons:
Superior wifi speeds
Super Amoled screen (although the M5 led is excellent, Samsung tech is better).
Ability to pair the S5e with a recent Samsung phone and use the message and call continuity service.
Weight. On paper the difference is small, but in real life it is substantial. The S5e is a device that has the right weight for a handheld usage.
However price can be a factor in some markets. Personally I would easily pay 50 to 100 euros more for the Samsung, for the reasons listed above. But it is due to my usage patterns. I use it everyday, and one of the applications is as GPS in my truck, hence the importance for me of getting calls and messages from the phone on the tablet as well as the brightness of the superamoled in day light.
The M5 is still a very good device though. Largely enough for most applications, especially for occasional use.
My issue with Samsung tablets is they do not upgrade the Android software.. My wife has the S2 model and she is still two updates behind. She has constant issues with the battery also. This is her third and last Samsung.
SPetrillo said:
Hello all,
I have a Fire HD 8 that is just too slow for my needs. I am looking at 8 and 10 inch variants and I keep coming back to the M5 family of devices. First off am I am making a quality decision in looking at the M5? Is the M5 8 radically different from the M5 10.8? I see the M5 just got upgraded to Android Pie but will we see Android Q for this?
Thanks,
Steve
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the 10 inch LTE variant for more than half a year and I`m using it for house multimedia.
I wouldn`t buy it anymore for only 1 thing : the issue with bluetooth + wireless , both being connected and working in the same time, where the wireless transfer speed decreases significantly. Thank God that I have a SIM card with 50 Gb data and I don`t need to use wireless when listening to music or anything via bluetooth . Other than that, its a great gadget. Fast charging is one of the most important things for me since since I don`t have to wait a long time until it charges ( 1.5 hours from 10% to 100% without using it during charging). Also, the speakers are amazing, very clear and great bass coming from them. The screen is also very good, not perfect, but it does the job very well. Soon it will receive Android 9.1 and probably Android 10 to follow probably at the end of the year. If you didn`t bought any yet, I would say that this is the best option at this price. But if you have the money, I would advise you to go for the S Tab or iPad.
reubenray said:
My issue with Samsung tablets is they do not upgrade the Android software.. My wife has the S2 model and she is still two updates behind. She has constant issues with the battery also. This is her third and last Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huawei has so many models that they stop giving you uptades over a while, save maybe for flagship phones. And with Google cutting Huawei off, it remain to be seen how things will go.
I think they'll still update the M5 to 9.1 but I doubt they'll support it beyond that.
BTW, I've seen the S6 and it's just €100 more. I would still wait for the M6 and to check it out if I could wait.
After having it for 18 months now:
No. Not only due to the US ban on Huawei, but also some major things:
I had the official AMORK keyboard - way to fragile, was defectuous 5 times (the bar that holds the tab in place broke ...)
USB-c -> USB2-only, thus no HDMI-capability
"Mediapad" had no Widevine L1 at first (I know they fixed it, BUT it should not need fixing in a MEDIAPAD)
I was hoping for keeping it a little longer than my usual 2 years, after all I only read with it and take notes for my PhD thesis. I want to write parts of it on the tablet, using the keyboard ... so far I haven't been able to set it up in a productive way...
Probably going for a ChromeOS Tab next time ... *
Safe to say: Huawei - never again!
*productive use: external monitor displaying different stuff than tablet-screen. using with mouse and keyboard.
Yeah lack of widewine l1 is bad. I own too many Huawei things. If i change tablet i should change my phone and watch. They are part of their ecosystem, clous etc and works perfectly together. Same with Samsung tablets/phones.
reubenray said:
My issue with Samsung tablets is they do not upgrade the Android software.. My wife has the S2 model and she is still two updates behind. She has constant issues with the battery also. This is her third and last Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a tab s2 as well. It's a good product.
Samsung has a standard rule similar to other players, you get two major updates plus minor security changes, lately the pace of these has increased, albeit with smaller changes (monthly instead of quarterly) . Tab S2 is a pretty old product... at some point they have to stop issuing updates at the end of the advertised service life... I think this product was first released with Android 5 and went up to android 7.x....
The latest generation is the Tab S6...
SPetrillo said:
Hello all,
I have a Fire HD 8 that is just too slow for my needs. I am looking at 8 and 10 inch variants and I keep coming back to the M5 family of devices. First off am I am making a quality decision in looking at the M5? Is the M5 8 radically different from the M5 10.8? I see the M5 just got upgraded to Android Pie but will we see Android Q for this?
Thanks,
Steve
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if you still need advice, but I recently bought an 8" M5 to replace a Chuwi Hi9 Pro that I accidentally cracked the screen on. I also have a GalaxyTab S3 but really prefer the form factor of an 8".
I've been really pleased with my M5 and would recommend it, especially if you can catch a deal on it. I bought mine from Newegg as an open box for $180. It has Widevine level 1 for HD Netflix etc., gaming performance is pretty good (some of the more intensive games may lag a bit), wifi performance has been good, speakers are great, screen is great. Biggest annoyances for me are that I have occasional standby drain, I've disabled location services and I clear apps which seems to resolve (extremely good standby when it works), the DPI is set pretty large and I prefer smaller icons (can generally resolve with 3rd party launcher but not perfectly), and the worst, I'm in the US and will probably never get the Pie update.
If you want a cheaper option, especially if you can't find a great deal on the M5, I really liked my Chuwi Hi9 Pro. It's like 80% the tablet the M5 is. It's a little slower, speaker is not nearly as good, but it has global LTE, fantastic screen for the price, expandable storage, good build quality (though the screen glass is pretty fragile … and not terribly scratch resistant and screen protectors aren't great on it, so I'd recommend a folio case). $140 on Amazon.