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Would anyone recommend the G-Tablet?

I've been trying to decide between the G-Tablet and the Archos 101. I definitely want a 10.1 inch screen and am fine with rooting and installing custom ROMs. For those that have the G-Tablet would you recommend it? I had been leaning more toward it but then I realized after tax it would be about 430-445 so not far off from Ipad pricing. I was hoping to keep the price down but I've read good and bad things about it. Most of the bad seems just in regards to it as it is stock.

I guess I'm lucky because I'm stock with LauncherPro and a couple of other addons and have not seen the wifi or boot looping problems. I want to root but will stay stock to see what the updates are from Viewsonic.
The only thing I'm really disapointed in is that there is no Android Market and it doesn't look like there will be. The market that is being installed tomorrow is Pocketgear and I'm not impressed with it at all. I have searched for many things and have yet to find anything I was looking for. Maybe it will be different once it is on the Gtablet but I'm not going to hold my breath.
All in all I'm very pleased with the Gtablet. And with the support of the people here I'm sure it will only get better.

I had pre-ordered the 101, then found this device. First off, you might want to check out this forum, as the Gtab has been mentioned a few times:
http://forum.archosfans.com/viewforum.php?f=74&sid=14fbe18a3bde1b86944379a04044ace9
Here's my take on the 101 / Gtab pros and cons.
- Archos has a better media player and codec support. That's their bread and butter, so it's expected.
- The 101 is 256MB of RAM with a less powerful CPU than the GTab. This puts the GTab on more of the bleeding edge, with the issues that arise because of that. But it might be a better candidate for 2.3 or 3.0. Maybe.
- The 101 is locked down tight, as far as the firmware is concerned. The GTab is not and has an APX mode that makes it virtually unbrickable. Mods galore may arise, because of that.
- The prices are similar, assuming you compare the 16GB and you get the GTab on sale.
- The bad screen angles on the GTab seem to also affect the 101, from what I've read.
- Neither have the actual Marketplace, although I'm sure the 101 will get a hack sooner or later.
- Archos has been pretty good with ROMS, so far. Viewsonic support remains to be seen.
- The GTablet is popping up all over the place, in B&M. That means some decent return policies - Staples has a 14 day return on it, for example. The Archos is not as easy to find in B&M stores, at the moment.
- The Gtablet has Froyo today, and it has an (unofficial) Flash apk today.
I guess it's "pick your poison".

So I picked one up yesterday at Staples and am going to revert back to stock and return it... Here are my reasons why...
- Screen viewing angles are awful. Sitting at a table with the GTab laying flat is an impossible angle to view with.
- The device is heavy to hold. I found my hands hurting trying to use it while holding it.
- The image is not very crisp. I found that it hurt my eyes to use the device for long periods of time.
Again these are my perceptions and don't take them for anything beyond a personal review. I have been using a HTC Hero with CM6.1 and have been very pleased.
I am either going to get an iPad, wait for a better WiFi only tablet next year, or just stick with my trusty Netbook.
PS...Is there a link to instructions for reverting back to stock? Thanks!

If you haven't done anything fancy like install a ROM. You can just hit the factory reset under settings. If you have been playing around, then there is a stock TnT vanilla ROM on forum tegratab website (I can't link it) which you can install just like any ROM.
I don't know how to get rid of Clockworkmod (NVflash?), but I can't imagine the average Staples employee will dig that deeply.
I'm probably going to take mine back this weekend. I want to give the new OS update a fair shake. But otherwise I agree with you on virtually all counts.

packfan909 said:
So I picked one up yesterday at Staples and am going to revert back to stock and return it... Here are my reasons why...
- Screen viewing angles are awful. Sitting at a table with the GTab laying flat is an impossible angle to view with.
- The device is heavy to hold. I found my hands hurting trying to use it while holding it.
- The image is not very crisp. I found that it hurt my eyes to use the device for long periods of time.
Again these are my perceptions and don't take them for anything beyond a personal review. I have been using a HTC Hero with CM6.1 and have been very pleased.
I am either going to get an iPad, wait for a better WiFi only tablet next year, or just stick with my trusty Netbook.
PS...Is there a link to instructions for reverting back to stock? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try the vanilla ROM - it's in the development area. It should get you very close to stock. And also do a data wipe, of course.

lintmail said:
If you haven't done anything fancy like install a ROM. You can just hit the factory reset under settings. If you have been playing around, then there is a stock TnT vanilla ROM on forum tegratab website (I can't link it) which you can install just like any ROM.
I don't know how to get rid of Clockworkmod (NVflash?), but I can't imagine the average Staples employee will dig that deeply.
I'm probably going to take mine back this weekend. I want to give the new OS update a fair shake. But otherwise I agree with you on virtually all counts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the ROM info. I am just going to return it at this point. The viewing angle and heft can't be resolved. And I appreciate the feedback on the Archos 101 with regards of viewing angle. A few friends tried the GTab yesterday when I brought it over, they were all unimpressed.
These tablets need to bake a little longer in the oven!

packfan909 said:
Thanks for the ROM info. I am just going to return it at this point. The viewing angle and heft can't be resolved. And I appreciate the feedback on the Archos 101 with regards of viewing angle. A few friends tried the GTab yesterday when I brought it over, they were all unimpressed.
These tablets need to bake a little longer in the oven!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Out of box the device sux, but with TnT 1.03 and market hack, it is solid. Archos 101 apparently uses the same display, so no better, but the device is lighter. Weak device though compared to the power of Tegra 2 and 512mb ram.
If you showed this device with stock rom- now wonder people were not impressed- yikes

rushless said:
Out of box the device sux, but with TnT 1.03 and market hack, it is solid. Archos 101 apparently uses the same display, so no better, but the device is lighter. Weak device though compared to the power of Tegra 2 and 512mb ram.
If you showed this device with stock rom- now wonder people were not impressed- yikes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^ this ^
Besides wake up time... A necessary evil... This pad rocks with TnT lite .3 cannot wait for 2.0 at this rate.

TNT lite .03 + Flash + gapps install = Keeper
If you are OK with flashing ROMS then get it. With TNT lite and Flash, I'm willing to keep it in spite of the viewing angles.
As far as weight is concerned: It doesn't feel heavier than an IPAD. Most of that weight is battery. Great battery life by the way.

My first road test of the gtablet tonight. I am flying to Vegas with the gtablet and the Archos 43. I will let you know how they do. For TSA screening purposes, will they want me to remove the gtablet from its case and run it through the xray like a laptop?

I was showing it off with CM 6.1 Beta. That viewing angle is a deal breaker for me. With regards to the weight, are you saying it weighs as much as an iPad?

Not sure why people are so surprised by the viewing angles. If you want the display of an ipad or even a galaxy tab, you're gonna have to buy an ipad or galaxy tab. The display on the g is fine for me, for now. When the big name tablets start coming out like htc and moto, that's when I'll expect more out of tablets. I'll also expect to pay more than 399 too.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App

The problem is that one can't be sure until they have it in their hands. I would think that a normal operating position (on a desk with user in front of it) would be something to expect out of any tablet. I would love a Galaxy Tab but I refuse to pay a carrier for mobile internet service. If they released a WiFI only Galaxy Tab, I would run to the store to get it.

The viewing angles aren't as good as the iPad, but not so bad that it really bothers me that much. Maybe it'll get more annoying after a while - I'd eventually like an Android tablet with an IPS or other higher end LCD screen, but this will do for now in terms of hardware.
For me, $420 (including tax) for the G Tablet and a carrying case sounded like a good deal, for the early adopter set on XDA-developers who like to customize and live on the bleeding edge.
There is no way I would recommend this device in its current form to friends or family, of course, until the software improves markedly.
I also don't think the drivers etc. are doing full justice to the Tegra 2 at this point. My Nexus One actually gets about 5-10% higher scores on Quadrant. That shouldn't be. And for a dual-core chip, it oddly lags when the system is waking up from sleep mode and runs choppily sometimes thereafter - some sort of memory management bug.
Such are the joys of the bleeding edge.

i would have liked for it to have better viewing angles too, it definitely can be a pain to have to look at a certain way. but i usually keep it on a little stand when on my desk, i'm trying to not let the screen thing bother me too much. the software and stock ui are both jokes and i knew that going in. the blue weather homescreen is horrid, i like a nice clean and clutter free homescreen. i'm just staying confident that the boys here at xda are gonna make this tablet a nice user experience. i think it scored around 1900 on quadrant when i ran it on the g, i usually get around 1400-1500 on my incredible. i think the g-tablet should be doing way better though.

I have been driving the g tab since last Saturday and I would recommend it as a keeper. I tried the Huawei S7 for a day and ran away from it screaming. By comparisons, I have had good success side loading most of my favorite apps here without compromise. The device is modder friendly as have been my last dozen or so phones. Rooting was quick and easy. I have some market apps available, but for those not open, I load them on my Liquid, then use Titanium, to "restore" them onto the g tab.

If you are willing to do as something as super simple as install TnT Lite 1.03, or the coming 2.0- YES! Here is copy from part of another post:
Gtablet with TnT Lite 1.03, Flash app & market fix:
1. Best performing Flash of any current Android device: CHECK!
2. Market: CHECK!
3. Great sound quality: CHECK!
4. Smooth browser: CHECK!
5. Comics & PDFs, regardless of size, smooth: CHECK!
6. PSX4Droid smooth for 3D games: Using PSX4Droid 1.5, CHECK! (1.7 sucks)
7. Capcom 1 & 2 and ALL Neo Geo games playing super fine: CHECK (TigerMAME)
8. Wifi tether works great
Archos 101 has a 3630 and half the ram of the Droid X. Droid X does not play Flash as smoothly, nor the games in items 6 & 7 anywhere near as well.
Gtablet rocks- warts and all- Looking forward to TnT Lite 2.0

6. PSX4Droid smooth for 3D games: Using PSX4Droid 1.5, CHECK! (1.7 sucks)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.5 would not load the bios for me..

Gtablet weight same as ipad
packfan909 said:
I was showing it off with CM 6.1 Beta. That viewing angle is a deal breaker for me. With regards to the weight, are you saying it weighs as much as an iPad?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to Apple the Ipad weighs 1.5 to 1.6 depending upon model. The Viewsonic site lists gtablet at 1.55 pounds.

[Q] Is the screen a deal breaker???

Hello all,
Apologies if this has already been answered already, but I am VERY tempted by the G-Tablet. LOVE the idea of sticking the customs ROMS on there.
I understand that the ROMS are by no means perfect, and I am fine with that. They are ever evolving and I am fine with changing ROMS now and again and trying out new things.
The only thing that has prevented me from making the purchase is the negative reviews of the screen that I have heard - particularly in portrait mode.
Is it really THAT bad? What is it like in portrait? And landscape?
Does anyone have any video or pictures or links to show what the screen looks like, particularly in portrait mode and in landscape too?
Should the screen be the thing that prevents me from buying it? Is it that much of a deal breaker?
Any video, comments or pictures would be greatly appreciated.
I really want to jump on the G-Tablet band wagon, but if the screen is that bad then I guess I will hold off.
Thanks in advance.

I use mine for, among other things, reading digital magazines and comics. In portrait mode the screen is pretty bad and has a 3D sort of effect at certain angles. In landscape mode it looks best when you're viewing it straight on and as your angle gets higher it looks lighter in color, the lower your angle the darker it gets. But I read everything in landscape mode anyway so this doesn't bother me.
For me even with the screen issue, using VEGAn rom beta 5.1, I love this tablet. It's something that I have been enjoying for over a month now rather than other folks "waiting" for something better and not having a tablet at all.
I also have an iPad (company issued) which I hardly ever even turn on (only when I want to keep my little kids busy with the Netflix app).
Once you experience the freedom and the fantastic custom roms our xda folks cook up I'm sure you'll fall in love with this tablet too. With all of the folks that complain about the screen in these forums, almost all of them have still kept their gTabs. That should tell you something.

Search youtube and there's a video showing the gtablets viewing angles. To me its not a deal breaker. I mostly use the tab in ladscape mode even while I'm ereading. Portrait mode is ok but its not a dealbreaker either. I think the tab is fairly price with what you get.

I loathe the screen.
If you happen to have a netbook, there's an easy way to replicate the GTab experience for reading comics or magazines. Just run an app on your netbook to open up the graphic, then flip it 90 degrees (so that it's in portrait) and look at the viewing angles. Notice, in particular, the significant changes if you tilt it slightly to the right or left. That's exactly what happens on the Gtab. On my Mini10v, you have to flip it 90 degrees counter-clockwise, so that the keyboard is on the right side.
I actually think a netbook is slightly better because the refresh is 60 Hz, whereas the refresh on the Gtab is (we think) 50 Hz.

gogorman said:
Hello all,
Apologies if this has already been answered already, but I am VERY tempted by the G-Tablet. LOVE the idea of sticking the customs ROMS on there.
I understand that the ROMS are by no means perfect, and I am fine with that. They are ever evolving and I am fine with changing ROMS now and again and trying out new things.
The only thing that has prevented me from making the purchase is the negative reviews of the screen that I have heard - particularly in portrait mode.
Is it really THAT bad? What is it like in portrait? And landscape?
Does anyone have any video or pictures or links to show what the screen looks like, particularly in portrait mode and in landscape too?
Should the screen be the thing that prevents me from buying it? Is it that much of a deal breaker?
Any video, comments or pictures would be greatly appreciated.
I really want to jump on the G-Tablet band wagon, but if the screen is that bad then I guess I will hold off.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most people are simply comparing the G Tablet screen to the typical smartphone screen or iPad.
Personally, I dont THINK the screen is meant to be used in portrait mode for anything more than looking at apps and reading. For THOSE uses, it is fine (imho). You can read ebooks, comics, even websites with it as well as use most apps. It tickles your eyes (some people say it hurts theirs) if you try to use it with low on screen light things like gaming and watching movies...but I find it more similar to my eyes trying to adjust to 3D, it doesn't hurt but you can tell it's not going to work for very long because it feels awkward. I don't wear glasses.
The angles also aren't great compared to a cell/smartphone. I don't have a problem with this because I look at it head on, and when I put it on it's stand, I angle it at around 90-100 degrees, the same as my notebook and it looks fine.
Just keep in mind that the screen is comparable to a netbook/notebook, in which case you wouldn't be flipping that on the side to look at anything, nor would you be looking at it comfortably at extreme angles.
Forget sitting in your chair and glancing at it on a desk, that won't work. Nor picking it up and holding it at anything close to 180 degrees in your hand (like you MAY hold your cell). Think of it as a touchscreen netbook without a keyboard and you'll find it to be perfectly acceptable (I think).
Should the screen prevent you from buying it? That's hard to say. I don't think it's a deal breaker by any means (otherwise I would have returned mine), but that is in my opinion, and this sort of thing is really up to the user/buyer to decide. I wouldn't spend $100 more for a "better" screen, so automatically this may be a defining factor between the types of buyers we are.

The angles are NOT good, however when I'm actually actively using I never notice how bad they are as I'm looking directly at the screen and not from an angle. I've even used as an ereader in portrait mode and have not had problems. i.e. I really only notice it when I have it ont he table or desktop and check to see how flash progress, etc. is going and even then I can usually make out the important bits as it seems to be only colors for me that appear washed out while black and white show up as usual -> mostly text which is what I want to see anyways...
I've had mine since the monday before Thanksgiving. I'm keeping it because a) there's nothing else as good/fast/powerful out ATM, b) Notion Ink seemed kind of hazy and I'd like to see how long that they survive, etc.
Try an Office Depot or something and see if they have an actual demo unit. Staples HAD demo units, but Sears just had a mockup...
(I've also had/have an Augen Gentouch78, Pandigital Novel(white), Nook Color, and gTablet. The NC screen is much better, but again I don't notice the viewing angle unless I'm specifically looking for that as I'm always looking directly at the screen when actively using... caveat: I don't watch videos generally, so maybe this is where it becomes important to some people... better screens are always nice though, and I lust after the PixelQi'ed Notion Ink Adam for outdoor/sunny use... but not @ $500 and their uncertain future...)
[EDIT]
Forgot to mention, but when I used it as an ereader I was holding it in portrait orientation which is how I prefer to orient devices when using them as a reader, assuming that they even support landscape mode to begin with. I'm using my NC purely as a reader ATM since it's batt runtime isn't all that long v. the gTab, and my crappy 128MB uSD wasn't able to boot the unit, and I just don't feel like manually rooting it which is no big deal ATM as I'm mainly using it as a reader. When it gets warmer I'll change my mind I'm sure and it'll be serving more portable tablet duties as well as reading... just have to order some 8GB class 6 uSDHC cards now... already ordered case for NC which I have yet to do for gTab, but I want to buy a bluetooth GPS/logger before anything else ATM, which is looking to cost more than I expected for such a simplistic device(no display, just couple LEDs, GPS chipset(MTK v2 3329), and some memory & storage)...
[/EDIT]

I've had mine for about a month now and I am currently 200 pages into "Teach Yourself Electronics and Electricity"
I read it in both portrait and landscape mode and the angles aren't too bad.
I wouldn't jump out and use it in landscape mode permanently or anything, but I can live with them.

Compared to an iPad, Galaxy Tab and the B&N Nook Color, the screen is very sensitive to the vertical viewing angle (in landscape mode), with solarization effects kicking in once you are off-axis.
This is a netbook screen as mentioned above.
If you are using the tablet in landscape mode and holding it in your hand, then you can adjust easily and automatically to make sure the viewing angle is optimal.
The screen is bright and the colors are vibrant. I enjoy using my tab this way as a couch-based internet/video terminal. The experience can be as good as the iPad (with the benefit of added flash).
However, when held vertically, depending on which way is up, the viewing angle sensitivity can be so great that each eye sees different levels of solarization - giving a subjective effect similar to that from red/green 3D specs...
Also, the solarization effect is not symmetrical when you look at the screen from above/below the viewing axis, with the screen giving acceptable-ish results if looked-at from above, but miserable results from below. Thus the device seems to be optimized for use on a stand/dock sat on a table and viewed from above. (This seems consistent with the original TnT console UI mode).
This all sounds terrible, and the screen definitely IS now the weakest part of the package - but despite that, the overall experience of the Gtablet is VERY enjoyable - just check out the forums.
Accordingly, the screen cannot be THAT bad...
You really need to see one in action and decide for yourself. It is VERY subjective....

Well I bit the bullet and made the purchase.
Managed to find one at a Sears Outlet 2 hours away for $296 total.
Thanks to all for the replies.
The next question is: Which ROM do I put on there? I know that each of them have their own pro's and con's but is there one I should put on there to start with to see how it goes (when initially replacing the Tap'n'Tap UI)? Is one more stable or feature packed than another?
Again, any input would be GREAT!
Thanks!

I use (as do many) TNT lite. It's based on the stock Veiwsonic but It is worlds better than stock. TNT lite development is very active.
I haven't but you can try them all.

gogorman said:
Well I bit the bullet and made the purchase.
Managed to find one at a Sears Outlet 2 hours away for $296 total.
Thanks to all for the replies.
The next question is: Which ROM do I put on there? I know that each of them have their own pro's and con's but is there one I should put on there to start with to see how it goes (when initially replacing the Tap'n'Tap UI)? Is one more stable or feature packed than another?
Again, any input would be GREAT!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are two "good" (i.e. well supported, active user community) ROMs right now - TNT Lite and Vegan ROM. Both have significant user communities here at XDA numbering in the many thousands. Personally, I think Vegan ROM is the fastest, smoothest experience currently on the G Tablet. It has a few bugs (mostly the media issues on the external SD card - if you don't have one or don't use it much for that this is not an issue). TNT Lite is just a stripped down, sped up, much improved version of the stock ROM that came with the device. But still not quite as lightweight or zippy as Vegan in my opinion. CyanogenMod 6.x seems to be less supported right now, because most of the work is going into making CyanogenMod 7 work properly.
In a few weeks time, Vegan should be ported over to running on top of CyanogenMod 7. And in a few weeks time, hopefully, CyanogenMod 7 itself will be stable and awesome. There's a lot of great development activity going on right now, so stay tuned.

Loved android hated the screen!!
Having owned both a gtab and an iPad I have to say that in the end the screen quality killed owning the gtab for me. The viewing angles make it impossible to lay the gtab on a table like I can do with my iPad. I hate the locked down nature of the iPad and wanted to love the gtab but in the end I couldn't justify owning a device that frustrated me that much. I look forward to the next batch of honeycomb tablets and anticipate purchasing one. (lol that the iPad autocorrect capitalizes the word iPad properly)

gogorman said:
Well I bit the bullet and made the purchase.
Managed to find one at a Sears Outlet 2 hours away for $296 total.
Thanks to all for the replies.
The next question is: Which ROM do I put on there? I know that each of them have their own pro's and con's but is there one I should put on there to start with to see how it goes (when initially replacing the Tap'n'Tap UI)? Is one more stable or feature packed than another?
Again, any input would be GREAT!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll refer you to this thread where it's being discussed.
I never went to Vegan out of fear of the install somehow borking the tablet. I really can't bother with all that NVflash nor partitioning nonsense. CWM is as deep as I every want to go and so far between stock, tnt lite and cyanogen that's all I've ever had to do...load cwm, wipe data and cache, wipe dalvik and slap on a new/different ROM.
Speed means nothing to me if there are any frustrating or super noticeable, "get in your way" bugs, and from what I saw of TnT lite 4.1 it had nothing super noticeable and didn't lack any features I want/needed...in fact, nothing 'broke' in TnT lite 4.1 which is why that's what I recommend over all others.
Just remember to always, no matter what....wipe your cache and data. Many users will tell you it's not necessary but believe me when I say, it's better to do that than end up with some magic number or uid error because I've read about very bad experiences from people who just try to upgrade to a different OS. Some of these incessant errors seem to require APX mode or full re-flashes back to original - doesn't sound good, does it?
I may be spared out of being thorough or just dumb luck (knock on wood!!!!), but the fact is I've been spared.
I would recommend in addition to getting input from people in this and the other "what ROM is best" thread, to go read through the various ROM threads themselves. Check youtube to see how the various ROMs look and check screenshots, stuff like that to see what you may light.
Lastly, if you plan to try "on" different ones, I recommend Appbrain to help you get apps back on your tablet in an efficient manner, as long as you have access to the 'proper' market.
Appbrain allows you to sync your apps to a server, from there you can manipulate them - hard to explain but try it and see. And if a ROM causes Appbrain to ID the tab as something different every time, you can simply copy your app list to everything it uses. Appbrain simply checks your tab for what you have/don't have and looks up the apps 1 by 1 in the market, allowing you to install the newest versions possible till you're back in business.
A secondary backup method is to instruct Astro to backup your apps, then you save the folder with those apps to your SD card or your PC so you can sideload them manually when you're done swapping the OS.
Good Luck!

Hey man! This thread inspired me to make a video about! I had a lot of questions that no one seemed to answer in the videos they posted, so I figured I'd add to the community! Hope it helps some people out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO1XyVK6cms

my g-tablet 12hr review

I searched for a few days all over the internet before I ended up getting the gtab... I almost got the herotab mid816, but I'm glad I spent a bit more, I ended up getting a lot more back.
Pros: AWESOME TOUCH RESPONSE, blazing fast (after a new rom), multi touch works good, lots of Modding options
Cons: small viewing angle, android standard buttons on the side don't light up, slow stock rom, expensive dock (55$)
This is my first android tablet but I do have 2 android phones. This thing destroys my phones in speed! This thing is crazy fast! I plan to write a better review when I get home, but for now I must say I really like this g-tablet. I plan on uploading some app packs or at least do some compatibility tests for people! Later g-tabbers.

dispozable said:
I searched for a few days all over the internet before I ended up getting the gtab... I almost got the herotab mid816, but I'm glad I spent a bit more, I ended up getting a lot more back.
Pros: AWESOME TOUCH RESPONSE, blazing fast (after a new rom), multi touch works good, lots of Modding options
Cons: small viewing angle, android standard buttons on the side don't light up, slow stock rom, expensive dock (55$)
This is my first android tablet but I do have 2 android phones. This thing destroys my phones in speed! This thing is crazy fast! I plan to write a better review when I get home, but for now I must say I really like this g-tablet. I plan on uploading some app packs or at least do some compatibility tests for people! Later g-tabbers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny that after all of the hubbub of new tabs coming out, the Gtablet still seems the best option for modders (total cost considered).

Actually, from everything I read, this was the best (cost effective) option for anybody wanting Android. It just so happens that a new ROM is required if you want to enjoy the speed. I think that if you are in the lookout for honeycomb, you really need to consider this one.
I just did not want an iPad.

I hated it out of the box and thought I had wasted money then I installed tnt lite and love it

I have to admit that even with its shortcomings its looking more and more like a bargain compared to the prices of the new stuff coming out. I'm very happy with mine and i am really surprised by how much i use it now.

I hated it out of the box and thought I had wasted money then I installed tnt lite and love it

I think that for the non-iPad crowd, the G-Tab will end up being the best value for a Honeycomb tablet this year. With the exception of a better screen, there's not much else to want compared to the other Honeycomb tablet announcements. Yes, a GPS would be nice, but I don't seem to miss it. I plan on holding onto the G-Tab until the next round of tablets with quad-core Tegra III's come out.
I have to thank the developers here that are really breathing life into the device and putting money in Viewsonic's pocket; as I believe that if it weren't for the existence of other ROMS, the G-Tab would have long since disappeared.
Thanks guys!

tysonkam said:
I think that for the non-iPad crowd, the G-Tab will end up being the best value for a Honeycomb tablet this year. With the exception of a better screen, there's not much else to want compared to the other Honeycomb tablet announcements. Yes, a GPS would be nice, but I don't seem to miss it. I plan on holding onto the G-Tab until the next round of tablets with quad-core Tegra III's come out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree that this is the best cost efficent option. I am using the enhancement pack and everything runs great and I can't wait for honeycomb. I just with the screen was a bit better.

Ive gotta say, though I like the tab (running vegan tab) it does seem more sluggish than my froyo dell streak. Also, I find the screen responsiveness pales in comparison to my ipad. Those two things may be related.

If the screen wasn't so bad, this would be a great tablet. But I'm pretty particular about screens (particularly IPS vs. TN panels), and this may not bother other folks as much. If you can live with the screen or don't even notice what's wrong with it, you've got a great device for an excellent price compared to the competition.

I was very hesitant to mess with the original, as it upgraded as soon as it connected to my wireless wifi. But the Marketplace did not work, so I took the plunge a couple weeks back and put the TNT and the Clockworks and its been great ever since. I wish I could find some info on all the menu items in Clockwork. I discovered by accident to "fix the permissions" was via the Clockworks. I discovered by accident where the backup files "live" on the sdcard so I could copy them to the computer. When I do a restore, there are about 4 choices, but I can only speculate as to what each would overwrite or upgrade. When it formats or does a "restore" I don't exactly know what I am restoring.. I know there is a lot of capability in Clockworks, but have not been able to find one location that has a good tutorial.
I have to smile as I read all the "new" pads coming out on Engadget, et.al., and they have similar hardware, except gps, as the Gtab, its almost a "secret" gem, and with the upgraded ROMS on this site, its a real jewel...
****

The part about the screen that really bothers me is the fingerprints. Bought a screen protector just to see if it helps. The angles do not bother me as much and kind of like the guy next to me in the airplane not seeing what I am doing...

jhermit said:
The part about the screen that really bothers me is the fingerprints. Bought a screen protector just to see if it helps. The angles do not bother me as much and kind of like the guy next to me in the airplane not seeing what I am doing...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought a two pack of microfiber cloths from Target dollar spot. They work great!

rain-x
jhermit said:
The part about the screen that really bothers me is the fingerprints. Bought a screen protector just to see if it helps. The angles do not bother me as much and kind of like the guy next to me in the airplane not seeing what I am doing...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read in a different post if you use rain-x it cuts down on the smudges. I wonder if the anti-fog works better. I have not tried it yet but it sounds like a good idea.

Yes, I was going to try the screen protector first since it was only $11 shipped and others have had good luck with it. If that doesn't do it, then Rain-x will be my answer. I would prefer not having to apply Rain-x every few weeks...

I was hesitant of the rain-x method, but I tried it 2 days ago. It did wonders and highly recommend trying this out. I have not redone the process yet. Just make sure you really let the rain-x dry to a haze before wiping clean.
I have had very little fingerprints at all.
Thread link:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=892959

Might as well just wax the screen with car wax if people are using rain-x.

Update:
I do now use Rain-X on my tablet about once every two weeks (twice so far) and there is no fading or any kind of bad response from the tablet. I have gone through a few roms and now have a stable and fast one running 2.2. All in all I really like this tablet. I got my hands on an iPad and I felt like a traitor and an iRetard. I keep asking "Where is the back button? Where is the menu button?" After about 10 minutes I gave up and decided the trade wasn't worth it
Untill they have Android working on an iPad (stable, not just booting) I'll pass and stay with my G-Tab.
Sent from my G-Tablet 2.2 using Tapatalk

Xoom vs Gtab - experience

Hi All,
I was like all other people and was so excited about the honeycomb and Xoom, So, I spent 30 mins on a local bestbuy and played around it.. here are my initial feedback.
First, the Xoom is very nice, very nice. It is definitely my favorite device out of 3 of them (gtab, xoom and ipad).
Screen: The screen looked very sharp and the viewing angles were very good. I tilted it with all kind of viewing angles and I could still see my screen (actually a youtube video). but, I found that the Ipad has a brighter screen.
Sound: The sound was much better than the Gtab. The volume was very loud and I just turned it on for 1/4. I played a few songs and the sound were just wonderful.. no complaint..
Touch: The touch was very sensitive and I was able to touch 3-4 fingers at the same time on a map. Gtab was limited to 2 touches. I found that the touch is more easy on the xoom than Ipad. My fingers was stick a little bit on ipad but not xoom. very nice.
Weight: Same weight as ipad and gtab (~1.5) but it definitely feels much lighter. The sides (left and right) are thinner, top and bottom are thicker. So, it creates an illusion that it is very thin looking from the side. Holding it is ok.
Build: Very good build quality but I felt that if I drop it, and it is done..
App: Honeycomb was nice and it took me less than 2 mins to get used to it (if you already have a gtab). But, most of the apps worked basically the same as running on gtab except youtube, gmail, music and etc. Developers need to start building apps for honeycomb to take advantage of the new OS. Otherwise, I found that I can do pretty much the same on my gtab..
Camera: the 5M rear camera was nice but the quality was ok.
Other: GPS, Accelemeter, etc.. worked great..
Negative:
- I didn't like that they put the headphone jack at the top and the power jack at the bottom.
- No accessories at all in store.
- the black color just didn't look expensive. they should have released a white or silver one..
Overall, it is very nice device but $800 is too much for me.. If Moto releases a $600 WIFI version, I would definitely get it. To be honest, I think that the extra $200 to get a Xoom is worthy. It is one of the devices I believe would make my brainwashed Apple Ipad co-workers soooooo jealous for a few weeks (until they get the ipad2..)
I guess that viewsonic needs to either upgrade the gtab to a better specs or lower the price to compete.

A few interesting (to me, anyway) tidbits about the Xoom:
1. Apparently no USB host function (jury still out)
2. Honeycomb appears to have dynamic management of app and media space. This is the reason the microsd does not work. Motorola has asked for a patch so microsd will work. Seems Honeycomb is intended to be a closed system for apps, just like iOS, but less restrictive (of course).
If you look in Xoom's settings, there is no "free space" for device storage allocation, but there is an item view of total app and media space used and a total free for the whole storage. No allocations.

Great info. thank you. Based on the above, nothing here puts me over the edge to upgrade above my baby (gtab). At the moment my plan is to upgrade the screen if one is released per other forum news and if a good tutorial comes with it for the install.

sniperscope said:
Great info. thank you. Based on the above, nothing here puts me over the edge to upgrade above my baby (gtab). At the moment my plan is to upgrade the screen if one is released per other forum news and if a good tutorial comes with it for the install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apparently due to the new app and storage management, quite a few apps either do not install, work or they crash after short use. Honeycomb may be an OS best adapted once apps catch up to it.

rushless said:
Apparently no USB host function (jury still out).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I was wondering about that too. I gotta have USB Host on my tablet!

sniperscope said:
.... At the moment my plan is to upgrade the screen if one is released per other forum news and if a good tutorial comes with it for the install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
me too +1

sniperscope said:
Great info. thank you. Based on the above, nothing here puts me over the edge to upgrade above my baby (gtab). At the moment my plan is to upgrade the screen if one is released per other forum news and if a good tutorial comes with it for the install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will take that plunge if the option ever becomes a serious reality. Although it took me a second to get used to the viewing angle I do like the privacy aspect of the current screen. I feel totally comfortable doing my online banking and purchases in public.
Over all I'm sticking with my gtab. Stable, fast, flash and hulu working. I don't feel the need to upgrade for a long time. I don't even care about 3.0 at this point.

Mantara said:
I will take that plunge if the option ever becomes a serious reality. Although it took me a second to get used to the viewing angle I do like the privacy aspect of the current screen. I feel totally comfortable doing my online banking and purchases in public.
Over all I'm sticking with my gtab. Stable, fast, flash and hulu working. I don't feel the need to upgrade for a long time. I don't even care about 3.0 at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, screen could be better but is not garbage either so for the price I am quite happy with my new gtablet, I own a nexus one and the higher quality screen seem to pay off more on a smaller device than a full screen tablet.
I am quite confident that better rom will appear sooner than later and my current tnt with ADW is rock stable
Most app that doesn't install have issue with the CPU not the storage configuration IMHO.
I think google is making a mistake with the way they limit software based on device, I am trying to load firefox and it doesn't allow me because I used the market fix
I hope they realize they will force people to side-load apps from all kind of source often unreliable...
Also the market doesn't handle 2 device linked to the same account well it seem...
So more issue with Google than with my Gtab

GTablet annoyances

I was excited to get a G-Tablet in the recent Woot sale. Unfortunately, as I have noted in other threads, when I got it, it wouldn't run through the original NTP-WiFi configuration procedure out of the box.
I wiped it and installed VEGAn 5.1.1 and got on with the process of evaluating it.
Am I the only one with touch screen sensor issues? It requires massive fingertip hurting pressure to hit the 'L' key and many of the touch areas along the edge that is adjacent to the Home/Menu/Back buttons. Sometimes I need to press so hard to register a key press, I think that it will crack the LCD. It really impacts my happy factor with this device.
The Market fix isn't as complete as my Archos 70. I saw the thread on changing device type=olympus. I can't vi the /system/build.prop without getting / set to read/write. Too much of a hoop to jump through right now. If I could vi the file, no problem. Still, it is an annoyance.
Weight. I knew it was heavier, but wasn't prepared to the reality of dealing with the mass of this unit.
Screen view. Even with an iPad screen protector on, the color and view angles are annoying. It was unusable to me for reading and regular use before the screen protector went on. Now it is better, but still subpar compared to the A70.
I want to love the gTablet for its technical superiority and future upgrade path to 2.3 and potentially beyond. My Archos device will never be better than FroYo.
However, even though I know it is 'better' I just can't stand actually using it. I feel that the gTab needs to go to flEaBay, since Woot doesn't do refunds.
Anyone else feeling this way?

Touchscreen callibration app should fix your touch issues... I had the same problem and that solved it.

Yeah, I have the app and tried it. Not much real difference in my experience. :\
I just ran it again, and it is weird. Some areas of the screen work just fine (launcher pro dock when in desktop/finder mode for example). then, when on virtual keyboard, those same pixel areas don't sense well. Might be a keyboard issue, though it seems to be the same with BetterKeyboard and Android keyboard.
I don't know, I want to like this thing, but feel disappointed. Same way with the Samsung Captivate, which i returned after fighting with it for a month.

tenet420 said:
Touchscreen callibration app should fix your touch issues... I had the same problem and that solved it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1. Screen cal should help. Anyway, don't have that problem with TNTL 4.2.5.

BoulderGeek said:
I was excited to get a G-Tablet in the recent Woot sale. Unfortunately, as I have noted in other threads, when I got it, it wouldn't run through the original NTP-WiFi configuration procedure out of the box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everyone has been saying the stock rom isn't very well made since day one.
I wiped it and installed VEGAn 5.1.1 and got on with the process of evaluating it.
Am I the only one with touch screen sensor issues? It requires massive fingertip hurting pressure to hit the 'L' key and many of the touch areas along the edge that is adjacent to the Home/Menu/Back buttons. Sometimes I need to press so hard to register a key press, I think that it will crack the LCD. It really impacts my happy factor with this device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, touch screen calibration app should do the trick. Also, you can create a blank file name calibration.ini in the root of your sdcard2 and then reboot. Don't touch the screen while it reboots. This file will tell the device to recalibrate the touch.
The Market fix isn't as complete as my Archos 70. I saw the thread on changing device type=olympus. I can't vi the /system/build.prop without getting / set to read/write. Too much of a hoop to jump through right now. If I could vi the file, no problem. Still, it is an annoyance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To me, it's not much of a hoop. Took me all of 30 seconds to do this.
Weight. I knew it was heavier, but wasn't prepared to the reality of dealing with the mass of this unit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm an engineer researcher at a material science lab. We build and crush to test our own toys. Sometimes, we have to carry (by hand) objects that are hundreds of pounds heavy. I guess the weight of the gtab isn't really bothering me that much. But again, it's only .3 lb heavier than the ipad, so if you have a problem with the gtab then I'm sure you'll have the same problem with the ipad.
Screen view. Even with an iPad screen protector on, the color and view angles are annoying. It was unusable to me for reading and regular use before the screen protector went on. Now it is better, but still subpar compared to the A70.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, not an issue for me. I'm a heavy reader, meaning I go through several books a week. Been using the gtab to read ebooks on my train ride commute.
I want to love the gTablet for its technical superiority and future upgrade path to 2.3 and potentially beyond. My Archos device will never be better than FroYo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't just want to love the gtab. I love my gtab.
But then again, you really have to consider my past I guess. I was born in a house with a dirt floor, grew up with a black and white small tv (14 inch or so, can't remember). And even then, the tv worked only sometimes.
It just seems to me that so many people (Americans) complain about things that, to me, are moot points. For $285, the gtab is a steal based on what it could do.
And to me, the gtab is more than just a toy. Before, I was carrying my laptop around, which weighs a ton (exaggeration here). Nowadays, I sometimes leave it in the office or at home and just carry the gtab around. I'm expecting my experience to be even better once the case with the usb keyboard arrives.
Yes, I'm one of those that has no problem jury rigging something to make my experience better.
However, even though I know it is 'better' I just can't stand actually using it. I feel that the gTab needs to go to flEaBay, since Woot doesn't do refunds.
Anyone else feeling this way?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some people want their devices to work straight out of the box. And some people want their devices to just work powerfully and don't care about the luxuries.
I've recently converted 100% to electronic books. I've sold over half of my library collection on amazon. I often run into people who are absolutely against ebook reading. The #1 reason that most people seem to have against ebooks is that they want the smell and feel of paper while they read. That's their opinion, and it's ok. They are free to like or dislike whatever they want.
But to me, I read a book for its contents, not what it's written on. I don't care how a book feels or what it smells like. I love zombie novels, and I don't care if it's on paper or plastic.
I guess I have the same attitude with my gtab. This really is a powerful piece of device. It runs fast, the screen is uber sensitive (on my device at least). The battery life is up there with the ipad. Completely hackable (a must in my book). And it's incredibly lite weight. Again, I speak as someone who work hands on with his projects. Funny story, someone the other day made a face and asked me what happened to my hands. I looked down and for the first time I actually noticed all the scars and Calluses on my hands. Amazing how boy friend hasn't complained yet.
Anyway, the #1 reason why I like this device is because it's freakin' cheap. Even if I break it in a year, or if I decide to buy something else in a year, I wouldn't feel the pain in my stomach the way I'd feel if I had bought a xoom or ipad.
Anyway, to each his own I guess. And that's ok.
You should either get a xoom or ipad. I've borrowed them from friends and played with those. They are very nice and fits your needs quite well.
Edit.
And my elderly dad just told me he wanted one to surf the net while on the couch and have a 10 inch screen gps. Just bought one for him. Hopefully will arrive soon. Also already ordered a gps receiver and a car mount. My elderly dad's far sight vision is great. Better than mine. He could see things at a distance that I can't see even with my glasses on. But his near sight vision is beginning to slip. So, the gps I bought him a couple years back aren't that helpful nowadays. Hopefully, this 10 inch one will be better. I'm also hoping I could talk to him via video conferencing when he goes back to (insert a random country here). So, I better start showing him how to use a touch screen. It was hard enough to get him to understand and use the mouse...

I wouldn't mind a little tactile feedback or lighting for the 4 side touch buttons. They are hard to find in the dark. Some small protusions on the buttons themselves, or on the side of the case would also have been nice, like the bumps on a keyboard on the f and j keys.

Haha, the 4 buttons in the dark issue was bothering me, too. I guess I stopped noticing it once I have it memorized. Just last night, I was reading before I went to sleep and noticed that I could press with 99% precision the buttons. So, yeah, it's not a problem for me anymore.

1. I have had "edge" problems that went away when I put a different wall paper up. Try a non-live wallpaper.
2. The Olympus fix works. It just breaks the web site seeing your tablet. Get Root Explorer and it takes about 2 seconds to mount /system rw.
3) I guess the screen is a personal preference thing. I like mine better since I put a urethane screen protector on. Really keeps the fingerprints off of it for the most part and the angles don't bother me.
4) The unlit buttons are a pain in the dark. I put some clear paper reinforcement stickers over mine so they have a little feel in the dark. They are almost invisible from any distance away but you can feel them. These are the little sticky holes you put on loose leaf paper when the holes have torn out. Oh, the other think you can do is get button savior in the market. This gives you nice onscreen buttons (although you know VEGAn has home, menu and back buttons on the status bar). Now the other problem is I tend to hit the buttons when I am trying to grip the tablet. There is a non-free app called remapper (I think) that can turn them off (or repurpose them) but I have not tried it.

I don't disagree about the gtablet being a good value.
it's just slightly worse at everything than my existing Archos 70 tablet. So, for more money and double the specs, I didn't really get any appreciable improvement. Perhaps that's what I should have stated.
If I had no Android tablet, I'd be completely happy with my my VEGAn Tab.
However, i can't justify two tablets, and surprisingly, i don't think the gtablet is going to be the keeper. I'm just surprised that is the case.
I just did a factory reset, and will take pictures tonight for flea bay.

On the screen sensitivity issue, the one-touch app didn't work for me, and I was considering returning my tab. But then I did the calibration.ini trick, and the difference is amazing.

dfin13 said:
On the screen sensitivity issue, the one-touch app didn't work for me, and I was considering returning my tab. But then I did the calibration.ini trick, and the difference is amazing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know. Thanks.

It may not keep you from selling it, but it sure will help the person who buys it from you

dfin13 said:
It may not keep you from selling it, but it sure will help the person who buys it from you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that guy is sitting in the cube adjacent to mine. He's been playing with it all day. Reinstalling the apps that i lost by resetting to factory.

you guys do realized that vegan roms have the same buttons on the notification bar.. for just this reason.. to take the place of the side buttons at night.

I was personally about to sell my gTablet about 48 hours ago. I was having tons of lock-ups, market issues and was pretty frustrated.
I decided to start all over and reflashed to stock - did a lot of research here and just about have it working perfect with vegan 5.1.1 now. No lockups with flash, olympus thing fixed my market issues - it is simply an awesome tablet. I have had an ipad for a year and really like this in comparison.
If you don't want to put in the effort to modify the build.prop to fix the market it might not be for you though. It was not hard in retrospect but without any context it takes a while to really get familiar with some of the the things you are doing. I ended up using ADB to edit it - using root explorer sounds much easier.
I personally enjoyed getting it all setup right at the end of the day and learned a lot. For the price this thing is a heck of a tablet.
Also wanted to thank everyone for the hard work figuring out these fixes and ROMs - very impressive community!

My take on this is that these fixes should take like 2 minutes to do. Very easy. The problem is that new users are intimidated by complicated instructions. Take the olympus fix for example. Took me less than 30 seconds to do. But because of the way people talk on here a new user would have to read thru 3 pages because nobody was willing to give a straight answer.

Granted, I'm verbose but I figure if you read the first part of the olympus thread and you knew what edit build.prop and change one line on it meant you wouldn't need or read the long detailed instructions.
There has to be a balance between talking to people who are Android fluent and helping ramp up new users, in my opinion.

goodintentions said:
But again, it's only .3 lb heavier than the ipad, so if you have a problem with the gtab then I'm sure you'll have the same problem with the ipad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean .05 .lbs heavier than the iPad, right? Or were you referring to the iPad2, which is .22 .lbs lighter than the GTab?
I think it's important for people to realize that the GTab COULD weigh less and be thinner, as could the Xoom, but then where would the SD card slot and USB ports go? I think the edges would have slight bulges in them to accomodate the ports. I'm actually fine with the weight of the G-tab...If I noticed a difference of 100 grams, then I'd have to seriously consider working out harder.
As for the other annoyances from the OP...I guess some seem legitimate, but I haven't noticed touchscreen sensitivity issues, etc. Mine is fast and stable and works great. Aside from the screen viewing angles, I love the GTab.
One last thing to note...I just spent a week using my GTab on vacation, and also used my daughter's iPad quite a bit, too. I know this is totally subjective, but the iPad seems more like a toy than anything else. I liked the screen, but otherwise was not impressed overall. I burned several movies from DVD to my GTab and it worked flawlessly. After surfing, playing games and watching 2 movies, I had 50% battery life left. Not bad!

wd5gnr said:
Granted, I'm verbose but I figure if you read the first part of the olympus thread and you knew what edit build.prop and change one line on it meant you wouldn't need or read the long detailed instructions.
Sorry if that confused you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My first impression of the olympus thread was "what the hell?" sure I knew what you were talking about but for someone who's new to android and rooting something as simple as editing the build.prop could be the biggest stumbling block.
I know I have the reputation for hating newbies after my wooters thread. And thats fine. But people need to pay attention to their instructions to see if they make any sense to a newbie. Belive it or not i'm actually very friendly toward newbies. And believe me, the initial instructions in that thread make no sense to a newbie.
I am in the process of compiling everything into easy step by step instructions for the technical illiterates. Viewsonic gtab for dummies. I'll launch my website hopefully sometime next week.

lostpilot28 said:
You mean .05 .lbs heavier than the iPad, right? Or were you referring to the iPad2, which is .22 .lbs lighter than the GTab?
I think it's important for people to realize that the GTab COULD weigh less and be thinner, as could the Xoom, but then where would the SD card slot and USB ports go? I think the edges would have slight bulges in them to accomodate the ports. I'm actually fine with the weight of the G-tab...If I noticed a difference of 100 grams, then I'd have to seriously consider working out harder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's my experience that people will complain about anything/everything if something does not cost much.