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Hey all, this is my first new thread outside of my home, the CDMA Hero forum, lol. Be kind
I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations, reviews, or information on apps or utilities that help the deaf or hearing impaired on Android?
The reason I'm asking is I'm trying to write up a guide or editorial on the state of Android's disabled-friendliness. Hoping to generate some good buzz on it and inspire people to keep developing unique ways of helping the disabled use their handsets more easily.
Anyway, thanks in advance and all that.
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Deafcyclist said:
P.S. would it be okay if i post suggestions as to what kind of apps or features that might be useful for the deaf or hearing impaired? i don't have many but what I do have, i would love to see. if only to see if there is already an apps for it.
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Click to collapse
That would be fantastic. I'd really enjoy that kind of discussion.
I am not deaf myself but have a vested interest in any and all adaptation of Android to suit the disabled.
Recently an Android news site/community asked me to do some freelance op-ed writing for them and this is one of the topics I'd like to pursue, too.
If a discussion can start here and inspire some developers to create new apps/utilities to help the disabled then great! (=
phone fusion visual voice mail converts your voice mail to text message, if thats what kind of thing your looking for.
on the other side of that, handcent sms will read you your text message... neat thing when my girl checked the popup and accidently pressed that, we were both like wtf
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Suggestions
Deafcyclist said:
the number one thing for the deaf with android phone that would be extremely useful is an android based ip-relay service. Currently Blackberry is on the top with this having 2 relay app for it (info linked below). Sidekick also have the same relay apps.
I've once had a Blackberry Pearl (8100) and this was absolutely essiental for the deaf person like me to be able to call for cab or order out or for any situation that would require me to be able to contact hearing.
ip-relay,
http://www.ip-relay.com/wireless.php
siprelay,
http://www.siprelay.com/mobile_solution.aspx
Other than this for the deaf, accessibility to messages is absolutely essential. I'm still looking around at the IM apps for android seeing i've just installed XDANDROID 2 days ago. Essentially what i'm trying to say is that deaf peoples requires IM applications even more than anybody else that I've known. And sometimes (like for windows mobile), it's hard to figure out which one is the best and worth the price. The simple solution to this is a side by side comparison for all of the mobile IM app for the android here. (i'm only mentioning this despite it's not being an app or feature request but it would really help peoples in general figure out which to get for their need).
The default txting setup on android seem more than good enough for the deaf anyway so that's no real worry.
Thanks, I hope to see good result out of this especially the relay app!
Good luck, Is_907!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am an ASL terp. I can understand the need for visual awareness. In my opinion one of the better apps is Handcent. LOTS of options. Google Voice is another good option to change voice to text.
Let me know if I can help any other way \!,,!
I actually had been wondering if any hearing impaired Android-fans were using GV for the voicemail transcriptions. Good to know it's been thought of already!
Oddly enough, I've never used Handcent. I'm going to have to go through it and see what features it has now. It's just interesting to put myself in the mindset of a user who can not use some of the features that I take for granted.
- What would all of you say is the best thing Android has for deaf users? (We've already talked a bit about this.)
- More importantly, what do you think is the worst thing about using an Android device, as a deaf or hearing impaired person?
On AndroidAndMe.com someone started a thread asking how to remove a lot of the audio-related software from Android. I thought that was a really interesting idea, and something worth writing a guide on how to do.
This guy wanted to remove the Music app, Amazon MP3, Dialer, and a few other things that absolutely required the user to be hearing.
He wanted to clear these things out to leave storage space for more useful applications and utilities. Really got me thinking.
@Deafcyclist and @softwaretech:
Would you two mind if I PMed or emailed you some interview-type questions on this topic?
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@Deafcyclist that's so awesome, I ran tech (sound, ironically) for the play version of The Miracle Worker in college and we had a whole team of ASL interpreters, one shadowing each actor. During that production we had a lot of talks about the deaf community and how to make the play accessible for them. Gallaudet was mentioned quite a bit.
If you wouldn't mind finding someone there who specializes in tech that would be fantastic. It wouldn't surprise me if the university's IT department had resources or people specialized in this area.
So far all I've been able to find about Android for deaf users is stuff about data-only plans from cell carriers. (Btw, Sprint has the cheapest and easiest option. Surprised me.)
I haven't really found anything about apps or utilities designed for deaf users yet.
I know I am kinda late but I found this thread searching for an IP-realy app for Android...anyways
First I don't think the music apps on the phone are useless. I go to Gallaudet and alot of people listen to music as well do I-- more so the beat then anything but yea.
Second, I contacted all the major IP relay companies: Sprint, i711/Purple Communications, IWrelay, etc about creating an Android App. I think if more people were to contact them then they would probably get to making an app much quicker.
AIM is ok to use but I have yet to find a stable, decent AIM app in the market. BeeJive finally released their beta version which is actually one of the better IM apps. I used it on my Blackberry and it never failed me.
I am actually rather suprised that Sprint hasn't released a major app for the Android Market yet since they have a few Android phones and they created SIPrelay for Blackberry. They are often on campus trying to sell us Sprint phones with only relay and data so why not release the app to all users?!?!
Fring or Qik have the possibility of working for deaf people but you need a phone like the Evo with a front facing camera first.
All in all i think relay is the only way that Android hasn't addressed the deaf/hoh community. I think most of the phone are pretty deaf friendly, when I use the phone it effortlessly connects to my hearing aid BT. Which is something I could never find in the million other phone makers I've had.
What about a TTY app
What a great thread. Thanks for posting the initial question. How does your article look? Do you have a link?
I know that everyone has mentioned ip relay as a valuable app but what about TTY for direct calls? Would this be valuable? Wouldn't it be nice to communicate directly with folks and organizations via text? I am asking because my company is considering creating this kind of tool for the Android OS.
Thanks.
Dustin
Is_907 said:
Hey all, this is my first new thread outside of my home, the CDMA Hero forum, lol. Be kind
I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations, reviews, or information on apps or utilities that help the deaf or hearing impaired on Android?
The reason I'm asking is I'm trying to write up a guide or editorial on the state of Android's disabled-friendliness. Hoping to generate some good buzz on it and inspire people to keep developing unique ways of helping the disabled use their handsets more easily.
Anyway, thanks in advance and all that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI i am hearing imparied.. using the samsung galaxy s..
accessibletele said:
What a great thread. Thanks for posting the initial question. How does your article look? Do you have a link?
I know that everyone has mentioned ip relay as a valuable app but what about TTY for direct calls? Would this be valuable? Wouldn't it be nice to communicate directly with folks and organizations via text? I am asking because my company is considering creating this kind of tool for the Android OS.
Thanks.
Dustin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TTY software would be fantastic. What company is this?
Hi,
my girlfriend likes to be active as a deaf person, asin sports and adventuring.. i want to communicate better with her on the phone, and looked into Blackberry, but, she wants android (no iphone/blackberry ATALL), she is also a great coder, and, i can coder alittle c++/c also.
I am wondering why has no one made a ROM for Hearing Impaired, ie: incorporate some of the ideas posted here, into one phone rom ? I know this maybe hard between versions, she likes to ride BMX sports bikes,is very active, so am looking for something wich 'has it all for her.
I currently own HTC Dream G1a 3.5g phone, she currently is waiting for the best phone but, pssibly only need a customised rom? Any help would be great.Thanks.
xd-
I think that's a great idea xd- I'm not deaf but briefly dated a deaf guy and saw how important texting is on a phone. A customized ROM would be great. I think more people need to be coding for apps that would help the deaf and hoh. If I was a developer I'd certainly work on those kinds of apps.
Webcaptel App
Sprint's Webcaptel is my "relay" service of choice. I can speak but cannot hear at all- late deafened adult. I prefer to speak into the handset directly to the person I've called and read their reply on the computer screen. It would be great if they made an app like this. First of all because I wouldn't be mistaken for a telemarketer like I am when I use standard relay (IP Relay, etc) and most importantly because it would make calls twice as fast since I wouldn't have to type out my half of the conversation. Check out SpringCaptel.com and harrassthem until they have a SprintCaptelApp please!
Jula
VRS apps,
MainstreamVRS for HTC Evo 4G, SprintVRS for Epic, ZVRS for Epic & MT4G.
DeafNote
A friendly communications tool when a deaf user needs to communicate, he/she may simply type down and enlarge the text into any size comfortable enough for a reader to read.
Deafies, please expect more VRS apps coming out this year (other than the listed above), this should be beneficial to the deaf community with broader available services at their disposal.
mobile streaming tv for deaf/hoh
im working on this currently, if interested in giving it a test signup at forums.subtheworld.com to access
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What is HP's strategy in growing this wonderful and highly underrated platform?
qipengart said:
What is HP's strategy in growing this wonderful and highly underrated platform?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very expensive Advertisement and commercials
They are:
1) Going to do /doing expensive Ads and Commercials
2) Talking to "Big-Name-Developers" like Amazon, Hulu and Netflix to develope Apps for their OS
3) Building "SWAT-Teams" to help to develop WebOS-Apps directy at the developer and to train their programmers
4) Bring Enterprise Applications to WebOS (Citrix, SAP etc.)
5) Introducing WebOS into all of their PCs and Laptops, so that Applications written for WebOS also run on each of their PCs (integrated Data, multi-platform operability etc.)
6) Developing a new SDK basing on Java Script to further enhance the possibilities and make it easier to develop. This SDK also is supposed to make developing Apps with multiple views for different resolutions and dpi like a breaze. You can test your new App directly in your browser.
7) Bringing out new WebOS-Hardware not just once a year but bringing out multiple devices over the whole year.
8) Introducing a lot of technogies that HP has bought (Cloudstorage, nuTsie -> Music Synergy -> All your Music on all your devices)
9) Using their Enterprise Channels to push their products.
10) Connecting WebOS into more and more of their products, so that customers get more and more advancements the more HP devices they use (better for HP-> more sales)
These are the "quick"-points that I could think of
Putting it on a 100 million PCs.
They could always make their OS and devices completely open with root access right from the start. That'd help a lot--I'd abandon Android for that...
... well, except for the weird portrait slider keyboard thing...
synaesthetic said:
They could always make their OS and devices completely open with root access right from the start. That'd help a lot--I'd abandon Android for that...
... well, except for the weird portrait slider keyboard thing...
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Click to collapse
It is, you just flip a switch and turn developer mode on.
Hopefully market the damn thing. Palm made 2 big mistakes with the Pre.
1.No marketing at all.
2.They expected the Pre to grow as big as the Iphone did as a single device as the Iphone did.
Palm didn't market the Pre at all, but then expected to see results like the Iphone since it was a single device like the Pre. It had the hardware to be even faster than the Iphone, EASILY faster but Palm simply didn't make it out at the right time. The Pixi they marketed a bit, but it was horrible and for what the pixi was it came out too late. HP is taking WebOS seriously, they've put out teasers of their devices, they've got multiple devices and markets they're covering, and developers are actually looking forward to these new devices.
i_maq said:
It is, you just flip a switch and turn developer mode on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What, for real?
Now if they can stop doing the dumb portrait slider thing... and some proper expandable memory... I'd be down...
That weird sliding portrait keyboard was one of my favorite features. It's still the easiest platform to find a contact or app or website on: slide, type. First initial, two or three letters from the last name and my desired contact's right there. It makes Android look like a helmeted kid on the short bus. Gesture search is the closest comparison. Power on, tap gesture search, start drawing letters from the first or last name (but not combined in WebOS's more efficient method), then choose the contact. Ugh. I've had an Evo since last summer and still can't find an efficient way to look up a person.
HTC Evo, Tapatalk
they need commercials more then any thing
and another thing ... they need to keep it free for users
palm did commercials...they were just creepy and the lady looked like the main character on the new tv series V..... I have a Palm Pixi for work and it is dead simple and easy. i wouldn't mind trading it out for a Pre3. HP will spend a lot of money advertising in order to make the touchpad/webos phones a success...
ToTalXS said:
palm did commercials...they were just creepy and the lady looked like the main character on the new tv series V..... I have a Palm Pixi for work and it is dead simple and easy. i wouldn't mind trading it out for a Pre3. HP will spend a lot of money advertising in order to make the touchpad/webos phones a success...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Pre and the Pixi each had one commercial, that were both very creepy and odd. Verizon promotes their droid series, Motorola does too, Verizon has multiple commercials short and long for the Thunderbolt, and there is other means of advertisement too aside from TV commercials.
I think HP is relying mostly on their expensive advertising campaign. But I don't think that alone will bring in many new customers. It's nearing 3.0 and still has such a small fanbase. It is still in my opinion (and many others') the greatest mobile operating system.
I think what they're doing for developers is GREAT, but it isn't attracting many devs because there's still no money in it. My app makes about 10 cents a day in ad revenue only. At it's height it was only making a dollar a day.
HP needs to get it's brand into the same... 'space'??? as Apple. Not webOS, not the devices but the brand. It needs to be fasionable, then the sales will come.
And it needs an app for everything when they launch the Touchpad. Not just Facebook and Twitter and a couple of other things but a large app base of stuff people are used to on their iPhones/iPads.
Part 2 is 'easy', it just needs the right level of investment. But I'm not entirely sure how they will achieve part 1, fasion is such an intangible thing
Sent from my X10i using XDA App
If HP is smart they bring it worldwide not only US,UK,Germany and France like Palm did.
I like my Android phone, but i also like WebOS.
I'm much like several of the people who bought TouchPads in the recent firesale. I absolutely love WebOs and the device in general but the thing that's bothering me is that the app selection is absolutely horrible! I know that there is an Android App Emulator on the PlayBook, is it possible for something like that to show up on the TouchPad? I love WebOS and I don't really want to give it up for only Android. I'm sure tons of people would really like something like this on their new Touchpads. Thanks!
Sounds like a great idea hmm...
I agree. I think that porting Dalvik to WebOS might be the best move to give us the Android apps and still let us easily use Linux, including ubuntu apps.
Well the problem would be the license..
lol...good point
license issues?
I thought it was opensource/freeware? How else could Cyanogen, etc., do what they do?
is it possible to port alien dalvik to the TouchPad? We should get some developers on this.
FAILHARD said:
is it possible to port alien dalvik to the TouchPad? We should get some developers on this.
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Click to collapse
You took the words right out of my mouth!!
I'm actually trying to find developers for the exact same thing. It should be doable. Alien Dalvik was made in Qt which was ported to WebOS so in theory it's entirley doable. the only question is if there are any developers free to take it on that aren't currently working on a full Android OS port.
I'd really like to get a development team set up for this because alot of people would like to keep WebOS and just have a larger app catalog.
Yeah, exactly what I was thinking. We should look for a dev who could possibly have experience it Qt, though that's not completely necessary. If we gain more support, I'll post a dev thread.
I can't offer anything other than Beer/Pizza money but this is a great idea. WebOS is generally well reviewed and not looked at as a problem so much as a benefit. The OS is solid. The App Catalog is not.
Android Emulator :-D
I would love see a emulator on my TP. I would like to be able to place Android on the device I still much prefer the UI and design on WebOS even though Android is far more capable.
I'm happy to donate to this cause should someone take it up
alien dalvik is not open source, however, dalvik in general as well as the whole android os is under the apache license, this can be modified, forked and reworked (such as myriad turbo/alien dalvik) without having to release the source, its obviously possible... But you know what would be easier, porting android as a whole... Even dual booting would be easier.
Well the allure of this is having the superior Android app selection on the arguably better tablet experience of WebOS. If that were made possible - I wouldn't care about having Android on the device.
I couldn't agree more. As an OG Pre owner I love webOS but couldn't fight everything I can do with Android.
If I could get all my Android apps and keep my TP the way it is would be perfect.
The problem with porting Android right now is we have to use 2.3 which is for phones and not 3.2. I would rather either wait for ICS/4.0 for a port or just get the app market working.
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA Premium App
That settles it there are enoght people interested in having a standalone WebOs android app emulator without having full android.. I'm starting a development thread, doing some preliminary work, and going to look for a few interested developers to work with on getting this going. My touchpad comes tomorrow so then i can really get into it..
Thanks Roto I was just about to do the same.
also, Roto post a link
Up. Beer on me
Here is the link to the development thread.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=16904876#post16904876
Failhard since you and I were the first to put in work on this idea i'd like you to help me head the project and find volunteer talent if you're up to it.
I took a look into what goes into a Dalvik port... it's TOTALLY doable just a matter of time and effort..
Unfortunately after i return to college in a week time will be in short supply for me so ALL help is appreciated!
I had never used WebOS before getting a tablet this last weekend. I have been an android fan for smartphones for now (I am willing to move to something better when it is available, otherwise stick to what works). I am a web designer/user interface designer and since starting using WebOS this last weekend, when it comes to the OS and its default apps that come with it, it is clear WebOS has the best user interface of the tablets (I used both iOS and Android OSes 1.5-3.2, Windows 7 tablets don't really count as a tablet OS and that is clear when using it on tablets).
The Android Emulator would be a great idea, but if you want quick development specifically for WebOS, we need to get a program created that can easily and painlessly port android apps to WebOS apps. Also it will take HP courting and reassuring the big players like Netflix, Hulu, Corporate IT Software Development companies that WebOS is viable and have continued support.
HP/WebOS only has a short amount of time to really establish itself. Next summer is rumored to be Windows 8 release and Windows 8 tablets coming. If Windows 8 can create a good tablet interface (WebOS is the one to beat imo atm as it has the number 1 interface), plus it's strong backing of games, program/application support and being able to integrate phone, xbox, tablet, and PC (Desktops and Laptops). Windows 8 is the biggest threat to anyone in the tablet market at the moment imo and they have been very successful in many of their endeavors as of late ("don't poke the sleeping giant" comes to mind, google and Apple have done that).
Due this short Window of time (pun partially intended), we have to establish WebOS as a main competitor to Google and Apple and prepare it for the onslaught of Windows 8. We need to work as a community to get things rolling and we need to push HP to court the big players in the industry to produce apps and content for WebOS and to continue further development on the operating system on their end. If we as a community and HP execute right, it will be a very exciting year coming up.
Hello all. First time post. Let me start off by thanking you for accepting me into this fine community.
I had to chuckle while reading some excellent posts on the good and bad points when it came to some of the performance and features of the Infinity.
The reason for the chuckle was because I had this forum opened in one tab of my browser, and Amazon opened in another. I had actually been looking over the contents on my shopping cart. In it was one(1) ASUS Infinity tablet. I placed the item there a few days ago, but for some reason I couldn't get myself to hit the "Submit Order" button. Something just didn't feel right about the purchase. The decision over which tablet to choose is becoming more and more confusing. With talk about what may or may not be available in the not too distant future re: New iPad, Windows 8, etc etc really has me hesitating at this juncture.
My two daughters each purchased the new iPad so at least I have an opportunity to get a feel of what that product has to offer. Unfortunately, detaching them from their new toy has been a struggle all its own. One of the main reasons for my looking at products other than Apple is that their products seems SO proprietary.
In any case, I think that I will keep visiting this forum for a while longer before I make a final decision as to which tablet to choose. My apologies for the long-winded post. Peter
Hi Peter,
Deciding what Tablet you want for yourself is a very personal decision. If you really don't care about the environment (iOS vs Android) and are just a casual user - I do have a recommendation. At the risk of being flamed, I would say to get an iPad.
It comes down to this: Apps make the ecosystem. While android is gaining in applications and games, and just put out a huge checklist for Tablet developers, apple has a better application and gaming experience for the average user. You are absolutely subject to the proprietary OS, but most people don't care. It's good enough.
I love android (and I suspect that many others do as well) for a few reasons. It's mine. It's fully customizable and I can but really cool community built OS's Recovieries, etc on it. I've learned a lot about how devices work and the things most people don't see. That said, I've had my share of problems too. Many users don't know enough and brick their devices trying to do something that sounds cool but they don't fully understand. If you're a casual user there is no need to get caught up in it. Apple does in fact set the standard for hardware and Android will briefly surpass it, but it's always a tight race. Also, there are a lot more accessories for the iPad then any tablet device. I also love it because I enjoy pushing the envelope and making things better. Finally I love the community around android. It's awesome that I see the same usernames popping up across our little section of XDA helping each other out, supporting each other, joking around, and disagreeing even. It's fun.
Also, for the casual user you can go to a nearby apple store and get your issues fixed if you mess something up.
The first decision you make should be an ecosystem/environmental one. Also, if you don't have itunes there is a bit of a learning curve. I don't think that Apple products have that "intuitive feel" everyone claims. Android just seems harder because there is more customization that can take place.
Before I get flamed - I'm not advocating for Apple or the iPad, but I am advocating for really thinking about what kind of device you want and what you want to get out of it before you make your decision.
Good luck and if you have you have more questions, we're happy to help!
Osteele said:
Hello all. First time post. Let me start off by thanking you for accepting me into this fine community.
I had to chuckle while reading some excellent posts on the good and bad points when it came to some of the performance and features of the Infinity.
The reason for the chuckle was because I had this forum opened in one tab of my browser, and Amazon opened in another. I had actually been looking over the contents on my shopping cart. In it was one(1) ASUS Infinity tablet. I placed the item there a few days ago, but for some reason I couldn't get myself to hit the "Submit Order" button. Something just didn't feel right about the purchase. The decision over which tablet to choose is becoming more and more confusing. With talk about what may or may not be available in the not too distant future re: New iPad, Windows 8, etc etc really has me hesitating at this juncture.
My two daughters each purchased the new iPad so at least I have an opportunity to get a feel of what that product has to offer. Unfortunately, detaching them from their new toy has been a struggle all its own. One of the main reasons for my looking at products other than Apple is that their products seems SO proprietary.
In any case, I think that I will keep visiting this forum for a while longer before I make a final decision as to which tablet to choose. My apologies for the long-winded post. Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are welcome here, whatever you decide, but if you go with another tablet or OS, please don't come and tease us about how much better/faster/cooler yours is than ours. that really gets on my nerves, lol!
But I'm sure you would never do that.
I would advocate that if you are interested in customising your tablet, the Infinity is a good one. First of all, it has a beautiful screen, will continue to receive firmware/OS updates and is finally starting to be well supported by some of the best developers in the Android ecosystem. Personally, I don't care about iOS on any level. It's far to closed a system for me, too limited. My Infinity , running CleanROM v1.3 with TWRP 2.3.0.0. recovery absolutely flies. It is super fluid and very powerful. I keep it connected to its keyboard dock and I take it off the charger at 5:30 a.m. and never have to charge again though 17 hour day of almost constant use. Much of that use is internet browsing and with the CleanROM tweaks, the stock browser performs incredibly well. I also have a flawless tablet and dock. Never any problems. I also take care of it, but nothing out of the ordinary...just keep it in its case...don't drop it or spill on it.
I've been using it instead of a laptop, and it just about replaces my desktop. Browsing is actually faster on the Infinity, and watching videos is a lot nicer. I haven't used the HDMI port, so I can't comment on it, but having the micro sd, the fullsize sd and full size USB ports means I never have to worry about not having enough storage...my 750GB WD Passport works perfectly in the USB port. That's a lot of movies.
Well, I know some people are worried about unlocking and voiding their asus warranty in order to flash custom software, but I found that a 2 year square deal warranty with accidental damage coverage works better for me anyway. It cost me $99, but I found out later that with a coupon I could have saved $30. Oh well.
Anyway, good luck with your decision!
wolfman87 said:
Hi Peter,
Deciding what Tablet you want for yourself is a very personal decision. If you really don't care about the environment (iOS vs Android) and are just a casual user - I do have a recommendation. At the risk of being flamed, I would say to get an iPad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much for the quick response wolfman87. I wish that I could say that you've helped me move closer my ultimate decision. But of course you are absolutely right about that decision being a very personal one.
I suppose that there are so many factors that one may have to consider. It's so bizarre because I have been in IT for quite a while now and whenever a client asks for a quote on a new piece of hardware for example, the first question that I ask is: What exactly do you plan on doing with this new piece of hardware?
A liitle bit about myself:
Spend most of my time in a Windows client / server environment. (For better or worse my clients have dictated my skill-level)
Which is probably the reason that I am always looking to learn new things. Lately that has been:
Ubuntu desktop and server.
Virtual PBX (freePBX and Asterisk and PIAF)
Video Tutorials. Everything from Linux, jQuery, ASP .NET, Visual Studio, javascript.
Some of the things that I would like for a tablet to be able to do for me:
Receive and send email. Multiple Microsoft Exchange accounts required.
Connect remotely to client machines.
Browse the internet (many sites still require Flash)
Read all of the epub and pdf material that I now have sitting on my HP laptop
Would like to use a SIP client in order to dial thru my home based PBX with a secure VPN tunnel.
I enjoy recording music on my SSL Soundscape DAW.
Things that I found interesting about the Infinity:
Connectivity eg. HDMI - External storage - Dock
So far, I do not think that the iPad can offer any of these things. Unless I am wrong of course !!!
Once again, let me apologize for this long-winded response as well.
I thank you so much for your time and input. It is greatly appreciated.
Peter
okantomi said:
You are welcome here, whatever you decide, but if you go with another tablet or OS, please don't come and tease us about how much better/faster/cooler yours is than ours. that really gets on my nerves, lol!
But I'm sure you would never do that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are absolutely right okantomi, I would never come back to do such a thing. By the way, thank you for the great response. I suppose that some of the negative stuff that I read in certain sections of this forum got me a little nervous. I should know better. We don't live in a perfect world, and no ONE item is going to please everyone. This phenomema is what brings about change and improvement.
I will give it another day or two, discuss the purchase with my better half, then see what we come up with.
Have a great weekend. Peter
Here's my two cents... Above, someone mentioned apps... Basically, an iPad is just that - an interface to run apps. On the other hand, Android does so much more. Besides running apps, the OS itself is actually useful and a great productivity tool. The widgets that run on your desktop are simply awesome. Just by looking at my home screen, I can see my upcoming appointments, the time, the date, the weather, my Gmail account and my work email account (exchange). I can do all of that simply by turning the device on! When you turn on an Ipad you see icons - that's about it.
Add to that the features of the Transformer series, such as a keyboard dock with an extra battery, a trackpad, memory card readers, HDMI-out and a USB port and I think you can see just how powerful a Transformer running Android can be. I actually started out with an iPad 1 (as it was basically the first tablet available) - it was a great device - until I stumbled upon Android and the Transformer line! You really can do so much more with a Transformer than you can with an iPad. Hell - even this post - just try typing this on an iPad - it would take forever with the on-screen keyboard!
Like had already been stated - it all depends on what you want the device to do. For me, the iPad is just way too limiting. It may have more apps (for now - although that's beginning to change), but that is literally all that you can do with it - runs apps. There are no widgets. There is no way to expand upon the hardware (I.E. extra ports). It's very "basic".
Anyway, good luck deciding - I have a feeling that we'll be seeing you around these parts soon enough though!
By the way, don't let the "complainers" in this forum scare you off - it's mainly just so same few posters complaining over and over again. Or, it's folks that don't even own the TF700! It is deceiving - there are *many* happy TF700 users out there!
Sorry for the long post - it's just so easy to get long winded when you have a real keyboard to type with!
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2
Osteele said:
Thank you so much for the quick response wolfman87. I wish that I could say that you've helped me move closer my ultimate decision. But of course you are absolutely right about that decision being a very personal one.
I suppose that there are so many factors that one may have to consider. It's so bizarre because I have been in IT for quite a while now and whenever a client asks for a quote on a new piece of hardware for example, the first question that I ask is: What exactly do you plan on doing with this new piece of hardware?
A liitle bit about myself:
Spend most of my time in a Windows client / server environment. (For better or worse my clients have dictated my skill-level)
Which is probably the reason that I am always looking to learn new things. Lately that has been:
Ubuntu desktop and server.
Virtual PBX (freePBX and Asterisk and PIAF)
Video Tutorials. Everything from Linux, jQuery, ASP .NET, Visual Studio, javascript.
Some of the things that I would like for a tablet to be able to do for me:
Receive and send email. Multiple Microsoft Exchange accounts required.
Connect remotely to client machines.
Browse the internet (many sites still require Flash)
Read all of the epub and pdf material that I now have sitting on my HP laptop
Would like to use a SIP client in order to dial thru my home based PBX with a secure VPN tunnel.
I enjoy recording music on my SSL Soundscape DAW.
Things that I found interesting about the Infinity:
Connectivity eg. HDMI - External storage - Dock
So far, I do not think that the iPad can offer any of these things. Unless I am wrong of course !!!
Once again, let me apologize for this long-winded response as well.
I thank you so much for your time and input. It is greatly appreciated.
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This might be a jumble of thoughts - sorry in advance:
That's really good information actually. From the first post it sounded much more casual. Since the needs that you have are more technical I would lean towards the Android side of things (I think that there are more IT based applications for Android). You can definitely set up exchange accounts (not sure how many, but I know you can). You can also remote into other machines (VPN, I think RDP, etc.). Of course web browsing comes standard, even on the base model
If you are going to be doing a lot of emails the dock absolutely is worth it. for ~$100 (if you get the 201) you get basically a netbook KB and the extra battery life. I have a friend who uses a bluetooth KB for his iPad and it lasts a while itself, but doesn't increase the tablet uptime.
Also a few people are working on getting a distro of linux up on this. It's harder since the bootloader isn't the same as the older models, but I don't think that it's something you can do on the iPad.
If you aren't running any iDevices right now it makes sense to stick with Android/Windows as an ecosystem. My other advice is go to play.google.com and look around at the apps, specifically for what you want to do: (for example: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=SIP&c=apps). This will help you get a feel for what is out there and what you can do.
For hooking up to HDMI - I actually may have blown the port on mine recently - I still haven't tested it again. But I got the Square Trade warranty through amazon (2 years plus accidental damage) for about $75. They're a solid provider and while I hope I don't have to use them, they don't care if you voided your ASUS warranty with unlocking, etc.
If you you and your better half will be using the tablet, I would say to stick to the infinity since the screen is super crisp (I assume that for emails, PDF's, remote PBXing, you aren't worried too much about the resolution) and it gets bright in the outdoors (IPS+). I have an iPad 2 for work and it really is much better than even that screen. Not as good as the iPads, but the best on the market for android.
If you really don't care about the screen, there are other good models out there. The Infinity rocks in terms of horsepower and as I mentioned the screen. Those are probably the two BEST things about it. I figure (for me) it will last at least 2 maybe 3 years. (hopefully more)
Oh, as a note - try before you buy. The headset jack is a bit weird and if you do a lot of audio it takes a bit to get used to holding it closer to the top.
Oh, and no need to apologize for being long winded
To all you great folks who have taken the time to respond to my lenghty posts, my heartfelt thanks. I have to be very honest, and I hope that this doesn't come off sounding strange, I am not a huge APPS kinda guy. Maybe I am not up to speed with that whole apps thing, but I just can't see why some folks put so much emphasis on the procurement of apps. Let's face it, how many are you really going to need / use. Once you find the ones that do exactly what you need for them to do that should pretty much do it.
Well, that's just me talking of course. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the fact that most of the time I am using my machines for work and not so much for play.
Have yourselves a safe and enjoyable weekend!
Thank you
Peter
Osteele said:
I wish that I could say that you've helped me move closer my ultimate decision.
[...]
It's so bizarre because I have been in IT for quite a while now and whenever a client asks for a quote on a new piece of hardware for example, the first question that I ask is: What exactly do you plan on doing with this new piece of hardware?
[...]
Ubuntu desktop and server.
Virtual PBX (freePBX and Asterisk and PIAF)
Video Tutorials. Everything from Linux, jQuery, ASP .NET, Visual Studio, javascript.
Some of the things that I would like for a tablet to be able to do for me:
Receive and send email. Multiple Microsoft Exchange accounts required.
Connect remotely to client machines.
Browse the internet (many sites still require Flash)
Read all of the epub and pdf material that I now have sitting on my HP laptop
Would like to use a SIP client in order to dial thru my home based PBX with a secure VPN tunnel.
I enjoy recording music on my SSL Soundscape DAW.
Things that I found interesting about the Infinity:
Connectivity eg. HDMI - External storage - Dock
So far, I do not think that the iPad can offer any of these things. Unless I am wrong of course !!!
Once again, let me apologize for this long-winded response as well.
I thank you so much for your time and input. It is greatly appreciated.
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If web browsing is a must -- and for most of us, it is -- then pretty much any Android machine wins over any iDevice because of Flash support (even with the support detracted on JB devices, you can still sideload the apk and it will still work).
Shell connection has several (free) apps available. I do that from home, mostly, so I do not have really extensive experience with them.
EPub and PDF -- Mantano all the way (I use it for both technical reading (medical and biochemical literature, mostly) and leisure reading (although that is non-fiction as well, mainly (astro)physics, quantum dynamics, archeology -- the high resolution screen REALLY helps in that corner, for it renders formulae, graphs, tables, and such just beautifully!).
To me, given both private and work use, TF700 hands-down, but as has been said oftentimes on this thread already, it's your choice. And indeed you are welcome in here anyway.
Osteele said:
[...]I am not a huge APPS kinda guy. Maybe I am not up to speed with that whole apps thing, but I just can't see why some folks put so much emphasis on the procurement of apps. Let's face it, how many are you really going to need / use. Once you find the ones that do exactly what you need for them to do that should pretty much do it.
Well, that's just me talking of course. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the fact that most of the time I am using my machines for work and not so much for play.
Have yourselves a safe and enjoyable weekend!
Thank you
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does make a major difference whether you use the 700 for work alone or also for leisure activity. I have two kids, aged 4 and 2, and they love tablet -- and they're ever handier than me. :S The app thingy is an ongoing search for the best-performing launcher, the best-performing office application, etc. -- and a lot of it is hoarding (I have enough games purchased-but-not-played-yet to last me for the next decade-and-a-half, hahaha!).
(Oh, and sometimes, an app is really good for all things it does, but it doesn't incorporate a feature you need. You then find another app that does, but that one either has a clunky interface (preventing everyday use) or misses some feature the other app did provide... and so on, and so on. )
Jtrosky already tackled this, but I wanted to emphasize it a bit: currently, only a small minority has devices that display major faults. Don't let the few posts about them detract you from trusting the TF700.
I was one of the many that noticed low I/O performance, which is the one issue that is faithfully reproducible, I guess -- and although not eliminated entirely, it has been greatly improved upon by recent updates. I was one of the instigators of the "I/O pressure" -- I unashamedly admit -- and I think we did the right thing in being so vocal. I love my 700, though, and I am easily standing up against the many friends carrying iDevices around (with regards to both screen quality, battery life, physical keyboard, and connection options (main USB, (micro)SD cards)...
Have a good and merry weekend yourself as well!
MartyHulskemper said:
If web browsing is a must -- and for most of us, it is -- then pretty much any Android machine wins over any iDevice because of Flash support (even with the support detracted on JB devices, you can still sideload the apk and it will still work).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good morning Marty, and thank you for your valuable input. Undoubtedly, you seem to be getting the most out of your trusty tablet. I am happy to hear that.
I am going to take in all I can about tablets in general this weekend. I know that can probably set me a back a while. I am currently delving into a little .NET programming. So, there is always WIndows 8 tablets.
Came across this article last nite:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010050/leaked-windows-8-tablet-pricing-suggests-asus-is-targeting-big-spenders.html
Will most likely add to my confusion though. No one is holding a gun to my head, right?
Have a wonderful day wherever you may be!
Peter
Osteele said:
Good morning Marty, and thank you for your valuable input. Undoubtedly, you seem to be getting the most out of your trusty tablet. I am happy to hear that.
I am going to take in all I can about tablets in general this weekend. I know that can probably set me a back a while. I am currently delving into a little .NET programming. So, there is always WIndows 8 tablets.
Came across this article last nite:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010050/leaked-windows-8-tablet-pricing-suggests-asus-is-targeting-big-spenders.html
Will most likely add to my confusion though. No one is holding a gun to my head, right?
Have a wonderful day wherever you may be!
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, no, you're only in as much hurry as you put yourself in -- that Intel-based ASUS tablet is priced outrageously high -- 1399 dollars for a tablet? Meh. The people that would pay that )to include the dock accessory) would rather pay 1100 dollars for a really good laptop instead. I'd that swell, and I'd gain Windows gaming in the process (Borderlands 2 on the train commute ftw, hahaha! ) and a crapload of ecosystem apps that have been refined over many years instead of the 2 years we have had Android tablet apps and 0, nada, zilch for Windows 8 tablet apps.
If they price it lower, though, it might even be very tempting (especially when they do not break compatibility with Windows 7 applications -- I haven't been paying much attention to Windows 8. I guess I have some catching up to do...
And as far as your catching up goes: yes, I'd expect you to be busy reading for a week or two, at least. As we say in Holland: it will, at the very least, keep you off the streets.
MartyHulskemper said:
Oh, no, you're only in as much hurry as you put yourself in -- that Intel-based ASUS tablet is priced outrageously high -- 1399 dollars for a tablet? Meh.
If they price it lower, though, it might even be very tempting (especially when they do not break compatibility with Windows 7 applications -- I haven't been paying much attention to Windows 8. I guess I have some catching up to do...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello again Marty. I was under the impression that the pricing was somewhere in the vicinity of:
Pricing for Asus' Vivo Tab RT will start at $599
As was mentioned here as well:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/12/3495334/asus-vivo-tab-rt-pre-sales-begin-first-windows-rt-tablet-starts-at
IT's going to take more than a tablet to keep me off the streets. :laugh: :laugh:
Have a wonderful day. Peter
Osteele said:
Hello again Marty. I was under the impression that the pricing was somewhere in the vicinity of:
Pricing for Asus' Vivo Tab RT will start at $599
As was mentioned here as well:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/12/3495334/asus-vivo-tab-rt-pre-sales-begin-first-windows-rt-tablet-starts-at
IT's going to take more than a tablet to keep me off the streets. :laugh: :laugh:
Have a wonderful day. Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Peter!
Yes, it did say that in the article, but the RT versions of Windows 8 are the versions that carry ONLY the Metro interface, and are able to run ONLY apps that have been specifically programmed to run on that particular version (although I might have understood all that totally wrong, in which case somebody will undoubtedly be so friendly as to point me to my errors. The more usable versions will cost you significantly more, and the dock will set you back even more...
MartyHulskemper said:
Hi Peter!
Yes, it did say that in the article, but the RT versions of Windows 8 are the versions that carry ONLY the Metro interface, and are able to run ONLY apps that have been specifically programmed to run on that particular version (although I might have understood all that totally wrong, in which case somebody will undoubtedly be so friendly as to point me to my errors. The more usable versions will cost you significantly more, and the dock will set you back even more...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aha !!! Gotcha. Thanks to you, I will be going to bed a little smarter this evening. Thank you. Peter
Update
Well folks, I just wanted to stop by to let you know that I took the plung today at approx 18:00. After spending a considerable amount of time scouring the internet and reading reviews ad nauseam, I finally decided upon the Infinity. Should arrive in a few days and I must say that I am excited. Nice to feel like a kid again.
There is a good possibility that I may have a few questions once I have spent a little time with the unit. Hope you all don't mind if I post those questions here on this forum.
Thank you all again for being so helpful. I hope that I have made the right decision.
Peter
Osteele said:
Well folks, I just wanted to stop by to let you know that I took the plung today at approx 18:00. After spending a considerable amount of time scouring the internet and reading reviews ad nauseam, I finally decided upon the Infinity. Should arrive in a few days and I must say that I am excited. Nice to feel like a kid again.
There is a good possibility that I may have a few questions once I have spent a little time with the unit. Hope you all don't mind if I post those questions here on this forum.
Thank you all again for being so helpful. I hope that I have made the right decision.
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bring it on bro.....We are waiting!!!
buhohitr said:
Bring it on bro.....We are waiting!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you Sir. I really appreciate that.
Congrats! Welcome to the club
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Welcome to the Infinity family.
As a .NET Developer myself, I find this device comes in handy sometimes with the supernote it saves alot of papers and keep them all in one place. I use Supernote for writing pseudo code, brainstorming, UML diagram etc. Maybe you will find this method useful or maybe not. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the infinity!
Cheers
Osteele said:
Well folks, I just wanted to stop by to let you know that I took the plung today at approx 18:00. After spending a considerable amount of time scouring the internet and reading reviews ad nauseam, I finally decided upon the Infinity. Should arrive in a few days and I must say that I am excited. Nice to feel like a kid again.
There is a good possibility that I may have a few questions once I have spent a little time with the unit. Hope you all don't mind if I post those questions here on this forum.
Thank you all again for being so helpful. I hope that I have made the right decision.
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope so, too, Peter -- you'll find out soon enough, I guess. ; ) It does come pretty sudden, so after your initial resolve to wait it out and inform and inform and inform. I know the feeling of waiting, however, mostly gets the best of me -- I guess us gadgeteers are not the most resilient to marketing and spec sheets. Hahaha!
Welcome to the club, and don't fret about posting your questions. It's not your type of user we get fed up with, and to be honest, I think you'll be fine with the guides that have sprung up -- at least as far as unlocking woes, Nvflash, custom recoveries and custom ROMs, etc. go. It's going to take a fair bit of Play Store scavenging to find apps that suit your needs and style optimally, but we'll get there. Relish the kid feeling, and don't lose the fun in finding your way.
By the way: I assume you ordered it with the dock?
I really don't like Apple at all because of their proprietary and self obsessed tendencies. You can't do much of anything that they don't allow you to do. I have been on an Android platform since it came out years ago. That being said I am now producing music and I have been seriously considering getting an Ipad because they have several top notch synth apps and DAW's like Garage Band. The only thing I can find for Android is things that you hit a button and it makes a sound. You can't record into the program or do much of anything. Am I missing something? I would love to stick with Android, but Apple is beckoning me after all these years.
Obviously I am new to the forums, I was discussing this with a guy who told me to come here and if there was a DAW type app you guys would know about it or at least know what is in the works or why it is not coming out.
As a sidenote I have been following this thread on the android Google support forum about this very issue.
If you look up in the android code developers board at code.google dot com /p/android/issues/detail?id=3434 (won't let me post outside links so I had to separate a bunch of stuff .. just fix it to go to the link. it isn't a nefarious link it is google.
Open_Carry said:
I really don't like Apple at all because of their proprietary and self obsessed tendencies. You can't do much of anything that they don't allow you to do. I have been on an Android platform since it came out years ago. That being said I am now producing music and I have been seriously considering getting an Ipad because they have several top notch synth apps and DAW's like Garage Band. The only thing I can find for Android is things that you hit a button and it makes a sound. You can't record into the program or do much of anything. Am I missing something? I would love to stick with Android, but Apple is beckoning me after all these years.
Obviously I am new to the forums, I was discussing this with a guy who told me to come here and if there was a DAW type app you guys would know about it or at least know what is in the works or why it is not coming out.
As a sidenote I have been following this thread on the android Google support forum about this very issue.
If you look up in the android code developers board at code.google dot com /p/android/issues/detail?id=3434 (won't let me post outside links so I had to separate a bunch of stuff .. just fix it to go to the link. it isn't a nefarious link it is google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No suggestions yet?
Weather you need to make music entirely on phone or you have a studio and you just need more functionality with android devices, I think these two apps can help you.
I'm pretty sure you must have heard of FL Studio Mobile, I've been using it for a long time now and I can say it is the best DAW for Android. It has all the features that you will need as a producer. If your phone is powerful enough then you can produce any genre, there's a few things missing though, like orchestral instruments (there's a very few of those), also synths are not like top notch but they does the job if you are skilled, also Auto-Tune isn't that good yet.
Or you could also try Cubasis 3, it has a free demo version on play store, known as the Cubasis LE. This one is way better and powerful in terms of features but the only reason I wouldn't say it as the best one is that
1. It's not available for all devices.
2. It's really expensive.
But if that doesn't sound like much of a problem, you can try Cubasis, it has more orchestral instruments, better synths, better visuals.