Notion Ink - Adam. - Android Software/Hacking General [Developers Only]

Have you guys seen/heard about Notion Ink - Adam. Search youtube for "Notion Ink Adam First look" in this video 25 year old CEO(Founder of Notion Ink) shows some of it's innovative hardware features like Swivel Camera / Trackpad etc. This runs on Android 2.2 and it rumors are to be believed they already have a Gingerbread version in works!!
The product got delayed should be ready for pre-ordering in a three of days.
Based on Sharvan's(CEO's) lastest blog, sounds like pre-ordering initially would be allowed only for people who has posted on his blog before 12/04/2010 .
Your thoughts?

i've been following the progress of the Adam for a little over a year now. Engadget & TechCrunch were starting to call it Vaporware as it supposedly has been in production for almost 2 years now.
it looks promising and i've actually held off buying a tablet specifically because of the Adam. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

I have been following the Adam tablet as well for about a year now. I think the wait is going to be worth. They have really put alot of thought into the developing not only the hardware but the user interface as well.
What I want to know is if the tablet will come with Gingerbread installed or will it be released a month after it has intially been sold??

I also followed the Notion Ink Adam since its first appearance.
In the beginning, it was a wonderful product with perfect features:
eInk and LCD - so outdoor readable/usable, very efficient, but also capable of normal use
ARM processor using the very open and new Android - powerful, long battery life, and customizable with lots of great features.
It also had some great designs and ideas.
But now, almost two years later, it isn't anything special any longer.
It uses Android, which is a great smartphone OS, but a useless tablet PC OS, even more useless than iOS on the iPad.
Useless because it lacks powerful software which gives you FULL text, spreadsheet, PDF creation, editing, viewing. iOS does not offer this either, but much better than Android does.
Also do all of them lack a fundamental thing any slate must have: PEN with handwriting recognition.
The first adam prototypes seemed to have pen input, the final product, not. So what does it make better than the iPad, except even the lack of tablet friendly apps?
So what would you use the Adam for?
To read books and use it as a media tablet to browse the web. Well, if it's what you're searching for, great. I think that's not enough.
You can't take notes, you can't replace your computer with it on the go, you're very limited. The display isn't that special either. Better panels (Mirasol or oil displays) get released next year, Windows 7 still gives you the most powerful tablet OS experience, MeeGo gets released soon, too, which is even more open than Android and optimized for tablets and much more powerful.
So sorry, a year ago, it was a great product, now, it's good, but nothing special, nothing I would have a use for.
The HP Slate looks much more interesting for me, sadly does it only get sold in the US.

Yathushan said:
What I want to know is if the tablet will come with Gingerbread installed or will it be released a month after it has intially been sold??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NotionInk has already said it will ship with Android 2.2 and will inform all what to expect regarding Gingerbread. The hardware specs definitely can handle it.
UpSpin said:
I also followed the Notion Ink Adam since its first appearance.
In the beginning, it was a wonderful product with perfect features:
eInk and LCD - so outdoor readable/usable, very efficient, but also capable of normal use
ARM processor using the very open and new Android - powerful, long battery life, and customizable with lots of great features.
It also had some great designs and ideas.
But now, almost two years later, it isn't anything special any longer.
It uses Android, which is a great smartphone OS, but a useless tablet PC OS, even more useless than iOS on the iPad.
Useless because it lacks powerful software which gives you FULL text, spreadsheet, PDF creation, editing, viewing. iOS does not offer this either, but much better than Android does.
Also do all of them lack a fundamental thing any slate must have: PEN with handwriting recognition.
The first adam prototypes seemed to have pen input, the final product, not. So what does it make better than the iPad, except even the lack of tablet friendly apps?
So what would you use the Adam for?
To read books and use it as a media tablet to browse the web. Well, if it's what you're searching for, great. I think that's not enough.
You can't take notes, you can't replace your computer with it on the go, you're very limited. The display isn't that special either. Better panels (Mirasol or oil displays) get released next year, Windows 7 still gives you the most powerful tablet OS experience, MeeGo gets released soon, too, which is even more open than Android and optimized for tablets and much more powerful.
So sorry, a year ago, it was a great product, now, it's good, but nothing special, nothing I would have a use for.
The HP Slate looks much more interesting for me, sadly does it only get sold in the US.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remember its a tablet, not a desktop or laptop replacement. The iPad nor an Android tablet are meant as a replacement to them. If that's what a person is in the market for, then obviously these are not for them.
For your information though Adam can take notes and it does have full text & spreadsheet capabilities as well as the ability to view PDF's but not create. But again, it's not meant to replace a laptop/desktop but rather as a placeholder until you can get to one.
I for one would rather use the Adam (or iPad if I was forced to) to hold me over on outings or to keep my children busy. It has a longer battery life because its not meant to do 40-50 other things. But alas, its up to the individual consumer to make their decision.

I've got a laptop with the Pixel Qi Screen, it's awesome. Even if everthing else about the adam would suck... I would get it just for that display.

peterocc said:
For your information though Adam can take notes and it does have full text & spreadsheet capabilities as well as the ability to view PDF's but not create. But again, it's not meant to replace a laptop/desktop but rather as a placeholder until you can get to one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can take notes? On a capacitive touchscreen? That's useless.
I also don't want that it replaces my laptop (in reality I have a convertible tablet PC running Win 7), rather that I can easily send documents, view documents, edit documents. And also that I'm able to take and collaborate notes, similar to the features OneNotes has.
And if the Adam software has the same 'features' DocumentsToGo has, then no, that's not enough.
It does not have to replace a full working PC (would be great, but that's optional), but I must have some use for such a device, that means I must be able to do productive things with it.
Browsing the web on a slate is awkward and makes no fun.
Writing posts or mails on a touchscreens QWERTY keyboard, no thanks.
Reading eBooks is ok on such an eInk device, as long as they are 'stupid' books. I can't learn with scientific eBook. It just does not work for me. It's too slow, too awkward to skip through pages, ...
You can't even draw on those 'modern' tablets, because they only have a capacitive touchscreen, all you can do with them is doodling around, and that's not worth the money.
So personally, I have absolutely no use for the Notion Ink Adam. It looked great in the past, but now they reduced it to a normal media tablet with a special display, which isn't that outstanding until it gets finally mass released.
I'm still interested in the device and hope that maybe sometime there will be good apps available for Android with which I can do some work, and people learn that there's a huge difference between a capacitive touchscreen and an active digitizer with a pen.

Lol an innovative camera? My old Motorola A925 had a camera that could rotate like this one.

I've been keeping an eye on the Adam for about a year as a replacement for my aging OLPC XO (running Ubuntu 8.10) that I've been using as an e-reader, email and web-browsing on the road, and for reviewing photos out in the field. The Pixel Qi display on the OLPC has spoiled me and I won't even consider a replacement that doesn't include one. That sunlight-readable display is just amazing.

eyegor said:
Lol an innovative camera? My old Motorola A925 had a camera that could rotate like this one.
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Click to collapse
Which other tablet(or tablet like device running on Android) is offering a swivel camera / trackpad / Pixel Qi display / 1080 p video out / completely custom and innovative software(They have re-written Mail / Weather / Calendar etc) from scratch ?
All this from a company which is just over 2 years old with average employee age 22. I believe this is device will truly be refreshing and we will be hearing a lot from them in future as well.

Well, I just woke up this morning to the fact that Andy previewed the new Motorola tablet last night with Honeycomb onboard. It does not look half bad.
ww.engadget.com/2010/12/06/motorola-android-tablet-prototype-makes-a-cameo-at-d-dive-into
From this I can see the Adam tablet being able to handle more general features such as word processing and spreadsheets in a more integrated way(Google Docs). Although, we have no idea exactly what they are going to add Honeycomb. I feel that they will include something to allow for the tablet to become an on-the-go device. It may not be perfect initially but they will get there as they always do.

I was referring strictly to the camera. For something to be innovative ot has to be done for the first time. Such a camera isnt innovative, it is just new to the android world.
Sent from my Sapphire 32A using XDA App

UpSpin said:
Can take notes? On a capacitive touchscreen? That's useless.
You can't even draw on those 'modern' tablets, because they only have a capacitive touchscreen, all you can do with them is doodling around, and that's not worth the money.
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Click to collapse
Why do u say that, cause it isn't pressure sensitive and u can't make thinner or thicker lines or something like that?

Elusivo said:
Why do u say that, cause it isn't pressure sensitive and u can't make thinner or thicker lines or something like that?
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Click to collapse
- it's not pressure sensitive, so the ink looks not smooth and it's not that great to draw on it
- it's not precise, the resolution or accuracy of a capacitive touchscreen is pretty low, no smooth lines
- no palm detection, so as soon as you put your palm on the Display while you write it will stop working.
- fat pen. The pen tip must be huge to work on a capacitive touchscreen. So it will cover your written text
- no software. There's no software on any mobile operating system which could be used to take notes with, software like Microsoft OneNote, Bluebeam PDF Revu, Microsoft InkSeine.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

Related

Still deciding whether to buy

What's up XDA I'm in the market for a new Tablet or laptop for my wife
and I'm looking seriously at either the G-Tablet or a mid-range laptop.
The way I see it the pros and cons of the G-Tablet are as follows:
Pro:
Android.
I love android.
Hardware.
There aren't too many tablets out that have hardware on this level.
Cost:
Compared to other Tablets this one is very reasonable for the specs
Hackability
I'm not new to Android (as you can see from my sig)
so the prospect of hacking this thing is exciting.
Cool Factor
Let's face it moving from laptops to tablet is just plane cool.
Cons:
Android:
As much as I love Android and it can handle 95% of what she needs.
There is that 5% of remanding programs that really only work well on Windows.
Cost:
I can most likely get more powerful specs from a laptop at the $350-400 price range.
Even though it won't be as cool.
No physical keyboard.
So what sold you all on the G-Tablet? Are you happy with the purchase?
A tablet and a laptop are different solutions to computing problems. I have a desktop, a netbook, and the tablet. It's not overkill. The desktop is my primary gaming system and research station, since it's multi-monitored. The netbook is what I take when I expect to be producing text - hence, the need for the keyboard. The tablet is what I take when my primary goal is consuming information. I use it as an eReader (Google Books, Kindle, and RepliGo Reader for annotating PDFs).
It beats carrying around as many books as I previously did, and the on-screen keyboard works well enough for most things. I also have a flexible/foldable/rollable USB keyboard (purchased from K-Mart for $14.99) that I carry around with the tablet as well should I find myself in need of entering a lot of text. That doesn't happen that much, but it doesn't take too much space in my messenger bag.
The real questions are: what does your wife want to do with this device? Is she consuming or producing? What applications are crucial for her use? What does she do with those applications?
Without an understanding of what you and she want the device to do, I don't think we can answer it. Form follows function. Focus on the function. That's more important than any of the criteria you listed above when it comes to selecting the form your information device should take.
Very true. She would be mostly consuming.
Sent from my HTC Vision
tedlogan42 said:
I also have a flexible/foldable/rollable USB keyboard (purchased from K-Mart for $14.99) that I carry around with the tablet as well should I find myself in need of entering a lot of text.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mind telling me what keyboard you have, model number, link or whatever? I want to get one that works for my GTab running TnT Lite (latest release).
Is it the one by Sakar?
http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_018W024011470001P?vName=Computers%20&%20Electronics&cName=Desktops&sName=Accessories&sid=KDx20070926x00003a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=018W024011470001P#reviewsWrap

[Q] OneNote equivalent app for tablet?

Hey guys, I am looking into picking up the Asus Transformer...when it becomes available in the US... and had a question.
I was really wanting an application for it like Microsoft OneNote, which allows you to manage your schoolwork very easily. Pretty much a notebook with tabs for different sections and other neat things. It lets you type, and also draw, within the same note. Has anyone found a app for the tablet similar to this? As I will be using this for lots of note taking in Grad. school and was hoping I could find something that would work well for me. Thx in advance
dufran3 said:
Hey guys, I am looking into picking up the Asus Transformer...when it becomes available in the US... and had a question.
I was really wanting an application for it like Microsoft OneNote, which allows you to manage your schoolwork very easily. Pretty much a notebook with tabs for different sections and other neat things. It lets you type, and also draw, within the same note. Has anyone found a app for the tablet similar to this? As I will be using this for lots of note taking in Grad. school and was hoping I could find something that would work well for me. Thx in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MobileNoter has worked great for me on my Nexus, and I believe the developer is working on a tabley/HC version to be released soon. I'm crossing my fingers for inking/drawing support, as I'm needing a good OneNote solution for the transformer when it comes out in the US. Their iPad version looks pretty slick, hopefully we get something similar.
I did take a look at MobileNoter, but it appears to only be able to view notes that were created using OneNote. I'm looking to create the notes on the tablet, hopefully that functionality is out there.
Take a look at evernote, andoird, web app, desktop, emailable, bookmarklets
not many ways left to send data into a note system
I often photograph the flip chart pages after presentations at work.
Evernote is my favorite.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Evernote and Mobilenoter are not substitutes for Onenote
I used Onenote extensively about 6 years ago on my old school tablet, it is truly a great product. The other do not compare. Nothing is better for school work, taking notes, and organization. As soon as Onenote comes out on Android, with pen input, I will be the first to buy. Until then tablets are a nice toy.
kanegaro said:
I used Onenote extensively about 6 years ago on my old school tablet, it is truly a great product. The other do not compare. Nothing is better for school work, taking notes, and organization. As soon as Onenote comes out on Android, with pen input, I will be the first to buy. Until then tablets are a nice toy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, I'm surprised that a clone isn't being developed as I see OneNote as one of the best applications for a tablet...but that's just me I guess
Its the new world, just use Google Docs
lol, yeh, thanks for the constructive post. I'm well aware of Google Docs and how it isn't exactly what I'm looking for...thx tho
dufran3 said:
lol, yeh, thanks for the constructive post. I'm well aware of Google Docs and how it isn't exactly what I'm looking for...thx tho
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh well But there is an office suite with it when you buy it, perhaps that will satisfy your needs.
I would recommended either note everything or evernote.
Evernote. If you want it to back up to a server and note everything if you want to draw
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
it seems like most of the people replying to this have either never used onenote, or have only used it once or twice just to see what it is
if you had used it, you would know that the suggestions here are not even remotely comparable to onenote
I hope that there will be something similar soon but I haven't seen anything
there are lots of good note taking apps out there but none of them can begin to compare to onenote when it comes to organization of notes
I wouldn't ever want to try to write notes on a capacitive screen though so I'm sticking with a windows tablet with a wacom active digitizer
dufran3 said:
Hey guys, I am looking into picking up the Asus Transformer...when it becomes available in the US... and had a question.
I was really wanting an application for it like Microsoft OneNote, which allows you to manage your schoolwork very easily. Pretty much a notebook with tabs for different sections and other neat things. It lets you type, and also draw, within the same note. Has anyone found a app for the tablet similar to this? As I will be using this for lots of note taking in Grad. school and was hoping I could find something that would work well for me. Thx in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out springpad. I find it easier to use than evernote.
Pen Input
smaskell said:
it seems like most of the people replying to this have either never used onenote, or have only used it once or twice just to see what it is
if you had used it, you would know that the suggestions here are not even remotely comparable to onenote
I hope that there will be something similar soon but I haven't seen anything
there are lots of good note taking apps out there but none of them can begin to compare to onenote when it comes to organization of notes
I wouldn't ever want to try to write notes on a capacitive screen though so I'm sticking with a windows tablet with a wacom active digitizer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the other programs...Evernote and the like....but I need the ability to "write." Not trying to be a hater, and I'm certainly not a MS-phile, but Onenote is a great product, and combined with pen input, there is no competitor. Why is the capacitive screen so bad for writing? There exists pens for it. I have not had a change to test this out. Is it too cumbersome?
smaskell said:
it seems like most of the people replying to this have either never used onenote, or have only used it once or twice just to see what it is
if you had used it, you would know that the suggestions here are not even remotely comparable to onenote
I hope that there will be something similar soon but I haven't seen anything
there are lots of good note taking apps out there but none of them can begin to compare to onenote when it comes to organization of notes
I wouldn't ever want to try to write notes on a capacitive screen though so I'm sticking with a windows tablet with a wacom active digitizer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is why I also have an HP Touchsmart TM2 tablet with a wacom digitizer. I bought this for school mainly to use onenote and use e-textbooks. However, It is still heavy and doesn't have the best battery life so I am also picking up a Transformer.
However, I found myself using this less and less as it was so much faster to grab a pen and paper than to start Windows 7.
I don't think we are going to see anything that is par with Onenote but I think there are a few decent substitutes mentioned that are good for quick notes on a device that is more readily available.
kanegaro said:
I like the other programs...Evernote and the like....but I need the ability to "write." Not trying to be a hater, and I'm certainly not a MS-phile, but Onenote is a great product, and combined with pen input, there is no competitor. Why is the capacitive screen so bad for writing? There exists pens for it. I have not had a change to test this out. Is it too cumbersome?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
evernote is certainly an excellent program. I still don't think it compares to onenote but it does have a lot to offer.
As for the capacitive pen vs. active digitizer, it's really hard to explain if you haven't used one. Taking notes with a capacitive pen is certainly do-able but it's just not ideal. A capacitive pen is, of course, not as accurate. that much is given, but there are other things that make an active digitizer just that much better. One of the most important things, as far as I'm concerned, is pressure sensitivity. If you want to do any sort of art, it's basically necessary, but even just for note taking it makes a big difference. It makes your writing just look and feel so much more natural. This is impossible with a capacitive pen. Another key point for me is that, with an active digitizer, you can have buttons on the pen for things. I have right click and alt+tab buttons on the side of my pen(customizable of course) and, most importantly, an eraser button on the back. Searching through menus to find a eraser is such a pain. Just flipping over the pen and erasing the same way you would with an actual pencil is great. This, again, is impossible with a capacitive pen. Yet another great feature is that the active digitizer is the fact that it knows where the pen is, even when it's not touching the screen(within a certain distance of course). This means that you can do mouse-overs and things like that. This isn't nearly as important with android as it is window, but still it's pretty cool. Once again, impossible with a capacitive pen.
I'm sure that there are other features that make active digitizers better but I've rambled on enough already.
Ahhh. I understand. Everything you mentioned above is my experience with pen input i.e. the pressure sensitivity, eraser, multiple buttons. I am going to assume then that capacitive screens are not able to do that, too bad. These were important features that pulled me into the "writing" experience.
How about a tablet wish list.....
1) instant on ability
2) Onenote
3) active digitizer
4) wifi
5) long battery life 7-10 hours
6) thin, convenient to carry.
Just an FYI, Evernote has just received a major update. Now includes a lot of features that are not available on iOS.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20055279-251.html

Tablets worth the price?

So, feel free to flame, but I was writing something in another thread about tablets and the following came to mind:
Are tablets worth what we pay for them? Or are they just a marketing 're-deploy'? Allow me to expound:
Literally just before tablets careened onto the current computer scene(I know windows failed to promote tablets years back), there existed Netbooks. What it seems to me is that Netbooks are what the Industry thought we would want, A very portable yet still completely functional computer. As if even the small laptops weren't small enough...anyway. What I think happened is these things weren't cool enough. Maybe not powerful enough either, but that point should be moot because modern hardware can support this, as proven by current tablets.
I bought a Netbook and loved it, BUT I don't do a lot of gaming, just some simple web browsing, skyping, some skript kiddie type hacking. Plus for me the ultra small design was essential due to the nature of my work/constant traveling blah blah. This thing played movies, had the latest support of my favorite *nixes and performed pretty well except for battery life(typically a measly 3-4 hours) and of course gaming. Then came tablets; they look cooler, offer touch screen capabilities which sometimes feel as cumbersome as alt-tabbing, and have much much better battery and gaming performance, with the added benefit of blending nicely with the current "app store eco-structure".
Ahh, finally my point!!!:
A trend I see rising with tablets is the ability to add a keyboard and mouse....really? So what, then you have a laptop again? Or just the ability to go from cool-tech-but-not-too-nerdy tablet guy, to an fully functional device, and back again? I don't get it, other than the obvious shift to more clever marketing and selling us yet another device. On top of that I can use a USB 2.0 anything on my netbook, or be stuck with a proprietary connecter as with the Transform or iPad. Why would we choose this other than to look cool or because it's being shoved down our throats? What I see is a device (tablet) that is less fuctional, less productive, and more money compared to the more practical, just as portable netbook. I just miss the support of my Netbook, which I only paid $200 for....
Any thoughts...like maybe I'm a crazy hippy that needs to go live in a commune?
my points why my a500 is better use then a netbook,.
portability - no one can say its not easier to carry a slim tablet with a integrated keyboard
functionality - being able to do such things as stand in the street looking through the tab with the camera and seeing augmented reality deal, offer, new location without having to open startup, login and hold a massive block of hardware to do the same, and also a whole plethora of other uses such as barcode scanning, video making ,etc etc imaging scanning barcodes to find cheaper prices with a netbook,,,.,..one handed possible? probably not
battery life, my tablet can go 2days on a single charge with medium usage, a netbook would last a few hours,
i can do pretty much anything on my a500 i can do on my laptop.
i can access and use my laptop with screen and sound from anywhere else in the world.....from my a500 tablet (phonemypc)
also most usb devices connect to my a500 i think the only thing my lappy has that my tablet doesnt is a dvd drive, but the one in my lappy is dusty as hell as i download all my movies and move them between devices to play in diff' areas anyway. and then again my laptop has no gps. and only a front camera
if my laptop im writting this message with was a tablet it would probably be a crap one lol
no gps,no touchscreen, no back camera, front camera is weak no accelerometer no hdmi port lol etc etc
Major edit:
I see your point and don't want to convolute my thoughts too much. I just think a lot of the things you mentioned could be implemented, if the money was there.
You have pointed out that I have kind of answered my own questions...
Why tablets, because the phone market was so successfull and it allows for a lot of control on the developers end of the OS, so it's easier to implement the apps, market place as apposed to a traditional PC software sales setup.
r0zj0k3r said:
I think that depends on what you want to do. with my netbook, I literally could do everything I could on my computer because they were the same OS!!! That means, compiling software, video/audio editing, skype with group video , a similar app store could be integrated into a netbook style os (see ubuntu store). The industry just doesn't want to push it, and because it was easier to shift from phones to what amount to "really big phones"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you think that the new windows OS will allow you to switch between a Tablet and your Netbook without loose of functionality?
warus1 said:
Do you think that the new windows OS will allow you to switch between a Tablet and your Netbook without loose of functionality?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it would be a great way for windows to break away from the pack, but I don't think they want to do that now. They seem to be in the same mode as everyone else, lets follow the market instead of trying really new things.

Galaxy note 10.1 or Asus Vivotab Smart

They are different operating systems i know and cant be compared. but I'm hesitant for any of these tablets. I love android and this would be my third tablet (actually only keep one, earlier donated it to my family). But my problem is android tablet-specific applications, many of which are stretched versions of the phone or simply lack of design. Applications for Windows 8 RT are few but all are focused on tablet but there are 50% decent that look great and really tablet friendly. Android for me was the customization and power to get ROMS but lately I see that IOS or Windows already have apps that do the same, maybe not at the same level but they do. And customization is getting really stall because every os is adding stuff that ROMs have. I know that many reviewers wont recommend Windows RT but the vivotab comes with windows 8 +RT and cost the same as the galaxy note 10.1 also it has 5 touch point and the s-pen ( i think every windows tablet comes with the s-pen) . I just want to know if anyone with the note 10.1 like the windows 8 tablet or find it more productive . Im not starting a fight about OS but i want to know how people feel about both tablets for work related aplication.Sorry about my english feel free to correct me. thank you
I start by saying that this is just me and my opinion only obviously. Windows is for "windows people" which is to say they want to turn it on,have it work and fancy it up with the options Windows gives them. It can only be customized so far. Now that's not to say it's less productive by any means. I've checked out their foray into tablets and it only reminds me of everything else they do, which I don't like. I stopped using Windows as a main OS long ago. If I do use it, it's a VB and even that is extremely limited.
As far as a comparison goes, most tablets are useful for your basic needs and even limited professional needs. I just happen to prefer open source stuff.
I hate Samsung phones, hate them. I actually debated for a long time before I bought this tablet because of my "Samsung bias" and almost went with a Windows unit. In the end I felt this tablet suited my needs more and was more "me" if that Mae's any sense.
The best advice I can give is test them both out and then test them again, and then again. I did and I don't regret my purchase for one second. Maybe this helps you,maybe not but either way best of luck with your decision.
insanecrane said:
The best advice I can give is test them both out and then test them again, and then again. I did and I don't regret my purchase for one second. Maybe this helps you,maybe not but either way best of luck with your decision.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love android tablet too and agree that maybe tablets will not replace a desktop PC for productivity, but i find myself in time to upgrade
i bought the motorola xoom on day one and it was 7 months of hell using honeycomb (im sure windows RT users will know that by now but im more interested in a windows 8 tablet which is the vivotab smart and apps that work for windows 8 will work here.
im not trying in anyway to change peoples mind about galaxy note 10.1 but i would like to hear someone who have touched a windows 8 tab and tell me if its a good buy or will it not replace android any day. I have not seen any windows 8 review that is honest and not try to compare android/IOS/windows
First and foremost, you are right. Windows RT and Android are different.
Also, both form factors are different as well.
I usually recommend the Note 10.1 over its performance and S-Pen, but only for people who would actually use it. If you take lots of notes, or need to make a quick sketch, or if you are a student, even if you work woth a lot of papers and you need an all-in-one productivity tool, note taking board and Internet device, with all the extras that a powerful configuration has to offer, the Note 10.1 is the one to go for.
If what you need is a fast, Internet surfing machine, basic stuff like searching e-mail, social feeds, playing a game or two and use all that in a simple, modern, clean interface, go for the Vivotab. You also get Office suite, which is good for some in some cases.
I have used a Note 10.1 and a Samsung ATIV SmartPC Pro, and I must say, even though both tablets have S-Pen, (and God that Ativ hybrid is gorgeous), I still prefer the Note. It's up to you and your personal choice. I bought the Note anyways because it was that "finally-device" for my first true Android tablet. Even if some reviews were messed up (drunk reviewers? Jokes).
At the end of the day, I always knew I wanted this tablet as soon as it was announced. It's great for me as a student and as a worker as well. It's a great, efficient and powerful companion that never lets me down. But if you prefer keyboard+simple usage+office, go for the vivotab.
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I love windows. I'm a windows guy. I can take apart, put together, overclock, underclock, bypass, or anything on earth I want to do with any windows based machine. That said windows RT is not my favorite. Surface with windows pro will be out soon so if your going windows on a tablet id wait for that one. Full pc capabilities. Your not gonna be flash restricted in a year and then there's silverlight as well.
BUT, on a tablet you may also want to consider windows tablets have much less battery life, are ram restrictive, in the growing stage so apps are limited, weigh a lot more, are not as community supported as android, the new one's scheduled for release this year with full windows are running i5 which is awesome but comes at a price. Noise. Lots of noise. Those cpu get hot so must be fan cooled, noise noise noise. Android? Blessed silence. Heat. Anyone whos ever held a laptop knows about the hot spots. If you have a fan there will be a hot spot and the back is likely to get warm as well.
Overall, though im admittedly a windows lover, I choose android on a tablet. And I wont speak about apple as I hate their business model with a purple passion.
Well, i am an Android guy, but thats about phones. On a tablet, I think Asus Vivotab Smart is a good choice. Mine will be shipped tomorrow. It is a Cloverfield tablet, so it runs full blown W8. Apps are no problem here. Battery life is ok due to the low power 2760 cpu, which outperforms tegra 3 and Kraits. And it is affordable. I got mine for less than 500 Euro. So it might worth take a look.
jerses said:
They are different operating systems i know and cant be compared. but I'm hesitant for any of these tablets. I love android and this would be my third tablet (actually only keep one, earlier donated it to my family). But my problem is android tablet-specific applications, many of which are stretched versions of the phone or simply lack of design. Applications for Windows 8 RT are few but all are focused on tablet but there are 50% decent that look great and really tablet friendly. Android for me was the customization and power to get ROMS but lately I see that IOS or Windows already have apps that do the same, maybe not at the same level but they do. And customization is getting really stall because every os is adding stuff that ROMs have. I know that many reviewers wont recommend Windows RT but the vivotab comes with windows 8 +RT and cost the same as the galaxy note 10.1 also it has 5 touch point and the s-pen ( i think every windows tablet comes with the s-pen) . I just want to know if anyone with the note 10.1 like the windows 8 tablet or find it more productive . Im not starting a fight about OS but i want to know how people feel about both tablets for work related aplication.Sorry about my english feel free to correct me. thank you
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Hi Jerses,
I've had the Asus VivoTab Smart for about a week now, and so far it's been great. I've loaded Office 2010 Pro onto the device and haven't noticed any lag in load times etc. Having a full version of Word, Excel and OneNote are a must for me, and this tablet fits the bill nicely (it's also the cheapest over here in NZ). I did think I'd need Outlook as well, but I'm finding the built in Mail app works fine - it's nice and fast for reading email on the go, displays HTML email fine, and needs nearly all my needs. I do refer to Outlook for some of the heavy lifting (scheduling meetings etc).
I mainly use for work, so haven't used video or music much.
this table doesn't have a stylus (as noted before) - but you can use one of those 'generic' stylus (like the ones for the iPad) which work fine. I personally think Windows tablet developers are missing a trick here, the Windows handwriting recoginition is out of this world - it reads my scrawl better than I do.
Overall, for an easy to use, not much customisation needed, tablet - I'd highly reccomend this one.
KD.
I leaned a lot for the Galaxy Note stylus 10.01 but there are not many applications for android that support this pen ... I imagine that in the future things may change but by then it will be time to update my tablet back.
I did some research on the stylus you say and there are very good choices, from typical sausage tip, a fine-point stylus (Adonith jot) to one that emulates an S-PEN, same functions to nullify the palm (jot Touch) and pressure sensitive. The latter is ipad but no doubt that technology pass android or windows 8.
I feel bad for leaving behind android, I actually really like the OS but I feel still very green to the world of tablets and that some apps feel more like they where made for a 7" tablet. Also im kind of scared of this seen how bad apps (Phone/Tablet) look on the nexus 10... i think that proves that having one app fits all is not going to work in near future.
So I think I opt for the smart vivotab think android will live in me .... maybe as BlueStacks or dualboot lol
I really prefer android over apple for both phones and tablets (own apple and android in both). I can't speak intelligently about windows 8. I can say this as a first time android Note 10.1 tablet owner - I bought 2 of these for my 6th & 4th grade kids since they wanted apps (games mostly) and I wanted them to be able to do their homework for school (light use of "word and excel"). Overall the notes are a great single quiver solution and we are all extremely happy with them. But, I have to say if my kids were in High school or college I think the challenges we have in some instances with printing and converting polaris office files to word and excel I would absolutely take a hard look at a Windows pro tablet or even laptop. Maybe it isn't fair since we've only had our Notes for 4 weeks but printing anything not portrait is a chore and coming from a strong Word and Excel background leaves me wishing Polaris Office had a lot more capability.
i'd actually love to get a win 8 tab (not rt). no rooting, no waiting on updates from mfg's and running any windows program. what i do hate is the 16:9 screen ratio. it's just too elongated for me.
I was really keen on getting a Surface, but in the end I decided on the Note. It actually came down to one main point, I can't type on the Surface in portrait mode. I loved the integrated keyboard and cover of the Surface and lamented that something similar wasn't available for the Note. I bought a BT keyboard with a stand so I can have the Note in either landscape or portrait depending on my needs, as soon as I can find one that integrates with the Note as a cover I will buy that.
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Just for some clarification, the VivoTab Smart seems to run full Windows 8, not RT (it has an Intel Atom (x86) processor). Won't be nearly as locked down as RT, and might be decent if you rely on some Windows apps.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=38329609&postcount=11
Don't forget you can run android on x86 machine. You can dual boot android and windows 8 on the asus vivatab smart.
Nothing beat having a standard keyboard on the screen with all the copy/paste ctrl alt characters and shortcut up/down/left/right buttons etc you have on a standard windows. windows 8 has everything you need for a tablet and more more more more. the asus at 499$ worth any peny believe me. maj-left or right to select ... the end of the tablet copy/paste nightmare on phones and tablets.
I'm in the market for a new tablet as well. I have a Motorola Xoom and while it served it's purpose, it didn't quite cut it as a tablet for me. Why? Well first of all, the performance just isn't very good. I've installed several roms on it and it just gets very laggy and unresponsive after a while. The second thing is the weight. I can't comfortably use it as an e-book reader in bed, which is a big want for me.
I went to Best Buy and played around with a few tablets and was really impressed by the Asus Vivo Tab. It was light, very responsive, and after watching a few HD videos on it and playing with it a while, it never got warm. My bit drawbacks for it are first and foremost, it's running Windows 8, which is good and bad. The good is that it'll run native x86 apps, the bad is that it's Windows 8. Will I need to instal Antivirus on it? Can I anticipate BSOD? Not that you can't get lock ups on Android, I've had plenty on my Xoom. Finally, I've read it's useless for all but the most basic gaming (think Angry Birds). I don't game on my tablet at all but my son does.. but then again, he has my old iphone to game on so gaming's not a big deal.
I'm wondering how Bluestacks runs on it though. Anyone tried running Bluestacks on one of these?
Help me decide which tablet
Hi guys
Please help me to decide which tablet to buy. I have been looking at both the Asus VivoTab and the Samsung Galaxy Note. I am not at all tech savvy so must of what you talk about goes right over my head. I want a tablet to take overseas with me. I want to watch movies, surf the net, catch up on my emails, read a book and play the occasional game.
Just give me a really quick idea of which one will suit my needs.
Thanks
They both suit your needs, you only have to ask yourself if you prefer to work with pen or keyboard.
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Kumabjorn said:
They both suit your needs, you only have to ask yourself if you prefer to work with pen or keyboard.
Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk HD
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Click to collapse
Is that really the only diference? I have been going mad looking at all the specs etc.. Is one easier to use than the other? All help gratefully accepted.
Thanks
Other differences won't really make a dent in your intended usage. Ease of use will be more important than any technical discrepancies.
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Kumabjorn said:
Other differences won't really make a dent in your intended usage. Ease of use will be more important than any technical discrepancies.
Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk HD
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My husband and I went out this morning to have a good look at both units and at this stage I am pretty sure that we are going to go with the Samsung.
Thanks for all the input.

Wacom Cintiq Companion Hybrid

I am a graphic artist who has been using a Wacom tablet for the last 20 years. I can't STAND using my computer any other way (at least for real work). The touchpad is okay for general surfing and it's great in conjunction with the tablet but for my real work, there's no other way of doing it. For my full blown work I use a Mac but for all my portable devices, I like Android. All my smartphones have been Android but I've not gotten a tablet yet because I really haven't seen one that works for what I would really want a tablet for, which is being able to do my job on the go effectively. Sure the Galaxy Note tablets are a good step in that direction but from all the stuff I've seen it's not really a "pro" level device.
In an ideal world (speaking as a designer) Apple would create a Macbook tablet with a wacom digitizer but I really doubt that will EVER happen. A tablet running a full blown OS X, not an iPad. They even have a patent for a tablet that docks into an "iMac" style housing and becomes a full system and then slides out to be a fully functional, stand alone tablet system but they've never done anything with it. THAT would be MY holy grail. BUT, until they do, I guess the best option is the Cintiq Companion Hybrid. I LOATHE WINDOWS so going to the regular companion isn't an option, that leaves the Hybrid.
When I saw the announcement of the Wacom Cintiq Companion Hybrid, I really like the concept but I'm wondering how good it really is. The cost SEEMS outrageous but when you look at it as a fully functional Cintiq to use WITH my Mac and then it pulls off to be a self contained portable studio, then it is a LITTLE more reasonable. I've seen reviews of it as a Cintiq and everything I've seen says it's a great tablet for use with a Mac and the other parts of the reviews say the portable software that comes with it is good and the other high-end portable software seems to be a good analog to what it would be transferred to on the Mac. That leaves the last question, how good is it as a stand-alone tablet?
That's what I'm wondering now, if I intend on investing the kind of money they are asking, I want to know if the rest of the Android Tablet part of it is really good as well. It comes with 4.2.2 but none of the reviewers have detailed anything about the day to day use of it. Most are completely unfamiliar with the Android OS anyway. They are mostly Apple-heads and only use iPhones and iPads when not using their Macs. I'm wondering when we will see ANDROID reviewers review it. I know it's a very odd category but I don't want to get a GREAT expensive Wacom tablet that is abismal as an Android tablet as well. Has anyone around here gotten thier hands on one? If so, what do you think?
powerplaygraphix said:
I am a graphic artist who has been using a Wacom tablet for the last 20 years. I can't STAND using my computer any other way (at least for real work). The touchpad is okay for general surfing and it's great in conjunction with the tablet but for my real work, there's no other way of doing it. For my full blown work I use a Mac but for all my portable devices, I like Android. All my smartphones have been Android but I've not gotten a tablet yet because I really haven't seen one that works for what I would really want a tablet for, which is being able to do my job on the go effectively. Sure the Galaxy Note tablets are a good step in that direction but from all the stuff I've seen it's not really a "pro" level device.
In an ideal world (speaking as a designer) Apple would create a Macbook tablet with a wacom digitizer but I really doubt that will EVER happen. A tablet running a full blown OS X, not an iPad. They even have a patent for a tablet that docks into an "iMac" style housing and becomes a full system and then slides out to be a fully functional, stand alone tablet system but they've never done anything with it. THAT would be MY holy grail. BUT, until they do, I guess the best option is the Cintiq Companion Hybrid. I LOATHE WINDOWS so going to the regular companion isn't an option, that leaves the Hybrid.
When I saw the announcement of the Wacom Cintiq Companion Hybrid, I really like the concept but I'm wondering how good it really is. The cost SEEMS outrageous but when you look at it as a fully functional Cintiq to use WITH my Mac and then it pulls off to be a self contained portable studio, then it is a LITTLE more reasonable. I've seen reviews of it as a Cintiq and everything I've seen says it's a great tablet for use with a Mac and the other parts of the reviews say the portable software that comes with it is good and the other high-end portable software seems to be a good analog to what it would be transferred to on the Mac. That leaves the last question, how good is it as a stand-alone tablet?
That's what I'm wondering now, if I intend on investing the kind of money they are asking, I want to know if the rest of the Android Tablet part of it is really good as well. It comes with 4.2.2 but none of the reviewers have detailed anything about the day to day use of it. Most are completely unfamiliar with the Android OS anyway. They are mostly Apple-heads and only use iPhones and iPads when not using their Macs. I'm wondering when we will see ANDROID reviewers review it. I know it's a very odd category but I don't want to get a GREAT expensive Wacom tablet that is abismal as an Android tablet as well. Has anyone around here gotten thier hands on one? If so, what do you think?
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Click to collapse
Hey, I know this is a 3 month old thread, but maybe someone will find it useful.
I've been using the Cintiq Companion Hybrid for almost 2 months now, and almost exclusively.
First of all, the quality of the tablet is extremely high. It's exactly what one would expect from a Wacom product. There are unboxing and hands-on videos on YouTube showcasing how much thought has gone into this model.
This is the first time I've used a Wacom tablet, and when compared to UC-Logic or N-trig, this is much superior. Obviously, I fell in love with this tablet as soon as I opened the box and kept on getting more and more impressed as I was using it.
As for the Android part, it's pretty basic, except with the addition of some Wacom drawing programs. However, Sketchbook Pro is still the best choice when it comes to drawing on Android, and the matte surface of the tablet makes this the ideal combination. Wacom's Infinite Canvas is a great choice for vector drawing, and currently the only choice for me.
Now, the OS has shown a few bugs. Sometimes it will lag and revert back to its original background. Yesterday I connected it to a PC (Windows), and at some point it malfunctioned, started lagging, and then, after rebooting, I had lost some files from the internal storage as well as my external SD. Managed to get most of the files back from the external SD, but not from the internal storage, since I can't root, and therefore can't use any Android-based recovery programs. I don't know if this is specific to me or if it's a bug on all models.
Also, when connecting SD cards or USB drives (using the standard USB port -- no micro-USB or OTG, thankfully), navigating to them is somewhat unorthodox in that I have to go to the mount folder and guess where it's loaded.
The processors are pretty fast, and there's no lagging when playing graphic intensive games. Browsing the internet is much more enjoyable than Android 3.1 and before (I still haven't gotten used of the single mouse click, but Mac users won't have a problem). 1080p movies play fine, and when using HDMI-out, everything is smooth. I don't recommend watching a film in bed, as the Hybrid is too heavy to have on your chest when you're about to sleep (also stands for Kindle or comic book reading). Response is great when using the pen, as well when using the tablet.
I haven't been using the hardware keys much, but I find more use for them when in Cintiq mode.
As a Cintiq, things are butter smooth, except for some occasions when I have to disconnect and reconnect the tablet when I first connect it to the PC to get the pen functioning properly (this only happens once, if at all, and only when I first connect the tablet to the PC as a Cintiq). Files can be transferred to the PC instantly, and work is much easier.
I've also used a MIDI controller to play music on the Companion, and the only bug I've found is it locks when disconnecting, but that may very well be a bug of the software I'm using.
Skype, torrents and emulators are all fine. But I doubt any tablets show problems with those.
Typing on the Hybrid with its bigger touch-keys is great (Hacker's Keyboard is a great alternative), and closer to keyboard typing than other tablets.
The tablet's battery life is slightly less than 12 hours of constant use on high performance. I don't have WiFi enabled all the time, since up until recently I had another tablet for that. I'm kind of stingy when it comes to its battery since I love the fact that I can work on it anywhere and on-the-go. Since it's so portable, I like being able to use it wherever and whenever I'm awake, so I try to avoid spending the battery on things I can do without.
Now for the stinkers:
I absolutely hate the lens of its 8mp camera. It's horrible. Lighting is bad, definition is bad, colours are bad. You can use it to get reference material for drawing sketching, but that's about it. You won't be using it for anything else but reference drawing sketching material.
The microphone is not great either. Fuzzy and unclear. Purely only for voice notes. Skype calls are ok-ish. But that's about it.
Lastly, the speaker is terrible. Its volume is too low, badly placed and not clear enough. It's a terrible speaker.
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Overall, I am in love with this tablet. My PC recently broke down, so I've been borrowing a laptop when I have to use the Cintiq side (not often yet, mainly due to the lack of a "full-time" PC), but for everything else, I've been using the Companion's Android side.
I am quite sure I covered everything. I will update accordingly.
Thanks for the rundown on it. Sounds pretty much like what I keep hearing. The Wacom Cintiq aspect of it is incredible (I've been using Wacom for over 20 years so that's no surprise) but "your mileage may vary" on the Android part depending on what you specifically hope to accomplish. Biggest chance in it is whether or not Wacom will maintain the Android side of it or let it die on the vine and essentially revert to being just a battery powered 13HD within a couple of years. I haven't heard Wacom commit either way.
As for build quality, I'm not surprised. Wacom KNOWS how to build equipment well. I really didn't expect the camera to be much. I don't ever really consider the quality of the camera being that big a deal on tablets. Although, for $1300-$1600, you'd think they'd put a decent lens in there. They keep marketing it as a Cintiq that happens to run Android rather than an Android tablet.
As for the "single click" thing, you can always program the button (top half or bottom half) to have a "right click" functionality to give you that capability. That's the way I have it on the different Wacom tablets I have.
powerplaygraphix said:
As for the "single click" thing, you can always program the button (top half or bottom half) to have a "right click" functionality to give you that capability. That's the way I have it on the different Wacom tablets I have.
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Sorry for not making it clear. I was referring to an actual USB mouse connected to the tablet. I sometimes connect a mouse when I prop it up like a notebook. Old habits die hard.
Cintiq dead before its started Will die soon
Ok so I too have got the cintiq companion hybrid which runs on a pitiful 4.2.1 now I know I know at £1500 what did I expect errrmmm K I T K A T would have been nice Wacom, well with the announcement that Android will no longer support 4.2 soon the tablet will become a slate which is why Wacom was so desperate to throw them out there before this was announced.
They even started sending them out for free for 40 days trial if you dont like send back again before the notice of Android version being obsolete.
I have been on XDA Developers since well my first XDA and like many i would imagine get your new unit and immediately come on here for the updated rom etc. Wacom we are on our own any Guru on here wouldnt dare buy this piece of crap save 800 and get the 13hd want a great tablet get the Note 4 10.1
Sorry RANT over but I hope those with the Wacom share my concern a lot of money for a unit that to be fair had we know it would be stuck on 10.1 would have ordered a 15" wacom pen enabled tablet from China instead which are also stuck on 4.2 but for a fraction of the price and bigger.
Notontherugman said:
Sorry for not making it clear. I was referring to an actual USB mouse connected to the tablet. I sometimes connect a mouse when I prop it up like a notebook. Old habits die hard.
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XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro Drawing tablet With Screen
Wacom Cintiq Companion is a self-contained Windows computer with the full Wacom graphics tablet features already built in, which can also be used as a 'dumb' graphics tablet when connected to a Mac or PC.
Essentially, you can use this to draw, sketch and paint at your desk hooked up to your main computer, and draw, sketch and paint directly on it while sitting on the sofa or outside.
this Cintiq Companion 2 can be used at a desk as a graphics tablet for your regular computer, but because it also runs Windows, you can use full, familiar versions of Painter, Photoshop and so on when away from your workstation.
The nearest thing it has to a rival is the Microsoft Surface tablet, but this has neither Wacom's heritage nor chops when it comes to rich drawing tools. The iPad Pro is an excellent tablet but cannot be called a competitor here due to its mobile operating system.
It's a solid investment for digital illustrators who want flexibility. However, if you don't need to use it away from your desk, you could save money and purchase the XP-pen Artist 15.6 Pro , or benefit from a bigger drawing area with the slightly more expensive Artist 22E Pro .
I currently use a XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro Drawing tablet With Screen ( xp-pen.com/goods/show/id/394.html ) . It is a cintiq downgrade, but only because it does not have the muti-touch like the cintiq does. it support pen tilt function , 8192 pen pressure levels , battery-free and wireless stylus . 88% NTSC Color gamut , 1920x1080 resolution , 15.6 inch IPS Screen , it has no parallax , no lag .
Overall its an amazing tablet and I do suggest it! It works amazing for me, and personally, I improved a lot while using it.
The only problems, however, is that it always has to be plugged into a PC , Though it is lightweight and works great, the graphics are nice, and its only $439 .

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