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Hi Folks.. I have a G-Tab ..but was wondering what the hardware spec differences were between the Transformer (which is about the same price as the G-Tab) and the Xoom which is a bit pricier.. ? Is there a reason to dump the G-Tab for the Transformer or is it the same generation with a better screen?
Thanks
R
Honeycomb 3.0+
Better screen (resolution & viewing angles)
More memory
Official Google support
Rear camera
GPS
Maybe more that I can't think of......
kxs783kms said:
Honeycomb 3.0+
Better screen (resolution & viewing angles)
More memory
Official Google support
Rear camera
Maybe more that I can't think of......
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Click to collapse
Adds a GPS and a compass as well.
Sent from my Viewsonic 10" GTab...CM7 style...
Well .. It IS an improvement, but might not be one major enuff for you to replace, i personally feel the cream is the screen difference. The other factors may or may not affect you too much. (Not to mention USB)
I went with the Acer A500, since has USB host and micro usb on the tablet, so no need to buy or rely on a KB attachment. Asus Trans is nice, none the less.
rushless said:
I went with the Acer A500, since has USB host and micro usb on the tablet, so no need to buy or rely on a KB attachment. Asus Trans is nice, none the less.
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+1......Acer Iconia FTW!! I honestly like it better than the Transformer.
rushless said:
I went with the Acer A500, since has USB host and micro usb on the tablet, so no need to buy or rely on a KB attachment. Asus Trans is nice, none the less.
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Just curious, may i know whats the battery life like? Engadget review stats 7 hours but i find that fishy
You'd be wasting your money with the Xoom -- overpriced with a so-so screen, so toss that out of the equation. Iconia and Transformer are your best bets, though I think the Transformer is the better value, especially with the IPS screen. And should you decide you want the dock, it's an option (I don't, but to some that's the killer feature).
The screen on the Transformer was what grabbed me. I had it on my lap tonight, laying flat, and it looked just as good as if I had it tilted up. Brought a tear to my eye.
dfin13 said:
You'd be wasting your money with the Xoom -- overpriced with a so-so screen, so toss that out of the equation. Iconia and Transformer are your best bets, though I think the Transformer is the better value, especially with the IPS screen. And should you decide you want the dock, it's an option (I don't, but to some that's the killer feature).
The screen on the Transformer was what grabbed me. I had it on my lap tonight, laying flat, and it looked just as good as if I had it tilted up. Brought a tear to my eye.
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JERK!!!!!!!!!! Way to rub it in lol
So the Iconia is what to get as a holdover until the Transformers have been reviewed more and stock issues sorted out? Thanks for the feedback.
edit - I'll post back later today with my initial Iconia impressions and some unboxing photos and/or video.
dfin13 said:
I had it on my lap tonight, laying flat, and it looked just as good as if I had it tilted up. Brought a tear to my eye.
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Guess you've never seen an iPad
Seriously, we get that you've got issues with the netbook screen used on the gTab, and that just about any screen is going to be better than it.
schettj said:
Guess you've never seen an iPad
Seriously, we get that you've got issues with the netbook screen used on the gTab, and that just about any screen is going to be better than it.
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I don't have issues anymore I solved that problem.
I think the #1 thing gTab owners who are thinking of upgrading want to know is if the screen quality is really worth the extra money. Any time the question is raised, as a former gTab owner, I'm happy to pop on here and let them know that YES, it is worth the upgrade. It is liberating to not have to worry about viewing angles, having almost no difference in how the screen looks no matter which way you turn it. I'm not rubbing it in anyone's face, just saying that if you're on the fence about it, you shouldn't be. The screen is a very important part of the tablet experience, and having a quality screen really made me realize that.
dfin13 said:
I don't have issues anymore I solved that problem.
I think the #1 thing gTab owners who are thinking of upgrading want to know is if the screen quality is really worth the extra money. Any time the question is raised, as a former gTab owner, I'm happy to pop on here and let them know that YES, it is worth the upgrade. It is liberating to not have to worry about viewing angles, having almost no difference in how the screen looks no matter which way you turn it. I'm not rubbing it in anyone's face, just saying that if you're on the fence about it, you shouldn't be. The screen is a very important part of the tablet experience, and having a quality screen really made me realize that.
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I dunno man, I use the thing for hours on end surfing the couch, and it's quite fine. If you've got one, and you're talking about "upgrading" to a new $400-$450 tab, the net cost after sale is going to be $200+ For that, if I could stand the screen (and I can - I have an iPad2 as well and the screen is nice. Whoo.) I might be better off using the gtab for several more months, until the NEXT generation tablets come out in the summer, or fall.
If you've not bought a tab, and you were going to buy one today, sure. Spend the extra $120 (if you could even find a gtab on sale now that the firesales are over, I think Woot is even finally out of stock) and get any of the 1.5 generation tabs with non-netbook screens. They'll all be better looking screens than the gtab.
If you own one and can't stand the screen, sure, go for it.
Otherwise, it's just a screen with more viewing angles. In 6 months something better will be along, if you hold out for that. Or, you'll be able to buy one of these "better screen" tabs at closeout prices.
Have my original gtab, though it's being sold tomorrow. Just got an Iconia A500 today. Dunno if it's 3.0 the Acer interface or what. This is what a tablet was meant to be like. While I'd like it to be a bit more open and not block me from installing Kindle(wtf?) etc, it's damn nice. Smooth scrolling, responsive etc. Waiting for the Transformer to be in stock for the IPS screen, and barring any horror stories from the early adopters, I'll trade the Iconia in for a Trans.
Ininitla Iconia and Android 3.0 impressions from me? Wow, a HUGE step up from the Gtablet and it's stock OS. Let price be your guide, but if you are on the fence and have the cash, the new stuff is where it's at.
So I'm in a bit of a pickle, I can't decide if I should keep my Acer or my Asus. I have both right now but will be returning one of them, so I'm looking for any differentiators I can use to decide, here's what I've got:
Acer:
- USB support right out of the box (not planning on currently picking up the ASUS keyboard)
- Feels sturdier
- Power connector isn't proprietary
- Rotation lock is a physical button, I find I use that a lot.
- Not quite as wide as the Asus.
- Plays youtube HD smoothly in the Youtube app. This seems very strange, given they are identical hardware wise, but the Asus stutters when watching HD in the YouTube app. The Acer doesn't, for whatever reason. I can get around it by watching in the browser... but I like the app.
Asus:
- Feels snappier (might be my imagination, also I got this one 'later' so maybe the Acer is just a little extra bogged down by apps... though I have gotten them both to an identical state and the Asus seems to still have a very slight edge).
- Slightly better screen. It is noticeable when watching the same video content side by side.
- Gorilla Glass? (I can't confirm whether the Acer has this or not, have seen many posts both ways, and seen Acer confirm it both ways)
- Slightly lighter and very slightly thinner.
- Better sound (just seems better flat out, headphones are identical)
- Keyboard dock add on (though I am not planning to pick that up yet).
- $50 cheaper, though I had to pay $20 shipping so the net is $30 back to me. Not a big deal.
Any additional information, or things I should consider? I really don't know which to choose!
I'd choose the ASUS Transformer
The ASUS comes preloaded with a lot of nice apps and widgets. I LOVE the feature that I can use splashtop without any prior experience and connect to my shared media on my PC, also without changing any settings.
The wider bezel is great in my opinion. I had the XOOM and when I was holding it in one hand I would always touch the screen by accident; and I do not have big hands!
Even though you don't plan on picking up the dock you should It is an amazing piece of hardware.
I cannot comment on the comparison since I never touched the Acer but I can tell you that I am very pleased with the ASUS and it gets nice support from the devs here and ASUS directly.
Thanks funnycreature, I should elaborate a bit more on my original post.
To add to the list above, the Asus has some light bleeding on the screen, in 3 spaces. This doesn't really bother me, but it is definitely there, and not on the Acer. I have not really used the prepackaged apps on either device much, so I can't comment on that. I had a Xoom as well before I had these 2, and I think it was actually my favorite, but I didn't keep it because I thought the cost was far too high for the very small bit I favored it. I like the size of it, I didn't have the width issues you did, and I think the Asus is a bit too wide. The Acer is the middleground there. Having gotten the Thumb Keyboard now though... it is not nearly as big of an issue.
If all things were equal, I would keep the Asus. I bought it because that was my intention, but once getting it I found it was a much tougher call than I initially suspected. If that Youtube app problem wasn't there.... the Acer would be back at the store. But that scares me a little bit, and I don't know if it will *ever* truly get fixed (and I watch a lot of Youtube videos on my tablet while the wife is asleep!). It is a very, very close comparison.
The other bonus for the Asus that I didn't mention, though, is that it has about 3x the community here on XDA, which I'll go ahead and assume means 3x the development effort. That is nice to know.
sirix1 said:
Thanks funnycreature, I should elaborate a bit more on my original post.
To add to the list above, the Asus has some light bleeding on the screen, in 3 spaces. This doesn't really bother me, but it is definitely there, and not on the Acer. I have not really used the prepackaged apps on either device much, so I can't comment on that. I had a Xoom as well before I had these 2, and I think it was actually my favorite, but I didn't keep it because I thought the cost was far too high for the very small bit I favored it. I like the size of it, I didn't have the width issues you did, and I think the Asus is a bit too wide. The Acer is the middleground there. Having gotten the Thumb Keyboard now though... it is not nearly as big of an issue.
If all things were equal, I would keep the Asus. I bought it because that was my intention, but once getting it I found it was a much tougher call than I initially suspected. If that Youtube app problem wasn't there.... the Acer would be back at the store. But that scares me a little bit, and I don't know if it will *ever* truly get fixed (and I watch a lot of Youtube videos on my tablet while the wife is asleep!). It is a very, very close comparison.
The other bonus for the Asus that I didn't mention, though, is that it has about 3x the community here on XDA, which I'll go ahead and assume means 3x the development effort. That is nice to know.
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The bleed seems to be an illness of the mobile IPS displays and since the Acer most likely doesn't have an IPS it won't show the bleed. I hardly notice it and it doesn't really bother me. I also hardly ever watch YouTube videos
You should try experiencing more what each device can do beside watching videos. Maybe that will make the decision easier!
I find it strange that you order 3 tables and only keep one! What do you do with the tables you don't keep?
Honestly, I find the whole "this vs. that" discussion boring. I say: evaluate them, give them some side-by-side use if you can, and then make your decision. This is all very subjective, particularly since the major specs--processor, RAM, storage--are essentially the same.
The TF has pros and cons, the Acer has pros and cons, the Xoom has pros and cons, etc., etc. What's better for one person may not be better for another. So, just do your research and make your choice--looking for "unbiased" input on a forum dedicated to one device is unlikely to bear fruit.
wynand32 said:
Honestly, I find the whole "this vs. that" discussion boring. I say: evaluate them, give them some side-by-side use if you can, and then make your decision. This is all very subjective, particularly since the major specs--processor, RAM, storage--are essentially the same.
The TF has pros and cons, the Acer has pros and cons, the Xoom has pros and cons, etc., etc. What's better for one person may not be better for another. So, just do your research and make your choice--looking for "unbiased" input on a forum dedicated to one device is unlikely to bear fruit.
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That's why I say "Tablets are like shoes, they need to fit you and the purpose"
sirix1 said:
I had a Xoom as well before I had these 2, and I think it was actually my favorite, but I didn't keep it because I thought the cost was far too high for the very small bit I favored it.
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That's quite interesting for me, how did you find the Xoom's screen, was it acceptable? I returned my TF and am now thinking of getting either a Xoom or wait and see ho much the GT 10.1 will be here in the UK. I'm getting cheesed off waiting for the GT specs and price though. :-(
UKseagull said:
That's quite interesting for me, how did you find the Xoom's screen, was it acceptable? I returned my TF and am now thinking of getting either a Xoom or wait and see ho much the GT 10.1 will be here in the UK. I'm getting cheesed off waiting for the GT specs and price though. :-(
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Well, it was definitely on par with the Acer. I didn't have the Asus/Xoom at the same time so I couldn't compare them side by side. I didn't even know there was a difference until I got the Acer/Asus side by side, but the Asus is the winner. It is not huge though, not at all, in fact someone else brought it up before I even noticed it. When you run media, like a video, side by side you can see the colors are slightly richer on the Asus. I am sure that is a 16m colors vs. 256k colors issue. The Xoom was at least Acer quality, could have been Asus, not sure, I would find out what panel it has and that should tell you. It was a good device, basically identical I just liked the form factor a little more (less wasted space). I would have paid a ~$30 premium for it, but definitely not $200. Why did you return your TF?
Honestly, I find the whole "this vs. that" discussion boring. I say: evaluate them, give them some side-by-side use if you can, and then make your decision. This is all very subjective, particularly since the major specs--processor, RAM, storage--are essentially the same.
The TF has pros and cons, the Acer has pros and cons, the Xoom has pros and cons, etc., etc. What's better for one person may not be better for another. So, just do your research and make your choice--looking for "unbiased" input on a forum dedicated to one device is unlikely to bear fruit
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Sort of, but we aren't talking about your favorite flavor of pizza here. There are completely objective differences here, and things that are in fact just "better." I asked this forum because it is more lively than the Acer forum, and I think I lean *ever so slightly* towards the Asus anyway (maybe just because I have an asus laptop). People here are truly in the know, I figured if there was a difference I didn't know about, maybe I could learn. And if someone was interested in the differences in the 3 android honeycomb tablets, maybe they could learn something from my post, since I've owned all 3 now.
I find it strange that you order 3 tables and only keep one! What do you do with the tables you don't keep?
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I return them. I don't usually do anything like that, it just happened to work out this time. I bought the Xoom, liked it, but decided that for $600 it just wasn't enough. I went back and they had the Acer in stock, so I picked that up. I saw they had the Asus in stock online like a week later, and decided what the hell, I've tried the other 2 now let's give it a go. I expect the Asus to win in a landslide... I didn't think my decision would be difficult.
Thanks for all the replies!
I had an Acer and currently have an Asus and the Acer felt much heavier especially when holding it in one hand. The metal construction gave it a nice quality feel, but it also made the back of the device slippery and a little harder to hold than the Asus. The Asus feels a little snappier, I noticed lag on the unlock screen of the Acer. However, the Acer seemed to have a more responsive touch screen. When I first received the Asus I noticed I had to tap the screen a little harder than the Acer, now I'm used to it and is no longer an issue. Also the Asus seems to be more hackable than the Acer, I believe the Acer still has a locked bootloader and the devs are having trouble putting clockworkmod recovery on the device. My Acer did play YouTube videos in the app better than the Asus.
I am happy with the Asus, I just need to find the keyboard dock. It seems to run smoother, the devs seem to be having success with Modding the transformer, and Asus seems to be ontop of things.
P.S typed this all on my transformer gotta love the tumb keyboard.
sirix1 said:
Why did you return your TF?
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It was due to what I consider to have been poor build quality, light bleed, creaky housing. I hope that this was just an initial manufacturing issue and that Asus will get to grips with it very soon and will produce a better Transformer. Of course there are people here who have had better units without these problems, I wasn't so lucky.
I like the solid construction of the Xoom, not so much the screen but I could get used to that I suppose. The Xoom is more expensive than the TF and that's a major consideration, also I'm not so sure that the Xoom will be as well supported as the TF, by both Motorola and not forgetting the guys here at XDA. There's a lot off stuff going off in this section.
I really am in limbo here trying to make the right decision.
also I returned my Acer because the GPS SUCKED. the Acer took forever to get a GPS lock and would lose the GPS signal randomly under a clear sky. I haven't gotten a chance to test the GPS on the transformer but I heard that it is good.
I looked at the Acer. Found it a nice tab - far better than the over priced, heavy Xoom (that I once owned 2 - until the TF came along and put them to shame).
But the Acer isn't as nice (on the pocketbook) as the TF, nor as versatile. Having the dock is nice - I don't use it often, but comes in very handy when wanting more bat life, more ports, faster typing - the kb dock is well executed. A benny of buying the kb dock is the clamshell design makes having a case unnecessary imo - stuffed it into my carry on luggage on my trip to Hawaii and no problems.
But if you don't want the dock, I'd go for the Acer due to full size USB on the tablet itself (that's the only thing I wanted extra on the TF). Marginally worse screen isn't a big deal. Didn't check the speakers, but if you say the TF is better, then the Acer's speakers must blow...
But you might also want to check the new Gal Tab 10 when it releases in the near future.
the transformer is great bang for the buck, and I like tablets with bigger bezels like the Asus and the Acer. I guess I have fat fingers because it was hard to hold the xoom with one hand without touching the screen by accident. but the xoom should always get honeycomb updates first, and should be the most hackable.
theydonkno said:
also I returned my Acer because the GPS SUCKED. the Acer took forever to get a GPS lock and would lose the GPS signal randomly under a clear sky. I haven't gotten a chance to test the GPS on the transformer but I heard that it is good.
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The one that I had worked very well, even got a lock in my front room where my HTC Desire couldn't.
theydonkno said:
the transformer is great bang for the buck, and I like tablets with bigger bezels like the Asus and the Acer. I guess I have fat fingers because it was hard to hold the xoom with one hand without touching the screen by accident. but the xoom should always get honeycomb updates first, and should be the most hackable.
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Hmmm, unless you're in the UK.
Transformer
I'd say TF, I found the Acer very heavy and the screen is not as sharp. The TF has lots of great widgets and the ability to remote desktop into your pc or mac.
I use that feature a lot, it comes in handy.
Polaris office is also another good feature. The Acer does have that usb port on the tablet, but the keyboard that attaches to it seems flimsy and the tablet doesn't attach 100% to it. And the dock doesn't have an extra battery.
I find that the TF gives me lots of options for expandability and ease of use.
Both are good choices, but the TF comes out on top imo.
UKseagull said:
It was due to what I consider to have been poor build quality, light bleed, creaky housing. I hope that this was just an initial manufacturing issue and that Asus will get to grips with it very soon and will produce a better Transformer. Of course there are people here who have had better units without these problems, I wasn't so lucky.
I like the solid construction of the Xoom, not so much the screen but I could get used to that I suppose. The Xoom is more expensive than the TF and that's a major consideration, also I'm not so sure that the Xoom will be as well supported as the TF, by both Motorola and not forgetting the guys here at XDA. There's a lot off stuff going off in this section.
I really am in limbo here trying to make the right decision.
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I use to own the Xoom and its a great device but way overpriced & the screen isn't that good. The price you save by going TF again can go towards a dock. I have shown my ex-Xoom & TF dock to many family members, friends & co-workers. All of them love the TF over the Xoom & many of them plan to get the TF & dock once they are able to find them.
Like someone said earlier, its all personal preference but for me, it's TF all the way.
sirix1 said:
Well, it was definitely on par with the Acer. I didn't have the Asus/Xoom at the same time so I couldn't compare them side by side.
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I know I just wrote that it's all subjective, but really I meant that in total. I'll say this as well: I have a Xoom and a TF sitting side by side right now (still haven't returned the Xoom to Costco, been busy), and the TF screen is heads and shoulders better than the Xoom's.
First, the angles are better. Much better. Like, night and day difference better. Second, colors on the TF are much more natural--the Xoom tends to be VERY cold (i.e., has a very strong blue tint). There are apparently two different Xoom screens floating around, each with their advantages/disadvantages, and the one I have is not even close to the TF.
In fact, even if the Xoom cost less than the TF, and even if the TF didn't have the dock, I'd still keep the TF over the Xoom on the strength of the screen alone.
wynand32 said:
In fact, even if the Xoom cost less than the TF, and even if the TF didn't have the dock, I'd still keep the TF over the Xoom on the strength of the screen alone.
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That's the big draw, the screen (when it's OK) is head and shoulders above most of the other tablets without the IPS screens and obviously the price is right too.
I'm getting p*ssed off going back and forth to this and that tablet, each have their plus and minuses. I can see me getting another Transformer at this rate ... IT BETTER BE BETTER THAN MY OTHERS!
I had Iconia and was good, except for the wifi problems and the constant turning on when in sleep. The new software fixes them. I returned it because the screen was inferior to the transformer, the metal housing was to damn slippery...dropped it on carpet a few times...the weight of it..the thickness of it and the main was the better development community here for the transformer. It is really a good tablet(Iconia) but did not suit me.
Guys im really confused..... can't decide between the xoom, acer iconia tab and the transformer.... Plz help.... I heard transformer has many issues such as light bleeding..... plz share your experience with me......
Plz let me know if you have any other tab in mind which I can buy......
(and if some one could tell me whether the transformer has a ddr2 ram or ddr3??)
Sent from my XT720 using XDA App
vari9 said:
Guys im really confused..... can't decide between the xoom, acer iconia tab and the transformer.... Plz help.... I heard transformer has many issues such as light bleeding..... plz share your experience with me......
Plz let me know if you have any other tab in mind which I can buy......
(and if some one could tell me whether the transformer has a ddr2 ram or ddr3??)
Sent from my XT720 using XDA App
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some transformers have a bleed issue, not all, mine doesn't or at least it's so light i don't notice it.....makes for an AMAZING comic/book reader....loving it so far
Do you want the keyboard dock? I did and chose the 32GB Transformer. I am very pleased with it. The screen is really good. I have never seen this bleed problem. Don't worry about DDR2 or DDR3. What counts is that the Transformer is very fast. Expect for some bragging rights, all of the Terga 2 tablets are about the same performance. It's more about the features.
Bye.
Could someone post me a pic of how the transformer looks like with the bleed......and can't I (if I buy it) get it fixed under warranty??
Sent from my XT720 using XDA App
No bleeding here, so I can't help. Just wanted to add my 2 cents that I love my TF and have no issues with it.
Kilmar said:
No bleeding here, so I can't help. Just wanted to add my 2 cents that I love my TF and have no issues with it.
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Is the battery life fine......
Its just that I feel I should wait for the asus padphone
Sent from my XT720 using XDA App
vari9 said:
Is the battery life fine......
Its just that I feel I should wait for the asus padphone
Sent from my XT720 using XDA App
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Padfone is coming out around Christmas. That'll be a long wait.
Regarding backlight bleeding. Not sure if I have it or not. I haven't gone into a dark room and looked at a black wall paper with maximum brightness lately.
I think a lot of the backlight bleeding is being blown out of proportion as it requires very unnatural conditions to really even notice. I don't think it's something to really worry about.
Anyway, I'd much rather have the Transformer's nice high contrast IPS quality display with some backlight bleeding rather than that washed out Xoom or A500 display.
One other thing. The Transformer feels a lot lighter than the Xoom or A500. The Transformer is a no brainer if you can find one.
I love my Transformer and it just got a bit better last night- update to 3.1.
I hate to say this - bc of jinx factor, but i have had no issues with mine.
A good way to see if you have light bleed issue is go to nook app, pull up a book and set it for night reading. it will blacken the screen. I have a min amount of light bleed. not enough to worry.
A friend has xoom and is selling for transformer. Not sure about acer.
But my recommendation is asus....
NOW go get it.
If its TAB 10.1 vs TF, there is something to give a thought for. Xoom vs TF vs Acer, TF is a no brainer for me.
Srikar_NBK said:
If its TAB 10.1 vs TF, there is something to give a thought for. Xoom vs TF vs Acer, TF is a no brainer for me.
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For me Tab vs TF isn't comparable. The Tab comes with no HW I/F but a propietary connector, and iPad-like experience. No SD/USB/HDMI until you use propietary accesories.
I somehow regret it, because I like Samsung very much, but no I/F is a big fail for me.
Regards.
Transformer...all the way!..Loving it...no issues...no COSTLY accessories...and best part is..Its OPEN SOURCE....and DEVELOPED everyday!...Go get one...along with a DOCK...yes...thats the feature you wont find in any other one...so go on...get it...
I have all three sitting on my desk. 32GB Xoom, and 16GB TF and Iconia.
If cost is no object I will take the Xoom. Smaller footprint, better selection of cases and it just feels and looks more "industrial".
With that being said I can also tell you that all of my team is getting the Transformer. Looks great, feels ok and is $200 less.
I can't speak specifically to battery life on the Transformer as I have not had it in the field enough but for me the Xoom will give me two, sometimes three days of use before a recharge under normal use. Heavy usage online and I get a really full day +
All in all I'm please with all of them but the Xoom and the Transformer stand out.
I just went through 2 Transformers. Beautiful IPS display, probably the best display of any android tablet at the moment. When used with the keyboard dock it's as close to a perfect duo any android base device will give you. Unfortunately, for me, I had issues with both devices. The first one had a tiny red stuck pixel in the center of the screen, to the left of it was a small piece of dust stuck under the screen, the right hand side suffered from creaking, and like many report I had backlight issues. The second tablet was pristine except for very noticible backlight bleed toward the bottom. This wouldn't have been such a major issue, however, since HC's status tab is black and right square where the bleed was, I couldn't deal with the fact that I'd be staring at it 24/7. Tigerdirect has been terrific with their customer services, but having to wait roughly 3 weeks for them to restock their inventory is a bit of a headache. RMAing to Asus is almost just as long. My advice to you is decide on what you need first before jumping in this generation. There are quite a few choices out there. Additionally this generation (Tegra 2) has been slow to mature. We've had tablets since November with very little fan fare, the eruption just started in February/March.....and with Tegra 3 and several Intel solutions within the next several months, it's important to keep your options open. I think we're about to hit a golden age of tablet computing due to high competition and increasingly incredible technology. Normally I am not the one to advocate waiting...as really, there is very little point with a hobby as everchanging as ours ...but in this instance with the late maturation of Tegra 2 I'm not sure....in any case if you're looking
cheap:
Nook Color/Viewsonic G-Tab;
bang for your buck:
Asus Transformer
blatant ripoff:
Motorola Xoom
One more question....is the 3.1 upgrade available to the asian region??
And the bleeding issue can be fixed right???
Sent from my XT720 using XDA App
I am debating on which to buy. I've been wanting a tablet for awhile now and have slimmed it down to these two options, but would like some feed back if possible.
I'm looking for s-off and root (quickly glancing at the forums, it looks like both are able to achieve this. I like to toy and tinker with things and having a root, with s-off, is a must for this.
Are there any huge differences between the two? I am liking the additional dock available for the Transformer.
Going to post this in the Iconia forum as well. Transformer people, win me over!
I've owned both and I can tell you that they're both great devices. It really depends on what you find more important.
The Iconia has a massive dev community, great sound, and a full sized USB port.
The Transformer has a brilliant display, is much lighter, has a full dock, VERY fast official updates, and a solid dev community.
My issue with the Iconia was really just the display (and weight to a certain extent). It has the second worst display of the current widely available android honeycomb tablets (Second only to the Xoom). 256K colors w/dithering vs 16M, and fairly poor display angles. That really sealed it for me. I loved the option of having the Virtuous roms available to me. Being able to run the UI of all of the other tables is a cool option, however I couldn't get past the washed out colors and blurry text. This tab also seems to suffer from the sleep of death a bit more than some of the other tabs out there (the Thrive is the worst suffering from this problem). This is where the tab goes into deep sleep and won't wake up. You have to hold the power button to reboot the device.
The Transformer isn't without it's own warts. The speaker quality is pretty poor overall. The biggest issue is that you're rolling the dice on a couple other problems that seem to happen at random regardless of the model revision (does seem to be a reduced chance of a lemon with the B6 and B7 revisions).
- Light bleed (standard led backlight flash lighting from the edges of the screen)
- Poor bezel attachment (the screen lifts in the corners on some tabs)
- Creaky back plate (the back panel of the tab creaks when manipulated)
Again, these are random and most that do have them don't see it as a deal breaker. I have 1 4mm spot of light bleed on the right side of my monitor that I can only see upon boot up in a completely dark room.
Modding on either of these tabs is incredibly easy to do. The NVFlash method of rooting/CWM'ing the Transformer is the easiest I've done. It's a wonderful thing. 3.2 was just released last week, so now we're all basking in the dev community molding that revision into new juicy roms and kernels.
go to bestbuy and try it out yourself. The A500 immediately turned me off the second I held it in my hands.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
myamex said:
go to bestbuy and try it out yourself. The A500 immediately turned me off the second I held it in my hands.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ditto, the form factor of the Iconia is plain ugly to me. As with the screen, it doesnt compare to the TF either.
+1 on Transformer.
+1 for TF - better display, slimmer, lighter, wonderful keyboard dock.
The Iconia does have better audio then the TF. If the Dolby enhancements are turned off , the Iconia sounds as bad as a TF.
I had a iconia for a few days, but eventually settled on a TF.
I have a TF for personal use and an Iconia I got for my store to take credit card payments (with Square). Besides the fact that I can't even use it for it's intended purpose (the Square credit card reader doesn't work with the Iconia for some reason) it is a pretty solid device.
However, in aesthetics.
The screen is not as good, it FEELS fatter and bulkier and the TF looks a lot more quality to me. The Iconia looks a bit dated and cheap (many others have commented on that as well).
I did put the two side by side and the Iconia is actually smaller than the TF.
You are going to get a lot of "pro Transformer" replies being that this is the Transformer forum, so I will give you the other side of the coin.
The Transformer has a proprietary power plug and they give you a very short cord. Accessories from Asus are freaking expensive and 3rd party accessories are almost non-existent.
I don't know how things are for Iconia 3rd party development (roms, etc) but for the Transformer it is relatively slow... not really much going on compared to other devices... very small number of interested developers.
Asus seems to be actively supporting the device, as a couple updates have been released for it, but they have failed to address some issues that have been complaints from the beginning for some people.
Overall, I am happy with the device. All devices have their drawbacks, so you just have to use the information you can find and make an informed decision. If I could do it over again I would spend the extra bucks and get a Galaxy Tab... but that's just me.
Im actually in the same boat as the op. I purchased both last week (using the $100 off Staples coupon) so i can get a hands on review of both. As of now, Im really leaning towards the TF but something keeps drawing to the Acer.
I like the screen on the TF and the feel of it, but the sound is terrible (even with the custom roms I have tried even tho i havent tried them all). I did like the usb on the Acer as I dont see myself buying the dock for the TF. I am a little concern with build quality as I am seeing more post of people having issues with screen/bleeding/spots appearing few months after having the TF.
In all I think you really cant go wrong with either but for me Im currently leaning towards the TF since it has the better screen and my main purpose for this is entertainment..just praying that the screen and build hold up long term
LOL you asked about whether getting TF or Icona in the TF forum and of course all these guys or gals here are owning TF so they +1 all for TF...
I would suggest to go with your guts,,,whatever you see the tablet applicable to your own use, go with it since you already narrowed down two... good luck
I chose TF because it weight, official update support, and I felt good when I held the TF in hand (have you held Viewsonic Gtab in hand? heavy like brick and uncomfortable? --it's just like that!)
One more thing,,, about the sound,,,it is tablet - do not expect it being great like laptop or PC - it won't be different if you use the headset
Drybonz said:
You are going to get a lot of "pro Transformer" replies being that this is the Transformer forum, so I will give you the other side of the coin.
The Transformer has a proprietary power plug and they give you a very short cord. Accessories from Asus are freaking expensive and 3rd party accessories are almost non-existent.
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Click to collapse
Just a fyi - I bought a 6 Foot USB 3.0 extension cord on amazon for $4.75 shipped. Now I have about a 9 foot power cord combined for cheap.
Otherwise, I agree. The power cord is so short, and makes no sense at all to me.
Just a quick reply before I go to work. I live in Japan. I don't have a Best Buy here. They have a Iconia A500 at the BX and I've played with it some, but can't compare to the Transformer.
I'll reply back later today when I have more time. Thanks for all the good input!
Drybonz said:
You are going to get a lot of "pro Transformer" replies being that this is the Transformer forum, so I will give you the other side of the coin.
The Transformer has a proprietary power plug and they give you a very short cord. Accessories from Asus are freaking expensive and 3rd party accessories are almost non-existent.
.
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Like I said...I have both.
Acer power cord is just as short and it is also proprietary btw
Get what YOU want...NOT what we say.
Learn to think for yourself.
I agree. You should go with what works best for you.
I've tried each one to review and each has it's pro's and con's tbh.
The Iconia is just plain ugly for me to hold in my hands and feel comfortable with but that's just me. It is nice to have a USB on the tablet but Im not missing much if I just have my dock w/ tablet here. - The idea of a micro HDMI on a tablet, to me, is a not that practical as you have to hunt for those lil' things apposed to a mini HDMI cable which I just can't hype up anymore with everyone who see's this.
I also tried the Galaxy Tab bu I immediately returned it due to the fact that Sammy just completely cloned an iPad, leaving out any extra input options like micro SD!!!! - I'm not knocking on GTab owners at all but rly???
You should just youtube some videos and then see what you like.. THERE IS A RETURN POLICY FOR MOST STORES YOU KNOW
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium Appith w
Hi, I plan to buy a tablet in a few weeks and my favorites are also the iconia and the tf.
Right now I prefer the tf, but i've read in some reviews that thr video playback is sometimes laggy compared to other android tegra 2 tabs and this would be a deal breaker for me. Is fhis true? if so, do custom roms fix this problem?
Sent out of my Free Candy Van.
newtybar said:
Acer power cord is just as short and it is also proprietary btw
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good info... how is the availability/pricing on accessories for the Iconia?
Digiguest said:
Get what YOU want...NOT what we say.
Learn to think for yourself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright. Thanks for all your replies everyone. I am and will decide for myself but since I cannot try out both I was reaching out to the community to give me their pro's and con's so I can weigh them for my own decision.
I'll have to go back to the BX later and play around with the Iconia some more. I didn't really play with the form factor, but what I really like from the Transformer is the keyboard/battery/etc dock. From my understanding it'll be future-compatible too.
dills2214 said:
Just a fyi - I bought a 6 Foot USB 3.0 extension cord on amazon for $4.75 shipped. Now I have about a 9 foot power cord combined for cheap.
Otherwise, I agree. The power cord is so short, and makes no sense at all to me.
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Click to collapse
Things like this is what I'm looking for. Thanks for all the positive feed back. I'm still a couple months away from getting either or, but like to research before I make the switch.
If you like the idea of the dock/keyboard/battery++, the choice is pretty much made.
Personally I think the dock makes the Transformer a completely different animal than all the other tablets out there. Funny thing is, I see the fact that you can use it as "strictly a tablet", as an added bonus of sorts. Not the other way around.
In my mind it's a little computer running Android, with a detachable screen. I can't picture myself ever owning "just a tablet" after getting used to my beloved Transformer.
Beware of bias. I'm in love.
Is the Transformer capable of stylus use? or does it allow for decent digital painting?
my 2 cents:
Asus Transformer
-way better screen (most important feature in a tablet, imho)
-a lot lighter then the Iconia (Iconia is the heaviest Android tablet)
-faster updates
-less freezes & runs smoother
-dock option
Acer Iconia
-USB port (the Transformer only has this on the dock)
-better built? allegedly. (my Asus is also very solid but the Iconia metal back feels stronger)
-better sound
-better camera (with flash)
For me it boils down to needing a USB port or not & to wanting the dock option or not.
If you don't need the USB port, then the Transformed is the obvious choice.
If you do (and don't want to spend the extra $150 for the dock) then go for the Acer.
Also if you really want a better screen and the dock option, again the obvious choice is the TF.
good luck & enjoy your new toy either or!
Just a quick overview: I was in Best Buy the other night, and fortunately, they had all 3 machines not only powered on, but also on WiFi. I couldn't resist this, since I'm beginning to seriously look at a 10" tab to replace my oft maligned (And rightly so) Gentough78. (Yeah, yeah.. I know) Anyway, having all 3 side by side was nice. Here's my thoughts:
Screen: The winner was the Thrive. It had very good contrast. The other 2 were completely acceptable though.
Case: I like the rubberized backing of the Thrive a LOT. That being said, it was a close 2nd place to the Xformer (Heretofore called the XF). Didn't care for the clunkiness of the Iconia.
WiFi performance: The Iconia stuttered a lot on the youtube video I was playing. The other 2 seemed to handle this just fine.
WiFi Tethering: The XF was the only one of the 3 that saw my hotspot on my Epic. This is a pretty big deal.
Snappiness: Hard to tell the diff between the 3, honestly. They were all nice.
Dock: Obviously this is an awesome on the XF
So... overall, as it stands, I'm seriously looking at the XF as my tab of choice. Just thought I'd share my thoughts here. How's the tun.ko working out on IPSEC VPN???
Fellow epic user! I was faced with the same decision and got the TF because of the hotspot issue. I have no regrets and i dont even have the dock. I use my stylus for most everything. I also like how the OS has no annoying UI over top.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
i currently have both the thrive and transformer and i have to say you are wrong, the IPS display on the transformer is noticeably better. It's richer in color and has better viewing angles. I am returning the thrive because its just too fat!
Either way, they are good choices. I really don't need the ports on the Thrive, and I really like the TF's weight and thinness compared to the Thrive since I usually throw it in my bag, or walk around carrying it in my hand when I'm using it as a Mp3 player (which is all the time). Since the Thrive has a LED screen, blacks are probably darker than on the TF but I haven't tested.
shubonker said:
i currently have both the thrive and transformer and i have to say you are wrong, the IPS display on the transformer is noticeably better. It's richer in color and has better viewing angles. I am returning the thrive because its just too fat!
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Click to collapse
I agree, I found the TF screen to be superior. The only other andriod tablet I thought had a display that could compete with the TF was the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Did you check to see if the brightness setting where set to the same approximate
brightness.
You can't test anything in 20 minutes at best buy. They all are a tie because ech line has a feature specific to its self. I think it comes down to personal preference and how will it be used. I chose the Asus because of the free software Splashtop and Polaris, but do wn a Acer too. The Acer states hooked up to my TV with wireless keyboard and mouse to stream movies or surf the web.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
I made this thread to help kinda sort what each tablet has (most of them out there), might help you pinpoint.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AnAJoa0-ynONdE1TT1RSdTcxbmRFeE5mdl9jdzZDb3c&output=html
RojasTKD said:
Did you check to see if the brightness setting where set to the same approximate
brightness.
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Click to collapse
Nope... should have. In all fairness, the screens were in pretty mucky shape too. They all had streaks and smudges from all of the dirty fingers of the crumb crunchers who had played with them. The 2 Xooms wouldn't even come on, so I didn't check them out (Although in all fairness, the $100 extra kind of excluded them anyway)
When I get a little closer to being actually able to afford one (I'm just over 1/2 way there now), I'll go give them a lot closer look, and I'll probably bring a microfibre cloth. I'd never let any of my screens get that nasty.
And I'll pay extra close attention to the viewing angles. That's something I hadn't thought of.
Robbzilla said:
Nope... should have. In all fairness, the screens were in pretty mucky shape too. They all had streaks and smudges from all of the dirty fingers of the crumb crunchers who had played with them. The 2 Xooms wouldn't even come on, so I didn't check them out (Although in all fairness, the $100 extra kind of excluded them anyway)
When I get a little closer to being actually able to afford one (I'm just over 1/2 way there now), I'll go give them a lot closer look, and I'll probably bring a microfibre cloth. I'd never let any of my screens get that nasty.
And I'll pay extra close attention to the viewing angles. That's something I hadn't thought of.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Xoom, the screen isn't as good as the others. The color temp and viewing angle are inferior.
http://dustinwilkins.com/2011/05/03/it-is-all-about-the-screen-transformer-vs-xoom/
http://androidforums.com/asus-eee-pad-transformer/327231-transformer-vs-xoom-screen.html
http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/17404-screen-comparison-versus-a-xoom-with-pics/
I bought the Iconia and returned it. I just thought the plastic port area on the sites ruined the high-end feel of the brushed metal. And it was too heavy to comfortably hold while reading. I love the ports though. The Toshiba tablet was just too huge. My TF is great. But build quality is so-so; I got a squeeky area around the power button. No big deal though.
Asus TF has the best screen and the value-for-money dock
Iconia has the full size usb port
Thrive has the full size usb port and hdmi port but loses out on weight and bulkiness.
and all three devices uses the same SoC, the Tegra2 so i wouldn't compare performance.
and there are other scientific ways to test the WiFi performance than testing with a youtube video
jananan said:
Asus TF has the best screen and the value-for-money dock
Iconia has the full size usb port
Thrive has the full size usb port and hdmi port but loses out on weight and bulkiness.
and all three devices uses the same SoC, the Tegra2 so i wouldn't compare performance.
and there are other scientific ways to test the WiFi performance than testing with a youtube video
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, but with a locked down market and running fast through the testing since other people were looking, it was the 1st thing that came to mind. I'm not a professional reviewer, I just play one on TV...
dude2k5 said:
I made this thread to help kinda sort what each tablet has (most of them out there), might help you pinpoint.
(Google Docs link in original post)
Hey Dude; terrific work.
Saved me the hassle
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I'd get the transformer. If you're referencing the BF deal then the Asus has 16gb for $250 while the Thrive is 8gb for $275. To me, that's no contest.